pgw.piccadillyjim-第3部分

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　Ann　flushed。
　〃I　know；〃　she　said　shortly。
　Something　in　her　tone　arrested　Mr。　Pett's　attention。
　〃Yes；　yes；　of　course；〃　he　said　hastily。　〃I　was　forgetting。〃
　There　was　an　awkward　silence。　Mr。　Pett　coughed。　The　matter　of　young　Mr。　Crocker's　erstwhile　connection　with　the　New　York　Chronicle　was　one　which　they　had　tacitly　decided　to　refrain　from　mentioning。
　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　your　nephew；　uncle　Peter。〃
　〃Nephew　by　marriage；〃　corrected　Mr。　Pett　a　little　hurriedly。　〃Nesta's　sister　Eugenia　married　his　father。〃
　〃I　suppose　that　makes　me　a　sort　of　cousin。〃
　〃A　distant　cousin。〃
　〃It　can't　be　too　distant　for　me。〃
　There　was　a　sound　of　hurried　footsteps　outside　the　door。　Mrs。　Pett　entered；　holding　a　paper　in　her　hand。　She　waved　it　before　Mr。　Pett's　sympathetic　face。
　〃I　know；　my　dear；〃　he　said　backing。　〃Ann　and　I　were　just　talking　about　it。〃
　The　little　photograph　had　not　done　Mrs。　Pett　justice。　Seen　life…size；　she　was　both　handsomer　and　more　formidable　than　she　appeared　in　reproduction。　She　was　a　large　woman；　with　a　fine　figure　and　bold　and　pelling　eyes；　and　her　personality　crashed　disturbingly　into　the　quiet　atmosphere　of　the　room。　She　was　the　type　of　woman　whom　small；　diffident　men　seem　to　marry　instinctively；　as　unable　to　help　themselves　as　cockleshell　boats　sucked　into　a　maelstrom。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃　she　demanded；　sinking　heavily　into　the　chair　which　her　husband　had　vacated。
　This　was　an　aspect　of　the　matter　which　had　not　occurred　to　Mr。　Pett。　He　had　not　contemplated　the　possibility　of　actually　doing　anything。　Nature　had　made　him　out　of　office　hours　essentially　a　passive　organism；　and　it　was　his　tendency；　when　he　found　himself　in　a　sea　of　troubles；　to　float　plaintively；　not　to　take　arms　against　it。　To　pick　up　the　slings　and　arrows　of　outrageous　fortune　and　fling　them　back　was　not　a　habit　of　his。　He　scratched　his　chin　and　said　nothing。　He　went　on　saying　nothing。
　〃If　Eugenia　had　had　any　sense；　she　would　have　foreseen　what　would　happen　if　she　took　the　boy　away　from　New　York　where　he　was　working　too　hard　to　get　into　mischief　and　let　him　run　loose　in　London　with　too　much　money　and　nothing　to　do。　But；　if　she　had　had　any　sense；　she　would　never　have　married　that　impossible　Crocker　man。　As　I　told　her。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　paused；　and　her　eyes　glowed　with　reminiscent　fire。　She　was　recalling　the　scene　which　had　taken　place　three　years　ago　between　her　sister　and　herself；　when　Eugenia　had　told　her　of　her　intention　to　marry　an　obscure　and　middle…aged　actor　named　Bingley　Crocker。　Mrs。　Pett　had　never　seen　Bingley　Crocker；　but　she　had　condemned　the　proposed　match　in　terms　which　had　ended　definitely　and　forever　her　relations　with　her　sister。　Eugenia　was　not　a　woman　who　weled　criticism　of　her　actions。　She　was　cast　in　the　same　formidable　mould　as　Mrs。　Pett　and　resembled　her　strikingly　both　in　appearance　and　character。
　Mrs。　Pett　returned　to　the　present。　The　past　could　look　after　itself。　The　present　demanded　surgery。
　〃One　would　have　thought　it　would　have　been　obvious　even　to　Eugenia　that　a　boy　of　twenty…one　needed　regular　work。〃
　Mr。　Pett　was　glad　to　e　out　of　his　shell　here。　He　was　the　Apostle　of　Work；　and　this　sentiment　pleased　him。
　〃That's　right；〃　he　said。　〃Every　boy　ought　to　have　work。〃
　〃Look　at　this　young　Crocker's　record　since　he　went　to　live　in　London。　He　is　always　doing　something　to　make　himself　notorious。　There　was　that　breach…of…promise　case；　and　that　fight　at　the　political　meeting；　and　his　escapades　at　Monte　Carlo；　andand　everything。　And　he　must　be　drinking　himself　to　death。　I　think　Eugenia's　insane。　She　seems　to　have　no　influence　over　him　at　all。〃
　Mr。　Pett　moaned　sympathetically。
　〃And　now　the　papers　have　found　out　that　I　am　his　aunt；　and　I　suppose　they　will　print　my　photograph　whenever　they　publish　an　article　about　him。〃
　She　ceased　and　sat　rigid　with　just　wrath。　Mr。　Pett；　who　always　felt　his　responsibilities　as　chorus　keenly　during　these　wifely　monologues；　surmised　that　a　remark　from　him　was　indicated。
　〃It's　tough；〃　he　said。
　Mrs。　Pett　turned　on　him　like　a　wounded　tigress。
　〃What　is　the　use　of　saying　that？　It's　no　use　saying　anything。〃
　〃No；　no；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　prudently　refraining　from　pointing　out　that　she　had　already　said　a　good　deal。
　〃You　must　do　something。〃
　Ann　entered　the　conversation　for　the　first　time。　She　was　not　very　fond　of　her　aunt；　and　liked　her　least　when　she　was　bullying　Mr。　Pett。　There　was　something　in　Mrs。　Pett's　character　with　which　the　imperiousness　which　lay　beneath　Ann's　cheerful　attitude　towards　the　world　was　ever　at　war。
　〃What　can　uncle　Peter　possibly　do？〃　she　inquired。
　〃Why；　get　the　boy　back　to　America　and　make　him　work。　It's　the　only　possible　thing。〃
　〃But　is　it　possible？〃
　〃Of　course　it　is。〃
　〃Assuming　that　Jimmy　Crocker　would　accept　an　invitation　to　e　over　to　America；　what　sort　of　work　could　he　do　here？　He　couldn't　get　his　place　on　the　Chronicle　back　again　after　dropping　out　for　all　these　years　and　making　a　public　pest　of　himself　all　that　while。　And　outside　of　newspaper　work　what　is　he　fit　for？〃
　〃My　dear　child；　don't　make　difficulties。〃
　〃I'm　not。　These　are　ready…made。〃
　Mr。　Pett　interposed。　He　was　always　nervously　apprehensive　of　a　clash　between　these　two。　Ann　had　red　hair　and　the　nature　which　generally　goes　with　red　hair。　She　was　impulsive　and　quick　of　tongue；　andas　he　remembered　her　father　had　always　beena　little　too　ready　for　bat。　She　was　usually　as　quickly　remorseful　as　she　was　quickly　pugnacious；　like　most　persons　of　her　colour。　Her　offer　to　type　the　story　which　now　lay　on　her　desk　had　been　the　amende　honourable　following　on　just　such　a　scene　with　her　aunt　as　this　promised　to　be。　Mr。　Pett　had　no　wish　to　see　the　truce　this　consummated　broken　almost　before　it　had　had　time　to　operate。
　〃I　could　give　the　boy　a　job　in　my　office；〃　he　suggested。
　Giving　young　men　jobs　in　his　office　was　what　Mr。　Pett　liked　doing　best。　There　were　six　brilliant　youths　living　in　his　house　and　bursting　with　his　food　at　that　very　moment　whom　he　would　have　been　delighted　to　start　addressing　envelopes　down…town。
　Notably　his　wife's　nephew；　Willie　Partridge；　whom　he　looked　on　as　a　specious　loafer。　He　had　a　stubborn　disbelief　in　the　explosive　that　was　to　revolutionise　war。　He　knew；　as　all　the　world　did；　that　Willie's　late　father　had　been　a　great　inventor；　but　he　did　not　accept　the　fact　that　Willie　had　inherited　the　dead　man's　genius。　He　regarded　the　experiments　on　Partridgite；　as　it　was　to　be　called；　with　the　profoundest　scepticism；　and　considered　that　the　only　thing　Willie　had　ever　invented　or　was　likely　to　invent　was　a　series　of　ingenious　schemes　for　living　in　fatted　idleness　on　other　people's　money。
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　delighted　at　the　suggestion。　〃The　very　thing。〃
　〃Will　you　write　and　suggest　it？〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　basking　in　the　sunshine　of　unwonted　mendation。
　〃What　would　be　the　use　of　writing？　Eugenia　would　pay　no　attention。　Besides；　I　could　not　say　all　I　wished　to　in　a　letter。　No；　the　only　thing　is　to　go　over　to　England　and　see　her。　I　shall　speak　very　plainly　to　her。　I　shall　point　out　what　an　advantage　it　will　be　to　the　boy　to　be　in　your　office　and　to　live　here。　。　。　。〃
　Ann　started。
　〃You　don't　mean　live　herein　this　house？〃
　〃Of　course。　There　would　be　no　sense　in　bringing　the　boy　all　the　way　over　from　England　if　he　was　to　be　allowed　to　run　loose　when　he　got　here。〃
　Mr。　Pett　coughed　deprecatingly。
　〃I　don't　think　that　would　he　very　pleasant　for　Ann；　dear。〃
　〃Why　in　the　name　of　goodness　should　Ann　object？〃
　Ann　moved　towards　the　door。
　〃Thank　you　for　thinking　of　it；　uncle　Peter。　You're　always　a　dear。　But　don't　worry　about　me。　Do　just　as　you　want　to。　In　any　case　I'm　quite　certain　that　you　won't　be　able　to　get　him　to　e　over　here。　You　can　see　by　the　paper　he's　having　far　too　good　a　time　in　London。　You　can　call　Jimmy　Crockers　from　the　vasty　deep；　but　will　they　e　when　you　call　for　them？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　looked　at　the　door　as　it　closed　behind　her；　then　at　her　husband。
　〃What　do　you　mean；　Peter；　about　Ann？　Why　wouldn't　it　be　pleasant　for　her　if　this　Crocker　boy　came　to　live　with　us？〃
　Mr。　Pett　hesitated。
　〃Well；　it's　like　this；　Nesta。　I　hope　you　won't　tell　her　I　told　you。　She's　sensitive　about　it；　poor　girl。　It　all　happened　before　you　and　I　were　married。　Ann　was　much　younger　then。　You　know　what　schoolgirls　are；　kind　of　foolish　and　sentimental。　It　was　my　fault　really；　I　ought　to　have　。　。　。〃
　〃Good　Heavens；　Peter！　What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me？〃
　〃She　was　only　a　child。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　rose　in　slow　horror。
　〃Peter！　Tell　me！　Don't　try　to　break　it　gently。〃
　〃Ann　wrote　a　book　of　poetry　and　I　had　it　published　for　her。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　sank　back　in　her　chair。
　〃Oh！〃　she　saidit　would　have　been　hard　to　say　whether　with　relief　or　disappointment。　〃Whatever　did　you　make　such　a　fuss　for？　Why　did　you　want　to　be　so　mysterious？〃
　〃It　was　all　my　fault；　really；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Pett。　〃I　ought　to　have　known　better。　All　I　thought　of　at　the　time　was　that　it　would　please　the　child　to　see　the　poems　in　print　and　be　able　to　give　the　book　to　her　friends。　She　did　give　it　to　her　friends；〃　he　went　on　ruefully；　〃and　ever　since　she's　been　trying　to　live　it　down。　I've　seen　her　bite　a　young　fellow's　head　off　when　he　tried　to　make　a　grand…stand　play　with　her　by　quoting　her　poems　which　he'd　found　in　his　sister's　book…shelf。〃
　〃But；　in　the　name　of　goodness；　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　young　Crocker？〃
　〃Why；　it　was　this　way。　Most　of　the　papers　just　gave　Ann's　book　a　mention　among　'Volumes　Received；'　or　a　couple　of　lines　that　didn't　amount　to　anything；　but　the　Chronicle　saw　a　Sunday　feature　in　it；　as　Ann　was　going　about　a　lot　then　and　was　a　well…known　society　girl。　They　sent　this　Crocker　boy　to　get　an　interview　from　her；　all　about　her　methods　of　work　and　inspirations　and　what　not。　We　never　suspected　it　wasn't　the　straight　goods。　Why；　that　very　evening　I　mailed　an　order　for　a　hundred　copies　to　be　sent　to　me　when　the　thing　appeared。　And〃　pinkness　came　upon　Mr。　Pett　at　the　recollection　〃it　was　just　a　josh　from　start　to　finish。　The　young　hound　made　a　joke　of　the　poems　and　what　Ann　had　told　him　about　her　inspirations　and　quoted　bits　of　the　poems　just　to　kid　the　life　out　of　them。　。　。　。　I　thought　Ann　would　never　get　over　it。　Well；　it　doesn't　worry　her　any　m