pgw.piccadillyjim-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃You　have　seen　your　nephew；　I　believe？〃
　〃Never。　But〃
　〃That　man；〃　said　Lord　Wisbeach　impassively；　〃is　not　your　nephew。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　thrilled　all　down　her　spine。　She　had　been　right。
　〃But　you〃
　〃But　I　pretended　to　recognise　him？　Just　so。　For　a　purpose。　I　wanted　to　make　him　think　that　I　suspected　nothing。〃
　〃Then　you　think？〃
　〃Remember　what　I　said　to　you　yesterday。〃
　〃But　Skinnerthe　butlerrecognised　him？〃
　〃Exactly。　It　goes　to　prove　that　what　I　said　about　Skinner　was　correct。　They　are　working　together。　The　thing　is　self…evident。　Look　at　it　from　your　point　of　view。　How　simple　it　is。　This　man　pretends　to　an　intimate　acquaintance　with　Skinner。　You　take　that　as　evidence　of　Skinner's　honesty。　Skinner　recognises　this　man。　You　take　that　as　proof　that　this　man　is　really　your　nephew。　The　fact　that　Skinner　recognised　as　Jimmy　Crocker　a　man　who　is　not　Jimmy　Crocker　condemns　him。〃
　〃But　why　did　you？〃
　〃I　told　you　that　I　pretended　to　accept　this　man　as　the　real　Jimmy　Crocker　for　a　purpose。　At　present　there　is　nothing　that　you　can　do。　Mere　impersonation　is　not　a　crime。　If　I　had　exposed　him　when　we　met；　you　would　have　gained　nothing　beyond　driving　him　from　the　house。　Whereas；　if　we　wait；　if　we　pretend　to　suspect　nothing；　we　shall　undoubtedly　catch　him　red…handed　in　an　attempt　on　your　nephew's　invention。〃
　〃You　are　sure　that　that　is　why　he　has　e？〃
　〃What　other　reason　could　he　have？〃
　〃I　thought　he　might　be　trying　to　kidnap　Ogden。〃
　Lord　Wisbeach　frowned　thoughtfully。　He　had　not　taken　this　consideration　into　account。
　〃It　is　possible；〃　he　said。　〃There　have　been　several　attempts　made；　have　there　not；　to　kidnap　your　son？〃
　〃At　one　time；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　proudly；　〃there　was　not　a　child　in　America　who　had　to　be　more　closely　guarded。　Why；　the　kidnappers　had　a　special　nick…name　for　Oggie。　They　called　him　the　Little　Nugget。〃
　〃Of　course；　then；　it　is　quite　possible　that　that　may　be　the　man's　object。　In　any　case；　our　course　must　be　the　same。　We　must　watch　every　move　he　makes。〃　He　paused。　〃I　could　helppardon　my　suggesting　itI　could　help　a　great　deal　more　if　you　were　to　invite　me　to　live　in　the　house。　You　were　kind　enough　to　ask　me　to　visit　you　in　the　country；　but　it　will　be　two　weeks　before　you　go　to　the　Country；　and　in　those　two　weeks〃
　〃You　must　e　here　at　once；　Lord　Wisbeach。　To…night。　To…day。〃
　〃I　think　that　would　be　the　best　plan。〃
　〃I　cannot　tell　you　how　grateful　I　am　for　all　you　are　doing。〃
　〃You　have　been　so　kind　to　me；　Mrs。　Pett；〃　said　Lord　Wisbeach　with　feeling；　〃that　it　is　surely　only　right　that　I　should　try　to　make　some　return。　Let　us　leave　it　at　this　then。　I　will　e　here　to…night　and　will　make　it　my　business　to　watch　these　two　men。　I　will　go　and　pack　my　things　and　have　them　sent　home。〃
　〃It　is　wonderful　of　you；　Lord　Wisbeach。〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　his　lordship。　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure。〃
　He　held　out　his　hand；　drawing　it　back　rapidly　as　the　dog　Aida　made　a　snap　at　it。　Substituting　a　long…range　leave…taking　for　the　more　intimate　farewell；　he　left　the　room。
　When　he　had　gone；　Mrs。　Pett　remained　for　some　minutes；　thinking。　She　was　aflame　with　excitement。　She　had　a　sensational　mind；　and　it　had　absorbed　Lord　Wisbeach's　revelations　eagerly。　Her　admiration　for　his　lordship　was　intense；　and　she　trusted　him　utterly。　The　only　doubt　that　occurred　to　her　was　whether；　with　the　best　intentions　in　the　world；　he　would　be　able　unassisted　to　foil　a　pair　of　schemers　so　distant　from　each　other　geographically　as　the　man　who　called　himself　Jimmy　Crocker　and　the　man　who　had　called　himself　Skinner。　That　was　a　point　on　which　they　had　not　touched；　the　fact　that　one　impostor　was　above　stairs；　the　other　below。　It　seemed　to　Mrs。　Pett　impossible　that　Lord　Wisbeach；　for　all　his　zeal；　could　watch　Skinner　without　neglecting　Jimmy　or　foil　Jimmy　without　taking　his　attention　off　Skinner。　It　was　manifestly　a　situation　that　called　for　allies。　She　felt　that　she　must　have　further　assistance。
　To　Mrs。　Pett；　doubtless　owing　to　her　hobby　of　writing　sensational　fiction；　there　was　a　magic　in　the　word　detective　which　was　shared　by　no　other　word　in　the　language。　She　loved　detectivestheir　keen　eyes；　their　quiet　smiles；　their　Derby　hats。　When　they　came　on　the　stage；　she　leaned　forward　in　her　orchestra　chair；　when　they　entered　her　own　stories；　she　always　wrote　with　a　greater　zest。　It　is　not　too　much　to　say　that　she　had　an　almost　spiritual　attachment　for　detectives；　and　the　idea　of　neglecting　to　employ　one　in　real　life；　now　that　circumstances　had　bined　to　render　his　advent　so　necessary；　struck　her　as　both　rash　and　inartistic。　In　the　old　days；　when　Ogden　had　been　kidnapped；　the　only　thing　which　had　brought　her　balm　had　been　the　daily　interviews　with　the　detectives。　She　ached　to　telephone　for　one　now。
　The　only　consideration　that　kept　her　back　was　a　regard　for　Lord　Wisbeach's　feelings。　He　had　been　so　kind　and　so　shrewd　that　to　suggest　reinforcing　him　with　outside　assistance　must　infallibly　wound　him　deeply。　And　yet　the　situation　demanded　the　services　of　a　trained　specialist。　Lord　Wisbeach　had　borne　himself　during　their　recent　conversation　in　such　a　manner　as　to　leave　no　doubt　that　he　considered　himself　adequate　to　deal　with　the　matter　single…handed：　but　admirable　though　he　was　he　was　not　a　professional　exponent　of　the　art　of　espionage。　He　needed　to　be　helped　in　spite　of　himself。
　A　happy　solution　struck　Mrs。　Pett。　There　was　no　need　to　tell　him。　She　could　bine　the　installation　of　a　detective　with　the　nicest　respect　for　her　ally's　feelings　by　the　simple　process　of　engaging　one　without　telling　Lord　Wisbeach　anything　about　it。
　The　telephone　stood　at　her　elbow；　concealed　at　the　express　request　of　the　interior　decorator　who　had　designed　the　roomin　the　interior　of　what　looked　to　the　casual　eye　like　a　stuffed　owl。　On　a　table　near　at　hand；　handsomely　bound　in　morocco　to　resemble　a　plete　works　of　Shakespeare；　was　the　telephone　book。　Mrs。　Pett　hesitated　no　longer。　She　had　forgotten　the　address　of　the　detective　agency　which　she　had　employed　on　the　occasion　of　the　kidnapping　of　Ogden；　but　she　remembered　the　name；　and　also　the　name　of　the　delightfully　sympathetic　manager　or　proprietor　or　whatever　he　was　who　had　listened　to　her　troubles　then。
　She　unhooked　the　receiver；　and　gave　a　number。
　〃I　want　to　speak　to　Mr。　Sturgis；〃　she　said。
　〃Oh；　Mr。　Sturgis；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃I　wonder　if　you　could　possibly　run　up　hereyes；　now。　This　is　Mrs。　Peter　Pett　speaking。　You　remember　we　met　some　years　ago　when　I　was　Mrs。　Ford。　Yes；　the　mother　of　Ogden　Ford。　I　want　to　consultYou　will　e　up　at　once？　Thank　you　so　much。　Good…bye。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　hung　up　the　receiver。
　
　CHAPTER　XVII
　MISS　TRIMBLE；　DETECTIVE
　
　DOWNSTAIRS；　in　the　dining…room；　Jimmy　was　smoking　cigarettes　and　reviewing　in　his　mind　the　peculiarities　of　the　situation；　when　Ann　came　in。
　〃Oh；　there　you　are；〃　said　Ann。　〃I　thought　you　must　have　gone　upstairs。〃
　〃I　have　been　having　a　delightful　and　entertaining　conversation　with　my　old　chum；　Lord　Wisbeach。〃
　〃Good　gracious！　What　about？〃
　〃Oh；　this　and　that。〃
　〃Not　about　old　times？〃
　〃No；　we　did　not　touch　upon　old　times。〃
　〃Does　he　still　believe　that　you　are　Jimmy　Crocker？　I'm　so　nervous；〃　said　Ann；　〃that　I　can　hardly　speak。〃
　〃I　shouldn't　be　nervous；〃　said　Jimmy　encouragingly。　〃I　don't　see　how　things　could　be　going　better。〃
　〃That's　what　makes　me　nervous。　Our　luck　is　too　good　to　last。　We　are　taking　such　risks。　It　would　have　been　bad　enough　without　Skinner　and　Lord　Wisbeach。　At　any　moment　you　may　make　some　fatal　slip。　Thank　goodness；　aunt　Nesta's　suspicions　have　been　squashed　for　the　time　being　now　that　Skinner　and　Lord　Wisbeach　have　accepted　you　as　genuine。　But　then　you　have　only　seen　them　for　a　few　minutes。　When　they　have　been　with　you　a　little　longer；　they　may　get　suspicious　themselves。　I　can't　imagine　how　you　managed　to　keep　it　up　with　Lord　Wisbeach。　I　should　have　thought　he　would　be　certain　to　say　something　about　the　time　when　you　were　supposed　to　be　friends　in　London。　We　simply　mustn't　strain　our　luck。　I　want　you　to　go　straight　to　aunt　Nesta　now　and　ask　her　to　let　Jerry　e　back。〃
　〃You　still　refuse　to　let　me　take　Jerry's　place？〃
　〃Of　course　I　do。　You'll　find　aunt　Nesta　upstairs。〃
　〃Very　well。　But　suppose　I　can't　persuade　her　to　forgive　Jerry？〃
　〃I　think　she　is　certain　to　do　anything　you　ask。　You　saw　how　friendly　she　was　to　you　at　lunch。　I　don't　see　how　anything　can　have　happened　since　lunch　to　change　her。〃
　〃Very　well。　I'll　go　to　her　now。〃
　〃And　when　you　have　seen　her；　go　to　the　library　and　wait　for　me。　It's　the　second　room　along　the　passage　outside　here。　I　have　promised　to　drive　Lord　Wisbeach　down　to　his　hotel　in　my　car。　I　met　him　outside　just　now　and　he　tells　me　aunt　Nesta　has　invited　him　to　stay　here；　so　he　wants　to　go　and　get　his　things　ready。　I　shan't　be　twenty　minutes。　I　shall　e　straight　back。〃
　Jimmy　found　himself　vaguely　disquieted　by　this　piece　of　information。
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　is　ing　to　stay　here？〃
　〃Yes。　Why？〃
　〃Oh；　nothing。　Well；　I'll　go　and　see　Mrs。　Pett。〃
　No　traces　of　the　disturbance　which　had　temporarily　ruffled　the　peace　of　the　drawing…room　were　to　be　observed　when　Jimmy　reached　it。　The　receiver　of　the　telephone　was　back　on　its　hook；　Mrs。　Pett　back　in　her　chair；　the　dog　Aida　back　in　her　basket。　Mrs。　Pett；　her　mind　at　ease　now　that　she　had　taken　the　step　of　summoning　Mr。　Sturgis；　was　reading　a　book；　one　of　her　own；　and　was　absorbed　in　it。　The　dog　Aida　slumbered　noisily。
　The　sight　of　Jimmy；　however；　roused　Mrs。　Pett　from　her　literary　calm。　To　her　eye；　after　what　Lord　Wisbeach　had　revealed　there　was　something　sinister　in　the　very　way　in　which　he　walked　into　the　room。　He　made　her　flesh　creep。　In　〃A　Society　Thug〃　（Mobbs　and　Stifien；　1。35　net；　all　rights　of　translation　reserved；　including　the　Scandinavian）　she　had　portrayed　just　such　a　mansmooth；　specious；　and　formidable。　Instinctively；　as　she　watched　Jimmy；　her　mind　went　back　to　the　perfectly　rotten　behaviour　of　her　own　Marsden　Tuke　（it　was　only　in　the　last　chapter；　but　one　that　they　managed　to　foil　his　outrageous　machinations）；　and　it　seemed　to　her　that　here　was　Tuke　in　the　flesh。　She　had　pictured　him；　she　remembered；　as　a　man　of　agreeable　exterior；　the　better　calculated　to　deceive　and　undo　the　virtuous；　and　the　fact　that　Jimmy　was　a　presentable…looking　youn