pgw.piccadillyjim-第31部分

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ntable…looking　young　man　only　made　him　appear　viler　in　her　eyes。　In　a　word；　she　could　hardly　have　been　in　less　suitable　frame　of　mind　to　receive　graciously　any　kind　of　a　request　from　him。　She　would　have　suspected　ulterior　motives　if　he　had　asked　her　the　time。
　Jimmy　did　not　know　this。　He　thought　that　she　eyed　him　a　trifle　frostily；　but　he　did　not　attribute　this　to　any　suspicion　of　him。　He　tried　to　ingratiate　himself　by　smiling　pleasantly。　He　could　not　have　made　a　worse　move。　Marsden　Tuke's　pleasant　smile　had　been　his　deadliest　weapon。　Under　its　influence　deluded　people　had　trusted　him　alone　with　their　jewellery　and　what　not。
　〃Aunt　Nesta；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　wonder　if　I　might　ask　you　a　personal　favour。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　shuddered　at　the　glibness　with　which　he　brought　out　the　familiar　name。　This　was　superTuke。　Marsden　himself；　scoundrel　as　he　was；　could　not　have　called　her　〃Aunt　Nesta〃　as　smoothly　as　that。
　〃Yes？〃　she　said　at　last。　She　found　it　difficult　to　speak。
　〃I　happened　to　meet　an　old　friend　of　mine　this　morning。　He　was　very　sorry　for　himself。　It　appears　thatfor　excellent　reasons；　of　courseyou　had　dismissed　him。　I　mean　Jerry　Mitchell。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　was　now　absolutely　appalled。　The　conspiracy　seemed　to　grow　more　plicated　every　moment。　Already　its　ramifications　embraced　this　man　before　her；　a　trusted　butler；　and　her　husband's　late　physical　instructor。　Who　could　say　where　it　would　end？　She　had　never　liked　Jerry　Mitchell；　but　she　had　never　suspected　him　of　being　a　conspirator。　Yet；　if　this　man　who　called　himself　Jimmy　Crocker　was　an　old　friend　of　his；　how　could　he　be　anything　else？
　〃Mitchell；〃　Jimmy　went　on；　unconscious　of　the　emotions　which　his　every　word　was　arousing　in　his　hearer's　bosom；　〃told　me　about　what　happened　yesterday。　He　is　very　depressed。　He　said　he　could　not　think　how　he　happened　to　behave　in　such　an　abominable　way。　He　entreated　me　to　put　in　a　word　for　him　with　you。　He　begged　me　to　tell　you　how　he　regretted　the　brutal　assault；　and　asked　me　to　mention　the　fact　that　his　record　had　hitherto　been　blameless。〃　Jimmy　paused。　He　was　getting　no　encouragement；　and　seemed　to　be　making　no　impression　whatever。　Mrs。　Pett　was　sitting　bolt　upright　in　her　chair　in　a　stiffly　defensive　sort　of　way。　She　had　the　appearance　of　being　absolutely　untouched　by　his　eloquence。　〃In　fact；〃　he　concluded　lamely；　〃he　is　very　sorry。〃
　There　was　silence　for　a　moment。
　〃How　do　you　e　to　know　Mitchell？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃We　knew　each　other　when　I　was　over　here　working　on　the　Chronicle。　I　saw　him　fight　once　or　twice。　He　is　an　excellent　fellow；　and　used　to　have　a　right　swing　that　was　a　pippinI　should　say　extremely　excellent。　Brought　it　up　from　the　floor；　you　know。〃
　〃I　strongly　object　to　prize…fighters；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃and　I　was　opposed　to　Mitchell　ing　into　the　house　from　the　first。〃
　〃You　wouldn't　let　him　e　back；　I　suppose？〃　queried　Jimmy　tentatively。
　〃I　would　not。　I　would　not　dream　of　such　a　thing。〃
　〃He's　full　of　remorse；　you　know。〃
　〃If　he　has　a　spark　of　humanity；　I　have　no　doubt　of　it。〃
　Jimmy　paused。　This　thing　was　not　ing　out　as　well　as　it　might　have　done。　He　feared　that　for　once　in　her　life　Ann　was　about　to　be　denied　something　on　which　she　had　set　her　heart。　The　reflection　that　this　would　be　extremely　good　for　her　peted　for　precedence　in　his　mind　with　the　reflection　that　she　would　probably　blame　him　for　the　failure；　which　would　be　unpleasant。
　〃He　is　very　fond　of　Ogden　really。〃
　〃H'm；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃I　think　the　heat　must　have　made　him　irritable。　In　his　normal　state　he　would　not　strike　a　lamb。　I've　known　him　to　do　it。〃
　〃Do　what？〃
　〃Not　strike　lambs。〃
　〃Isch；〃　said　Mrs。　Pettthe　first　time　Jimmy　had　ever　heard　that　remarkable　monosyllable　proceed　from　human　lips。　He　took　itrightlyto　be　intended　to　convey　disapproval；　scepticism；　and　annoyance。　He　was　convinced　that　this　mission　was　going　to　be　one　of　his　failures。
　〃Then　I　may　tell　him；〃　he　said；　〃that　it's　all　right？〃
　〃That　what　is　all　right？〃
　〃That　he　may　e　back　here？〃
　〃Certainly　not。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　was　not　a　timid　woman；　but　she　could　not　restrain　a　shudder　as　she　watched　the　plot　unfold　before　her　eyes。　Her　gratitude　towards　Lord　Wisbeach　at　this　point　in　the　proceedings　almost　became　hero…worship。　If　it　had　not　been　for　him　and　his　revelations　concerning　this　man　before　her；　she　would　certainly　have　yielded　to　the　request　that　Jerry　Mitchell　be　allowed　to　return　to　the　house。　Much　as　she　disliked　Jerry；　she　had　been　feeling　so　triumphant　at　the　thought　of　Jimmy　Crocker　ing　to　her　in　spite　of　his　step…mother's　wishes　and　so　pleased　at　having　unexpectedly　got　her　own　way　that　she　could　have　denied　him　nothing　that　he　might　have　cared　to　ask。　But　now　it　was　as　if；　herself　unseen；　she　were　looking　on　at　a　gang　of　conspirators　hatching　some　plot。　She　was　in　the　strong　strategic　position　of　the　person　who　is　apparently　deceived；　but　who　in　reality　knows　all。
　For　a　moment　she　considered　the　question　of　admitting　Jerry　to　the　house。　Evidently　his　presence　was　necessary　to　the　consummation　of　the　plot；　whatever　it　might　be；　and　it　occurred　to　her　that　it　might　be　as　well；　on　the　principle　of　giving　the　schemers　enough　rope　to　hang　themselves　with；　to　let　him　e　back　and　play　his　part。　Then　she　reflected　that；　with　the　self…styled　Jimmy　Crocker　as　well　as　the　fraudulent　Skinner　in　the　house；　Lord　Wisbeach　and　the　detective　would　have　their　hands　quite　full　enough。　It　would　be　foolish　to　plicate　matters。　She　glanced　at　the　clock　on　the　mantelpiece。　Mr。　Sturgis　would　be　arriving　soon；　if　he　had　really　started　at　once　from　his　office；　as　he　had　promised。　She　drew　fort　from　the　imminence　of　his　ing。　It　would　be　pleasant　to　put　herself　in　the　hands　of　an　expert。
　Jimmy　had　paused；　mid…way　to　the　door；　and　was　standing　there　as　if　reluctant　to　accept　her　answer　to　his　plea。
　〃It　would　never　occur　again。　What　happened　yesterday；　I　mean。　You　need　not　be　afraid　of　that。〃
　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　that；〃　responded　Mrs。　Pett　tartly。
　〃If　you　had　seen　him　when　I　did〃
　〃When　did　you？　You　landed　from　the　boat　this　morning；　you　went　to　Mr。　Pett's　office；　and　then　came　straight　up　here　with　him。　I　am　interested　to　know　when　you　did　see　Mitchell？〃
　She　regretted　this　thrust　a　little；　for　she　felt　it　might　put　the　man　on　his　guard　by　showing　that　she　suspected　something　but　she　could　not　resist　it；　and　it　pleased　her　to　see　that　her　panion　was　momentarily　confused。
　〃I　met　him　when　I　was　going　for　my　luggage；〃　said　Jimmy。
　It　was　just　the　way　Marsden　Tuke　would　have　got　out　of　it。　Tuke　was　always　wriggling　out　of　corners　like　that。　Mrs。　Pett's　horror　of　Jimmy　grew。
　〃I　told　him；　of　course；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　you　had　very　kindly　invited　me　to　stay　with　you；　and　he　told　me　all；　about　his　trouble　and　implored　me　to　plead　for　him。　If　you　had　seen　him　when　I　did；　all　gloom　and　repentance；　you　would　have　been　sorry　for　him。　Your　woman's　heart〃
　Whatever　Jimmy　was　about　to　say　regarding　Mrs。　Pett's　woman's　heart　was　interrupted　by　the　opening　of　the　door　and　the　deep；　respectful　voice　of　Mr。　Crocker。
　〃Mr。　Sturgis。〃
　The　detective　entered　briskly；　as　if　time　were　money　with　himas　indeed　it　was；　for　the　International　Detective　Agency；　of　which　he　was　the　proprietor；　did　a　thriving　business。　He　was　a　gaunt；　hungry…looking　man　of　about　fifty；　with　sunken　eyes　and　thin　lips。　It　was　his　habit　to　dress　in　the　height　of　fashion；　for　one　of　his　favourite　axioms　was　that　a　man　might　be　a　detective　and　still　look　a　gentleman；　and　his　appearance　was　that　of　the　individual　usually　described　as　a　〃popular　clubman。〃　That　is　to　say；　he　looked　like　a　floorwalker　taking　a　Sunday　stroll。　His　prosperous　exterior　deceived　Jimmy　satisfactorily；　and　the　latter　left　the　room　little　thinking　that　the　visitor　was　anything　but　an　ordinary　caller。
　The　detective　glanced　keenly　at　him　as　he　passed。　He　made　a　practice　of　glancing　keenly　at　nearly　everything。　It　cost　nothing　and　impressed　clients。
　〃I　am　so　glad　you　have　e；　Mr。　Sturgis；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。〃　Won't　you　sit　down？〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　sat　down；　pulled　up　the　knees　of　his　trousers　that　half…inch　which　keeps　them　from　bagging　and　so　preserves　the　gentlemanliness　of　the　appearance；　and　glanced　keenly　at　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃Who　was　that　young　man　who　just　went　out？〃
　〃It　is　about　him　that　I　wished　to　consult　you；　Mr。　Sturgis。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　leaned　back；　and　placed　the　tips　of　his　fingers　together。
　〃Tell　me　how　he　es　to　be　here。〃
　〃He　pretends　that　he　is　my　nephew；　James　Crocker。〃
　〃Your　nephew？　Have　you　never　seen　your　nephew？〃
　〃Never。　I　ought　to　tell　you；　that　a　few　years　ago　my　sister　married　for　the　second　time。　I　disapproved　of　the　marriage；　and　refused　to　see　her　husband　or　his　sonhe　was　a　widower。　A　few　weeks　ago；　for　private　reasons；　I　went　over　to　England；　where　they　are　living；　and　asked　my　sister　to　let　the　boy　e　here　to　work　in　my　husband's　office。　She　refused；　and　my　husband　and　I　returned　to　New　York。　This　morning　I　was　astonished　to　get　a　telephone　call　from　Mr。　Pett　from　his　office；　to　say　that　James　Crocker　had　unexpectedly　arrived　after　all；　and　was　then　at　the　office。　They　came　up　here；　and　the　young　man　seemed　quite　genuine。　Indeed；　he　had　an　offensive　jocularity　which　would　be　quite　in　keeping　with　the　character　of　the　real　James　Crocker；　from　what　I　have　heard　of　him。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　nodded。
　〃Know　what　you　mean。　Saw　that　thing　in　the　paper；〃　he　said　briefly。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Now；　it　is　very　curious；　but　almost　from　the　start　I　was　uneasy。　When　I　say　that　the　young　man　seemed　genuine；　I　mean　that　he　pletely　deceived　my　husband　and　my　niece；　who　lives　with　us。　But　I　had　reasons；　which　I　need　not　go　into　now；　for　being　on　my　guard；　and　I　was　suspicious。　What　aroused　my　suspicion　was　the　fact　that　my　husband　thought　that　he　remembered　this　young　man　as　a　fellow…traveller　of　ours　on　the　Atlantic；　on　our　return　voyage；　while　he　claimed　to　have　landed　that　morning　on　the　Caronia。〃
　〃You　are　certain　of　that；　Mrs。　Pett？　He　stated　positively　that　he　had　landed　this　morning？〃
　〃Yes。　Quite　positively。　Unfortunately　I　myself　had　no　chance　of　judging　the　truth　of　what　he　said；　as　I　am　such　a　bad　sailor　that　I　was　seldom　out　of　my　stateroom　from　beginning　to　end　of　the　voyage。　However；　as　I　say；　I　was　suspicious。　I　did　not　see