pgw.piccadillyjim-第5部分

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risk　your　job；　in　such　a　good　cause。　You　know　you're　just　as　fond　of　uncle　Peter　as　I　am；　and　Ogden　is　worrying　him　into　a　breakdown。　Surely　you　won't　refuse　to　help　me；　Jerry？〃
　Jerry　rose　and　extended　a　calloused　hand。
　〃When　do　we　start？〃
　Ann　shook　the　hand　warmly。
　〃Thank　you；　Jerry。　You're　a　jewel。　I　envy　Maggie。　Well；　I　don't　think　we　can　do　anything　till　they　e　back　from　England；　as　aunt　Nesta　is　sure　to　take　Ogden　with　her。〃
　〃Who's　going　to　England？〃
　〃Uncle　Peter　and　aunt　Nesta　were　talking　just　now　of　sailing　to　try　and　persuade　a　young　man　named　Crocker　to　e　back　here。〃
　〃Crocker？　Jimmy　Crocker？　Piccadilly　Jim？〃
　〃Yes。　Why；　do　you　know　him？〃
　〃I　used　to　meet　him　sometimes　when　he　was　working　on　the　Chronicle　here。　Looks　as　if　he　was　cutting　a　wide　swathe　in　dear　old　London。　Did　you　see　the　paper　to…day？〃
　〃Yes；　that's　what　made　aunt　Nesta　want　to　bring　him　over。　Of　course；　there　isn't　the　remotest　chance　that　she　will　be　able　to　make　him　e。　Why　should　he　e？〃
　〃Last　time　I　saw　Jimmy　Crocker；〃　said　Jerry；　〃it　was　a　couple　of　years　ago；　when　I　went　over　to　train　Eddie　Flynn　for　his　go　with　Porky　Jones　at　the　National。　I　bumped　into　him　at　the　N。　S。　C。　He　was　a　good　deal　tanked。〃
　〃He's　always　drinking；　I　believe。〃　　〃He　took　me　to　supper　at　some　swell　joint　where　they　all　had　the　soup…and…fish　on　but　me。　I　felt　like　a　dirty　deuce　in　a　clean　deck。　He　used　to　be　a　regular　fellow；　Jimmy　Crocker；　but　from　what　you　read　in　the　papers　it　begins　to　look　as　if　he　was　hitting　it　up　too　swift。　It's　always　the　way　with　those　boys　when　you　take　them　off　a　steady　job　and　let　them　run　around　loose　with　their　jeans　full　of　mazuma。〃
　〃That's　exactly　why　I　want　to　do　something　about　Ogden。　If　he's　allowed　to　go　on　as　he　is　at　present；　he　will　grow　up　exactly　like　Jimmy　Crocker。〃
　〃Aw；　Jimmy　Crocker　ain't　in　Ogden's　class；〃　protested　Jerry。
　〃Yes；　he　is。　There's　absolutely　no　difference　between　them。〃
　〃Say！　You've　got　it　in　for　Jim；　haven't　you；　Miss　Ann？〃　Jerry　looked　at　her　wonderingly。　〃What's　your　kick　against　him？〃
　Ann　bit　her　lip。　〃I　object　to　him　on　principle；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　like　his　type。　。　。　。　Well；　I'm　glad　we've　settled　this　about　Ogden；　Jerry。　I　knew　I　could　rely　on　you。　But　I　won't　let　you　do　it　for　nothing。　Uncle　Peter　shall　give　you　something　for　itenough　to　start　that　health…farm　you　talk　about　so　much。　Then　you　can　marry　Maggie　and　live　happily　ever　afterwards。〃
　〃Gee！　Is　the　boss　in　on　this；　too？〃
　〃Not　yet。　I'm　going　to　tell　him　now。　Hush！　There's　some　one　ing。〃
　Mr。　Pett　wandered　in。　He　was　still　looking　troubled。
　〃Oh；　Anngood　morning；　Mitchellyour　aunt　has　decided　to　go　to　England。　I　want　you　to　e；　too。〃
　〃You　want　me？　To　help　interview　Jimmy　Crocker？〃
　〃No；　no。　Just　to　e　along　and　be　pany　on　the　voyage。　You'll　be　such　a　help　with　Ogden；　Ann。　You　can　keep　him　in　order。　How　you　do　it；　I　don't　know。　You　seem　to　make　another　boy　of　him。〃
　Ann　stole　a　glance　at　Jerry；　who　answered　with　an　encouraging　grin。　Ann　was　constrained　to　make　her　meaning　plainer　than　by　the　language　of　the　eye。
　〃Would　you　mind　just　running　away　for　half　a　moment；　Jerry？〃　she　said　winningly。　〃I　want　to　say　something　to　uncle　Peter。〃
　〃Sure。　Sure。〃
　Ann　turned　to　Mr。　Pett　as　the　door　closed。
　〃You'd　like　somebody　to　make　Ogden　a　different　boy；　wouldn't　you；　uncle　Peter？〃
　〃I　wish　it　was　possible。〃
　〃He's　been　worrying　you　a　lot　lately；　hasn't　he？〃　asked　Ann　sympathetically。
　〃Yes；〃　sighed　Mr。　Pett。
　〃Then　that's　all　right；〃　said　Ann　briskly。　〃I　was　afraid　that　you　might　not　approve。　But；　if　you　do；　I'll　go　right　ahead。〃
　Mr。　Pett　started　violently。　There　was　something　in　Ann's　voice　and；　as　he　looked　at　her；　something　in　her　face　which　made　him　fear　the　worst。　Her　eyes　were　flashing　with　an　inspired　light　of　a　highly　belligerent　nature；　and　the　sun　turned　the　red　hair　to　which　she　owed　her　deplorable　want　of　balance　to　a　mass　of　flame。　There　was　something　in　the　air。　Mr。　Pett　sensed　it　with　every　nerve　of　his　apprehensive　person。　He　gazed　at　Ann；　and　as　he　did　so　the　years　seemed　to　slip　from　him　and　he　was　a　boy　again；　about　to　be　urged　to　lawless　courses　by　the　superior　will　of　his　boyhood's　hero；　Hammond　Chester。　In　the　boyhood　of　nearly　every　man　there　is　a　single　outstanding　figure；　some　one　youthful　hypnotic　Napoleon　whose　will　was　law　and　at　whose　bidding　his　better　judgment　curled　up　and　died。　In　Mr。　Pett's　life　Ann's　father　had　filled　this　role。　He　had　dominated　Mr。　Pett　at　an　age　when　the　mind　is　most　malleable。　And　nowso　true　is　it　that　though　Time　may　blunt　our　boyish　memories　the　traditions　of　boyhood　live　on　in　us　and　an　emotional　crisis　will　bring　them　to　the　surface　as　an　explosion　brings　up　the　fish　that　lurk　in　the　nethermost　mudit　was　as　if　he　were　facing　the　youthful　Hammond　Chester　again　and　being　irresistibly　impelled　to　some　course　of　which　he　entirely　disapproved　but　which　he　knew　that　he　was　destined　to　undertake。　He　watched　Ann　as　a　trapped　man　might　watch　a　ticking　bomb；　bracing　himself　for　the　explosion　and　knowing　that　he　is　helpless。　She　was　Hammond　Chester's　daughter；　and　she　spoke　to　him　with　the　voice　of　Hammond　Chester。　She　was　her　father's　child　and　she　was　going　to　start　something。
　〃I've　arranged　it　all　with　Jerry；〃　said　Ann。　〃He's　going　to　help　me　smuggle　Ogden　away　to　that　friend　of　his　I　told　you　about　who　keeps　the　dog…hospital：　and　the　friend　is　going　to　keep　him　until　he　reforms。　Isn't　it　a　perfectly　splendid　idea？〃
　Mr。　Pett　blanched。　The　frightfulness　of　reality　had　exceeded　anticipation。
　〃But；　Ann！〃
　The　words　came　from　him　in　a　strangled　bleat。　His　whole　being　was　paralysed　by　a　clammy　horror。　This　was　beyond　the　uttermost　limit　of　his　fears。　And；　to　plete　the　terror　of　the　moment；　he　knew；　even　while　he　rebelled　against　the　insane　lawlessness　of　her　scheme；　that　he　was　going　to　agree　to　it；　andworst　of　allthat　deep；　deep　down　in　him　there　was　a　feeling　toward　it　which　did　not　dare　to　e　to　the　surface　but　which　he　knew　to　be　approval。
　〃Of　course　Jerry　would　do　it　for　nothing；〃　said　Ann；　〃but　I　promised　him　that　you　would　give　him　something　for　his　trouble。　You　can　arrange　all　that　yourselves　later。〃
　〃But；　Ann！　。　。　。　But；　Ann！　。　。　。　Suppose　your　aunt　finds　out　who　did　it！〃
　〃Well；　there　will　be　a　tremendous　row！〃　said　Ann　posedly。　〃And　you　will　have　to　assert　yourself。　It　will　be　a　splendid　thing　for　you。　You　know　you　are　much　too　kind　to　every　one；　uncle　Peter。　I　don't　think　there's　any　one　who　would　put　up　with　what　you　do。　Father　told　me　in　one　of　his　letters　that　he　used　to　call　you　Patient　Pete　as　a　boy。〃
　Mr。　Pett　started。　Not　for　many　a　day　had　a　nickname　which　he　considered　the　most　distasteful　of　all　possible　nicknames　risen　up　from　its　grave　to　haunt　him。　Patient　Pete！　He　had　thought　the　repulsive　title　buried　forever　in　the　same　tomb　as　his　dead　youth。　Patient　Pete！　The　first　faint　glimmer　of　the　flame　of　rebellion　began　to　burn　in　his　bosom。
　〃Patient　Pete！〃
　〃Patient　Pete！〃　said　Ann　inexorably。
　〃But；　Ann；〃there　was　pathos　in　Mr。　Pett's　voice〃I　like　a　peaceful　life。〃
　〃You'll　never　have　one　if　you　don't　stand　up　for　yourself。　You　know　quite　well　that　father　is　right。　You　do　let　every　one　trample　on　you。　Do　you　think　father　would　let　Ogden　worry　him　and　have　his　house　filled　with　affected　imitation　geniuses　so　that　he　couldn't　find　a　room　to　be　alone　in？〃
　〃But；　Ann；　your　father　is　different。　He　likes　fusses。　I've　known　your　father　contradict　a　man　weighing　two　hundred　pounds　out　of　sheer　exuberance。　There's　a　lot　of　your　father　in　you；　Ann。　I've　often　noticed　it。〃
　〃There　is！　That's　why　I'm　going　to　make　you　put　your　foot　down　sooner　or　later。　You're　going　to　turn　all　these　loafers　out　of　the　house。　And　first　of　all　you're　going　to　help　us　send　Ogden　away　to　Mr。　Smithers。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　〃It's　your　red　hair！〃　said　Mr。　Pett　at　length；　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　has　been　solving　a　problem。　〃It's　your　red　hair　that　makes　you　like　this；　Ann。　Your　father　has　red　hair；　too。〃
　Ann　laughed。
　〃It's　not　my　fault　that　I　have　red　hair；　uncle　Peter。　It's　my　misfortune。〃
　Mr。　Pett　shook　his　head。
　〃Other　people's　misfortune；　too！〃　he　said。
　
　CHAPTER　II
　THE　EXILED　FAN
　
　LONDON　brooded　under　a　grey　sky。　There　had　been　rain　in　the　night；　and　the　trees　were　still　dripping。　Presently；　however；　there　appeared　in　the　laden　haze　a　watery　patch　of　blue：　and　through　this　crevice　in　the　clouds　the　sun；　diffidently　at　first　but　with　gradually　increasing　confidence；　peeped　down　on　the　fashionable　and　exclusive　turf　of　Grosvenor　Square。　Stealing　across　the　square；　its　rays　reached　the　massive　stone　walls　of　Drexdale　House；　until　recently　the　London　residence　of　the　earl　of　that　name；　then；　passing　through　the　window　of　the　breakfast…room；　played　lightly　on　the　partially　bald　head　of　Mr。　Bingley　Crocker；　late　of　New　York　in　the　United　States　of　America；　as　he　bent　over　his　morning　paper。　Mrs。　Bingley　Crocker；　busy　across　the　table　reading　her　mail；　the　rays　did　not　touch。　Had　they　done　so；　she　would　have　rung　for　Bayliss；　the　butler；　to　e　and　lower　the　shade；　for　she　endured　liberties　neither　from　Man　nor　from　Nature。
　Mr。　Crocker　was　about　fifty　years　of　age；　clean…shaven　and　of　a　fortable　stoutness。　He　was　frowning　as　he　read。　His　smooth；　good…humoured　face　wore　an　expression　which　might　have　been　disgust；　perplexity；　or　a　blend　of　both。　His　wife；　on　the　other　hand；　was　looking　happy。　She　extracted　the　substance　from　her　correspondence　with　swift　glances　of　her　pelling　eyes；　just　as　she　would　have　extracted　guilty　secrets　from　Bingley；　if　he　had　had　any。　This　was　a　woman　who；　like　her　sister　Nesta；　had　been　able　all　her　life　to　acplish　more　with　a　glance　than　other　women　with　recrimination　and　threat。　It　had　been　a　popular　belief　among　his　friends　that　her　late　husband；　the　well…known　Pittsburg　millionaire　G。　G。　van　Brunt；　had　been　in　the　habit　of　automatically　confessing　all　if　he　merely　caught　the　eye　of　her　photograph　on　his　dressing　table。
　From　the　growing　pile　of　opened　envelopes　Mrs。　Crocker　looked　up；　a　smile　softening　the　firm　line　of　her　lips。
　〃A　card　from　Lady　Corstorphine；　Bingley；　for　her　at…home　on　the　twenty…ninth。〃
　Mr。　Crocker；　still　absorbed；　snorted　absently。