pgw.psmith,journalist-第2章

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　〃You　did；〃　said　the　sub…editor
　Mr。　Wilberfloss　chirruped　on；　unchecked。
　〃A　little　inclined　to　be　late　with　her　'Moments　with　Budding　Girlhood'　If　this　should　happen　while　I　am　away；　just　write　her　a　letter；　quite　a　pleasant　letter；　you　understand；　pointing　out　the　necessity　of　being　in　good　time。　The　machinery　of　a　weekly　paper；　of　course；　cannot　run　smoothly　unless　contributors　are　in　good　time　with　their　copy。　She　is　a　very　sensible　woman；　and　she　will　understand；　I　am　sure；　if　you　point　it　out　to　her。〃
　The　sub…editor　nodded。
　〃And　there　is　just　one　other　thing。　I　wish　you　would　correct　a　slight　tendency　I　have　noticed　lately　in　Mr。　Asher　to　be　just　a　triflewell；　not　precisely　risky；　but　perhaps　a　shade　broad　in　his　humour。〃
　〃His　what？〃　said　Billy　Windsor。
　〃Mr。　Asher　is　a　very　sensible　man；　and　he　will　be　the　first　to　acknowledge　that　his　sense　of　humour　has　led　him　just　a　little　beyond　the　bounds。　You　understand？　Well；　that　is　all；　I　think。　Now　I　must　really　be　going；　or　I　shall　miss　my　train。　Good…bye；　Mr。　Windsor。〃
　〃Good…bye；〃　said　the　sub…editor　thankfully。
　At　the　door　Mr。　Wilberfloss　paused　with　the　air　of　an　exile　bidding　farewell　to　his　native　land；　sighed；　and　trotted　out。
　Billy　Windsor　put　his　feet　upon　the　table；　and　with　a　deep　scowl　resumed　his　task　of　reading　the　proofs　of　Luella　Granville　Waterman's　〃Moments　in　the　Nursery。〃
　
　CHAPTER　II
　BILLY　WINDSOR
　
　BILLY　WINDSOR　had　started　life　twenty…five　years　before　this　story　opens　on　his　father's　ranch　in　Wyoming。　From　there　he　had　gone　to　a　local　paper　of　the　type　whose　Society　column　consists　of　such　items　as　〃Pawnee　Jim　Williams　was　to　town　yesterday　with　a　bunch　of　other　cheap　skates。　We　take　this　opportunity　of　once　more　informing　Jim　that　he　is　a　liar　and　a　skunk；〃　and　whose　editor　works　with　a　revolver　on　his　desk　and　another　in　his　hip…pocket。　Graduating　from　this；　he　had　proceeded　to　a　reporter's　post　on　a　daily　paper　in　a　Kentucky　town；　where　there　were　blood　feuds　and　other　Southern　devices　for　preventing　life　from　being　dull。　All　this　time　New　York；　the　magnet；　had　been　tugging　at　him。　All　reporters　dream　of　reaching　New　York。　At　last；　after　four　years　on　the　Kentucky　paper；　he　had　e　East；　minus　the　lobe　of　one　ear　and　plus　a　long　scar　that　ran　diagonally　across　his　left　shoulder；　and　had　worked　without　much　success　as　a　free…lance。　He　was　tough　and　ready　for　anything　that　might　e　his　way；　but　these　things　are　a　great　deal　a　matter　of　luck。　The　cub…reporter　cannot　make　a　name　for　himself　unless　he　is　favoured　by　fortune。　Things　had　not　e　Billy　Windsor's　way。　His　work　had　been　confined　to　turning　in　reports　of　fires　and　small　street　accidents；　which　the　various　papers　to　which　he　supplied　them　cut　down　to　a　couple　of　inches。
　Billy　had　been　in　a　bad　way　when　he　had　happened　upon　the　sub…editorship　of　Cosy　Moments。　He　despised　the　work　with　all　his　heart；　and　the　salary　was　infinitesimal。　But　it　was　regular；　and　for　a　while　Billy　felt　that　a　regular　salary　was　the　greatest　thing　on　earth。　But　he　still　dreamed　of　winning　through　to　a　post　on　one　of　the　big　New　York　dailies；　where　there　was　something　doing　and　a　man　would　have　a　chance　of　showing　what　was　in　him。
　The　unfortunate　thing；　however；　was　that　Cosy　Moments　took　up　his　time　so　pletely。　He　had　no　chance　of　attracting　the　notice　of　big　editors　by　his　present　work；　and　he　had　no　leisure　for　doing　any　other。
　All　of　which　may　go　to　explain　why　his　normal　aspect　was　that　of　a　caged　eagle。
　To　him；　brooding　over　the　outpourings　of　Luella　Granville　Waterman；　there　entered　Pugsy　Maloney；　the　office…boy；　bearing　a　struggling　cat。
　〃Say！〃　said　Pugsy。
　He　was　a　nonchalant　youth；　with　a　freckled；　mask…like　face；　the　expression　of　which　never　varied。　He　appeared　unconscious　of　the　cat。　Its　existence　did　not　seem　to　occur　to　him。
　〃Well？〃　said　Billy；　looking　up。　〃Hello；　what　have　you　got　there？〃
　Master　Maloney　eyed　the　cat；　as　if　he　were　seeing　it　for　the　first　time。
　〃It's　a　kitty　what　I　got　in　de　street；〃　he　said。
　〃Don't　hurt　the　poor　brute。　Put　her　down。〃
　Master　Maloney　obediently　dropped　the　cat；　which　sprang　nimbly　on　to　an　upper　shelf　of　the　book…case。
　〃I　wasn't　hoitin'　her；〃　he　said；　without　emotion。　〃Dere　was　two　fellers　in　de　street　sickin'　a　dawg　on　to　her。　An'　I　es　up　an'　says；'　G'wan！　What　do　youse　t'ink　you're　doin'；　fussin'　de　poor　dumb　animal？'　An'　one　of　de　guys；　he　says；　'G'wan！　Who　do　youse　t'ink　youse　is？'　An'　I　says；　'I'm　de　guy　what's　goin'　to　swat　youse　one　on　de　coco　if　youse　don't　quit　fussin'　de　poor　dumb　animal。'　So　wit　dat　he　makes　a　break　at　swattin'　me　one；　but　I　swats　him　one；　an'　I　swats　de　odder　feller　one；　an'　den　I　swats　dem　bote　some　more；　an'　I　gets　de　kitty；　an'　I　brings　her　in　here；　cos　I　t'inks　maybe　youse'll　look　after　her。〃
　And　having　finished　this　Homeric　narrative；　Master　Maloney　fixed　an　expressionless　eye　on　the　ceiling；　and　was　silent。
　Billy　Windsor；　like　most　men　of　the　plains；　bined　the　toughest　of　muscle　with　the　softest　of　hearts。　He　was　always　ready　at　any　moment　to　bee　the　champion　of　the　oppressed　on　the　slightest　provocation。　His　alliance　with　Pugsy　Maloney　had　begun　on　the　occasion　when　he　had　rescued　that　youth　from　the　clutches　of　a　large　negro；　who；　probably　from　the　soundest　of　motives；　was　endeavouring　to　slay　him。　Billy　had　not　inquired　into　the　rights　and　wrongs　of　the　matter：　he　had　merely　sailed　in　and　rescued　the　office…boy。　And　Pugsy；　though　he　had　made　no　verbal　ment　on　the　affair；　had　shown　in　many　ways　that　he　was　not　ungrateful。
　〃Bully　for　you；　Pugsy！〃　he　cried。　〃You're　a　little　sport。　Here〃　he　produced　a　dollar…bill〃go　out　and　get　some　milk　for　the　poor　brute。　She's　probably　starving。　Keep　the　change。〃
　〃Sure　thing；〃　assented　Master　Maloney。　He　strolled　slowly　out；　while　Billy　Windsor；　mounting　a　chair；　proceeded　to　chirrup　and　snap　his　fingers　in　the　effort　to　establish　the　foundations　of　an　entente　cordiale　with　the　rescued　cat。
　By　the　time　that　Pugsy　returned；　carrying　a　five…cent　bottle　of　milk；　the　animal　had　vacated　the　book…shelf；　and　was　sitting　on　the　table；　washing　her　face。　The　milk　having　been　poured　into　the　lid　of　a　tobacco…tin；　in　lieu　of　a　saucer；　she　suspended　her　operations　and　adjourned　for　refreshments。　Billy；　business　being　business；　turned　again　to　Luella　Granville　Waterman；　but　Pugsy；　having　no　immediate　duties　on　hand；　concentrated　himself　on　the　cat。
　〃Say！〃　he　said。
　〃Well？〃
　〃Dat　kitty。〃
　〃What　about　her？〃
　〃Pipe　de　leather　collar　she's　wearing。〃
　Billy　had　noticed　earlier　in　the　proceedings　that　a　narrow　leather　collar　encircled　the　cat's　neck。　He　had　not　paid　any　particular　attention　to　it。　〃What　about　it？〃　he　said。
　〃Guess　I　know　where　dat　kitty　belongs。　Dey　all　have　dose　collars。　I　guess　she's　one　of　Bat　Jarvis's　kitties。　He's　got　a　lot　of　dem　for　fair；　and　every　one　wit　one　of　dem　collars　round　deir　neck。〃
　〃Who's　Bat　Jarvis？　Do　you　mean　the　gang…leader？〃
　〃Sure。　He's　a　cousin　of　mine；〃　said　Master　Maloney　with　pride。
　〃Is　he？〃　said　Billy。　〃Nice　sort　of　fellow　to　have　in　the　family。　So　you　think　that's　his　cat？〃
　〃Sure。　He's　got　twenty…t'ree　of　dem；　and　dey　all　has　dose　collars。〃
　〃Are　you　on　speaking　terms　with　the　gentleman？〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Do　you　know　Bat　Jarvis　to　speak　to？〃
　〃Sure。　He's　me　cousin。〃
　〃Well；　tell　him　I've　got　the　cat；　and　that　if　he　wants　it　he'd　better　e　round　to　my　place。　You　know　where　I　live？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Fancy　you　being　a　cousin　of　Bat's；　Pugsy。　Why　did　you　never　tell　us？　Are　you　going　to　join　the　gang　some　day？〃
　〃Nope。　Nothin'　doin'。　I'm　goin'　to　be　a　cow…boy。〃
　〃Good　for　you。　Well；　you　tell　him　when　you　see　him。　And　now；　my　lad；　out　you　get；　because　if　I'm　interrupted　any　more　I　shan't　get；　through　to…night。〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Master　Maloney；　retiring。
　〃Oh；　and　Pugsy　。　。　。〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Go　out　and　get　a　good　big　basket。　I　shall　want　one　to　carry　this　animal　home　in。〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Master　Maloney。
　
　CHAPTER　III
　AT　〃THE　GARDENIA〃
　
　〃It　would　ill　beseem　me；　rade　Jackson；〃　said　Psmith；　thoughtfully　sipping　his　coffee；　〃to　run　down　the　metropolis　of　a　great　and　friendly　nation；　but　candour　pels　me　to　state　that　New　York　is　in　some　respects　a　singularly　blighted　town