pgw.psmith,journalist-第27章

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　Maloney　to　explain　matters　to　Dude　Dawson；　and　it　seems　as　if　that　golden…hearted　sportsman　had　responded。　There　appear　to　be　great　doings　in　the　street。〃
　In　the　room　below　confusion　had　arisen。　A　scout；　clattering　upstairs；　had　brought　the　news　of　the　Table　Hillites'　advent；　and　there　was　doubt　as　to　the　proper　course　to　pursue。　Certain　voices　urged　going　down　to　help　the　main　body。　Others　pointed　out　that　that　would　mean　abandoning　the　siege　of　the　roof。　The　scout　who　had　brought　the　news　was　eloquent　in　favour　of　the　first　course。
　〃Gum！〃　he　cried；　〃don't　I　keep　tellin'　youse　dat　de　Table　Hills　is　here？　Sure；　dere's　a　whole　bunch　of　dem；　and　unless　youse　e　on　down　dey'll　bite　de　hull　head　off　of　us　lot。　Leave　those　stiffs　on　de　roof。　Let　Sam　wait　here　with　his　canister；　and　den　dey　can't　get　down；　'cos　Sam'll　pump　dem　full　of　lead　while　dey're　beatin'　it　t'roo　de　trap…door。　Sure。〃
　Psmith　nodded　reflectively。
　〃There　is　certainly　something　in　what　the　bright　boy　says；〃　he　murmured。　〃It　seems　to　me　the　grand　rescue　scene　in　the　third　act　has　sprung　a　leak。　This　will　want　thinking　over。〃
　In　the　street　the　disturbance　had　now　bee　terrific。　Both　sides　were　hard　at　it；　and　the　Irishmen　on　the　roof；　rewarded　at　last　for　their　long　vigil；　were　yelling　encouragement　promiscuously　and　whooping　with　the　unfettered　ecstasy　of　men　who　are　getting　the　treat　of　their　lives　without　having　paid　a　penny　for　it。
　The　behaviour　of　the　New　York　policeman　in　affairs　of　this　kind　is　based　on　principles　of　the　soundest　practical　wisdom。　The　unthinking　man　would　rush　in　and　attempt　to　crush　the　bat　in　its　earliest　and　fiercest　stages。　The　New　York　policeman；　knowing　the　importance　of　his　own　safety；　and　the　insignificance　of　the　gangsman's；　permits　the　opposing　forces　to　hammer　each　other　into　a　certain　distaste　for　battle；　and　then；　when　both　sides　have　begun　to　have　enough　of　it；　rushes　in　himself　and　clubs　everything　in　sight。　It　is　an　admirable　process　in　its　results；　but　it　is　sure　rather　than　swift。
　Proceedings　in　the　affair　below　had　not　yet　reached　the　police　interference　stage。　The　noise；　what　with　the　shots　and　yells　from　the　street　and　the　ear…piercing　approval　of　the　roof…audience；　was　just　working　up　to　a　climax。
　Psmith　rose。　He　was　tired　of　kneeling　by　the　trap；　and　there　was　no　likelihood　of　Sam　making　another　attempt　to　climb　through。　He　walked　towards　Billy。
　As　he　did　so；　Billy　got　up　and　turned　to　him。　His　eyes　were　gleaming　with　excitement。　His　whole　attitude　was　triumphant。　In　his　hand　he　waved　a　strip　of　paper。
　〃I've　got　it；〃　he　cried。
　〃Excellent；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith。　〃Surely　we　must　win　through　now。　All　we　have　to　do　is　to　get　off　this　roof；　and　fate　cannot　touch　us。　Are　two　mammoth　minds　such　as　ours　unequal　to　such　a　feat？　It　can　hardly　be。　Let　us　ponder。〃
　〃Why　not　go　down　through　the　trap？　They've　all　gone　to　the　street。〃
　Psmith　shook　his　head。
　〃All；〃　he　replied；　〃save　Sam。　Sam　was　the　subject　of　my　late　successful　experiment；　when　I　proved　that　coloured　gentlemen's　heads　could　be　hurt　with　a　stick。　He　is　now　waiting　below；　armed　with　a　pistol；　readyeven　anxiousto　pick　us　off　as　we　climb　through　the　trap。　How　would　it　be　to　drop　rade　Gooch　through　first；　and　so　draw　his　fire？　rade　Gooch；　I　am　sure；　would　be　delighted　to　do　a　little　thing　like　that　for　old　friends　of　our　standing　orbut　what's　that！〃
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Is　that　a　ladder　that　I　see　before　me；　its　handle　to　my　hand？　It　is！　rade　Windsor；　we　win　through。　Cosy　Moments'　editorial　staff　may　be　tree'd；　but　it　cannot　be　put　out　of　business。　rade　Windsor；　take　the　other　end　of　that　ladder　and　follow　me。〃
　The　ladder　was　lying　against　the　farther　wall。　It　was　long；　more　than　long　enough　for　the　purpose　for　which　it　was　needed。　Psmith　and　Billy　rested　it　on　the　coping；　and　pushed　it　till　the　other　end　reached　across　the　gulf　to　the　roof　of　the　house　next　door；　Mr。　Gooch　eyeing　them　in　silence　the　while。
　Psmith　turned　to　him。
　〃rade　Gooch；〃　he　said；　〃do　nothing　to　apprise　our　friend　Sam　of　these　proceedings。　I　speak　in　your　best　interests。　Sam　is　in　no　mood　to　make　nice　distinctions　between　friend　and　foe。　If　you　bring　him　up　here；　he　will　probably　mistake　you　for　a　member　of　the　staff　of　Cosy　Moments；　and　loose　off　in　your　direction　without　waiting　for　explanations。　I　think　you　had　better　e　with　us。　I　will　go　first；　rade　Windsor；　so　that　if　the　ladder　breaks；　the　paper　will　lose　merely　a　sub…editor；　not　an　editor。〃
　He　went　down　on　all…fours；　and　in　this　attitude　wormed　his　way　across　to　the　opposite　roof；　whose　occupants；　engrossed　in　the　fight　in　the　street；　in　which　the　police　had　now　joined；　had　their　backs　turned　and　did　not　observe　him。　Mr。　Gooch；　pallid　and　obviously　ill…attuned　to　such　feats；　followed　him；　and　finally　Billy　Windsor　reached　the　other　side。
　〃Neat；〃　said　Psmith　placently。　〃Unmonly　neat。　rade　Gooch　reminded　me　of　the　untamed　chamois　of　the　Alps；　leaping　from　crag　to　crag。〃
　In　the　street　there　was　now　parative　silence。　The　police；　with　their　clubs；　had　knocked　the　last　remnant　of　fight　out　of　the　batants。　Shooting　had　definitely　ceased。
　〃I　think；〃　said　Psmith；　〃that　we　might　now　descend。　If　you　have　no　other　engagements；　rade　Windsor；　I　will　take　you　to　the　Knickerbocker；　and　buy　you　a　square　meal。　I　would　ask　for　the　pleasure　of　your　pany　also；　rade　Gooch；　were　it　not　that　matters　of　private　moment；　relating　to　the　policy　of　the　paper；　must　be　discussed　at　the　table。　Some　other　day；　perhaps。　We　are　infinitely　obliged　to　you　for　your　sympathetic　co…operation　in　this　little　matter。　And　now　good…bye。　rade　Windsor；　let　us　debouch。〃
　
　CHAPTER　XXII
　CONCERNING　MR。　WARING
　
　PSMITH　pushed　back　his　chair　slightly；　stretched　out　his　legs；　and　lit　a　cigarette。　The　resources　of　the　Knickerbocker　Hotel　had　proved　equal　to　supplying　the　fatigued　staff　of　Cosy　Moments　with　an　excellent　dinner；　and　Psmith　had　stoutly　declined　to　talk　business　until　the　coffee　arrived。　This　had　been　hard　on　Billy；　who　was　bursting　with　his　news。　Beyond　a　hint　that　it　was　sensational　he　had　not　been　permitted　to　go。
　〃More　bright　young　careers　than　I　care　to　think　of；〃　said　Psmith；　〃have　been　ruined　by　the　fatal　practice　of　talking　shop　at　dinner。　But　now　that　we　are　through；　rade　Windsor；　by　all　means　let　us　have　it。　What's　the　name　which　rade　Gooch　so　eagerly　divulged？〃
　Billy　leaned　forward　excitedly。
　〃Stewart　Waring；〃　he　whispered。
　〃Stewart　who？〃　asked　Psmith。
　Billy　stared。
　〃Great　Scott；　man！〃　he　said；　〃haven't　you　heard　of　Stewart　Waring？〃
　〃The　name　seems　vaguely　familiar；　like　isinglass　or　Post…toasties。　I　seem　to　know　it；　but　it　conveys　nothing　to　me。〃
　〃Don't　you　ever　read　the　papers？〃
　〃I　toy　with　my　American　of　a　morning；　but　my　interest　is　confined　mainly　to　the　sporting　page　which　reminds　me　that　rade　Brady　has　been　matched　against　one　Eddie　Wood　a　month　from　to…day。　Gratifying　as　it　is　to　find　one　of　the　staff　getting　on　in　life；　I　fear　this　will　cause　us　a　certain　amount　of　inconvenience。　rade　Brady　will　have　to　leave　the　office　temporarily　in　order　to　go　into　training；　and　what　shall　we　do　then　for　a　fighting　editor？　However；　possibly　we　may　not　need　one　now。　Cosy　Moments　should　be　able　shortly　to　give　its　message　to　the　world　and　ease　up　for　a　while。　Which　brings　us　back　to　the　point。　Who　is　Stewart　Waring？〃
　〃Stewart　Waring　is　running　for　City　Alderman。　He's　one　of　the　biggest　men　in　New　York！〃
　〃Do　you　mean　in　girth？　If　so；　he　seems　to　have　selected　the　right　career　for　himself。〃
　〃He's　one　of　the　bosses。　He　used　to　be　missioner　of　Buildings　for　the　city。〃
　〃missioner　of　Buildings？　What　exactly　did　that　let　him　in　for？〃
　〃It　let　him　in　for　a　lot　of　graft。〃
　〃How　was　that？〃
　〃Oh；　he　took　it　off　the　contractors。　Shut　his　eyes　and　held　out　his　hands　when　they　ran　up　rotten　buildings　that　a　strong　breeze　would　have　knocked　down；　and　places　like　that　Pleasant　Street　hole　without　any　ventilation。〃
　〃Why　did　he　throw　up　the　job？〃　inquired　Psmith。　〃it　seems　to　me　that　it　was　among　the　World's　Softest。　Certain　drawbacks　to　it；　perhaps；　to　the　man　with　the　Hair…Trigger　Conscience；　but　I　gather　that　rade　Waring　did　not　line　up　in　that　class。　What　was　his　trouble？〃