pgw.psmith,journalist-第34章

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s　now　in　my　possession。〃
　〃Where　is　it？〃　demanded　Mr。　Parker　quickly。
　Psmith　eyed　him　benevolently。
　〃If　you　will　pardon　the　expression；　rade　Parker；〃　he　said；　〃'Aha！'　Meaning　that　I　propose　to　keep　that　information　to　myself。〃
　Mr。　Parker　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　〃You　know　your　own　business；　I　guess。〃
　Psmith　nodded。
　〃You　are　absolutely　correct；　rade　Parker。　I　do。　Now　that　Cosy　Moments　has　our　excellent　friend　rade　Jarvis　on　its　side；　are　you　not　to　a　certain　extent　among　the　Blenheim　Oranges？　I　think　so。　I　think　so。〃
　As　he　spoke　there　was　a　rap　at　the　door。　A　small　boy　entered。　In　his　hand　was　a　scrap　of　paper。
　〃Guy　asks　me　give　dis　to　gazebo　named　Smiff〃　he　said。
　〃There　are　many　gazebos　of　that　name；　my　lad。　One　of　whom　I　am　which；　as　Artemus　Ward　was　wont　to　observe。　Possibly　the　missive　is　for　me。〃
　He　took　the　paper。　It　was　dated　from　an　address　on　the　East　Side。
　〃Dear　Smith；〃　it　ran。　〃e　here　as　quick　as　you　can；　and　bring　some　money。　Explain　when　I　see　you。〃
　It　was　signed　〃W。　W。〃
　So　Billy　Windsor　had　fulfilled　his　promise。　He　had　escaped。
　A　feeling　of　regret　for　the　futility　of　the　thing　was　Psmith's　first　emotion。　Billy　could　be　of　no　possible　help　in　the　campaign　at　its　present　point。　All　the　work　that　remained　to　be　done　could　easily　be　carried　through　without　his　assistance。　And　by　breaking　out　from　the　Island　he　had　mitted　an　offence　which　was　bound　to　carry　with　it　serious　penalties。　For　the　first　time　since　his　connection　with　Cosy　Moments　began　Psmith　was　really　disturbed。
　He　turned　to　Mr。　Parker。
　〃rade　Parker；〃　he　said；　〃I　regret　to　state　that　this　office　is　now　closing　for　the　day。　But　for　this；　I　should　be　delighted　to　sit　chatting　with　you。　As　it　is〃
　〃Very　well；〃　said　Mr。　Parker。　〃Then　you　mean　to　go　on　with　this　business？〃
　〃Though　it　snows；　rade　Parker。〃
　They　went　out　into　the　street；　Psmith　thoughtful　and　hardly　realising　the　other's　presence。　By　the　side　of　the　pavement　a　few　yards　down　the　road　a　taximeter…cab　was　standing。　Psmith　hailed　it。
　Mr。　Parker　was　still　beside　him。　It　occurred　to　Psmith　that　it　would　not　do　to　let　him　hear　the　address　Billy　Windsor　had　given　in　his　note。
　〃Turn　and　go　on　down　the　street；〃　he　said　to　the　driver。
　He　had　taken　his　seat　and　was　closing　the　door；　when　it　was　snatched　from　his　grasp　and　Mr。　Parker　darted　on　to　the　seat　opposite。　The　next　moment　the　cab　had　started　up　the　street　instead　of　and　the　hard　muzzle　of　a　revolver　was　pressing　against　Psmith's　waistcoat。
　〃Now　what？〃　said　Mr。　Parker　smoothly；　leaning　back　with　the　pistol　resting　easily　on　his　knee。
　
　CHAPTER　XXVI
　A　FRIEND　IN　NEED
　
　〃THE　point　is　well　taken；〃　said　Psmith　thoughtfully。
　〃You　think　so？〃　said　Mr。　Parker。
　〃I　am　convinced　of　it。〃
　〃Good。　But　don't　move。　Put　that　hand　back　where　it　was。〃
　〃You　think　of　everything；　rade　Parker。〃
　He　dropped　his　hand　on　to　the　seat；　and　remained　silent　for　a　few　moments。　The　taxi…cab　was　buzzing　along　up　Fifth　Avenue　now。　Looking　towards　the　window；　Psmith　saw　that　they　were　nearing　the　park。　The　great　white　mass　of　the　Plaza　Hotel　showed　up　on　the　left。
　〃Did　you　ever　stop　at　the　Plaza；　rade　Parker？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Parker　shortly。
　〃Don't　bite　at　me；　rade　Parker。　Why　be　brusque　on　so　joyous　an　occasion？　Better　men　than　us　have　stopped　at　the　Plaza。　Ah；　the　Park！　How　fresh　the　leaves；　rade　Parker；　how　green　the　herbage！　Fling　your　eye　at　yonder　grassy　knoll。〃
　He　raised　his　hand　to　point。　Instantly　the　revolver　was　against　his　waistcoat；　making　an　unwele　crease　in　that　immaculate　garment。
　〃I　told　you　to　keep　that　hand　where　it　was。〃
　〃You　did；　rade　Parker；　you　did。　The　fault；〃　said　Psmith　handsomely；　〃was　entirely　mine。　Carried　away　by　my　love　of　nature；　I　forgot。　It　shall　not　occur　again。〃
　〃It　had　better　not；〃　said　Mr。　Parker　unpleasantly。　〃If　it　does；　I'll　blow　a　hole　through　you。〃
　Psmith　raised　his　eyebrows。
　〃That；　rade　Parker；〃　he　said；　〃is　where　you　make　your　error。　You　would　no　more　shoot　me　in　the　heart　of　the　metropolis　than；　I　trust　you　would　wear　a　made…up　tie　with　evening　dress。　Your　skin；　however　unhealthy　to　the　eye　of　the　casual　observer；　is　doubtless　precious　to　yourself；　and　you　are　not　the　man　I　take　you　for　if　you　would　risk　it　purely　for　the　momentary　pleasure　of　plugging　me　with　a　revolver。　The　cry　goes　round　criminal　circles　in　New　York；　'rade　Parker　is　not　such　a　fool　as　he　looks。'　Think　for　a　moment　what　would　happen。　The　shot　would　ring　out；　and　instantly　bicycle…policemen　would　be　pursuing　this　taxi…cab　with　the　purposeful　speed　of　greyhounds　trying　to　win　the　Waterloo　Cup。　You　would　be　headed　off　and　stopped。　Ha！　What　is　this？　Psmith；　the　People's　Pet；　weltering　in　his　gore？　Death　to　the　assassin！　I　fear　nothing　could　save　you　from　the　fury　of　the　mob；　rade　Parker。　I　seem　to　see　them　meditatively　plucking　you　limb　from　limb。　'She　loves　me！'　Off　es　an　arm。　'She　loves　me　not。'　A　leg　joins　the　little　heap　of　limbs　on　the　ground。　That　is　how　it　would　be。　And　what　would　you　have　left　out　of　it？　Merely；　as　I　say；　the　momentary　pleasure　of　potting　me。　And　it　isn't　as　if　such　a　feat　could　give　you　the　thrill　of　successful　marksmanship。　Anybody　could　hit　a　man　with　a　pistol　at　an　inch　and　a　quarter。　I　fear　you　have　not　thought　this　matter　out　with　sufficient　care；　rade　Parker。　You　said　to　yourself；　'Happy　thought；　I　will　kidnap　Psmith！　'and　all　your　friends　said；　'Parker　is　the　man　with　the　big　brain！'　But　now；　while　it　is　true　that　I　can't　get　out；　you　are　moaning；　'What　on　earth　shall　I　do　with　him；　now　that　I　have　got　him？'〃
　〃You　think　so；　do　you？〃
　〃I　am　convinced　of　it。　Your　face　is　contorted　with　the　anguish　of　mental　stress。　Let　this　be　a　lesson　to　you；　rade　Parker；　never　to　embark　on　any　enterprise　of　which　you　do　not　see　the　end。〃
　〃I　guess　I　see　the　end　of　this　all　right。〃
　〃You　have　the　advantage　of　me　then；　rade　Parker。　It　seems　to　me　that　we　have　nothing　before　us　but　to　go　on　riding　about　New　York　till　you　feel　that　my　society　begins　to　pall。〃
　〃You　figure　you're　clever；　I　guess。〃
　〃There　are　few　brighter　brains　in　this　city；　rade　Parker。　But　why　this　sudden　tribute？
　〃You　reckon　you've　thought　it　all　out；　eh？〃
　〃There　may　be　a　flaw　in　my　reasoning；　but　I　confess　I　do　not　at　the　moment　see　where　it　lies。　Have　you　detected　one？〃
　〃I　guess　so。〃
　〃Ah！　And　what　is　it？〃
　〃You　seem　to　think　New　York's　the　only　place　on　the　map。〃
　〃Meaning　what；　rade　Parker？〃
　〃It　might　be　a　fool　trick　to　shoot　you　in　the　city　as　you　say；　but；　you　see；　we　aren't　due　to　stay　in　the　city。　This　cab　is　moving　on。〃
　〃Like　John　Brown's　soul；〃　said　Psmith；　nodding。　〃I　see。　Then　you　propose　to　make　quite　a　little　tour　in　this　cab？〃
　〃You've　got　it。〃
　〃And　when　we　are　out　in　the　open　country；　where　there　are　no　witnesses；　things　may　begin　to　move。〃
　〃That's　it。〃
　〃Then；〃　said　Psmith　heartily；　〃till　that　moment　arrives　what　we　must　do　is　to　entertain　each　other　with　conversation。　You　can　take　no　step　of　any　sort　for　a　full　half…hour；　possibly　more；　so　let　us　give　ourselves　up　to　the　merriment　of　the　passing　instant。　Are　you　good　at　riddles；　rade　Parker？　How　much　wood　would　a　wood…chuck　chuck；　assuming　for　purposes　of　argument　that　it　was　in　the　power　of　a　wood…chuck　to　chuck　wood？〃
　Mr。　Parker　did　not　attempt　to　solve　this　problem。　He　was　sitting　in　the　same　attitude　of　watchfulness；　the　revolver　resting　on　his　knee。　He　seemed　mistrustful　of　Psmith's　right　hand；　which　was　hanging　limply　at　his　side。　It　was　from　this　quarter　that　he　seemed　to　expect　attack。　The　cab　was　bowling　easily　up　the　broad　street；　past　rows　on　rows　of　high　houses；　all　looking　exactly　the　same。　Occasionally；　to　the　right；　through　a　break　in　the　line　of　buildings；　a　glimpse　of　the　river　could　be　seen。
　Psmith　resumed　the　conversation。
　〃You　are　not　interested　in　wood…chucks；　rade　Parker？　Well；　well；　many　people　are　not。　A　passion　for　the　flora　and　fauna　of　our　forests　is　innate　rather　than　acquired。　Let　us　talk　of　something　else。　Tell　me　about　your　home…life；　rade　Parker。　Are　you　married？　Are　there　any　little　Parkers　running　about　the　house？　When　you　return　from　this　very　pleasant　excursion　will　baby　voices　crow　gleefully；　'Fahzer's　e　home'？〃
　Mr。　Parker　s