pgw.psmith,journalist-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　way。　In　the　exhilaration　of　this　little　chat；　our　footsteps　have　wandered。　Where　we　are；　goodness　only　knows。　I　can　only　say　that　I　shouldn't　care　to　have　to　live　here。〃
　〃There's　a　name　up　on　the　other　side　of　that　lamp…post。〃
　〃Let　us　wend　in　that　direction。　Ah；　Pleasant　Street？　I　fancy　that　the　master…mind　who　chose　that　name　must　have　had　the　rudiments　of　a　sense　of　humour。〃
　It　was　indeed　a　repellent　neighbourhood　in　which　they　had　arrived。　The　New　York　slum　stands　in　a　class　of　its　own。　It　is　unique。　The　height　of　the　houses　and　the　narrowness　of　the　streets　seem　to　condense　its　unpleasantness。　All　the　smells　and　noises；　which　are　many　and　varied；　are　penned　up　in　a　sort　of　canyon；　and　gain　in　vehemence　from　the　fact。　The　masses　of　dirty　clothes　hanging　from　the　fire…escapes　increase　the　depression。　Nowhere　in　the　city　does　one　realise　so　fully　the　disadvantages　of　a　lack　of　space。　New　York；　being　an　island；　has　had　no　room　to　spread。　It　is　a　town　of　human　sardines。　In　the　poorer　quarters　the　congestion　is　unbelievable。
　Psmith　and　Mike　picked　their　way　through　the　groups　of　ragged　children　who　covered　the　roadway。　There　seemed　to　be　thousands　of　them。
　〃Poor　kids！〃　said　Mike。　〃It　must　be　awful　living　in　a　hole　like　this。〃
　Psmith　said　nothing。　He　was　looking　thoughtful。　He　glanced　up　at　the　grimy　buildings　on　each　side。　On　the　lower　floors　one　could　see　into　dark；　bare　rooms。　These　were　the　star　apartments　of　the　tenement…houses；　for　they　opened　on　to　the　street；　and　so　got　a　little　light　and　air。　The　imagination　jibbed　at　the　thought　of　the　back　rooms。
　〃I　wonder　who　owns　these　places；〃　said　Psmith。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　there's　what　you　might　call　room　for　improvement。　It　wouldn't　be　a　scaly　idea　to　turn　that　Cosy　Moments　search…light　we　were　talking　about　on　to　them。〃
　They　walked　on　a　few　steps。
　〃Look　here；〃　said　Psmith；　stopping。　〃This　place　makes　me　sick。　I'm　going　in　to　have　a　look　round。　I　expect　some　muscular　householder　will　resent　the　intrusion　and　boot　us　out；　but　we'll　risk　it。〃
　Followed　by　Mike；　he　turned　in　at　one　of　the　doors。　A　group　of　men　leaning　against　the　opposite　wall　looked　at　them　without　curiosity。　Probably　they　took　them　for　reporters　hunting　for　a　story。　Reporters　were　the　only　tolerably　well…dressed　visitors　Pleasant　Street　ever　entertained。
　It　was　almost　pitch　dark　on　the　stairs。　They　had　to　feel　their　way　up。　Most　of　the　doors　were　shut　but　one　on　the　second　floor　was　ajar。　Through　the　opening　they　had　a　glimpse　of　a　number　of　women　sitting　round　on　boxes。　The　floor　was　covered　with　little　heaps　of　linen。　All　the　women　were　sewing。　Mike；　stumbling　in　the　darkness；　almost　fell　against　the　door。　None　of　the　women　looked　up　at　the　noise。　Time　was　evidently　money　in　Pleasant　Street。
　On　the　fourth　floor　there　was　an　open　door。　The　room　was　empty。　It　was　a　good　representative　Pleasant　Street　back　room。　The　architect　in　this　case　had　given　rein　to　a　passion　for　originality。　He　had　constructed　the　room　without　a　window　of　any　sort　whatsoever。　There　was　a　square　opening　in　the　door。　Through　this；　it　was　to　be　presumed；　the　entire　stock　of　air　used　by　the　occupants　was　supposed　to　e。
　They　stumbled　downstairs　again　and　out　into　the　street。　By　contrast　with　the　conditions　indoors　the　street　seemed　spacious　and　breezy。
　〃This；〃　said　Psmith；　as　they　walked　on；　〃is　where　Cosy　Moments　gets　busy　at　a　singularly　early　date。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　asked　Mike。
　〃I　propose；　rade　Jackson；〃　said　Psmith；　〃if　rade　Windsor　is　agreeable；　to　make　things　as　warm　for　the　owner　of　this　place　as　I　jolly　well　know　how。　What　he　wants；　of　course；〃　he　proceeded　in　the　tone　of　a　family　doctor　prescribing　for　a　patient；　〃is　disembowelling。　I　fancy；　however；　that　a　mawkishly　sentimental　legislature　will　prevent　our　performing　that　national　service。　We　must　endeavour　to　do　what　we　can　by　means　of　kindly　criticism　in　the　paper。　And　now；　having　settled　that　important　point；　let　us　try　and　get　out　of　this　place　of　wrath；　and　find　Fourth　Avenue。〃
　
　CHAPTER　VII
　VISITORS　AT　THE　OFFICE
　
　ON　the　following　morning　Mike　had　to　leave　with　the　team　for　Philadelphia。　Psmith　came　down　to　the　ferry　to　see　him　off；　and　hung　about　moodily　until　the　time　of　departure。
　〃It　is　saddening　me　to　a　great　extent；　rade　Jackson；〃　he　said；　〃this　perpetual　parting　of　the　ways。　When　I　think　of　the　happy　moments　we　have　spent　hand…in…hand　across　the　seas；　it　fills　me　with　a　certain　melancholy　to　have　you　flitting　off　in　this　manner　without　me。　Yet　there　is　another　side　to　the　picture。　To　me　there　is　something　singularly　impressive　in　our　unhesitating　reply　to　the　calls　of　Duty。　Your　Duty　summons　you　to　Philadelphia；　to　knock　the　cover　off　the　local　bowling。　Mine　retains　me　here；　to　play　my　part　in　the　great　work　of　making　New　York　sit　up。　By　the　time　you　return；　with　a　century　or　two；　I　trust；　in　your　bag；　the　good　work　should；　I　fancy；　be　getting　something　of　a　move　on。　I　will　plete　the　arrangements　with　regard　to　the　flat。〃
　After　leaving　Pleasant　Street　they　had　found　Fourth　Avenue　by　a　devious　route；　and　had　opened　negotiations　for　a　large　flat　near　Thirtieth　Street。　It　was　immediately　above　a　saloon；　which　was　something　of　a　drawback；　but　the　landlord　had　assured　them　that　the　voices　of　the　revellers　did　not　penetrate　to　it。　
　　　　　　　　*　　　　*　　　　*
　When　the　ferry…boat　had　borne　Mike　off　across　the　river；　Psmith　turned　to　stroll　to　the　office　of　Cosy　Moments。　The　day　was　fine；　and　on　the　whole；　despite　Mike's　desertion；　he　felt　pleased　with　life。　Psmith's　was　a　nature　which　required　a　certain　amount　of　stimulus　in　the　way　of　gentle　excitement；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　conduct　of　the　remodelled　Cosy　Moments　might　supply　this。　He　liked　Billy　Windsor；　and　looked　forward　to　a　not　unenjoyable　time　till　Mike　should　return。
　The　offices　of　Cosy　Moments　were　in　a　large　bui1ding　in　the　street　off　Madison　Avenue。　They　consisted　of　a　sort　of　outer　lair；　where　Pugsy　Maloney　spent　his　time　reading　tales　of　life　in　the　prairies　and　heading　off　undesirable　visitors；　a　small　room；　which　would　have　belonged　to　the　stenographer　if　Cosy　Moments　had　possessed　one；　and　a　larger　room　beyond；　which　was　the　editorial　sanctum。
　As　Psmith　passed　through　the　front　door；　Pugsy　Maloney　rose。
　〃Say！〃　said　Master　Maloney。
　〃Say　on；　rade　Maloney；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Dey're　in　dere。〃
　〃Who；　precisely？〃
　〃A　whole　bunch　of　dem。〃
　Psmith　inspected　Master　Maloney　through　his　eye…glass。　〃Can　you　give　me　any　particulars？〃　he　asked　patiently。　〃You　are　well…meaning；　but　vague；　rade　Maloney。　Who　are　in　there？〃
　〃De　whole　bunch　of　dem。　Dere's　Mr。　Asher　and　the　Rev。　Philpotts　and　a　gazebo　what　calls　himself　Waterman　and　about　'steen　more　of　dem。〃
　A　faint　smile　appeared　upon　Psmith's　face。
　〃And　is　rade　Windsor　in　there；　too；　in　the　middle　of　them？〃
　〃Nope。　Mr。　Windsor's　out　to　lunch。〃
　〃rade　Windsor　knows　his　business。　Why　did　you　let　them　in？〃
　〃Sure；　dey　just　butted　in；〃　said　Master　Maloney　plainingly。　〃I　was　sittin'　here；　readin'　me　book；　when　de　foist　of　de　guys　blew　in。　'Boy；'　says　he；　'is　de　editor　in？'　'Nope；'　I　says。　'I'll　go　in　an'　wait；'　says　he。　'Nuttin'　doin'；'　says　I。　'Nix　on　de　goin'　in　act。'　I　might　as　well　have　saved　me　breat'。　In　he　butts；　and　he's　in　der　now。　Well；　in　about　t'ree　minutes　along　es　another　gazebo。　'Boy；'　says　he；　'is　de　editor　in？'　'Nope；'　I　says。　'I'll　wait；'　says　he　lightin'　out　for　de　door。　Wit　dat　I　sees　de　proposition's　too　fierce　for　muh。　I　can't　keep　dese　big　husky　guys　out　if　dey's　for　buttin'　in。　So　when　de　rest　of　de　bunch　es　along；　I　don't　try　to　give　dem　de　t'run　down。　I　says；　'Well；　gents；'　I　says；　'it's　up　to　youse。　De　editor　ain't　in；　but　if　youse　wants　to　join　de　giddy　t'rong；　push　t'roo　inter　de　inner　room。　I　can't　be　boddered。'〃
　〃And　what　more　could　you　have　said？〃　agreed　Psmith　approvingly。　〃Tell　me；　rade　Maloney；　what　was　the　general　average　aspect　of　these　determined　spirits？〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Did　they　seem　to　you　to　be　gay；　lighthearted？　Did　they　carol　snatches　of　song　as　they　went？　Or　did　they　appear　to　be　looking　for　some　one　with　a　hatchet？〃
　〃Dey　was　hoppin'…mad；　de　whole　bunch　of　dem。〃
　〃As　I　suspected。　But　we　must　not　repine；　rade　Maloney。　These　trif