pgw.piccadillyjim-第12章

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　〃If　you　are　not　above　petty　jealousy；　Nesta　。　。　。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　laughed　a　sharp；　metallic　laugh。
　〃It　is　the　disgrace　I　object　to！〃
　〃The　disgrace！〃
　〃What　else　would　you　call　it；　Eugenia？　Wouldn't　you　be　ashamed　if　you　opened　your　Sunday　paper　and　came　upon　a　full　page　article　about　your　nephew　having　got　intoxicated　at　the　races　and　fought　a　book…makerhaving　broken　up　a　political　meetinghaving　been　sued　for　breach…of…promise　by　a　barmaid　。　。　。〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　preserved　her　well…bred　calm；　but　she　was　shaken。　The　episodes　to　which　her　sister　had　alluded　were　ancient　history；　horrors　of　the　long…dead　past；　but　it　seemed　that　they　still　lived　in　print。　There　and　then　she　registered　the　resolve　to　talk　to　her　step…son　James　when　she　got　hold　of　him　in　such　a　manner　as　would　scourge　the　offending　Adam　out　of　him　for　once　and　for　all。
　〃And　not　only　that；〃　continued　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃That　would　be　bad　enough　in　itself；　but　somehow　the　papers　have　discovered　that　I　am　the　boy's　aunt。　Two　weeks　ago　they　printed　my　photograph　with　one　of　these　articles。　I　suppose　they　will　always　do　it　now。　That　is　why　I　have　e　to　you。　It　must　stop。　And　the　only　way　it　can　be　made　to　stop　is　by　taking　your　step…son　away　from　London　where　he　is　running　wild。　Peter　has　most　kindly　consented　to　give　the　boy　a　position　in　his　office。　It　is　very　good　of　him；　for　the　boy　cannot　in　the　nature　of　things　be　of　any　use　for　a　very　long　time；　but　we　have　talked　it　over　and　it　seems　the　only　course。　I　have　e　this　morning　to　ask　you　to　let　us　take　James　Crocker　back　to　America　with　us　and　keep　him　out　of　mischief　by　giving　him　honest　work。　What　do　you　say？〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　raised　her　eyebrows。
　〃What　do　you　expect　me　to　say？　It　is　utterly　preposterous。　I　have　never　heard　anything　so　supremely　absurd　in　my　life。〃
　〃You　refuse？〃
　〃Of　course　I　refuse。〃
　〃I　think　you　are　extremely　foolish。〃
　〃Indeed！〃
　Mr。　Pett　cowed　in　his　chair。　He　was　feeling　rather　like　a　nervous　and　peace…loving　patron　of　a　wild　western　saloon　who　observes　two　cowboys　reach　for　their　hip…pockets。　Neither　his　wife　nor　his　sister…in…law　paid　any　attention　to　him。　The　concluding　exercises　of　a　duel　of　the　eyes　was　in　progress　between　them。　After　some　silent；　age…long　moments；　Mrs。　Crocker　laughed　a　light　laugh。
　〃Most　extraordinary！〃　she　murmured。
　Mrs。　Pett　was　in　no　mood　for　Anglicisms。
　〃You　know　perfectly　well；　Eugenia；〃　she　said　heatedly；　〃that　James　Crocker　is　being　ruined　here。　For　his　sake；　if　not　for　mine〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　laughed　another　light　laugh；　one　of　those　offensive　rippling　things　which　cause　so　much　annoyance。
　〃Don't　be　so　ridiculous；　Nesta！　Ruined！　Really！　It　is　quite　true　that；　a　long　while　ago　when　he　was　much　younger　and　not　quite　used　to　the　ways　of　London　Society；　James　was　a　little　wild；　but　all　that　sort　of　thing　is　over　now。　He　knows〃she　paused；　setting　herself　as　it　were　for　the　punch〃he　knows　that　at　any　moment　the　government　may　decide　to　give　his　father　a　Peerage　。　。　。〃
　The　blow　went　home。　A　quite　audible　gasp　escaped　her　stricken　sister。
　〃What！〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　placed　two　ringed　fingers　before　her　mouth　in　order　not　to　hide　a　languid　yawn。
　〃Yes。　Didn't　you　know？　But　of　course　you　live　so　out　of　the　world。　Oh　yes；　it　is　extremely　probable　that　Mr。　Crocker's　name　will　appear　in　the　next　Honours　List。　He　is　very　highly　thought　of　by　the　Powers。　So　naturally　James　is　quite　aware　that　he　must　behave　in　a　suitable　manner。　He　is　a　dear　boy！　He　was　handicapped　at　first　by　getting　into　the　wrong　set；　but　now　his　closest　friend　is　Lord　Percy　Whipple；　the　second　son　of　the　Duke　of　Devizes；　who　is　one　of　the　most　eminent　men　in　the　kingdom　and　a　personal　friend　of　the　Premier。〃　　Mrs。　Pett　was　in　bad　shape　under　this　rain　of　titles；　but　she　rallied　herself　to　reply　in　kind。
　〃Indeed？〃　she　said。　〃I　should　like　to　meet　him。　I　have　no　doubt　he　knows　our　great　friend；　Lord　Wisbeach。〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　was　a　little　taken　aback。　She　had　not　supposed　that　her　sister　had　even　this　small　shot　in　her　locker。
　〃Do　you　know　Lord　Wisbeach？〃　she　said。
　〃Oh　yes；〃　replied　Mrs。　Pett；　beginning　to　feel　a　little　better。　〃We　have　been　seeing　him　every　day。　He　always　says　that　he　looks　on　my　house　as　quite　a　home。　He　knows　so　few　people　in　New　York。　It　has　been　a　great　fort　to　him；　I　think；　knowing　us。〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　had　had　time　now　to　recover　her　poise。
　〃Poor　dear　Wizzy！〃　she　said　languidly。
　Mrs。　Pett　started。
　〃What！〃
　〃I　suppose　he　is　still　the　same　dear；　stupid；　shiftless　fellow？　He　left　here　with　the　intention　of　travelling　round　the　world；　and　he　has　stopped　in　New　York！　How　like　him！〃
　〃Do　you　know　Lord　Wisbeach？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Pett。
　Mrs。　Crocker　raised　her　eyebrows。
　〃Know　him？　Why；　I　suppose；　after　Lord　Percy　Whipple；　he　is　James'　most　intimate　friend！〃
　Mrs。　Pett　rose。　She　was　dignified　even　in　defeat。　She　collected　Ogden　and　Mr。　Pett　with　an　eye　which　even　Ogden　could　see　was　not　to　be　trifled　with。　She　uttered　no　word。
　〃Must　you　really　go？〃　said　Mrs。　Crocker。　〃It　was　sweet　of　you　to　bother　to　e　all　the　way　from　America　like　this。　So　strange　to　meet　any　one　from　America　nowadays。　Most　extraordinary！〃
　The　cortege　left　the　room　in　silence。　Mrs。　Crocker　had　touched　the　bell；　but　the　mourners　did　not　wait　for　the　arrival　of　Bayliss。　They　were　in　no　mood　for　the　formalities　of　polite　Society。　They　wanted　to　be　elsewhere；　and　they　wanted　to　be　there　quick。　The　front　door　had　closed　behind　them　before　the　butler　reached　the　morning…room。
　〃Bayliss；〃　said　Mrs。　Crocker　with　happy；　shining　face；　〃send　for　the　car　to　e　round　at　once。〃
　〃Very　good；　madam。〃
　〃Is　Mr。　James　up　yet？〃
　〃I　believe　not；　madam。〃
　Mrs。　Crocker　went　upstairs　to　her　room。　If　Bayliss　had　not　been　within　earshot；　she　would　probably　have　sung　a　bar　or　two。　Her　amiability　extended　even　to　her　step…son；　though　she　had　not　altered　her　intention　of　speaking　eloquently　to　him　on　certain　matters　when　she　could　get　hold　of　him。　That；　however；　could　wait。　For　the　moment；　she　felt　in　vein　for　a　gentle　drive　in　the　Park。
　A　few　minutes　after　she　had　disappeared；　there　was　a　sound　of　slow　footsteps　on　the　stairs；　and　a　young　man　came　down　into　the　hall。　Bayliss；　who　had　finished　telephoning　to　the　garage　for　Mrs。　Crocker's　limousine　and　was　about　to　descend　to　those　lower　depths　where　he　had　his　being；　turned；　and　a　grave　smile　of　wele　played　over　his　face。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　James；〃　he　said。
　
　CHAPTER　IV
　JIMMY'S　DISTURBING　NEWS
　
　JIMMY　CROCKER　was　a　tall　and　well…knit　young　man　who　later　on　in　the　day　would　no　doubt　be　at　least　passably　good…looking。　At　the　moment　an　unbeing　pallor　marred　his　face；　and　beneath　his　eyes　were　marks　that　suggested　that　he　had　slept　little　and　ill。　He　stood　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　yawning　cavernously。
　〃Bayliss；〃　he　said；　〃have　you　been　painting　yourself　yellow？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Strange！　Your　face　looks　a　bright　gamboge　to　me；　and　your　outlines　wobble。　Bayliss；　never　mix　your　drinks。　I　say　this　to　you　as　a　friend。　Is　there　any　one　in　the　morning…room？〃
　〃No；　Mr。　James。〃
　〃Speak　softly；　Bayliss；　for　I　am　not　well。　I　am　conscious　of　a　strange　weakness。　Lead　me　to　the　morning…room；　then；　and　lay　me　gently　on　a　sofa。　These　are　the　times　that　try　men's　souls。〃
　The　sun　was　now　shining　strongly　through　the　windows　of　the　morning…room。　Bayliss　lowered　the　shades。　Jimmy　Crocker　sank　onto　the　sofa；　and　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Bayliss。〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃A　conviction　is　stealing　over　me　that　I　am　about　to　expire。〃
　〃Shall　I　bring　you　a　little　breakfast；　Mr。　James？〃
　A　strong　shudder　shook　Jimmy。
　〃Don't　be　flippant；　Bayliss；〃　he　protested。　〃Try　to　cure　yourself　of　this　passion　for　being　funny　at　the　wrong　time。　Your　edy　is　good；　but　tact　is　a　finer　quality　than　humour。　Perhaps　you　think　I　have　forgotten　that　morning　when　I　was　feeling　just　as　I　do　to…day　and　you　came　to　my　bedside　and　asked　me　if　I　would　like　a　nice　rasher　of　ham。　I　haven't　and　I　never　shall。　You　may　bring　me　a　brandy…and…soda。　Not　a　large　one。　A　couple　of　bath…tubs　full　will　be　enough。〃
　〃Very　good；　Mr。　James。〃
　〃And　now　leave　me；　Bayliss；　for　I　would　be　alone。　I　have　to　make　a　series　of　difficult　and　exhaustive　tests　to　ascertain　whether　I　am　still　a