pgw.piccadillyjim-第47章

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　〃Bayliss！〃
　〃I　had　to　think　of　something　quick；　because　the　clerk　at　the　shipping　office　was　waiting　to　fill　in　my　ticket。　I　had　just　been　talking　to　Bayliss　on　the　phone　and　his　was　the　only　name　that　came　into　my　mind。　You　know　how　it　is　when　you　try　to　think　of　a　name　suddenly。　Now　mark　the　sequel。　Old　Bayliss　came　to　see　me　off　at　Paddington。　Ann　was　there　and　saw　me。　She　said　'Good　evening；　Mr。　Bayliss'　or　something；　and　naturally　old　Bayliss　replied　'What　ho！'　or　words　to　that　effect。　The　only　way　to　handle　the　situation　was　to　introduce　him　as　my　father。　I　did　so。　Ann；　therefore；　thinks　that　I　am　a　young　man　named　Bayliss　who　has　e　over　to　America　to　make　his　fortune。　We　now　e　to　the　third　reel。　I　met　Ann　by　chance　at　the　Knickerbocker　and　took　her　to　lunch。　While　we　were　lunching；　that　confirmed　congenital　idiot；　Reggie　Bartling；　who　happened　to　have　e　over　to　America　as　well；　came　up　and　called　me　by　my　name。　I　knew　that；　if　Ann　discovered　who　I　really　was；　she　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　me；　so　I　gave　Reggie　the　haughty　stare　and　told　him　that　he　had　made　a　mistake。　He　ambled　awayand　possibly　mitted　suicide　in　his　anguish　at　having　made　such　a　bloomerleaving　Ann　discussing　with　me　the　extraordinary　coincidence　of　my　being　Jimmy　Crocker's　double。　Do　you　follow　the　story　of　my　life　so　far？〃
　Mr。　Crocker；　who　had　been　listening　with　wrinkled　brow　and　other　signs　of　rapt　attention；　nodded。
　〃I　understand　all　that。　But　how　did　you　e　to　get　into　this　house？〃
　〃That　is　reel　four。　I　am　getting　to　that。　It　seems　that　Ann；　who　is　the　sweetest　girl　on　earth　and　always　on　the　lookout　to　do　some　one　a　kindness；　had　decided；　in　the　interests　of　the　boy's　future；　to　remove　young　Ogden　Ford　from　his　present　sphere；　where　he　is　being　spoiled　and　ruined；　and　send　him　down　to　a　man　on　Long　Island　who　would　keep　him　for　awhile　and　instil　the　first　principles　of　decency　into　him。　Her　acplice　in　this　admirable　scheme　was　Jerry　Mitchell。〃
　〃Jerry　Mitchell！〃
　〃Who；　as　you　know；　got　fired　yesterday。　Jerry　was　to　have　done　the　rough　work　of　the　job。　But；　being　fired；　he　was　no　longer　available。　I；　therefore；　offered　to　take　his　place。　So　here　I　am。〃
　〃You're　going　to　kidnap　that　boy？〃
　〃No。　You　are。〃
　〃Me！〃
　〃Precisely。　You　are　going　to　play　a　benefit　performance　of　your　world…famed　success；　Chicago　Ed。　Let　me　explain　further。　Owing　to　circumstances　which　I　need　not　go　into；　Ogden　has　found　out　that　I　am　really　Jimmy　Crocker；　so　he　refuses　to　have　anything　more　to　do　with　me。　I　had　deceived　him　into　believing　that　I　was　a　professional　kidnapper；　and　he　came　to　me　and　offered　to　let　me　kidnap　him　if　I　would　go　fifty…fifty　with　him　in　the　ransom！〃
　〃Gosh！〃
　〃Yes；　he's　an　intelligent　child；　full　of　that　sort　of　bright　ideas。　Well；　now　he　has　found　that　I　am　not　all　his　fancy　painted　me；　he　wouldn't　e　away　with　me；　and　I　want　you　to　understudy　me　while　the　going　is　good。　In　the　fifth　reel；　which　will　be　released　to…night　after　the　household　has　retired　to　rest；　you　will　be　featured。　It's　got　to　be　tonight；　because　it　has　just　occurred　to　me　that　Ogden；　knowing　that　Lord　Wisbeach　is　a　crook；　may　go　to　him　with　the　same　proposal　that　he　made　to　me。〃
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　a　crook！〃
　〃Of　the　worst　description。　He　is　here　to　steal　that　explosive　stuff　of　Willie　Partridge's。　But　as　I　have　blocked　that　play；　he　may　turn　his　attention　to　Ogden。〃
　〃But；　Jimmy；　if　that　fellow　is　a　crookhow　do　you　know　he　is？〃
　〃He　told　me　so　himself。〃
　〃Well；　then；　why　don't　you　expose　him？〃
　〃Because　in　order　to　do　so；　Skinner　my　man；　I　should　have　to　explain　that　I　was　really　Jimmy　Crocker；　and　the　time　is　not　yet　ripe　for　that。　To　my　thinking；　the　time　will　not　be　ripe　till　you　have　got　safely　away　with　Ogden　Ford。　I　can　then　go　to　Ann　and　say　'I　may　have　played　you　a　rotten　trick　in　the　past；　but　I　have　done　you　a　good　turn　now；　so　let's　forget　the　past！'　So　you　see　that　everything　now　depends　on　you；　dad。　I'm　not　asking　you　to　do　anything　difficult。　I'll　go　round　to　the　boarding…house　now　and　tell　Jerry　Mitchell　about　what　we　have　arranged；　and　have　him　waiting　outside　here　in　a　car。　Then　all　you　will　have　to　do　is　to　go　to　Ogden；　play　a　short　scene　as　Chicago　Ed；　escort　him　to　the　car；　and　then　go　back　to　bed　and　have　a　good　sleep。　Once　Ogden　thinks　you　are　a　professional　kidnapper；　you　won't　have　any　difficulty　at　all。　Get　it　into　your　head　that　he　wants　to　be　kidnapped。　Surely　you　can　tackle　this　light　and　attractive　job？　Why；　it　will　be　a　treat　for　you　to　do　a　bit　of　character　acting　once　more！〃
　Jimmy　had　struck　the　right　note。　His　father's　eyes　began　to　gleam　with　excitement。　The　scent　of　the　footlights　seemed　to　dilate　his　nostrils。
　〃I　was　always　good　at　that　rough…neck　stuff；〃　he　murmured　meditatively。　〃I　used　to　eat　it！〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Look　at　it　in　the　right　way；　and　I　am　doing　you　a　kindness　in　giving　you　this　chance。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　rubbed　his　cheek　with　his　forefinger。
　〃You'd　want　me　to　make　up　for　the　part？〃　he　asked　wistfully。
　〃Of　course！〃
　〃You　want　me　to　do　it　to…night？〃
　〃At　about　two　in　the　morning；　I　thought。〃
　〃I'll　do　it；　Jim！〃
　Jimmy　grasped　his　hand。
　〃I　knew　I　could　rely　on　you；　dad。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　was　following　a　train　of　thought。
　〃Dark　wig　。　。　。　blue　chin　。　。　。　heavy　eyebrows　。　。　。　I　guess　I　can't　do　better　than　my　old　Chicago　Ed　make…up。　Say；　Jimmy；　how　am　I　to　get　to　the　kid？〃
　〃That'll　be　all　right。　You　can　stay　in　my　room　till　the　time　es　to　go　to　him。　Use　it　as　a　dressing…room。〃
　〃How　am　I　to　get　him　out　of　the　house？〃
　〃Through　this　room。　I'll　tell　Jerry　to　wait　out　on　the　side…street　with　the　car　from　two　o'clock　on。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　considered　these　arrangements。
　〃That　seems　to　be　about　all；〃　he　said。
　〃I　don't　think　there's　anything　else。〃
　〃I'll　slip　downtown　and　buy　the　props。〃
　〃I'll　go　and　tell　Jerry。〃
　A　thought　struck　Mr。　Crocker。
　〃You'd　better　tell　Jerry　to　make　up；　too。　He　doesn't　want　the　kid　recognising　him　and　squealing　on　him　later。〃
　Jimmy　was　lost　in　admiration　of　his　father's　resource。
　〃You　think　of　everything；　dad！　That　wouldn't　have　occurred　to　me。　You　certainly　do　take　to　Crime　in　the　most　wonderful　way。　It　seems　to　e　naturally　to　you！〃　　Mr。　Crocker　smirked　modestly。
　
　CHAPTER　XX
　CELESTINE　IMPARTS　INFORMATION
　
　PLOT　is　only　as　strong　as　its　weakest　link。　The　best…laid　schemes　of　mice　and　men　gang　agley　if　one　of　the　mice　is　a　mental　defective　or　if　one　of　the　men　is　a　Jerry　Mitchell。　。　。　。
　Celestine；　Mrs。　Pett's　maidshe　who　was　really　Maggie　O'Toole　and　whom　Jerry　loved　with　a　strength　which　deprived　him　of　even　that　small　amount　of　intelligence　which　had　been　bestowed　upon　him　by　Naturecame　into　the　house…keeper's　room　at　about　ten　o'clock　that　night。　The　domestic　staff　had　gone　in　a　body　to　the　moving…pictures；　and　the　only　occupant　of　the　room　was　the　new　parlourmaid；　who　was　sitting　in　a　hard　chair；　reading　Schopenhauer。
　Celestine's　face　was　flushed；　her　dark　hair　was　ruffled；　and　her　eyes　were　shining。　She　breathed　a　little　quickly；　and　her　left　hand　was　out　of　sight　behind　her　back。　She　eyed　the　new　parlour…maid　doubtfully　for　a　moment。　The　latter　was　a　woman　of　somewhat　unencouraging　exterior；　not　the　kind　that　invites　confidences。　But　Celestine　had　confidences　to　bestow；　and　the　exodus　to　the　movies　had　left　her　in　a　position　where　she　could　not　pick　and　choose。　She　was　faced　with　the　alternative　of　locking　her　secret　in　her　palpitating　bosom　or　of　revealing　it　to　this　one　auditor。　The　choice　was　one　which　no　impulsive　damsel　in　like　circumstances　would　have　hesitated　to　make。
　〃Say！〃　said　Celestine。
　A　face　rose　reluctantly　from　behind　Schopenhauer。　A　gleaming　eye　met　Celestine's。　A　second　eye　no　less　gleaming　glared　at　the　ceiling。
　〃Say；　I　just　been　talking　to　my　feller　outside；〃　said　Celestine　with　a　coy　simper。　〃Say；　he's　a　grand　man！〃
　A　snort　of　unpromising　disapproval　proceeded　from　the　thin…lipped　mouth　beneath　the　eyes。　But　Celestine　was　too　full　of　her　news　to　be　discouraged。
　〃I'm　strong　fer　Jer！〃　she　said。
　〃Huh？〃　said　the　student　of　Schopenhauer。
　〃Jerry　Mitchell；　you　know。　You　ain't　never　met　him；　have　you？　Say；　he's　a　grand　man！〃
　For　the　first　time　she　had　the　other