pgw.piccadillyjim-第48章

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　〃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's　undivided　attention。　The　new　parlour…maid　placed　her　book　upon　the　table。
　〃Uh？〃　she　said。
　Celestine　could　hold　back　her　dramatic　surprise　no　longer。　Her　concealed　left　hand　flashed　into　view。　On　the　third　finger　glittered　a　ring。　She　gazed　at　it　with　awed　affection。
　〃Ain't　it　a　beaut！〃
　She　contemplated　its　sparkling　perfection　for　a　moment　in　rapturous　silence。
　〃Say；　you　could　have　knocked　me　down　with　a　feather！〃　she　resumed。　〃He　telephones　me　awhile　ago　and　says　to　be　outside　the　back　door　at　ten　to…night；　because　he'd　something　he　wanted　to　tell　me。　Of　course　he　couldn't　e　in　and　tell　it　me　here；　because　he'd　been　fired　and　everything。　So　I　goes　out；　and　there　he　is。　'Hello；　kid！'　he　says　to　me。　'Fresh！'　I　says　to　him。　'Say；　I　got　something　to　be　fresh　about！'　he　says　to　me。　And　then　he　reaches　into　his　jeans　and　hauls　out　the　sparkler。　'What's　that？'　I　says　to　him。　'It's　an　engagement　ring；'　he　says　to　me。　'For　you；　if　you'll　wear　it！'　I　came　over　so　weak；　I　could　have　fell！　And　the　next　thing　I　know　he's　got　it　on　my　finger　and〃　Celestine　broke　off　modestly。　〃Say；　ain't　it　a　beaut；　honest！〃　She　gave　herself　over　to　contemplation　once　more。　〃He　says　to　me　how　he's　on　Easy　Street　now；　or　will　be　pretty　soon。　I　says　to　him　'Have　you　got　a　job；　then？'　He　says　to　me　'Now；　I　ain't　got　a　job；　but　I'm　going　to　pull　off　a　stunt　to…night　that's　going　to　mean　enough　to　me　to　start　that　health…farm　I've　told　you　about。'　Say；　he's　always　had　a　line　of　talk　about　starting　a　health…farm　down　on　Long　Island；　he　knowing　all　about　training　and　health　and　everything　through　having　been　one　of　them　fighters。　I　asks　him　what　the　stunt　is；　but　he　won't　tell　me　yet。　He　says　he'll　tell　me　after　we're　married；　but　he　says　it's　sure…fire　and　he's　going　to　buy　the　license　tomorrow。〃
　She　paused　for　ment　and　congratulations；　eyeing　her　panion　expectantly。
　〃Huh！〃　said　the　new　parlour…maid　briefly；　and　resumed　her　Schopenhauer。　Decidedly　hers　was　not　a　winning　personality。
　〃Ain't　it　a　beaut？〃　demanded　Celestine；　damped。
　The　new　parlour…maid　uttered　a　curious　sound　at　the　back　of　her　throat。
　〃He's　a　beaut！〃　she　said　cryptically。
　She　added　another　remark　in　a　lower　tone；　too　low　for　Celestine's　ears。　It　could　hardly　have　been　that；　but　it　sounded　to　Celestine　like：
　〃I'll　fix　'm！〃
　
　CHAPTER　XXI
　CHICAGO　ED
　
　RIVERSIDE　Drive　slept。　The　moon　shone　on　darkened　windows　and　deserted　sidewalks。　It　was　past　one　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　wicked　Forties　were　still　ablaze　with　light　and　noisy　foxtrots；　but　in　the　virtuous　Hundreds；　where　Mr。　Pett's　house　stood；　respectable　slumber　reigned。　Only　the　occasional　drone　of　a　passing　automobile　broke　the　silence；　or　the　love…sick　cry　of　some　feline　Romeo　patrolling　a　wall…top。
　Jimmy　was　awake。　He　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of　his　bed　watching　his　father　put　the　finishing　touches　to　his　make…up；　which　was　of　a　shaggy　and　intimidating　nature。　The　elder　Crocker　had　conceived　the　outward　aspect　of　Chicago　Ed。；　King　of　the　Kidnappers；　on　broad　and　impressive　lines；　and　one　glance　would　have　been　enough　to　tell　the　sagacious　observer　that　here　was　no　white…souled　rade　for　a　nocturnal　saunter　down　lonely　lanes　and　out…of…the…way　alleys。
　Mr。　Crocker　seemed　to　feel　this　himself。
　〃The　only　trouble　is；　Jim；〃　he　said；　peering　at　himself　in　the　glass；　〃shan't　I　scare　the　boy　to　death　directly　he　sees　me？　Oughtn't　I　to　give　him　some　sort　of　warning？〃
　〃How？　Do　you　suggest　sending　him　a　formal　note？〃
　Mr。　Crocker　surveyed　his　repellent　features　doubtfully。
　〃It's　a　good　deal　to　spring　on　a　kid　at　one　in　the　morning；〃　he　said。　〃Suppose　he　has　a　fit！〃
　〃He's　far　more　likely　to　give　you　one。　Don't　you　worry　about　Ogden；　dad。　I　shouldn't　think　there　was　a　child　alive　more　equal　to　handling　such　a　situation。〃
　There　was　an　empty　glass　standing　on　a　tray　on　the　dressing…table。　Mr。　Crocker　eyed　this　sadly。
　〃I　wish　you　hadn't　thrown　that　stuff　away；　Jim。　I　could　have　done　with　it。　I'm　feeling　nervous。〃
　〃Nonsense；　dad！　You're　all　right！　I　had　to　throw　it　away。　I'm　on　the　wagon　now；　but　how　long　I　should　have　stayed　on　with　that　smiling　up　at　me　I　don't　know。　I've　made　up　my　mind　never　to　lower　myself　to　the　level　of　the　beasts　that　perish　with　the　demon　Rum　again；　because　my　future　wife　has　strong　views　on　the　subject：　but　there's　no　sense　in　taking　chances。　Temptation　is　all　very　well；　but　you　don't　need　it　on　your　dressing…table。　It　was　a　kindly　thought　of　yours　to　place　it　there；　dad；　but〃
　〃Eh？　I　didn't　put　it　there。〃
　〃I　thought　that　sort　of　thing　came　in　your　department。　Isn't　it　the　butler's　job　to　supply　drinks　to　the　nobility　and　gentry？　Well；　it　doesn't　matter。　It　is　now　distributed　over　the　neighbouring　soil；　thus　removing　a　powerful　temptation　from　your　path。　You're　better　without　it。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Well；　it　ought　to　be　all　right　now。〃　He　went　to　the　window。　〃There's　an　automobile　down　there。　I　suppose　it's　Jerry。　I　told　him　to　be　outside　at　one　sharp　and　it's　nearly　half…past。　I　think　you　might　be　starting；　dad。　Oh；　by　the　way；　you　had　better　tell　Ogden　that　you　represent　a　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Buck　Maginnis。　It　was　Buck　who　got　away　with　him　last　time；　and　a　firm　friendship　seems　to…have　sprung　up　between　them。　There's　nothing　like　ing　with　a　good　introduction。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　took　a　final　survey　of　himself　in　the　mirror。
　〃Gee　I　I'd　hate　to　meet　myself　on　a　lonely　road！〃
　He　opened　the　door；　and　stood　for　a　moment　listening。
　From　somewhere　down　the　passage　came　the　murmur　of　a　muffled　snore。
　〃Third　door　on　the　left；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Threecount　'em！three。　Don't　go　getting　mixed。〃
　Mr。　Crocker　slid　into　the　outer　darkness　like　a　stout　ghost；　and　Jimmy　closed　the　door　gently　behind　him。
　Having　launched　his　indulgent　parent　safely　on　a　career　of　crime；　Jimmy　switched　off　the　light　and　returned　to　the　window。　Leaning　out；　he　gave　himself　up　for　a　moment　to　sentimental　musings。　The　night　was　very　still。　Through　the　trees　which　flanked　the　house　the　dimmed　headlights　of　what　was　presumably　Jerry　Mitchell's　hired　car　shone　faintly　like　enlarged　fire…flies。　A　boat　of　some　description　was　tooting　reflectively　far　down　the　river。　Such　was　the　seductive　influence　of　the　time　and　the　scene　that　Jimmy　might　have　remained　there　indefinitely；　weaving　dreams；　had　he　not　been　under　the　necessity　of　making　his　way　down　to　the　library。　It　was　his　task　to　close　the　French　windows　after　his　father　and　Ogden　had　passed　through；　and　he　proposed　to　remain　hid　in　the　gallery　there　until　the　time　came　for　him　to　do　this。　It　was　imperative　that　he　avoid　being　seen　by　Ogden。
　Locking　his　door　behind　him；　he　went　downstairs。　There　were　no　signs　of　life　in　the　house。　Everything　was　still。　He　found　the　staircase　leading　to　the　gallery　without　having　to　switch　on　the　lights。
　It　was　dusty　in　the　gallery；　and　a　smell　of　old　leather　enveloped　him。　He　hoped　his　father　would　not　be　long。　He　lowered　himself　cautiously　to　the　floor；　and；　resting　his　head　against　a　convenient　shelf；　began　to　wonder　how　the　interview　between　Chicago　Ed　and　his　prey　was　progressing。
　Mr。　Crocker；　meanwhile；　masked　to　the　eyes；　had　crept　in　fearful　silence　to　the　door　which　Jimmy　had　indicated。　A　good　deal　of　the　gay　enthusiasm　with　which　he　had　embarked　on　this　enterprise　had　ebbed　away　from　him。　Now　that　he　had　bee　accustomed　to　the　novelty　of　finding　himself　once　more　playing　a　character　part；　his　intimate　respectability　began　to　assert　itself。　It　was　one　thing　to　play　Chicago　Ed　at　a　Broadway　theatre；　but　quite　another　to　give　a　benefit　performance　like　this。　As　he　tip…toed　along　the　passage；　the　one　thing　that　presented　itself　most　clearly　to　him　was　the　appalling　oute　of　this　act　of　his；　should　anything　go　wrong。　He　would　have　turned　back；　but　for　the　thought　that　Jimmy　was　depending　on　him　and　that　success　would　mean　Jimmy's　happiness。　Stimulated　by　this　reflection；　he　opened　Ogden's　door　inch　by　inch　and　went　in。　He　stole　softly　across　the　room。
　He　had　almost　reached　the　bed；　and　had　just　begun　to　wonder　how