pgw.piccadillyjim-第51章

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　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　said。
　〃Nev'　min'　who　I　am！〃　said　Miss　Trimble　curtly。　〃Siz　Pett　knows　who　I　am。〃
　〃I　hope　you　won't　be　offended；　Lord　Wisbeach；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　from　the　group　by　the　door。　〃I　engaged　a　detective　to　help　you。　I　really　thought　you　could　not　manage　everything　by　yourself。　I　hope　you　do　not　mind。〃
　〃Not　at　all；　Mrs。　Pett。　Very　wise。〃
　〃I'm　so　glad　to　hear　you　say　so。〃
　〃An　excellent　move。〃
　Miss　Trimble　broke　in　on　these　amiable　exchanges。
　〃Whassall　this？　Howjer　meanhelp　me？〃
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　most　kindly　offered　to　do　all　he　could　to　protect　my　nephew's　explosive；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。
　Gentleman　Jack　smiled　modestly。
　〃I　hope　I　have　been　of　some　slight　assistance！　I　think　I　came　down　in　the　nick　of　time。　Look！〃　He　pointed　to　the　safe。　〃He　had　just　got　it　open！　Luckily　I　had　my　pistol　with　me。　I　covered　him；　and　called　for　help。　In　another　moment　he　would　have　got　away。〃
　Miss　Trimble　crossed　to　the　safe　and　inspected　it　with　a　frown；　as　if　she　disliked　it。　She　gave　a　grunt　and　returned　to　her　place　by　the　window。
　〃Made　good　job　'f　it！〃　was　her　ment。
　Ann　came　forward。　Her　face　was　glowing　and　her　eyes　shone。
　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　found　Jimmy　breaking　into　the　safe？　I　never　heard　anything　so　absurd！〃
　Mrs。　Pett　intervened。
　〃This　is　not　James　Crocker；　Ann！　This　man　is　an　impostor；　who　came　into　the　house　in　order　to　steal　Willie's　invention。〃　She　looked　fondly　at　Gentleman　Jack。　〃Lord　Wisbeach　told　me　so。　He　only　pretended　to　recognise　him　this　afternoon。〃
　A　low　gurgle　proceeded　from　the　open　mouth　of　little　Ogden。　The　proceedings　bewildered　him。　The　scene　he　had　overheard　in　the　library　between　the　two　men　had　made　it　clear　to　him　that　Jimmy　was　genuine　and　Lord　Wisbeach　a　fraud；　and　he　could　not　understand　why　Jimmy　did　not　produce　his　proofs　as　before。　He　was　not　aware　that　Jimmy's　head　was　only　just　beginning　to　clear　from　the　effects　of　the　blow　on　the　chin。　Ogden　braced　himself　for　resolute　lying　in　the　event　of　Jimmy　calling　him　as　a　witness。　But　he　did　not　intend　to　have　his　little　business　proposition　dragged　into　the　open。
　Ann　was　looking　at　Jimmy　with　horror…struck　eyes。　For　the　first　time　it　came　to　her　how　little　she　knew　of　him　and　how　very　likely　it　wasin　the　face　of　the　evidence　it　was　almost　certainthat　he　should　have　e　to　the　house　with　the　intention　of　stealing　Willie's　explosive。　She　fought　against　it；　but　a　voice　seemed　to　remind　her　that　it　was　he　who　had　suggested　the　idea　of　posing　as　Jimmy　Crocker。　She　could　not　help　remembering　how　smoothly　and　willingly　he　had　embarked　on　the　mad　scheme。　But　had　it　been　so　mad？　Had　it　not　been　a　mere　cloak　for　this　other　venture？　If　Lord　Wisbeach　had　found　him　in　this　room；　with　the　safe　blown　open；　what　other　explanation　could　there　be？　　And　then；　simultaneously　with　her　conviction　that　he　was　a　criminal；　came　the　certainty　that　he　was　the　man　she　loved。　It　had　only　needed　the　spectacle　of　him　in　trouble　to　make　her　sure。　She　came　to　his　side　with　the　vague　idea　of　doing　something　to　help　him；　of　giving　him　her　support。　Once　there；　she　found　that　there　was　nothing　to　do　and　nothing　to　say。　She　put　her　hand　on　his；　and　stood　waiting　helplessly　for　she　knew　not　what。
　It　was　the　touch　of　her　fingers　which　woke　Jimmy　from　his　stupor。　He　came　to　himself　almost　with　a　jerk。　He　had　been　mistily　aware　of　what　had　been　said；　but　speech　had　been　beyond　him。　Now；　quite　suddenly；　he　was　a　whole　man　once　more。　He　threw　himself　into　the　debate　with　energy。
　〃Good　Heavens！〃　he　cried。　〃You're　all　wrong。　I　found　him　blowing　open　the　safe！〃
　Gentleman　Jack　smiled　superciliously。
　〃A　likely　story；　what！　I　mean　to　say；　it's　a　bit　thin！〃
　〃Ridiculous！〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　She　turned　to　Miss　Trimble　with　a　gesture。　〃Arrest　that　man！〃
　〃Wait　a　mom'nt；〃　replied　that　clear…headed　maiden；　picking　her　teeth　thoughtfully　with　the　muzzle　of　her　revolver。　〃Wait　mom'nt。　Gotta　look　'nto　this。　Hear　both　these　guys'　st'ries。〃
　〃Really；〃　said　Gentleman　Jack　suavely；　〃it　seems　somewhat　absurd〃
　〃Ney'　mind　how　'bsurd　't　sounds；〃　returned　the　fair　Trimble　rebukingly。　〃You　close　y'r　face　'n　lissen　t'　me。　Thass　all　you've　gotta　do。〃
　〃I　know　you　didn't　do　it！〃　cried　Ann；　tightening　her　hold　on　Jimmy's　arm。
　〃Less　'f　it；　please。　Less　'f　it！〃　Miss　Trimble　removed　the　pistol　from　her　mouth　and　pointed　it　at　Jimmy。　〃What've　you　to　say？　Talk　quick！〃
　〃I　happened　to　be　down　there〃
　〃Why？〃　asked　Miss　Trimble；　as　if　she　had　touched　off　a　bomb。
　Jimmy　stopped　short。　He　perceived　difficulties　in　the　way　of　explanation。
　〃I　happened　to　be　down　there；〃　he　resumed　stoutly；　〃and　that　man　came　into　the　room　with　an　electric　torch　and　a　blowpipe　and　began　working　on　the　safe〃
　The　polished　tones　of　Gentleman　Jack　cut　in　on　his　story。
　〃Really　now；　is　it　worth　while？〃　He　turned　to　Miss　Trimble。　〃I　came　down　here；　having　heard　a　noise。　I　did　not　happen　to　be　here　for　some　unexplained　purpose。　I　was　lying　awake　and　something　attracted　my　attention。　As　Mrs。　Pett　knows；　I　was　suspicious　of　this　worthy　and　expected　him　to　make　an　attempt　on　the　explosive　at　any　moment：　so　I　took　my　pistol　and　crept　downstairs。　When　I　got　here；　the　safe　was　open　and　this　man　making　for　the　window。〃
　Miss　Trimble　scratched　her　chin　caressingly　with　the　revolver；　and　remained　for　a　moment　in　thought。　Then　she　turned　to　Jimmy　like　a　striking　rattlesnake。
　〃Y'　gotta　pull　someth'g　better　th'n　that；〃　she　said。　〃I　got　y'r　number。　Y're　caught　with　th'　goods。〃
　〃No！〃　cried　Ann。
　〃Yes！〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃The　thing　is　obvious。〃
　〃I　think　the　best　thing　I　can　do；〃　said　Gentleman　Jack　smoothly；　〃is　to　go　and　telephone　for　the　police。〃
　〃You　think　of　everything；　Lord　Wisbeach；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　said　his　lordship。
　Jimmy　watched　him　moving　to　the　door。　At　the　back　of　his　mind　there　was　a　dull　feeling　that　he　could　solve　the　whole　trouble　if　only　he　could　remember　one　fact　which　had　escaped　him。　The　effects　of　the　blow　he　had　received　still　handicapped　him。　He　struggled　to　remember；　but　without　result。　Gentleman　Jack　reached　the　door　and　opened　it：　and　as　he　did　so　a　shrill　yapping；　hitherto　inaudible　because　of　the　intervening　oak　and　the　raised　voices　within；　made　itself　heard　from　the　passage　outside。　Gentleman　Jack　closed　the　door　with　a　hasty　bang。
　〃I　say　that　dog's　out　there！〃　he　said　plaintively。
　The　scratching　of　Aida's　busy　feet　on　the　wood　bore　out　his　words。　He　looked　about　him；　baffled。
　〃That　dog's　out　there！〃　he　repeated　gloomily。
　Something　seemed　to　give　way　in　Jimmy's　brain。　The　simple　fact　which　had　eluded　him　till　now　sprang　into　his　mind。
　〃Don't　let　that　man　get　out！〃　he　cried。　〃Good　Lord！　I've　only　just　remembered。　You　say　you　found　me　breaking　into　the　safe！　You　say　you　heard　a　noise　and　came　down　to　investigate！　Well；　then；　what's　that　test…tube　of　the　explosive　doing　in　your　breast…pocket？〃　He　swung　round　to　Miss　Trimble。　〃You　needn't　take　my　word　or　his　word。　There's　a　much　simpler　way　of　finding　out　who's　the　real　crook。　Search　us　both。〃　He　began　to　turn　out　his　pockets　rapidly。　〃Look　hereand　hereand　here！　Now　ask　him　to　do　the　same！〃
　He　was　pleased　to　observe　a　spasm　pass　across　Gentleman　Jack's　hitherto　posed　countenance。　Miss　Trimble　was　eyeing　the　latter　with　sudden　suspicion。
　〃Thasso！〃　she　said。　〃Say；　Bill；　I've　f'gott'n　y'r　name'sup　to　you　to　show　us！　Less've　a　look　't　what　y'　got　inside　there。〃
　Gentleman　Jack　drew　himself　up　haughtily。
　〃I　really　could　not　agree　to〃
　Mrs。　Pett　interrupted　indignantly。
　〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！　Lord　Wisbeach　is　an　old　friend〃
　〃Less'f　it！〃　ordered　Miss　Trimble；　whose　left　eye　was　now　like　the　left　eye　of　a　basilisk。　〃Y'　gotta　show　us；　Bill；　so　b'　quick　'bout　't！〃
　A　tired　smile　played　over　Gentleman　Jack's　face。　He　was　the　bored　aristocrat；　mutely　protesting　against　something　that　〃wasn't　done。〃　He　dipped　his　slender　fingers　into　his　pocket。　Then；　drawing　out　the　test…tube；　and　holding　it　up；　he　spoke　with　a　drawling　calm　for　which　even　Jimmy　could　not　help　admiring　him。
　〃All　right！　If　I'm　done；　I'm　done！〃
　The　sensation　caused　by　his　action　and　his　words　was　of　the　kind　usually　described　as　profound。　Mrs。　Pett　uttered　a　strangled　shriek。　Willie