pgw.piccadillyjim-第53章

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　man　than　himself　to　resist　the　mute　pleading　of　his　father's　grease…painted　face。　Mr。　Crocker　was　a　game　sport：　he　would　not　have　said　a　word　without　the　sign　from　Jimmy；　even　to　save　himself　from　a　night　in　prison。　but　he　hoped　that　Jimmy　would　speak。
　〃It's　perfectly　simple；〃　said　Jimmy；　with　an　attempt　at　airiness　which　broke　down　miserably　under　Miss　Trimble's　eye。　〃Perfectly　simple。　I　really　am　Jimmy　Crocker；　you　know。〃　He　avoided　Ann's　gaze。　〃I　can't　think　what　you　are　making　all　this　fuss　about。〃
　〃Th'n　why　did　y'　sit　in　at　a　plot　to　kidnap　this　boy？〃
　〃That；　of　courseha；　ha！might　seem　at　first　sight　to　require　a　little　explanation。〃
　〃Y'　admit　it；　then？〃
　〃Yes。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　did　have　the　idea　of　kidnapping　Ogden。　Wanted　to　send　him　to　a　dogs'　hospital；　if　you　understand　what　I　mean。〃　He　tried　to　smile　a　conciliatory　smile；　but；　encountering　Miss　Trimble's　left　eye；　abandoned　the　project。　He　removed　a　bead　of　perspiration　from　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。　It　struck　him　as　a　very　curious　thing　that　the　simplest　explanations　were　so　often　quite　difficult　to　make。　〃Before　I　go　any　further；　I　ought　to　explain　one　thing。　Skinner　there　is　my　father。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　gasped。
　〃Skinner　was　my　sister's　butler　in　London。〃
　〃In　a　way　of　speaking；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　is　correct。　It's　rather　a　long　story。　It　was　this　way；　you　see。　。　。　。〃
　Miss　Trimble　uttered　an　ejaculation　of　supreme　contempt。
　〃I　n'ver　saw　such　a　lot　of　babbl'ng　crooks　in　m'　life！　't　beats　me　what　y'　hope　to　get　pulling　this　stuff。　Say！〃　She　indicated　Mr。　Crocker。　〃This　guy's　wanted　f'r　something　over　in　England。　We've　got　h's　photographs　'n　th'　office。　If　y'　ask　me；　he　lit　out　with　the　spoons　'r　something。　Say！〃　She　fixed　one　of　the　geniuses　with　her　pelling　eye。　〃'Bout　time　y'　made　y'rself　useful。　Go'n　call　up　th'　Astorbilt　on　th'　phone。　There's　a　dame　there　that's　been　making　the　enquiries　f'r　this　duck。　She　told　Anderson'sand　Anderson's　handed　it　on　to　usto　call　her　up　any　hour　of　the　day　'r　night　when　they　found　him。　You　go　get　her　on　the　wire　and　t'll　her　t'　e　right　up　here'n　a　taxi　and　identify　him。〃
　The　genius　paused　at　the　door。
　〃Whom　shall　I　ask　for？〃
　〃Mrs。　Crocker；〃　snapped　Miss　Trimble。　〃Siz　Bingley　Crocker。　Tell　her　we've　found　th'　guy　she's　been　looking　for！〃
　The　genius　backed　out。　There　was　a　howl　of　anguish　from　the　doorway。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon！〃　said　the　genius。
　〃Can't　you　look　where　you're　going！〃
　〃I　am　exceedingly　sorry〃
　〃Brrh！〃
　Mr。　Pett　entered　the　room；　hopping。　He　was　holding　one　slippered　foot　in　his　hand　and　appeared　to　be　submitting　it　to　some　form　of　massage。　It　was　plain　that　the　usually　mild　and　gentle　little　man　was　in　a　bad　temper。　He　glowered　round　him　at　the　pany　assembled。
　〃What　the　devil's　the　matter　here？〃　he　demanded。　〃I　stood　it　as　long　as　I　could；　but　a　man　can't　get　a　wink　of　sleep　with　this　noise　going　on！　〃
　〃Yipe！　Yipe！　Yipe！〃　barked　Aida　from　the　shelter　of　Mrs。　Pett's　arms。
　Mr。　Pett　started　violently。
　〃Kill　that　dog！　Throw　her　out！　Do　something　to　her！〃
　Mrs。　Pett　was　staring　blankly　at　her　husband。　She　had　never　seen　him　like　this　before。　It　was　as　if　a　rabbit　had　turned　and　growled　at　her。　ing　on　top　of　the　crowded　sensations　of　the　night；　it　had　the　effect　of　making　her　feel　curiously　weak。　In　all　her　married　life　she　had　never　known　what　fear　was。　She　had　coped　dauntlessly　with　the　late　Mr。　Ford；　a　man　of　a　spirited　temperament；　and　as　for　the　mild　Mr。　Pett　she　had　trampled　on　him。　But　now　she　felt　afraid。　This　new　Peter　intimidated　her。
　
　CHAPTER　XXIV
　SENSATIONAL　TURNING　OF　A　WORM
　
　To　this　remarkable　metamorphosis　in　Mr。　Peter　Pett　several　causes　had　contributed。　In　the　first　place；　the　sudden　dismissal　of　Jerry　Mitchell　had　obliged　him　to　go　two　days　without　the　physical　exercises　to　which　his　system　had　bee　accustomed；　and　this　had　produced　a　heavy；　irritable　condition　of　body　and　mind。　He　had　brooded　on　the　injustice　of　his　lot　until　he　had　almost　worked　himself　up　to　rebellion。　And　then；　as　sometimes　happened　with　him　when　he　was　out　of　sorts；　a　touch　of　gout　came　to　add　to　his　troubles。　Being　a　patient　man　by　nature；　he　might　have　borne　up　against　these　trials；　had　he　been　granted　an　adequate　night's　rest。　But；　just　as　he　had　dropped　off　after　tossing　restlessly　for　two　hours；　things　had　begun　to　happen　noisily　in　the　library。　He　awoke　to　a　vague　realisation　of　tumult　below。
　Such　was　the　morose　condition　of　his　mind　as　the　result　of　his　misfortune　that　at　first　not　even　the　cries　for　help　could　interest　him　sufficiently　to　induce　him　to　leave　his　bed。　He　knew　that　walking　in　his　present　state　would　be　painful；　and　he　declined　to　submit　to　any　more　pain　just　because　some　party　unknown　was　apparently　being　murdered　in　his　library。　It　was　not　until　the　shrill　barking　of　the　dog　Aida　penetrated　right　in　among　his　nerve…centres　and　began　to　tie　them　into　knots　that　he　found　himself　pelled　to　descend。　Even　when　he　did　so；　it　was　in　no　spirit　of　kindness。　He　did　not　e　to　rescue　anybody　or　to　interfere　between　any　murderer　and　his　victim。　He　came　in　a　fever　of　militant　wrath　to　suppress　Aida。　On　the　threshold　of　the　library；　however；　the　genius；　by　treading　on　his　gouty　foot；　had　diverted　his　anger　and　caused　it　to　bee　more　general。　He　had　not　ceased　to　concentrate　his　venom　on　Aida。　He　wanted　to　assail　everybody。
　〃What's　the　matter　here？〃　he　demanded；　red…eyed。　〃Isn't　somebody　going　to　tell　me？　Have　I　got　to　stop　here　all　night？　Who　on　earth　is　this？〃　He　glared　at　Miss　Trimble。　〃What's　she　doing　with　that　pistol？〃　He　stamped　incautiously　with　his　bad　foot；　and　emitted　a　dry　howl　of　anguish。
　〃She　is　a　detective；　Peter；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　timidly。
　〃A　detective？　Why？　Where　did　she　e　from？〃
　Miss　Trimble　took　it　upon　herself　to　explain。
　〃Mister　Pett；　siz　Pett　sent　f'r　me　t'　watch　out　so's　nobody　kidnapped　her　son。〃
　〃Oggie；〃　explained　Mrs。　Pett。　〃Miss　Trimble　was　guarding　darling　Oggie。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Toto　prevent　him　being　kidnapped；　Peter。〃
　Mr。　Pett　glowered　at　the　stout　boy。　Then　his　eye　was　attracted　by　the　forlorn　figure　of　Jerry　Mitchell。　He　started。
　〃Was　this　fellow　kidnapping　the　boy？〃　he　asked。
　〃Sure；〃　said　Miss　Trimble。　〃Caught　h'm　with　th'　goods。　He　w's　waiting　outside　there　with　a　car。　I　held　h'm　and　this　other　guy　up　w'th　a　gun　and　brought　'em　back！〃
　〃Jerry；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　〃it　wasn't　your　fault　that　you　didn't　bring　it　off；　and　I'm　going　to　treat　you　right。　You'd　have　done　it　if　nobody　had　butted　in　to　stop　you。　You'll　get　the　money　to　start　that　health…farm　of　yours　all　right。　I'll　see　to　that。　Now　you　run　off　to　bed。　There's　nothing　to　keep　you　here。〃
　〃Say！〃　cried　Miss　Trimble；　outraged。　〃D'ya　mean　t'　say　y'　aren't　going　t'　pros'cute？　Why；　aren't　I　tell'ng　y'　I　caught　h'm　kidnapping　th'　boy？〃
　〃I　told　him　to　kidnap　the　boy！〃　snarled　Mr。　Pett。
　〃Peter！〃
　Mr。　Pett　looked　like　an　under…sized　lion　as　he　faced　his　wife。　He　bristled。　The　recollection　of　all　that　he　had　suffered　from　Ogden　came　to　strengthen　his　determination。
　〃I've　tried　for　two　years　to　get　you　to　send　that　boy　to　a　good　boarding…school；　and　you　wouldn't　do　it。　I　couldn't　stand　having　him　loafing　around　the　house　any　longer；　so　I　told　Jerry　Mitchell　to　take　him　away　to　a　friend　of　his　who　keeps　a　dogs'　hospital　on　Long　Island　and　to　tell　his　friend　to　hold　him　there　till　he　got　some　sense　into　him。　Well；　you've　spoiled　that　for　the　moment　with　your　detectives；　but　it　still　looks　good　to　me。　I'll　give　you　a　choice。　You　can　either　send　that　boy　to　a　boarding…school　next　week；　or　he　goes　to　Jerry　Mitchell's　friend。　I'm　not　going　to　have　him　in　the　house　any　longer；　loafing　in　my　chair　and　smoking　my　cigarettes。　Which　is　it　to　be？〃
　〃But；　Peter！〃
　〃Well？〃
　〃If　I　send　him　to　a　school；　he　may　be　kidnapped。〃
　〃Kidnapping　can't　hurt　him。　It's　what　he　needs。　And；　anyway；　if　he　is　I'll　pay　the　bill　and　be　glad　to　do　it。　Take　him　off　to　bed　now。　To…morrow　you　can　start　looking　up　schools。　Great　Godfrey！〃　He　hopped　to　the　writing…desk　and　glared　disgustedly　at　the　debris　on　it。　〃Who's　been　making　this　mess　on　my　desk？　It's　hard！　It's　darned　hard！　The　only　room　in　the　house　that　I　ask　to　have　for　my　own；　where　I　can　get　a　little　peace；