pgw.uneasymoney-第24章
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od general； gathered up the ends； converted it into a rude bag； and one more was added to the long list of the victories of the human over the brute intelligence。
Everybody had a suggestion now。 The cook advocated drowning。 The parlour…maid favoured the idea of hitting the prisoner with a broom…handle。 Wrench； eyeing the struggling apron disapprovingly； mentioned that Mr Pickering had bought a revolver that morning。
'Put him in the coal…cellar；' said Lady Wetherby。
Wrench was more far…seeing。
'If I might offer the warning； m'lady；' said Wrench； 'not the cellar。 It is full of coal。 It would be placing temptation in the animal's way。'
The odd…job man endorsed this。
'Put him in the garage； then；' said Lady Wetherby。
The odd…job man departed； bearing his heaving bag at arm's length。 The cook and the parlour…maid addressed themselves to forting and healing the scullery…maid。 Wrench went off to polish silver； Lady Wetherby to resume her letters。 The cat was the last of the party to return to the normal。 She came down from the chimney an hour later covered with soot； demanding restoratives。
Lady Wetherby finished her letters。 She cut them short； for Eustace's insurgence had interfered with her flow of ideas。 She went into the drawing…room； where she found Roscoe Sherriff strumming on the piano。
'Eustace has been raising Cain；' she said。
The Press…agent looked up hopefully。 He had been wearing a rather preoccupied air。
'How's that？' he asked。
'Throwing eggs and plates in the kitchen。'
The gleam of interest which had e into Roscoe Sherriff's face died out。
'You couldn't get more than a fill…in at the bottom of a column on that；' he said； regretfully。 'I'm a little disappointed in that monk。 I hoped he would pan out bigger。 Well； I guess we've just got to give him time。 I have an idea that he'll set the house on fire or do something with a punch like that one of these days。 You mustn't get discouraged。 Why； that puma I made Valerie Devenish keep looked like a perfect failure for four whole months。 A child could have played with it。 Miss Devenish called me up on the phone； I remember； and said she was darned if she was going to spend the rest of her life maintaining an animal that might as well be stuffed for all the liveliness it showed； and that she was going right out to buy a white mouse instead。 Fortunately； I talked her round。
'A few weeks later she came round and thanked me with tears in her eyes。 The puma had suddenly struck real mid…season form。 It clawed the elevator…boy； bit a postman； held up the traffic for miles； and was finally shot by a policeman。 Why； for the next few days there was nothing in the papers at all but Miss Devenish and her puma。 There was a war on at the time in Mexico or somewhere； and we had it backed off the front page so far that it was over before it could get back。 So； you see； there's always hope。 I've been nursing the papers with bits about Eustace； so as to be ready for the grand…stand play when it esand all we can do is to wait。 It's something if he's been throwing eggs。 It shows he's waking up。'
The door opened and Lord Wetherby entered。 He looked fatigued。 He sank into a chair and sighed。
'I cannot get it；' he said。 'It eludes me。'
He lapsed into a sombre silence。
'What can't you get？' said Lady Wetherby； cautiously。
'The expressionthe expression I want to get into the child's eyes in my picture； 〃Innocence〃。'
'But you have got it。'
Lord Wetherby shook his head。
'Well； you had when I saw the picture；' persisted Lady Wetherby。 'This child you're painting has just joined the Black Hand。 He has been rushed in young over the heads of the waiting list because his father had a pull。 Naturally the kid wants to do something to justify his election； and he wants to do it quick。 You have caught him at the moment when he sees an old gentleman ing down the street and realizes that he has only got to sneak up and stick his little knife'
'My dear Polly； I wele criticism； but this is more'
Lady Wetherby stroked his coat…sleeve fondly。
'Never mind； Algie； I was only joking； precious。 I thought the picture was ing along fine when you showed it to me。 I'll e and take another look at it。'
Lord Wetherby shook his head。
'I should have a model。 An artist cannot mirror Nature properly without a model。 I wish you would invite that child down here。'
'No； Algie； there are limits。 I wouldn't have him within a mile of the place。'
'Yet you keep Eustace。'
'Well； you made me engage Wrench。 It's fifty…fifty。 I wish you wouldn't keep picking on Eustace； Algie dear。 He does no harm。 Mr Sherriff and I were just saying how peaceable he is。 He wouldn't hurt'
Claire came in。
'Polly；' she said； 'did you put that monkey of yours in the garage？ He's just bitten Dudley in the leg。'
Lord Wetherby uttered an exclamation。
'Now perhaps'
'We went in just now to have a look at the car；' continued Claire。 'Dudley wanted to show me the mutator on the exhaust…box or the windscreen； or something； and he was just bending over when Eustace jumped out from nowhere and pinned him。 I'm afraid he has taken it to heart rather。'
Roscoe Sherriff pondered。
'Is this worth half a column？' He shook his head。 'No； I'm afraid not。 The public doesn't know Pickering。 If it had been Charlie Chaplin or William J。 Bryan； or someone on those lines； we could have had the papers bringing out extras。 You can visualize William J。 Bryan being bitten in the leg by a monkey。 It hits you。 But Pickering！ Eustace might just as well have bitten the leg of the table！'
Lord Wetherby reasserted himself。
'Now that the animal has bee a public menace'
'He's nothing of the kind；' said Lady Wetherby。 'He's only a little upset to…day。'
'Do you mean； Pauline； that even after this you will not get rid of him？'
'Certainly notpoor dear！'
'Very well；' said Lord Wetherby； calmly。 'I give you warning that if he attacks me I shall defend myself。'
He brooded。 Lady Wetherby turned to Claire。
'What happened then？ Did you shut the door of the garage？'
'Yes； but not until Eustace had got away。 He slipped out like a streak and disappeared。 It was too dark to see which way he went。'
Dudley Pickering limped heavily into the room。
'I was just telling them about you and Eustace； Dudley。'
Mr Pickering nodded moodily。 He was too full for words。
'I think Eustace must be mad；' said Claire。
Roscoe Sherriff uttered a cry of rapture。
'You've said it！' he exclaimed。 'I knew we should get action sooner or later。 It's the puma over again。 Now we are all right。 Now I have something to work on。 〃Monkey Menaces Countryside。〃 〃Long Island Summer Colony in Panic。〃 〃Mad Monkey Bites One〃'
A convulsive shudder galvanized Mr Pickering's portly frame。
'〃Mad Monkey Terrorizes Long Island。 One Dead！〃' murmured Roscoe Sherriff； wistfully。 'Do you feel a sort of shooting； Pickeringa kind of burning sensation under the skin？ Lady Wetherby； I guess I'll be getting some of the papers on the phone。 We've got a big story。'
He hurried to the telephone； but it was some little time before he could use it。 Dudley Pickering was in possession； talking earnestly to the local doctor。
14
It was Nutty Boyd's habit to retire immediately after dinner to his bedroom。 What he did there Elizabeth did not know。 Sometimes she pictured him reading； sometimes thinking。 Neither supposition was correct。 Nutty never read。 Newspapers bored him and books made his head ache。 And as for thinking； he had the wrong shape of forehead。 The nearest he ever got to meditation was a sort of trance…like state； a kind of suspended animation in which his mind drifted sluggishly like a log in a backwater。 Nutty； it is regrettable to say； went to his room after dinner for the purpose of imbibing two or three surreptitious whiskies…and…sodas。
He behaved in this way； he told himself； purely in order to spare Elizabeth anxiety。 There had been in the past a fool of a doctor who had prescribed total abstinence for Nutty； and Elizabeth knew this。 Therefore； Nutty held； to take the mildest of drinks with her knowledge would have been to fill her with fears for his safety。 So he went to considerable inconven
