the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第14章
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appearance it suddenly became apparent to me that Reginald Maltravers
could not stop haunting me if he wished！〃
〃COULD not stop？〃 cried Cleggett。
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〃COULD not；〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃The hunt had become a
monomania with him。 It had become an obsession。 He had given his
whole mentality to it and it had absorbed all his faculties。 He was now
the victim of it。 He had grown powerless in the grip of the idea； he had
lost volition in the matter。
〃You can imagine my consternation when I realized this。 I began to
fear the day when his insanity would take some violent form and he would
endeavor to do me a personal injury。 I determined to have a bodyguard。
I wanted a man inured to danger； one capable of meeting violence with
violence； if the need arose。 It struck me that if I could get into touch with
one of those chivalrous Western outlaws； of whom we read in American
works of fiction； he would be just the sort of man I needed to protect me
from Reginald Maltravers。
〃I did not consider appealing to the authorities； for I have no
confidence in your American laws； Mr。 Cleggett。 But I did not know
how to go about finding a chivalrous Western outlaw。 So finally I put an
advertisement in the personal column of one of your morning papers for a
reformed convict。〃
〃A reformed convict！〃 exclaimed Cleggett。 〃May I ask how you
worded the ad。？〃
〃Ad。？ Oh； advertisement？ I will get it for you。〃
She went into the stateroom and was back in a moment with a
newspaper cutting which she handed to Cleggett。 It read：
Convict recently released from Sing Sing； if his reform is
really genuine； may secure honest employment by writing to A。 F。；
care Morning Dispatch。
〃Out of the answers；〃 she resumed； 〃I selected four and had their
writers call for a personal interview。 But only two of them seemed to me
to be really reformed； and of these two Elmer's reform struck me as being
the more genuine。 You may have noticed that Elmer gives the
appearance of being done with worldly vanities。〃
〃He does seem depressed；〃 said Cleggett； 〃but I had imputed it largely
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
to the nature of his present occupation。〃
〃It is due to his attempt to lead a better lifeor at least so he tells me；〃
said Lady Agatha。 〃Morality does not come easy to Elmer； he says； and I
believe him。 Elmer's time is largely taken up by inward moral debate as
to the right or wrong of particular hypothetical cases which his
imagination insists on presenting to his conscience。〃
〃I can certainly imagine no state of mind less enjoyable；〃 said
Cleggett。
〃Nor I；〃 replied Lady Agatha。 〃But to resume： The very fact that I
had employed a guard seemed to put Reginald Maltravers beside himself。
He followed me more closely than ever。 Regardless of appearances； he
would suddenly plant himself in front of me in restaurants and tramcars； in
the streets or parks when I went for an airing； even in the lifts and
corridors of the apartment hotel where I stopped； and stare at me intently
through his monocle； caressing his mustache the while。 I did not dare
make a scene； the thing was causing enough remark without that； I was； in
fact； losing my reputation。
〃Finally； goaded beyond endurance； I called Elmer into my apartment
one day and put the whole case before him。
〃'I will pay almost any price short of participation in actual crime；' I
told him； 'for a fortnight of freedom from that man's presence。 I can
stand it no longer； I feel my reason slipping from me。 Have I not heard
that there are in New York creatures who are willing； on the payment of a
certain stipulated sum； to guarantee to chastise a person so as to disable
him for a definite period； without doing him permanent injury？ You must
know some such disreputable characters。 Procure me some wretches of
this sort！'
〃Elmer replied that such creatures do； indeed； exist。 He called them
what did he call them？〃
〃Gunmen？〃 suggested Cleggett。
〃Yes； thank you。 He brought two of them to me whom he introduced
as〃
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She paused。 〃The names escape me；〃 she said。 She called： 〃Elmer；
just step here a moment； please。〃
Elmer； who was still putting ice into the oblong box； moodily laid
away his tools and approached。
〃What WERE the odd names of your friends？ The ones whowho
made the mistake？〃 asked Lady Agatha； resuming her seat。
Elmer rolled a bilious eye at Cleggett and asked Lady Agatha； out of
that corner of his mouth nearer to her：
〃Is th' guy right？〃
〃Mr。 Cleggett is a friend of mine and can keep a secret； if that is what
you mean；〃 said Lady Agatha。 And the words sent a thrill of elation
through Cleggett's being。
〃M' friends w'at makes the mistake；〃 said Elmer； apparently satisfied
with the assurance； and offering the information to Cleggett out of the side
of his mouth which had not been involved in his question to Lady Agatha；
〃goes by th' monakers of Dopey Eddie and Izzy the Cat。〃
〃Picturesque；〃 murmured Cleggett。
〃Picturewhat？ Picture not'in！〃 said Elmer； huskily。 〃The bulls got
not'in' on them boys。 Them guys never been mugged。 Them guys is too
foxy t' get mugged。〃
〃I infer that you weren't always so foxy；〃 said Cleggett； eyeing him
curiously。
The remark seemed to touch a sensitive spot。 Elmer flushed and
shuffled from one foot to the other； hanging his head as if in
embarrassment。 Finally he said； earnestly：
〃I wasn't no boob； Mr。 Cleggett。 It was a snitch got ME settled。 I
was a good cracksman； honest I was。 But I never had no luck。〃
〃I intended no reflection on your professional ability；〃 said Cleggett；
politely。
〃Oh； that's all right； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 said Elmer； forgivingly。
〃Nobody's feelin's is hoited。 And any friend of th' little dame here is a
friend o' mine。〃 The diminutive； on Elmer's lips； was intended as a
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
compliment； Lady Agatha was not a small woman。
〃Elmer；〃 said Lady Agatha； 〃tell Mr。 Cleggett how the mistake
occurred。〃
Oratory was evidently not Elmer's strongest point。 But he braced
himself for the effort and began：
〃When th' skoit here says she wants the big boob punched I says to
m'self； foist of all： 'Is it right or is it wrong？' Oncet youse got that
reform high sign put onto youse； youse can't be too careful。 Do youse
get me？ S
