pgw.piccadillyjim-第14节

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y　force　his　way　in　and　search　for　Lord　Percy。
　He　walked　along　Pall　Mall；　deep　in　thought。　It　was　a　beautiful　day。　The　rain　which　had　fallen　in　the　night　and　relieved　Mr。　Crocker　from　the　necessity　of　watching　cricket　had　freshened　London　up。
　The　sun　was　shining　now　from　a　turquoise　sky。　A　gentle　breeze　blew　from　the　south。　Jimmy　made　his　way　into　Piccadilly；　and　found　that　thoroughfare　a…roar　with　happy　automobilists　and　cheery　pedestrians。　Their　gaiety　irritated　him。　He　resented　their　apparent　enjoyment　of　life。
　Jimmy's　was　not　a　nature　that　lent　itself　readily　to　introspection；　but　he　was　putting　himself　now　through　a　searching　self…examination　which　was　revealing　all　kinds　of　unsuspected　flaws　in　his　character。　He　had　been　having　too　good　a　time　for　years　past　to　have　leisure　to　realise　that　he　possessed　any　responsibilities。　He　had　lived　each　day　as　it　came　in　the　spirit　of　the　Monks　of　Thelema。　But　his　father's　reception　of　the　news　of　last　night's　escapade　and　the　few　words　he　had　said　had　given　him　pause。　Life　had　taken　on　of　a　sudden　a　less　simple　aspect。　Dimly；　for　he　was　not　accustomed　to　thinking　along　these　lines；　he　perceived　the　numbing　truth　that　we　human　beings　are　merely　as　many　pieces　in　a　jig…saw　puzzle　and　that　our　every　movement　affects　the　fortunes　of　some　other　piece。　Just　so；　faintly　at　first　and　taking　shape　by　degrees；　must　the　germ　of　civic　spirit　have　e　to　Prehistoric　Man。　We　are　all　individualists　till　we　wake　up。
　The　thought　of　having　done　anything　to　make　his　father　unhappy　was　bitter　to　Jimmy　Crocker。　They　had　always　been　more　like　brothers　than　father　and　son。　Hard　thoughts　about　himself　surged　through　Jimmy's　mind。　With　a　dejectedness　to　which　it　is　possible　that　his　headache　contributed　he　put　the　matter　squarely　to　himself。　His　father　was　longing　to　return　to　Americahe；　Jimmy；　by　his　idiotic　behaviour　was　putting　obstacles　in　the　way　of　that　returnwhat　was　the　answer？　The　answer；　to　Jimmy's　way　of　thinking；　was　that　all　was　not　well　with　James　Crocker；　that；　when　all　the　evidence　was　weighed；　James　Crocker　would　appear　to　be　a　fool；　a　worm；　a　selfish　waster；　and　a　hopeless；　low…down；　skunk。
　Having　e　to　this　conclusion；　Jimmy　found　himself　so　low　in　spirit　that　the　cheerful　bustle　of　Piccadilly　was　too　much　for　him。　He　turned；　and　began　to　retrace　his　steps。　Arriving　in　due　course　at　the　top　of　the　Haymarket　he　hesitated；　then　turned　down　it　till　he　reached　Cockspur　Street。　Here　the　Trans…Atlantic　steamship　panies　have　their　offices；　and　so　it　came　about　that　Jimmy；　chancing　to　look　up　as　he　walked；　perceived　before　him；　riding　gallantly　on　a　cardboard　ocean　behind　a　plate…glass　window；　the　model　of　a　noble　vessel。　He　stopped；　conscious　of　a　curious　thrill。　There　is　a　superstition　in　all　of　us。　When　an　accidental　happening　chances　to　fit　smoothly　in　with　a　mood；　seeming　to　e　as　a　direct　mentary　on　that　mood；　we　are　apt　to　accept　it　in　defiance　of　our　pure　reason　as　an　omen。　Jimmy　strode　to　the　window　and　inspected　the　model　narrowly。　The　sight　of　it　had　started　a　new　train　of　thought。　His　heart　began　to　race。　Hypnotic　influences　were　at　work　on　him。
　Why　not？　Could　there　be　a　simpler　solution　of　the　whole　trouble？
　Inside　the　office　he　would　see　a　man　with　whiskers　buying　a　ticket　for　New　York。　The　simplicity　of　the　process　fascinated　him。　All　you　had　to　do　was　to　walk　in；　bend　over　the　counter　while　the　clerk　behind　it　made　dabs　with　a　pencil　at　the　illustrated　plate　of　the　ship's　interior　organs；　and　hand　over　your　money。　A　child　could　do　it；　if　in　funds。　At　this　thought　his　hand　strayed　to　his　trouser…pocket。　A　musical　crackling　of　bank…notes　proceeded　from　the　depths。　His　quarterly　allowance　had　been　paid　to　him　only　a　short　while　before；　and；　though　a　willing　spender；　he　still　retained　a　goodly　portion　of　it。　He　rustled　the　notes　again。　There　was　enough　in　that　pocket　to　buy　three　tickets　to　New　York。　Should　he？　。　。　。　Or；　on　the　other　handalways　look　on　both　sides　of　the　question　should　he　not？
　It　would　certainly　seem　to　be　the　best　thing　for　all　parties　if　he　did　follow　the　impulse。　By　remaining　in　London　he　was　injuring　everybody；　himself　included。　。　。　。　Well；　there　was　no　harm　in　making　enquiries。　Probably　the　boat　was　full　up　anyway。　。　。　。　He　walked　into　the　office。
　〃Have　you　anything　left　on　the　Atlantic　this　trip？〃
　The　clerk　behind　the　counter　was　quite　the　wrong　sort　of　person　for　Jimmy　to　have　had　dealings　with　in　his　present　mood。　What　Jimmy　needed　was　a　grave；　sensible　man　who　would　have　laid　a　hand　on　his　shoulder　and　said　〃Do　nothing　rash；　my　boy！〃　The　clerk　fell　short　of　this　ideal　in　practically　every　particular。　He　was　about　twenty…two；　and　he　seemed　perfectly　enthusiastic　about　the　idea　of　Jimmy　going　to　America。　He　beamed　at　Jimmy。
　〃Plenty　of　room；〃　he　said。　〃Very　few　people　crossing。　Give　you　excellent　acmodation。〃
　〃When　does　the　boat　sail？〃
　〃Eight　to…morrow　morning　from　Liverpool。　Boat…train　leaves　Paddington　six　to…night。〃
　Prudence　came　at　the　eleventh　hour　to　check　Jimmy。　This　was　not　a　matter；　he　perceived；　to　be　decided　recklessly；　on　the　spur　of　a　sudden　impulse。　Above　all；　it　was　not　a　matter　to　be　decided　before　lunch。　An　empty　stomach　breeds　imagination。　He　had　ascertained　that　he　could　sail　on　the　Atlantic　if　he　wished　to。　The　sensible　thing　to　do　now　was　to　go　and　lunch　and　see　how　he　felt　about　it　after　that。　He　thanked　the　clerk；　and　started　to　walk　up　the　Haymarket；　feeling　hard…headed　and　practical；　yet　with　a　strong　premonition　that　he　was　going　to　make　a　fool　of　himself　just　the　same。
　It　was　half…way　up　the　Haymarket　that　he　first　became　conscious　of　the　girl　with　the　red　hair。
　Plunged　in　thought；　he　had　not　noticed　her　before。　And　yet　she　had　been　walking　a　few　paces　in　front　of　him　most　of　the　way。　She　had　e　out　of　Panton　Street；　walking　briskly；　as　one　going　to　keep　a　pleasant　appointment。　She　carried　herself　admirably；　with　a　jaunty　swing。
　Having　bee　conscious　of　this　girl；　Jimmy；　ever　a　warm　admirer　of　the　sex；　began　to　feel　a　certain　interest　stealing　over　him。　With　interest　came　speculation。　He　wondered　who　she　was。　He　wondered　where　she　had　bought　that　excellently　fitting　suit　of　tailor…made　grey。　He　admired　her　back；　and　wondered　whether　her　face；　if　seen；　would　prove　a　disappointment。　Thus　musing；　he　drew　near　to　the　top　of　the　Haymarket；　where　it　ceases　to　be　a　street　and　bees　a　whirlpool　of　rushing　traffic。　And　here　the　girl；　having　paused　and　looked　over　her　shoulder；　stepped　off　the　sidewalk。　As　she　did　so　a　taxi…cab　rounded　the　corner　quickly　from　the　direction　of　Coventry　Street。
　The　agreeable　surprise　of　finding　the　girl's　face　fully　as　attractive　as　her　back　had　stimulated　Jimmy；　so　that　he　was　keyed　up　for　the　exhibition　of　swift　presence…of…mind。　He　jumped　forward　and　caught　her　arm；　and　swung　her　to　one　side　as　the　cab　rattled　past；　its　driver　thinking　hard　thoughts　to　himself。　The　whole　episode　was　an　affair　of　seconds。
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　the　girl。
　She　rubbed　the　arm　which　he　had　seized　with　rather　a　rueful　expression。　She　was　a　little　white；　and　her　breath　came　quickly。
　〃I　hope　I　didn't　hurt　you；〃　said　Jimmy。
　〃You　did。　Very　much。　But　the　taxi　would　have　hurt　me　more。〃
　She　laughed。　She　looked　very　attractive　when　she　laughed。　She　had　a　small；　piquant；　vivacious　face。　Jimmy；　as　he　looked　at　it；　had　an　odd　feeling　that　he　had　seen　her　beforewhen　and　where　he　did　not　know。　That　mass　of　red…gold　hair　seemed　curiously　familiar。　Somewhere　in　the　hinterland　of　his　mind　there　lurked　a　memory；　but　he　could　not　bring　it　into　the　open。　As　for　the　girl；　if　she　had　ever　met　him　before；　she　showed　no　signs　of　recollecting　it。　Jimmy　decided　that；　if　he　had　seen　her；　it　must　have　been　in　his　reporter　days。　She　was　plainly　an　American；　and　he　occasionally　had　the　feeling　that　he　had　seen　every　one　in　America　when　he　had　worked　for　the　Chronicle。
　〃That's　right；〃　he　said　approvingly。　〃Always　look　on　the　bright　side。〃
　〃I　only　arrived　in　London　yesterday；〃　said　the　girl；　〃and　I　haven't　got　used　to　your　keeping…to…the…left　rules。　I　don't　suppose　I　shall　ever　get　back　to　New　York　alive。　Perhaps；　as　you　have　saved　my　life；　you　wouldn't　mind　doing　me　another　service。　Can　you　tell　me　which　is　the　nearest　and　safest　way　to　a　restaurant　called　the　Regent　Grill？〃
　〃It's　just　over　there；　at　the　corner　of　Regent　Street。　As　to　the　safest　way；　if　I　were　you　I　should　cross　over　at　the　top　of　the　street　there　and　then　work　round　westward。　Otherwise　you　will　have　to　cross　Piccadilly　Circus。〃
　〃I　absolutely　refuse　even　to　try　to　cross　Piccadilly　Circus。　Thank　you　very　much。　I　will　follow　your　advice。　I　hope　I　shall　get　there。　It　doesn't　seem　at　all　likely。〃
　She　gave　him　a　little　nod；　and　moved　away。　Jimmy　turned　into　that　drug…store　at　the　top　of　the　Haymarket　at　which　so　many　Londoners　have　found　healing　and　fort　on　the　morning　after；　and　bought　the　pink　drink　for　which　his　system　had　been　craving　since　he　rose　from　bed。　He　wondered　why；　as　he　drained　it；　he　should　feel　ashamed　and　guilty。
　A　few　minutes　later　he　found　himself；　with　mild　surprise；　going　down　the　steps　of　the　Regent　Grill。　It　was　the　last　place　he　had　had　in　his　mind　when　he　had　left　the　steamship　pany's　offices　in　quest　of　lunch。　He