pgw.piccadillyjim-第15节

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ast　place　he　had　had　in　his　mind　when　he　had　left　the　steamship　pany's　offices　in　quest　of　lunch。　He　had　intended　to　seek　out　some　quiet；　restful　nook　where　he　could　be　alone　with　his　thoughts。　If　anybody　had　told　him　then　that　five　minutes　later　he　would　be　placing　himself　of　his　own　free　will　within　the　range　of　a　restaurant　orchestra　playing　〃My　Little　Grey　Home　in　the　West〃and　the　orchestra　at　the　Regent　played　little　elsehe　would　not　have　believed　him。
　Restaurants　in　all　large　cities　have　their　ups　and　downs。　At　this　time　the　Regent　Grill　was　enjoying　one　of　those　bursts　of　popularity　for　which　restaurateurs　pray　to　whatever　strange　gods　they　worship。　The　more　prosperous　section　of　London's　Bohemia　flocked　to　it　daily。　When　Jimmy　had　deposited　his　hat　with　the　robber…band　who　had　their　cave　just　inside　the　main　entrance　and　had　entered　the　grill…room；　he　found　it　congested。　There　did　not　appear　to　be　a　single　unoccupied　table。
　From　where　he　stood　he　could　see　the　girl　of　the　red…gold　hair。　Her　back　was　towards　him；　and　she　was　sitting　at　a　table　against　one　of　the　pillars　with　a　little　man　with　eye…glasses；　a　handsome　woman　in　the　forties；　and　a　small　stout　boy　who　was　skirmishing　with　the　olives。　As　Jimmy　hesitated；　the　vigilant　head…waiter；　who　knew　him　well；　perceived　him；　and　hurried　up。
　〃In　one　moment；　Mister　Crockaire！〃　he　said；　and　began　to　scatter　mands　among　the　underlings。　〃I　will　place　a　table　for　you　in　the　aisle。〃
　〃Next　to　that　pillar；　please；〃　said　Jimmy。
　The　underlings　had　produced　a　small　tableapparently　from　up　their　sleeves；　and　were　draping　it　in　a　cloth。　Jimmy　sat　down　and　gave　his　order。　Ordering　was　going　on　at　the　other　table。　The　little　man　seemed　depressed　at　the　discovery　that　corn　on　the　cob　and　soft…shelled　crabs　were　not　to　be　obtained；　and　his　wife's　reception　of　the　news　that　clams　were　not　included　in　the　Regent's　bill…of…fair　was　so　indignant　that　one　would　have　said　that　she　regarded　the　fact　as　evidence　that　Great　Britain　was　going　to　pieces　and　would　shortly　lose　her　place　as　a　world　power。
　A　selection　having　finally　been　agreed　upon；　the　orchestra　struck　up　〃My　Little　Grey　Home　in　the　West；〃　and　no　attempt　was　made　to　pete　with　it。　When　the　last　lingering　strains　had　died　away　and　the　violinist…leader；　having　straightened　out　the　kinks　in　his　person　which　the　rendition　of　the　melody　never　failed　to　produce；　had　bowed　for　the　last　time；　a　clear；　musical　voice　spoke　from　the　other　side　of　the　pillar。
　〃Jimmy　Crocker　is　a　worm！〃
　Jimmy　spilled　his　cocktail。　It　might　have　been　the　voice　of　Conscience。
　〃I　despise　him　more　than　any　one　on　earth。　I　hate　to　think　that　he's　an　American。〃
　Jimmy　drank　the　few　drops　that　remained　in　his　glass；　partly　to　make　sure　of　them；　partly　as　a　restorative。　It　is　an　unnerving　thing　to　be　despised　by　a　red…haired　girl　whose　life　you　have　just　saved。　To　Jimmy　it　was　not　only　unnerving；　it　was　uncanny。　This　girl　had　not　known　him　when　they　met　on　the　street　a　few　moments　before。　How　then　was　she　able　to　display　such　intimate　acquaintance　with　his　character　now　as　to　describe　himjustly　enoughas　a　worm？　Mingled　with　the　mystery　of　the　thing　was　its　pathos。　The　thought　that　a　girl　could　be　as　pretty　as　this　one　and　yet　dislike　him　so　much　was　one　of　the　saddest　things　Jimmy　had　ever　e　across。　It　was　like　one　of　those　Things　Which　Make　Me　Weep　In　This　Great　City　so　dear　to　the　hearts　of　the　sob…writers　of　his　late　newspaper。
　A　waiter　bustled　up　with　a　high…ball。　Jimmy　thanked　him　with　his　eyes。　He　needed　it。　He　raised　it　to　his　lips。
　〃He's　always　drinking〃
　He　set　it　down　hurriedly。
　〃and　making　a　disgraceful　exhibition　of　himself　in　public！　I　always　think　Jimmy　Crocker〃
　Jimmy　began　to　wish　that　somebody　would　stop　this　girl。　Why　couldn't　the　little　man　change　the　subject　to　the　weather；　or　that　stout　child　start　prattling　about　some　general　topic？　Surely　a　boy　of　that　age；　newly　arrived　in　London；　must　have　all　sorts　of　things　to　prattle　about？　But　the　little　man　was　dealing　strenuously　with　a　breaded　cutlet；　while　the　stout　boy；　grimly　silent；　surrounded　fish…pie　in　the　forthright　manner　of　a　starving　python。　As　for　the　elder　woman；　she　seemed　to　be　wrestling　with　unpleasant　thoughts；　beyond　speech。
　〃I　always　think　that　Jimmy　Crocker　is　the　worst　case　I　know　of　the　kind　of　American　young　man　who　spends　all　his　time　in　Europe　and　tries　to　bee　an　imitation　Englishman。　Most　of　them　are　the　sort　any　country　would　be　glad　to　get　rid　of；　but　he　used　to　work　once；　so　you　can't　excuse　him　on　the　ground　that　he　hasn't　the　sense　to　know　what　he's　doing。　He's　deliberately　chosen　to　loaf　about　London　and　make　a　pest　of　himself。　He　went　to　pieces　with　his　eyes　open。　He's　a　perfect；　utter；　hopeless　WORM！〃
　Jimmy　had　never　been　very　fond　of　the　orchestra　at　the　Regent　Grill；　holding　the　view　that　it　interfered　with　conversation　and　made　for　an　unhygienic　rapidity　of　mastication；　but　he　was　profoundly　grateful　to　it　now　for　bursting　suddenly　into　La　Boheme；　the　loudest　item　in　its　repertory。　Under　cover　of　that　protective　din　he　was　able　to　toy　with　a　steaming　dish　which　his　waiter　had　brought。　Probably　that　girl　was　saying　all　sorts　of　things　about　him　still　but　he　could　not　hear　them。
　The　music　died　away。　For　a　moment　the　tortured　air　quivered　in　parative　silence；　then　the　girl's　voice　spoke　again。　She　had；　however；　selected　another　topic　of　conversation。
　〃I've　seen　all　I　want　to　of　England；〃　she　said；　〃I've　seen　Westminster　Abbey　and　the　Houses　of　Parliament　and　His　Majesty's　Theatre　and　the　Savoy　and　the　Cheshire　Cheese；　and　I've　developed　a　frightful　home…sickness。　Why　shouldn't　we　go　back　to…morrow？〃
　For　the　first　time　in　the　proceedings　the　elder　woman　spoke。　She　cast　aside　her　mantle　of　gloom　long　enough　to　say　〃Yes；〃　then　wrapped　it　round　her　again。　The　little　man；　who　had　apparently　been　waiting　for　her　vote　before　giving　his　own；　said　that　the　sooner　he　was　on　board　a　New　York…bound　boat　the　better　he　would　be　pleased。　The　stout　boy　said　nothing。　He　had　finished　his　fish…pie；　and　was　now　attacking　jam　roll　with　a　sort　of　morose　resolution。
　〃There's　certain　to　be　a　boat；〃　said　the　girl。　〃There　always　is。　You've　got　to　say　that　for　Englandit's　an　easy　place　to　get　back　to　America　from。〃　She　paused。　〃What　I　can't　understand　is　how；　after　having　been　in　America　and　knowing　what　it　was　like；　Jimmy　Crocker　could　stand　living　。　。　。〃
　The　waiter　had　e　to　Jimmy's　side；　bearing　cheese；　but　Jimmy　looked　at　it　with　dislike　and　shook　his　head　in　silent　negation。　He　was　about　to　depart　from　this　place。　His　capacity　for　absorbing　home…truths　about　himself　was　exhausted。　He　placed　a　noiseless　sovereign　on　the　table；　caught　the　waiter's　eye；　registered　renunciation；　and　departed　soft…footed　down　the　aisle。　The　waiter；　a　man　who　had　never　been　able　to　bring　himself　to　believe　in　miracles；　revised　the　views　of　a　life…time。　He　looked　at　the　sovereign；　then　at　Jimmy；　then　at　the　sovereign　again。　Then　he　took　up　the　coin　and　bit　it　furtively。
　A　few　minutes　later；　a　hat…check　boy；　untipped　for　the　first　time　in　his　predatory　career；　was　staring　at　Jimmy　with　equal　intensity；　but　with　far　different　feelings。　Speechless　concern　was　limned　on　his　young　face。
　The　missionaire　at　the　Piccadilly　entrance　of　the　restaurant　touched　his　hat　ingratiatingly；　with　the　smug　confidence　of　a　man　who　is　accustomed　to　getting　sixpence　a　time　for　doing　it。
　〃Taxi；　Mr。　Crocker？〃
　〃A　worm；〃　said　Jimmy。
　〃Beg　pardon；　sir？〃
　〃Always　drinking；〃　explained　Jimmy；　〃and　making　a　pest　of　himself。〃
　He　passed　on。　The　missionaire　stared　after　him　as　intently　as　the　waiter　and　the　hat…check　boy。　He　had　sometimes　known　Mr。　Crocker　like　this　after　supper；　but　never　before　during　the　luncheon　hour。
　Jimmy　made　his　way　to　his　club　in　Northumberland　Avenue。　For　perhaps　half　an　hour　he　sat　in　a　condition　of　a　in　the　smoking…room；　then；　his　mind　made　up；　he　went　to　one　of　the　writing…tables。　He　sat　awaiting　inspiration　for　some　minutes；　then　began　to　write。
　The　letter　he　wrote　was　to　his　father：
　Dear　Dad：
　I　have　been　thinking　over　what　we　talked　about　this　morning；　and　it　seems　to　me　the　best　thing　I　can　do　is　to　drop　out　of　sight　for　a　brief　space。　If　I　stay　on　in　London；　I　am　likely　at　any　moment　to　pull　some　bone　like　last　night's　which　will　spill　the　beans　for　you　once　more。　The　least　I　can　do　for　you　is　to　give　you　a　clear　field　and　not　interfere；　so　I　am　off　to　New　York　by　to…night's　boat。
　I　went　round　to　Percy's　to　try　to　grovel　in　the　dust　before　him；　but　he　wouldn't　see　me。　It's　no　good　grovelling　in　the　dust　of　the　front　steps　for　the　benefit　of　a　man　who's　in　bed　on　the　second　floor；　so　I　withdrew　in　more　or　less　good　order。　I　then　got　the　present　idea。　Mark　how　all　things　work　together　for　good。　When　they　e　to　you　and　say　〃No　title　for　you。　Your　son　slugged　our　pal　Percy；〃　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　e　back　at　them　with　〃I　know　my　son　slugged　Percy；　and　believe　me　I　didn't　do　a　thing　to　him！　I　packed　him　off　to　America　within　twenty…four　hours。　Get　me　right；　boys！　I'm　anti…Jimmy　and　pro…Percy。〃　To　which　their　reply　will　be　〃Oh；　well；　in　that　case　arise；　Lord　Crocker！〃　or　whatever　they　say　when　slipping　a　title　to　a　deserving　guy。　So　you　will　s