pgw.piccadillyjim-第25节

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He　checked　himself；　and　reached　out　for　the　skipping…rope；　hoping　to　ease　his　mind　by　further　exercise。
　Ogden；　chewing　the　remains　of　the　cream…puff；　eyed　him　with　languid　curiosity。
　〃What　are　you　doing　that　for？〃
　Mr。　Mitchell　skipped　grimly　on。
　〃What　are　you　doing　that　for？　I　thought　only　girls　skipped。〃
　Mr。　Mitchell　paid　no　heed。　Ogden；　after　a　moment's　silent　contemplation；　returned　to　his　original　train　of　thought。
　〃I　saw　an　advertisement　in　a　magazine　the　other　day　of　a　sort　of　machine　for　altering　the　shape　of　noses。　You　strap　it　on　when　you　go　to　bed。　You　ought　to　get　pop　to　blow　you　to　one。〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　breathed　in　a　laboured　way。
　〃You　want　to　look　nice　about　the　place；　don't　you？　Well；　then！　there's　no　sense　in　going　around　looking　like　that　if　you　don't　have　to；　is　there？　I　heard　Mary　talking　about　your　nose　to　Biggs　and　Celestine。　She　said　she　had　to　laugh　every　time　she　saw　it。〃
　The　skipping…rope　faltered　in　its　sweep；　caught　in　the　skipper's　legs；　and　sent　him　staggering　across　the　room。　Ogden　threw　back　his　head　and　laughed　merrily。　He　liked　free　entertainments；　and　this　struck　him　as　a　particularly　enjoyable　one。
　There　are　moments　in　the　life　of　every　man　when　the　impulse　attacks　him　to　sacrifice　his　future　to　the　alluring　gratification　of　the　present。　The　strong　man　resists　such　impulses。　Jerry　Mitchell　was　not　a　weak　man；　but　he　had　been　sorely　tried。　The　annoyance　of　Ogden's　presence　and　conversation　had　sapped　his　self…restraint；　as　dripping　water　will　wear　away　a　rock。　A　short　while　before；　he　had　fought　down　the　urgent　temptation　to　massacre　this　exasperating　child；　but　now；　despised　love　adding　its　sting　to　that　of　injured　vanity；　he　forgot　the　consequences。　Bounding　across　the　room；　he　seized　Ogden　in　a　powerful　grip；　and　the　next　instant　the　latter's　education；　in　the　true　sense　of　the　word；　so　long　postponed；　had　begun；　and　with　it　that　avalanche　of　sound　which；　rolling　down　into　the　drawing…room；　hurled　Mrs。　Pett　so　violently　and　with　such　abruptness　from　the　society　of　her　guests。
　Disposing　of　the　last　flight　of　stairs　with　the　agility　of　the　chamois　which　leaps　from　crag　to　crag　of　the　snow…topped　Alps；　Mrs。　Pett　finished　with　a　fine　burst　of　speed　along　the　passage　on　the　top　floor；　and　rushed　into　the　gymnasium　just　as　Jerry's　avenging　hand　was　descending　for　the　eleventh　time。
　
　CHAPTER　XI
　JIMMY　DECIDES　TO　BE　HIMSELF
　
　IT　was　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour　latersuch　was　the　speed　with　which　Nemesis；　usually　slow；　had　overtaken　himthat　Jerry　Mitchell；　carrying　a　grip　and　walking　dejectedly；　emerged　from　the　back　premises　of　the　Pett　home　and　started　down　Riverside　Drive　in　the　direction　of　his　boarding…house；　a　cheap；　clean；　and　respectable　establishment　situated　on　Ninety…seventh　Street　between　the　Drive　and　Broadway。　His　usually　placid　nervous　system　was　ruffled　and　a…quiver　from　the　events　of　the　afternoon；　and　his　cauliflower　ears　still　burned　reminiscently　at　the　recollection　of　the　unplimentary　words　shot　at　them　by　Mrs。　Pett　before　she　expelled　him　from　the　house。　Moreover；　he　was　in　a　mild　panic　at　the　thought　of　having　to　see　Ann　later　on　and　try　to　explain　the　disaster　to　her。　He　knew　how　the　news　would　affect　her。　She　had　set　her　heart　on　removing　Ogden　to　more　disciplinary　surroundings；　and　she　could　not　possibly　do　it　now　that　her　ally　was　no　longer　an　inmate　of　the　house。　He　was　an　essential　factor　in　the　scheme；　and　now；　to　gratify　the　desire　of　the　moment；　he　had　eliminated　himself。　Long　before　he　reached　the　brown…stone　house　which　looked　exactly　like　all　the　other　brown…stone　houses　in　all　the　other　side…streets　of　uptown　New　York　the　first　fine　careless　rapture　of　his　mad　outbreak　had　passed　from　Jerry　Mitchell；　leaving　nervous　apprehension　in　its　place。　Ann　was　a　girl　whom　he　worshipped　respectfully；　but　he　feared　her　in　her　wrath。
　Having　entered　the　boarding…house；　Jerry；　seeking　pany　in　his　hour　of　sorrow；　climbed　the　stairs　till　he　reached　a　door　on　the　second　floor。　Sniffing　and　detecting　the　odour　of　tobacco；　he　knocked　and　was　hidden　to　enter。
　〃Hello；　Bayliss！〃　he　said　sadly；　having　obeyed　the　call。
　He　sat　down　on　the　end　of　the　bed　and　heaved　a　deep　sigh。
　The　room　which　he　had　entered　was　airy　but　small；　so　small；　indeed；　that　the　presence　of　any　furniture　in　it　at　all　was　almost　miraculous；　for　at　first　sight　it　seemed　incredible　that　the　bed　did　not　fill　it　from　side　to　side。　There　were　however；　a　few　vacant　spots；　and　in　these　had　been　placed　a　wash…stand；　a　chest　of　drawers；　and　a　midget　rocking…chair。　The　window；　which　the　thoughtful　architect　had　designed　at　least　three　sizes　too　large　for　the　room　and　which　admitted　the　evening　air　in　pleasing　profusion；　looked　out　onto　a　series　of　forlorn　back…yards。　In　boarding…houses；　it　is　only　the　windows　of　the　rich　and　haughty　that　face　the　street。
　On　the　bed；　a　corn…cob　pipe　between　his　teeth；　lay　Jimmy　Crocker。　He　was　shoeless　and　in　his　shirt…sleeves。　There　was　a　crumpled　evening　paper　on　the　floor　beside　the　bed。　He　seemed　to　be　taking　his　rest　after　the　labours　of　a　trying　day。
　At　the　sound　of　Jerry's　sigh　he　raised　his　head；　but；　finding　the　attitude　too　severe　a　strain　on　the　muscles　of　the　neck；　restored　it　to　the　pillow。
　〃What's　the　matter；　Jerry？　You　seem　perturbed。　You　have　the　aspect　of　one　whom　Fate　has　smitten　in　the　spiritual　solar　plexus；　or　of　one　who　has　been　searching　for　the　leak　in　Life's　gaspipe　with　a　lighted　candle。　What's　wrong？〃
　〃Curtains！〃
　Jimmy；　through　long　absence　from　his　native　land；　was　not　always　able　to　follow　Jerry's　thoughts　when　concealed　in　the　wrappings　of　the　peculiar　dialect　which　he　affected。
　〃I　get　you　not；　friend。　Supply　a　few　footnotes。〃
　〃I've　been　fired。〃
　Jimmy　sat　up。　This　was　no　imaginary　trouble；　no　mere　malaise　of　the　temperament。　It　was　concrete；　and　called　for　sympathy。
　〃I'm　awfully　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃No　wonder　you　aren't　rollicking。　How　did　it　happen？〃
　〃That　half…portion　Bill　Taft　came　joshing　me　about　my　beezer　till　it　got　something　fierce；〃　explained　Jerry。　〃William　J。　Bryan　couldn't　have　stood　for　it。〃
　Once　again　Jimmy　lost　the　thread。　The　wealth　of　political　allusion　baffled　him。
　〃What's　Taft　been　doing　to　you？〃
　〃It　wasn't　Taft。　He　only　looks　like　him。　It　was　that　kid　Ogden　up　where　I　work。　He　came　butting　into　the　gym；　joshing　me　aboutmakin'　pers'nal　remarks　till　I　kind　of　lost　my　goat；　and　the　next　thing　I　knew　I　was　giving　him　his！〃　A　faint　gleam　of　pleasure　lightened　the　gloom　of　his　face。　〃I　cert'nly　give　him　his！〃　The　gleam　faded。　〃And　after　thatwell；　here　I　am！〃
　Jimmy　understood　now。　He　had　e　to　the　boarding…house　the　night　of　his　meeting　with　Jerry　Mitchell　on　Broadway；　and　had　been　there　ever　since；　and　frequent　conversations　with　the　pugilist　had　put　him　abreast　of　affairs　at　the　Pett　home。　He　was　familiar　with　the　personnel　of　the　establishment　on　Riverside　Drive；　and　knew　precisely　how　great　was　the　crime　of　administering　correction　to　Ogden　Ford；　no　matter　what　the　cause。　Nor　did　he　require　explanation　of　the　phenomenon　of　Mrs。　Pett　dismissing　one　who　was　in　her　husband's　private　employment。　Jerry　had　his　sympathy　freely。
　〃You　appear；〃　he　said；　〃to　have　acted　in　a　thoroughly　capable　and　praiseworthy　manner。　The　only　point　in　your　conduct　which　I　would　permit　myself　to　criticise　is　your　omission　to　slay　the　kid。　That；　however；　was　due；　I　take　it；　to　the　fact　that　you　were　interrupted。　We　will　now　proceed　to　examine　the　future。　I　cannot　set　that　it　is　altogether　murky。　You　have　lost　a　good　job；　but　there　are　others；　equally　good；　for　a　man　of　your　calibre。　New　York　is　crammed　with　dyspeptic　millionaires　who　need　an　efficient　physical　instructor　to　look　after　them。　Cheer　up；　Cuthbert；　for　the　sun　is　still　shining！〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　shook　his　head。　He　refused　to　be　forted。
　〃It's　Miss　Ann；〃　he　said。　〃What　am　I　going　to　say　to　her？〃
　〃What　has　she　got　to　do　with　it？〃　asked　Jimmy；　interested。
　For　a　moment　Jerry　hesitated；　but　the　desire　for　sympathy　and　advice　was　too　strong　for　him。　And　after　all　there　was　no　harm　in　confiding　in　a　good　rade　like　Jimmy。
　〃It's　like　this；〃　he　said。　〃Miss　Ann　and　me　had　got　it　all　fixed　up　to　kidnap　the　kid！〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Say；　I　don't　mean　ordinary　kidnapping。　It's　this　way。　Miss　Ann　e　to　me　and　we　agree　that　the　kid's　a　pest　that　had　ought　to　have　some　strong…arm　keep　him　in　order；　so　we　decide　to　get　him　away　to　a　friend　of　mine　who　keeps　a　dogs'　hospital　down　on　Long　Island。　Bud　Smithers　is　the　guy　to　handle　that　kid。　You　ought　to　see　him　take　hold　of　a　dog　that's　all　grouch　and　ugliness　and　make　it　over　into　a　dog　that　it's　a　pleasure　to　have　around。　I　thought　a　few　weeks　with　Bud　was　what　the　doctor　ordered　for　Ogden；　and　Miss　Ann　guessed　I　was　right；　so　we　had　it　all　framed。　And　now　this　happens　and　balls　everything　up！　She　can't　do　nothing　with　a　husky　kid　like　that　without　me　to　help　her。　And　how　am　I　going　to　help　her　if　I'm　not　allowed　in　the　house？〃
　Jimmy　was　conscious　of　a　renewed　admiration　for　a　girl　whom　he　had　always　considered　a　queen　among　women。　How　rarely　in　this　world　did　one　find　a　girl　who　bined　every　feminine　charm　of　mind　and　body　with　a　resolute　determination　to　raise　Cain　at　the　slightest　provoc