pgw.piccadillyjim-第29节

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　There　was　a　silence；　the　paralysing　effects　of　which　Mr。　Pett　vainly　tried　to　mitigate　by　shuffling　his　feet　and　coughing。　Mrs。　Pett　spoke。
　〃I　hope　that；　now　that　you　are　here；　James；　you　intend　to　settle　down　and　work　hard。〃
　〃Indubitably。　Like　a　beaver；〃　said　Jimmy；　mindful　of　Mr。　Pett's　recent　warning。　〃The　only　trouble　is　that　there　seems　to　be　a　little　uncertainty　as　to　what　I　am　best　fitted　for。　We　talked　it　over　in　uncle　Pete's　office　and　arrived　at　no　conclusion。〃
　〃Can't　you　think　of　anything？〃　said　Mr。　Pett。
　〃I　looked　right　through　the　telephone　classified　directory　the　other　day〃
　〃The　other　day？　But　you　only　landed　this　morning。〃
　〃I　mean　this　morning。　When　I　was　looking　up　your　address　so　that　I　could　go　and　see　you；〃　said　Jimmy　glibly。〃　It　seems　a　long　time　ago。　I　think　the　sight　of　all　those　fellows　in　your　office　has　aged　me。　I　think　the　best　plan　would　be　for　me　to　settle　down　here　and　learn　how　to　be　an　electrical　engineer　or　something　by　mail。　I　was　reading　an　advertisement　in　a　magazine　as　we　came　up　on　the　subway。　I　see　they　guarantee　to　teach　you　anything　from　sheet　metal　working　to　poultry　raising。　The　thing　began　'You　are　standing　still　because　you　lack　training。'　It　seemed　to　me　to　apply　to　my　case　exactly。　I　had　better　drop　them　a　line　to…night　asking　for　a　few　simple　facts　about　chickens。〃
　Whatever　ment　Mrs。　Pett　might　have　made　on　this　suggestion　was　checked　by　the　entrance　of　Ann。　From　the　window　of　her　room　Ann　had　observed　the　arrival　of　Jimmy　and　her　uncle；　and　now；　having　allowed　sufficient　time　to　elapse　for　the　former　to　make　Mrs。　Pett's　acquaintance；　she　came　down　to　see　how　things　were　going。
　She　was　well　satisfied　with　what　she　saw。　A　slight　strain　which　she　perceived　in　the　atmosphere　she　attributed　to　embarrassment　natural　to　the　situation。
　She　looked　at　Jimmy　enquiringly。　Mrs。　Pett　had　not　informed　her　of　Mr。　Pett's　telephone　call；　so　Jimmy；　she　realised；　had　to　be　explained　to　her。　She　waited　for　some　one　to　say　something。
　Mr。　Pett　undertook　the　introduction。
　〃Jimmy；　this　is　my　niece；　Ann　Chester。　This　is　Jimmy　Crocker；　Ann。〃
　Jimmy　could　not　admire　sufficiently　the　start　of　surprise　which　she　gave。　It　was　artistic　and　convincing。
　〃Jimmy　Crocker！〃
　Mr。　Pett　was　on　the　point　of　mentioning　that　this　was　not　the　first　time　Ann　had　met　Jimmy；　but　refrained。　After　all；　that　interview　had　happened　five　years　ago。　Jimmy　had　almost　certainly　forgotten　all　about　it。　There　was　no　use　in　making　him　feel　unnecessarily　awkward。　It　was　up　to　Ann。　If　she　wanted　to　disinter　the　ancient　grievance；　let　her。　It　was　no　business　of　his。
　〃I　thought　you　weren't　ing　over！〃　said　Ann。
　〃I　changed　my　mind。〃
　Mr。　Pett；　who　had　been　gazing　attentively　at　them；　uttered　an　exclamation。
　〃I've　got　it！　I've　been　trying　all　this　while　to　think　where　it　was　that　I　saw　you　before。　It　was　on　the　Atlantic！〃
　Ann　caught　Jimmy's　eye。　She　was　relieved　to　see　that　he　was　not　disturbed　by　this　sudden　development。
　〃Did　you　e　over　on　the　Atlantic；　Mr。　Crocker？〃　she　said。　〃Surely　not？　We　crossed　on　her　ourselves。　We　should　have　met。〃
　〃Don't　call　me　Mr。　Crocker；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Call　me　Jimmy。　Your　mother's　brother's　wife's　sister's　second　husband　is　my　father。　Blood　is　thicker　than　water。　No；　I　came　over　on　the　Caronia。　We　docked　this　morning。〃
　〃Well；　there　was　a　fellow　just　like　you　on　the　Atlantic；〃　persisted　Mr。　Pett。
　Mrs。　Pett　said　nothing。　She　was　watching　Jimmy　with　a　keen　and　suspicious　eye。
　〃I　suppose　I'm　a　mon　type；〃　said　Jimmy。
　〃You　remember　the　man　I　mean；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　innocently　unconscious　of　the　unfriendly　thoughts　he　was　encouraging　in　two　of　his　hearers。　〃He　sat　two　tables　away　from　us　at　meals。　You　remember　him；　Nesta？〃
　〃As　I　was　too　unwell　to　e　to　meals；　I　do　not。〃
　〃Why；　I　thought　I　saw　you　once　talking　to　him　on　deck；　Ann。〃
　〃Really？〃　said　Ann。　〃I　don't　remember　any　one　who　looked　at　all　like　Jimmy。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　puzzled。　〃It's　very　strange。　I　guess　I'm　wrong。〃　He　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Well；　I'll　have　to　be　getting　back　to　the　office。〃
　〃I'll　e　with　you　part　of　the　way；　uncle　Pete；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃I　have　to　go　and　arrange　for　my　things　to　be　expressed　here。〃
　〃Why　not　phone　to　the　hotel？〃　said　Mr。　Pett。　It　seemed　to　Jimmy　and　Ann　that　he　was　doing　this　sort　of　thing　on　purpose。　〃Which　hotel　did　you　leave　them　at？〃
　〃No；　I　shall　have　to　go　there。　I　have　some　packing　to　do。〃
　〃You　will　be　back　to　lunch？〃　said　Ann。
　〃Thanks。　I　shan't　be　gone　more　than　half　an　hour。〃
　For　a　moment　after　they　had　gone；　Ann　relaxed；　happy　and　relieved。　Everything　had　gone　splendidly。　Then　a　shock　ran　through　her　whole　system　as　Mrs。　Pett　spoke。　She　spoke　excitedly；　in　a　lowered　voice；　leaning　over　to　Ann。
　〃Ann！　Did　you　notice　anything？　Did　you　suspect　anything？〃
　Ann　mastered　her　emotion　with　an　effort。
　〃Whatever　do　you　mean；　aunt　Nesta？〃
　〃About　that　young　man；　who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker。〃
　Ann　clutched　the　side　of　the　chair。
　〃Who　calls　himself　Jimmy　Crocker？　I　don't　understand。〃
　Ann　tried　to　laugh。　It　seemed　to　her　an　age　before　she　produced　any　sound　at　all；　and　when　it　came　it　was　quite　unlike　a　laugh。
　〃What　put　that　idea　into　your　head？　Surely；　if　he　says　he　is　Jimmy　Crocker；　it's　rather　absurd　to　doubt　him；　isn't　it？　How　could　anybody　except　Jimmy　Crocker　know　that　you　were　anxious　to　get　Jimmy　Crocker　over　here？　You　didn't　tell　any　one；　did　you？〃
　This　reasoning　shook　Mrs。　Pett　a　little；　but　she　did　not　intend　to　abandon　a　perfectly　good　suspicion　merely　because　it　began　to　seem　unreasonable。
　〃They　have　their　spies　everywhere；〃　she　said　doggedly。
　〃Who　have？〃
　〃The　Secret　Service　people　from　other　countries。　Lord　Wisbeach　was　telling　me　about　it　yesterday。　He　said　that　I　ought　to　suspect　everybody。　He　said　that　an　attempt　might　be　made　on　Willie's　invention　at　any　moment　now。〃
　〃He　was　joking。〃
　〃He　was　not。　I　have　never　seen　any　one　so　serious。　He　said　that　I　ought　to　regard　every　fresh　person　who　came　into　the　house　as　a　possible　criminal。〃
　〃Well；　that　guy's　fresh　enough；〃　muttered　Ogden　from　the　settee。
　Mrs。　Pett　started。
　〃Ogden！　I　had　forgotten　that　you　were　there。〃　She　uttered　a　cry　of　horror；　as　the　fact　of　his　presence　started　a　new　train　of　thought。　〃Why；　this　man　may　have　e　to　kidnap　you！　I　never　thought　of　that。〃
　Ann　felt　it　time　to　intervene。　Mrs。　Pett　was　hovering　much　too　near　the　truth　for　fort。　〃You　mustn't　imagine　things；　aunt　Nesta。　I　believe　it　es　from　writing　the　sort　of　stories　you　do。　Surely；　it　is　impossible　for　this　man　to　be　an　impostor。　How　would　he　dare　take　such　a　risk？　He　must　know　that　you　could　detect　him　at　any　moment　by　cabling　over　to　Mrs。　Crocker　to　ask　if　her　step…son　was　really　in　America。〃
　It　was　a　bold　stroke；　for　it　suggested　a　plan　of　action　which；　if　followed；　would　mean　ruin　for　her　schemes；　but　Ann　could　not　refrain　from　chancing　it。　She　wanted　to　know　whether　her　aunt　had　any　intention　of　asking　Mrs。　Crocker　for　information；　or　whether　the　feud　was　too　bitter　for　her　pride　to　allow　her　to　municate　with　her　sister　in　any　way。　She　breathed　again　as　Mrs。　Pett　stiffened　grimly　in　her　chair。
　〃I　should　not　dream　of　cabling　to　Eugenia。〃
　〃I　quite　understand　that；〃　said　Ann。　〃But　an　impostor　would　not　know　that　you　felt　like　that；　would　he？〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。〃
　Ann　relaxed　again。　The　relief　was；　however；　only　momentary。
　〃I　cannot　understand；　though；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃why　your　uncle　should　have　been　so　positive　that　he　saw　this　young　man　on　the　Atlantic。〃
　〃Just　a　chance　resemblance；　I　suppose。　Why；　uncle　Peter　said　he　saw　the　man　whom　he　imagined　was　like　Jimmy　Crocker　talking　to　me。　If　there　had　been　any　real　resemblance；　shouldn't　I　have　seen　it　before　uncle　Peter？〃
　Assistance　came　from　an　unexpected　quarter。
　〃I　know　the　chap　uncle　Peter　meant；〃　said　Ogden。　〃He　wasn't　like　this　guy　at　all。〃
　Ann　was　too　grateful　for　the　help　to　feel　astonished　at　it。　Her　mind；　dwelling　for　a　mere　instant　on　the　matter；　decided　that　Ogden　must　have　seen　her　on　deck　with　somebody　else　than　Jimmy。　She　had　certainly　not　lacked　during　the　voyage　for　those　who　sought　her　society。
　Mrs。　Pett　seemed　to　be　impressed。
　〃I　may　be　letting　my　imagination　run　away　with　me；〃　she　said。
　〃Of　course　you　are；　aunt　Nesta；〃　said　Ann　thankfully。　〃You　don't　realise　what　a　vivid　imagination　you　have　got。　When　I　was　typing　that　last　story　of　yours；　I　was　simply　astounded　at　the　ideas　you　had　thought　of。　I　remember　saying　so　to　uncle　Peter。　You　can't　expect　to　have　a　wonderful　imagination　like　yours　and　not　imagine　things；　can　you？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　smiled　demurely。　She　looked　hopefully　at　her　niece；　waiting　for　more；　but　Ann　had　said　her　say。
　〃You　are　perfectly　right；　my　dear　child；〃　she　said　when　she　was　quite　sure　the　eulogy　was　not　to　be　resumed。　〃No　doubt　I　have　been　foolish　to　suspect　this　young　man。　But　Lord　Wisbeach's　words　naturally　acted　more　strongly　on　a　mind　like　mine　than　they　would　have　done　in　the　case　of　another　woman。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　said　Ann。
　She　was　feeling　quite　happy　now。　It　had　been　tense　while　it　had　lasted；　but　everything　was　all　right　now。
　〃And；　fortunately；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃there　is　a　way　by　which　we　can　find　out　for　certain　if　t