pgw.piccadillyjim-第30节

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　〃And；　fortunately；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃there　is　a　way　by　which　we　can　find　out　for　certain　if　the　young　man　is　really　James　Crocker。〃
　Ann　became　rigid　again。
　〃A　way？　What　way？〃
　〃Why；　don't　you　remember；　my　dear；　that　Skinner　has　known　James　Crocker　for　years。〃
　〃Skinner？〃
　The　name　sounded　familiar；　but　in　the　stress　of　the　moment　Ann　could　not　identify　it。
　〃My　new　butler。　He　came　to　me　straight　from　Eugenia。　It　was　he　who　let　us　in　when　we　called　at　her　house。　Nobody　could　know　better　than　he　whether　this　person　is　really　James　Crocker　or　not。〃
　Ann　felt　as　if　she　had　struggled　to　the　limit　of　her　endurance。　She　was　not　prepared　to　cope　with　this　unexpected　blow。　She　had　not　the　strength　to　rally　under　it。　Dully　she　perceived　that　her　schemes　must　be　dismissed　as　a　failure　before　they　had　had　a　chance　of　success。　Her　acplice　must　not　return　to　the　house　to　be　exposed。　She　saw　that　clearly　enough。　If　he　came　back；　he　would　walk　straight　into　a　trap。　She　rose　quickly。　She　must　warn　him。　She　must　intercept　him　before　he　arrivedand　he　might　arrive　at　any　moment　now。
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said；　steadying　herself　with　an　effort；　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　That　makes　it　all　simple。　。　。　。　I　hope　lunch　won't　be　late。　I'm　hungry。〃
　She　sauntered　to　the　door；　but；　directly　she　had　closed　it　behind　her；　ran　to　her　room；　snatched　up　a　hat；　and　rushed　downstairs　and　out　into　Riverside　Drive。　Just　as　she　reached　the　street；　Jimmy　turned　the　corner。　She　ran　towards　him；　holding　up　her　hands。
　
　CHAPTER　XIV
　LORD　WISBEACH
　
　JIMMY　halted　in　his　tracks。　The　apparition　had　startled　him。　He　had　been　thinking　of　Ann；　but　he　had　not　expected　her　to　bound　out　at　him；　waving　her　arms。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　enquired。
　Ann　pulled　him　towards　a　side…street。
　〃You　mustn't　go　to　the　house。　Everything　has　gone　wrong。〃
　〃Everything　gone　wrong？　I　thought　I　had　made　a　hit。　I　have　with　your　uncle；　anyway。　We　parted　on　the　friendliest　terms。　We　have　arranged　to　go　to　the　ball…game　together　to…morrow。　He　is　going　to　tell　them　at　the　office　that　Carnegie　wants　to　see　him。〃
　〃It　isn't　uncle　Peter。　It's　aunt　Nesta。〃
　〃Ah；　there　you　touch　my　conscience。　I　was　a　little　tactless；　I'm　afraid；　with　Ogden。　It　happened　before　you　came　into　the　room。　I　suppose　that　is　the　trouble？〃
　〃It　has　nothing　do　with　that；〃　said　Ann　impatiently。　〃It's　much　worse。　Aunt　Nesta　is　suspicious。　She　has　guessed　that　you　aren't　really　Jimmy　Crocker。〃
　〃Great　Scott！　How？〃
　〃I　tried　to　calm　her　down；　but　she　still　suspects。　So　now　she　has　decided　to　wait　and　see　if　Skinner；　the　butler；　knows　you。　If　he　doesn't；　she　will　know　that　she　was　right。〃
　Jimmy　was　frankly　puzzled。
　〃I　don't　quite　follow　the　reasoning。　Surely　it's　a　peculiar　kind　of　test。　Why　should　she　think　a　man　cannot　be　honest　and　true　unless　her　butler　knows　him？　There　must　be　hundreds　of　worthy　citizens　whom　he　does　not　know。〃
　〃Skinner　arrived　from　England　a　few　days　ago。　Until　then　he　was　employed　by　Mrs。　Crocker。　Now　do　you　understand？〃
　Jimmy　stopped。　She　had　spoken　slowly　and　distinctly；　and　there　could　be　no　possibility　that　he　had　misunderstood　her；　yet　he　scarcely　believed　that　he　had　heard　her　aright。　How　could　a　man　named　Skinner　have　been　his　step…mother's　butler？　Bayliss　had　been　with　the　family　ever　since　they　had　arrived　in　London。
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Of　course；　of　course　I'm　sure。　Aunt　Nesta　told　me　herself。　There　can't　possibly　be　a　mistake；　because　it　was　Skinner　who　let　her　in　when　she　called　on　Mrs。　Crocker。　Uncle　Peter　told　me　about　it。　He　had　a　talk　with　the　man　in　the　hall　and　found　that　he　was　a　baseball　enthusiast〃
　A　wild；　impossible　idea　flashed　upon　Jimmy。　It　was　so　absurd　that　he　felt　ashamed　of　entertaining　it　even　for　a　moment。　But　strange　things　were　happening　these　times；　and　it　might　be　。　。　。　　〃What　sort　of　looking　man　is　Skinner？〃
　〃Oh；　stout；　clean…shaven。　I　like　him。　He's　much　more　human　than　I　thought　butlers　ever　were。　Why？〃
　〃Oh；　nothing。〃
　〃Of　course；　you　can't　go　back　to　the　house。　You　see　that？　He　would　say　that　you　aren't　Jimmy　Crocker　and　then　you　would　be　arrested。〃
　〃I　don't　see　that。　If　I　am　sufficiently　like　Crocker　for　his　friends　to　mistake　me　for　him　in　restaurants；　why　shouldn't　this　butler　mistake　me；　too？〃
　〃But？〃
　〃And；　consider。　In　any　case；　there's　no　harm　done。　If　he　fails　to　recognise　me　when　he　opens　the　door　to　us；　we　shall　know　that　the　game　is　up：　and　I　shall　have　plenty　of　time　to　disappear。　If　the　likeness　deceives　him；　all　will　be　well。　I　propose　that　we　go　to　the　house；　ring　the　bell；　and　when　he　appears；　I　will　say　'Ah；　Skinner！　Honest　fellow！'　or　words　to　that　effect。　He　will　either　stare　blankly　at　me　or　fawn　on　me　like　a　faithful　watchdog。　We　will　base　our　further　actions　on　which　way　the　butler　jumps。〃
　The　sound　of　the　bell　died　away。　Footsteps　were　heard。　Ann　reached　for　Jimmy's　arm　andclutched　it。
　〃Now！〃　she　whispered。
　The　door　opened。　Next　moment　Jimmy's　suspicion　was　confirmed。　Gaping　at　them　from　the　open　doorway；　wonderfully　respectable　and　butlerlike　in　swallow…tails；　stood　his　father。　How　he　came　to　be　there；　and　why　he　was　there；　Jimmy　did　not　know。　But　there　he　was。
　Jimmy　had　little　faith　in　his　father's　talents　as　a　man　of　discretion。　The　elder　Crocker　was　one　of　those　simple；　straight　forward　people　who；　when　surprised；　do　not　conceal　their　surprise；　and　who；　not　understanding　any　situation　in　which　they　find　themselves；　demand　explanation　on　the　spot。　Swift　and　immediate　action　was　indicated　on　his　part　before　his　amazed　parent；　finding　him　on　the　steps　of　the　one　house　in　New　York　where　he　was　least　likely　to　be；　should　utter　words　that　would　undo　everything。　He　could　see　the　name　Jimmy　trembling　on　Mr。　Crocker's　lips。
　He　waved　his　hand　cheerily。
　〃Ah；　Skinner；　there　you　are！〃　he　said　breezily。　〃Miss　Chester　was　telling　me　that　you　had　left　my　step…mother。　I　suppose　you　sailed　on　the　boat　before　mine。　I　came　over　on　the　Caronia。　I　suppose　you　didn't　expect　to　see　me　again　so　soon；　eh？〃
　A　spasm　seemed　to　pass　over　Mr。　Crocker's　face；　leaving　it　calm　and　serene。　He　had　been　thrown　his　cue；　and　like　the　old　actor　he　was　he　took　it　easily　and　without　confusion。　He　smiled　a　respectful　smile。
　〃No；　indeed；　sir。〃
　He　stepped　aside　to　allow　them　to　enter。　Jimmy　caught　Ann's　eye　as　she　passed　him。　It　shone　with　relief　and　admiration；　and　it　exhilarated　Jimmy　like　wine。　As　she　moved　towards　the　stairs；　he　gave　expression　to　his　satisfaction　by　slapping　his　father　on　the　back　with　a　report　that　rang　out　like　a　pistol　shot。
　〃What　was　that？〃　said　Ann；　turning。
　〃Something　out　on　the　Drive；　I　think；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃A　car　back…firing；　I　fancy；　Skinner。〃
　〃Very　probably；　sir。〃
　He　followed　Ann　to　the　stairs。　As　he　started　to　mount　them；　a　faint　whisper　reached　his　ears。
　〃'At…a…boy！〃
　It　was　Mr。　Crocker's　way　of　bestowing　a　father's　blessing。
　Ann　walked　into　the　drawing…room；　her　head　high；　triumph　in　the　glance　which　she　cast　upon　her　unconscious　aunt。
　〃Quite　an　interesting　little　scene　downstairs；　aunt　Nesta；〃　she　said。　〃The　meeting　of　the　faithful　old　retainer　and　the　young　master。　Skinner　was　almost　overe　with　surprise　and　joy　when　he　saw　Jimmy！〃
　Mrs。　Pett　could　not　check　an　incautious　exclamation。
　〃Did　Skinner　recognise？〃　she　began；　then　stopped　herself　abruptly。
　Ann　laughed。
　〃Did　he　recognise　Jimmy？　Of　course！　He　was　hardly　likely　to　have　forgotten　him；　surely？　It　isn't　much　more　than　a　week　since　he　was　waiting　on　him　in　London。〃
　〃It　was　a　very　impressive　meeting；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Rather　like　the　reunion　of　Ulysses　and　the　hound　Argos；　of　which　this　bright…eyed　child　here〃　he　patted　Ogden　on　the　head；　a　proceeding　violently　resented　by　that　youth〃has　no　doubt　read　in　the　course　of　his　researches　into　the　Classics。　I　was　Ulysses；　Skinner　enacted　the　role　of　the　exuberant　dog。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　was　not　sure　whether　she　was　relieved　or　disappointed　at　this　evidence　that　her　suspicions　had　been　without　foundation。　On　the　whole；　relief　may　be　said　to　have　preponderated。
　〃I　have　no　doubt　he　was　pleased　to　see　you　again。　He　must　have　been　very　much　astonished。〃
　〃He　was！〃
　〃You　will　be　meeting　another　old　friend　in　a　minute　or　two；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。
　Jimmy　had　been　sinking　into　a　chair。　This　remark　stopped　him　in　mid…descent。
　〃Another！〃
　Mrs。　Pett　glanced　at　the　clock。
　〃Lord　Wisbeach　is　ing　to　lunch。〃
　〃Lord　Wisbeach！〃　cried　Ann。　〃He　doesn't　know　Jimmy。〃
　〃Eugenia　informed　me　in　London　that　he　was　one　of　your　best　friends；　James。〃
　Ann　looked　helplessly　at　Jimmy。　She　was　conscious　again　of　that　feeling　of　not　being　able　to　cope　with　Fate's　blows；　of　not　having　the　strength　to　go　on　climbing　over　the　barriers　which　Fate　placed　in　her　path。
　Jimmy；　for　his　part；　was　cursing　the　ill　fortune　that　had　brought　Lord　Wisbeach　across　his　path。　He　saw　clearly　that　it　only　needed　recognition　by　one　or　two　more　intimates　of　Jimmy　Crocker　to　make　Ann　suspect　his　real　identity。　The　fact　that　she　had　seen　him　with　Bayliss　in　Paddington　Station　and　had　fallen　into　the　error　of　supposing　Bayliss　to　be　his　father　had　kept　her　from　suspecting　until　now；　but　this　could　not　last　forever。　He　remembered　Lord　Wisbeach　well；　as　a　garrulous；　irrepressib