pgw.piccadillyjim-第36节

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llie　Partridge；　has　pleted　an　explosive　which　is　more　powerful　than　any　at　present　known。　His　fatheryou　have　heard　of　him；　of　courseDwight　Partridge。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　nodded。
　〃His　father　was　working　on　it　at　the　time　of　his　death；　and　Willie　has　gone　on　with　his　experiments　where　he　left　off。　To…day　at　lunch　he　showed　us　a　test…tube　full　of　the　explosive。　He　put　it　in　my　husband's　safe　in　the　library。　Lord　Wisbeach　is　convinced　that　these　scoundrels　are　trying　to　steal　this；　but　I　cannot　help　feeling　that　this　is　another　of　those　attempts　to　kidnap　my　son　Ogden。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃It　is　impossible　to　say　at　this　stage　of　the　proceedings。　All　we　can　tell　is　that　there　is　some　plot　going　on。　You　refused；　of　course；　to　allow　Mitchell　to　e　back　to　the　house？〃
　〃Yes。　You　think　that　was　wise？〃
　〃Undoubtedly。　If　his　absence　did　not　handicap　them；　they　would　not　be　so　anxious　to　have　him　on　the　spot。〃
　〃What　shall　we　do？〃
　〃You　wish　me　to　undertake　the　case？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Mr。　Sturgis　frowned　thoughtfully。
　〃It　would　be　useless　for　me　to　e　here　myself。　By　bad　luck　the　man　who　pretends　to　be　your　nephew　has　seen　me。　If　I　were　to　e　to　stay　here；　he　would　suspect　something。　He　would　be　on　his　guard。〃　He　pondered　with　closed　eyes。　〃Miss　Trimble；〃　he　exclaimed。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃
　〃You　want　Miss　Trimble。　She　is　the　smartest　worker　in　my　office。　This　is　precisely　the　type　of　case　she　could　handle　to　perfection。〃
　〃A　woman？〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　doubtfully。
　〃A　woman　in　a　thousand；〃　said　Mr。　Sturgis。　〃A　woman　in　a　million。〃
　〃But　physically　would　a　woman　be？〃
　〃Miss　Trimble　knows　more　about　jiu…jitsu　than　the　Japanese　professor　who　taught　her。　At　one　time　she　was　a　Strong　Woman　in　small…time　vaudeville。　She　is　an　expert　revolver…shot。　I　am　not　worrying　about　Miss　Trimble's　capacity　to　do　the　work。　I　am　only　wondering　in　what　capacity　it　would　be　best　for　her　to　enter　the　house。　Have　you　a　vacancy　for　a　parlour…maid？〃
　〃I　could　make　one。〃
　〃Do　so　at　once。　Miss　Trimble　is　at　her　best　as　a　parlour…maid。　She　handled　the　Marling　divorce　case　in　that　capacity。　Have　you　a　telephone　in　the　room？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　opened　the　stuffed　owl。　The　detective　got　in　touch　with　his　office。
　〃Mr。　Sturgis　speaking。　Tell　Miss　Trimble　to　e　to　the　phone。　　。　。　。　Miss　Trimble？　I　am　speaking　from　Mrs。　Pett's　on　Riverside　Drive。　You　know　the　house？　I　want　you　to　e　up　at　once。　Take　a　taxi。　Go　to　the　back…door　and　ask　to　see　Mrs。　Pett。　Say　you　have　e　about　getting　a　place　here　as　a　maid。　Understand？　Right。　Say；　listen；　Miss　Trimble。　Hello？　Yes；　don't　hang　up　for　a　moment。　Do　you　remember　those　photographs　I　showed　you　yesterday？　Yes；　the　photographs　from　Anderson's。　I've　found　the　man。　He's　the　butler　here。　Take　a　look　at　him　when　you　get　to　the　house。　Now　go　and　get　a　taxi。　Mrs。　Pett　will　explain　everything　when　you　arrive。〃　He　hung　up　the　receiver。　〃I　think　I　had　better　go　now；　Mrs。　Pett。　It　would　not　do　for　me　to　be　here　while　these　fellows　are　on　their　guard。　I　can　safely　leave　the　matter　to　Miss　Trimble。　I　wish　you　good　afternoon。〃
　After　he　had　gone；　Mrs。　Pett　vainly　endeavoured　to　interest　herself　again　in　her　book；　but　in　petition　with　the　sensations　of　life；　fiction；　even　though　she　had　written　it　herself；　had　lost　its　power　and　grip。　It　seemed　to　her　that　Miss　Trimble　must　be　walking　to　the　house　instead　of　journeying　thither　in　a　taxi…cab。　But　a　glance　at　the　clock　assured　her　that　only　five　minutes　had　elapsed　since　the　detective's　departure。　She　went　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　She　was　hopelessly　restless。
　At　last　a　taxi…cab　stopped　at　the　corner；　and　a　young　woman　got　out　and　walked　towards　the　house。　If　this　were　Miss　Trimble；　she　certainly　looked　capable。　She　was　a　stumpy；　square…shouldered　person；　and　even　at　that　distance　it　was　possible　to　perceive　that　she　had　a　face　of　no　mon　shrewdness　and　determination。　The　next　moment　she　had　turned　down　the　side…street　in　the　direction　of　the　back…premises　of　Mrs。　Pett's　house：　and　a　few　minutes　later　Mr。　Crocker　presented　himself。
　〃A　young　person　wishes　to　see　you；　madam。　A　young　person　of　the　name　of　Trimble。〃　A　pang　passed　through　Mrs。　Pett　as　she　listened　to　his　measured　tones。　It　was　tragic　that　so　perfect　a　butler　should　be　a　scoundrel。　〃She　says　that　you　desired　her　to　call　in　connection　with　a　situation。〃
　〃Show　her　up　here；　Skinner。　She　is　the　new　parlour…maid。　I　will　send　her　down　to　you　when　I　have　finished　speaking　to　her。〃
　〃Very　good；　madam。〃
　There　seemed　to　Mrs。　Pett　to　be　a　faint　touch　of　defiance　in　Miss　Trimble's　manner　as　she　entered　the　room。　The　fact　was　that　Miss　Trimble　held　strong　views　on　the　equal　distribution　of　property；　and　rich　people's　houses　always　affected　her　adversely。　Mr。　Crocker　retired；　closing　the　door　gently　behind　him。
　A　meaning　sniff　proceeded　from　Mrs。　Pett's　visitor　as　she　looked　round　at　the　achievements　of　the　interior　decorator；　who　had　lavished　his　art　unsparingly　in　this　particular　room。　At　this　close　range　she　more　than　fulfilled　the　promise　of　that　distant　view　which　Mrs。　Pett　had　had　of　her　from　the　window。　Her　face　was　not　only　shrewd　and　determined：　it　was　menacing。　She　had　thick　eyebrows；　from　beneath　which　small；　glittering　eyes　looked　out　like　dangerous　beasts　in　undergrowth：　and　the　impressive　effect　of　these　was　accentuated　by　the　fact　that；　while　the　left　eye　looked　straight　out　at　its　object；　the　right　eye　had　a　sort　of　roving　mission　and　was　now；　while　its　colleague　fixed　Mrs。　Pett　with　a　gimlet　stare；　examining　the　ceiling。　As　to　the　rest　of　the　appearance　of　this　remarkable　woman；　her　nose　was　stubby　and　aggressive；　and　her　mouth　had　the　coldly　forbidding　look　of　the　closed　door　of　a　subway　express　when　you　have　just　missed　the　train。　It　bade　you　keep　your　distance　on　pain　of　injury。　Mrs。　Pett；　though　herself　a　strong　woman；　was　conscious　of　a　curious　weakness　as　she　looked　at　a　female　of　the　species　so　much　deadlier　than　any　male　whom　she　had　ever　encountered：　and　came　near　feeling　a　half…pity　for　the　unhappy　wretches　on　whom　this　dynamic　maiden　was　to　be　unleashed。　She　hardly　knew　how　to　open　the　conversation。
　Miss　Trimble；　however；　was　equal　to　the　occasion。　She　always　preferred　to　open　conversations　herself。　Her　lips　parted；　and　words　flew　out　as　if　shot　from　a　machine…gun。　As　far　as　Mrs。　Pett　could　observe；　she　considered　it　unnecessary　to　part　her　teeth；　preferring　to　speak　with　them　clenched。　This　gave　an　additional　touch　of　menace　to　her　speech。
　〃Dafternoon；〃　said　Miss　Trimble；　and　Mrs。　Pett　backed　convulsively　into　the　padded　recesses　of　her　chair；　feeling　as　if　somebody　had　thrown　a　brick　at　her。
　〃Good　afternoon；〃　she　said　faintly。
　〃Gladda　meecher；　siz　Pett。　Mr。　Sturge　semme　up。　Said　y'ad　job　f'r　me。　Came　here　squick　scould。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Squick　scould。　Got　slow　taxi。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　Miss　Trimble's　right　eye　flashed　about　the　room　like　a　searchlight；　but　she　kept　the　other　hypnotically　on　her　panion's　face。
　〃Whass　trouble？〃　The　right　eye　rested　for　a　moment　on　a　magnificent　Corot　over　the　mantelpiece；　and　she　sniffed　again。　〃Not　s'prised　y'have　trouble。　All　rich　people　've　trouble。　Noth'　t'do　with　their　time　'cept　get　'nto　trouble。〃
　She　frowned　disapprovingly　at　a　Canaletto。
　〃Youahappear　to　dislike　the　rich；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　as　nearly　in　her　grand　manner　as　she　could　contrive。
　Miss　Trimble　bowled　over　the　grand　manner　as　if　it　had　been　a　small　fowl　and　she　an　automobile。　She　rolled　over　it　and　squashed　it　flat。
　〃Hate　'em！　Sogelist！〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett　humbly。　This　woman　was　beginning　to　oppress　her　to　an　almost　unbelievable　extent。
　〃Sogelist！　No　use　f'r　idle　rich。　Ev'　read　B'nard　Shaw？　Huh？　Or　Upton　Sinclair？　Uh？　Read'm。　Make　y'think　a　bit。　Well；　y'haven't　told　me　whasser　trouble。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　was　by　this　time　heartily　regretting　the　impulse　which　had　caused　her　to　telephone　to　Mr。　Sturgis。　In　a　career　which　had　had　more　than　its　share　of　detectives；　both　real　and　fictitious；　she　had　never　been　confronted　with　a　detective　like　this。　The　galling　thing　was　that　she　was　helpless。　After　all；　one　engaged　a　detective　for　his　or　her　shrewdness　and　efficiency；　not　for　suavity　and　polish。　A　detective　who　hurls　speech　at　you　through　clenched　teeth　and　yet　detects　is　better　value　for　the　money　than　one　who；　though　an　ideal　panion　for　the　drawing…room；　is　inpetent：　and　Mrs。　Pett；　like　most　other　people；　subconsciously　held　the　view　that　the　ruder　a　person　is　the　more　efficient　he　must　be。　It　is　but　rarely　that　any　one　is　found　who　is　not　dazzled　by　the　glamour　of　incivility。　She　crushed　down　her　resentment　at　her　visitor's　tone；　and　tried　to　concentrate　her　mind　on　the　fact　that　this　was　a　business　matter　and　that　what　she　wanted　was　results　rather　than　fair　words。　She　found　it　easier　to　do　this　when　looking　at　the　other's　face。　It　was　a　capable　face。　Not　beautiful；　perhaps；　but　full　of　promise　of　action。　Miss　Trimble　having　ceased　temporarily　to　speak；　her　mouth　was　in　repose；　and　when　her　mouth　was　in　repose　it　looked　more　efficient　than　anything　else　of　its　size　in　existence。
　〃I　want　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett；　〃to　e　here　and　watch　some　men〃
　〃Men！　Thought　so！　Wh'　there's　trouble；　always　men't　bottom'f　it！〃
　〃You　do　not　like　men？〃
　〃Hate