pgw.piccadillyjim-第39节

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e　the　kidnappers。　It's　pretty　soft　for　them。　They　couldn't　have　got　a　cent　without　me；　and　they　never　dreamed　of　giving　me　a　rake…off。　I'm　getting　good　and　tired　of　being　kidnapped　for　other　people's　benefit；　and　I've　made　up　my　mind　that　the　next　guy　that　wants　me　has　got　to　e　across。　See？　My　proposition　is　fifty…fifty。　If　you　like　it；　I'm　game　to　let　you　go　ahead。　If　you　don't　like　it；　then　the　deal's　off；　and　you'll　find　that　you've　a　darned　poor　chance　of　getting　me。　When　I　was　kidnapped　before；　I　was　just　a　kid；　but　I　can　look　after　myself　now。　Well；　what　do　you　say？〃
　Jimmy　found　it　hard　at　first　to　say　anything。　He　had　never　properly　understood　the　possibilities　of　Ogden's　character　before。　The　longer　he　contemplated　him；　the　more　admirable　Ann's　scheme　appeared。　It　seemed　to　him　that　only　a　resolute　keeper　of　a　home　for　dogs　would　be　adequately　equipped　for　dealing　with　this　remarkable　youth。
　〃This　is　a　mercial　age；〃　he　said。
　〃You　bet　it　is；〃　said　Ogden。　〃My　middle　name　is　business。　Say；　are　you　working　this　on　your　own；　or　are　you　in　with　Buck　Maginnis　and　his　crowd？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I　know　Mr。　Maginnis。〃
　〃He's　the　guy　who　kidnapped　me　the　first　time。　He's　a　rough…neck。　Smooth　Sam　Fisher　got　away　with　me　the　second　time。　Maybe　you're　in　with　Sam？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃No；　I　guess　not。　I　heard　that　he　had　married　and　retired　from　business。　I　rather　wish　you　were　one　of　Buck's　lot。　I　like　Buck。　When　he　kidnapped　me；　I　lived　with　him　and　he　gave　me　a　swell　time。　When　I　left　him；　a　woman　came　and　interviewed　me　about　it　for　one　of　the　Sunday　papers。　Sob　stuff。　Called　the　piece　'Even　Kidnappers　Have　Tender　Hearts　Beneath　A　Rough　Exterior。'　I've　got　it　upstairs　in　my　press…clipping　album。　It　was　pretty　bad　slush。　Buck　Maginnis　hasn't　got　any　tender　heart　beneath　his　rough　exterior；　but　he's　a　good　sort　and　I　liked　him。　We　used　to　shoot　craps。　And　he　taught　me　to　chew。　I'd　be　tickled　to　death　to　have　Buck　get　me　again。　But；　if　you're　working　on　your　own；　all　right。　It's　all　the　same　to　me；　provided　you　meet　me　on　the　terms。〃
　〃You　certainly　are　a　fascinating　child。〃
　〃Less　of　it；　less　of　it。　I've　troubles　enough　to　bear　without　having　you　getting　fresh。　Well；　what　about　it？　Talk　figures。　If　I　let　you　take　me　away；　do　we　divvy　up　or　don't　we？　That's　all　you've　got　to　say。〃
　〃That's　easily　settled。　I'll　certainly　give　you　half　of　whatever　I　get。〃
　Ogden　looked　wistfully　at　the　writing…desk。
　〃I　wish　I　could　have　that　in　writing。　But　I　guess　it　wouldn't　stand　in　law。　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　trust　you。〃
　〃Honour　among　thieves。〃
　〃Less　of　the　thieves。　This　is　just　a　straight　business　proposition。　I've　got　something　valuable　to　sell；　and　I'm　darned　if　I'm　going　to　keep　giving　it　away。　I've　been　too　easy。　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　this　before。　All　right；　then；　that's　settled。　Now　it's　up　to　you。　You　can　think　out　the　rest　of　it　yourself。〃
　He　heaved　himself　out　of　the　chair；　and　left　the　room。　Ann；　ing　down　from　the　gallery；　found　Jimmy　meditating。　He　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　her　step。
　〃Well；　that　seems　to　make　it　pretty　easy　for　us；　doesn't　it？〃　he　said。　〃It　solves　the　problem　of　ways　and　means。〃
　〃But　this　is　awful。　This　alters　everything。　It　isn't　safe　for　you　to　stay　here。　You　must　go　away　at　once。　They've　found　you　out。　You　may　be　arrested　at　any　moment。〃
　〃That's　a　side…issue。　The　main　point　is　to　put　this　thing　through。　Then　we　can　think　about　what　is　going　to　happen　to　me。〃
　〃But　can't　you　see　the　risk　you're　running？〃
　〃I　don't　mind。　I　want　to　help　you。〃
　〃I　won't　let　you。〃
　〃You　must。〃
　〃But　do　be　sensible。　What　would　you　think　of　me　if　I　allowed　you　to　face　this　danger？〃
　〃I　wouldn't　think　any　differently　of　you。　My　opinion　of　you　is　a　fixed　thing。　Nothing　can　alter　it。　I　tried　to　tell　you　on　the　boat；　but　you　wouldn't　let　me。　I　think　you're　the　most　perfect；　wonderful　girl　in　all　the　world。　I've　loved　you　since　the　first　moment　I　saw　you。　I　knew　who　you　were　when　we　met　for　half　a　minute　that　day　in　London。　We　were　utter　strangers；　but　I　knew　you。　You　were　the　girl　I　had　been　looking　for　all　my　life。　Good　Heavens；　you　talk　of　risks。　Can't　you　understand　that　just　being　with　you　and　speaking　to　you　and　knowing　that　we　share　this　thing　together　is　enough　to　wipe　out　any　thought　of　risk？　I'd　do　anything　for　you。　And　you　expect　me　to　back　out　of　this　thing　because　there　is　a　certain　amount　of　danger！〃
　Ann　had　retreated　to　the　door；　and　was　looking　at　him　with　wide　eyes。　With　other　young　men　and　there　had　been　manywho　had　said　much　the　same　sort　of　thing　to　her　since　her　debutante　days　she　had　been　cool　and　poseda　little　sorry；　perhaps；　but　in　no　doubt　as　to　her　own　feelings　and　her　ability　to　resist　their　pleadings。　But　now　her　heart　was　racing；　and　the　conviction　had　begun　to　steal　over　her　that　the　cool　and　posed　Ann　Chester　was　in　imminent　danger　of　making　a　fool　of　herself。　Quite　suddenly；　without　any　sort　of　warning；　she　realised　that　there　was　some　quality　in　Jimmy　which　called　aloud　to　some　corresponding　quality　in　herselfa　nebulous　something　that　made　her　know　that　he　and　she　were　mates。　She　knew　herself　hard　to　please　where　men　were　concerned。　She　could　not　have　described　what　it　was　in　her　that　all　the　men　she　had　met；　the　men　with　whom　she　had　golfed　and　ridden　and　yachted；　had　failed　to　satisfy：　but；　ever　since　she　had　acquired　the　power　of　self…analysis；　she　had　known　that　it　was　something　which　was　a　solid　and　indestructible　part　of　her　position。　She　could　not　have　put　into　words　what　quality　she　demanded　in　man；　but　she　had　always　known　that　she　would　recognise　it　when　she　found　it：　and　she　recognised　it　now　in　Jimmy。　It　was　a　recklessness；　an　irresponsibility；　a　cheerful　dare…devilry；　the　plement　to　her　own　gay　lawlessness。
　〃Ann！〃　said　Jimmy。
　〃It's　too　late！〃
　She　had　not　meant　to　say　that。　She　had　meant　to　say　that　it　was　impossible；　out　of　the　question。　But　her　heart　was　running　away　with　her；　goaded　on　by　the　irony　of　it　all。　A　veil　seemed　to　have　fallen　from　before　her　eyes；　and　she　knew　now　why　she　had　been　drawn　to　Jimmy　from　the　very　first。　They　were　mates；　and　she　had　thrown　away　her　happiness。
　〃I've　promised　to　marry　Lord　Wisbeach！〃
　Jimmy　stopped　dead；　as　if　the　blow　had　been　a　physical　one。
　〃You've　promised　to　marry　Lord　Wisbeach！〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Butbut　when？〃
　〃Just　now。　Only　a　few　minutes　ago。　When　I　was　driving　him　to　his　hotel。　He　had　asked　me　to　marry　him　before　I　left　for　England；　and　I　had　promised　to　give　him　his　answer　when　I　got　back。　But　when　I　got　back；　somehow　I　couldn't　make　up　my　mind。　The　days　slipped　by。　Something　seemed　to　be　holding　me　back。　He　pressed　me　to　say　that　I　would　marry　him；　and　it　seemed　absurd　to　go　on　refusing　to　be　definite；　so　I　said　I　would。〃
　〃You　can't　love　him？　Surely　you　don't？〃
　Ann　met　his　gaze　frankly。
　〃Something　seems　to　have　happened　to　me　in　the　last　few　minutes；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　can't　think　clearly。　A　little　while　ago　it　didn't　seem　to　matter　much。　I　liked　him。　He　was　good…looking　and　good…tempered。　I　felt　that　we　should　get　along　quite　well　and　be　as　happy　as　most　people　are。　That　seemed　as　near　perfection　as　one　could　expect　to　get　nowadays；　sowell；　that's　how　it　was。〃
　〃But　you　can't　marry　him！　It's　out　of　the　question！〃
　〃I've　promised。〃
　〃You　must　break　your　promise。〃
　〃I　can't　do　that。〃
　〃You　must！〃
　〃I　can't。　One　must　play　the　game。〃
　Jimmy　groped　for　words。　〃But　in　this　case　you　mustn'tit's　awfulin　this　special　case〃　He　broke　off。　He　saw　the　trap　he　was　in。　He　could　not　denounce　that　crook　without　exposing　himself。　And　from　that　he　still　shrank。　Ann's　prejudice　against　Jimmy　Crocker　might　have　its　root　in　a　trivial　and　absurd　grievance；　but　it　had　been　growing　through　the　years；　and　who　could　say　how　strong　it　was　now？
　Ann　came　a　step　towards　him；　then　paused　doubtfully。　Then；　as　if　making　up　her　mind；　she　drew　near　and　touched　his　sleeve。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　she　said。
　There　was　a　silence。
　〃I'm　sorry！〃
　She　moved　away。　The　door　closed　softly　behind　her。　Jimmy　scarcely　knew　that　she　had　gone。　He　sat　down　in　that　deep　chair　which　was　Mr。　Pett's　favourite；　and　stared　sightlessly　at　the　ceiling。　And　then；　how　many　minutes　or　hours　later　he　did　not　know；　the　sharp　click　of　the　door…handle　roused　him。　He　sprang　from　the　chair。　Was　it　Ann；　e　back？
　It　was　not　Ann。　Round　the　edge　of　the　door　came　inquiringly　the　fair　head　of　Lord　Wisbeach。
　〃Oh！〃　said　his　lordship；　sighting　Jimmy。
　The　head　withdrew　itself。
　〃e　here！〃　shouted　Jimmy。
　The　head　appeared　again。
　〃Talking　to　me？〃
　〃Yes；　I　was　talking　to　you。〃
　Lord　Wisbeach　followed　his　superstructure　into　the　room。　He　was　outwardly　all　that　was　bland　and　unperturbed；　but　there　was　a　wary　look　in　the　eye　that　cocked　itself　at　Jimmy；　and　he　did　not　move　far　from　the　door。　His　fingers　rested　easily　on　the　handle　behind　him。　He　did　not　think　it　probable　that　Jimmy　could　have　heard　of　his　visit　to　Mrs。　Pett；　but　there　had　been　something　menacing　in　the　latter's　voice；　and　he　believed　in　safety　first。
　〃They　told　me　Miss　Chester　was　here；〃　he　said　by　way　of　relaxing　any　possible　strain　there　might　be　in　the　situation。
　〃And　what　the　devil　do　you　want　with　Miss　Chester；　you　slimy；　crawling　second…story…worker；　y