pgw.piccadillyjim-第4节

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　Ann　started。
　〃You　don't　mean　live　herein　this　house？〃
　〃Of　course。　There　would　be　no　sense　in　bringing　the　boy　all　the　way　over　from　England　if　he　was　to　be　allowed　to　run　loose　when　he　got　here。〃
　Mr。　Pett　coughed　deprecatingly。
　〃I　don't　think　that　would　he　very　pleasant　for　Ann；　dear。〃
　〃Why　in　the　name　of　goodness　should　Ann　object？〃
　Ann　moved　towards　the　door。
　〃Thank　you　for　thinking　of　it；　uncle　Peter。　You're　always　a　dear。　But　don't　worry　about　me。　Do　just　as　you　want　to。　In　any　case　I'm　quite　certain　that　you　won't　be　able　to　get　him　to　e　over　here。　You　can　see　by　the　paper　he's　having　far　too　good　a　time　in　London。　You　can　call　Jimmy　Crockers　from　the　vasty　deep；　but　will　they　e　when　you　call　for　them？〃
　Mrs。　Pett　looked　at　the　door　as　it　closed　behind　her；　then　at　her　husband。
　〃What　do　you　mean；　Peter；　about　Ann？　Why　wouldn't　it　be　pleasant　for　her　if　this　Crocker　boy　came　to　live　with　us？〃
　Mr。　Pett　hesitated。
　〃Well；　it's　like　this；　Nesta。　I　hope　you　won't　tell　her　I　told　you。　She's　sensitive　about　it；　poor　girl。　It　all　happened　before　you　and　I　were　married。　Ann　was　much　younger　then。　You　know　what　schoolgirls　are；　kind　of　foolish　and　sentimental。　It　was　my　fault　really；　I　ought　to　have　。　。　。〃
　〃Good　Heavens；　Peter！　What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me？〃
　〃She　was　only　a　child。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　rose　in　slow　horror。
　〃Peter！　Tell　me！　Don't　try　to　break　it　gently。〃
　〃Ann　wrote　a　book　of　poetry　and　I　had　it　published　for　her。〃
　Mrs。　Pett　sank　back　in　her　chair。
　〃Oh！〃　she　saidit　would　have　been　hard　to　say　whether　with　relief　or　disappointment。　〃Whatever　did　you　make　such　a　fuss　for？　Why　did　you　want　to　be　so　mysterious？〃
　〃It　was　all　my　fault；　really；〃　proceeded　Mr。　Pett。　〃I　ought　to　have　known　better。　All　I　thought　of　at　the　time　was　that　it　would　please　the　child　to　see　the　poems　in　print　and　be　able　to　give　the　book　to　her　friends。　She　did　give　it　to　her　friends；〃　he　went　on　ruefully；　〃and　ever　since　she's　been　trying　to　live　it　down。　I've　seen　her　bite　a　young　fellow's　head　off　when　he　tried　to　make　a　grand…stand　play　with　her　by　quoting　her　poems　which　he'd　found　in　his　sister's　book…shelf。〃
　〃But；　in　the　name　of　goodness；　what　has　all　this　to　do　with　young　Crocker？〃
　〃Why；　it　was　this　way。　Most　of　the　papers　just　gave　Ann's　book　a　mention　among　'Volumes　Received；'　or　a　couple　of　lines　that　didn't　amount　to　anything；　but　the　Chronicle　saw　a　Sunday　feature　in　it；　as　Ann　was　going　about　a　lot　then　and　was　a　well…known　society　girl。　They　sent　this　Crocker　boy　to　get　an　interview　from　her；　all　about　her　methods　of　work　and　inspirations　and　what　not。　We　never　suspected　it　wasn't　the　straight　goods。　Why；　that　very　evening　I　mailed　an　order　for　a　hundred　copies　to　be　sent　to　me　when　the　thing　appeared。　And〃　pinkness　came　upon　Mr。　Pett　at　the　recollection　〃it　was　just　a　josh　from　start　to　finish。　The　young　hound　made　a　joke　of　the　poems　and　what　Ann　had　told　him　about　her　inspirations　and　quoted　bits　of　the　poems　just　to　kid　the　life　out　of　them。　。　。　。　I　thought　Ann　would　never　get　over　it。　Well；　it　doesn't　worry　her　any　moreshe's　grown　out　of　the　school…girl　stagebut　you　can　bet　she　isn't　going　to　get　up　and　give　three　cheers　and　a　tiger　if　you　bring　young　Crocker　to　live　in　the　same　house。〃
　〃Utterly　ridiculous！〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃I　certainly　do　not　intend　to　alter　my　plans　because　of　a　trivial　incident　that　happened　years　ago。　We　will　sail　on　Wednesday。〃
　〃Very　well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Pett　resignedly。
　〃Just　as　you　say。　Erjust　you　and　I？〃
　〃And　Ogden；　of　course。〃
　Mr。　Pett　controlled　a　facial　spasm　with　a　powerful　effort　of　the　will。　He　had　feared　this。
　〃I　wouldn't　dream　of　leaving　him　here　while　I　went　away；　after　what　happened　when　poor　dear　Elmer　sent　him　to　school　in　England　that　time。〃　The　late　Mr。　Ford　had　spent　most　of　his　married　life　either　quarrelling　with　or　separated　from　his　wife；　but　since　death　he　had　been　canonised　as　'poor　dear　Elmer。'　〃Besides；　the　sea　voyage　will　do　the　poor　darling　good。　He　has　not　been　looking　at　all　well　lately。〃
　〃If　Ogden's　ing；　I'd　like　to　take　Ann。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃She　can〃　he　sought　for　a　euphemism。
　〃Keep　in　order〃　was　the　expression　he　wished　to　avoid。　To　his　mind　Ann　was　the　only　known　antidote　for　Ogden；　but　he　felt　it　would　be　impolitic　to　say　so。〃look　after　him　on　the　boat；〃　he　concluded。　〃You　know　you　are　a　bad　sailor。〃
　〃Very　well。　Bring　AnnOh；　Peter；　that　reminds　me　of　what　I　wanted　to　say　to　you；　which　this　dreadful　thing　in　the　paper　drove　pletely　out　of　my　mind。　Lord　Wisbeach　has　asked　Ann　to　marry　him！〃
　Mr。　Pett　looked　a　little　hurt。　〃She　didn't　tell　me。〃　Ann　usually　confided　in　him。
　〃She　didn't　tell　me；　either。　Lord　Wisbeach　told　me。　He　said　Ann　had　promised　to　think　it　over；　and　give　him　his　answer　later。　Meanwhile；　he　had　e　to　me　to　assure　himself　that　I　approved。　I　thought　that　so　charming　of　him。〃
　Mr。　Pett　was　frowning。
　〃She　hasn't　accepted　him？〃
　〃Not　definitely。〃
　〃I　hope　she　doesn't。〃
　〃Don't　be　foolish；　Peter。　It　would　be　an　excellent　match。〃
　Mr。　Pett　shuffled　his　feet。
　〃I　don't　like　him。　There's　something　too　darned　smooth　about　that　fellow。〃
　〃If　you　mean　that　his　manners　are　perfect；　I　agree　with　you。　I　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　induce　Ann　to　accept　him。〃
　〃I　shouldn't；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　with　more　decision　than　was　his　wont。　〃You　know　what　Ann　is　if　you　try　to　force　her　to　do　anything。　She　gets　her　ears　back　and　won't　budge。　Her　father　is　just　the　same。　When　we　were　boys　together；　sometimes〃
　〃Don't　be　absurd；　Peter。　As　if　I　should　dream　of　trying　to　force　Ann　to　do　anything。〃
　〃We　don't　know　anything　of　this　fellow。　Two　weeks　ago　we　didn't　know　he　was　on　the　earth。〃
　〃What　do　we　need　to　know　beyond　his　name？〃
　Mr。　Pett　said　nothing；　but　he　was　not　convinced。　The　Lord　Wisbeach　under　discussion　was　a　pleasant…spoken　and　presentable　young　man　who　had　called　at　Mr。　Pett's　office　a　short　while　before　to　consult　him　about　investing　some　money。　He　had　brought　a　letter　of　introduction　from　Hammond　Chester；　Ann's　father；　whom　he　had　met　in　Canada；　where　the　latter　was　at　present　engaged　in　the　paratively　mild　occupation　of　bass…fishing。　With　their　business　talk　the　acquaintance　would　have　begun　and　finished；　if　Mr。　Pett　had　been　able　to　please　himself；　for　he　had　not　taken　a　fancy　to　Lord　Wisbeach。　But　he　was　an　American；　with　an　American's　sense　of　hospitality；　and；　the　young　man　being　a　friend　of　Hammond　Chester；　he　had　felt　bound　to　invite　him　to　Riverside　Drivewith　misgivings　which　were　now；　he　felt；　pletely　justified。
　〃Ann　ought　to　marry；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃She　gets　her　own　way　too　much　now。　However；　it　is　entirely　her　own　affair；　and　there　is　nothing　that　we　can　do。〃　She　rose。　〃I　only　hope　she　will　be　sensible。〃
　She　went　out；　leaving　Mr。　Pett　gloomier　than　she　had　found　him。　He　hated　the　idea　of　Ann　marrying　Lord　Wisbeach；　who；　even　if　he　had　had　no　faults　at　all；　would　be　objectionable　in　that　he　would　probably　take　her　to　live　three　thousand　miles　away　in　his　own　country。　The　thought　of　losing　Ann　oppressed　Mr。　Pett　sorely。
　Ann；　meanwhile；　had　made　her　way　down　the　passage　to　the　gymnasium　which　Mr。　Pett；　in　the　interests　of　his　health；　had　caused　to　be　constructed　in　a　large　room　at　the　end　of　the　housea　room　designed　by　the　original　owner；　who　had　had　artistic　leanings；　for　a　studio。　The　tap…tap…tap　of　the　leather　bag　had　ceased；　but　voices　from　within　told　her　that　Jerry　Mitchell；　Mr。　Pett's　private　physical　instructor；　was　still　there。　She　wondered　who　was　his　panion；　and　found　on　opening　the　door　that　it　was　Ogden。　The　boy　was　leaning　against　the　wall　and　regarding　Jerry　with　a　dull　and　supercilious　gaze　which　the　latter　was　plainly　finding　it　hard　to　bear。
　〃Yes；　sir！〃　Ogden　was　saying；　as　Ann　entered。　〃I　heard　Biggs　asking　her　to　e　for　a　joyride。〃
　〃I　bet　she　turned　him　down；〃　said　Jerry　Mitchell　sullenly。
　〃I　bet　she　didn't。　Why　should　she？　Biggs　is　an　awful　good…looking　fellow。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Ogden？〃　said　Ann。
　〃I　was　telling　him　that　Biggs　asked　Celestine　to　go　for　a　ride　in　the　car　with　him。〃
　〃I'll　knock　his　block　off；〃　muttered　the　incensed　Jerry。
　Ogden　laughed　derisively。
　〃Yes；　you　will！　Mother　would　fire　you　if　you　touched　him。　She　wouldn't　stand　for　having　her　chauffeur　beaten　up。〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　turned　an　appealing　face　to　Ann。　Ogden's　revelations　and　especially　his　eulogy　of　Biggs'　personal　appearance　had　tormented　him。　He　knew　that；　in　his　wooing　of　Mrs。　Pett's　maid；　Celestine；　he　was　handicapped　by　his　looks；　concerning　which　he　had　no　illusions。　No　Adonis　to　begin　with；　he　had　been　so　edited　and　re…edited　during　a　long　and　prosperous　ring　career　by　the　gloved　fists　of　a　hundred　foes　that　in　affairs　of　the　heart　he　was　obliged　to　rely　exclusively　on　moral　worth　and　charm　of　manner。　He　belonged　to　the　old　school　of　fighters　who　looked　the　part；　and　in　these　days　of　pugilists　who　resemble　matinee　idols　he　had　the　appearance　of　an　anachronism。　He　was　a　stocky　man　with　a　round；　solid　head；　small　eyes；　an　undershot　jaw；　and　a　nose　which　ill…treatment　had　reduced　to　a　mere　scenario。　A　narrow　strip　of　forehead　acted　as　a　kind　of　buffer…state；　separating　his　front　hair　from　his　eyebrows；　and　he　bore　beyond　hope　of　c