pgw.piccadillyjim-第49节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Mr。　Crocker's　face　wore　a　drawn　look。　He　had　never　felt　so　attached　to　his　wife　as　now；　when　she　wept　these　unexpected　tears　and　begged　favours　of　him　with　that　unfamiliar　catch　in　her　voice。　On　the　other　hand　。　。　。　A　vision　rose　before　him　of　the　Polo　Grounds　on　a　warm　afternoon。　。　。　。　He　crushed　it　down。
　〃Very　well；〃　he　said。
　Mr。　Pett　offered　a　word　of　consolation。
　〃Maybe　you'll　be　able　to　run　over　for　the　World's　Series？〃
　Mr。　Crocker's　face　cleared。
　〃That's　true。〃
　〃And　I'll　cable　you　the　scores　every　day；　dad；〃　said　Jimmy。
　Mrs。　Crocker　looked　at　him　with　a　touch　of　disapproval　clouding　the　happiness　of　her　face。
　〃Are　you　staying　over　here；　James？　There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　e　back；　too。　If　you　make　up　your　mind　to　change　your　habits〃
　〃I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　change　them。　But　I'm　going　to　do　it　in　New　York。　Mr。　Pett　is　going　to　give　me　a　job　in　his　office。　I　am　going　to　start　at　the　bottom　and　work　my　way　still　further　down。〃
　Mr。　Pett　yapped　with　rapture。　He　was　experiencing　something　of　the　emotion　of　the　preacher　at　the　camp…meeting　who　sees　the　Sinners'　Bench　filling　up。　To　have　secured　Willie　Partridge；　whom　he　intended　to　lead　gradually　into　the　realms　of　high　finance　by　way　of　envelope…addressing；　was　much。　But　that　Jimmy；　with　a　choice　in　the　matter；　should　have　chosen　the　office　filled　him　with　such　content　that　he　only　just　stopped　himself　from　dancing　on　his　bad　foot。
　〃Don't　worry　about　me；　dad。　I　shall　do　wonders。　It's　quite　easy　to　make　a　large　fortune。　I　watched　uncle　Pete　in　his　office　this　morning；　and　all　he　does　is　sit　at　a　mahogany　table　and　tell　the　office…boy　to　tell　callers　that　he　has　gone　away　for　the　day。　I　think　I　ought　to　rise　to　great　heights　in　that　branch　of　industry。　From　the　little　I　have　seen　of　it；　it　seems　to　have　been　made　for　me！〃
　
　CHAPTER　XXVI
　EVERYBODY　HAPPY
　
　Jimmy　looked　at　Ann。　They　were　alone。　Mr。　Pett　had　gone　back　to　bed；　Mrs。　Crocker　to　her　hotel。　Mr。　Crocker　was　removing　his　make…up　in　his　room。　A　silence　had　followed　their　departure。
　〃This　is　the　end　of　a　perfect　day！〃　said　Jimmy。
　Ann　took　a　step　towards　the　door。
　〃Don't　go！〃
　Ann　stopped。
　〃Mr。　Crocker！〃　she　said。
　〃Jimmy；〃　he　corrected。
　〃Mr。　Crocker！〃　repeated　Ann　firmly。
　〃Or　Algernon；　if　you　prefer　it。〃
　〃May　I　ask〃　Ann　regarded　him　steadily。　〃May　I　ask。〃
　〃Nearly　always；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃when　people　begin　with　that；　they　are　going　to　say　something　unpleasant。〃
　〃May　I　ask　why　you　went　to　all　this　trouble　to　make　a　fool　of　me？　Why　could　you　not　have　told　me　who　you　were　from　the　start？〃
　〃Have　you　forgotten　all　the　harsh　things　you　said　to　me　from　time　to　time　about　Jimmy　Crocker？　I　thought　that；　if　you　knew　who　I　was；　you　would　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　me。〃
　〃You　were　quite　right。〃
　〃Surely；　though；　you　won't　let　a　thing　that　happened　five　years　ago　make　so　much　difference？〃
　〃I　shall　never　forgive　you！〃
　〃And　yet；　a　little　while　ago；　when　Willie's　bomb　was　about　to　go　off；　you　flung　yourself　into　my　arms！〃
　Ann's　face　flamed。
　〃I　lost　my　balance。〃
　〃Why　try　to　recover　it？〃
　Ann　bit　her　lip。
　〃You　did　a　cruel；　heartless　thing。　What　does　it　matter　how　long　ago　it　was？　If　you　were　capable　of　it　then〃
　〃Be　reasonable。　Don't　you　admit　the　possibility　of　reformation？　Take　your　own　case。　Five　years　ago　you　were　a　minor　poetess。　Now　you　are　an　amateur　kidnappera　bright；　lovable　girl　at　whose　approach　people　lock　up　their　children　and　sit　on　the　key。　As　for　me；　five　years　ago　I　was　a　heartless　brute。　Now　I　am　a　sober　serious　business…man；　specially　called　in　by　your　uncle　to　help　jack　up　his　tottering　firm。　Why　not　bury　the　dead　past？　BesidesI　don't　want　to　praise　myself；　I　just　want　to　call　your　attention　to　itthink　what　I　have　done　for　you。　You　admitted　yourself　that　it　was　my　influence　that　had　revolutionised　your　character。　But　for　me；　you　would　now　be　doing　worse　than　write　poetry。　You　would　be　writing　vers　libre。　I　saved　you　from　that。　And　you　spurn　me！〃
　〃I　hate　you！〃　said　Ann。
　Jimmy　went　to　the　writing…desk　and　took　up　a　small　book。
　〃Put　that　down！〃
　〃I　just　wanted　to　read　you　'Love's　Funeral！'　It　illustrates　my　point。　Think　of　yourself　as　you　are　now；　and　remember　that　it　is　I　who　am　responsible　for　the　improvement。　Here　we　are。　'Love's　Funeral。'　'My　heart　is　dead。　。　。　。'　〃
　Ann　snatched　the　book　from　his　hands　and　flung　it　away。　It　soared　up；　clearing　the　gallery　rails；　and　fell　with　a　thud　on　the　gallery　floor。　She　stood　facing　him　with　sparkling　eyes。　Then　she　moved　away。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said　stiffly。　〃I　lost　my　temper。〃
　〃It's　your　hair；〃　said　Jimmy　soothingly。　〃You're　bound　to　be　quick…tempered　with　hair　of　that　glorious　red　shade。　You　must　marry　some　nice；　determined　fellow；　blue…eyed；　dark…haired；　clean…shaven；　about　five　foot　eleven；　with　a　future　in　business。　He　will　keep　you　in　order。〃
　〃Mr。　Crocker！〃
　〃Gently；　of　course。　Kindly…lovingly。　The　velvet　thingummy　rather　than　the　iron　what's…its…name。　But　nevertheless　firmly。〃
　Ann　was　at　the　door。
　〃To　a　girl　with　your　ardent　nature　some　one　with　whom　you　can　quarrel　is　an　absolute　necessity　of　life。　You　and　I　are　affinities。　Ours　will　be　an　ideally　happy　marriage。　You　would　be　miserable　if　you　had　to　go　through　life　with　a　human　doormat　with　'Wele'　written　on　him。　You　want　some　one　made　of　sterner　stuff。　You　want；　as　it　were；　a　sparring…partner；　some　one　with　whom　you　can　quarrel　happily　with　the　certain　knowledge　that　he　will　not　curl　up　in　a　ball　for　you　to　kick；　but　will　be　there　with　the　return　wallop。　I　may　have　my　faults〃　He　paused　expectantly。　Ann　remained　silent。　〃No；　no！〃　he　went　on。　〃But　I　am　such　a　man。　Brisk　give…and…take　is　the　foundation　of　the　happy　marriage。　Do　you　remember　that　beautiful　line　of　Tennyson's'We　fell　out；　my　wife　and　I'？　It　always　conjures　up　for　me　a　vision　of　wonderful　domestic　happiness。　I　seem　to　see　us　in　our　old　age；　you　on　one　side　of　the　radiator；　I　on　the　other；　warming　our　old　limbs　and　thinking　up　snappy　stuff　to　hand　to　each　othersweethearts　still！　If　I　were　to　go　out　of　your　life　now；　you　would　be　miserable。　You　would　have　nobody　to　quarrel　with。　You　would　be　in　the　position　of　the　female　jaguar　of　the　Indian　jungle；　who；　as　you　doubtless　know；　expresses　her　affection　for　her　mate　by　biting　him　shrewdly　in　the　fleshy　part　of　the　leg；　if　she　should　snap　sideways　one　day　and　find　nothing　there。〃
　Of　all　the　things　which　Ann　had　been　trying　to　say　during　this　discourse；　only　one　succeeded　in　finding　expression。　To　her　mortification；　it　was　the　only　weak　one　in　the　collection。
　〃Are　you　asking　me　to　marry　you？〃
　〃I　am。〃
　〃I　won't！〃
　〃You　think　so　now；　because　I　am　not　appearing　at　my　best。　You　see　me　nervous；　diffident；　tongue…tied。　All　this　will　wear　off；　however；　and　you　will　be　surprised　and　delighted　as　you　begin　to　understand　my　true　self。　Beneath　the　surfaceI　speak　conservativelyI　am　a　corker！〃
　The　door　banged　behind　Ann。　Jimmy　found　himself　alone。　He　walked　thoughtfully　to　Mr。　Pett's　armchair　and　sat　down。　There　was　a　feeling　of　desolation　upon　him。　He　lit　a　cigarette　and　began　to　smoke　pensively。　What　a　fool　he　had　been　to　talk　like　that！　What　girl　of　spirit　could　possibly　stand　it？　If　ever　there　had　been　a　time　for　being　soothing　and　serious　and　pleading；　it　had　been　these　last　few　minutes。　And　he　talked　like　that！
　Ten　minutes　passed。　Jimmy　sprang　from　his　chair。　He　thought　he　had　heard　a　footstep。　He　flung　the　door　open。　The　passage　was　empty。　He　returned　miserably　to　his　chair。　Of　course　she　had　not　e　back。　Why　should　she？
　A　voice　spoke。
　〃Jimmy！〃
　He　leaped　up　again；　and　looked　wildly　round。　Then　he　looked　up。　Ann　was　leaning　over　the　gallery　rail。
　〃Jimmy；　I've　been　thinking　it　over。　There's　something　I　want　to　ask　you。　Do　you　admit　that　you　behaved　abominably　five　years　ago？〃
　〃Yes！〃　shouted　Jimmy。
　〃And　that　you've　been　behaving　just　as　badly　ever　since？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　〃And　that　you　are　really　a　pretty　awful　sort　of　person？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　〃Then　it's　all　right。　You　deserve　it！〃
　〃Deserve　it？〃
　〃Deserve　to　marry　a　girl　like　me。　I　was　worried　about　it；　but　now　I　see　that　it's　the　only　punishment　bad　enough　for　you！〃　She　raised　her　arm。
　〃Here's　the　dead　past；　Jimmy！　Go　and　bury　it！　Good…night！〃
　A　small　book　fell　squashily　at　Jimmy's　feet。　He　regarded　it　dully　for　a　moment。　Then；　with　a　wild　yell　which　penetrated　even　to　Mr。　Pett's　bedroom　and　woke　that　sufferer　just　as　he　was　dropping　off　to　sleep　for　the　third　time　that　night　he　bounded　for　the　gallery　stairs。
　At　the　further　end　of　the　gallery　a　musical　laugh　sounded；　and　a　door　closed。　Ann　had　gone。
　
　
　
　1