pgw.psmith,journalist-第10节

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nce；　rade　Windsor？
　〃I　wonder　what　he　wants。〃
　〃That；〃　said　Psmith；　〃we　shall　ascertain　more　clearly　after　a　personal　interview。　rade　Maloney；　show　the　gentleman　in。　We　can　give　him　three　and　a　quarter　minutes。〃
　Pugsy　withdrew。
　Mr。　Francis　Parker　proved　to　be　a　man　who　might　have　been　any　age　between　twenty…five　and　thirty…five。　He　had　a　smooth；　clean…shaven　face；　and　a　cat…like　way　of　moving。　As　Pugsy　had　stated　in　effect；　he　wore　a　tail…coat；　trousers　with　a　crease　which　brought　a　smile　of　kindly　approval　to　Psmith's　face；　and　patent…leather　boots　of　pronounced　shininess。　Gloves　and　a　tall　hat；　which　he　carried；　pleted　an　impressive　picture。
　He　moved　softly　into　the　room。
　〃I　wished　to　see　the　editor。〃
　Psmith　waved　a　hand　towards　Billy。
　〃The　treat　has　not　been　denied　you；〃　he　said。　〃Before　you　is　rade　Windsor；　the　Wyoming　cracker…jack。　He　is　our　editor。　I　myselfI　am　Psmiththough　but　a　subordinate；　may　also　claim　the　title　in　a　measure。　Technically；　I　am　but　a　sub…editor；　but　such　is　the　mutual　esteem　in　which　rade　Windsor　and　I　hold　each　other　that　we　may　practically　be　said　to　be　inseparable。　We　have　no　secrets　from　each　other。　You　may　address　us　both　impartially。　Will　you　sit　for　a　space？〃
　He　pushed　a　chair　towards　the　visitor；　who　seated　himself　with　the　care　inspired　by　a　perfect　trouser…crease。　There　was　a　momentary　silence　while　he　selected　a　spot　on　the　table　on　which　to　place　his　hat。
　〃The　style　of　the　paper　has　changed　greatly；　has　it　not；　during　the　past　few　weeks？〃　he　said。　〃I　have　never　been；　shall　I　say；　a　constant　reader　of　Cosy　Moments；　and　I　may　be　wrong。　But　is　not　its　interest　in　current　affairs　a　recent　development？〃
　〃You　are　very　right；〃　responded　Psmith。　〃rade　Windsor；　a　man　of　alert　and　restless　temperament；　felt　that　a　change　was　essential　if　Cosy　Moments　was　to　lead　public　thought。　rade　Wilberfloss's　methods　were　good　in　their　way。　I　have　no　quarrel　with　rade　Wilberfloss。　But　he　did　not　lead　public　thought。　He　catered　exclusively　for　children　with　water　on　the　brain；　and　men　and　women　with　solid　ivory　skulls。　rade　Windsor；　with　a　broader　view；　feels　that　there　are　other　and　larger　publics。　He　refuses　to　content　himself　with　ladling　out　a　weekly　dole　of　mental　predigested　breakfast　food。　He　provides　meat。　He〃
　〃Thenexcuse　me〃　said　Mr。　Parker；　turning　to　Billy；　〃You；　I　take　it；　are　responsible　for　this　very　vigorous　attack　on　the　tenement…house　owners？〃
　〃You　can　take　it　I　am；〃　said　Billy。
　Psmith　interposed。
　〃We　are　both　responsible；　rade　Parker。　If　any　husky　guy；　as　I　fancy　Master　Maloney　would　phrase　it；　is　anxious　to　aim　a　swift　kick　at　the　man　behind　those　articles；　he　must　distribute　it　evenly　between　rade　Windsor　and　myself。〃
　〃I　see。〃　Mr。　Parker　paused。　〃They　areervery　outspoken　articles；〃　he　added。
　〃Warm　stuff；〃　agreed　Psmith。　〃Distinctly　warm　stuff。〃
　〃May　I　speak　frankly？〃　said　Mr。　Parker。
　〃Assuredly；　rade　Parker。　There　must　be　no　secrets；　no　restraint　between　us。　We　would　not　have　you　go　away　and　say　to　yourself；　'Did　I　make　my　meaning　clear？　Was　I　too　elusive？'　Say　on。〃
　〃I　am　speaking　in　your　best　interests。〃
　〃Who　would　doubt　it；　rade　Parker。　Nothing　has　buoyed　us　up　more　strongly　during　the　hours　of　doubt　through　which　we　have　passed　than　the　knowledge　that　you　wish　us　well。〃
　Billy　Windsor　suddenly　became　militant。　There　was　a　feline　smoothness　about　the　visitor　which　had　been　jarring　upon　him　ever　since　he　first　spoke。　Billy　was　of　the　plains；　the　home　of　blunt　speech；　where　you　looked　your　man　in　the　eye　and　said　it　quick。　Mr。　Parker　was　too　bland　for　human　consumption。　He　offended　Billy's　honest　soul。
　〃See　here；〃　cried　he；　leaning　forward；　〃what's　it　all　about？　Let's　have　it。　If　you've　anything　to　say　about　those　articles；　say　it　right　out。　Never　mind　our　best　interests。　We　can　look　after　them。　Let's　have　what's　worrying　you。〃
　Psmith　waved　a　deprecating　hand。
　〃Do　not　let　us　be　abrupt　on　this　happy　occasion。　To　me　it　is　enough　simply　to　sit　and　chat　with　rade　Parker；　irrespective　of　the　trend　of　his　conversation。　Still；　as　time　is　money；　and　this　is　our　busy　day；　possibly　it　might　be　as　well；　sir；　if　you　unburdened　yourself　as　soon　as　convenient。　Have　you　e　to　point　out　some　flaw　in　those　articles？　Do　they　fall　short　in　any　way　of　your　standard　for　such　work？〃
　Mr。　Parker's　smooth　face　did　not　change　its　expression；　but　he　came　to　the　point。
　〃I　should　not　go　on　with　them　if　I　were　you；〃　he　said。
　〃Why？〃　demanded　Billy。
　〃There　are　reasons　why　you　should　not；〃　said　Mr。　Parker。
　〃And　there　are　reasons　why　we　should。〃
　〃Less　powerful　ones。〃
　There　proceeded　from　Billy　a　noise　not　describable　in　words。　It　was　partly　a　snort；　partly　a　growl。　It　resembled　more　than　anything　else　the　preliminary　sniffing　snarl　a　bull…dog　emits　before　he　joins　battle。　Billy's　cow…boy　blood　was　up。　He　was　rapidly　approaching　the　state　of　mind　in　which　the　men　of　the　plains；　finding　speech　unequal　to　the　expression　of　their　thoughts；　reach　for　their　guns。
　Psmith　intervened。
　〃We　do　not　pletely　gather　your　meaning；　rade　Parker。　I　fear　we　must　ask　you　to　hand　it　to　us　with　still　more　breezy　frankness。　Do　you　speak　from　purely　friendly　motives？　Are　you　advising　us　to　discontinue　the　articles　merely　because　you　fear　that　they　will　damage　our　literary　reputation？　Or　are　there　other　reasons　why　you　feel　that　they　should　cease？　Do　you　speak　solely　as　a　literary　connoisseur？　Is　it　the　style　or　the　subject…matter　of　which　you　disapprove？〃
　Mr。　Parker　leaned　forward。
　〃The　gentleman　whom　I　represent〃
　〃Then　this　is　no　matter　of　your　own　personal　taste？　You　are　an　emissary？〃
　〃These　articles　are　causing　a　certain　inconvenience　to　the　gentleman　whom　I　represent。　Or；　rather；　he　feels　that；　if　continued；　they　may　do　so。〃
　〃You　mean；〃　broke　in　Billy　explosively；　〃that　if　we　kick　up　enough　fuss　to　make　somebody　start　a　mission　to　inquire　into　this　rotten　business；　your　friend　who　owns　the　private　Hades　we're　trying　to　get　improved；　will　have　to　get　busy　and　lose　some　of　his　money　by　making　the　houses　fit　to　live　in？　Is　that　it？〃
　〃It　is　not　so　much　the　money；　Mr。　Windsor；　though；　of　course；　the　expense　would　be　considerable。　My　employer　is　a　wealthy　man。〃
　〃I　bet　he　is；〃　said　Billy　disgustedly。　〃I've　no　doubt　he　makes　a　mighty　good　pile　out　of　Pleasant　Street。〃
　〃It　is　not　so　much　the　money；〃　repeated　Mr。　Parker；　〃as　the　publicity　involved。　I　speak　quite　frankly。　There　are　reasons　why　my　employer　would　prefer　not　to　e　before　the　public　just　now　as　the　owner　of　the　Pleasant　Street　property。　I　need　not　go　into　those　reasons。　It　is　sufficient　to　say　that　they　are　strong　ones。〃
　〃Well；　he　knows　what　to　do；　I　guess。　The　moment　he　starts　in　to　make　those　houses　decent；　the　articles　stop。　It's　up　to　him。〃
　Psmith　nodded。
　〃rade　Windsor　is　correct。　He　has　hit　the　mark　and　rung　the　bell。　No　conscientious　judge　would　withhold　from　rade　Windsor　a　cigar　or　a　cocoanut；　according　as　his　private　preference　might　dictate。　That　is　the　matter　in　a　nutshell。　Remove　the　reason　for　those　very　scholarly　articles；　and　they　cease。〃
　Mr。　Parker　shook　his　head。
　〃I　fear　that　is　not　feasible。　The　expense　of　reconstructing　the　houses　makes　that　impossible。〃
　〃Then　there's　no　use　in　talking；〃　said　Billy。　〃The　articles　will　go　on。〃
　Mr。　Parker　coughed。　A　tentative　cough；　suggesting　that　the　situation　was　now　about　to　enter　upon　a　more　delicate　phase。　Billy　and　Psmith　waited　for　him　to　begin。　From　their　point　of　view　the　discussion　was　over。　If　it　was　to　be　reopened　on　fresh　lines；　it　was　for　their　visitor　to　effect　that　reopening。
　〃Now；　I'm　going　to　be　frank；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　as　who　should　say；　〃We　are　all　friends　here。　Let　us　be　hearty。〃　〃I'm　going　to　put　my　cards　on　the　table；　and　see　if　we　can't　fix　something　up。　Now；　see　here：　We　don't　want　unpleasantness。　You　aren't　in　this　business　for　your　healths；　eh？　You've　got　your　living　to　make；　just　like　everybody　else；　I　guess。　Well；　see　here。　This　is　how　it　stands。　To　a　certain　extant；　I　don't　mind　admitting；　seeing　that　we're　being　frank　with　one　another；　you　two　gentlemen　have　got　usthat's　to　say；　my　employerin　a　cleft　stick。　Frankly；　those　articles　are　beginning　to　attract　attention；　and　if　they　go　on　there's　going　to　be　a　lot　of　inconvenience　for　my　employer。　That's　clear；　I　reckon。　Well；　now；　here's　a　square　proposition。　How　much　do　you　want　to　stop　those　articles？　That's　straight。　I've　been　frank　with　you；　and　I　want　you　to　be　frank　with　me。　What's　your　figure？　Name　it；　and；　if　it's　not　too　high；　I　guess　we　needn't　quarrel。〃
　He　looked　expectantly　at　Billy。　Billy's　eyes　were　bulging。　He　struggled　for　speech；　He　had　got　as　far　as　〃Say！〃　when　Psmith　interrupted　him。　Psmith；　gazing　sadly　at　Mr。　Parker　through　his　monocle；　spoke　quietly；　with　the　restrained　dignity　of　some　old　Roman　senator　dealing　with　the　enemies　of　the　Republic。
　〃rade　Parker；〃　he　said；　〃I　fear　that　you　have　allowed　constant　munication　with　the　conscienceless　mercialism　of　this　worldly　city　to　undermine　your　moral　sense。　It　is　useless　to　dangle　rich　bribes　before　our　eyes。　Cosy　Moments　cannot　be　muzzled。　You　doubtless　mean　well；　according　to　yourif　I　may　say　sosomewhat　murky　lights；　but　we　are　not　for　sale；　except　at　ten　cent