pgw.psmith,journalist-第13节

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　〃I　have　heard　so　much；〃　said　Psmith；　thoughtfully；　〃of　the　lavish　hospitality　of　the　American。〃
　〃Taxi；　sir？〃
　A　red　taximeter　cab　was　crawling　down　the　road　at　their　side。　Billy　shook　his　head。
　〃Not　that　a　taxi　would　be　an　unsound　scheme；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Not　that　particular　one；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　〃Something　about　it　that　offends　your　aesthetic　taste？〃　queried　Psmith　sympathetically。
　〃Something　about　it　makes　my　aesthetic　taste　kick　like　a　mule；〃　said　Billy。
　〃Ah；　we　highly　strung　literary　men　do　have　these　curious　prejudices。　We　cannot　help　it。　We　are　the　slaves　of　our　temperaments。　Let　us　walk；　then。　After　all；　the　night　is　fine；　and　we　are　young　and　strong。〃
　They　had　reached　Twenty…Third　Street　when　Billy　stopped。　〃I　don't　know　about　walking；〃　he　said。　〃Suppose　we　take　the　Elevated？〃
　〃Anything　you　wish；　rade　Windsor。　I　am　in　your　hands。〃
　They　cut　across　into　Sixth　Avenue；　and　walked　up　the　stairs　to　the　station　of　the　Elevated　Railway。　A　train　was　just　ing　in。
　〃Has　it　escaped　your　notice；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith　after　a　pause；　〃that；　so　far　from　speeding　to　your　lodgings；　we　are　going　in　precisely　the　opposite　direction？　We　are　in　an　up…town　train。〃
　〃I　noticed　it；〃　said　Billy　briefly。
　〃Are　we　going　anywhere　in　particular？〃
　〃This　train　goes　as　far　as　Hundred　and　Tenth　Street。　We'll　go　up　to　there。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃And　then　we'll　e　back。〃
　〃And　after　that；　I　suppose；　we'll　make　a　trip　to　Philadelphia；　or　Chicago；　or　somewhere？　Well；　well；　I　am　in　your　hands；　rade　Windsor。　The　night　is　yet　young。　Take　me　where　you　will。　It　is　only　five　cents　a　go；　and　we　have　money　in　our　purses。　We　are　two　young　men　out　for　reckless　dissipation。　By　all　means　let　us　have　it。〃
　At　Hundred　and　Tenth　Street　they　left　the　train；　went　down　the　stairs；　and　crossed　the　street。　Half…way　across　Billy　stopped。
　〃What　now；　rade　Windsor？〃　inquired　Psmith　patiently。　〃Have　you　thought　of　some　new　form　of　entertainment？〃
　Billy　was　making　for　a　spot　some　few　yards　down　the　road。　Looking　in　that　direction；　Psmith　saw　his　objective。　In　the　shadow　of　the　Elevated　there　was　standing　a　taximeter　cab。
　〃Taxi；　sir？〃　said　the　driver；　as　they　approached。
　〃We　are　giving　you　a　great　deal　of　trouble；〃　said　Billy。　〃You　must　be　losing　money　over　this　job。　All　this　while　you　might　be　getting　fares　down…town。〃
　〃These　meetings；　however；〃　urged　Psmith；　〃are　very　pleasant。〃
　〃I　can　save　you　worrying；〃　said　Billy。　〃My　address　is　84　East　Fourteenth　Street。　We　are　going　back　there　now。〃
　〃Search　me；〃　said　the　driver；　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃
　〃I　thought　perhaps　you　did；〃　replied　Billy。　〃Good　night。〃
　〃These　things　are　very　disturbing；〃　said　Psmith；　when　they　were　in　the　train。　〃Dignity　is　impossible　when　one　is　pelled　to　be　the　Hunted　Fawn。　When　did　you　begin　to　suspect　that　yonder　merchant　was　doing　the　sleuth…hound　act？〃
　〃When　I　saw　him　in　Broadway　having　a　heart…to…heart　talk　with　our　friend　from　Missouri。〃
　〃He　must　be　something　of　an　expert　at　the　game　to　have　kept　on　our　track。〃
　〃Not　on　your　life。　It's　as　easy　as　falling　off　a　log。　There　are　only　certain　places　where　you　can　get　off　an　Elevated　train。　All　he'd　got　to　do　was　to　get　there　before　the　train；　and　wait。　I　didn't　expect　to　dodge　him　by　taking　the　Elevated。　I　just　wanted　to　make　certain　of　his　game。〃
　The　train　pulled　up　at　the　Fourteenth　Street　station。　In　the　roadway　at　the　foot　of　the　opposite　staircase　was　a　red　taximeter　cab。
　
　CHAPTER　XIII
　REVIEWING　THE　SITUATION
　
　　ARRIVING　at　the　bed…sitting…room；　Billy　proceeded　to　occupy　the　rocking…chair；　and；　as　was　his　wont；　began　to　rock　himself　rhythmically　to　and　fro。　Psmith　seated　himself　gracefully　on　the　couch…bed。　There　was　a　silence。
　The　events　of　the　evening　had　been　a　revelation　to　Psmith。　He　had　not　realised　before　the　extent　of　the　ramifications　of　New　York's　underworld。　That　members　of　the　gangs　should　crop　up　in　the　Astor　roof…garden　and　in　gorgeous　raiment　in　the　middle　of　Broadway　was　a　surprise。　When　Billy　Windsor　had　mentioned　the　gangs；　he　had　formed　a　mental　picture　of　low…browed　hooligans；　keeping　carefully　to　their　own　quarter　of　the　town。　This　picture　had　been　correct；　as　far　as　it　went；　but　it　had　not　gone　far　enough。　The　bulk　of　the　gangs　of　New　York　are　of　the　hooligan　class；　and　are　rarely　met　with　outside　their　natural　boundaries。　But　each　gang　has　its　more　prosperous　members；　gentlemen；　who；　like　the　man　of　the　Astor　roof…garden；　support　life　by　more　delicate　and　genteel　methods　than　the　rest。　The　main　body　rely　for　their　ines；　except　at　election…time；　on　such　primitive　feats　as　robbing　intoxicated　pedestrians。　The　aristocracy　of　the　gangs　soar　higher。
　It　was　a　considerable　time　before　Billy　spoke。
　〃Say；〃　he　said；　〃this　thing　wants　talking　over。〃
　〃By　all　means；　rade　Windsor。〃
　〃It's　this　way。　There's　no　doubt　now　that　we're　up　against　a　mighty　big　proposition。〃
　〃Something　of　the　sort　would　seem　to　be　the　case。〃
　〃It's　like　this。　I'm　going　to　see　this　through。　It　isn't　only　that　I　want　to　do　a　bit　of　good　to　the　poor　cusses　in　those　tenements；　though　I'd　do　it　for　that　alone。　But；　as　far　as　I'm　concerned；　there's　something　to　it　besides　that。　If　we　win　out；　I'm　going　to　get　a　job　out　of　one　of　the　big　dailies。　It'll　give　me　just　the　chance　I　need。　See　what　I　mean？　Well；　it's　different　with　you。　I　don't　see　that　it's　up　to　you　to　run　the　risk　of　getting　yourself　put　out　of　business　with　a　black…jack；　and　maybe　shot。　Once　you　get　mixed　up　with　the　gangs　there's　no　saying　what's　going　to　be　doing。　Well；　I　don't　see　why　you　shouldn't　quit。　All　this　has　got　nothing　to　do　with　you。　You're　over　here　on　a　vacation。　You　haven't　got　to　make　a　living　this　side。　You　want　to　go　about　and　have　a　good　time；　instead　of　getting　mixed　up　with〃
　He　broke　off。
　〃Well；　that's　what　I　wanted　to　say；　anyway；〃　he　concluded。
　Psmith　looked　at　him　reproachfully。
　〃Are　you　trying　to　sack　me；　rade　Windsor？〃
　How's　that？〃
　〃In　various　treatises　on　'How　to　Succeed　in　Literature；'〃　said　Psmith　sadly；　〃which　I　have　read　from　time　to　time；　I　have　always　found　it　stated　that　what　the　novice　chiefly　needed　was　an　editor　who　believed　in　him。　In　you；　rade　Windsor；　I　fancied　that　I　had　found　such　an　editor。〃
　〃What's　all　this　about？〃　demanded　Billy。　〃I'm　making　no　kick　about　your　work。〃
　〃I　gathered　from　your　remarks　that　you　were　anxious　to　receive　my　resignation。〃
　〃Well；　I　told　you　why。　I　didn't　want　you　be　black…jacked。〃
　〃Was　that　the　only　reason？〃
　Sure。〃
　〃Then　all　is　well；〃　said　Psmith；　relieved。　〃For　the　moment　I　fancied　that　my　literary　talents　had　been　weighed　in　the　balance　and　adjudged　below　par。　If　that　is　allwhy；　these　are　the　mere　everyday　risks　of　the　young　journalist's　life。　Without　them　we　should　be　dull　and　dissatisfied。　Our　work　would　lose　its　fire。　Men　such　as　ourselves；　rade　Windsor；　need　a　certain　stimulus；　a　certain　fillip；　if　they　are　to　keep　up　their　high　standards。　The　knowledge　that　a　low…browed　gentleman　is　waiting　round　the　corner　with　a　sand…bag　poised　in　air　will　just　supply　that　stimulus。　Also　that　fillip。　It　will　give　our　output　precisely　the　edge　it　requires。〃
　〃Then　you'll　stay　in　this　thing？　You'll　stick　to　the　work？〃
　〃Like　a　conscientious　leech；　rade　Windsor。〃
　〃Bully　for　you；〃　said　Billy。
　It　was　not　Psmith's　habit；　when　he　felt　deeply　on　any　subject；　to　exhibit　his　feelings；　and　this　matter　of　the　tenements　had　hit　him　harder　than　any　one　who　did　not　know　him　intimately　would　have　imagined。　Mike　would　have　understood　him；　but　Billy　Windsor　was　too　recent　an　acquaintance。　Psmith　was　one　of　those　people　who　are　content　to　accept　most　of　the　happenings　of　life　in　an　airy　spirit　of　tolerance。　Life　had　been　more　or　less　of　a　game　with　him　up　till　now。　In　his　previous　encounters　with　those　with　whom　fate　had　brought　him　in　contact　there　had　been　little　at　stake。　The　prize　of　victory　had　been　merely　a　fortable　feeling　of　having　had　the　best　of　a　battle　of　wits；　the　penalty　of　defeat　nothing　worse　than　the　disfort　of　having　failed　to　score。　But　this　tenement　business　was　different。　Here　he　had　touched　the　realities。　There　was　something　worth　fighting　for。　His　lot　had　been　cast　in　pleasant　places；　and　the　sight　of　actual　raw　misery　had　e　home　to　him　with　an　added　force　from　that　circumstance。　He　was　fully　aware　of　the　risks　that　he　must　run。　The　words　of　the　man　at　the　Astor；　and　still　more　the　episodes　of　the　family　friend　from　Missouri　and　the　taximeter　cab；　had　shown　him　that　this　thing　was　on　a　different　plane　from　anything　that　had　happened　to　him　before。　It　was　a　fight　without　the　gloves；　and　to　a　finish　at　that。　But　he　meant　to　see　it　through。　Somehow　or　other　those　tenement　houses　had　got　to　be　cleaned　up。　If　it　meant　trouble；　as　it　undoubtedly　did；　that　trouble　would　have　to　be　faced。
　〃Now　that　rade　Jarvis；〃　he　said；　〃showing　a　spirit　of　forbearance　which；　I　am　bound　to　say；　does　him　credit；　has　declined　the　congenial　task　of　fracturing　our　occiputs；　who　should　you　say；　rade　Windsor；　would　be　the　chosen　substitute？〃
　Billy　shook　his　head。　〃Now　that　Bat　has　turned　up　the　job；　it　might　be　any　one　of　three　gangs。　There　are　four　main　gangs；　you　know。　Bat's　is　the　biggest。　But　the　smallest