pgw.psmith,journalist-第19节
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〃It looks to me； rade Windsor；〃 said Psmith thoughtfully； 〃as if my stay in this great city were going to cost me a small fortune in hats。〃
Billy's prophecy proved absolutely correct。 The police were as good as their word。 In due season they rounded up the impulsive Mr。 Repetto； and he was haled before a magistrate。 And then； what a beautiful exhibition of brotherly love and auld…lang…syne camaraderie was witnessed！ One by one； smirking sheepishly； but giving out their evidence with unshaken earnestness； eleven greasy； wandering…eyed youths mounted the witness…stand and affirmed on oath that at the time mentioned dear old Jack had been making merry in their pany in a genial and law…abiding fashion； many； many blocks below the scene of the regrettable assault。 The magistrate discharged the prisoner； and the prisoner； meeting Billy and Psmith in the street outside； leered triumphantly at them。
Billy stepped up to him。 〃You may have wriggled out of this；〃 he said furiously； 〃but if you don't get a move on and quit looking at me like that； I'll knock you over the Singer Building。 Hump yourself。〃
Mr。 Repetto humped himself。
So was victory turned into defeat； and Billy's jaw became squarer and his eye more full of the light of battle than ever。 And there was need of a square jaw and a battle…lit eye； for now began a period of guerilla warfare such as no New York paper had ever had to fight against。
It was Wheeler； the gaunt manager of the business side of the journal； who first brought it to the notice of the editorial staff。 Wheeler was a man for whom in business hours nothing existed but his job； and his job was to look after the distribution of the paper。 As to the contents of the paper he was absolutely ignorant。 He had been with Cosy Moments from its start； but he had never read a line of it。 He handled it as if it were so much soap。 The scholarly writings of Mr。 Wilberfloss； the mirth…provoking sallies of Mr。 B。 Henderson Asher； the tender outpourings of Louella Granville Watermanall these were things outside his ken。 He was a distributor； and he distributed。
A few days after the restoration of Mr。 Repetto to East Side Society； Mr。 Wheeler came into the editorial room with information and desire for information。
He endeavoured to satisfy the latter first。
〃What's doing； anyway？〃 he asked。 He then proceeded to his information。 〃Some one's got it in against the paper； sure；〃 he said。 〃I don't know what it's all about。 I ha'n't never read the thing。 Don't see what any one could have against a paper with a name like Cosy Moments； anyway。 The way things have been going last few days； seems it might be the organ of a blamed mining…camp what the boys have took a dislike to。〃
〃What's been happening？〃 asked Billy with gleaming eyes。
〃Why； nothing in the world to fuss about； only our carriers can't go out without being beaten up by gangs of toughs。 Pat Harrigan's in the hospital now。 Just been looking in on him。 Pat's a feller who likes to fight。 Rather fight he would than see a ball…game。 But this was too much for him。 Know what happened？ Why； see here； just like this it was。 Pat goes out with his cart。 Passing through a low…down street on his way up…town he's held up by a bunch of toughs。 He shows fight。 Half a dozen of them attend to him； while the rest gets clean away with every copy of the paper there was in the cart。 When the cop es along； there's Pat in pieces on the ground and nobody in sight but a Dago chewing gum。 Cop asks the Dago what's been doing； and the Dago says he's only just e round the corner and ha'n't seen nothing of anybody。 What I want to know is； what's it all about？ Who's got it in for us and why？〃
Mr。 Wheeler leaned back in his chair； while Billy； his hair rumpled more than ever and his eyes glowing； explained the situation。 Mr。 Wheeler listened absolutely unmoved； and； when the narrative had e to an end； gave it as his opinion that the editorial staff had sand。 That was his sole ment。 〃It's up to you；〃 he said； rising。 〃You know your business。 Say； though； some one had better get busy right quick and do something to stop these guys rough…housing like this。 If we get a few more carriers beat up the way Pat was； there'll be a strike。 It's not as if they were all Irishmen。 The most of them are Dagoes and such； and they don't want any more fight than they can get by beating their wives and kicking kids off the sidewalk。 I'll do my best to get this paper distributed right and it's a shame if it ain't； because it's going big just nowbut it's up to you。 Good day； gents。〃
He went out。 Psmith looked at Billy。
〃As rade Wheeler remarks；〃 he said； 〃it is up to us。 What do you propose to do about it？ This is a move of the enemy which I have not anticipated。 I had fancied that their operations would be confined exclusively to our two selves。 If they are going to strew the street with our carriers； we are somewhat in the soup。〃
Billy said nothing。 He was chewing the stem of an unlighted pipe。 Psmith went on。
〃It means； of course； that we must buck up to a certain extent。 If the campaign is to be a long one； they have us where the hair is crisp。 We cannot stand the strain。 Cosy Moments cannot be muzzled； but it can undoubtedly be choked。 What we want to do is to find out the name of the man behind the tenements as soon as ever we can and publish it； and； then； if we perish； fall yelling the name。〃
Billy admitted the soundness of this scheme； but wished to know how it was to be done。
〃rade Windsor；〃 said Psmith。 〃I have been thinking this thing over； and it seems to me that we are on the wrong track； or rather we aren't on any track at all； we are simply marking time。 What we want to do is to go out and hustle round till we stir up something。 Our line up to the present has been to sit at home and scream vigorously in the hope of some stout fellow hearing and rushing to help。 In other words； we've been saying in the paper what an out…size in scugs the merchant must be who owns those tenements； in the hope that somebody else will agree with us and be sufficiently interested to get to work and find out who the blighter is。 That's all wrong。 What we must do now； rade Windsor； is put on our hats； such hats as rade Repetto has left us； and sally forth as sleuth…hounds on our own account。〃
〃Yes； but how？〃 demanded Billy。 〃That's all right in theory； but how's it going to work in practice？ The only thing that can corner the man is a mission。〃
〃Far from it； rade Windsor。 The job may be worked more simply。 I don't know how often the rents are collected in these places； but I should say at a venture once a week。 My idea is to hang negligently round till the rent…collector arrives； and when he has loomed up on the horizon； buttonhole him and ask him quite politely； as man to man； whether he is collecting those rents for himself or for somebody else； and if somebody else； who that somebody else is。 Simple； I fancy？ Yet brainy。 Do you take me； rade Windsor？〃
Billy sat up； excited。 〃I believe you've hit it。〃
Psmith shot his cuffs modestly。
CHAPTER XVIII
AN EPISODE BY THE WAY
IT was Pugsy Maloney who； on the following morning； brought to the office the gist of what is related in this chapter。 Pugsy's version was； however； brief and unadorned； as was the way with his narratives。 Such things as first causes and piquant details he avoided； as tending to prolong the telling excessively； thus keeping him from perusal of his cowboy stories。 The way Pugsy put it was as follows。 He gave the thing out merely as an item of general interest； a bubble on the surface of the life of a great city。 He did not know how nearly interested were his employers in any matter touching that gang which is known as the Three Points。 Pugsy said： 〃Dere's trouble down where I live。 Dude Dawson's mad at Spider Reilly； an' now de Table Hills are layin' for de T'ree Points。 Sure。〃 He had then retired to his outer fastness； yielding further details jerkily and with the distrait air of one whose mind is elsewhere。
Skilfully extracted and pieced together； these details formed themselves into the following typical narrative of East Side life in New York。
The really important gangs of New York are four。 There are other less important institutions； but these are little more than mere friendly gatherings of old boyhood chums for purposes of mutual panionship。 In time they may grow； as did Bat Jarvis's coterie； into formidable organisations； for the soil is undoubtedly propitious to such growth。 But at present the amount of ice which good judges declare them to cut is but small。 They 〃stick up〃 an occasional wayfarer for his 〃cush；〃 and they carry 〃canisters〃 and sometimes fire them off； but these things do not signify the cutting of ice。 In matters political there are only four gangs which count； the East Side； the Groome Street； the Three Points； and the Table Hill。 Greatest of these by virtue of their numbers are the East Side and the Groome Street； the latter presided over at the time of this story by Mr。 Bat Jarvis。 These two are colossal； and； though they may fight each other； are immune from attack at the hands of lesser gangs。 But between the other gangs； and especially between the Table Hill and the
