pgw.psmith,journalist-第21节

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ime。　What　is　today？　How　long　before　the　end　of　the　month？　Another　week！　A　murrain　on　it；　rade　Windsor。　Two　murrains。　This　delay　may　undo　us。〃
　But　the　days　went　by　without　any　further　movement　on　the　part　of　the　enemy。　A　strange　quiet　seemed　to　be　brooding　over　the　other　camp。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　sudden　outbreak　of　active　hostilities　with　the　Table　Hill　contingent　had　had　the　effect　of　taking　the　minds　of　Spider　Reilly　and　his　warriors　off　Cosy　Moments　and　its　affairs；　much　as　the　unexpected　appearance　of　a　mad　bull　would　make　a　man　forget　that　he　had　e　out　butterfly…hunting。　Psmith　and　Billy　could　wait；　they　were　not　likely　to　take　the　offensive；　but　the　Table　Hillites　demanded　instant　attention。
　War　had　broken　out；　as　was　usual　between　the　gangs；　in　a　somewhat　tentative　fashion　at　first　sight。　There　had　been　sniping　and　skirmishes　by　the　wayside；　but　as　yet　no　pitched　battle。　The　two　armies　were　sparring　for　an　opening。　
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　The　end　of　the　week　arrived；　and　Psmith　and　Billy；　conducted　by　Master　Maloney；　made　their　way　to　Pleasant　Street。　To　get　there　it　was　necessary　to　pass　through　a　section　of　the　enemy's　country；　but　the　perilous　passage　was　safely　negotiated。　The　expedition　reached　its　unsavoury　goal　intact。
　The　wop　kid；　whose　name；　it　appeared；　was　Giuseppe　Orloni；　inhabited　a　small　room　at　the　very　top　of　the　building　next　to　the　one　Psmith　and　Mike　had　visited　on　their　first　appearance　in　Pleasant　Street。　He　was　out　when　the　party；　led　by　Pugsy　up　dark　stairs；　arrived；　and；　on　returning；　seemed　both　surprised　and　alarmed　to　see　visitors。　Pugsy　undertook　to　do　the　honours。　Pugsy　as　interpreter　was　energetic　but　not　wholly　successful。　He　appeared　to　have　a　fixed　idea　that　the　Italian　language　was　one　easily　mastered　by　the　simple　method　of　saying　〃da〃　instead　of　〃the；〃　and　tacking　on　a　final　〃a〃　to　any　word　that　seemed　to　him　to　need　one。
　〃Say；　kid；〃　he　began；　〃has　da　rent…a…man　e　yet…a？〃
　The　black　eyes　of　the　wop　kid　clouded。　He　gesticulated；　and　said　something　in　his　native　language。
　〃He　hasn't　got　next；〃　reported　Master　Maloney。　〃He　can't　git　on　to　me　curves。　Dese　wop　kids　is　all　boneheads。　Say；　kid；　look…a　here。〃　He　walked　out　of　the　room　and　closed　the　door；　then；　rapping　on　it　smartly　from　the　outside；　re…entered　and；　assuming　a　look　of　extreme　ferocity；　stretched　out　his　hand　and　thundered：　〃Unbelt…a！　Slip…a　me　da　stuff！〃
　The　wop　kid's　puzzlement　became　pathetic。
　〃This；〃　said　Psmith；　deeply　interested；　〃is　getting　about　as　tense　as　anything　I　ever　struck。　Don't　give　in；　rade　Maloney。　Who　knows　but　that　you　may　yet　win　through？　I　fancy　the　trouble　is　that　your　too　perfect　Italian　accent　is　making　the　youth　home…sick。　Once　more　to　the　breach；　rade　Maloney。〃
　Master　Maloney　made　a　gesture　of　disgust。　〃I'm　t'roo。　Dese　Dagoes　makes　me　tired。　Dey　don't　know　enough　to　go　upstairs　to　take　de　Elevated。　Beat　it；　you　mutt；〃　he　observed　with　moody　displeasure　to　the　wop　kid；　acpanying　the　words　with　a　gesture　which　conveyed　its　own　meaning。　The　wop　kid；　plainly　glad　to　get　away；　slipped　out　of　the　door　like　a　shadow。
　Pugsy　shrugged　his　shoulders。
　〃Gents；〃　he　said　resignedly；　〃it's　up　to　youse。〃
　〃I　fancy；〃　said　Psmith；　〃that　this　is　one　of　those　moments　when　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　unlimber　my　Sherlock　Holmes　system。　As　thus。　If　the　rent　collector　had　been　here；　it　is　certain；　I　think；　that　rade　Spaghetti；　or　whatever　you　said　his　name　was；　wouldn't　have　been。　That　is　to　say；　if　the　rent　collector　had　called　and　found　no　money　waiting　for　him；　surely　rade　Spaghetti　would　have　been　out　in　the　cold　night　instead　of　under　his　own　roof…tree。　Do　you　follow　me；　rade　Maloney？〃
　〃That's　right；〃　said　Billy　Windsor。　〃Of　course。〃
　〃Elementary；　my　dear　Watson；　elementary；〃　murmured　Psmith。
　〃So　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　sit　here　and　wait。〃
　〃All？〃　said　Psmith　sadly。　〃Surely　it　is　enough。　For　of　all　the　scaly　localities　I　have　struck　this　seems　to　me　the　scaliest。　The　architect　of　this　Stately　Home　of　America　seems　to　have　had　a　positive　hatred　for　windows。　His　idea　of　ventilation　was　to　leave　a　hole　in　the　wall　about　the　size　of　a　lima　bean　and　let　the　thing　go　at　that。　If　our　friend　does　not　arrive　shortly；　I　shall　pull　down　the　roof。　Why；　gadzooks！　Not　to　mention　stap　my　vitals！　Isn't　that　a　trap…door　up　there？　Make　a　long…arm；　rade　Windsor。〃
　Billy　got　on　a　chair　and　pulled　the　bolt。　The　trap…door　opened　downwards。　It　fell；　disclosing　a　square　of　deep　blue　sky。
　〃Gum！〃　he　said。　〃Fancy　living　in　this　atmosphere　when　you　don't　have　to。　Fancy　these　fellows　keeping　that　shut　all　the　time。〃
　〃I　expect　it　is　an　acquired　taste；〃　said　Psmith；　〃like　Limburger　cheese。　They　don't　begin　to　appreciate　air　till　it　is　thick　enough　to　scoop　chunks　out　of　with　a　spoon。　Then　they　get　up　on　their　hind　legs　and　inflate　their　chests　and　say；　'This　is　fine！　This　beats　ozone　hollow！'　Leave　it　open；　rade　Windsor。　And　now；　as　to　the　problem　of　dispensing　with　rade　Maloney's　services？〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Billy。　〃Beat　it；　Pugsy；　my　lad。〃
　Pugsy　looked　up；　indignant。
　〃Beat　it？〃　he　queried。
　〃While　your　shoe　leather's　good；〃　said　Billy。　〃This　is　no　place　for　a　minister's　son。　There　may　be　a　rough　house　in　here　any　minute；　and　you　would　be　in　the　way。〃
　〃I　want　to　stop　and　pipe　de　fun；〃　objected　Master　Maloney。
　〃Never　mind。　Cut　off。　We'll　tell　you　all　about　it　to…morrow。〃
　Master　Maloney　prepared　reluctantly　to　depart。　As　he　did　so　there　was　a　sound　of　a　well…shod　foot　on　the　stairs；　and　a　man　in　a　snuff…coloured　suit；　wearing　a　brown　Homburg　hat　and　carrying　a　small　notebook　in　one　hand；　walked　briskly　into　the　room。　It　was　not　necessary　for　Psmith　to　get　his　Sherlock　Holmes　system　to　work。　His　whole　appearance　proclaimed　the　new…er　to　be　the　long…expected　collector　of　rents。
　
　CHAPTER　XX
　CORNERED
　
　HE　stood　in　the　doorway　looking　with　some　surprise　at　the　group　inside。　He　was　a　smallish；　pale…faced　man　with　protruding　eyes　and　teeth　which　gave　him　a　certain　resemblance　to　a　rabbit。
　〃Hello；〃　he　said。
　〃Wele　to　New　York；〃　said　Psmith。
　Master　Maloney；　who　had　taken　advantage　of　the　interruption　to　edge　farther　into　the　room；　now　appeared　to　consider　the　question　of　his　departure　permanently　shelved。　He　sidled　to　a　corner　and　sat　down　on　an　empty　soap…box　with　the　air　of　a　dramatic　critic　at　the　opening　night　of　a　new　play。　The　scene　looked　good　to　him。　It　promised　interesting　developments。　Master　Maloney　was　an　earnest　student　of　the　drama；　as　exhibited　in　the　theatres　of　the　East　Side；　and　few　had　ever　applauded　the　hero　of　〃Escaped　from　Sing…Sing；〃　or　hissed　the　villain　of　〃Nellie；　the　Beautiful　Cloak…Model〃　with　more　fervour　than　he。　He　liked　his　drama　to　have　plenty　of　action；　and　to　his　practised　eye　this　one　promised　well。　Psmith　he　looked　upon　as　a　quite　amiable　lunatic；　from　whom　little　was　to　be　expected；　but　there　was　a　set　expression　on　Billy　Windsor's　face　which　suggested　great　things。
　His　pleasure　was　abruptly　quenched。　Billy　Windsor；　placing　a　firm　hand　on　his　collar；　led　him　to　the　door　and　pushed　him　out；　closing　the　door　behind　him。
　The　rent　collector　watched　these　things　with　a　puzzled　eye。　He　now　turned　to　Psmith。
　〃Say；　seen　anything　of　the　wops　that　live　here？〃　he　inquired。
　〃I　am　addressing？〃　said　Psmith　courteously。
　〃My　name's　Gooch。〃
　Psmith　bowed。
　〃Touching　these　wops；　rade　Gooch；〃　he　said；　〃I　fear　there　is　little　chance　of　your　seeing　them　to…night；　unless　you　wait　some　considerable　time。　With　one　of　themthe　son　and　heir　of　the　family；　I　should　saywe　have　just　been　having　a　highly　interesting　and　informative　chat。　rade　Maloney；　who　has　just　left　us；　acted　as　interpreter。　The　father；　I　am　told；　is　in　the　dungeon　below　the　castle　moat　for　a　brief　spell　for　punching　his　foreman　in　the　eye。　The　result？　The　rent　is　not　forthing。〃
　〃Then　it's　outside　for　theirs；〃　said　Mr。　Gooch　definitely。
　〃It's　a　big　shame；〃　broke　in　Billy；　〃turning　the　kid　out。　Where's　he　to　go？〃
　〃That's　up　to　him。　Nothing　to　do　with　me。　I'm　only　acting　under　orders　from　up　top。〃
　〃Whose　orders；　rade　Gooch？〃　inquired　Psmith。
　〃The　gent　who　owns　this　joint。〃
　〃Who　is　he？〃　said　Billy。
　Suspicion　crept　into　the　protruding　eyes　of　the　rent　collector。　He　waxed　wroth。　〃Say〃　he　demanded。　〃Who　are　you　two　guys；　anyway；　and　what　do　you　think　you're　doing　here？　That's　what　I'd　like　to　know。　What　do　you　want　with　the　name　of　the　owner　of　this　place？　What　business　is　it　of　yours？〃
　〃The　fact　is；　rade　Gooch；　we　are　newspaper　men。〃
　〃I　guessed　you　were；〃　said　Mr。　Gooch　with　triumph。　〃You　can't　bluff　me。　Well；　it's　no　good；　boys。　I've　nothing　for　you。　You'd　better　chase　off　and　try　something　else。〃
　He　became　more　friendly。
　〃Say；　though；〃　he　said；　〃I　just　guessed　you　were　from　some　paper。　I　wish　I　could　give　you　a　story；　but　I　can't。　I　guess　it's　this　Cosy　Moments　business　that's　been　and　put　your　editor　on　to　this　joint；　ain't　it？　Say；　though；　that's　a　queer　thing；　that　paper。　Why；　only　a　few　weeks　ago　it　used　to　be　a　sort　of　take…home…and…read…to…the…kids　affair。　A　friend　of　mine　used　to　buy　it　regular。　And　then　suddenly　it　es　out　with　a　regular　　whoop；　and　started　knocking　these　tenements　and　boosting　Kid　Brady；　and　all　that。　I　can't　understand　it。　All