pgw.psmith,journalist-第23节

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　〃Dude　Dawson？　Nope。　But　I　can　ask　around。〃
　〃Do　so；　rade　Maloney。　And　when　found；　tell　him　that　his　old　college　chum；　Spider　Reilly；　is　here。　He　will　not　be　able　to　e　himself；　I　fear；　but　he　can　send　representatives。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃That's　all；　then。　Go　downstairs　with　a　gay　and　jaunty　air；　as　if　you　had　no　connection　with　the　old　firm　at　all。　Whistle　a　few　lively　bars。　Make　careless　gestures。　Thus　shall　you　win　through。　And　now　it　would　be　no　bad　idea；　I　fancy；　for　me　to　join　the　rest　of　the　brains　of　the　paper　up　aloft。　Off　you　go；　rade　Maloney。　And；　in　passing；　don't　take　a　week　about　it。　Leg　it　with　all　the　speed　you　possess。〃
　Pugsy　vanished；　and　Psmith　closed　the　door　behind　him。　Inspection　revealed　the　fact　that　it　possessed　no　lock。　As　a　barrier　it　was　useless。　He　left　it　ajar；　and；　jumping　up；　gripped　the　edge　of　the　opening　in　the　roof　and　pulled　himself　through。
　Billy　Windsor　was　seated　fortably　on　Mr。　Gooch's　chest　a　few　feet　away。　By　his　side　was　his　big　stick。　Psmith　possessed　himself　of　this；　and　looked　about　him。　The　examination　was　satisfactory。　The　trap…door　appeared　to　be　the　only　means　of　access　to　the　roof；　and　between　their　roof　and　that　of　the　next　house　there　was　a　broad　gulf。
　〃Practically　impregnable；〃　he　murmured。　〃Only　one　thing　can　dish　us；　rade　Windsor；　and　that　is　if　they　have　the　sense　to　get　on　to　the　roof　next　door　and　start　shooting。　Even　in　that　case；　however；　we　have　cover　in　the　shape　of　the　chimneys。　I　think　we　may　fairly　say　that　all　is　well。　How　are　you　getting　along？　Has　the　patient　responded　at　all？〃
　〃Not　yet；〃　said　Billy。　〃But　he's　going　to。〃
　〃He　will　be　in　your　charge。　I　must　devote　myself　exclusively　to　guarding　the　bridge。　It　is　a　pity　that　the　trap　has　not　got　a　bolt　this　side。　If　it　had；　the　thing　would　be　a　perfect　picnic。　As　it　is；　we　must　leave　it　open。　But　we　mustn't　expect　everything。〃
　Billy　was　about　to　speak；　but　Psmith　suddenly　held　up　his　hand　warningly。　From　the　room　below　came　a　sound　of　feet。
　For　a　moment　the　silence　was　tense。　Then　from　Mr。　Gooch's　lips　there　escaped　a　screech。
　〃This　way！　They're　up〃
　The　words　were　cut　short　as　Billy　banged　his　hand　over　the　speaker's　mouth。　But　the　thing　was　done。
　〃On　top　de　roof；〃　cried　a　voice。　〃Dey've　beaten　it　for　de　roof。〃
　The　chair　rasped　over　the　floor。　Feet　shuffled。　And　then；　like　a　jack…in…the…box；　there　popped　through　the　opening　a　head　and　shoulders。
　
　CHAPTER　XXI
　THE　BATTLE　OF　PLEASANT　STREET
　
　THE　new　arrival　was　a　young　man　with　a　shock　of　red　hair；　an　ingrowing　Roman　nose；　and　a　mouth　from　which　force　or　the　passage　of　time　had　removed　three　front　teeth。　He　held　on　to　the　edges　of　the　trap　with　his　hands；　and　stared　in　a　glassy　manner　into　Psmith's　face；　which　was　within　a　foot　of　his　own。
　There　was　a　momentary　pause；　broken　by　an　oath　from　Mr。　Gooch；　who　was　still　undergoing　treatment　in　the　background。
　〃Aha！〃　said　Psmith　genially。　Historic　picture。　〃Doctor　Cook　discovers　the　North　Pole。'〃
　The　red…headed　young　man　blinked。　The　strong　light　of　the　open　air　was　trying　to　his　eyes。
　〃Youse　had　better　e　down；〃　he　observed　coldly。　〃We've　got　youse。〃
　〃And；〃　continued　Psmith；　unmoved；　〃is　instantly　handed　a　gum…drop　by　his　faithful　Esquimaux。〃
　As　he　spoke；　he　brought　the　stick　down　on　the　knuckles　which　disfigured　the　edges　of　the　trap。　The　intruder　uttered　a　howl　and　dropped　out　of　sight。　In　the　room　below　there　were　whisperings　and　mutterings；　growing　gradually　louder　till　something　resembling　coherent　conversation　came　to　Psmith's　ears；　as　he　knelt　by　the　trap　making　meditative　billiard…shots　with　the　stick　at　a　small　pebble。
　〃Aw　g'wan！　Don't　be　a　quitter！〃
　〃Who's　a　quitter？
　〃Youse　is　a　quitter。　Get　on　top　de　roof。　He　can't　hoit　youse。〃
　〃De　guy's　gotten　a　big　stick。〃　Psmith　nodded　appreciatively。　〃I　and　Roosevelt；〃　he　murmured。
　A　somewhat　baffled　silence　on　the　part　of　the　attacking　force　was　followed　by　further　conversation。
　〃Gum！　some　guy's　got　to　go　up。〃　Murmur　of　assent　from　the　audience。　A　voice；　in　inspired　tones：　〃Let　Sam　do　it！〃
　This　suggestion　made　a　hit。　There　was　no　doubt　about　that。　It　was　a　success　from　the　start。　Quite　a　little　chorus　of　voices　expressed　sincere　approval　of　the　very　happy　solution　to　what　had　seemed　an　insoluble　problem。　Psmith；　listening　from　above；　failed　to　detect　in　the　choir　of　glad　voices　one　that　might　belong　to　Sam　himself。　Probably　gratification　had　rendered　the　chosen　one　dumb。
　〃Yes；　let　Sam　do　it！〃　cried　the　unseen　chorus。　The　first　speaker；　unnecessarily；　perhapsfor　the　motion　had　been　carried　almost　unanimouslybut　possibly　with　the　idea　of　convincing　the　one　member　of　the　party　in　whose　bosom　doubts　might　conceivably　be　harboured；　went　on　to　adduce　reasons。
　〃Sam　bein'　a　coon；〃　he　argued；　〃ain't　goin'　to　git　hoit　by　no　stick。　Youse　can't　hoit　a　coon　by　soakin'　him　on　de　coco；　can　you；　Sam？〃
　Psmith　waited　with　some　interest　for　the　reply；　but　it　did　not　e。　Possibly　Sam　did　not　wish　to　generalise　on　insufficient　experience。
　〃Solvitur　ambulando；〃　said　Psmith　softly；　turning　the　stick　round　in　his　fingers。　〃rade　Windsor！〃
　〃Hullo？〃
　Is　it　possible　to　hurt　a　coloured　gentleman　by　hitting　him　on　the　head　with　a　stick？〃
　〃If　you　hit　him　hard　enough。〃
　〃I　knew　there　was　some　way　out　of　the　difficulty；〃　said　Psmith　with　satisfaction。　〃How　are　you　getting　on　up　at　your　end　of　the　table；　rade　Windsor？〃
　〃Fine。〃
　〃Any　result　yet？〃
　〃Not　at　present。〃
　〃Don't　give　up。〃
　〃Not　me。〃
　〃The　right　spirit；　rade　Win〃
　A　report　like　a　cannon　in　the　room　below　interrupted　him。　It　was　merely　a　revolver　shot；　but　in　the　confined　space　it　was　deafening。　The　bullet　sang　up　into　the　sky。
　〃Never　hit　me！〃　said　Psmith　with　dignified　triumph。
　The　noise　was　succeeded　by　a　shuffling　of　feet。　Psmith　grasped　his　stick　more　firmly。　This　was　evidently　the　real　attack。　The　revolver　shot　had　been　a　mere　demonstration　of　artillery　to　cover　the　infantry's　advance。
　Sure　enough；　the　next　moment　a　woolly　head　popped　through　the　opening；　and　a　pair　of　rolling　eyes　gleamed　up　at　the　old　Etonian。
　〃Why；　Sam！〃　said　Psmith　cordially；　〃this　is　well　met！　I　remember　you。　Yes；　indeed；　I　do。　Wasn't　you　the　feller　with　the　open　umbereller　that　I　met　one　rainy　morning　on　the　Av…en…ue？　What；　are　you　ing　up？　Sam；　I　hate　to　do　it；　but〃
　A　yell　rang　out。
　〃What　was　that？〃　asked　Billy　Windsor　over　his　shoulder。
　〃Your　statement；　rade　Windsor；　has　been　tested　and　proved　correct。〃
　By　this　time　the　affair　had　begun　to　draw　a　〃gate。〃　The　noise　of　the　revolver　had　proved　a　fine　advertisement。　The　roof　of　the　house　next　door　began　to　fill　up。　Only　a　few　of　the　occupants　could　get　a　clear　view　of　the　proceedings；　for　a　large　chimney…stack　intervened。　There　was　considerable　speculation　as　to　what　was　passing　between　Billy　Windsor　and　Mr。　Gooch。　Psmith's　share　in　the　entertainment　was　more　obvious。　The　early　ers　had　seen　his　interview　with　Sam；　and　were　relating　it　with　gusto　to　their　friends。　Their　attitude　towards　Psmith　was　that　of　a　group　of　men　watching　a　terrier　at　a　rat…hole。　They　looked　to　him　to　provide　entertainment　for　them；　but　they　realised　that　the　first　move　must　be　with　the　attackers。　They　were　fair…minded　men；　and　they　did　not　expect　Psmith　to　make　any　aggressive　move。
　Their　indignation；　when　the　proceedings　began　to　grow　slow；　was　directed　entirely　at　the　dilatory　Three　Pointers。　With　an　aggrieved　air；　akin　to　that　of　a　crowd　at　a　cricket　match　when　batsmen　are　playing　for　a　draw；　they　began　to　〃barrack。〃　They　hooted　the　Three　Pointers。　They　begged　them　to　go　home　and　tuck　themselves　up　in　bed。　The　men　on　the　roof　were　mostly　Irishmen；　and　it　offended　them　to　see　what　should　have　been　a　spirited　fight　so　grossly　bungled。
　〃G'wan　away　home；　ye　quitters！〃　roared　one。
　〃Call　yersilves　the　Three　Points；　do　ye？　An'　would　ye　know　what　I　call　ye？　The　Young　Ladies'　Seminary！〃　bellowed　another　with　withering　scorn。
　A　third　member　of　the　audience　alluded　to　them　as　〃stiffs。〃
　〃I　fear；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith；　〃that　our　blithe　friends　below　are　beginning　to　grow　a　little　unpopular　with　the　many…headed。　They　must　be　up　and　doing　if　they　wish　to　retain　the　esteem　of　Pleasant　Street。　Aha！〃
　Another　and　a　longer　explosion　from　below；　and　more　bullets　wasted　themselves　on　air。　Psmith　sighed。
　〃They　make　me　tired；〃　he　said。　〃This　is　no　time　for　a　feu　de　joie。　Action！　That　is　the　cry。　Action！　Get　busy；　you　blighters！〃
　The　Irish　neighbours　expressed　the　same　sentiment　in　different　and　more　forcible　words。　There　was　no　doubt　about　itas　warriors；　the　Three　Pointers　had　failed　to　give　satisfaction。
　A　voice　from　the　room　called　up　to　Psmith。
　〃Say！〃
　〃You　have　our　ear；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃I　said　you　had　our　ear。〃
　〃Are　youse　stiffs　in'　down　off　out　of　dat　roof？〃
　〃Would　you　mind　repeating　that　remark？〃
　〃Are　youse　guys　goin'　to　quit　off　out　of　dat　roof？〃
　〃Your　grammar　is　perfectly　beastly；〃　said　Psmith　severely。
　〃Hey！〃
　〃Well？〃
　〃Are　youse　guys？〃
　〃No；　my　lad；〃　said　Psmith；　〃since　you　ask；　we　are　not。　And　why？　Because　the　air　up　here　is　refreshing；　the　view　pleasant；　and　we　are　expecting　at　any　moment　an　important　munication　from　rade　Gooch。〃
　〃We're　goin'　to　wai