pgw.psmith,journalist-第27节
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Maloney equal to the job； I must look around me for some one else。 I shall be too fully occupied with purely literary matters to be able to deal with chance callers。 But I have a scheme。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃It seems to me that we are allowing much excellent material to lie unused in the shape of rade Jarvis。〃
〃Bat Jarvis。〃
〃The same。 The cat…specialist to whom you endeared yourself somewhat earlier in the proceedings by befriending one of his wandering animals。 Little deeds of kindness； little acts of love； as you have doubtless heard； help； etc。 Should we not give rade Jarvis an opportunity of proving the correctness of this statement？ I think so。 Shortly after youif you will forgive me for touching on painful subjecthave been haled to your dungeon； I will push round to rade Jarvis's address； and sound him on the subject。 Unfortunately； his affection is confined； I fancy； to you。 Whether he will consent to put himself out on my behalf remains to be seen。 However； there is no harm in trying。 If nothing else es of the visit； I shall at least have had the opportunity of chatting with one of our most prominent citizens。〃
A policeman appeared at the door。
〃Say； pal；〃 he remarked to Psmith； 〃you'll have to be fading away soon； I guess。 Give you three minutes more。 Say it quick。〃
He retired。 Billy leaned forward to Psmith。
〃I guess they won't give me much chance；〃 he whispered； 〃but if you see me around in the next day or two； don't be surprised。〃
〃I fail to follow you； rade Windsor。〃
〃Men have escaped from Blackwell's Island before now。 Not many； it's true； but it has been done。〃
Psmith shook his head。
〃I shouldn't；〃 he said。 〃They're bound to catch you； and then you will be immersed in the soup beyond hope of recovery。 I shouldn't wonder if they put you in your little cell for a year or so。〃
〃I don't care；〃 said Billy stoutly。 〃I'd give a year later on to be round and about now。〃
〃I shouldn't；〃 urged Psmith。 〃All will be well with the paper。 You have left a good man at the helm。〃
〃I guess I shan't get a chance； but I'll try it if I do。〃
The door opened and the policeman reappeared。
〃Time's up； I reckon。〃
〃Well； good…bye； rade Windsor；〃 said Psmith regretfully。 〃Abstain from undue worrying。 It's a walk…over from now on； and there's no earthly need for you to be around the office。 Once； I admit； this could not have been said。 But now things have simplified themselves。 Have no fear。 This act is going to be a scream from start to finish。〃
CHAPTER XXIV
A GATHERING OF CAT…SPECIALISTS
MASTER MALONEY raised his eyes for a moment from his book as Psmith re…entered the office。
〃Dere's a guy in dere waitin' ter see youse； he said briefly； jerking his head in the direction of the inner room。
〃A guy waiting to see me； rade Maloney？ With or without a sand…bag？〃
〃Says his name's Jackson；〃 said Master Maloney； turning a page。
Psmith moved quickly to the door of the inner room。
〃Why； rade Jackson；〃 he said； with the air of a father weling home the prodigal son； 〃this is the maddest； merriest day of all the glad New Year。 Where did you e from？〃
Mike； looking very brown and in excellent condition； put down the paper he was reading。
〃Hullo； Psmith；〃 he said。 〃I got back this morning。 We're playing a game over in Brooklyn to…morrow。〃
〃No engagements of any importance to…day？〃
〃Not a thing。 Why？〃
〃Because I propose to take you to visit rade Jarvis； whom you will doubtless remember。〃
〃Jarvis？〃 said Mike； puzzled。 〃I don't remember any Jarvis。〃
〃Let your mind wander back a little through the jungle of the past。 Do you recollect paying a visit to rade Windsor's room〃
〃By the way； where is Windsor？〃
〃In prison。 Well； on that evening〃
〃In prison？〃
〃For thirty days。 For slugging a policeman。 More of this； however； anon。 Let us return to that evening。 Don't you remember a certain gentleman with just about enough forehead to keep his front hair from getting all tangled up with his eye…brows？〃 〃Oh； the cat chap？ I know。〃
〃As you very justly observe； rade Jackson； the cat chap。 For going straight to the mark and seizing on the salient point of a situation； I know of no one who can last two minutes against you。 rade Jarvis may have other sides to his characterpossibly manybut it is as a cat chap that I wish to approach him to…day。〃
〃What's the idea？ What are you going to see him for？〃
〃We；〃 corrected Psmith。 〃I will explain all at a little luncheon at which I trust that you will be my guest。 Already； such is the stress of this journalistic life； I hear my tissues crying out imperatively to be restored。 An oyster and a glass of milk somewhere round the corner； rade Jackson？ I think so； I think so。〃
* * *
〃I was reading Cosy Moments in there；〃 said Mike； as they lunched。 〃You certainly seem to have bucked it up rather。 Kid Brady's reminiscences are hot stuff。〃
〃Somewhat sizzling； rade Jackson；〃 admitted Psmith。 〃They have； however； unfortunately cost us a fighting editor。〃
〃How's that？〃
〃Such is the boost we have given rade Brady； that he is now never without a match。 He has had to leave us to…day to go to White Plains to train for an encounter with a certain Mr。 Wood； a four…ounce…glove juggler of established fame。〃
〃I expect you need a fighting editor； don't you？〃
〃He is indispensable； rade Jackson； indispensable。〃
〃No rotting。 Has anybody cut up rough about the stuff you've printed？〃
〃Cut up rough？ Gadzooks！ I need merely say that one critical reader put a bullet through my hat〃
〃Rot！ Not really？〃
〃While others kept me tree'd on top of a roof for the space of nearly an hour。 Assuredly they have cut up rough； rade Jackson。〃
〃Great Scott！ Tell us。〃
Psmith briefly recounted the adventures of the past few weeks。
〃But； man；〃 said Mike； when he had finished 〃why on earth don't you call in the police？〃
〃We have mentioned the matter to certain of the force。 They appeared tolerably interested； but showed no tendency to leap excitedly to our assistance。 The New York policeman； rade Jackson； like all great men； is somewhat peculiar。 If you go to a New York policeman and exhibit a black eye； he will examine it and express some admiration for the abilities of the citizen responsible for the same。 If you press the matter； he bees bored； and says； 'Ain't youse satisfied with what youse got？ G'wan！' His advice in such cases is good； and should be followed。 No； since ing to this city I have developed a habit of taking care of myself； or employing private help。 That is why I should like you； if you will； to e with me to call upon rade Jarvis。 He is a person of considerable influence among that section of the populace which is endeavouring to smash in our occiputs。 Indeed； I know of nobody who cuts a greater quantity of ice。 If I can only enlist rade Jarvis's assistance； all will be well。 If you are through with your refreshment； shall we be moving in his direction？ By the way； it will probably be necessary in the course of our interview to allude to you as one of our most eminent living cat…fanciers。 You do not object？ Remember that you have in your English home seventy…four fine cats； mostly Angoras。 Are you on to that？ Then let us be going。 rade Maloney has given me the address。 It is a goodish step down on the East side。 I should like to take a taxi； but it might seem ostentatious。 Let us walk。〃
* * *
They found Mr。 Jarvis in his Groome Street fancier's shop； engaged in the intellectual occupation of greasing a cat's paws with butter。 He looked up as they entered； and began to breathe a melody with a certain coyness。
〃rade Jarvis；〃 said Psmith； 〃we meet again。 You remember me？〃
〃Nope；〃 said Mr。 Jarvis； pausing for a moment in the middle of a bar； and then taking up the air where he had left off。 Psmith was not discouraged。
〃Ah；〃 he said tolerantly； 〃the fierce rush of New York life。 How it wipes from the retina of to…day the image impressed on it but yesterday。 Are you with me； rade Jarvis？〃
The cat…expert concentrated himself on the cat's paws without replying。
〃A fine animal；〃 said Psmith； adjusting his eyeglass。 〃To which particular family of the Felis Domestica does that belong？ In colour it resembles a Neapolitan ice more than anything。〃
Mr。 Jarvis's manner became unfriendly。
〃Say； what do youse want？ That's straight ain't it？ If youse want to buy a boid or a snake why don't youse say so？〃
〃I stand corrected；〃 said Psmith。 〃I should have remembered that time is money。 I called in here partly on the strength of being a colleague and side…partner of rade Windsor〃
〃Mr。 Windsor！ De gent what caught my cat？〃
〃The sameand partly in order that I might make two very eminent cat…fanciers acquainted。 This；〃 he said； with a wave of his hand in the direction of the silently protesting Mike； 〃is rade Jackson； possibly the best known of our English cat…fanciers。 rade Jackson's stud of Angoras is celebrated wherever the King's English is spoken； and in Hoxton。〃
Mr。 Jarvis rose； and； having inspected Mike with silent admiration for a while； extended a well…buttered hand towards him。 Psmith looked on benevolently。
〃What rade Jackson does not know about cats；〃 he
