pgw.psmith,journalist-第34节

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　〃Again！〃　said　Psmith。　〃I　fear　that　the　notion　that　this　journal　is　ruined　has　bee　an　obsession　with　you；　rade　Wilberfloss。　Once　again　I　assure　you　that　it　is　more　than　prosperous。〃
　〃If；〃　said　Mr。　Wilberfloss；　〃you　imagine　that　I　intend　to　take　your　word　in　this　matter；　you　are　mistaken。　I　shall　cable　Mr。　White　to…day；　and　inquire　whether　these　alterations　in　the　paper　meet　with　his　approval。〃
　〃I　shouldn't；　rade　Wilberfloss。　Cables　are　expensive；　and　in　these　hard　times　a　penny　saved　is　a　penny　earned。　Why　worry　rade　White？　He　is　so　far　away；　so　out　of　touch　with　our　New　York　literary　life。　I　think　it　is　practically　a　certainty　that　he　has　not　the　slightest　inkling　of　any　changes　in　the　paper。〃
　Mr。　Wilberfloss　uttered　a　cry　of　triumph。
　〃I　knew　it；〃　he　said；　〃I　knew　it。　I　knew　you　would　give　up　when　it　came　to　the　point；　and　you　were　driven　into　a　corner。　Now；　perhaps；　you　will　admit　that　Mr。　White　has　given　no　sanction　for　the　alterations　in　the　paper？〃
　A　puzzled　look　crept　into　Psmith's　face。
　〃I　think；　rade　Wilberfloss；〃　he　said；　〃we　are　talking　at　cross…purposes。　You　keep　harping　on　rade　White　and　his　views　and　tastes。　One　would　almost　imagine　that　you　fancied　that　rade　White　was　the　proprietor　of　this　paper。〃
　Mr。　Wilberfloss　stared。　B。　Henderson　Asher　stared。　Every　one　stared；　except　Mr。　Jarvis；　who；　since　the　readings　from　the　Kid's　reminiscences　had　ceased；　had　lost　interest　in　the　discussion；　and　was　now　entertaining　the　cats　with　a　ball　of　paper　tied　to　a　string。
　〃Fancied　that　Mr。　White　。　。　。？〃　repeated　Mr。　Wilberfloss。　〃I　don't　follow　you。　Who　is；　if　he　isn't？〃
　Psmith　removed　his　monocle；　polished　it　thoughtfully；　and　put　it　back　in　its　place。
　〃I　am；〃　he　said。
　
　CHAPTER　XXIX
　THE　KNOCK…OUT　FOR　MR　WARING
　
　〃You！〃　cried　Mr。　Wilberfloss。
　〃The　same；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃You！〃　exclaimed　Messrs。　Waterman；　Asher；　and　the　Reverend　Edwin　Philpotts。
　〃On　the　spot！〃　said　Psmith。
　Mr。　Wilberfloss　groped　for　a　chair　and　sat　down。
　〃Am　I　going　mad？〃　he　demanded　feebly。
　〃Not　so；　rade　Wilberfloss；〃　said　Psmith　encouragingly。　〃All　is　well。　The　cry　goes　round　New　York；　'rade　Wilberfloss　is　to　the　good。　He　does　not　gibber。'〃
　〃Do　I　understand　you　to　say　that　you　own　this　paper？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃Since　when？〃
　〃Roughly　speaking；　about　a　month。〃
　Among　his　audience　（still　excepting　Mr。　Jarvis；　who　was　tickling　one　of　the　cats　and　whistling　a　plaintive　melody）　there　was　a　tendency　toward　awkward　silence。　To　start　bally…ragging　a　seeming　nonentity　and　then　to　discover　he　is　the　proprietor　of　the　paper　to　which　you　wish　to　contribute　is　like　kicking　an　apparently　empty　hat　and　finding　your　rich　uncle　inside　it。　Mr。　Wilberfloss　in　particular　was　disturbed。　Editorships　of　the　kind　which　he　aspired　to　are　not　easy　to　get。　If　he　were　to　be　removed　from　Cosy　Moments　he　would　find　it　hard　to　place　himself　anywhere　else。　Editors；　like　manuscripts；　are　rejected　from　want　of　space。
　〃Very　early　in　my　connection　with　this　journal；〃　said　Psmith；　〃I　saw　that　I　was　on　to　a　good　thing。　I　had　long　been　convinced　that　about　the　nearest　approach　to　the　perfect　job　in　this　world；　where　good　jobs　are　so　hard　to　acquire；　was　to　own　a　paper。　All　you　had　to　do；　once　you　had　secured　your　paper；　was　to　sit　back　and　watch　the　other　fellows　work；　and　from　time　to　time　forward　big　cheques　to　the　bank。　Nothing　could　be　more　nicely　attuned　to　the　tastes　of　a　Shropshire　Psmith。　The　glimpses　I　was　enabled　to　get　of　the　workings　of　this　little　journal　gave　me　the　impression　that　rade　White　was　not　attached　with　any　paternal　fervour　to　Cosy　Moments。　He　regarded　It；　I　deduced；　not　so　much　as　a　life…work　as　in　the　light　of　an　investment。　I　assumed　that　rade　White　had　his　price；　and　wrote　to　my　father；　who　was　visiting　Carlsbad　at　the　moment；　to　ascertain　what　that　price　might　be。　He　cabled　it　to　me。　It　was　reasonable。　Now　it　so　happens　that　an　uncle　of　mine　some　years　ago　left　me　a　considerable　number　of　simoleons；　and　though　I　shall　not　be　legally　entitled　actually　to　close　in　on　the　opulence　for　a　matter　of　nine　months　or　so；　I　anticipated　that　my　father　would　have　no　objection　to　staking　me　to　the　necessary　amount　on　the　security　of　my　little　bit　of　money。　My　father　has　spent　some　time　of　late　hurling　me　at　various　professions；　and　we　had　agreed　some　time　ago　that　the　Law　was　to　be　my　long　suit。　Paper…owning；　however；　may　be　bined　with　being　Lord　Chancellor；　and　I　knew　he　would　have　no　objection　to　my　being　a　Napoleon　of　the　Press　on　this　side。　So　we　closed　with　rade　White；　and〃
　There　was　a　knock　at　the　door；　and　Master　Maloney　entered　with　a　card。
　〃Guy's　waiting　outside；〃　he　said。
　〃Mr。　Stewart　Waring；〃　read　Psmith。　〃rade　Maloney；　do　you　know　what　Mahomet　did　when　the　mountain　would　not　e　to　him？〃
　〃Search　me；〃　said　the　office…boy　indifferently。
　〃He　went　to　the　mountain。　It　was　a　wise　thing　to　do。　As　a　general　rule　in　life　you　can't　beat　it。　Remember　that；　rade　Maloney。〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Pugsy。　〃Shall　I　send　the　guy　in？〃
　〃Surest　thing　you　know；　rade　Maloney。〃
　He　turned　to　the　assembled　pany。
　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　how　I　hate　to　have　to　send　you　away；　but　would　you　mind　withdrawing　in　good　order？　A　somewhat　delicate　and　private　interview　is　in　the　offing。　rade　Jarvis；　we　will　meet　anon。　Your　services　to　the　paper　have　been　greatly　appreciated。　If　I　might　drop　in　some　afternoon　and　inspect　the　remainder　of　your　zoo？〃
　〃Any　time　you're　down　Groome　Street　way。　Glad。〃
　〃I　will　make　a　point　of　it。　rade　Wilberfloss；　would　you　mind　remaining？　As　editor　of　this　journal；　you　should　be　present。　If　the　rest　of　you　would　look　in　about　this　time　to…morrowShow　Mr。　Waring　in；　rade　Maloney。〃
　He　took　a　seat。
　〃We　are　now；　rade　Wilberfloss；〃　he　said；　〃at　a　crisis　in　the　affairs　of　this　journal；　but　I　fancy　we　shall　win　through。〃
　The　door　opened；　and　Pugsy　announced　Mr。　Waring。
　The　owner　of　the　Pleasant　Street　Tenements　was　of　what　is　usually　called　manding　presence。　He　was　tall　and　broad；　and　more　than　a　little　stout。　His　face　was　clean…shaven　and　curiously　expressionless。　Bushy　eyebrows　topped　a　pair　of　cold　grey　eyes。　He　walked　into　the　room　with　the　air　of　one　who　is　not　wont　to　apologise　for　existing。　There　are　some　men　who　seem　to　fill　any　room　in　which　they　may　be。　Mr。　Waring　was　one　of　these。
　He　set　his　hat　down　on　the　table　without　speaking。　After　which　he　looked　at　Mr。　Wilberfloss；　who　shrank　a　little　beneath　his　gaze。
　Psmith　had　risen　to　greet　him。
　〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　he　said。
　〃I　prefer　to　stand。〃
　〃Just　as　you　wish。　This　is　Liberty　Hall。〃
　Mr。　Waring　again　glanced　at　Mr。　Wilberfloss。
　〃What　I　have　to　say　is　private；〃　he　said。
　〃All　is　well；〃　said　Psmith　reassuringly。　〃It　is　no　stranger　that　you　see　before　you；　no　mere　irresponsible　lounger　who　has　butted　in　by　chance。　That　is　rade　J。　Fillken　Wilberfloss；　the　editor　of　this　journal。〃
　〃The　editor？　I　understood〃
　〃I　know　what　you　would　say。　You　have　rade　Windsor　in　your　mind。　He　was　merely　acting　as　editor　while　the　chief　was　away　hunting　sand…eels　in　the　jungles　of　Texas。　In　his　absence　rade　Windsor　and　I　did　our　best　to　keep　the　old　journal　booming　along；　but　it　lacked　the　master…hand。　But　now　all　is　well：　rade　Wilberfloss　is　once　more　doing　stunts　at　the　old　stand。　You　may　speak　as　freely　before　him　as　you　would　before　well；　let　us　say　rade　Parker。〃
　〃Who　are　you；　then；　if　this　gentleman　is　the　editor？〃
　〃I　am　the　proprietor。〃
　〃I　understood　that　a　Mr。　White　was　the　proprietor。〃
　〃Not　so；〃　said　Psmith。　〃There　was　a　time　when　that　was　the　case；　but　not　now。　Things　move　so　swiftly　in　New　York　journalistic　matters　that　a　man　may　well　be　excused　for　not　keeping　abreast　of　the　times；　especially　one　who；　like　yourself；　is　interested　in　politics　and　house…ownership　rather　than　in　literature。　Are　you　sure　you　won't　sit　down？〃
　Mr。　Waring　brought　his　hand　down　with　a　bang　on　the　table；　causing　Mr。　Wilberfloss　to　leap　a　clear　two　inches　from　his　chair。
　〃What　are　you　doing　it　for？〃　he　demanded　explosively。　〃I　tell　you；　you　had　better　quit　it。　It　isn't　healthy。〃
　Psmith　shook　his　head。
　〃You　are　merely　stating　in　otherand；　if　I　may　say　so；　inferiorwords　what　rade　Parker　said　to　us。　I　did　not　object　to　giving　up　valuable　time　to　listen　to　rade　Parker。　He　is　a　fascinating　conversationalist；　and　it　was　a　privilege　to　hob…nob　with　him。　But　if　you　are　merely　intending　to　cover　the　ground　covered　by　him；　I　fear　I　must　remind　you　that　this　is　one　of　our　busy　days。　Have　you　no　new　light　to　fling　upon　the　subject？〃
　Mr。　Waring　wiped　his　forehead。　He　was　playing　a　lost　game；　and　he　was　not　the　sort　of　man　who　plays　lost　games　well。　The　Waring　type　is　dangerous　when　it　is　winning；　but　it　is　apt　to　crumple　up　against　strong　defence。
　His　next　words　proved　his　demoralisation。
　〃I'll　sue　you　for　libel；〃　said　he。
　Psmith　looked　at　him　admiringly。
　〃Say　no　more；〃　he　said；　〃for　you　will　never　beat　that。　For　pure　richness　and　whimsical　humour　it　stands　alone。　During　the　past　seven　weeks　you　have　been　endeavouring　in　your　cheery　fashion　to　blot　the　editorial　staff　of　this　paper　off　the　face　of　the　earth　in　a　variety　of　ingenious　and　entertaining　ways；　and　now　you　propose　to　sue　us　for　libel！　I　wish　rade　Windsor　could　h