pgw.psmith,journalist-第7节

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ged　to　the　stenographer　if　Cosy　Moments　had　possessed　one；　and　a　larger　room　beyond；　which　was　the　editorial　sanctum。
　As　Psmith　passed　through　the　front　door；　Pugsy　Maloney　rose。
　〃Say！〃　said　Master　Maloney。
　〃Say　on；　rade　Maloney；〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Dey're　in　dere。〃
　〃Who；　precisely？〃
　〃A　whole　bunch　of　dem。〃
　Psmith　inspected　Master　Maloney　through　his　eye…glass。　〃Can　you　give　me　any　particulars？〃　he　asked　patiently。　〃You　are　well…meaning；　but　vague；　rade　Maloney。　Who　are　in　there？〃
　〃De　whole　bunch　of　dem。　Dere's　Mr。　Asher　and　the　Rev。　Philpotts　and　a　gazebo　what　calls　himself　Waterman　and　about　'steen　more　of　dem。〃
　A　faint　smile　appeared　upon　Psmith's　face。
　〃And　is　rade　Windsor　in　there；　too；　in　the　middle　of　them？〃
　〃Nope。　Mr。　Windsor's　out　to　lunch。〃
　〃rade　Windsor　knows　his　business。　Why　did　you　let　them　in？〃
　〃Sure；　dey　just　butted　in；〃　said　Master　Maloney　plainingly。　〃I　was　sittin'　here；　readin'　me　book；　when　de　foist　of　de　guys　blew　in。　'Boy；'　says　he；　'is　de　editor　in？'　'Nope；'　I　says。　'I'll　go　in　an'　wait；'　says　he。　'Nuttin'　doin'；'　says　I。　'Nix　on　de　goin'　in　act。'　I　might　as　well　have　saved　me　breat'。　In　he　butts；　and　he's　in　der　now。　Well；　in　about　t'ree　minutes　along　es　another　gazebo。　'Boy；'　says　he；　'is　de　editor　in？'　'Nope；'　I　says。　'I'll　wait；'　says　he　lightin'　out　for　de　door。　Wit　dat　I　sees　de　proposition's　too　fierce　for　muh。　I　can't　keep　dese　big　husky　guys　out　if　dey's　for　buttin'　in。　So　when　de　rest　of　de　bunch　es　along；　I　don't　try　to　give　dem　de　t'run　down。　I　says；　'Well；　gents；'　I　says；　'it's　up　to　youse。　De　editor　ain't　in；　but　if　youse　wants　to　join　de　giddy　t'rong；　push　t'roo　inter　de　inner　room。　I　can't　be　boddered。'〃
　〃And　what　more　could　you　have　said？〃　agreed　Psmith　approvingly。　〃Tell　me；　rade　Maloney；　what　was　the　general　average　aspect　of　these　determined　spirits？〃
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Did　they　seem　to　you　to　be　gay；　lighthearted？　Did　they　carol　snatches　of　song　as　they　went？　Or　did　they　appear　to　be　looking　for　some　one　with　a　hatchet？〃
　〃Dey　was　hoppin'…mad；　de　whole　bunch　of　dem。〃
　〃As　I　suspected。　But　we　must　not　repine；　rade　Maloney。　These　trifling　contretemps　are　the　penalties　we　pay　for　our　high　journalistic　aims。　I　will　interview　these　merchants。　I　fancy　that　with　the　aid　of　the　Diplomatic　Smile　and　the　Honeyed　Word　I　may　manage　to　pull　through。　It　is　as　well；　perhaps；　that　rade　Windsor　is　out。　The　situation　calls　for　the　handling　of　a　man　of　delicate　culture　and　nice　tact。　rade　Windsor　would　probably　have　endeavoured　to　clear　the　room　with　a　chair。　If　he　should　arrive　during　the　seance；　rade　Maloney；　be　so　good　as　to　inform　him　of　the　state　of　affairs；　and　tell　him　not　to　e　in。　Give　him　my　pliments；　and　tell　him　to　go　out　and　watch　the　snowdrops　growing　in　Madison　Square　Garden。〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　Master　Maloney。
　Then　Psmith；　having　smoothed　the　nap　of　his　hat　and　flicked　a　speck　of　dust　from　his　coat…sleeve；　walked　to　the　door　of　the　inner　room　and　went　in。
　
　CHAPTER　VIII
　THE　HONEYED　WORD
　
　MASTER　MALONEY'S　statement　that　〃about　'steen　visitors〃　had　arrived　in　addition　to　Messrs。　Asher；　Waterman；　and　the　Rev。　Philpotts　proved　to　have　been　due　to　a　great　extent　to　a　somewhat　feverish　imagination。　There　were　only　five　men　in　the　room。
　As　Psmith　entered；　every　eye　was　turned　upon　him。　To　an　outside　spectator　he　would　have　seemed　rather　like　a　very　well…dressed　Daniel　introduced　into　a　den　of　singularly　irritable　lions。　Five　pairs　of　eyes　were　smouldering　with　a　long…nursed　resentment。　Five　brows　were　corrugated　with　wrathful　lines。　Such；　however；　was　the　simple　majesty　of　Psmith's　demeanour　that　for　a　moment　there　was　dead　silence。　Not　a　word　was　spoken　as　he　paced；　wrapped　in　thought；　to　the　editorial　chair。　Stillness　brooded　over　the　room　as　he　carefully　dusted　that　piece　of　furniture；　and；　having　done　so　to　his　satisfaction；　hitched　up　the　knees　of　his　trousers　and　sank　gracefully　into　a　sitting　position。
　This　acplished；　he　looked　up　and　started。　He　gazed　round　the　room。
　〃Ha！　I　am　observed！〃　he　murmured。
　The　words　broke　the　spell。　Instantly；　the　five　visitors　burst　simultaneously　into　speech。
　〃Are　you　the　acting　editor　of　this　paper？〃
　〃I　wish　to　have　a　word　with　you；　sir。〃
　〃Mr。　Windsor；　I　presume？〃
　〃Pardon　me！〃
　〃I　should　like　a　few　moments'　conversation。〃
　The　start　was　good　and　even；　but　the　gentleman　who　said　〃Pardon　me！〃　necessarily　finished　first　with　the　rest　nowhere。
　Psmith　turned　to　him；　bowed；　and　fixed　him　with　a　benevolent　gaze　through　his　eye…glass。
　〃Are　you　Mr。　Windsor；　sir；　may　I　ask？〃　inquired　the　favoured　one。
　The　others　paused　for　the　reply。
　〃Alas！　no；〃　said　Psmith　with　manly　regret。
　〃Then　who　are　you？〃
　〃I　am　Psmith。〃
　There　was　a　pause。
　〃Where　is　Mr。　Windsor？〃
　〃He　is；　I　fancy；　champing　about　forty　cents'　worth　of　lunch　at　some　neighbouring　hostelry。〃
　〃When　will　he　return？
　〃Anon。　But　how　much　anon　I　fear　I　cannot　say。〃
　The　visitors　looked　at　each　other。
　〃This　is　exceedingly　annoying；〃　said　the　man　who　had　said　〃Pardon　me！〃　〃I　came　for　the　express　purpose　of　seeing　Mr。　Windsor。〃
　〃So　did　I；〃　chimed　in　the　rest。　〃Same　here。　So　did　I。〃
　Psmith　bowed　courteously。
　〃rade　Windsor's　loss　is　my　gain。　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃
　〃Are　you　on　the　editorial　staff　of　this　paper？〃
　〃I　am　acting　sub…editor。　The　work　is　not　light；〃　added　Psmith　gratuitously。　〃Sometimes　the　cry　goes　round；　'Can　Psmith　get　through　it　all？　Will　his　strength　support　his　unquenchable　spirit？'　But　I　stagger　on。　I　do　not　repine。〃
　〃Then　maybe　you　can　tell　me　what　all　this　means？〃　said　a　small　round　gentleman　who　so　far　had　done　only　chorus　work。
　〃If　it　is　in　my　power　to　do　so；　it　shall　be　done；　radeI　have　not　the　pleasure　of　your　name。〃
　〃My　name　is　Waterman；　sir。　I　am　here　on　behalf　of　my　wife；　whose　name　you　doubtless　know。〃
　〃Correct　me　if　I　am　wrong；〃　said　Psmith；　〃but　I　should　say　it；　also；　was　Waterman。〃
　〃Luella　Granville　Waterman；　sir；〃　said　the　little　man　proudly。　Psmith　removed　his　eye…glass；　polished　it；　and　replaced　it　in　his　eye。　He　felt　that　he　must　run　no　risk　of　not　seeing　clearly　the　husband　of　one　who；　in　his　opinion；　stood　alone　in　literary　circles　as　a　purveyor　of　sheer　bilge。
　〃My　wife；〃　continued　the　little　man；　producing　an　envelope　and　handing　it　to　Psmith；　〃has　received　this　extraordinary　munication　from　a　man　signing　himself　W。　Windsor。　We　are　both　at　a　loss　to　make　head　or　tail　of　it。〃
　Psmith　was　reading　the　letter。
　〃It　seems　reasonably　clear　to　me；〃　he　said。
　〃It　is　an　outrage。　My　wife　has　been　a　contributor　to　this　journal　from　its　foundation。　Her　work　has　given　every　satisfaction　to　Mr。　Wilberfloss。　And　now；　without　the　slightest　warning；　es　this　peremptory　dismissal　from　W。　Windsor。　Who　is　W。　Windsor？　Where　is　Mr。　Wilberfloss？〃
　The　chorus　burst　forth。　It　seemed　that　that　was　what　they　all　wanted　to　know：　Who　was　W。　Windsor？　Where　was　Mr。　Wilberfloss？
　〃I　am　the　Reverend　Edwin　T。　Philpotts；　sir；〃　said　a　cadaverous…　looking　man　with　pale　blue　eyes　and　a　melancholy　face。　〃I　have　　contributed　'Moments　of　Meditation'　to　this　journal　for　a　very　　considerable　period　of　time。〃
　〃I　have　read　your　page　with　the　keenest　interest；〃　said　Psmith。　〃I　may　be　wrong；　but　yours　seems　to　me　work　which　the　world　will　not　willingly　let　die。〃
　The　Reverend　Edwin's　frosty　face　thawed　into　a　bleak　smile。
　〃And　yet；〃　continued　Psmith；　〃I　gather　that　rade　Windsor；　on　the　other　hand；　actually　wishes　to　hurry　on　its　decease。　It　is　these　strange　contradictions；　these　clashings　of　personal　taste；　which　make　up　what　we　call　life。　Here　we　have；　on　the　one　hand〃
　A　man　with　a　face　like　a　walnut；　who　had　hitherto　lurked　almost　unseen　behind　a　stout　person　in　a　serge　suit；　bobbed　into　the　open；　and　spoke　his　piece。
　〃Where's　this　fellow　Windsor？　W。　Windsor。　That's　the　man　we　want　to　see。　I've　been　working　for　this　paper　without　a　break；　except　when　I　had　the　mumps；　for　four　years；　and　I've　reason　to　know　that　my　page　was　as　widely　read　and　appreciated　as　any　in　New　York。　And　now　up　es　this　Windsor　fellow；　if　you　please；　and　tells　me　in　so　many　words　the　paper's　got　no　use　for　me。〃
　〃These　are　life's　tragedies；〃　murmured　Psmith。
　〃What's　he　mean　by　it？　That's　what　I　want　to　know。　And　that's　what　these　gentlemen　want　to　knowSee　here〃
　〃I　am　addressing？〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Asher's　my　name。　B。　Henderson　Asher。　I　write　'Moments　of　Mirth。'〃
　A　look　almost　of　excitement　came　into　Psmith's　face；　such　a　look　as　a　visitor　to　a　foreign　land　might　wear　when　confronted　with　some　great　national　monument。　That　he　should　be　privileged　to　look　upon　the　author　of　〃Moments　of　Mirth〃　in　the　flesh；　face　to　face；　was　almost　too　much。
　〃rade　Asher；〃　he　said　reverently；　〃may　I　shake　your　hand？〃
　The　other　extended　his　hand　with　some　suspicion。
　〃Your　'Moments　of　Mirth；'〃　said　Psmith；　shaking　it；　〃have　frequently　reconciled　me　to　the　toothache。〃
　He　reseated　himself。
　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　a　painful　case。　The　circumstances；　as　you　will　readily　admit　when　you　have　heard　all；　are　peculiar。　You　have　asked　me　where　Mr。　Wilberfloss　is。　I　do　not　know。〃
　〃You　don't　know！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Waterman。
　〃I　don't　know。　You　don't　know。　They；〃　said　Psmith；　indicating　the　re