pgw.adamselindistress-第6部分

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After　one　look　at　some　people　even　friendship　is　impossible。　Such　a　one；　in　George's　opinion；　was　this　gurgling　excrescence　underneath　the　silk　hat。　He　prised　in　his　single　person　practically　all　the　qualities　which　George　disliked　most。　He　was；　for　a　young　man；　extraordinarily　obese。　Already　a　second　edition　of　his　chin　had　been　published；　and　the　perfectly…cut　morning　coat　which　encased　his　upper　section　bulged　out　in　an　opulent　semi…circle。　He　wore　a　little　moustache；　which　to　George's　prejudiced　eye　seemed　more　a　plaint　than　a　moustache。　His　face　was　red；　his　manner　dictatorial；　and　he　was　touched　in　the　wind。　Take　him　for　all　in　all　he　looked　like　a　bit　of　bad　news。
　George　had　been　educated　at　Lawrenceville　and　Harvard；　and　had　subsequently　had　the　privilege　of　mixing　socially　with　many　of　New　York's　most　prominent　theatrical　managers；　so　he　knew　how　to　behave　himself。　No　Vere　de　Vere　could　have　exhibited　greater　repose　of　manner。
　〃And　what；〃　he　inquired　suavely；　leaning　a　little　further　out　of　the　cab；　〃is　eating　you；　Bill？〃
　A　messenger　boy；　two　shabby　men　engaged　in　non…essential　industries；　and　a　shop　girl　paused　to　observe　the　scene。　Time　was　not　of　the　essence　to　these　confirmed　sightseers。　The　shop　girl　was　late　already；　so　it　didn't　matter　if　she　was　any　later；　the　messenger　boy　had　nothing　on　hand　except　a　message　marked　〃Important：　Rush〃；　and　as　for　the　two　shabby　men；　their　only　immediate　plans　consisted　of　a　vague　intention　of　getting　to　some　public　house　and　leaning　against　the　wall；　so　George's　time　was　their　time。　One　of　the　pair　put　his　head　on　one　side　and　said：　〃What　ho！〃；　the　other　picked　up　a　cigar　stub　from　the　gutter　and　began　to　smoke。
　〃A　young　lady　just　got　into　your　cab；〃　said　the　stout　young　man。
　〃Surely　not？〃　said　George。
　〃What　the　devil　do　you　meansurely　not？〃
　〃I've　been　in　the　cab　all　the　time；　and　I　should　have　noticed　it。〃
　At　this　juncture　the　block　in　the　traffic　was　relieved；　and　the　cab　bowled　smartly　on　for　some　fifty　yards　when　it　was　again　halted。　George；　protruding　from　the　window　like　a　snail；　was　entertained　by　the　spectacle　of　the　pursuit。　The　hunt　was　up。　　Short　of　throwing　his　head　up　and　baying；　the　stout　young　man　behaved　exactly　as　a　bloodhound　in　similar　circumstances　would　have　conducted　itself。　He　broke　into　a　jerky　gallop；　attended　by　his　self…appointed　associates；　and；　considering　that　the　young　man　was　so　stout；　that　the　messenger　boy　considered　it　unprofessional　to　hurry；　that　the　shop　girl　had　doubts　as　to　whether　sprinting　was　quite　ladylike；　and　that　the　two　Bohemians　were　moving　at　a　quicker　gait　than　a　shuffle　for　the　first　occasion　in　eleven　years；　the　cavalcade　made　good　time。　The　cab　was　still　stationary　when　they　arrived　in　a　body。
　〃Here　he　is；　guv'nor；〃　said　the　messenger　boy；　removing　a　bead　of　perspiration　with　the　rush　message。
　〃Here　he　is；　guv'nor；〃　said　the　non…smoking　Bohemian。　　〃What　oh！〃
　〃Here　I　am！〃　agreed　George　affably。　〃And　what　can　I　do　for　you？〃　　The　smoker　spat　appreciatively　at　a　passing　dog。　The　point　seemed　to　him　well　taken。　Not　for　many　a　day　had　he　so　enjoyed　himself。　In　an　arid　world　containing　too　few　goes　of　gin　and　too　many　policemen；　a　world　in　which　the　poor　were　oppressed　and　could　seldom　even　enjoy　a　quiet　cigar　without　having　their　fingers　trodden　upon；　he　found　himself　for　the　moment　contented；　happy；　and　expectant。　This　looked　like　a　row　between　toffs；　and　of　all　things　which　most　intrigued　him　a　row　between　toffs　ranked　highest。
　〃R！〃　he　said　approvingly。　〃Now　you're　torkin'！〃
　The　shop　girl　had　espied　an　acquaintance　in　the　crowd。　She　gave　tongue。
　〃Mordee！　Cummere！　Cummere　quick！　Sumfin'　hap'nin'！〃　Maudie；　acpanied　by　perhaps　a　dozen　more　of　London's　millions；　added　herself　to　the　audience。　These　all　belonged　to　the　class　which　will　gather　round　and　watch　silently　while　a　motorist　mends　a　tyre。　They　are　not　impatient。　They　do　not　call　for　rapid　and　continuous　action。　A　mere　hole　in　the　ground；　which　of　all　sights　is　perhaps　the　least　vivid　and　dramatic；　is　enough　to　grip　their　attention　for　hours　at　a　time。　They　stared　at　George　and　George's　cab　with　unblinking　gaze。　They　did　not　know　what　would　happen　or　when　it　would　happen；　but　they　intended　to　wait　till　something　did　happen。　It　might　be　for　years　or　it　might　be　for　ever；　but　they　meant　to　be　there　when　things　began　to　occur。
　Speculations　became　audible。
　〃Wot　is　it？　'Naccident？〃
　〃Nah！　Gent　'ad　'is　pocket　picked！〃
　〃Two　toffs　'ad　a　scrap！〃
　〃Feller　bilked　the　cabman！〃
　A　sceptic　made　a　cynical　suggestion。
　〃They're　doin'　of　it　for　the　pictures。〃
　The　idea　gained　instant　popularity。
　〃Jear　that？　It's　a　fillum！〃
　〃Wot　o'；　Charlie！〃
　〃The　kemerer's　'idden　in　the　keb。〃
　〃Wot'll　they　be　up　to　next！〃
　A　red…nosed　spectator　with　a　tray　of　collar…studs　harnessed　to　his　stomach　started　another　school　of　thought。　He　spoke　with　decision　as　one　having　authority。
　〃Nothin'　of　the　blinkin'　kind！　The　fat　'un's　bin　'avin'　one　or　two　around　the　corner；　and　it's　gorn　and　got　into　'is　'ead！〃
　The　driver　of　the　cab；　who　till　now　had　been　ostentatiously　unaware　that　there　was　any　sort　of　disturbance　among　the　lower　orders；　suddenly　became　humanly　inquisitive。
　〃What's　it　all　about？〃　he　asked；　swinging　around　and　addressing　George's　head。
　〃Exactly　what　I　want　to　know；〃　said　George。　He　indicated　the　collar…stud　merchant。　〃The　gentleman　over　there　with　the　portable　Woolworth…bargain…counter　seems　to　me　to　have　the　best　theory。〃
　The　stout　young　man；　whose　peculiar　behaviour　had　drawn　all　this　flattering　attention　from　the　many…headed　and　who　appeared　considerably　ruffled　by　the　publicity；　had　been　puffing　noisily　during　the　foregoing　conversation。　Now；　having　recovered　sufficient　breath　to　resume　the　attack；　he　addressed　himself　to　George　once　more。
　〃Damn　you；　sir；　will　you　let　me　look　inside　that　cab？〃
　〃Leave　me；〃　said　George；　〃I　would　be　alone。〃
　〃There　is　a　young　lady　in　that　cab。　I　saw　her　get　in；　and　I　have　been　watching　ever　since；　and　she　has　not　got　out；　so　she　is　there　now。〃
　George　nodded　approval　of　this　close　reasoning。
　〃Your　argument　seems　to　be　without　a　flaw。　But　what　then？　　We　applaud　the　Man　of　Logic；　but　what　of　the　Man　of　Action？　　What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃
　〃Get　out　of　my　way！〃
　〃I　won't。〃
　〃Then　I'll　force　my　way　in！〃
　〃If　you　try　it；　I　shall　infallibly　bust　you　one　on　the　jaw。〃
　The　stout　young　man　drew　back　a　pace。
　〃You　can't　do　that　sort　of　thing；　you　know。〃
　〃I　know　I　can't；〃　said　George；　〃but　I　shall。　In　this　life；　my　dear　sir；　we　must　be　prepared　for　every　emergency。　We　must　distinguish　between　the　unusual　and　the　impossible。　It　would　be　unusual　for　a　parative　stranger　to　lean　out　of　a　cab　window　and　sock　you　one；　but　you　appear　to　have　laid　your　plans　on　the　assumption　that　it　would　be　impossible。　Let　this　be　a　lesson　to　you！〃
　〃I　tell　you　what　it　is〃
　〃The　advice　I　give　to　every　young　man　starting　life　is　'Never　confuse　the　unusual　with　the　impossible！'　Take　the　present　case；　for　instance。　If　you　had　only　realized　the　possibility　of　somebody　some　day　busting　you　on　the　jaw　when　you　tried　to　get　into　a　cab；　you　might　have　thought　out　dozens　of　crafty　schemes　for　dealing　with　the　matter。　As　it　is；　you　are　unprepared。　The　thing　es　on　you　as　a　surprise。　The　whisper　flies　around　the　clubs：　'Poor　old　What's…his…name　has　been　taken　unawares。　He　cannot　cope　with　the　situation！〃
　The　man　with　the　collar…studs　made　another　diagnosis。　He　was　seeing　clearer　and　clearer　into　the　thing　every　minute。
　〃Looney！〃　he　decided。　〃This　'ere　one's　bin　moppin'　of　it　up；　and　the　one　in　the　keb's　orf　'is　bloomin'　onion。　That's　why　'e　's　standin'　up　instead　of　settin'。　'E　won't　set　down　'cept　you　bring　'im　a　bit　o'　toast；　'cos　he　thinks　'e　's　a　poached　egg。〃
　George　beamed　upon　the　intelligent　fellow。
　〃Your　reasoning　is　admirable；　but〃
　He　broke　off　here；　not　because　he　had　not　more　to　say；　but　for　the　reason　that　the　stout　young　man；　now　in　quite　a　Berserk　frame　of　mind；　made　a　sudden　spring　at　the　cab　door　and　clutched　the　handle；　which　he　was　about　to　wrench　when　George　acted　with　all　the　promptitude　and　decision　which　had　marked　his　behaviour　from　the　start。
　It　was　a　situation　which　called　for　the　nicest　judgment。　To　allow　the　assailant　free　play　with　the　handle　or　even　to　wrestle　with　him　for　its　possession　entailed　the　risk　that　the　door　might　open　and　reveal　the　girl。　To　bust　the　young　man　on　the　jaw；　as　promised；　on　the　other　hand；　was　not　in　George's　eyes　a　practical　policy。　Excellent　a　deterrent　as　the　threat　of　such　a　proceeding　might　be；　its　actual　acplishment　was　not　to　be　thought　of。　　Gaols　yawn　and　actions　for　assault　lie　in　wait　for　those　who　go　about　the　place　busting　their　fellows　on　the　jaw。　No。　Something　swift；　something　decided　and　immediate　was　indicated；　but　something　that　stopped　short　of　technical　battery。
　George　brought　his　hand　round　with　a　sweep　and　knocked　the　stout　young　man's　silk　hat　off。
　The　effect　was　magical。　We　all　of　us　have　our　Achilles　heel；　andparadoxically　enoughin　the　case　of　the　stout　young　man　that　heel　was　his　hat。　Superbly　built　by　the　only　hatter　in　London　who　can　construct　a　silk　hat　that　is　a　silk　hat；　and　freshly　ironed　by　loving　hands　but　a　brief　hour　before　at　the　only　shaving…parlour　in　London　where　ironing　is　ironing　and　not　a　brutal　attack；　it　was　his　pride　and　joy。　To　lose　it　was　like　losing　his　trousers。　It　made　him　feel　insufficiently　clad。　With　a　passionate　cry　like　that　of　some　wild　creature　deprived　of　its　young；　the　erstwhile　Berserk　released　the　handle　and　sprang　in　pursuit。　At　the　same　moment　the　traffic　moved　on　again。
　The　last　George　saw　was　a　group　scene　with　the　stout　young　man　in　the　middle　of　it。　The　hat　had　been　popped　up　into　the　infield；　where　it　had　been　caught　by　the　messenger　boy。　The　stout　young　man　was　bending　over　it　and　stroking　it　with　soothing　fingers。　It　was　too　far　off　for　anything　to　be　audible；　but　he　seemed　to　George　to　be　murmuring　words　of　endearment　to　it。　　Then；　placing　it　on　his　head；　he　darted　out　into　the　road　and　George　saw　him　no　more。　The　audience　remained　motionless；　staring　at　the　spot　where　the　incident　had　happened。　They　would　continue　to　do　this　till　the　next　policeman　ca