pgw.piccadillyjim-第4部分

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sn't　worry　her　any　moreshe's　grown　out　of　the　school…girl　stagebut　you　can　bet　she　isn't　going　to　get　up　and　give　three　cheers　and　a　tiger　if　you　bring　young　Crocker　to　live　in　the　same　house。〃
　〃Utterly　ridiculous！〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃I　certainly　do　not　intend　to　alter　my　plans　because　of　a　trivial　incident　that　happened　years　ago。　We　will　sail　on　Wednesday。〃
　〃Very　well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Pett　resignedly。
　〃Just　as　you　say。　Erjust　you　and　I？〃
　〃And　Ogden；　of　course。〃
　Mr。　Pett　controlled　a　facial　spasm　with　a　powerful　effort　of　the　will。　He　had　feared　this。
　〃I　wouldn't　dream　of　leaving　him　here　while　I　went　away；　after　what　happened　when　poor　dear　Elmer　sent　him　to　school　in　England　that　time。〃　The　late　Mr。　Ford　had　spent　most　of　his　married　life　either　quarrelling　with　or　separated　from　his　wife；　but　since　death　he　had　been　canonised　as　'poor　dear　Elmer。'　〃Besides；　the　sea　voyage　will　do　the　poor　darling　good。　He　has　not　been　looking　at　all　well　lately。〃
　〃If　Ogden's　ing；　I'd　like　to　take　Ann。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃She　can〃　he　sought　for　a　euphemism。
　〃Keep　in　order〃　was　the　expression　he　wished　to　avoid。　To　his　mind　Ann　was　the　only　known　antidote　for　Ogden；　but　he　felt　it　would　be　impolitic　to　say　so。〃look　after　him　on　the　boat；〃　he　concluded。　〃You　know　you　are　a　bad　sailor。〃
　〃Very　well。　Bring　AnnOh；　Peter；　that　reminds　me　of　what　I　wanted　to　say　to　you；　which　this　dreadful　thing　in　the　paper　drove　pletely　out　of　my　mind。　Lord　Wisbeach　has　asked　Ann　to　marry　him！〃
　Mr。　Pett　looked　a　little　hurt。　〃She　didn't　tell　me。〃　Ann　usually　confided　in　him。
　〃She　didn't　tell　me；　either。　Lord　Wisbeach　told　me。　He　said　Ann　had　promised　to　think　it　over；　and　give　him　his　answer　later。　Meanwhile；　he　had　e　to　me　to　assure　himself　that　I　approved。　I　thought　that　so　charming　of　him。〃
　Mr。　Pett　was　frowning。
　〃She　hasn't　accepted　him？〃
　〃Not　definitely。〃
　〃I　hope　she　doesn't。〃
　〃Don't　be　foolish；　Peter。　It　would　be　an　excellent　match。〃
　Mr。　Pett　shuffled　his　feet。
　〃I　don't　like　him。　There's　something　too　darned　smooth　about　that　fellow。〃
　〃If　you　mean　that　his　manners　are　perfect；　I　agree　with　you。　I　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　induce　Ann　to　accept　him。〃
　〃I　shouldn't；〃　said　Mr。　Pett；　with　more　decision　than　was　his　wont。　〃You　know　what　Ann　is　if　you　try　to　force　her　to　do　anything。　She　gets　her　ears　back　and　won't　budge。　Her　father　is　just　the　same。　When　we　were　boys　together；　sometimes〃
　〃Don't　be　absurd；　Peter。　As　if　I　should　dream　of　trying　to　force　Ann　to　do　anything。〃
　〃We　don't　know　anything　of　this　fellow。　Two　weeks　ago　we　didn't　know　he　was　on　the　earth。〃
　〃What　do　we　need　to　know　beyond　his　name？〃
　Mr。　Pett　said　nothing；　but　he　was　not　convinced。　The　Lord　Wisbeach　under　discussion　was　a　pleasant…spoken　and　presentable　young　man　who　had　called　at　Mr。　Pett's　office　a　short　while　before　to　consult　him　about　investing　some　money。　He　had　brought　a　letter　of　introduction　from　Hammond　Chester；　Ann's　father；　whom　he　had　met　in　Canada；　where　the　latter　was　at　present　engaged　in　the　paratively　mild　occupation　of　bass…fishing。　With　their　business　talk　the　acquaintance　would　have　begun　and　finished；　if　Mr。　Pett　had　been　able　to　please　himself；　for　he　had　not　taken　a　fancy　to　Lord　Wisbeach。　But　he　was　an　American；　with　an　American's　sense　of　hospitality；　and；　the　young　man　being　a　friend　of　Hammond　Chester；　he　had　felt　bound　to　invite　him　to　Riverside　Drivewith　misgivings　which　were　now；　he　felt；　pletely　justified。
　〃Ann　ought　to　marry；〃　said　Mrs。　Pett。　〃She　gets　her　own　way　too　much　now。　However；　it　is　entirely　her　own　affair；　and　there　is　nothing　that　we　can　do。〃　She　rose。　〃I　only　hope　she　will　be　sensible。〃
　She　went　out；　leaving　Mr。　Pett　gloomier　than　she　had　found　him。　He　hated　the　idea　of　Ann　marrying　Lord　Wisbeach；　who；　even　if　he　had　had　no　faults　at　all；　would　be　objectionable　in　that　he　would　probably　take　her　to　live　three　thousand　miles　away　in　his　own　country。　The　thought　of　losing　Ann　oppressed　Mr。　Pett　sorely。
　Ann；　meanwhile；　had　made　her　way　down　the　passage　to　the　gymnasium　which　Mr。　Pett；　in　the　interests　of　his　health；　had　caused　to　be　constructed　in　a　large　room　at　the　end　of　the　housea　room　designed　by　the　original　owner；　who　had　had　artistic　leanings；　for　a　studio。　The　tap…tap…tap　of　the　leather　bag　had　ceased；　but　voices　from　within　told　her　that　Jerry　Mitchell；　Mr。　Pett's　private　physical　instructor；　was　still　there。　She　wondered　who　was　his　panion；　and　found　on　opening　the　door　that　it　was　Ogden。　The　boy　was　leaning　against　the　wall　and　regarding　Jerry　with　a　dull　and　supercilious　gaze　which　the　latter　was　plainly　finding　it　hard　to　bear。
　〃Yes；　sir！〃　Ogden　was　saying；　as　Ann　entered。　〃I　heard　Biggs　asking　her　to　e　for　a　joyride。〃
　〃I　bet　she　turned　him　down；〃　said　Jerry　Mitchell　sullenly。
　〃I　bet　she　didn't。　Why　should　she？　Biggs　is　an　awful　good…looking　fellow。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about；　Ogden？〃　said　Ann。
　〃I　was　telling　him　that　Biggs　asked　Celestine　to　go　for　a　ride　in　the　car　with　him。〃
　〃I'll　knock　his　block　off；〃　muttered　the　incensed　Jerry。
　Ogden　laughed　derisively。
　〃Yes；　you　will！　Mother　would　fire　you　if　you　touched　him。　She　wouldn't　stand　for　having　her　chauffeur　beaten　up。〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　turned　an　appealing　face　to　Ann。　Ogden's　revelations　and　especially　his　eulogy　of　Biggs'　personal　appearance　had　tormented　him。　He　knew　that；　in　his　wooing　of　Mrs。　Pett's　maid；　Celestine；　he　was　handicapped　by　his　looks；　concerning　which　he　had　no　illusions。　No　Adonis　to　begin　with；　he　had　been　so　edited　and　re…edited　during　a　long　and　prosperous　ring　career　by　the　gloved　fists　of　a　hundred　foes　that　in　affairs　of　the　heart　he　was　obliged　to　rely　exclusively　on　moral　worth　and　charm　of　manner。　He　belonged　to　the　old　school　of　fighters　who　looked　the　part；　and　in　these　days　of　pugilists　who　resemble　matinee　idols　he　had　the　appearance　of　an　anachronism。　He　was　a　stocky　man　with　a　round；　solid　head；　small　eyes；　an　undershot　jaw；　and　a　nose　which　ill…treatment　had　reduced　to　a　mere　scenario。　A　narrow　strip　of　forehead　acted　as　a　kind　of　buffer…state；　separating　his　front　hair　from　his　eyebrows；　and　he　bore　beyond　hope　of　concealment　the　badge　of　his　late　employment；　the　cauliflower　ear。　Yet　was　he　a　man　of　worth　and　a　good　citizen；　and　Ann　had　liked　him　from　their　first　meeting。　As　for　Jerry；　he　worshipped　Ann　and　would　have　done　anything　she　asked　him。　Ever　since　he　had　discovered　that　Ann　was　willing　to　listen　to　and　sympathise　with　his　outpourings　on　the　subject　of　his　troubled　wooing；　he　had　been　her　slave。
　Ann　came　to　the　rescue　in　characteristically　direct　fashion。
　〃Get　out；　Ogden；〃　she　said。
　Ogden　tried　to　meet　her　eye　mutinously；　but　failed。　Why　he　should　be　afraid　of　Ann　he　had　never　been　able　to　understand；　but　it　was　a　fact　that　she　was　the　only　person　of　his　acquaintance　whom　he　respected。　She　had　a　bright　eye　and　a　calm；　imperious　stare　which　never　failed　to　tame　him。
　〃Why？〃　he　muttered。　〃You're　not　my　boss。〃
　〃Be　quick；　Ogden。〃
　〃What's　the　big　ideaordering　a　fellow〃
　〃And　close　the　door　gently　behind　you；〃　said　Ann。　She　turned　to　Jerry；　as　the　order　was　obeyed。
　〃Has　he　been　bothering　you；　Jerry？〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　wiped　his　forehead。
　〃Say；　if　that　kid　don't　quit　butting　in　when　I'm　working　in　the　gymYou　heard　what　he　was　saying　about　Maggie；　Miss　Ann？〃
　Celestine　had　been　born　Maggie　O'Toole；　a　name　which　Mrs。　Pett　stoutly　refused　to　countenance　in　any　maid　of　hers。
　〃Why　on　earth　do　you　pay　any　attention　to　him；　Jerry？　You　must　have　seen　that　he　was　making　it　all　up。　He　spends　his　whole　time　wandering　about　till　he　finds　some　one　he　can　torment；　and　then　he　enjoys　himself。　Maggie　would　never　dream　of　going　out　in　the　car　with　Biggs。〃
　Jerry　Mitchell　sighed　a　sigh　of　relief。
　〃It's　great　for　a　fellow　to　have　you　in　his　corner；　Miss　Ann。〃
　Ann　went　to　the　door　and　opened　it。　She　looked　down　the　passage；　then；　satisfied　as　to　its　emptiness；　returned　to　her　seat。
　〃Jerry；　I　want　to　talk　to　you。　I　have　an　idea。　Something　I　want　you　to　do　for　me。〃
　〃Yes；　Miss　Ann？〃
　〃We've　got　to　do　something　about　that　child；　Ogden。　He's　been　worrying　uncle　Peter　again；　and　I'm　not　going　to　have　it。　I　warned　him　once　that；　if　he　did　it　again；　awful　things　would　happen　to　him；　but　he　didn't　believe　me。　I　suppose；　Jerrywhat　sort　of　a　man　is　your　friend；　Mr。　Smethurst？〃
　〃Do　you　mean　Smithers；　Miss　Ann？〃
　〃I　knew　it　was　either　Smithers　or　Smethurst。　The　dog　man；　I　mean。　Is　he　a　man　you　can　trust？〃
　〃With　my　last　buck。　I've　known　him　since　we　were　kids。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　as　regards　money。　I　am　going　to　send　Ogden　to　him　for　treatment；　and　I　want　to　know　if　I　can　rely　on　him　to　help　me。〃
　〃For　the　love　of　Mike。〃
　Jerry　Mitchell；　after　an　instant　of　stunned　bewilderment；　was　looking　at　her　with　worshipping　admiration。　He　had　always　known　that　Miss　Ann　possessed　a　mind　of　no　mon　order；　but　this；　he　felt；　was　genius。　For　a　moment　the　magnificence　of　the　idea　took　his　breath　away。
　〃Do　you　mean　that　you're　going　to　kidnap　him；　Miss　Ann？〃
　〃Yes。　That　is　to　say；　you　areif　I　can　persuade　you　to　do　it　for　me。〃
　〃Sneak　him　away　and　send　him　to　Bud　Smithers'　dog…hospital？〃
　〃For　treatment。　I　like　Mr。　Smithers'　methods。　I　think　they　would　do　Ogden　all　the　good　in　the　world。〃
　Jerry　was　enthusiastic。
　〃Why；　Bud　would　make　him　part…human。　But；　say；　isn't　it　taking　big　chances？　Kidnapping's　a　penitentiary　offence。〃
　〃This　isn't　that　sort　of　kidnapping。〃
　〃Well；　it's　mighty　like　it。〃
　〃I　don't　think　you　need　be　afraid　of　the　penitentiary。　I　can't　see　aunt　Nesta　prosecuting；　when　it　would　mean　that　she　would　have　to　charge　us　with　having　sent　Ogden　to　a　dogs'　hospital。　She　likes　publicity；　but　it　has　to　be　the　right　kind　of　publicity。　No；　we　do　run　a　risk；　but　it　isn't　that　one。　You　run　the　risk　of　losing　your　job　here；　and　I　should　certainly　be　sent　to　my　grandmother　for　an　indefinite　sentence。　You've　never　seen　my　grandmother；　have　you；　Jerry？　She's　the　only　person　in　the　world　I'm　afraid　of！　She　lives　miles　from　anywhere　and　has　family　prayers　at　seven…thirty　sharp　every　morning。　Well；　I'm　ready　to　risk　her；　if　you're　ready　to　risk　your　job；　in　such　a　good　cause。　You　know　you're　just　as　fond　of　uncle　Peter　as　I　am；　and　Ogden