pgw.psmith,journalist-第3部分

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hese　heights。　He　had　merely　taken　the　opportunity　of　Mike's　visit　to　the　other　side　to　acpany　him。　Cambridge　had　proved　pleasant　to　Psmith；　but　a　trifle　quiet。　He　had　weled　the　chance　of　getting　a　change　of　scene。
　So　far　the　visit　had　failed　to　satisfy　him。　Mike；　whose　tastes　in　pleasure　were　simple；　was　delighted　with　everything。　The　cricket　so　far　had　been　rather　of　the　picnic　order；　but　it　was　very　pleasant；　and　there　was　no　limit　to　the　hospitality　with　which　the　visitors　were　treated。　It　was　this　more　than　anything　which　had　caused　Psmith's　grave　disapproval　of　things　American。　He　was　not　a　member　of　the　team；　so　that　the　advantages　of　the　hospitality　did　not　reach　him。　He　had　all　the　disadvantages。　He　saw　far　too　little　of　Mike。　When　he　wished　to　consult　his　confidential　secretary　and　adviser　on　some　aspect　of　Life；　that　invaluable　official　was　generally　absent　at　dinner　with　the　rest　of　the　team。　To…night　was　one　of　the　rare　occasions　when　Mike　could　get　away。　Psmith　was　being　bored。　New　York　is　a　better　city　than　London　to　be　alone　in；　but　it　is　never　pleasant　to　be　alone　in　any　big　city。
　As　they　sat　discussing　New　York's　shortings　over　their　coffee；　a　young　man　passed　them；　carrying　a　basket；　and　seated　himself　at　the　next　table。　He　was　a　tall；　loose…jointed　young　man；　with　unkempt　hair。
　A　waiter　made　an　ingratiating　gesture　towards　the　basket；　but　the　young　man　stopped　him。　〃Not　on　your　life；　sonny；〃　he　said。　〃This　stays　right　here。〃　He　placed　it　carefully　on　the　floor　beside　his　chair；　and　proceeded　to　order　dinner。
　Psmith　watched　him　thoughtfully。
　〃I　have　a　suspicion；　rade　Jackson；〃　he　said；　〃that　this　will　prove　to　be　a　somewhat　stout　fellow。　If　possible；　we　will　engage　him　in　conversation。　I　wonder　what　he's　got　in　the　basket。　I　must　get　my　Sherlock　Holmes　system　to　work。　What　is　the　most　likely　thing　for　a　man　to　have　in　a　basket？　You　would　reply；　in　your　unthinking　way；　'sandwiches。'　Error。　A　man　with　a　basketful　of　sandwiches　does　not　need　to　dine　at　restaurants。　We　must　try　again。〃
　The　young　man　at　the　next　table　had　ordered　a　jug　of　milk　to　be　acpanied　by　a　saucer。　These　having　arrived；　he　proceeded　to　lift　the　basket　on　to　his　lap；　pour　the　milk　into　the　saucer；　and　remove　the　lid　from　the　basket。　Instantly；　with　a　yell　which　made　the　young　man's　table　the　centre　of　interest　to　all　the　diners；　a　large　grey　cat　shot　up　like　a　rocket；　and　darted　across　the　room。　Psmith　watched　with　silent　interest。
　It　is　hard　to　astonish　the　waiters　at　a　New　York　restaurant；　but　when　the　cat　performed　this　feat　there　was　a　squeal　of　surprise　all　round　the　room。　Waiters　rushed　to　and　fro；　futile　but　energetic。　The　cat；　having　secured　a　strong　strategic　position　on　the　top　of　a　large　oil…painting　which　hung　on　the　far　wall；　was　expressing　loud　disapproval　of　the　efforts　of　one　of　the　waiters　to　drive　it　from　its　post　with　a　walking…stick。　The　young　man；　seeing　these　manoeuvres；　uttered　a　wrathful　shout；　and　rushed　to　the　rescue。
　〃rade　Jackson；〃　said　Psmith；　rising；　〃we　must　be　in　this。〃
　When　they　arrived　on　the　scene　of　hostilities；　the　young　man　had　just　possessed　himself　of　the　walking…stick；　and　was　deep　in　a　plex　argument　with　the　head…waiter　on　the　ethics　of　the　matter。　The　head…waiter；　a　stout　impassive　German；　had　taken　his　stand　on　a　point　of　etiquette。　〃Id　is；〃　he　said；　〃to　bring　gats　into　der　grill…room　vorbidden。　No　gendleman　would　gats　into　der　grill…room　bring。　Der　gendleman〃
　The　young　man　meanwhile　was　making　enticing　sounds；　to　which　the　cat　was　maintaining　an　attitude　of　reserved　hostility。　He　turned　furiously　on　the　head…waiter。
　〃For　goodness'　sake；〃　he　cried；　〃can't　you　see　the　poor　brute's　scared　stiff？　Why　don't　you　clear　your　gang　of　German　edians　away；　and　give　her　a　chance　to　e　down？〃
　〃Der　gendleman〃　argued　the　head…waiter。
　Psmith　stepped　forward　and　touched　him　on　the　arm。
　〃May　I　have　a　word　with　you　in　private？〃
　〃Zo？〃
　Psmith　drew　him　away。
　〃You　don't　know　who　that　is？〃　he　whispered；　nodding　towards　the　young　man。
　〃No　gendleman　he　is；〃　asserted　the　head…waiter。　〃Der　gendleman　would　not　der　gat　into〃
　Psmith　shook　his　head　pityingly。
　〃These　petty　matters　of　etiquette　are　not　for　his　Gracebut；　hush；　he　wishes　to　preserve　his　incognito。〃
　〃Ingognito？〃
　〃You　understand。　You　are　a　man　of　the　world；　rademay　I　call　you　Freddie？　You　understand；　rade　Freddie；　that　in　a　man　in　his　Grace's　position　a　few　little　eccentricities　may　be　pardoned。　You　follow　me；　Frederick？〃
　The　head…waiter's　eye　rested　upon　the　young　man　with　a　new　interest　and　respect。
　〃He　is　noble？〃　he　inquired　with　awe。
　〃He　is　here　strictly　incognito；　you　understand；〃　said　Psmith　warningly。　The　head…waiter　nodded。
　The　young　man　meanwhile　had　broken　down　the　cat's　reserve；　and　was　now　standing　with　her　in　his　arms；　apparently　anxious　to　fight　all…corners　in　her　defence。　The　head…waiter　approached　deferentially。
　〃Der　gendleman；〃　he　said；　indicating　Psmith；　who　beamed　in　a　friendly　manner　through　his　eye…glass；　〃haf　everything　exblained。　All　will　now　quite　satisfactory　be。〃
　The　young　man　looked　inquiringly　at　Psmith；　who　winked　encouragingly。　The　head…waiter　bowed。
　〃Let　me　present　rade　Jackson；〃　said　Psmith；　〃the　pet　of　our　English　Smart　Set。　I　am　Psmith；　one　of　the　Shropshire　Psmiths。　This　is　a　great　moment。　Shall　we　be　moving　back？　We　were　about　to　order　a　second　instalment　of　coffee；　to　correct　the　effects　of　a　fatiguing　day。　Perhaps　you　would　care　to　join　us？〃
　〃Sure；〃　said　the　alleged　duke。
　〃This；〃　said　Psmith；　when　they　were　seated；　and　the　head…waiter　had　ceased　to　hover；　〃is　a　great　meeting。　I　was　plaining　with　some　acerbity　to　rade　Jackson；　before　you　introduced　your　very　interesting　performing…animal　speciality；　that　things　in　New　York　were　too　quiet；　too　decorous。　I　have　an　inkling；　rade〃
　〃Windsor's　my　name。〃
　〃I　have　an　inkling；　rade　Windsor；　that　we　see　eye　to　eye　on　the　subject。〃
　〃I　guess　that's　right。　I　was　raised　in　the　plains；　and　I　lived　in　Kentucky　a　while。　There's　more　doing　there　in　a　day　than　there　is　here　in　a　month。　Say；　how　did　you　fix　it　with　the　old　man？〃
　〃With　rade　Freddie？　I　have　a　certain　amount　of　influence　with　him。　He　is　content　to　order　his　movements　in　the　main　by　my　judgment。　I　assured　him　that　all　would　be　well；　and　he　yielded。〃　Psmith　gazed　with　interest　at　the　cat；　which　was　lapping　milk　from　the　saucer。　〃Are　you　training　that　animal　for　a　show　of　some　kind；　rade　Windsor；　or　is　it　a　domestic　pet？〃
　〃I've　adopted　her。　The　office…boy　on　our　paper　got　her　away　from　a　dog　this　morning；　and　gave　her　to　me。〃
　〃Your　paper？〃
　〃Cosy　Moments；〃　said　Billy　Windsor；　with　a　touch　of　shame。
　〃Cosy　Moments？〃　said　Psmith　reflectively。　〃I　regret　that　the　bright　little　sheet　has　not　e　my　way　up　to　the　present。　I　must　seize　an　early　opportunity　of　perusing　it。〃
　〃Don't　you　do　it。〃
　〃You've　no　paternal　pride　in　the　little　journal？〃
　〃It's　bad　enough　to　hurt；〃　said　Billy　Windsor　disgustedly。　〃If　you　really　want　to　see　it；　e　along　with　me　to　my　place；　and　I'll　show　you　a　copy。〃
　〃It　will　be　a　pleasure；〃　said　Psmith。　〃rade　Jackson；　have　you　any　previous　engagement　for　to…night？〃
　〃I'm　not　doing　anything；〃　said　Mike。
　〃Then　let　us　stagger　forth　with　rade　Windsor。　While　he　is　loading　up　that　basket；　we　will　be　collecting　our　hats。　。　。　。　I　am　not　half　sure；　rade　Jackson；〃　he　added；　as　they　walked　out；　〃that　rade　Windsor　may　not　prove　to　be　the　genial　spirit　for　whom　I　have　been　searching。　If　you　could　give　me　your　undivided　pany；　I　should　ask　no　more。　But　with　you　constantly　away；　mingling　with　the　gay　throng；　it　is　imperative　that　I　have　some　solid　man　to　acpany　me　in　my　ramblings　hither　and　thither。　It　is　possible　that　rade　Windsor　may　possess　the　qualifications　necessary　for　the　post。　But　here　he　es。　Let　us　foregather　with　him　and　observe　him　in　private　life　before　arriving　at　any　premature　decision。〃
　
　CHAPTER　IV
　BAT　JARVIS
　
　Billy　Windsor　lived　in　a　single　room　on　East　Fourteenth　Street。　Space　in　New　York　is　valuable；　and　the　average　bachelor's　apartments　consist　of　one　room　with　a　bathroom　opening　off　it。　During　the　daytime　this　one　room　loses　all　traces　of　being　used　for　sleeping　purposes　at　night。　Billy　Windsor's　room　was　very　much　like　a　public…school　study。　Along　one　wall　ran　a　settee。　At　night　this　became　a　bed；　but　in　the　daytime　it　was　a　settee　and　nothing　but　a　settee。　There　was　no　space　for　a　great　deal　of　furniture。　There　was　one　rocking…chair；　two　ordinary　chairs；　a　table；　a　book…stand；　a　typewriternobody　uses　pens　in　New　Yorkand　on　the　walls　a　mixed　collection　of　photographs；　drawings；　knives；　and　skins；　relics　of　their　owner's　prairie　days。　Over　the　door　was　the　head　of　a　young　bear。
　Billy's　first　act　on　arriving　in　this　sanctum　was　to　release　the　cat；　which；　having　moved　restlessly　about　for　some　moments；　finally　came　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　no　means　of　getting　out；　and　settled　itself　on　a　corner　of　the　settee。　Psmith；　sinking　gracefully　down　beside　it；　stretched　out　his　legs　and　lit　a　cigarette。　Mike　took　one　of　the　ordinary　chairs；　and　Billy　Windsor；　planting　himself　in　the　rocker；　began　to　rock　rhythmically　to　and　fro；　a　performance　which　he　kept　up　untiringly　all　the　time。
　〃A　peaceful