pgw.threemenandamaid-第20节

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　〃Are　you　busy；　Mr。　Marlowe？〃　asked　Billie；　addressing　the　boots。
　Sam　wriggled　out　from　under　the　desk　like　a　disconcerted　tortoise。
　〃Dropped　my　pen；〃　he　mumbled；　as　he　rose　to　the　surface。
　He　pulled　himself　with　an　effort　that　was　like　a　physical　exercise。　He　stared　at　Billie　dumbly。　Then；　recovering　speech；　he　invited　her　to　sit　down；　and　seated　himself　at　the　desk。
　〃Dropped　my　pen！〃　he　gurgled　again。
　〃Yes？〃　said　Billie。
　〃Fountain…pen；〃　babbled　Sam；　〃with　a　broad　nib。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃A　broad　gold　nib；〃　went　on　Sam；　with　the　painful　exactitude　which　es　only　from　embarrassment　or　the　early　stages　of　intoxication。
　〃Really？〃　said　Billie；　and　Sam　blinked　and　told　himself　resolutely　that　this　would　not　do。　He　was　not　appearing　to　advantage。　It　suddenly　occurred　to　him　that　his　hair　was　standing　on　end　as　the　result　of　his　struggle　with　Widgery。　He　smoothed　it　down　hastily；　and　felt　a　trifle　more　posed。　The　old　fighting　spirit　of　the　Marlowes　now　began　to　assert　itself　to　some　extent。　He　must　make　an　effort　to　appear　as　little　of　a　fool　as　possible　in　this　girl's　eyes。　And　what　eyes　they　were！　Golly！　Like　stars！　Like　two　bright　planets　in。。。。
　However；　that　was　neither　here　nor　there。　He　pulled　down　his　waistcoat　and　became　cold　and　business…likethe　dry　young　lawyer。
　〃Erhow　do　you　do；　Miss　Bennett？〃　he　said　with　a　question　in　his　voice；　raising　his　eyebrows　in　a　professional　way。　He　modelled　this　performance　on　that　of　lawyers　he　had　seen　on　the　stage；　and　wished　he　had　some　snuff　to　take　or　something　to　tap　against　his　front　teeth。　〃Miss　Bennett；　I　believe？〃
　Billie　drew　herself　up　stiffly。
　〃Yes；〃　she　replied。　〃How　clever　of　you　to　remember　me。〃
　〃I　have　a　good　memory。〃
　〃How　nice！　So　have　I！〃
　There　was　a　pause；　during　which　Billie　allowed　her　gaze　to　travel　casually　about　the　room。　Sam　occupied　the　intermission　by　staring　furtively　at　her　profile。　He　was　by　now　in　a　thoroughly　overwrought　condition；　and　the　thumping　of　his　heart　sounded　to　him　as　if　workmen　were　mending　the　street　outside。　How　beautiful　she　looked；　with　that　red　hair　peeping　out　beneath　her　hat　and　。。。　However！
　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃　he　asked　in　the　sort　of　voice　Widgery　might　have　used。　Sam　always　pictured　Widgery　as　a　small　man　with　bushy　eyebrows；　a　thin　face；　and　a　voice　like　a　rusty　file。
　〃Well；　I　really　wanted　to　see　Sir　Mallaby。〃
　〃My　father　has　been　called　away　on　important　business　to　Walton　Heath。　Cannot　I　act　as　his　substitute？〃
　〃Do　you　know　anything　about　the　law？〃
　〃Do　I　know　anything　about　the　law！〃　echoed　Sam；　amazed。　〃Do　I　know！　Why；　I　was　reading　my　Widgery　on　Nisi　Prius　Evidence　when　you　came　in。〃
　〃Oh；　were　you？〃　said　Billie　interested。　〃Do　you　always　read　on　the　floor。〃
　〃I　told　you　I　dropped　my　pen；〃　said　Sam　coldly。
　〃And　of　course　you　couldn't　read　without　that！　Well；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　this　has　nothing　to　do　with　Nisiwhat　you　said。〃
　〃I　have　not　specialised　exclusively　on　Nisi　Prius　Evidence。　I　know　the　law　in　all　its　branches。〃
　〃Then　what　would　you　do　if　a　man　insisted　on　playing　the　orchestrion　when　you　wanted　to　get　to　sleep？〃
　〃The　orchestrion？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃The　orchestrion；　eh？　Ah！　H'm！〃　said　Sam。
　〃You　still　haven't　made　it　quite　clear；〃　said　Billie。
　〃I　was　thinking。〃
　〃Oh；　if　you　want　to　think！〃
　〃Tell　me　the　facts；〃　said　Sam。
　〃Well；　Mr。　Mortimer　and　my　father　have　taken　a　house　together　in　the　country；　and　for　some　reason　or　other　they　have　quarrelled；　and　now　Mr。　Mortimer　is　doing　everything　he　can　to　make　father　unfortable。　Yesterday　afternoon　father　wanted　to　sleep；　and　Mr。　Mortimer　started　his　orchestrion　just　to　annoy　him。〃
　〃I　thinkI'm　not　quite　sureI　think　that's　a　tort；〃　said　Sam。
　〃A　what？〃
　〃Either　a　tort　or　a　misdemeanour。〃
　〃Why；　you　do　know　something　about　it　after　all！〃　cried　Billie；　startled　into　a　sort　of　friendliness　in　spite　of　herself。　And　at　the　words　and　the　sight　of　her　quick　smile　Sam's　professional　posure　reeled　on　its　foundations。　He　had　half　risen；　with　the　purpose　of　springing　up　and　babbling　of　the　passion　that　consumed　him；　when　the　chill　reflection　came　to　him　that　this　girl　had　once　said　that　she　considered　him　ridiculous。　If　he　let　himself　go；　would　she　not　continue　to　think　him　ridiculous？　He　sagged　back　into　his　seat　and　at　that　moment　there　came　another　tap　on　the　door　which；　opening；　revealed　the　sinister　face　of　the　holiday…making　Peters。
　〃Good　morning；　Mr。　Samuel；〃　said　Jno。　Peters。　〃Good　morning；　Miss　Milliken。　Oh！〃
　He　vanished　as　abruptly　as　he　had　appeared。　He　perceived　that　what　he　had　taken　at　first　glance　for　the　stenographer　was　a　client；　and　that　the　junior　partner　was　engaged　on　a　business　conference。　He　left　behind　him　a　momentary　silence。
　〃What　a　horrible…looking　man！〃　said　Billie；　breaking　it　with　a　little　gasp。　Jno。　Peters　often　affected　the　opposite　sex　like　that　at　first　sight。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃　said　Sam　absently。
　〃What　a　dreadful…looking　man！　He　quite　frightened　me！〃
　For　some　moments　Sam　sat　without　speaking。　If　this　had　not　been　one　of　his　Napoleonic　mornings；　no　doubt　the　sudden　arrival　of　his　old　friend；　Mr。　Peters；　whom　he　had　imagined　at　his　home　in　Putney　packing　for　his　trip　to　America；　would　have　suggested　nothing　to　him。　As　it　was　it　suggested　a　great　deal。　He　had　had　a　brain…wave；　and　for　fully　a　minute　he　sat　tingling　under　its　impact。　He　was　not　a　young　man　who　often　had　brain…waves；　and；　when　they　came；　they　made　him　rather　dizzy。
　〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Billie。　〃He　seemed　to　know　you？　And　who；〃　she　demanded　after　a　slight　pause；　〃is　Miss　Milliken？〃
　Sam　drew　a　deep　breath。
　〃It's　rather　a　sad　story；〃　he　said。　〃His　name　is　John　Peters。　He　used　to　be　clerk　here。〃
　〃But　isn't　he　any　longer？〃
　〃No。〃　Sam　shook　his　head。　〃We　had　to　get　rid　of　him。〃
　〃I　don't　wonder。　A　man　looking　like　that。。。。〃
　〃It　wasn't　that　so　much；〃　said　Sam。　〃The　thing　that　annoyed　father　was　that　he　tried　to　shoot　Miss　Milliken。〃
　Billie　uttered　a　cry　of　horror！
　〃He　tried　to　shoot　Miss　Milliken！〃
　〃He　did　shoot　herthe　third　time；〃　said　Sam　warming　to　his　work。　〃Only　in　the　arm；　fortunately；〃　he　added。　〃But　my　father　is　rather　a　stern　disciplinarian　and　he　had　to　go。　I　mean；　we　couldn't　keep　him　after　that。〃
　〃Good　gracious！〃
　〃She　used　to　be　my　father's　stenographer；　and　she　was　thrown　a　good　deal　with　Peters。　It　was　quite　natural　that　he　should　fall　in　love　with　her。　She　was　a　beautiful　girl；　with　rather　your　own　shade　of　hair。　Peters　is　a　man　of　volcanic　passions；　and；　when；　after　she　had　given　him　to　understand　that　his　love　was　returned；　she　informed　him　one　day　that　she　was　engaged　to　a　fellow　at　Ealing　West；　he　went　right　off　his　onionI　mean；　he　became　pletely　distraught。　I　must　say　that　he　concealed　it　very　effectively　at　first。　We　had　no　inkling　of　his　condition　till　he　came　in　with　the　pistol。　And；　after　that　。。。　well；　as　I　say；　we　had　to　dismiss　him。　A　great　pity；　for　he　was　a　good　clerk。　Still；　it　wouldn't　do。　It　wasn't　only　that　he　tried　to　shoot　Miss　Milliken。　That　wouldn't　have　mattered　so　much；　as　she　left　after　he　had　made　his　third　attempt；　and　got　married。　But　the　thing　became　an　obsession　with　him；　and　we　found　that　he　had　a　fixed　idea　that　every　red…haired　woman　who　came　into　the　office　was　the　girl　who　had　deceived　him。　You　can　see　how　awkward　that　made　it。　Red　hair　is　so　fashionable　nowadays。〃
　〃My　hair　is　red！〃　whispered　Billie　pallidly。
　〃Yes；　I　noticed　it　myself。　I　told　you　it　was　much　the　same　shade　as　Miss　Milliken's。　It's　rather　fortunate　that　I　happened　to　be　here　with　you　when　he　came。〃
　〃But　he　may　be　lurking　out　there　still！〃
　〃I　expect　he　is；〃　said　Sam　carelessly。　〃Yes；　I　suppose　he　is。　Would　you　like　me　to　go　and　send　him　away？　All　right。〃
　〃Butbut　is　it　safe？〃
　Sam　uttered　a　light　laugh。
　〃I　don't　mind　taking　a　risk　or　two　for　your　sake；〃　he　said；　and　sauntered　from　the　room；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　Billie　followed　him　with　worshipping　eyes。
　Jno。　Peters　rose　politely　from　the　chair　in　which　he　had　seated　himself　for　more　fortable　perusal　of　the　copy　of　　Home　Whispers　　which　he　had　brought　with　him　to　refresh　his　mind　in　the　event　of　the　firm　being　too　busy　to　see　him　immediately。　He　was　particularly　interested　in　the　series　of　chats　with　Young　Mothers。
　〃Hullo；　Peters；〃　said　Sam。　〃Want　anything？〃
　〃Very　sorry　to　have　disturbed　you；　Mr。　Samuel。　I　just　looked　in　to　say　good…bye。　I　sail　on　Saturday；　and　my　time　will　be　pretty　fully　taken　up　all　the　week。　I　have　to　go　down　to　the　country　to　get　some　final　instructions　from　the　client　whose　important　papers　I　am　taking　over。　I'm　sorry　to　have　missed　your　father；　Mr。　Samuel。〃
　〃Yes；　this　is　his　golf　day；　I'll　tell　him　you　looked　in。〃
　〃Is　there　anything　I　can　do　before　I　go？〃
　〃Do？〃
　〃Well〃Jno。　Peters　coughed　tactfully〃I　see　that　you　are　engaged　with　a　client；　Mr。　Samuel；　and　was　wondering　if　any　little　point　of　law　had　arisen　with　which　you　did　not　feel　yourself　quite　capable　of　coping；　in　which　case　I　might　perhaps　be　of　assistance。〃
　〃Oh；　that　lady；〃　said　Sam。　〃That　was　Miss　Milliken's　sister。〃
　〃Indeed？　I　didn't　know　Miss　Milliken　had　a　sister。〃
　〃No？〃　said　Sam。
　〃She　is　not　very　like　her　in　appearance。〃
　〃No。　This　one　is　the　beauty　of　the　fa