pgw.threemenandamaid-第21节

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　〃No？〃　said　Sam。
　〃She　is　not　very　like　her　in　appearance。〃
　〃No。　This　one　is　the　beauty　of　the　family；　I　believe。　A　very　bright；　intelligent　girl。　I　was　telling　her　about　your　revolver　just　before　you　came　in；　and　she　was　most　interested。　It's　a　pity　you　haven't　got　it　with　you　now；　to　show　to　her。〃
　〃Oh；　but　I　have！　I　have；　Mr。　Samuel！〃　said　Peters；　opening　a　small　handbag　and　taking　out　a　hymn…book；　half　a　pound　of　mixed　chocolates；　a　tongue　sandwich；　and　the　pistol；　in　the　order　named。　〃I　was　on　my　way　to　the　Rupert　Street　range　for　a　little　practice。　I　should　be　glad　to　show　it　to　her。〃
　〃Well；　wait　here　a　minute　or　two；〃　said　Sam；　〃I'll　have　finished　talking　business　in　a　moment；〃
　He　returned　to　the　inner　office。
　〃Well？〃　cried　Billie。
　〃Eh？　Oh；　he's　gone；〃　said　Sam。　〃I　persuaded　him　to　go　away。　He　was　a　little　excited；　poor　fellow。　And　now　let　us　return　to　what　we　were　talking　about。　You　say。。。。〃　He　broke　off　with　an　exclamation；　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Good　Heavens！　I　had　no　idea　of　the　time。　I　promised　to　run　up　and　see　a　man　in　one　of　the　offices　in　the　next　court。　He　wants　to　consult　me　on　some　difficulty　which　has　arisen　with　one　of　his　clients。　Rightly　or　wrongly　he　values　my　advice。　Can　you　spare　me　for　a　short　while？　I　shan't　be　more　than　ten　minutes。〃
　〃Certainly。〃
　〃Here　is　something　you　may　care　to　look　at　while　I'm　gone。　I　don't　know　if　you　have　read　it？　Widgery　on　Nisi　Prius　Evidence。　Most　interesting。〃
　He　went　out。　Jno。　Peters　looked　up　from　his　　Home　Whispers　。
　〃You　can　go　in　now；〃　said　Sam。
　〃Certainly；　Mr。　Samuel；　certainly。〃
　Sam　took　up　the　copy　of　　Home　Whispers　；　and　sat　down　with　his　feet　on　the　desk。　He　turned　to　the　serial　story　and　began　to　read　the　synopsis。
　In　the　inner　room；　Billie；　who　had　rejected　the　mental　refreshment　offered　by　Widgery；　and　was　engaged　in　making　a　tour　of　the　office；　looking　at　the　portraits　of　whiskered　men　whom　she　took　correctly　to　be　the　Thorpes；　Prescotts；　Winslows　and　Applebys　mentioned　on　the　contents…bill　outside；　was　surprised　to　hear　the　door　open　at　her　back。　She　had　not　expected　Sam　to　return　so　instantaneously。
　Nor　had　he　done　so。　It　was　not　Sam　who　entered。　It　was　a　man　of　repellent　aspect　whom　she　recognised　instantly；　for　Jno。　Peters　was　one　of　those　men　who；　once　seen；　are　not　easily　forgotten。　He　was　smiling；　a　cruel；　cunning　smileat　least；　she　thought　he　was；　Mr。　Peters　himself　was　under　the　impression　that　his　face　was　wreathed　in　a　benevolent　simper；　and　in　his　hand　he　bore　the　largest　pistol　ever　seen　outside　a　motion　picture　studio。
　〃How　do　you　do；　Miss　Milliken？〃　he　said。
　
　CHAPTER　TWELVE
　
　Billie　had　been　standing　near　the　wall；　inspecting　a　portrait　of　the　late　Mr。　Josiah　Appleby；　of　which　the　kindest　thing　one　can　say　is　that　one　hopes　it　did　not　do　him　justice。　She　now　shrank　back　against　this　wall；　as　if　she　were　trying　to　get　through　it。　The　edge　of　the　portrait's　frame　tilted　her　hat　out　of　the　straight；　but　in　this　supreme　moment　she　did　not　even　notice　it。
　〃Erhow　do　you　do？〃　she　said。
　If　she　had　not　been　an　exceedingly　pretty　girl；　one　would　have　said　that　she　spoke　squeakily。　The　fighting　spirit　of　the　Bennetts；　though　it　was　considerable　fighting　spirit；　had　not　risen　to　this　emergency。　It　had　ebbed　out　of　her；　leaving　in　its　place　a　cold　panic。　She　had　seen　this　sort　of　thing　in　the　moviesthere　was　one　series　of　pictures；　The　Dangers　of　Diana；　where　something　of　the　kind　had　happened　to　the　heroine　in　every　reelbut　she　had　not　anticipated　that　it　would　ever　happen　to　her：　and　consequently　she　had　not　thought　out　any　plan　for　coping　with　such　a　situation。　A　grave　error。　In　this　world　one　should　be　prepared　for　everything；　or　where　is　one？　The　best　she　could　do　was　to　stand　and　stare　at　the　intruder。　It　would　have　done　Sam　Marlowe　goodhe　had　now　finished　the　synopsis　and　was　skimming　through　the　current　instalmentif　he　could　have　known　how　she　yearned　for　his　return。
　〃I've　brought　the　revolver；〃　said　Mr。　Peters。
　〃Soso　I　see！〃　said　Billie。
　Mr。　Peters　nursed　the　weapon　affectionately　in　his　hand。　He　was　rather　a　shy　man　with　women　as　a　rule；　but　what　Sam　had　told　him　about　her　being　interested　in　his　revolver　had　made　his　heart　warm　to　this　girl。
　〃I　was　just　on　my　way　to　have　a　little　practice　at　the　range；〃　he　said。　〃Then　I　thought　I　might　as　well　look　in　here。〃
　〃I　supposeI　suppose　you're　a　good　shot？〃　quavered　Billie。
　〃I　seldom　miss；〃　said　Jno。　Peters。
　Billie　shuddered。　Then；　reflecting　that　the　longer　she　engaged　this　maniac　in　conversation；　the　more　hope　there　was　of　Sam　ing　back　in　time　to　save　her；　she　essayed　further　small…talk。
　〃It'sit's　very　ugly！〃
　〃Oh；　no！〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　hurt。
　Billie　perceived　that　she　had　said　the　wrong　thing。
　〃Very　deadly…looking；　I　meant；〃　she　corrected　herself　hastily。
　〃It　may　have　deadly　work　to　do；　Miss　Milliken；〃　said　Mr。　Peters。
　Conversation　languished　again。　Billie　had　no　further　remarks　to　make　of　immediate　interest；　and　Mr。　Peters　was　struggling　with　a　return　of　the　deplorable　shyness　which　so　handicapped　him　in　his　dealings　with　the　other　sex。　After　a　few　moments；　he　pulled　himself　together　again；　and；　as　his　first　act　was　to　replace　the　pistol　in　the　pocket　of　his　coat；　Billie　became　conscious　of　a　faint　stirring　of　relief。
　〃The　great　thing；〃　said　Jno。　Peters；　〃is　to　learn　to　draw　quickly。　Like　this！〃　he　added；　producing　the　revolver　with　something　of　the　smoothness　and　rapidity　with　which　Billie；　in　happier　moments；　had　seen　conjurers　take　a　bowl　of　gold　fish　out　of　a　tall　hat。　〃Everything　depends　on　getting　the　first　shot！　The　first　shot；　Miss　Milliken；　is　vital。〃
　Suddenly　Billie　had　an　inspiration。　It　was　hopeless　she　knew；　to　try　to　convince　this　poor　demented　creature；　obsessed　with　his　　idee　fixe　；　that　she　was　not　Miss　Milliken。　Denial　would　be　a　waste　of　time；　and　might　even　infuriate　him　into　precipitating　the　tragedy。　It　was　imperative　that　she　should　humour　him。　And；　while　she　was　humouring　him；　it　suddenly　occurred　to　her；　why　not　do　it　thoroughly。
　〃Mr。　Peters；〃　she　cried；　〃you　are　quite　mistaken！〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Jno。　Peters；　with　not　a　little　asperity。　〃Nothing　of　the　kind！〃
　〃You　are！〃
　〃I　assure　you　I　am　not。　Quickness　in　the　draw　is　essential。〃
　〃You　have　been　misinformed。〃
　〃Well；　I　had　it　direct　from　the　man　at　the　Rupert　Street　range；〃　said　Mr。　Peters　stiffly。　〃And　if　you　had　ever　seen　a　picture　called　Two…Gun　Thomas。。。。〃
　〃Mr。　Peters！〃　cried　Billie　desperately。　He　was　making　her　head　swim　with　his　meaningless　ravings。　〃Mr。　Peters；　hear　me！　I　am　not　married　to　a　man　at　Ealing　West！〃
　Mr。　Peters　betrayed　no　excitement　at　the　information。　This　girl　seemed　for　some　reason　to　consider　her　situation　an　extraordinary　one；　but　many　women；　he　was　aware；　were　in　a　similar　position。　In　fact；　he　could　not　at　the　moment　think　of　any　of　his　feminine　acquaintances　who　　were　　married　to　men　at　Ealing　West。
　〃Indeed？〃　he　said　politely。
　〃Won't　you　believe　me？〃　exclaimed　Billie　wildly。
　〃Why；　certainly；　certainly；〃　said　Jno。　Peters。
　〃Thank　God！〃　said　Billie。　〃I'm　not　even　engaged！　It's　all　been　a　terrible　mistake！〃
　When　two　people　in　a　small　room　are　speaking　on　two　distinct　and　different　subjects　and　neither　knows　what　on　earth　the　other　is　driving　at；　there　is　bound　to　be　a　certain　amount　of　mental　confusion：　but　at　this　point　Jno。　Peters；　though　still　not　wholly　equal　to　the　intellectual　pressure　of　the　conversation；　began　to　see　a　faint　shimmer　of　light　behind　the　clouds。　In　a　nebulous　kind　of　way　he　began　to　understand　that　the　girl　had　e　to　consult　the　firm　about　a　breach…of…promise　action。　Some　unknown　man　at　Ealing　West　had　been　trifling　with　her　hearthardened　lawyer's　clerk　a　he　was；　that　poignant　cry　〃I'm　not　engaged！〃　had　touched　Mr。　Petersand　she　wished　to　start　proceedings。　Mr。　Peters　felt　almost　in　his　depth　again。　He　put　the　revolver　in　his　pocket；　and　drew　out　a　note…book。
　〃I　should　be　glad　to　hear　the　facts；〃　he　said　with　professional　courtesy。　〃In　the　absence　of　the　Guv'nor。。。。〃
　〃I　have　told　you　the　facts！〃
　〃This　man　at　Ealing　West；〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　moistening　the　point　of　his　pencil；　〃he　wrote　you　letters　proposing　marriage？〃
　〃No；　no；　no！〃
　〃At　any　rate；〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　disappointed　but　hopeful；　〃he　made　love　to　you　before　witnesses？〃
　〃Never！　Never！　There　is　no　man　at　Ealing　West！　There　never　was　a　man　at　Ealing　West！〃
　It　was　at　this　point　that　Jno。　Peters　began　for　the　first　time　to　entertain　serious　doubts　of　the　girl's　mental　balance。　The　most　elementary　acquaintance　with　the　latest　census　was　enough　to　tell　him　that　there　were　any　number　of　men　at　Ealing　West。　The　place　was　full　of　them。　Would　a　sane　woman　have　made　an　assertion　to　the　contrary？　He　thought　not；　and　he　was　glad　that　he　had　the　revolver　with　him。　She　had　done　nothing　as　yet　actively　violent；　but　it　was　nice　to　feel　prepared。　He　took　it　out　and　laid　it　nonchalantly　in　his　lap。
　The　sight　of　the　weapon　acted　on　Billie　electrically。　She　flung　out　her　hands；　in　a　gesture　of　passionate　appeal；　and　played　her　last　card。
　〃I　love　　you　！〃　she　cried。　She　wished　she　could　have　remembered　his　first　name。　It　would　have　rounded　off　the　sentence　neatly。　In　such　a　mo