pgw.threemenandamaid-第5节

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ment。　He　had　thus　an　excellent　view　of　what　was　going　ona　view　which　he　improved　the　next　instant　by　climbing　up　and　kneeling　on　the　rail。
　There　was　a　man　in　the　water；　a　man　whose　upper　section；　the　only　one　visible；　was　clad　in　a　blue　jersey。　He　wore　a　Derby　hat；　and　from　time　to　time　as　he　battled　with　the　waves；　he　would　put　up　a　hand　and　adjust　this　more　firmly　on　his　head。　A　dressy　swimmer。
　Scarcely　had　he　taken　in　this　spectacle　when　Marlowe　became　aware　of　the　girl　he　had　met　on　the　dock。　She　was　standing　a　few　feet　away　leaning　out　over　the　rail　with　wide　eyes　and　parted　lips。　Like　everybody　else　she　was　staring　into　the　water。
　As　Sam　looked　at　her　the　thought　crossed　his　mind　that　here　was　a　wonderful　chance　of　making　the　most　tremendous　impression　on　this　girl。　What　would　she　not　think　of　a　man　who；　reckless　of　his　own　safety；　dived　in　and　went　boldly　to　the　rescue？　And　there　were　men；　no　doubt；　who　would　be　chumps　enough　to　do　it；　he　thought；　as　he　prepared　to　shift　back　to　a　position　of　greater　safety。
　At　this　moment；　the　fat　man　in　the　tweed　cap；　incensed　at　having　been　jostled　out　of　the　front　row；　made　his　charge。　He　had　but　been　crouching；　the　better　to　spring。　Now　he　sprang。　His　full　weight　took　Sam　squarely　in　the　spine。　There　was　an　instant　in　which　that　young　man　hung；　as　it　were；　between　sea　and　sky；　then　he　shot　down　over　the　rail　to　join　the　man　in　the　blue　jersey；　who　had　just　discovered　that　his　hat　was　not　on　straight　and　had　paused　to　adjust　it　once　more　with　a　few　skilful　touches　of　the　finger。
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　In　the　brief　interval　of　time　which　Marlowe　had　spent　in　the　state…room；　chatting　with　Eustace　about　the　latter's　bruised　soul；　some　rather　curious　things　had　been　happening　above。　Not　extraordinary；　perhaps；　but　curious。　These　must　now　be　related。　A　story；　if　it　is　to　grip　the　reader；　should；　I　am　aware；　go　always　forward。　It　should　march。　It　should　leap　from　crag　to　crag　like　the　chamois　of　the　Alps。　If　there　is　one　thing　I　hate；　it　is　a　novel　which　gets　you　interested　in　the　hero　in　chapter　one　and　then　cuts　back　in　chapter　two　to　tell　you　all　about　his　grandfather。　Nevertheless；　at　this　point　we　must　go　back　a　space。　We　must　return　to　the　moment　when；　having　deposited　her　Pekinese　dog　in　her　state…room；　the　girl　with　the　red　hair　came　out　again　on　deck。　This　happened　just　about　the　time　when　Eustace　Hignett　was　beginning　his　narrative。
　By　now　the　bustle　which　precedes　the　departure　of　an　ocean　liner　was　at　its　height。　Hoarse　voices　were　crying；　〃All　for　the　shore！〃　The　gangway　was　thronged　with　friends　of　passengers　returning　to　land。　The　crowd　on　the　pier　waved　flags　and　handkerchiefs　and　shouted　unintelligibly。　Members　of　the　crew　stood　alertly　by　the　gang…plank　ready　to　draw　it　in　as　soon　as　the　last　seer…off　had　crossed　it。
　The　girl　went　to　the　rail　and　gazed　earnestly　at　the　shore。　There　was　an　anxious　expression　on　her　face。　She　had　the　air　of　one　who　was　waiting　for　someone　to　appear。　Her　demeanour　was　that　of　Mariana　at　the　Moated　Grange。　〃He　eth　not！〃　she　seemed　to　be　saying。　She　glanced　at　her　wrist…watch；　then　scanned　the　dock　once　more。
　There　was　a　rattle　as　the　gang…plank　moved　inboard　and　was　deposited　on　the　deck。　The　girl　uttered　a　little　cry　of　dismay。　Then　suddenly　her　face　brightened　and　she　began　to　wave　her　arm　to　attract　the　attention　of　an　elderly　man　with　a　red　face　made　redder　by　exertion；　who　had　just　forced　his　way　to　the　edge　of　the　dock　and　was　peering　up　at　the　passenger…lined　rail。
　The　boat　had　now　begun　to　move　slowly　out　of　its　slip；　backing　into　the　river。　Ropes　had　been　cast　off；　and　an　ever　widening　strip　of　water　appeared　between　the　vessel　and　the　shore。　It　was　now　that　the　man　on　the　dock　sighted　the　girl。　She　gesticulated　at　him。　He　gesticulated　at　her。　She　appeared　helpless　and　baffled；　but　he　showed　himself　a　person　of　resource　of　the　stuff　of　which　great　generals　are　made。　Foch　is　just　like　that；　a　bird　at　changing　pre…conceived　plans　to　suit　the　exigencies　of　the　moment。
　The　man　on　the　dock　took　from　his　pocket　a　pleasantly　rotund　wad　of　currency　bills。　He　produced　a　handkerchief；　swiftly　tied　up　the　bills　in　it；　backed　to　give　himself　room；　and　then；　with　all　the　strength　of　his　arm；　he　hurled　the　bills　in　the　direction　of　the　deck。　The　action　was　greeted　by　cheers　from　a　warm…hearted　populace。　Your　New　York　crowd　loves　a　liberal　provider。
　One　says　that　the　man　hurled　the　bills　in　the　direction　of　the　deck；　and　that　was　exactly　what　he　did。　But　the　years　had　robbed　his　pitching…arm　of　the　limber　strength　which；　forty　summers　back；　had　made　him　the　terror　of　opposing　boys'　baseball　teams。　He　still　retained　a　fair　control　but　he　lacked　steam。　The　handkerchief　with　its　precious　contents　shot　in　a　graceful　arc　towards　the　deck；　fell　short　by　a　good　six　feet　and　dropped　into　the　water；　where　it　unfolded　like　a　lily；　sending　twenty…dollar　bills；　ten…dollar　bills；　five…dollar　bills；　and　an　assortment　of　ones　floating　over　the　wavelets。　The　cheers　of　the　citizenry　changed　to　cries　of　horror。　The　girl　uttered　a　plaintive　shriek。　The　boat　moved　on。
　It　was　at　this　moment　that　Mr。　Oscar　Swenson；　one　of　the　thriftiest　souls　who　ever　came　out　of　Sweden；　perceived　that　the　chance　of　a　lifetime　had　arrived　for　adding　substantially　to　his　little　savings。　By　profession　he　was　one　of　those　men　who　eke　out　a　precarious　livelihood　by　rowing　dreamily　about　the　waterfront　in　skiffs。　He　was　doing　so　now：　and；　as　he　sat　meditatively　in　his　skiff；　having　done　his　best　to　give　the　liner　a　good　send…off　by　paddling　round　her　in　circles；　the　pleading　face　of　a　twenty…dollar　bill　peered　up　at　him。　Mr。　Swenson　was　not　the　man　to　resist　the　appeal。　He　uttered　a　sharp　bark　of　ecstasy；　pressed　his　Derby　hat　firmly　upon　his　brow　and　dived　in。　A　moment　later　he　had　risen　to　the　surface　and　was　gathering　up　money　with　both　hands。
　He　was　still　busy　with　this　congenial　task　when　a　tremendous　splash　at　his　side　sent　him　under　again；　and；　rising　for　a　second　time；　he　observed　with　not　a　little　chagrin　that　he　had　been　joined　by　a　young　man　in　a　blue　flannel　suit　with　an　invisible　stripe。
　〃Svensk！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Swenson；　or　whatever　it　is　that　natives　of　Sweden　exclaim　in　moments　of　justifiable　annoyance。　He　resented　the　advent　of　this　newer。　He　had　been　getting　along　fine　and　had　had　the　situation　well　in　hand。　To　him　Sam　Marlowe　represented　petition；　and　Mr。　Swenson　desired　no　petitors　in　his　treasure…seeking　enterprise。　He　travels；　thought　Mr。　Swenson；　the　fastest　who　travels　alone。
　Sam　Marlowe　had　a　touch　of　the　philosopher　in　him。　He　had　the　ability　to　adapt　himself　to　circumstances。　It　had　been　no　part　of　his　plans　to　e　whizzing　down　off　the　rail　into　this　singularly　soup…like　water　which　tasted　in　equal　parts　of　oil　and　dead　rats；　but；　now　that　he　was　here　he　was　prepared　to　make　the　best　of　the　situation。　Swimming；　it　happened；　was　one　of　the　things　he　did　best；　and　somewhere　among　his　belongings　at　home　was　a　tarnished　pewter　cup　which　he　had　won　at　school　in　the　〃Saving　Life〃　petition。　He　knew　exactly　what　to　do。　You　get　behind　the　victim　and　grab　him　firmly　under　his　arms；　and　then　you　start　swimming　on　your　back。　A　moment　later　the　astonished　Mr。　Swenson；　who；　being　practically　amphibious；　had　not　anticipated　that　anyone　would　have　the　cool　impertinence　to　try　and　save　him　from　drowning；　found　himself　seized　from　behind　and　towed　vigorously　away　from　a　ten…dollar　bill　which　he　had　almost　succeeded　in　grasping。　The　spiritual　agony　caused　by　this　assault　rendered　him　mercifully　dumb；　though；　even　had　he　contrived　to　utter　the　rich　Swedish　oaths　which　occurred　to　him；　his　remarks　could　scarcely　have　been　heard；　for　the　crowd　on　the　dock　was　cheering　as　one　man。　They　had　often　paid　good　money　to　see　far　less　gripping　sights　in　the　movies。　They　roared　applause。　The　liner；　meanwhile；　continued　to　move　stodgily　out　into　mid…river。
　The　only　drawback　to　these　life…saving　petitions　at　school；　considered　from　the　standpoint　of　fitting　the　petitors　for　the　problems　of　after…life；　is　that　the　object　saved　on　such　occasions　is　a　leather　dummy；　and　of　all　things　in　this　world　a　leather　dummy　is　perhaps　the　most　placid　and　phlegmatic。　It　differs　in　many　respects　from　an　emotional　Swedish　gentleman；　six　foot　high　and　constructed　throughout　of　steel　and　india　rubber；　who　is　being　lugged　away　from　cash　which　he　has　been　regarding　in　the　light　of　a　legacy。　Indeed；　it　would　not　be　hard　to　find　a　respect　in　which　it　does　not　differ。　So　far　from　lying　inert　in　Sam's　arms　and　allowing　himself　to　be　saved　in　a　quiet　and　orderly　manner；　Mr。　Swenson　betrayed　all　the　symptoms　of　one　who　feels　that　he　has　fallen　among　murderers。　Mr。　Swenson；　much　as　he　disliked　petition；　was　ready　to　put　up　with　it；　provided　that　it　was　fair　petition。　This　pulling　your　rival　away　from　the　loot　so　that　you　could　grab　it　yourselfthus　shockingly　had　the　man　misinterpreted　Sam's　motiveswas　another　thing　altogether　and　his　stout　soul　would　have　none　of　it。　He　began　immediately　to　struggle　with　all　the　violence　at　his　disposal。　His　large；　hairy　hands　came　out　of　the　water　and　swung　hopefully　in　the　direction　where　he　assumed　his　assailant's　face　to　be。
　Sam　was