pgw.piccadillyjim-第17节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


azed　at　a　spectacle　so　unusual　as　practically　to　amount　to　a　modern　miraclethe　spectacled　Bayliss　running。　The　butler　was　not　in　the　pink　of　condition；　but　he　was　striding　out　gallantly。　He　reached　the　door　of　Jimmy's　partment；　and　raised　his　hand。
　〃Begging　your　pardon；　Mr。　James；〃　he　panted；　〃for　taking　the　liberty；　but　I　really　couldn't！〃
　He　reached　up　and　thrust　something　into　Jimmy's　hand；　something　crisp　and　crackling。　Then；　his　mission　performed；　fell　back　and　stood　waving　a　snowy　handkerchief。　The　train　plunged　into　the　tunnel。
　Jimmy　stared　at　the　five…pound　note。　He　was　aware；　like　Ann　farther　along　the　train；　of　a　lump　in　his　throat。　He　put　the　note　slowly　into　his　pocket。
　The　train　moved　on。
　
　CHAPTER　VII
　ON　THE　BOAT…DECK
　
　RISING　waters　and　a　fine　flying　scud　that　whipped　stingingly　over　the　side　had　driven　most　of　the　passengers　on　the　Atlantic　to　the　shelter　of　their　staterooms　or　to　the　warm　stuffiness　of　the　library。　It　was　the　fifth　evening　of　the　voyage。　For　five　days　and　four　nights　the　ship　had　been　racing　through　a　placid　ocean　on　her　way　to　Sandy　Hook：　but　in　the　early　hours　of　this　afternoon　the　wind　had　shifted　to　the　north；　bringing　heavy　seas。　Darkness　had　begun　to　fall　now。　The　sky　was　a　sullen　black。　The　white　crests　of　the　rollers　gleamed　faintly　in　the　dusk；　and　the　wind　sang　in　the　ropes。
　Jimmy　and　Ann　had　had　the　boat…deck　to　themselves　for　half　an　hour。　Jimmy　was　a　good　sailor：　it　exhilarated　him　to　fight　the　wind　and　to　walk　a　deck　that　heaved　and　dipped　and　shuddered　beneath　his　feet；　but　he　had　not　expected　to　have　Ann's　pany　on　such　an　evening。　But　she　had　e　out　of　the　saloon　entrance；　her　small　face　framed　in　a　hood　and　her　slim　body　shapeless　beneath　a　great　cloak；　and　joined　him　in　his　walk。
　Jimmy　was　in　a　mood　of　exaltation。　He　had　passed　the　last　few　days　in　a　condition　of　intermittent　melancholy；　consequent　on　the　discovery　that　he　was　not　the　only　man　on　board　the　Atlantic　who　desired　the　society　of　Ann　as　an　alleviation　of　the　tedium　of　an　ocean　voyage。　The　world；　when　he　embarked　on　this　venture；　had　consisted　so　exclusively　of　Ann　and　himself　that；　until　the　ship　was　well　on　its　way　to　Queenstown；　he　had　not　conceived　the　possibility　of　intrusive　males　forcing　their　unwele　attentions　on　her。　And　it　had　added　bitterness　to　the　bitter　awakening　that　their　attentions　did　not　appear　to　be　at　all　unwele。　Almost　immediately　after　breakfast　on　the　very　first　day　a　creature　with　a　small　black　moustache　and　shining　teeth　had　descended　upon　Ann　and；　vocal　with　surprise　and　pleasure　at　meeting　her　againhe　claimed；　damn　him！；　to　have　met　her　before　at　Palm　Beach；　Bar　Harbor；　and　a　dozen　other　placeshad　carried　her　off　to　play　an　idiotic　game　known　as　shuffle…board。　Nor　was　this　an　isolated　case。　It　began　to　be　borne　in　upon　Jimmy　that　Ann；　whom　he　had　looked　upon　purely　in　the　light　of　an　Eve　playing　opposite　his　Adam　in　an　exclusive　Garden　of　Eden；　was　an　extremely　well…known　and　popular　character。　The　clerk　at　the　shipping…office　had　lied　absurdly　when　he　had　said　that　very　few　people　were　crossing　on　the　Atlantic　this　voyage。　The　vessel　was　crammed　till　its　sides　bulged；　it　was　loaded　down　in　utter　defiance　of　the　Plimsoll　law；　with　Rollos　and　Clarences　and　Dwights　and　Twombleys　who　had　known　and　golfed　and　ridden　and　driven　and　motored　and　swum　and　danced　with　Ann　for　years。　A　ghastly　being　entitled　Edgar　Something　or　Teddy　Something　had　beaten　Jimmy　by　a　short　head　in　the　race　for　the　deck…steward；　the　prize　of　which　was　the　placing　of　his　deck…chair　next　to　Ann's。　Jimmy　had　been　driven　from　the　promenade　deck　by　the　spectacle　of　this　beastly　creature　lying　swathed　in　rugs　reading　best…sellers　to　her。
　He　had　scarcely　seen　her　to　speak　to　since　the　beginning　of　the　voyage。　When　she　was　not　walking　with　Rolly　or　playing　shuffle…board　with　Twombley；　she　was　down　below　ministering　to　the　fort　of　a　chronically　sea…sick　aunt；　referred　to　in　conversation　as　〃poor　aunt　Nesta〃。　Sometimes　Jimmy　saw　the　little　manpresumably　her　unclein　the　smoking…room；　and　once　he　came　upon　the　stout　boy　recovering　from　the　effects　of　a　cigar　in　a　quiet　corner　of　the　boat…deck：　but　apart　from　these　meetings　the　family　was　as　distant　from　him　as　if　he　had　never　seen　Ann　at　alllet　alone　saved　her　life。
　And　now　she　had　dropped　down　on　him　from　heaven。　They　were　alone　together　with　the　good　clean　wind　and　the　bracing　scud。　Rollo；　Clarence；　Dwight；　and　Twombley；　not　to　mention　Edgar　or　possibly　Teddy；　were　down　belowhe　hoped；　dying。　They　had　the　world　to　themselves。
　〃I　love　rough　weather；〃　said　Ann；　lifting　her　face　to　the　wind。　Her　eyes　were　very　bright。　She　was　beyond　any　doubt　or　question　the　only　girl　on　earth。　〃Poor　aunt　Nesta　doesn't。　She　was　bad　enough　when　it　was　quite　calm；　but　this　storm　has　finished　her。　I've　just　been　down　below；　trying　to　cheer　her　up。〃
　Jimmy　thrilled　at　the　picture。　Always　fascinating；　Ann　seemed　to　him　at　her　best　in　the　role　of　ministering　angel。　He　longed　to　tell　her　so；　but　found　no　words。　They　reached　the　end　of　the　deck；　and　turned。　Ann　looked　up　at　him。
　〃I've　hardly　seen　anything　of　you　since　we　sailed；〃　she　said。　She　spoke　almost　reproachfully。　〃Tell　me　all　about　yourself；　Mr。　Bayliss。　Why　are　you　going　to　America？〃
　Jimmy　had　had　an　impassioned　indictment　of　the　Rollos　on　his　tongue；　but　she　had　closed　the　opening　for　it　as　quickly　as　she　had　made　it。　In　face　of　her　direct　demand　for　information　he　could　not　hark　back　to　it　now。　After　all；　what　did　the　Rollos　matter？　They　had　no　part　in　this　little　wind…swept　world：　they　were　where　they　belonged；　in　some　nether　hell　on　the　C。　or　D。　deck；　moaning　for　death。
　〃To　make　a　fortune；　I　hope；〃　he　said。
　Ann　was　pleased　at　this　confirmation　of　her　diagnosis。　She　had　deduced　this　from　the　evidence　at　Paddington　Station。
　〃How　pleased　your　father　will　be　if　you　do！〃
　The　slight　plexity　of　Jimmy's　affairs　caused　him　to　pause　for　a　moment　to　sort　out　his　fathers；　but　an　instant's　reflection　told　him　that　she　must　be　referring　to　Bayliss　the　butler。
　〃Yes。〃
　〃He's　a　dear　old　man；〃　said　Ann。　〃I　suppose　he's　very　proud　of　you？〃
　〃I　hope　so。〃
　〃You　must　do　tremendously　well　in　America；　so　as　not　to　disappoint　him。　What　are　you　thinking　of　doing？〃　　Jimmy　considered　for　a　moment。
　〃Newspaper　work；　I　think。〃
　〃Oh？　Why；　have　you　had　any　experience？〃
　〃A　little。〃
　Ann　seemed　to　grow　a　little　aloof；　as　if　her　enthusiasm　had　been　damped。
　〃Oh；　well；　I　suppose　it's　a　good　enough　profession。　I'm　not　very　fond　of　it　myself。　I've　only　met　one　newspaper　man　in　my　life；　and　I　dislike　him　very　much；　so　I　suppose　that　has　prejudiced　me。〃
　〃Who　was　that？〃
　〃You　wouldn't　have　met　him。　He　was　on　an　American　paper。　A　man　named　Crocker。〃
　A　sudden　gust　of　wind　drove　them　back　a　step；　rendering　talk　impossible。　It　covered　a　gap　when　Jimmy　could　not　have　spoken。　The　shock　of　the　information　that　Ann　had　met　him　before　made　him　dumb。　This　thing　was　beyond　him。　It　baffled　him。
　Her　next　words　supplied　a　solution。　They　were　under　shelter　of　one　of　the　boats　now　and　she　could　make　herself　heard。
　〃It　was　five　years　ago；　and　I　only　met　him　for　a　very　short　while；　but　the　prejudice　has　lasted。〃
　Jimmy　began　to　understand。　Five　years　ago！　It　was　not　so　strange；　then；　that　they　should　not　recognise　each　other　now。　He　stirred　up　his　memory。　Nothing　came　to　the　surface。　Not　a　gleam　of　recollection　of　that　early　meeting　rewarded　him。　And　yet　something　of　importance　must　have　happened　then；　for　her　to　remember　it。　Surely　his　mere　personality　could　not　have　been　so　unpleasant　as　to　have　made　such　a　lasting　impression　on　her！
　〃I　wish　you　could　do　something　better　than　newspaper　work；〃　said　Ann。　〃I　always　think　the　splendid　part　about　America　is　that　it　is　such　a　land　of　adventure。　There　are　such　millions　of　chances。　It's　a　place　where　anything　may　happen。　Haven't　you　an　adventurous　soul；　Mr。　Bayliss？〃
　No　man　lightly　submits　to　a　charge；　even　a　hinted　charge；　of　being　deficient　in　the　capacity　for　adventure。
　〃Of　course　I　have；〃　said　Jimmy　indignantly。　〃I'm　game　to　tackle　anything　that　es　along。〃
　〃I'm　glad　of　that。〃
　Her　feeling　of　radeship　towards　this　young　man　deepened。　She　loved　adventure　and　based　her　estimate　of　any　member　of　the　opposite　sex　largely　on　his　capacity　for　it。　She　moved　in　a　set；　when　at　home；　which　was　more　polite　than　adventurous；　and　had　frequently　found　the　atmosphere　enervating。
　〃Adventure；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃is　everything。〃
　He　paused。　〃Or　a　good　deal；〃　he　concluded　weakly。
　〃Why　qualify　it　like　that？　It　sounds　so　tame。　Adventure　is　the　biggest　thing　in　life。〃
　It　seemed　to　Jimmy　that　he　had　received　an　excuse　for　a　remark　of　a　kind　that　had　been　waiting　for　utterance　ever　since　he　had　met　her。　Often　and　often　in　the　watches　of　the　night；　smoking　endless　pipes　and　thinking　of　her；　he　had　conjured　up　just　such　a　vision　as　thisthey　two　walking　the　deserted　deck　alone；　and　she　innocently　giving　him　an　opening　for　some　low…voiced；　tender　speech；　at　which　she　would　start；　look　at　him　quickly；　and　then　ask　him　haltingly　if　the　words　had　any　particular　application。　And　after　thatoh；　well；　all　sorts　of　things　might　happen。　And　now　the　moment　had　e。　It　was　true　that　he　had　alwa