tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第7节
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English girl。 I was beginning to think it exaggerated。 Stand up。〃
Tommy obeyed。 It was not altogether her way； but with those eyes
beneath their shaggy brows bent upon her； it seemed the simplest thing
to do。
〃So。 And now that you are here； what do you want？〃
〃To interview you。〃
Tommy drew forth her list of questions。
The shaggy brows contracted。
〃Who put you up to this absurdity？ Who was it？ Tell me at once。〃
〃Nobody。〃
〃Don't lie to me。 His name？〃
The terrible； small eyes flashed fire。 But Tommy also had a pair of
eyes。 Before their blaze of indignation the great man positively quailed。
This type of opponent was new to him。
〃I'm not lying。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the Prince。
And at this point it occurred to the Prince； who being really a great
man； had naturally a sense of humour； that a conference conducted on
these lines between the leading statesman of an Empire and an
impertinent hussy of； say； twelve years old at the outside； might end by
becoming ridiculous。 So the Prince took up his chair and put it down
again beside Tommy's； and employing skilfully his undoubted
diplomatic gifts； drew from her bit by bit the whole story。
〃I'm inclined； Miss Jane；〃 said the Great Man； the story ended； 〃to
agree with our friend Mr。 Hope。 I should say your metier was
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Tommy and Co。
journalism。〃
〃And you'll let me interview you？〃 asked Tommy； showing her white
teeth。
The Great Man； laying a hand heavier than he guessed on Tommy's
shoulder； rose。 〃I think you are entitled to it。〃
〃What's your views？〃 demanded Tommy； reading； 〃of the future
political and social relationships〃
〃Perhaps；〃 suggested the Great Man； 〃it will be simpler if I write it
myself。〃
〃Well；〃 concurred Tommy； 〃my spelling is a bit rocky。〃
The Great Man drew a chair to the table。
〃You won't miss out anythingwill you？〃 insisted Tommy。
〃I shall endeavour； Miss Jane； to give you no cause for complaint；〃
gravely he assured her； and sat down to write。
Not till the train began to slacken speed had the Prince finished。
Then； blotting and refolding the paper； he stood up。
〃I have added some instructions on the back of the last page；〃
explained the Prince； 〃to which you will draw Mr。 Hope's particular
attention。 I would wish you to promise me； Miss Jane； never again to
have recourse to dangerous acrobatic tricks； not even in the sacred cause
of journalism。〃
〃Of course； if you hadn't been so jolly difficult to get at〃
〃My fault； I know；〃 agreed the Prince。 〃There is not the least doubt
as to which sex you belong to。 Nevertheless； I want you to promise me。
Come；〃 urged the Prince； 〃I have done a good deal for youmore than
you know。〃
〃All right；〃 consented Tommy a little sulkily。 Tommy hated making
promises； because she always kept them。 〃I promise。〃
〃There is your Interview。〃 The first Southampton platform lamp
shone in upon the Prince and Tommy as they stood facing one another。
The Prince； who had acquired the reputation； not altogether unjustly； of
an ill…tempered and savage old gentleman； did a strange thing： taking
the little； blood…smeared face between his paws； he kissed it。 Tommy
always remembered the smoky flavour of the bristly grey moustache。
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Tommy and Co。
〃One thing more；〃 said the Prince sternly〃not a word of all this。
Don't open your mouth to speak of it till you are back in Gough Square。〃
〃Do you take me for a mug？〃 answered Tommy。
They behaved very oddly to Tommy after the Prince had disappeared。
Everybody took a deal of trouble for her； but none of them seemed to
know why they were doing it。 They looked at her and went away； and
came again and looked at her。 And the more they thought about it； the
more puzzled they became。 Some of them asked her questions； but
what Tommy really didn't know； added to what she didn't mean to tell；
was so prodigious that Curiosity itself paled at contemplation of it。
They washed and brushed her up and gave her an excellent supper；
and putting her into a first…class compartment labelled 〃Reserved；〃 sent
her back to Waterloo； and thence in a cab to Gough Square； where she
arrived about midnight； suffering from a sense of self… importance； traces
of which to this day are still discernible。
Such and thus was the beginning of all things。 Tommy； having
talked for half an hour at the rate of two hundred words a minute； had
suddenly dropped her head upon the table； had been aroused with
difficulty and persuaded to go to bed。 Peter； in the deep easy… chair
before the fire； sat long into the night。 Elizabeth； liking quiet company；
purred softly。 Out of the shadows crept to Peter Hope an old forgotten
dreamthe dream of a wonderful new Journal； price one penny weekly；
of which the Editor should come to be one Thomas Hope； son of Peter
Hope； its honoured Founder and Originator： a powerful Journal that
should supply a long…felt want； popular； but at the same time elevating
a pleasure to the public； a profit to its owners。 〃Do you not remember
me？〃 whispered the Dream。 〃We had long talks together。 The
morning and the noonday pass。 The evening still is ours。 The twilight
also brings its promise。〃
Elizabeth stopped purring and looked up surprised。 Peter was
laughing to himself。
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Tommy and Co。
STORY THE SECONDWilliam
Clodd appoints himself Managing
Director
Mrs。 Postwhistle sat on a Windsor…chair in the centre of Rolls Court。
Mrs。 Postwhistle； who； in the days of her Hebehood； had been likened
by admiring frequenters of the old Mitre in Chancery Lane to the ladies；
somewhat emaciated； that an English artist； since become famous； was
then commencing to popularise； had developed with the passing years；
yet still retained a face of placid youthfulness。 The two facts； taken in
conjunction； had resulted in an asset to her income not to be despised。
The wanderer through Rolls Court this summer's afternoon； presuming
him to be familiar with current journalism； would have retired haunted
by the sense that the restful…looking lady on the Windsor…chair was
someone that he ought to know。 Glancing through almost any
illustrated paper of the period； the problem would have been solved for
him。 A photograph of Mrs。 Postwhistle； taken quite recently； he would
have encountered with this legend： 〃BEFORE use of Professor
Hardtop's certain cure for corpulency。〃 Beside it a photograph of Mrs。
Postwhistle； then Arabella Higgins； taken twenty years ago； the legend
slightly varied： 〃AFTER use；〃 etc。 The face was the same； the figure…
…there was no denying ithad undergone decided alteration。
Mrs。 Postwhistle had reached with her chair the centre of Rolls Court
in course of following the sun。 The little shop； over the lintel of which
ran： 〃Timothy Postwhistle； Grocer and Provision Merchant；〃 she had
left behind her in the shadow。 Old inhabitants of St。 Dunstan…in…the…
West retained recollection of a gentlemanly figure； al
