pgw.psmith,journalist-第18部分

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！


antly　from　the　opposite　direction　came　other　shots。　Three　bullets　flicked　grooves　in　the　roadway　almost　at　Billy's　feet。　The　Kid　gave　a　sudden　howl。　Psmith's　hat；　suddenly　imbued　with　life；　sprang　into　the　air　and　vanished；　whirling　into　the　night。
　The　thought　did　not　e　to　them　consciously　at　the　moment；　there　being　little　time　to　think；　but　it　was　evident　as　soon　as；　diving　out　of　the　circle　of　light　into　the　sheltering　darkness；　they　crouched　down　and　waited　for　the　next　move；　that　a　somewhat　skilful　ambush　had　been　effected。　The　other　members　of　the　gang；　who　had　fled　with　such　remarkable　speed；　had　by　no　means　been　eliminated　altogether　from　the　game。　While　the　questioning　of　Mr。　Repetto　had　been　in　progress；　they　had　crept　back；　unperceived　except　by　Mr。　Repetto　himself。　It　being　too　dark　for　successful　shooting；　it　had　bee　Mr。　Repetto's　task　to　lure　his　captors　into　the　light；　which　he　had　acplished　with　considerable　skill。
　For　some　minutes　the　battle　halted。　There　was　dead　silence。　The　circle　of　light　was　empty　now。　Mr。　Repetto　had　vanished。　A　tentative　shot　from　nowhere　ripped　through　the　air　close　to　where　Psmith　lay　flattened　on　the　pavement。　And　then　the　pavement　began　to　vibrate　and　give　out　a　curious　resonant　sound。　To　Psmith　it　conveyed　nothing；　but　to　the　opposing　army　it　meant　much。　They　knew　it　for　what　it　was。　Somewhereit　might　be　near　or　fara　policeman　had　heard　the　shots；　and　was　signalling　for　help　to　other　policemen　along　the　line　by　beating　on　the　flag…stones　with　his　night…stick；　the　New　York　constable's　substitute　for　the　London　police…whistle。
　The　noise　grew；　filling　the　still　air。　From　somewhere　down　the　road　sounded　the　ring　of　running　feet。
　〃De　cops！〃　cried　a　voice。　〃Beat　it！〃
　Next　moment　the　night　was　full　of　clatter。　The　gang　was　〃beating　it。〃
　Psmith　rose　to　his　feet　and　dusted　his　clothes　ruefully。　For　the　first　time　he　realised　the　horrors　of　war。　His　hat　had　gone　for　ever。　His　trousers　could　never　be　the　same　again　after　their　close　acquaintance　with　the　pavement。
　The　rescue　party　was　ing　up　at　the　gallop。
　The　New　York　policeman　may　lack　the　quiet　dignity　of　his　London　rival；　but　he　is　a　hustler。
　〃What's　doing？〃
　〃Nothing　now；〃　said　the　disgusted　voice　of　Billy　Windsor　from　the　shadows。　〃They've　beaten　it。〃
　The　circle　of　lamplight　became　as　if　by　mutual　consent　a　general　rendezvous。　Three　grey…clad　policemen；　tough；　clean…shaven　men　with　keen　eyes　and　square　jaws；　stood　there；　revolver　in　one　hand；　night…stick　in　the　other。　Psmith；　hatless　and　dusty；　joined　them。　Billy　Windsor　and　the　Kid；　the　latter　bleeding　freely　from　his　left　ear；　the　lobe　of　which　had　been　chipped　by　a　bullet；　were　the　last　to　arrive。
　〃What's　bin　the　rough　house？〃　inquired　one　of　the　policemen；　mildly　interested。
　〃Do　you　know　a　sportsman　of　the　name　of　Repetto？〃　inquired　Psmith。
　〃Jack　Repetto！　Sure。〃
　〃He　belongs　to　the　Three　Points；〃　said　another　intelligent　officer；　as　one　naming　some　fashionable　club。
　〃When　next　you　see　him；〃　said　Psmith；　〃I　should　be　obliged　if　you　would　use　your　authority　to　make　him　buy　me　a　new　hat。　I　could　do　with　another　pair　of　trousers；　too；　but　I　will　not　press　the　trousers。　A　new　hat；　is；　however；　essential。　Mine　has　a　six…inch　hole　in　it。〃
　〃Shot　at　you；　did　they？〃　said　one　of　the　policemen；　as　who　should　say；　〃Dash　the　lads；　they're　always　up　to　some　of　their　larks。〃
　〃Shot　at　us！〃　burst　out　the　ruffled　Kid。　〃What　do　you　think's　bin　happening？　Think　an　aeroplane　ran　into　my　ear　and　took　half　of　it　off？　Think　the　noise　was　somebody　opening　bottles　of　pop？　Think　those　guys　that　sneaked　off　down　the　road　was　just　training　for　a　Marathon？〃
　〃rade　Brady；〃　said　Psmith；　〃touches　the　spot。　He〃
　〃Say；　are　you　Kid　Brady？〃　inquired　one　of　the　officers。　For　the　first　time　the　constabulary　had　begun　to　display　any　real　animation。
　〃Reckoned　I'd　seen　you　somewhere！〃　said　another。　〃You　licked　Cyclone　Al。　all　right；　Kid；　I　hear。〃
　〃And　who　but　a　bone…head　thought　he　wouldn't？〃　demanded　the　third　warmly。　〃He　could　whip　a　dozen　Cyclone　Al。's　in　the　same　evening　with　his　eyes　shut。〃
　〃He's　the　next　champeen；〃　admitted　the　first　speaker。
　〃If　he　puts　it　over　Jimmy　Garvin；〃　argued　the　second。
　〃Jimmy　Garvin！〃　cried　the　third。　〃He　can　whip　twenty　Jimmy　Garvins　with　his　feet　tied。　I　tell　you〃
　〃I　am　loath；〃　observed　Psmith；　〃to　interrupt　this　very　impressive　brain…barbecue；　but；　trivial　as　it　may　seem　to　you；　to　me　there　is　a　certain　interest　in　this　other　little　matter　of　my　ruined　hat。　I　know　that　it　may　strike　you　as　hypersensitive　of　us　to　protest　against　being　riddled　with　bullets；　but〃
　〃Well；　what's　bin　doin'？〃　inquired　the　Force。　It　was　a　nuisance；　this　perpetual　harping　on　trifles　when　the　deep　question　of　the　light…weight　Championship　of　the　World　was　under　discussion；　but　the　sooner　it　was　attended　to；　the　sooner　it　would　be　over。
　Billy　Windsor　undertook　to　explain。
　〃The　Three　Points　laid　for　us；〃　he　said。　〃Jack　Repetto　was　bossing　the　crowd。　I　don't　know　who　the　rest　were。　The　Kid　put　one　over　on　to　Jack　Repetto's　chin；　and　we　were　asking　him　a　few　questions　when　the　rest　came　back；　and　started　into　shooting。　Then　we　got　to　cover　quick；　and　you　came　up　and　they　beat　it。〃
　〃That；〃　said　Psmith；　nodding；　〃is　a　very　fair　precis　of　the　evening's　events。　We　should　like　you；　if　you　will　be　so　good；　to　corral　this　rade　Repetto；　and　see　that　he　buys　me　a　new　hat。〃
　〃We'll　round　Jack　up；〃　said　one　of　the　policemen　indulgently。
　〃Do　it　nicely；〃　urged　Psmith。　〃Don't　go　hurting　his　feelings。〃
　The　second　policeman　gave　it　as　his　opinion　that　Jack　was　getting　too　gay。　The　third　policeman　conceded　this。　Jack；　he　said；　had　shown　signs　for　some　time　past　of　asking　for　it　in　the　neck。　It　was　an　error　on　Jack's　part；　he　gave　his　hearers　to　understand；　to　assume　that　the　lid　was　pletely　off　the　great　city　of　New　York。
　〃Too　blamed　fresh　he's　gettin'；〃　the　trio　agreed。　They　could　not　have　been　more　disapproving　if　they　had　been　prefects　at　Haileybury　and　Mr。　Repetto　a　first…termer　who　had　been　detected　in　the　act　of　wearing　his　cap　on　the　back　of　his　head。
　They　seemed　to　think　it　was　too　bad　of　Jack。
　〃The　wrath　of　the　Law；〃　said　Psmith；　〃is　very　terrible。　We　will　leave　the　matter；　then；　in　your　hands。　In　the　meantime；　we　should　be　glad　if　you　would　direct　us　to　the　nearest　Subway　station。　Just　at　the　moment；　the　cheerful　lights　of　the　Great　White　Way　are　what　I　seem　to　chiefly　need。〃
　
　CHAPTER　XVII
　GUERILLA　WARFARE
　
　THUS　ended　the　opening　engagement　of　the　campaign；　seemingly　in　a　victory　for　the　Cosy　Moments　army。　Billy　Windsor；　however；　shook　his　head。
　〃We've　got　mighty　little　out　of　it；〃　he　said。
　〃The　victory；〃　said　Psmith；　〃was　not　bloodless。　rade　Brady's　ear；　my　hatthese　are　not　slight　casualties。　On　the　other　hand；　surely　we　are　one　up？　Surely　we　have　gained　ground？　The　elimination　of　rade　Repetto　from　the　scheme　of　things　in　itself　is　something。　I　know　few　men　I　would　not　rather　meet　in　a　lonely　road　than　rade　Repetto。　He　is　one　of　Nature's　sand…baggers。　Probably　the　thing　crept　upon　him　slowly。　He　started；　possibly；　in　a　merely　tentative　way　by　slugging　one　of　the　family　circle。　His　nurse；　let　us　say；　or　his　young　brother。　But；　once　started；　he　is　unable　to　resist　the　craving。　The　thing　grips　him　like　dram…drinking。　He　sandbags　now　not　because　he　really　wants　to；　but　because　he　cannot　help　himself。　To　me　there　is　something　consoling　in　the　thought　that　rade　Repetto　will　no　longer　be　among　those　present。〃
　〃What　makes　you　think　that？〃
　〃I　should　imagine　that　a　benevolent　Law　will　put　away　in　his　little　cell　for　at　least　a　brief　spell。〃
　〃Not　on　your　life；〃　said　Billy。　〃He'll　prove　an　alibi。〃
　Psmith's　eyeglass　dropped　out　of　his　eye。　He　replaced　it；　and　gazed；　astonished；　at　Billy。
　〃An　alibi？　When　three　keen…eyed　men　actually　caught　him　at　it？〃
　〃He　can　find　thirty　toughs　to　swear　he　was　five　miles　away。〃
　〃And　get　the　court　to　believe　it？〃　said　Psmith。
　〃Sure；〃　said　Billy　disgustedly。　〃You　don't　catch　them　hurting　a　gangsman　unless　they're　pushed　against　the　wall。　The　politicians　don't　want　the　gangs　in　gaol；　especially　as　the　Aldermanic　elections　will　be　on　in　a　few　weeks。　Did　you　ever　hear　of　Monk　Eastman？〃
　〃I　fancy　not；　rade　Windsor。　If　I　did；　the　name　has　escaped　me。　Who　was　this　cleric？〃
　〃He　was　the　first　boss　of　the　East　Side　gang；　before　Kid　Twist　took　it　on。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃He　was　arrested　dozens　of　times；　but　he　always　got　off。　Do　you　know　what　he　said　once；　when　they　pulled　him　for　thugging　a　fellow　out　in　New　Jersey？〃
　〃I　fear　not；　rade　Windsor。　Tell　me　all。〃
　〃He　said；　'You're　arresting　me；　huh？　Say；　you　want　to　look　where　you're　goin'；　I　cut　some　ice　in　this　town。　I　made　half　the　big　politicians　in　New　York！'　That　was　what　he　said。〃
　〃His　small…talk；〃　said　Psmith；　〃seems　to　have　been　bright　and　well…expressed。　What　happened　then？　Was　he　restored　to　his　friends　and　his　relations？〃
　〃Sure；　he　was。　What　do　you　think？　Well；　Jack　Repetto　isn't　Monk　Eastman；　but　he's　in　with　Spider　Reilly；　and　the　Spider's　in　with　the　men　behind。　Jack'll　get　off。〃
　〃It　looks　to　me；　rade　Windsor；〃　said　Psmith　thoughtfully；　〃as　if　my　stay　in　this　great　city　were　going　to　cost　me　a　small　fortune　in