pgw.psmith,journalist-第4部分

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rock　rhythmically　to　and　fro；　a　performance　which　he　kept　up　untiringly　all　the　time。
　〃A　peaceful　scene；〃　observed　Psmith。　〃Three　great　minds；　keen；　alert；　restless　during　business　hours；　relax。　All　is　calm　and　pleasant　chit…chat。　You　have　snug　quarters　up　here；　rade　Windsor。　I　hold　that　there　is　nothing　like　one's　own　roof…tree。　It　is　a　great　treat　to　one　who；　like　myself；　is　located　in　one　of　these　vast　caravanseraito　be　exact；　the　Astorto　pass　a　few　moments　in　the　quiet　privacy　of　an　apartment　such　as　this。〃
　〃It's　beastly　expensive　at　the　Astor；〃　said　Mike。
　〃The　place　has　that　drawback　also。　Anon；　rade　Jackson；　I　think　we　will　hunt　around　for　some　such　cubby…hoIe　as　this；　built　for　two。　Our　nervous　systems　must　be　conserved。〃
　〃On　Fourth　Avenue；〃　said　Billy　Windsor；　〃you　can　get　quite　good　flats　very　cheap。　Furnished；　too。　You　should　move　there。　It's　not　much　of　a　neighbourhood。　I　don't　know　if　you　mind　that？〃
　〃Far　from　it；　rade　Windsor。　It　is　my　aim　to　see　New　York　in　all　its　phases。　If　a　certain　amount　of　harmless　revelry　can　be　whacked　out　of　Fourth　Avenue；　we　must　dash　there　with　the　vim　of　highly…trained　smell…dogs。　Are　you　with　me；　rade　Jackson？〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Mike。
　〃And　now；　rade　Windsor；　it　would　be　a　pleasure　to　me　to　peruse　that　little　journal　of　which　you　spoke。　I　have　had　so　few　opportunities　of　getting　into　touch　with　the　literature　of　this　great　country。〃
　Billy　Windsor　stretched　out　an　arm　and　pulled　a　bundle　of　papers　from　the　book…stand。　He　tossed　them　on　to　the　settee　by　Psmith's　side。
　〃There　you　are；〃　he　said；　〃if　you　really　feel　like　it。　Don't　say　I　didn't　warn　you。　If　you've　got　the　nerve；　read　on。〃
　Psmith　had　picked　up　one　of　the　papers　when　there　came　a　shuffling　of　feet　in　the　passage　outside；　followed　by　a　knock　upon　the　door。　The　next　moment　there　appeared　in　the　doorway　a　short；　stout　young　man。　There　was　an　indescribable　air　of　toughness　about　him；　partly　due　to　the　fact　that　he　wore　his　hair　in　a　well…oiled　fringe　almost　down　to　his　eyebrows；　which　gave　him　the　appearance　of　having　no　forehead　at　all。　His　eyes　were　small　and　set　close　together。　His　mouth　was　wide；　his　jaw　prominent。　Not；　in　short；　the　sort　of　man　you　would　have　picked　out　on　sight　as　a　model　citizen。
　His　entrance　was　marked　by　a　curious　sibilant　sound；　which；　on　acquaintance；　proved　to　be　a　whistled　tune。　During　the　interview　which　followed；　except　when　he　was　speaking；　the　visitor　whistled　softly　and　unceasingly。
　〃Mr。　Windsor？〃　he　said　to　the　pany　at　large。
　Psmith　waved　a　hand　towards　the　rocking…chair。　〃That；〃　he　said；　〃is　rade　Windsor。　To　your　right　is　rade　Jackson；　England's　favourite　son。　I　am　Psmith。〃
　The　visitor　blinked　furtively；　and　whistled　another　tune。　As　he　looked　round　the　room；　his　eye　fell　on　the　cat。　His　face　lit　up。
　〃Say！〃　he　said；　stepping　forward；　and　touching　the　cat's　collar；　〃mine；　mister。〃
　〃Are　you　Bat　Jarvis？〃　asked　Windsor　with　interest。
　〃Sure；〃　said　the　visitor；　not　without　a　touch　of　placency；　as　of　a　monarch　abandoning　his　incognito。
　For　Mr。　Jarvis　was　a　celebrity。
　By　profession　he　was　a　dealer　in　animals；　birds；　and　snakes。　He　had　a　fancier's　shop　in　Groome　street；　in　the　heart　of　the　Bowery。　This　was　on　the　ground…floor。　His　living　abode　was　in　the　upper　story　of　that　house；　and　it　was　there　that　he　kept　the　twenty…three　cats　whose　necks　were　adorned　with　leather　collars；　and　whose　numbers　had　so　recently　been　reduced　to　twenty…two。　But　it　was　not　the　fact　that　he　possessed　twenty…three　cats　with　leather　collars　that　made　Mr。　Jarvis　a　celebrity。
　A　man　may　win　a　purely　local　reputation；　if　only　for　eccentricity；　by　such　means。　But　Mr。　Jarvis's　reputation　was　far　from　being　purely　local。　Broadway　knew　him；　and　the　Tenderloin。　Tammany　Hall　knew　him。　Long　Island　City　knew　him。　In　the　underworld　of　New　York　his　name　was　a　by…word。　For　Bat　Jarvis　was　the　leader　of　the　famous　Groome　Street　Gang；　the　most　noted　of　all　New　York's　collections　of　Apaches。　More；　he　was　the　founder　and　originator　of　it。　And；　curiously　enough；　it　had　e　into　being　from　motives　of　sheer　benevolence。　In　Groome　Street　in　those　days　there　had　been　a　dance…hall；　named　the　Shamrock　and　presided　over　by　one　Maginnis；　an　Irishman　and　a　friend　of　Bat's。　At　the　Shamrock　nightly　dances　were　given　and　well　attended　by　the　youth　of　the　neighbourhood　at　ten　cents　a　head。　All　might　have　been　well；　had　it　not　been　for　certain　other　youths　of　the　neighbourhood　who　did　not　dance　and　so　had　to　seek　other　means　of　getting　rid　of　their　surplus　energy。　It　was　the　practice　of　these　light…hearted　sportsmen　to　pay　their　ten　cents　for　admittance；　and　once　in；　to　make　hay。　And　this　habit；　Mr。　Maginnis　found；　was　having　a　marked　effect　on　his　earnings。　For　genuine　lovers　of　the　dance　fought　shy　of　a　place　where　at　any　moment　Philistines　might　burst　in　and　break　heads　and　furniture。　In　this　crisis　the　proprietor　thought　of　his　friend　Bat　Jarvis。　Bat　at　that　time　had　a　solid　reputation　as　a　man　of　his　hands。　It　is　true　that；　as　his　detractors　pointed　out；　he　had　killed　no　onea　defect　which　he　had　subsequently　corrected；　but　his　admirers　based　his　claim　to　respect　on　his　many　meritorious　performances　with　fists　and　with　the　black…jack。　And　Mr。　Maginnis　for　one　held　him　in　the　very　highest　esteem。　To　Bat　accordingly　he　went；　and　laid　his　painful　case　before　him。　He　offered　him　a　handsome　salary　to　be　on　hand　at　the　nightly　dances　and　check　undue　revelry　by　his　own　robust　methods。　Bat　had　accepted　the　offer。　He　had　gone　to　Shamrock　Hall；　and　with　him；　faithful　adherents；　had　gone　such　stalwarts　as　Long　Otto；　Red　Logan；　Tommy　Jefferson；　and　Pete　Brodie。　Shamrock　Hall　became　a　place　of　joy　and　order；　andmore　important　stillthe　nucleus　of　the　Groome　Street　Gang　had　been　formed。　The　work　progressed。　Off…shoots　of　the　main　gang　sprang　up　here　and　there　about　the　East　Side。　Small　thieves；　pickpockets　and　the　like；　flocked　to　Mr。　Jarvis　as　their　tribal　leader　and　protector　and　he　protected　them。　For　he；　with　his　followers；　were　of　use　to　the　politicians。　The　New　York　gangs；　and　especially　the　Groome　Street　Gang；　have　brought　to　a　fine　art　the　gentle　practice　of　〃repeating〃；　which；　broadly　speaking；　is　the　art　of　voting　a　number　of　different　times　at　different　polling…stations　on　election　days。　A　man　who　can　vote；　say；　ten　times　in　a　single　day　for　you；　and　who　controls　a　great　number　of　followers　who　are　also　prepared；　if　they　like　you；　to　vote　ten　times　in　a　single　day　for　you；　is　worth　cultivating。　So　the　politicians　passed　the　word　to　the　police；　and　the　police　left　the　Groome　Street　Gang　unmolested　and　they　waxed　fat　and　flourished。
　Such　was　Bat　Jarvis。　
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　〃Pipe　de　collar；〃　said　Mr。　Jarvis；　touching　the　cat's　neck　〃Mine；　mister。〃
　〃Pugsy　said　it　must　be；〃　said　Billy　Windsor。　〃We　found　two　fellows　setting　a　dog　on　to　it；　so　we　took　it　in　for　safety。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　nodded　approval。
　〃There's　a　basket　here；　if　you　want　it；〃　said　Billy。
　〃Nope。　Here；　kit。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　stooped；　and；　still　whistling　softly；　lifted　the　cat。　He　looked　round　the　pany；　met　Psmith's　eye…glass；　was　transfixed　by　it　for　a　moment；　and　finally　turned　again　to　Billy　Windsor。
　〃Say！〃　he　said；　and　paused。　〃Obliged；〃　he　added。
　He　shifted　the　cat　on　to　his　left　arm；　and　extended　his　right　hand　to　Billy。
　〃Shake！〃　he　said。
　Billy　did　so。
　Mr。　Jarvis　continued　to　stand　and　whistle　for　a　few　moments　more。
　〃Say！〃　he　said　at　length；　fixing　his　roving　gaze　once　more　upon　Billy。　〃Obliged。　Fond　of　de　kit；　I　am。〃
　Psmith　nodded　approvingly。
　〃And　rightly；〃　he　said。　〃Rightly；　rade　Jarvis。　She　is　not　unworthy　of　your　affection。　A　most　panionable　animal；　full　of　the　highest　spirits。　Her　knockabout　act　in　the　restaurant　would　have　satisfied　the　most　jaded　critic。　No　diner…out　can　afford　to　be　without　such　a　cat。　Such　a　cat　spells　death　to　boredom。〃
　Mr。　Jarvis　eyed　him　fixedly；　as　if　pondering　over　his　remarks。　Then　he　turned　to　Billy　again。
　〃Say！〃　he　said。　〃Any　time　you're　in　bad。　Glad　to　be　of　service。　You　know　the　address。　Groome　Street。　Bat　Jarvis。　Good　night。　Obliged。〃
　He　paused　and　whistled　a　few　more　bars；　then　nodded　to　Psmith　and　Mike；　and　left　the　room。　They　heard　him　shuffling　downstairs。
　〃A　blithe　spirit；〃　said　Psmith。　〃Not　garrulous；　perhaps；　but　what　of　that？　I　am　a　man　of　few　words　myself。　rade　Jarvis's　massive　silences　appeal　to　me。　He　seems　to　have　taken　a　fancy　to　you；　　rade　Windsor。〃
　Billy　Windsor　laughed。
　〃I　don't　know　that　he's　just　the　sort　of　side…partner　I'd　go　out　of　my　way　to　choose；　from　what　I've　heard　about　him。　Still；　if　one　got　mixed　up　with　any　of　that　East…Side　crowd；　he　would　be　a　mighty　useful　friend　to　have。　I　guess　there's　no　harm　done　by　getting　him　grateful。〃
　〃Assuredly　not；〃　said　Psmith。　〃We　should　not　despise　the　humblest。　And　now；　rade　Windsor；〃　he　said；　taking　up　the　paper　again　〃let　me　concentrate　myself　tensely　on　this　very　entertaining　little　journal　of　yours。　rade　Jackson；　here　is　one　for　you。　For　sound；　clear…headed　criticism；〃　he　added　to　Billy；　〃rade　Jackson's　name　is　a　by…word　in　our　English　literary　salons。　His　opinion　will　be　both　of　interest　and　of　profit　to　you；　rade　Windsor。〃
　
　CHAPTER　V
　PLANNING　IMPROVEMENTS
　
　〃By　the　way；〃