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！
train of thought。 His heart began to race。 Hypnotic influences were at work on him。
Why not？ Could there be a simpler solution of the whole trouble？
Inside the office he would see a man with whiskers buying a ticket for New York。 The simplicity of the process fascinated him。 All you had to do was to walk in； bend over the counter while the clerk behind it made dabs with a pencil at the illustrated plate of the ship's interior organs； and hand over your money。 A child could do it； if in funds。 At this thought his hand strayed to his trouser…pocket。 A musical crackling of bank…notes proceeded from the depths。 His quarterly allowance had been paid to him only a short while before； and； though a willing spender； he still retained a goodly portion of it。 He rustled the notes again。 There was enough in that pocket to buy three tickets to New York。 Should he？ 。 。 。 Or； on the other handalways look on both sides of the question should he not？
It would certainly seem to be the best thing for all parties if he did follow the impulse。 By remaining in London he was injuring everybody； himself included。 。 。 。 Well； there was no harm in making enquiries。 Probably the boat was full up anyway。 。 。 。 He walked into the office。
〃Have you anything left on the Atlantic this trip？〃
The clerk behind the counter was quite the wrong sort of person for Jimmy to have had dealings with in his present mood。 What Jimmy needed was a grave； sensible man who would have laid a hand on his shoulder and said 〃Do nothing rash； my boy！〃 The clerk fell short of this ideal in practically every particular。 He was about twenty…two； and he seemed perfectly enthusiastic about the idea of Jimmy going to America。 He beamed at Jimmy。
〃Plenty of room；〃 he said。 〃Very few people crossing。 Give you excellent acmodation。〃
〃When does the boat sail？〃
〃Eight to…morrow morning from Liverpool。 Boat…train leaves Paddington six to…night。〃
Prudence came at the eleventh hour to check Jimmy。 This was not a matter； he perceived； to be decided recklessly； on the spur of a sudden impulse。 Above all； it was not a matter to be decided before lunch。 An empty stomach breeds imagination。 He had ascertained that he could sail on the Atlantic if he wished to。 The sensible thing to do now was to go and lunch and see how he felt about it after that。 He thanked the clerk； and started to walk up the Haymarket； feeling hard…headed and practical； yet with a strong premonition that he was going to make a fool of himself just the same。
It was half…way up the Haymarket that he first became conscious of the girl with the red hair。
Plunged in thought； he had not noticed her before。 And yet she had been walking a few paces in front of him most of the way。 She had e out of Panton Street； walking briskly； as one going to keep a pleasant appointment。 She carried herself admirably； with a jaunty swing。
Having bee conscious of this girl； Jimmy； ever a warm admirer of the sex； began to feel a certain interest stealing over him。 With interest came speculation。 He wondered who she was。 He wondered where she had bought that excellently fitting suit of tailor…made grey。 He admired her back； and wondered whether her face； if seen； would prove a disappointment。 Thus musing； he drew near to the top of the Haymarket； where it ceases to be a street and bees a whirlpool of rushing traffic。 And here the girl； having paused and looked over her shoulder； stepped off the sidewalk。 As she did so a taxi…cab rounded the corner quickly from the direction of Coventry Street。
The agreeable surprise of finding the girl's face fully as attractive as her back had stimulated Jimmy； so that he was keyed up for the exhibition of swift presence…of…mind。 He jumped forward and caught her arm； and swung her to one side as the cab rattled past； its driver thinking hard thoughts to himself。 The whole episode was an affair of seconds。
〃Thank you；〃 said the girl。
She rubbed the arm which he had seized with rather a rueful expression。 She was a little white； and her breath came quickly。
〃I hope I didn't hurt you；〃 said Jimmy。
〃You did。 Very much。 But the taxi would have hurt me more。〃
She laughed。 She looked very attractive when she laughed。 She had a small； piquant； vivacious face。 Jimmy； as he looked at it； had an odd feeling that he had seen her beforewhen and where he did not know。 That mass of red…gold hair seemed curiously familiar。 Somewhere in the hinterland of his mind there lurked a memory； but he could not bring it into the open。 As for the girl； if she had ever met him before； she showed no signs of recollecting it。 Jimmy decided that； if he had seen her； it must have been in his reporter days。 She was plainly an American； and he occasionally had the feeling that he had seen every one in America when he had worked for the Chronicle。
〃That's right；〃 he said approvingly。 〃Always look on the bright side。〃
〃I only arrived in London yesterday；〃 said the girl； 〃and I haven't got used to your keeping…to…the…left rules。 I don't suppose I shall ever get back to New York alive。 Perhaps； as you have saved my life； you wouldn't mind doing me another service。 Can you tell me which is the nearest and safest way to a restaurant called the Regent Grill？〃
〃It's just over there； at the corner of Regent Street。 As to the safest way； if I were you I should cross over at the top of the street there and then work round westward。 Otherwise you will have to cross Piccadilly Circus。〃
〃I absolutely refuse even to try to cross Piccadilly Circus。 Thank you very much。 I will follow your advice。 I hope I shall get there。 It doesn't seem at all likely。〃
She gave him a little nod； and moved away。 Jimmy turned into that drug…store at the top of the Haymarket at which so many Londoners have found healing and fort on the morning after； and bought the pink drink for which his system had been craving since he rose from bed。 He wondered why； as he drained it； he should feel ashamed and guilty。
A few minutes later he found himself； with mild surprise； going down the steps of the Regent Grill。 It was the last place he had had in his mind when he had left the steamship pany's offices in quest of lunch。 He had intended to seek out some quiet； restful nook where he could be alone with his thoughts。 If anybody had told him then that five minutes later he would be placing himself of his own free will within the range of a restaurant orchestra playing 〃My Little Grey Home in the West〃and the orchestra at the Regent played little elsehe would not have believed him。
Restaurants in all large cities have their ups and downs。 At this time the Regent Grill was enjoying one of those bursts of popularity for which restaurateurs pray to whatever strange gods they worship。 The more prosperous section of London's Bohemia flocked to it daily。 When Jimmy had deposited his hat with the robber…band who had their cave just inside the main entrance and had entered the grill…room； he found it congested。 There did not appear to be a single unoccupied table。
From where he stood he could see the girl of the red…gold hair。 Her back was towards him； and she was sitting at a table against one of the pillars with a little man with eye…glasses； a handsome woman in the forties； and a small stout boy who was skirmishing with the olives。 As Jimmy hesitated； the vigilant head…waiter； who knew him well； perceived him； and hurried up。
〃In one moment； Mister Crockaire！〃 he said； and began to scatter mands among the underlings。 〃I will place a table for you in the aisle。〃
〃Next to that pillar； please；〃 said Jimmy。
The underlings had produced a small tableapparently from up their sleeves； and were draping it in a cloth。 Jimmy sat down and gave his order。 Ordering was going on at the other table。 The little man seemed depressed at the discovery that corn on the cob and soft…shelled crabs were not to be obtained； and his wife's reception of the news that clams were not included in the Regent's bill…of…fair was so indignant that one would have said that she regarded the fact as evidence that Great Britain was going to pieces and would shortly lose her place as a world power。
A selection having finally been agreed upon； the orchestra struck up 〃My Little Grey Home in the West；〃 and no attempt was made to pete with it。 When the last lingering strains had died away and the violinist…leader； having straightened out the kinks in his person which the rendition of the melody never failed to produce； had bowed for the last time； a clear； musical voice spoke from the other side of the pillar。
〃Jimmy Crocker is a worm！〃
Jimmy spilled his cocktail。 It might have been the voice of Conscience。
〃I despise him more than any one on earth。 I hate to think that he's an American。〃
Jimmy drank the few drops that remained in his glass； partly to make sure of them； partly as a restorative。 It is an unnerving thing to be despised by a red…haired girl whose life you have just saved。 To Jimmy it was not only unnerving； it was uncanny。 This girl had not known him when they met on the street a few moments before。 How then was she able to display such intimate acquaintance with his character now as to describe himjustly enoughas a worm？ Mingled with the mystery of the thing was its pathos。 The thought that a girl could be as pretty as this one and yet dislike him so much was one of the saddest things Jimmy had ever e across。 It was like one of those Things Which Make Me Weep In This Great City so dear to the hearts of the sob…writers of his late newspaper。
A waiter bustled up with a high…ball。 Jimmy thanked him with his eyes。 He needed it。 He raised it to his lips。
〃He's always drinking〃
He set it down hurriedly。
〃and making a disgraceful exhibition of himself in public！ I always think Jimmy Crocker〃
Jimmy began to wish that somebody would stop this girl。 Why couldn't the little man change the subject to the weather； or that stout child start prattling about some general topic？ Surely a boy of that age； newly arrived in London； must have all sorts of things to prattle about？ But the little man was dealing strenuously with a breaded cutlet； while the stout boy； grimly silent； surrounded fish…pie in the forthright manner of a starving python。 As for the elder woman； she seemed to be wrestling with unpleasant thoughts； beyond speech。
〃I always think that Jimmy Crocker is the worst case I know of the kind of American young man who spends all his time in Europe and tries to bee an imitation Englishman。 Most of them are the sort any country would be glad to get rid of； but he used to work once； so you can't excuse him on the ground that he hasn't the sense to know what he's doing。 He's deliberately chosen to loaf about London and make a pest of himself。 He went to pieces with his eyes open。 He's a perfect； utter； hopeless WORM！〃
Jimmy had never been very fond of the orchestra at the Regent Grill； holding the view that it interfered with conversation and made for an unhygienic rapidity of mastication； but he was profoundly grateful to it now for bursting suddenly into La Boheme； the loudest item in its repertory。 Under cover of that protective din he was able to toy with a steaming dish which his waiter had brought。 Probably that girl was saying all sorts of things about him still but he could not hear them。
The music died away。 For a moment the tortured air quivered in parative silence； then the girl's voice spoke again。 She had； however； selected another topic of conversation。
〃I've seen all I want to of England；〃 she said； 〃I've seen Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament and His Majesty's Theatre and the Savoy and the Cheshire Cheese； and I've developed a frightful home…sickness。 Why shouldn't we go back to…morrow？〃
For the first time in the proceedings the elder woman spoke。 She cast aside her mantle of gloom long enough to say 〃Yes；〃 then wrapped it round her again。 The little man； who had apparently been waiting for her vote before giving his own； said that the sooner he was on board a New York…bound boat the better he would be pleased。 The stout boy said nothing。 He had finished his fish…pie； and was now attacking jam roll with a sort of morose resolution。
〃There's certain to be a boat；〃 said the girl。 〃There always is。 You've