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！
undedly silly thing to say。 Only a perfect ass would spend his time rushing about the place saying _noblesse oblige_ to people。
'By Jove！' Lord Dawlish stopped in his stride。 He disentangled himself from a pedestrian who had rammed him on the back。 'I'll do it！'
He hailed a passing taxi and directed the driver to make for the Pen and Ink Club。
The decision at which Bill had arrived with such dramatic suddenness in the middle of Piccadilly was the same at which some centuries earlier Columbus had arrived in the privacy of his home。
'Hang it！' said Bill to himself in the cab； 'I'll go to America！' The exact words probably which Columbus had used； talking the thing over with his wife。
Bill's knowledge of the great republic across the sea was at this period of his life a little sketchy。 He knew that there had been unpleasantness between England and the United States in seventeen…something and again in eighteen…something； but that things had eventually been straightened out by Miss Edna May and her fellow missionaries of the Belle of New York pany； since which time there had been no more trouble。 Of American cocktails he had a fair working knowledge； and he appreciated ragtime。 But of the other great American institutions he was pletely ignorant。
He was on his way now to see Gates。 Gates was a paratively recent addition to his list of friends； a New York newspaperman who had e to England a few months before to act as his paper's London correspondent。 He was generally to be found at the Pen and Ink Club； an institution affiliated with the New York Players； of which he was a member。
Gates was in。 He had just finished lunch。
'What's the trouble； Bill？' he inquired； when he had deposited his lordship in a corner of the reading…room； which he had selected because silence was pulsory there； thus rendering it possible for two men to hear each other speak。 'What brings you charging in here looking like the Soul's Awakening？'
'I've had an idea； old man。'
'Proceed。 Continue。'
'Oh！ Well； you remember what you were saying about America？'
'What was I saying about America？'
'The other day； don't you remember？ What a lot of money there was to be made there and so forth。'
'Well？'
'I'm going there。'
'To America？'
'Yes。'
'To make money？'
'Rather。'
Gates noddedsadly； it seemed to Bill。 He was rather a melancholy young man； with a long face not unlike a pessimistic horse。
'Gosh！' he said。
Bill felt a little damped。 By no mental juggling could he construe 'Gosh！' into an expression of enthusiastic approbation。
Gates looked at Bill curiously。 'What's the idea？' he said。 'I could have understood it if you had told me that you were going to New York for pleasure； instructing your man Willoughby to see that the trunks were jolly well packed and wiring to the skipper of your yacht to meet you at Liverpool。 But you seem to have sordid motives。 You talk about making money。 What do you want with more money？'
'Why； I'm devilish hard up。'
'Tenantry a bit slack with the rent？' said Gates sympathetically。
Bill laughed。
'My dear chap； I don't know what on earth you're talking about。 How much money do you think I've got？ Four hundred pounds a year； and no prospect of ever making more unless I sweat for it。'
'What！ I always thought you were rolling in money。'
'What gave you that idea？'
'You have a prosperous look。 It's a funny thing about England。 I've known you four months； and I know men who know you； but I've never heard a word about your finances。 In New York we all wear labels； stating our ines and prospects in clear lettering。 Well； if it's like that it's different； of course。 There certainly is more money to be made in America than here。 I don't quite see what you think you're going to do when you get there； but that's up to you。
'There's no harm in giving the city a trial。 Anyway； I can give you a letter or two that might help。'
'That's awfully good of you。'
'You won't mind my alluding to you as my friend William Smith？' 'William Smith？'
'You can't travel under your own name if you are really serious about getting a job。 Mind you； if my letters lead to anything it will probably be a situation as an earnest bill…clerk or an effervescent office…boy； for Rockefeller and Carnegie and that lot have swiped all the soft jobs。 But if you go over as Lord Dawlish you won't even get that。 Lords are popular socially in America； but are not used to any great extent in the office。 If you try to break in under your right name you'll get the glad hand and be asked to stay here and there and play a good deal of golf and dance quite a lot； but you won't get a job。 A gentle smile will greet all your pleadings that you be allowed to e in and save the firm。'
'I see。'
'We may look on Smith as a necessity。'
'Do you know； I'm not frightfully keen on the name Smith。 Wouldn't something else do？'
'Sure。 We aim to please。 How would Jones suit you？'
'The trouble is； you know； that if I took a name I wasn't used to I might forget it。'
'If you've the sort of mind that would forget Jones I doubt if ever you'll be a captain of industry。'
'Why not Chalmers？'
'You think it easier to memorize than Jones？'
'It used to be my name； you see； before I got the title。' 'I see。 All right。 Chalmers then。 When do you think of starting？'
'To…morrow。'
'You aren't losing much time。 By the way； as you're going to New York you might as well use my flat。'
'It's awfully good of you。'
'Not a bit。 You would be doing me a favour。 I had to leave at a moment's notice； and I want to know what's been happening to the place。 I left some Japanese prints there； and my favourite nightmare is that someone has broken in and sneaked them。 Write down the addressForty…blank East Twenty…seventh Street。 I'll send you the key to Brown's to…night with those letters。'
Bill walked up the Strand； glowing with energy。 He made his way to Cockspur Street to buy his ticket for New York。 This done； he set out to Brown's to arrange with the mittee the details of his departure。
He reached Brown's at twenty minutes past two and left it again at twenty…three minutes past； for； directly he entered； the hall porter had handed him a telephone message。 The telephone attendants at London clubs are masters of suggestive brevity。 The one in the basement of Brown's had written on Bill's slip of paper the words： '1 p。m。 Will Lord Dawlish as soon as possible call upon Mr Gerald Nichols at his office？' To this was appended a message consisting of two words： 'Good news。'
It was stimulating。 The probability was that all Jerry Nichols wanted to tell him was that he had received stable information about some horse or had been given a box for the Empire； but for all that it was stimulating。
Bill looked at his watch。 He could spare half an hour。 He set out at once for the offices of the eminent law firm of Nichols； Nichols； Nichols； and Nichols； of which aggregation of Nicholses his friend Jerry was the last and smallest。
3
On a west…bound omnibus Claire Fenwick sat and raged silently in the June sunshine。 She was furious。 What right had Lord Dawlish to look down his nose and murmur '_Noblesse oblige_' when she asked him a question； as if she had suggested that he should mit some crime？ It was the patronizing way he had said it that infuriated her； as if he were a superior being of some kind； governed by codes which she could not be expected to understand。 Everybody nowadays did the sort of things she suggested； so what was the good of looking shocked and saying '_Noblesse oblige_'？
The omnibus rolled on towards West Kensington。 Claire hated the place with the bitter hate of one who had read society novels； and yearned for Grosvenor Square and butlers and a general atmosphere of soft cushions and pink…shaded lights and maids to do one's hair。 She hated the cheap furniture of the little parlour； the penetrating contralto of the cook singing hymns in the kitchen； and the ubiquitousness of her small brother。 He was only ten； and small for his age； yet he appeared to have the power of being in two rooms at the same time while making a nerve…racking noise in another。
It was Percy who greeted her to…day a