tommy and co.-第23部分

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I　could　get　an　advertisement　out　of　Landor；　he　might　persuade　his　
people　to　give　us　theirs。〃

〃And　if　you　had　gone　to　Landor；　he　would　have　promised　you　theirs　
provided　you　got　Kingsley's。〃

〃They　will　come；〃　thought　hopeful　Peter。　　〃We　are　going　up　
steadily。　　They　will　come　with　a　rush。〃

〃They　had　better　come　soon；〃　thought　Clodd。　　〃The　only　things　
coming　with　a　rush　just　now　are　bills。〃

〃Those　articles　of　young　McTear's　attracted　a　good　deal　of　
attention；〃　expounded　Peter。　　〃He　has　promised　to　write　me　another　
series。〃

〃Jowett　is　the　one　to　get　hold　of；〃　mused　Clodd。　　〃Jowett；　all　the　
others　follow　like　a　flock　of　geese　waddling　after　the　old　gander。　　
If　only　we　could　get　hold　of　Jowett；　the　rest　would　be　easy。〃

Jowett　was　the　proprietor　of　the　famous　Marble　Soap。　　Jowett　spent　
on　advertising　every　year　a　quarter　of　a　million；　it　was　said。　　
Jowett　was　the　stay　and　prop　of　periodical　literature。　　New　papers　
that　secured　the　Marble　Soap　advertisement　lived　and　prospered；　the　
new　paper　to　which　it　was　denied　languished　and　died。　　Jowett；　and　
how　to　get　hold　of　him；　Jowett；　and　how　to　get　round　him；　formed　
the　chief　topic　of　discussion　at　the　council…board　of　most　new　
papers；　Good　Humour　amongst　the　number。

〃I　have　heard；〃　said　Miss　Ramsbotham；　who　wrote　the　Letter　to　
Clorinda　that　filled　each　week　the　last　two　pages　of　Good　Humour；　
and　that　told　Clorinda；　who　lived　secluded　in　the　country；　the　
daily　history　of　the　highest　class　society；　among　whom　Miss　
Ramsbotham　appeared　to　live　and　have　her　being；　who　they　were；　and　
what　they　wore；　the　wise　and　otherwise　things　they　did〃I　have　
heard；〃　said　Miss　Ramsbotham　one　morning；　Jowett　being　as　usual　the　
subject　under　debate；　〃that　the　old　man　is　susceptible　to　female　
influence。〃

〃What　I　have　always　thought；〃　said　Clodd。　　〃A　lady　advertising…
agent　might　do　well。　　At　all　events；　they　couldn't　kick　her　out。〃

〃They　might　in　the　end；〃　thought　Peter。　　〃Female　door…porters　would　
become　a　profession　for　muscular　ladies　if　ever　the　idea　took　
root。〃

〃The　first　one　would　get　a　good　start；　anyhow；〃　thought　Clodd。

The　sub…editor　had　pricked　up　her　ears。　　Once　upon　a　time；　long　
ago；　the　sub…editor　had　succeeded；　when　all　other　London　
journalists　had　failed；　in　securing　an　interview　with　a　certain　
great　statesman。　　The　sub…editor　had　never　forgotten　thisnor　
allowed　anyone　else　to　forget　it；

〃I　believe　I　could　get　it　for　you；〃　said　the　sub…editor。

The　editor　and　the　business…manager　both　spoke　together。　　They　
spoke　with　decision　and　with　emphasis。

〃Why　not？〃　said　the　sub…editor。　　〃When　nobody　else　could　get　at　
him；　it　was　I　who　interviewed　Prince〃

〃We've　heard　all　about　that；〃　interrupted　the　business…manager。　　
〃If　I　had　been　your　father　at　the　time；　you　would　never　have　done　
it。〃

〃How　could　I　have　stopped　her？〃　retorted　Peter　Hope。　　〃She　never　
said　a　word　to　me。〃

〃You　could　have　kept　an　eye　on　her。〃

〃Kept　an　eye　on　her！　　When　you've　got　a　girl　of　your　own；　you'll　
know　more　about　them。〃

〃When　I　have；〃　asserted　Clodd；　〃I'll　manage　her。〃

〃We　know　all　about　bachelor's　children；〃　sneered　Peter　Hope；　the　
editor。

〃You　leave　it　to　me。　　I'll　have　it　for　you　before　the　end　of　the　
week；〃　crowed　the　sub…editor。

〃If　you　do　get　it；〃　returned　Clodd；　〃I　shall　throw　it　out；　that's　
all。〃

〃You　said　yourself　a　lady　advertising…agent　would　be　a　good　idea；〃　
the　sub…editor　reminded　him。

〃So　she　might　be；〃　returned　Clodd；　〃but　she　isn't　going　to　be　you。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　she　isn't；　that's　why。〃

〃But　if〃

〃See　you　at　the　printer's　at　twelve；〃　said　Clodd　to　Peter；　and　went　
out　suddenly。

〃Well；　I　think　he's　an　idiot；〃　said　the　sub…editor。

〃I　do　not　often；〃　said　the　editor；　〃but　on　this　point　I　agree　with　
him。　　Cadging　for　advertisements　isn't　a　woman's　work。〃

〃But　what　is　the　difference　between〃

〃All　the　difference　in　the　world；〃　thought　the　editor。

〃You　don't　know　what　I　was　going　to　say；〃　returned　his　sub。

〃I　know　the　drift　of　it；〃　asserted　the　editor。

〃But　you　let　me〃

〃I　know　I　doa　good　deal　too　much。　　I'm　going　to　turn　over　a　new　
leaf。〃

〃All　I　propose　to　do　〃

〃Whatever　it　is；　you're　not　going　to　do　it；〃　declared　the　chief。　　
〃Shall　be　back　at　half…past　twelve；　if　anybody　comes。〃

〃It　seems　to　me〃　　But　Peter　was　gone。

〃Just　like　them　all；〃　wailed　the　sub…editor。　　〃They　can't　argue；　
when　you　explain　things　to　them；　they　go　out。　　It　does　make　me　so　
mad！〃

Miss　Ramsbotham　laughed。　　〃You　are　a　downtrodden　little　girl；　
Tommy。〃

　〃As　if　I　couldn't　take　care　of　myself！〃　　Tommy's　chin　was　high　up　
in　the　air。

〃Cheer　up；〃　suggested　Miss　Ramsbotham。　　〃Nobody　ever　tells　me　not　
to　do　anything。　　I　would　change　with　you　if　I　could。〃

〃I'd　have　walked　into　that　office　and　have　had　that　advertisement　
out　of　old　Jowett　in　five　minutes；　I　know　I　would；〃　bragged　Tommy。　　
〃I　can　always　get　on　with　old　men。〃

〃Only　with　the　old　ones？〃　queried　Miss　Ramsbotham。

The　door　opened。　　〃Anybody　in？〃　asked　the　face　of　Johnny　Bulstrode；　
appearing　in　the　jar。

〃Can't　you　see　they　are？〃　snapped　Tommy。

〃Figure　of　speech；〃　explained　Johnny　Bulstrode；　commonly　called　
〃the　Babe；〃　entering　and　closing　the　door　behind　him。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　demanded　the　sub…editor。

〃Nothing　in　particular；〃　replied　the　Babe。

〃Wrong　time　of　the　day　to　come　for　it；　half…past　eleven　in　the　
morning；〃　explained　the　sub…editor。

〃What's　the　matter　with　you？〃　asked　the　Babe。

〃Feeling　very　cross；〃　confessed　the　sub…editor。

The　childlike　face　of　the　Babe　expressed　sympathetic　inquiry。

〃We　are　very　indignant；〃　explained　Miss　Ramsbotham；　〃because　we　are　
not　allowed　to　rush　off　to　Cannon　Street　and　coax　an　advertisement　
out　of　old　Jowett；　the　soap　man。　　We　feel　sure　that　if　we　only　put　
on　our　best　hat；　he　couldn't　possibly　refuse　us。〃

〃No　coaxing　required；〃　thought　the　sub…editor。　　〃Once　get　in　to　see　
the　old　fellow　and　put　the　actual　figures　before　him；　he　would　
clamour　to　come　in。〃

〃Won't　he　see　Clodd？〃　asked　the　Babe。

〃Won't　see　anybody　on　behalf　of　anything　new　just　at　present；　
apparently；〃　answered　Miss　Ramsbotham。　　〃It　was　my　fault。　　I　was　
foolish　enough　to　repeat　that　I　had　heard　he　was　susceptible　to　
female　charm。　　They　say　it　was　Mrs。　Sarkitt　that　got　the　
advertisement　for　The　Lamp　out　of　him。　　But；　of　course；　it　may　not　
be　true。〃

〃Wish　I　was　a　soap　man　and　had　got　advertisements　to　give　away；〃　
sighed　the　Babe。

〃Wish　you　were；〃　agreed　the　sub…editor。

〃You　should　have　them　all；　Tommy。〃

〃My　name；〃　corrected　him　the　sub…editor；　〃is　Miss　Hope。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　Babe。　　〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；　but　
one　gets　into　the　way　of　calling　you　Tommy。〃

〃I　will　thank　you；〃　said　the　sub…editor；　〃to　get　out　of　it。〃

〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　the　Babe。

〃Don't　let　it　occur　again；〃　said　the　sub…editor。

The　Babe　stood　first　on　one　leg　and　then　on　the　other；　but　nothing　
seemed　to　come　of　it。　　〃Well；〃　said　the　Babe；　〃I　just　looked　in；　
that's　all。　　Nothing　I　can　do　for　you？〃

〃Nothing；〃　thanked　him　the　sub…editor。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　Babe。

〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　sub…editor。

The　childlike　face　of　the　Babe　wore　a　chastened　expression　as　it　
slowly　descended　the　stairs。　　Most　of　the　members　of　the　Autolycus　
Club　looked　in　about　once　a　day　to　see　if　they　could　do　anything　
for　Tommy。　　Some　of　them　had　luck。　　Only　the　day　before；　Porsona　
heavy；　most　uninteresting　manhad　been　sent　down　all　the　way　to　
Plaistow　to　inquire　after　the　wounded　hand　of　a　machine…boy。　　Young　
Alexander；　whose　poetry　some　people　could　not　even　understand；　had　
been　commissioned　to　search　London　for　a　second…hand　edition　of　
Maitland's　Architecture。　　Since　a　fortnight　nearly　now；　when　he　had　
been　sent　out　to　drive　away　an　organ　that　would　not　go；　Johnny　had　
been　given　nothing。

Johnny　turned　the　corner　into　Fleet　Street　feeling　bitter　with　his　
lot。　　A　boy　carrying　a　parcel　stumbled　against　him。

〃Beg　yer　pardon〃　the　small　boy　looked　up　into　Johnny's　face；　
〃miss；〃　added　the　small　boy；　dodging　the　blow　and　disappearing　into　
the　crowd。

The　Babe；　by　reason　of　his　childlike　face；　was　accustomed　to　
insults　of　this　character；　but　to…day　it　especially　irritated　him。　　
Why　at　twenty…two　could　he　not　grow　even　a　moustache？　　Why　was　he　
only　five　feet　five　and　a　half？　　Why　had　Fate　cursed　him　with　a　
pink…and…white　complexion；　so　that　the　members　of　his　own　club　had　
nicknamed　him　〃the　Babe；〃　while　street…boys　as　they　passed　pleaded　
with　him　for　a　kiss？　　Why　was　his　very　voice；　a　flute…like　alto；　
more　suitable　Suddenly　an　idea　sprang　to　life　within　his　brain。　　
The　idea　grew。　　Passing　a　barber's　shop；　Johnny　went　in。

〃'Air　cut；　sir？〃　remarked　the　barber；　fitting　a　sheet　round　
Johnny's　neck。

〃No；　shave；〃　corrected　Johnny。

〃Beg　pardon；〃　said　the　barber；　substituting　a　towel　for　the　sheet。　　
〃Do　you　shave　up；　sir？〃　later　demanded　the　barber。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Johnny。

〃Pleasant　weather　we　are　having；〃　said　the　barber。

〃Very；〃　assented　Johnny。

From　the　barber's；　Johnny　went　to　Stinchcombe's；　the　costumier's；　
in　Drury　Lane。

〃I　am　playing　in　a　burlesque；〃　explained　the　Babe。　　〃I　want　you　to　
rig　me　out　completely　as　a　modern　girl。〃

〃Peeth　o'　luck！〃　said　the　shopman。　　〃Goth　the　very　bundle　for　you。　　
Juth　come　in。〃

〃I　shall　want　everything；〃　explained　the　Babe；　〃from　the　boots　to　
the　hat；　stays；　petticoatsthe　whole　bag　of　tricks。〃

〃Regular　troutheau　there；〃　said　the　shopman；　emptying　out　the　
canvas　bag　upon　the　counter。　　〃Thry　'em　on。〃

The　Babe　contented　himself　with　trying　on　the　costume　and　the　
boots。

〃Juth　made　for　you！〃　said　the　shopman。

A　little　loose　about　the　chest；　suggested　the　Babe。

〃Thath's　all　right；〃　said　the　shopman。　　〃Couple　o'　thmall　towelths；　
all　thath's　wanted。〃

〃You　don't　think　it　too　showy？〃　queried　the　Babe。

〃Thowy？　　Sthylish；　thath's　all。〃

〃You　are　sure　everything's　here？〃

〃Everythinkth　there。　　'Thept　the　bit　o'　meat　inthide；〃　assured　him　
the　shopman。

The　Babe　left　a　deposit；　and　gave　his　name　and　address。　　The　
shopman　promised　the　things　should　be　sent　round　within　an　hour。　　
The　Babe；　who　had