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！
Tommy without another word left the room。 Peter looked at
Elizabeth and winked。
Poor Peter！ His triumph was short…lived。 Five minutes later；
Tommy returned； clad in the long； black skirt； supported by the cricket
belt； the blue garibaldi cut decollete； the pepper…and…salt jacket； the
worsted comforter； the red lips very tightly pressed； the long lashes over
the black eyes moving very rapidly。
〃Tommy〃 （severely）； 〃what is this tomfoolery？〃
〃I understand。 I ain't no good to you。 Thanks for giving me a trial。
My fault。〃
〃Tommy〃 （less severely）； 〃don't be an idiot。〃
〃Ain't an idiot。 'Twas Emma。 Told me I was good at cooking。
Said I'd got an aptitude for it。 She meant well。〃
〃Tommy〃 （no trace of severity）； 〃sit down。 Emma was quite right。
Your cooking isis promising。 As Emma puts it； you have aptitude。
Yourperseverance； your hopefulness proves it。〃
〃Then why d'ye want to get someone else in to do it？〃
If Peter could have answered truthfully！ If Peter could have
16
… Page 17…
Tommy and Co。
replied：
〃My dear； I am a lonely old gentleman。 I did not know it until until
the other day。 Now I cannot forget it again。 Wife and child died
many years ago。 I was poor； or I might have saved them。 That made
me hard。 The clock of my life stood still。 I hid away the key。 I did
not want to think。 You crept to me out of the cruel fog； awakened old
dreams。 Do not go away any more〃perhaps Tommy； in spite of her
fierce independence； would have consented to be useful； and thus Peter
might have gained his end at less cost of indigestion。 But the penalty
for being an anti…sentimentalist is that you must not talk like this even to
yourself。 So Peter had to cast about for other methods。
〃Why shouldn't I keep two servants if I like？〃 It did seem hard on
the old gentleman。
〃What's the sense of paying two to do the work of one？ You would
only be keeping me on out of charity。〃 The black eyes flashed。 〃I
ain't a beggar。〃
〃And you really think； TommyI should say Jane； you can manage
thethe whole of it？ You won't mind being sent on a message； perhaps
in the very middle of your cooking。 It was that I was thinking of；
Tommysome cooks would。〃
〃You go easy；〃 advised him Tommy； 〃till I complain of having too
much to do。〃
Peter returned to his desk。 Elizabeth looked up。 It seemed to
Peter that Elizabeth winked。
The fortnight that followed was a period of trouble to Peter； for
Tommy； her suspicions having been aroused； was sceptical of 〃business〃
demanding that Peter should dine with this man at the club； lunch with
this editor at the Cheshire Cheese。 At once the chin would go up into
the air； the black eyes cloud threateningly。 Peter； an unmarried man for
thirty years； lacking experience； would under cross…examination
contradict himself； become confused； break down over essential points。
〃Really；〃 grumbled Peter to himself one evening； sawing at a mutton
chop； 〃really there's no other word for itI'm henpecked。〃
Peter that day had looked forward to a little dinner at a favourite
17
… Page 18…
Tommy and Co。
restaurant； with his 〃dear old friend Blenkinsopp； a bit of a gourmet；
Tommythat means a man who likes what you would call elaborate
cooking！〃forgetful at the moment that he had used up 〃Blenkinsopp〃
three days before for a farewell supper； 〃Blenkinsopp〃 having to set out
the next morning for Egypt。 Peter was not facile at invention。 Names
in particular had always been a difficulty to him。
〃I like a spirit of independence；〃 continued Peter to himself。 〃Wish
she hadn't quite so much of it。 Wonder where she got it from。〃
The situation was becoming more serious to Peter than he cared to
admit。 For day by day； in spite of her tyrannies； Tommy was growing
more and more indispensable to Peter。 Tommy was the first audience
that for thirty years had laughed at Peter's jokes； Tommy was the first
public that for thirty years had been convinced that Peter was the most
brilliant journalist in Fleet Street； Tommy was the first anxiety that for
thirty years had rendered it needful that Peter each night should mount
stealthily the creaking stairs； steal with shaded candle to a bedside。 If
only Tommy wouldn't 〃do〃 for him！ If only she could be persuaded to
〃do〃 something else。
Another happy thought occurred to Peter。
〃TommyI mean Jane；〃 said Peter； 〃I know what I'll do with you。〃
〃What's the game now？〃
〃I'll make a journalist of you。〃
〃Don't talk rot。〃
〃It isn't rot。 Besides； I won't have you answer me like that。 As a
Devilthat means； Tommy； the unseen person in the background that
helps a journalist to do his workyou would be invaluable to me。 It
would pay me； Tommypay me very handsomely。 I should make
money out of you。〃
This appeared to be an argument that Tommy understood。 Peter； with
secret delight； noticed that the chin retained its normal level。
〃I did help a chap to sell papers； once；〃 remembered Tommy； 〃he
said I was fly at it。〃
〃I told you so；〃 exclaimed Peter triumphantly。 〃The methods are
different； but the instinct required is the same。 We will get a woman in
18
… Page 19…
Tommy and Co。
to relieve you of the housework。〃
The chin shot up into the air。
〃I could do it in my spare time。〃
〃You see； Tommy； I should want you to go about with meto be
always with me。〃
〃Better try me first。 Maybe you're making an error。〃
Peter was learning the wisdom of the serpent。
〃Quite right； Tommy。 We will first see what you can do。 Perhaps；
after all； it may turn out that you are better as a cook。〃 In his heart
Peter doubted this。
But the seed had fallen upon good ground。 It was Tommy herself
that manoeuvred her first essay in journalism。 A great man had come
to Londonwas staying in apartments especially prepared for him in St。
James's Palace。 Said every journalist in London to himself： 〃If I
could obtain an interview with this Big Man； what a big thing it would
be for me！〃 For a week past； Peter had carried everywhere about with
him a paper headed： 〃Interview of Our Special Correspondent with
Prince Blank；〃 questions down left…hand column； very narrow； space for
answers right…hand side； very wide。 But the Big Man was experienced。
〃I wonder；〃 said Peter； spreading the neatly folded paper on the desk
before him； 〃I wonder if there can be any way of getting at himany
dodge or trick； any piece of low cunning； any plausible lie that I haven't
thought of。〃
〃Old Man Martincalled himself Martiniwas just such another；〃
commented Tommy。 〃Come pay time； Saturday afternoon； you just
couldn't get at himsimply wasn't any way。 I was a bit too good for
him once； though；〃 remembered Tommy； with a touch of pride in her
voice； 〃got half a quid out of him that time。 It did surprise him。〃
〃No；〃 communed Peter to himself aloud； 〃I don't honestl