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！
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；〃 said Psmith； 〃what is your exact position on this paper？ Practically； we know well； you are its back…bone； its life…blood； but what is your technical position？ When your proprietor is congratulating himself on having secured the ideal man for your job； what precise job does he congratulate himself on having secured the ideal man for？〃
〃I'm sub…editor。〃
〃Merely sub？ You deserve a more responsible post than that； rade Windsor。 Where is your proprietor？ I must buttonhole him and point out to him what a wealth of talent he is allowing to waste itself。 You must have scope。〃
〃He's in Europe。 At Carlsbad； or somewhere。 He never es near the paper。 He just sits tight and draws the profits。 He lets the editor look after things。 Just at present I'm acting as editor。〃
〃Ah！ then at last you have your big chance。 You are free； untrammelled。〃
〃You bet I'm not；〃 said Billy Windsor。 〃Guess again。 There's no room for developing free untrammelled ideas on this paper。 When you've looked at it； you'll see that each page is run by some one。 I'm simply the fellow who minds the shop。〃
Psmith clicked his tongue sympathetically。 〃It is like setting a gifted French chef to wash up dishes；〃 he said。 〃A man of your undoubted powers； rade Windsor； should have more scope。 That is the cry； 'more scope！' I must look into this matter。 When I gaze at your broad； bulging forehead； when I see the clear light of intelligence in your eyes； and hear the grey matter splashing restlessly about in your cerebellum； I say to myself without hesitation； 'rade Windsor must have more scope。'〃 He looked at Mike； who was turning over the leaves of his copy of Cosy Moments in a sort of dull despair。 〃Well； rade Jackson； and what is your verdict？〃
Mike looked at Billy Windsor。 He wished to be polite； yet he could find nothing polite to say。 Billy interpreted the look。
〃Go on；〃 he said。 〃Say it。 It can't be worse than what I think。〃
〃I expect some people would like it awfully；〃 said Mike。
〃They must； or they wouldn't buy it。 I've never met any of them yet； though。〃
Psmith was deep in Lucia Granville Waterman's 〃Moments in the Nursery。〃 He turned to Billy Windsor。
〃Luella Granville Waterman；〃 he said； 〃is not by any chance your nom…de…plume； rade Windsor？〃
〃Not on your life。 Don't think it。〃
〃I am glad；〃 said Psmith courteously。 〃For； speaking as man to man； I must confess that for sheer； concentrated bilge she gets away with the biscuit with almost insolent ease。 Luella Granville Waterman must go。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
〃She must go；〃 repeated Psmith firmly。 〃Your first act； now that you have swiped the editorial chair； must be to sack her。〃
〃But； say； I can't。 The editor thinks a heap of her stuff。〃
〃We cannot help his troubles。 We must act for the good of the paper。 Moreover； you said； I think； that he was away？〃
〃So he is。 But he'll e back。〃
〃Sufficient unto the day； rade Windsor。 I have a suspicion that he will be the first to approve your action。 His holiday will have cleared his brain。 Make a note of improvement number onethe sacking of Luella Granville Waterman。〃
〃I guess it'll be followed pretty quick by improvement number twothe sacking of William Windsor。 I can't go monkeying about with the paper that way。〃
Psmith reflected for a moment。
〃Has this job of yours any special attractions for you； rade Windsor？〃
〃I guess not。〃
〃As I suspected。 You yearn for scope。 What exactly are your ambitions？〃
〃I want to get a job on one of the big dailies。 I don't see how I'm going to fix it； though； at the present rate。〃
Psmith rose； and tapped him earnestly on the chest。
〃rade Windsor； you have touched the spot。 You are wasting the golden hours of your youth。 You must move。 You must hustle。 You must make Windsor of Cosy Moments a name to conjure with。 You must boost this sheet up till New York rings with your exploits。 On the present lines that is impossible。 You must strike out a line for yourself。 You must show the world that even Cosy Moments cannot keep a good man down。〃
He resumed his seat。
〃How do you mean？〃 said Billy Windsor。
Psmith turned to Mike。
〃rade Jackson； if you were editing this paper； is there a single feature you would willingly retain？〃
〃I don't think there is；〃 said Mike。 〃It's all pretty bad rot。〃
〃My opinion in a nutshell；〃 said Psmith； approvingly。 〃rade Jackson；〃 he explained； turning to Billy； 〃has a secure reputation on the other side for the keenness and lucidity of his views upon literature。 You may safely build upon him。 In England when rade Jackson says 'Turn' we all turn。 Now； my views on the matter are as follows。 Cosy Moments； in my opinion （worthless； were it not backed by such a virtuoso as rade Jackson）； needs more snap； more go。 All these putrid pages must disappear。 Letters must be despatched to…morrow morning； informing Luella Granville Waterman and the others （and in particular B。 Henderson Asher； who from a cursory glance strikes me as an ideal candidate for a lethal chamber） that； unless they cease their contributions instantly； you will be pelled to place yourself under police protection。 After that we can begin to move。〃
Billy Windsor sat and rocked himself in his chair without replying。 He was trying to assimilate this idea。 So far the grandeur of it had dazed him。 It was too spacious； too revolutionary。 Could it be done？ It would undoubtedly mean the sack when Mr。 J。 Fillken Wilberfloss returned and found the apple of his eye torn asunder and； so to speak； deprived of its choicest pips。 On the other hand 。 。 。 His brow suddenly cleared。 After all； what was the sack？ One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name； and he would have no name as long as he clung to his present position。 The editor would be away ten weeks。 He would have ten weeks in which to try himself out。 Hope leaped within him。 In ten weeks he could change Cosy Moments into a real live paper。 He wondered that the idea had not occurred to him before。 The trifling fact that the despised journal was the property of Mr。 Benjamin W