“As you see, she is very much head over heels with me,” said the prince, smiling mockingly, “is that foolish lady with the yellow hair. I have made a most successful attack on her young affections, eh, Mr. Martin? Is it not so? I have but to bend my small finger and she will do what I ask. I have not made myself waste any time. Do you think I have, Mr. Martin?”
“Say,” said Jimmy enthusiastically, as he rose to a sitting posture12, “you’re the quickest worker I ever saw in action. A glance of the eye and a twist of the wrist and they’re ready to break the old home ties and kiss the pet canary good-bye. You’ve certainly got winnin’ ways. There’s no use in denyin’ that. When’d you see her last?”
“This afternoon I swear my undying love for this lovely lady in quiet corner of her drawing room. We have made exchange of rings. How much you think this one is worth, eh, Mr. Martin?”
The fictitious13 heir to the throne of Hydrabad reached into the pocket of his waistcoat and took therefrom a diamond ring which flashed brilliantly as he handed it to the press agent. Jimmy examined it critically.
“Oh,” said he carelessly, “this is just a gaudy14 little trinket that isn’t worth more than about fifteen hundred dollars or so. I’ve got to give you credit. You’re immense. Where do we go from here?”
Prince Rajput Singh looked puzzled.
“I do not mean to go,” he said. “I mean to stay for a little while.”
“Of course, of course,” said Jimmy. “You don’t understand. What I mean is—what’s the next move? You said somethin’ a little while ago about the double harness stuff—about marryin’ this old gal15, I mean. When are we goin’ to pull the finale?”
“Whenever we wish, Mr. Martin. I have, as I say, but to bend my small finger. It will make a nice publication for you in the journals, will it not?”
“You said somethin’ that time, old Frank J. Bombay,” returned Jimmy who was now in the grip of one of his moods of exultant16 exuberance17. “This one’ll land in places where press agents fear to tread. They’d stop the presses for it, if necessary, and miss the mails. They’d leave out ads for it. And when it’s all over you’ve got to do me a favor. You’ve got to keep on with your tour and take Mrs. Princess Rajput Singh along with you as a bally-hoo. Why, say, we’ll land so much stuff in every town that the agent of every other outfit’ll just naturally pack up and move on to the next stand without even leavin’ a forwardin’ address.”
Jimmy’s swarthy friend nodded in response to this enthusiastic outburst. Then he narrowed his eyes and the mean, sordid18 soul of him peered through them as he spoke.
“This Mrs. Princess, as you call her, that is to be,” he inquired cautiously, “has really much money in her own name? I have asked many questions from others and I find general opinion that she has. Do you know?”
“Just a few millions, that’s all,” responded Jimmy nonchalantly. “Just about five or six or somethin’ like that. Father left it to her. You’re in softer than you realize, you old Hindu son-of-a-gun, you, and you’ve got to go along on this honeymoon19 trip I’m plannin’. You owe a whole lot to yours truly, Mister Man. If it wasn’t for me you’d be makin’ six changes of costume a night for twenty-five bones a week. Don’t forget to remember that.”
“Of course I am very much thankful to you, my fine, good friend, most thankful and most very much in favor of your honeymoon plan.”
Jimmy arrogated20 to himself the task of arranging the details of the projected marriage. He fixed21 upon an elopement to a nearby suburb as being the best method of giving the affair a news slant22 that would add to the story what are technically23 known in newspaper circles as “feature values.” It would also, he figured, prevent the possibility of any last minute interference by some trouble-making relative.
It was agreed that he was to meet the prospective24 bride on the morrow in the guise25 of a close friend of Prince Rajput Singh and was to go over with both parties a detailed plan of campaign which he was to map out in the interim26. The prince was to bend his small finger and announce that impetuous and headlong haste was absolutely essential to his peace of soul and was to insist upon the ceremony being performed within twenty-four hours.
When Wilkins, the assistant manager, met Jimmy in the lobby a few minutes after the latter had left the royal suite, he couldn’t help noticing the wild exultant light that shone in the press agent’s eyes.
“Well, well,” he remarked cordially, “you look as if you’d just made a clean-up or something. Can’t you let me in on the good news?”
“Not for about forty-eight hours,” returned Jimmy, “and then I’m goin’ to let the whole U.S.A. in on it at the same time. I’ve got somethin’ on the fire that’s just about ready to serve that’ll make folks everywhere forget to eat their ‘ham and’ one of these mornin’s.”
Jimmy permitted Prince Rajput Singh to proceed him by half an hour to the Easton home on the following morning. He thought it would be better to have the blushing bride-to-be apprised27 of the rough outlines of the elopement plan without the disconcerting presence of an intruder. Mr. J. Herbert Denby, a little disturbed and flustered28 at being assigned to such a task, was even then arranging with a clergyman in the next county to preside at the marriage which was to take place in the parlor29 of the rectory and all the other essential details had been carefully worked out.
Jimmy had collaborated30 with the prince on a telegram which was to be sent by the bridegroom to Junius P. Easton immediately after the ceremony. It would, he felt, give an added touch of the picturesque31 to the proposed program of events: “Your sister has done me the high honor of becoming my princess,” it read, “and all Hydrabad will kneel in proud homage32 at her feet. I have cabled my revered33 father for his august blessing34. May we not hope that you will shower your honorable good wishes on us.”
The prince and Miss Fannie were in the music room when Jimmy was announced. She had just been singing “Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes” to her own accompaniment on the piano and she was as radiant as a June morning. She wore a tea gown of baby blue, embroidered35 with pink rosebuds36, and her bleached37 hair was done up into a billowy cluster of tiny curls which swayed with every movement of her head and which somehow accentuated38 the essential maturity39 of her foolish fat face. Jimmy gave an almost audible gasp40 when he crossed the threshold of the door. He was prepared for the worst, but he had not expected to find himself face to face with a being out of the comic supplement. She ran to meet him, laughing sillily.
“How do you do,” she said gayly, extending a pudgy hand. “It isn’t necessary for the dear prince to introduce you. He’s told me all about you and I know that we’re going to be kindred souls. You must vibrate on our plane, you know. I’m certain you must because you are his friend and one’s friends always vibrate on one’s plane. Don’t they, Rajjy, dear?”
“Of course, my jasmine bud,” replied the prince from the sheltered embrace of a huge arm chair. “Mr. Martin is of our inner circle. He shares the secrets of our hearts, sweet lily. He is my councilor and chosen guide. Let us bid him sup coffee with us which you will pour with your much-to-be adored hands.”
Jimmy cast a roving eye in the general direction of his dark-skinned fellow conspirator41 and was greeted by the latter with an expressive42 wink43, which was not visible to Miss Fannie, who was bustling44 about a silver tray on which was a pot of steaming coffee. She poured and served it with a fluttering air of heavy coquetry which irritated the press agent beyond measure and which made him feel decidedly uncomfortable. She was such a simple, trusting, foolish soul that he didn’t have the heart to enlarge upon the merits of the bridegroom-to-be in the expansive and flowery fashion he had decided2 upon on the way from the hotel. He remained strangely silent for a time listening to an exchange of preposterous45 love words between this oddly assorted46 and incongruous pair and wishing himself a long distance away.
“And when shall we visit dear Hydrabad, Rajjy?” Miss Easton was saying. “I can see myself under a silken awning47 by the shores of the little lake you spoke of—the lake by your summer palace I mean, and I can see you beside me and the native servants are salaaming48 and serving us with a wonderful feast. We must go there at once, Rajjy dear, at once. My soul cries out for the sound of those ‘tinkly temple bells’ that Kipling wrote about. It just cries out for them.”
Prince Rajput Singh stirred uneasily in his chair and leaned forward.
“In time, sweet nightingale,” he said suavely49. “I must make a continuation of my lectures and then I must visit your wonderful California. It will please me to be your honored guest at your home there. Then, when we have tired of the sunshine and the flowers we shall make long journey to my home-land. The spell of this new country is on me and until it passes I must remain here. Besides, I must await a salutation from my father. That breach50 must be healed, fair bul-bul.”
Miss Fannie sighed resignedly.
“Whatever you say, Rajjy dear,” she said. “You shall stay in California as long as you wish and I’ll write to that father of yours if you don’t hear from him. I think it’s terrible the way the Nazir is treating the prince, don’t you, Mr. Martin?”
The bridegroom-to-be coughed nervously51 and rose quickly from his chair, breaking into the conversation before Jimmy could stammer52 a reply.
“Fair one,” he said, gripping her by the arm, “my friend tires of these much repeated references to my own poor self. We have more important matters to discuss. Let us make busy with them.”
Thus pressed, Jimmy enlarged upon the detailed arrangements which he had completed for the exciting events of the following day, arrangements which included provisions for everything from the marriage license53 to the formal and ceremonious delivery to all the newspaper offices of elaborately engraved54 announcement cards by the Hindu attendants of Prince Rajput Singh. Miss Fannie gushed55 her approval of the program and was positively gurgling with delight as she escorted him to the door.
“The prince is so proud,” she said, when she was out of ear-shot of that dignitary, “that he can’t bear to have me say anything about the perfectly56 outrageous57 way in which he has been treated by his father. I think it’s perfectly scandalous, don’t you?”
“I’m not very clear about it myself,” returned the press agent guardedly. “What’d the old gink—I mean the old man do?”
“Oh, dear, I thought you knew. Why, he cut off his allowance for a perfectly trivial something or other—he’s never told me exactly—and here he was on the verge58 of being unable to keep up appearances and the dignity of his station. It must have been most humiliating. Poor Rajjy cried when I forced it out of him. He’d been so depressed59 that I knew something must be the matter, and I just made him tell me. I was so glad to help.”
Jimmy cocked his head at the last sentence and looked up at her quickly.
“So you helped him, eh?” he inquired.
“Just a little,” she replied. “What are a few thousand dollars if they will bring peace to a troubled spirit? Peace is everything, Mr. Martin, quite everything worth while. And I’m going to keep the poor, dear prince peaceful for ever and always and aye. Good-bye, dear Mr. Martin. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Jimmy went down the gravel60 path in a thoughtful mood. Somehow he felt rather fed up with Prince Rajput Singh.
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1
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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anticipatory
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| adj.预想的，预期的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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culmination
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| n.顶点；最高潮 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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fictitious
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| adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的 | |
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14
gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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18
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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honeymoon
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| n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月 | |
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arrogated
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| v.冒称，妄取( arrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；没来由地把…归属（于） | |
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21
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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technically
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| adv.专门地，技术上地 | |
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prospective
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| adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的 | |
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guise
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| n.外表，伪装的姿态 | |
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interim
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| adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间 | |
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apprised
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| v.告知，通知( apprise的过去式和过去分词 )；评价 | |
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28
flustered
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| adj.慌张的；激动不安的v.使慌乱，使不安( fluster的过去式和过去分词) | |
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29
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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collaborated
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| 合作( collaborate的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾结叛国 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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revered
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| v.崇敬，尊崇，敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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rosebuds
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| 蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女，初入社交界的少女( rosebud的名词复数 ) | |
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bleached
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| 漂白的，晒白的，颜色变浅的 | |
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accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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conspirator
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| n.阴谋者，谋叛者 | |
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42
expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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43
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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44
bustling
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| adj.喧闹的 | |
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45
preposterous
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| adj.荒谬的，可笑的 | |
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46
assorted
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| adj.各种各样的，各色俱备的 | |
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47
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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48
salaaming
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| 行额手礼( salaam的现在分词 ) | |
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49
suavely
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50
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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51
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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52
stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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53
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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54
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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55
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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56
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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57
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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58
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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59
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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60
gravel
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| n.砂跞；砂砾层；结石 | |
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