Читать книгу The Pursuits of Mr. Peter Pell - Short Fiction - Страница 4

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THE first beams of the morning sun wandered across the Esplanade and, penetrating a leafy screen, fell upon the closed eyelids of Mr. Peter Pell. That gentleman opened one eye slowly and then closed it quickly, but the sun was not to be denied and, at last, it dawned upon the awakening senses of Mr. Pell that it was time to be up and about.

It was not the first time that the exigencies of modern civilisation had forced Mr. Pell to seek an airy couch on the playground of the Perthites. By choice he was sybaritic, by necessity ascetic, but yesterday evening it was a choice between supper and bed and the vanities of the table proved superior to the claims of bodily repose.

Mr. Pell, rising from his hard couch, showed what ladies of a certain age and standing call "a fine figure of a man." He was largely made with even a slight tendency to stoutness. His head was somewhat small and set on his head at an angle that gave him, when excited, a certain air of ferocity. His hair was thin, although covering nearly all the top of his head.

His voice, his principal asset, was heavy and boomed like the tenor "C" of the cathedral chimes. For preference he was clean-shaven, but on this morning his toilet had been neglected and he showed a two-day growth of beard on chin and lip.

Dispensing with ablutions, Mr. Pell carefully dusted his clothes and then considered his position. The first, and from internal reminders, the most pressing necessity was for breakfast. A search of his pockets revealed, or rather confirmed the knowledge, that the balance in hand consisted of one penny and three half pennies.

Balancing each coin on a separate finger Mr. Pell gravely considered them. Certainly breakfast commensurate with his requirements was not compassed within the ability of twopence halfpenny. Some sort of food might be obtained for sixpence, but even that, sum was not to hand and Mr. Pell's ambition lay in the direction of a regular thoroughgoing breakfast, beginning with the usual porridge and continuing through eggs and bacon, chops, steaks, etceteras, to the grand finale of bread and butter and marmalade. At the thought of the last item Mr. Pell's tongue gently inserted itself between his lips for he had a very sweet tooth. But, however elastic his thoughts, twopence halfpenny was but too matter of fact.

Somewhere in this gay city of Perth, thought Mr. Pell, there must be come kind friend from whom the necessary coins of the realm may be obtained to provide for the realisation of the Epicurean feast.

Leaving the Esplanade Mr. Pell made his way to Hay Street. Assuming the air of a moneyed loiterer, he carefully examined the goods in the shop windows, at the same time keeping a careful eye open for some acquaintance who might prove financial. The hurrying crowd of workers and shoppers jostled him, but nowhere did he see a familiar face.

"Hullo, old chap!" A voice, sounded in his ear and a heavy hand descended on his shoulder. Mr. Pell swung round with hope in his heart.

"Just the man I was looking for." The accoster was a thin nervous looking man with a vacant wandering eye and a ragged beard. His appearance was unkempt and Mr. Pell could not place him on his list of acquaintances and friends. But it was evident from the other's manner that they were acquainted, while Mr. Pell's memory might be defective, and breakfast loomed as a possibility.

"My dear fellow," retorted Mr. Pell, unctuously. "I am pleased to see you.—What—"

"I'm in a little difficulty," interrupted the stranger in a hoarse whisper. "Could you—would you—permit yourself to do me a favour?"

"Well, er—" commenced Mr. Pell.

The stranger interrupted quickly. "My dear sir, I am sure you will do your best for me. You know of old how diffident I am of speaking of intimate, I may say family matters, to an acquaintance. But you and I are, I should say have been, so intimate that I feel I may speak to you as a brother. My request is a small one, so small that you will, I am sure, have no difficulty in helping me. Can you? Will you? I am sure I have but to speak and your great heart will immediately respond, lend me half a crown for a short period. Stay! Do not speak hurriedly The loan, trifling as it is, will be repaid to you with the utmost promptitude, and perchance, when circumstances have altered, when I assume the rightful position to which I am entitled, your affairs will have my complete and sympathetic support."

Into the thin mist of the early morning vanished Mr. Pell's hopes of an immediate breakfast. Here was another on the same expedition as himself. Yet never in his life had Mr. Pell failed to rise to the occasion and now his tones were urbanity itself.

"My dear sir! I am most sorry. I am deeply grieved. Owing to the fact that, very unfortunately, I left home this morning without my purse I am—er—in somewhat similar straights to yourself. If you will do me the favour of meeting me after—er—my bank opens er—I shall be pleased to comply with your request. Until then, au revoir."

With a graceful sweep of his hand Mr. Pell slowly faded down the street The interruption had only emphasised his need for refreshment. The morning hours were speeding fast and the opportunity of obtaining a loan from some business acquaintance would soon be lost.

Murray and Wellington Streets proved barren hunting grounds and Mr. Pell turned the corner of Barrack Street, his hopes of a luxurious breakfast fast dwindling. The Town Hall clock struck the hour of nine. From the direction of the Terrace came Matt Horan driving his well-known pacer 'Laughing Bill.' He was driving at a good speed, but on seeing Mr. Pell quickly pulled up.

"Hullo, Peter." Now if there was anything that disturbed Mr. Pell's equanimity, it was to be addressed as 'Peter.' He had a very serious opinion of his own importance, and for a person of his commanding figure to be so familiarly addressed showed, in his opinion, a disregard of the due observances of life. To be addressed as 'Peter' was sufficient to destroy even a man's illusion in himself. For these reasons Mr. Pell turned a deaf ear. But Horan was not to be denied.

"Hey, Peter—Peter Pell!" Horan was a persistent person and on second thoughts Mr. Pell thought it wise to answer to the call. Besides it is not always welcome to have one's name thundered in the streets for all and sundry to hear.

"My dear Mr. Horan," said Mr. Pell, advancing to the jog-car with all the dignity he could assume while breakfastless.

"Come off that 'oss, old pal," retorted Horan. "Got anything on?"

Mr. Pell looked down at his attire. It certainly was not of the best but, in his opinion, sufficient for decency.

"At the present moment my time is not occupied, if that is what you mean," replied Mr. Pell with great dignity.

"Jump in, then!" Horan moved up in the seat.

"Into that!" Mr. Pell's voice had a note of anxiety. "I am afraid, my dear sir, that my—er—"

"Oh, you ain't as heavy as all that. But please yourself. Got a job that might suit you if you're on; if you ain't, so long." Horan made a move to drive off.

Again Mr. Pell saw his breakfast fast escaping him. Leaving his dignity to be assumed when his bodily needs had been attended to, he mounted besides his friend in the frail cart.

"It's this way, Peter," commenced Horan, as the pacer moved suddenly into gait. "I'm at the end of my wits to know what to do. This 'ere 'orse is great. I'm open to acknowledge that. The question is, is 'e great enough to win the Christmas Cup. I think he is."

"He is a very large horse, so far as my judgement can be relied on," replied Mr. Pell, looking critically at the quadruped under discussion.

"Oh, get off! What I wants to know is, is he going to pay me to win the Christmas Trotting Cup."

"My dear Mr. Horan," replied Mr. Pell with some warmth. "How should I know? He certainly is a very fine horse so far as I can judge, but I must acknowledge to a very slight knowledge of horses, and especially of trotting horses. To some extent therefore my opinion must be valueless."

"Jest so! If you knew a horse from a cow I wouldn't have brought you into the game. The question is, are you open for an offer."

"Of what?" For the moment Mr. Pell was startled.

"To put this 'ere 'orse right in the books."

"I don't quite understand you," said Mr. Pell dubiously.

"This 'ere 'orse is the great tip," explained Horan.

"Does he?" asked Mr. Pell, innocently.

"What?"

"Tip."

"Good lor'!" and Mr. Horan looked at his companion with a certain amount of admiration. "Are you as innercent as all that?"

"I quite fail to understand your meaning." Mr. Pell had again obtained a grasp on the situation, although he kept a very tight grip on the side of the cart.

"You're the boy for my money. Keep it up, Pell, and you'll pull off the trick."

"Again I quite fail to gather your meaning." A hazy impression that his companion was making fun of him floated into Mr. Pell's mind.

"Never mind understanding, Pell. Are you on?"

"On what? Certainly not on that horse."

"Who's a-askin' of yer? Look 'ere, Pell, will you do as I ask, or will yer get down?"

Again the breakfast for which Mr. Pell was valiantly struggling faded into the distance. Bewildered with the rapid motion and the phraseology of his companion he muttered something that the other took for an assent.

"That's the ticket! Now what I want is why can't I get a decent price about this 'ere 'orse, and it'll take someone as hinnercent as yerself to do it."

"Will you kindly inform me how I am to start about the delicate negotiations with which you have entrusted me."

"All in good time, old buck. Here we are, and the missus has the breakfast ready. In yer go an' I'll put you wise after."

The pacer swung into the yard and Horan threw the reins to an expectant boy. From the house came a pleasant odour of cooking.

Mr. Pell was fed almost to repletion, for Mrs. Horan was a good and generous cook. Smoking one of Horan's black cigars he followed that worthy into the yard to receive his instructions: The conference was a long one, and in spite of his absolute ignorance of the sport of trotting, Pell began to be interested in the matter. Besides, there appeared to be a possibility of a certain amount of cash finding its way into his pockets, and that was a matter on which he had strong convictions.

Fortified with a large breakfast and primed with, to him, a mass of somewhat vague instructions, out of which the central idea stood out plainly, Pell took a dignified farewell of his host and started to walk back to the city. Half-way he stopped in self-disgusted amazement. Absorbed in the delicate negotiations entrusted to him and the wealth he would acquire if successful, he had quite forgotten to obtain a temporary loan from Hogan to provide for immediate necessities.

For the moment he had thoughts of retracing his steps, but old experience told him that Horan was a generous payer by results, while he was one of the most difficult men to extract a loan from. He decided to go on and trust to his luck.

With his fingers round the four insignificant coins in his pocket he stepped out citywards, his thoughts filled with the wealth that would be his in the near future.

Midday on the Terrace is a good time to encounter the sports of the city of Perth. There can be seen the owner, the jockey, the bookmaker and the sportsman. The latter is an indefinable specimen of modern civilization that discounts the wisdom of the ages. He toils not, neither does he spin, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these. To be particular, none of them seem to lack cash, and many indeed can produce a roll of those dirty-looking crumpled notes that do duty in Australia for the British sovereign.

Mr. Pell joined the group that is always to be found supporting the walls of the United Service Hotel. Introductions are not enforced in this branch of society, and a chance word or two, professing a knowledge he did not possess, one of the many phrases of Horan, coupled with, a clever reference to that gentleman, soon gave Mr. Pell his favourite position, the centre of the limelight.

"My friend, Mr. Horan," he commenced.

"Oh, Horan!" someone in the crowd ejaculated disdainfully.

"My friend, Mr. Horan, the owner of 'Laughing Bill' repeated Mr. Pell with emphasis.

"'E's the winner of the Cup," interrupted a short thickset man. "Per'aps 'e will, per'aps he wont."

"Goin' to win it yerself?"

The conversation was gradually drifting away from Mr. Pell.

"Mr. Horan said to me this morning—" Our worthy was determined to be heard and had raised his voice slightly.

"If Horan said 'is prayers it's all 'e did say," said the short man with emphasis, "'E's the closest cuss I've ever had to deal with."

Mr. Pell had another try.

"Mr. Horan gave me to understand at breakfast this morning that 'Laughing Bill' could not possibly lose the Cup."

"Did he now," the short man was openly derisive, "and what may I ask did 'e charge for the professional advice?"

"'Laughing Bill' did 34 the other day. I 'ad the watch," interjected one of the crowd.

"Wot's that! 'Pretty Pride' did 27 to the mile in the last Christmas Cup, an' she's on scratch this year."

"An' wot about 'Saucy Sam'? Why 'e did 18 the t'other mornin," I timed 'im meself, and 'e's honly 10 behind ."

And so the discussion bandied from one candidate for the big race to the other. Mr. Pell walked away well satisfied. He had carried out his instructions to the letter. Before he had gone far a grimy hand was placed on his cuff.

"'Ave yer much on th' 'orse yerself, sir?"

A small wizened man with 'hanger on' written all over him was the enquirer.

"Only a few hundreds, my man," replied Mr. Pell with dignity, "but my affairs cannot possibly interest you."

"Perhaps not, sir," replied the man humbly, "perhaps I might be able to 'elp a gentleman who might 'elp me."

Mr. Pell swelled with importance. "In what manner do you suppose you could be of assistance to me, my man?"

"It's this way, sir. It may 'appen that I may come across some hinformation that might be useful to a gent such as yer. An' if so, a gent such as yer might feel grateful."

"In such an event, my friend," Mr. Pell rattled the few coins in his pocket, "I should be extremely grateful."

"There might he a bit a-comin' now," insinuated the new acquaintance.

"There will he nothing coming until the information," said Mr. Pell emphatically.

"There ain't no flies on yer, now, is there," said the man with grudging admiration. "Well, so long till temorrer. I'll tell yer what's wot then if yer'll meet me 'ere."

Fingers in his waistcoat pockets, his chest well thrown out, Mr. Pell strolled along the terrace to the William Street corner. Pausing to survey the scanty traffic, Mr. Pell retraced his steps. Outside the United Service Hotel he found, as he had expected, Sol Arrons, the well-known and highly respected bookmaker. While he had been talking to the 'sports' Mr. Pell had noticed the bookmaker listening.

This time Mr. Arrons stopped him. "Excuse me my friend," Mr. Arrons placed a finger, that sadly needed the services of a manicurist, on the breast of Mr. Pell's coat. "Excuse me, but have I not the pleasure of your acquaintance?"

"Have I?" said Mr. Pell, gently removing the finger. "Yes, I believe it is Mr. Arrons! And what can I do for my worthy friend?"

"I have heard you talking this morning of the 'Laughing Bill' is it not so?" said Arrons, peering up into Mr. Pell's face. "Ah, I thought I guessed right. And, perhaps a fine gentleman like you, might like to have to have a little bet with old Arrons, on the fine horse. Just one little bet with old Arrons. Fine gentlemen like to bet with old Arrons."

Mr. Pell tried to look disdainful, and failed. He had angled and caught his fish. Let Arrons swallow the bait he had nibbled at, the bait that Mr. Pell had dangled along the Terrace for the last hour, and the work was accomplished. Mr. Pell would have his pockets filled again.

"Perhaps I might like to have a pony later, Arrons," he replied as indifferently as he could. "If so, I will not forget you."

Arrons fairly cringed. "It is good of you to say so," he fawned. "But why not now? I will give you a good price, an excellent price. I will—yes—I will be generous to you, my dear friend—I will give you two to one. Just think, two little sovereigns for one little sovereign bet."

"You what?" queried Mr. Pell.

"On the 'Laughing Bill.'" Arrons appeared slightly astonished at Mr. Pell's tone.

"No good to me," said Mr. Pell emphatically. "In fact I do not think I will back the horse at all."

"But you are a friend of Mr. Horan's. You have the knowledge of what the horse can do. You were with him this morning, and he told you to back it."

"Perhaps that is the reason I will not bet." Mr. Pell tried to look wise.

"You will not bet!" Arrons was excited now. "You have the information. But I forget. It is dry for a gentleman to stand and talk. You will come and have a little drink with me, and then you will tell me what it was that our friend Horan said to you when you had breakfast with him. Ach, is it not?"

Mr. Pell condescended to take a drink at the expense of Mr. Arrons, to the amazement of the habitués of the Hotel, who strove vainly to remember a previous occasion on which Arrons had 'shouted' anyone a drink. After the drinks, Arrons steered Mr. Pell into a vacant corner of the room and busied himself with the pump-handle.

Mr. Pell responded nobly. He leaked information while not appearing to do so. In fact, his appearance was that of a man who strove vainly to retain a valuable secret entrusted to his charge. With many expressions of goodwill, Arrons parted with his friend.

Fingering five coins in his pocket, Mr. Pell sauntered towards Hay Street. Stopping before his favourite restaurant, he took out of his pocket a yellow coin that glittered in the noon sun.

"There is something in this racing game after all," observed Mr. Pell to himself, with a sigh of satisfaction.