02 - Part 2. The Intrusion of Jimmy by P.G. Wodehouse.

02 - Part 2. The Intrusion of Jimmy by P.G. Wodehouse.  
The action begins with playboy bachelor Jimmy Pitt in New York; having fallen in love on a transatlantic liner, he befriends a small-time burglar and breaks into a police captain's house as a result of a bet. The cast of characters head to England, and from there on it is a typically Wodehousian romantic farce, set at the stately Dreever Castle, overflowing with imposters, detectives, crooks, scheming lovers and conniving aunts.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Part two of the Intrusion of Jimmy by P. G. Woodhouse.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. The Intrusion
of Jimmy, Chapter four, Mollie, Why, Mollie said the policeman,
What are you doing out of bed? I thought you
were asleep. He placed a huge arm around her and

(00:24):
drew her to his lap. As she sat there, his
great bulk made her seem smaller than she really was.
With her hair down and her little red slippers dangling
half a yard from the floor, she seemed like a child.
Mc keechorn, looking at her, found it hard to realize
that nineteen years had passed since the moment when the

(00:44):
doctor's raised eyebrows had reproved him for his monosyllabic reception
of the news that the baby was a girl. Do
you know what time it is? He said, two o'clock.
Much too late for you to be sitting here smoking,
said Molly severely. How many cigars do you smoke a day?

(01:04):
Suppose you had married someone who wouldn't let you smoke.
Never stop your husband smoking, my dear, that's a bit
of advice for you when you were married. I'm never
going to marry I'm going to stop at home and
darn your socks. I wish you could, he said, drawing
her closer to him. But one of these days you're

(01:26):
going to marry a prince. And now run back to bed.
It's much too late. It's no good, father, dear, I
couldn't get to sleep. I've been trying hard for hours.
I've counted sheep till I nearly screamed. It's rest as fault.
He snores, So, mister mc keechorn regarded the erring bull

(01:48):
dog sternly, Why do you have the brutes in your room?
Why to keep the bugaboos from getting me? Of course,
aren't you afraid of the bugaboos getting you? But you're
so big you wouldn't mind. You just hit them. And
they're not brutes, are you, darlings? You're angels? And you
nearly burst yourselves with joy because Auntie had come back

(02:12):
from England, didn't you, father? Did they miss me when
I was gone? Did they pine away? They got like skeletons?
We all did? You? I should say so? Then why
did you send me away to England? I wanted you
to see the country. Did you like it? I hated

(02:33):
being away from you, but you liked the country. I
loved it. Mc keechern drew a breath of relief. The
only possible obstacle to the Great Change did not exist.
How would you like to go back to England, Molly?
To England when I've just come home if I went too,

(02:56):
Molly twisted around so that she could see his face better.
There's something the matter with you, father, You're trying to
say something, and I want to know what it is.
Tell me quick, or I'll make Rastus bite you. It
won't take long, Dear. I've been lucky in some investments
while you are away, and I'm going to leave the

(03:16):
force and take you over to England and find a
prince for you to marry. If you think you would
like it, Father, it'll be perfectly splendid. We'll start fair
in England, Molly, I'll just be John mc keechorn from America.
And if anybody wants to know anything about me, I'm
a man who has made money on Wall Street and

(03:38):
that's no lie, and has come over to England to
spend it. Molly gave his arm a squeeze. Her eyes
were wet, Father, Dear, she whispered, I believe You've been
doing it all for me. You've been slaving away for
me ever since I was born, stinting yourself and saving

(03:59):
money just so that I could have a good time
later on. No, no, it's true, she said. She turned
on him with a tremulous laugh. I don't believe you've
had enough to eat for years. I believe you're all
skin and bone. Never mind, Tomorrow, I'll take you out
and buy you the best dinner you've ever had out

(04:21):
of my own money. We'll go to Sherry's and you
shall start at the top of the menu and go
straight down till you've had enough that will make up
for everything. And now, don't you think you ought to
be going to bed. You'll be losing all that color
you got on the ship soon, not just yet. I
haven't seen you for such ages, She pointed at the

(04:45):
bull terrier. Look at Tommy standing there and staring. He
can't believe I've really come back. Father. There was a
man on the Lusitania with eyes exactly like Tommy's, all
brown and bright, and he used to stand and stare
just like Tommy's doing. If I had been there, said

(05:05):
her father, wrathfully, I'd have knocked his head off. No,
you wouldn't, because I'm sure he was really a very
nice young man. He had a chin rather like yours, father. Besides,
you couldn't have got at him to knock his head
off because he was traveling second class, second class. Then

(05:27):
you didn't talk with him. We couldn't. You wouldn't expect
him to shout at me across the railing only whenever
I walked round the deck he seemed to be there staring.
He may not have been staring at me. Probably he
was just looking the way the ship was going and
thinking of some girl in New York. I don't think

(05:49):
you can make much of a romance out of it, father,
I don't want to. My dear, Princes don't travel in
the second cabin. He may have been a prince in disguise,
more likely a drummer, grunted, mister mc keechorn. Drummers are
often quite nice, aren't they? Princes are nicer. Well, I'll

(06:12):
go to bed and dream of the nicest one I
can think of. Come along, dogs, stop biting my slipper, Tommy,
Why can't you behave like Rastus? Still? You don't snore?
Do you? Are you going to bed? Soon. Father. I
believe you've been sitting up laden getting into all sorts
of bad habits while I've been away. I'm sure you

(06:34):
have been smoking too much. When you finish that cigar,
you're not even to think of another till tomorrow. Promise,
not one, not one. I'm not going to have my
father getting like the people you read about in the
magazine advertisements. You don't want to feel sudden shooting pains,
do you, no, my dear, and have to take some

(06:56):
awful medicine. No? Then promise very well, my dear, I promise.
As the door closed, the captain threw away the stump
he was smoking, and remained for a moment in thought.
Then he drew another cigar from his case, lighted it,
and resumed the study of the little note book. It

(07:19):
was past three o'clock when he went to his bedroom,
Chapter five, A Thief in the Night. How long the
light had been darting about the room like a very
much enlarged firefly. Jimmy did not know. It seemed to
him like ours, for it had woven itself into an
incoherent waking dream of his, and, for a moment, as

(07:42):
the mists of sleep passed away from his brain. He
fancied that he was dreaming. Still, then sleep left him,
and he realized that the light which was now moving
slowly across the bookcase was a real light. That the
man behind it could not have been there long was plain,
or he would have seen the chair and its occupant.

(08:04):
He seemed to be taking the room step by step.
As Jimmy sat up noiselessly and gripped the arm of
the chair in readiness for a spring, the light passed
from the bookcase to the table another foot or so
to the left, and it would have fallen on Jimmy.
From the position of the ray, Jimmy could see that
the burglar was approaching on his side of the table,

(08:26):
though until that day he had not been in the
room for two months, its geography was clearly stamped on
his mind's eye. He knew almost to a foot where
his visitor was standing. Consequently, when rising swiftly from the chair,
he made a football dive into the darkness. It was
no speculative dive. It had a conscious aim and was

(08:49):
not restrained by any uncertainty as to whether the road
to the burglar's knees was clear or not. His shoulder
bumped into a human leg. His arms closed instantaneously on
it and pulled. There was a yelp of dismay and
a crash. The lantern bounced away across the room and
wrecked itself on the reef of the steam heater. Its

(09:09):
owner collapsed in a heap on top of Jimmy. Jimmy
underneath at the fall, speedily put himself uppermost with a
twist of his body. He had every advantage. The burglar
was a small man and had been taken very much
by surprise, and any fight there might have been in
him in normal circumstances had been shaken out of him

(09:30):
by the fall. He lay still, not attempting to struggle.
Jimmy half arose, and, pulling his prisoner by inches to
the door, felt up the wall till he found the
electric light button. The yellow glow that flooded the room
disclosed a short, stocky youth of obviously bowery extraction. A
shock of vivid red hair was the first thing about

(09:52):
him that caught the eye. A poet would have described
him as Titian. His proprietor's friends and acquaintances probably called
it carrots. Looking up at Jimmy from under this wealth
of crimson was a not unpleasing face. It was not handsome, certainly,
but there were suggestions of a latent good humor. The

(10:13):
nose had been broken at one period of its career,
and one of the ears was undeniably of the cauliflower type.
But these are little accidents which may happen to any
high spirited young gentleman. In costume, the visitor had evidently
been guided rather by individual taste than by the dictates
of fashion. His coat was of rusty black, his trousers

(10:35):
of gray, picked out with stains of various colors. Beneath
the coat was a faded red and white sweater. A
hat of soft felt lay on the floor by the table.
The cut of the coat was poor, and the fit
of it spoiled by a bulge in one of the pockets.
Diagnosing this bulge correctly, Jimmy inserted his hand and drew

(10:57):
out a dingy revolver. Well, he said, rising. Like most people,
he had often wondered what he should do if he
were to meet a burglar, and he had always come
to the conclusion that curiosity would be his chief emotion.
His anticipations were proved perfectly correct. Now that he had

(11:17):
abstracted his visitor's gun, he had no wish to do
anything but engage him in conversation. A burglar's life was
something so entirely outside his experience. He wanted to learn
the burglar's point of view. Incidentally, he reflected with amusement
as he recalled his wager he might pick up a
few useful hints. The boy on the floor sat up

(11:41):
and rubbed the back of his head ruefully. Gee, he muttered,
I taught some guy had thrown the building at me.
It was only little me, said Jimmy. Sorry if I
hurt you at all. You really want a mat for
that sort of thing. The boy's hand went furtively to
his pocket. Then his eye caught sight of the revolver,

(12:03):
which Jimmy had placed on the table with a sudden dash.
He seized it. Now then, Boss, he said, between his teeth.
Jimmy extended his hand and unclasped it. Six shells lay
in the palm. Why worry, he said, Sit down and
let us talk of life. It's a fair cop, Boss said.

(12:26):
The man resignedly away with a melancholy said, Jimmy, I'm
not going to call the police. You can beat it
whenever you like. The man stared, I mean it, said Jimmy.
What's the trouble. I've no grievance. I wish, though, if
you haven't any important engagement, you would stop and talk. Awhile, first,

(12:49):
a broad grin spread itself across the other's face. There
was something singularly engaging about him when he grinned, Gee,
if yous ain't going to call the cops, I'll talk
till a chicken's roost again. Talking, however, said Jimmy, is
dry work. Are you by any chance on the wagon?

(13:10):
What's that me? On your way? Boss? Then you'll find
a pretty decent whiskey in that decanter. Help yourself. I
think you'll like it. A musical gurgling followed by a
contented sigh showed that the statement had been tested and
proved correct. Cigar asked Jimmy, me for that assented his visitor.

(13:35):
Take a handful. I eat them alive, said the marauder, jovially,
gathering in the spoils. Jimmy crossed his legs by the way,
he said, let there be no secrets between us. What's
your name? Minus Pitt James Willoughby. Pitt Mullins, is my monica, boss,

(13:56):
Spike Dey calls me. And you make a living at
this sort of thing? Not so oye? How did you
get in here? Spike Mullins grinned, gee, ain't the window open?
If it hadn't been, I thebusted it. Jimmy eyed the
fellow fixedly. Can you use an oxy a settling blowpipe?

(14:20):
He demanded. Spike was on the point of drinking. He
lowered his glass and gaped. What's that? He said, An
oxya settling blowpipe? Search me, said Spike blankly. Dad gets
past me. Jimmy's manner grew more severe. Can you make soup? Soup? Buss?

(14:45):
He doesn't know what soup is, said Jimmy despairingly. My
good man, I'm afraid you have missed your vocation. You
have no business to be trying to burgle. You don't
know the first thing about the game. Spike was regarding
the speaker with disquiet over his glass. Till now, the

(15:06):
Red haired One had been very well satisfied with his methods,
but criticism was beginning to sap his nerve. He had
heard tales of masters of his craft who had made
use of fearsome implements, such as Jimmy had mentioned burglars,
who had an airy acquaintanceship bordering on insolent familiarity with

(15:26):
the marvels of science men, to whom the latest inventions
were as familiar as his own. Jemmy was to himself,
could this be one of that select band? His host
began to take on a new aspect in his eyes.
Spike said, Jimmy, humh, have you a thorough knowledge of chemistry? Physics?

(15:49):
On your way? Boss? Toxicology? Search me electricity and microscopy.
Nine ten, that's the finish. I'm down and out. Jimmy
shook his head sadly. Give up burglary, he said, it's
not in your line. Better try poultry farming. Spike twiddle

(16:13):
his glass abashed Now, I said, Jimmy airily. Am thinking
of breaking into a house to night, gee, exclaimed Spike,
his suspicions confirmed. At last, I thought you was in
the game. Boss. Sure you're the guide that's at all
the curves I taught so all along. I should like

(16:37):
to hear, said Jimmy amusedly, as one who draws out
an intelligent child, how you would set about Burgling one
of those uptown villas. My own work has been on
a somewhat larger scale, and on the other side of
the Atlantic, the otter side. I have done as much
in London as anywhere else, said Jimmy. A great town

(17:00):
full of opportunities for the fine worker. Did you hear
of the cracking of the new Asiatic bank in Lombard Street? No, boss,
whispered Spike. Was that you, Jimmy laughed. The police would
like an answer to the same question, he said self consciously.
Perhaps you heard nothing of the disappearance of the Duchess

(17:23):
of Haven's diamonds. Was that the thief? Said Jimmy, flicking
a speck of dust from his coat sleeve, was discovered
to have used an oxy acetylene blowpipe. The rapturous intake
of Spike's breath was the only sound that broke the
silence through the smoke. His eyes could be seen slowly widening.

(17:45):
But about this villa, said Jimmy, I am always interested,
even in the humblest sides of the profession. Now tell me,
supposing you were going to break into a villa, what
time of night would you do it? I always chink
its best either late like this, or when the folks
is in at supper, said Spike respectfully. Jimmy smiled a faint,

(18:09):
patronizing smile and nodded, well, and what would you do?
I'd rubber around some to see if isn't there a
window open somewheres, said Spike diffidently. And if there wasn't,
I'd climb up the porch and into one of the bedrooms,
said Spike, almost blushing. He felt like a boy reading

(18:32):
his first attempts at original poetry to an established critic.
What would this master cracksman, this polished wielder of the
oxy acetylene blowpipe, this expert in toxicology, microscopy and physics,
think of his callow outpourings? How would you get into
the bedroom? Spike hung his head. Bust a catch with me, Jemmy,

(18:57):
he whispered, shamefacedly. Burst the catch with your Jemmy. It's
the only way I ever learned, pleaded Spike. The expert
was silent. He seemed to be thinking. The other watched
his face humbly. How would use do it? Boss? He
ventured timidly. At last, Eh, how would use do it? Why?

(19:23):
I'm not sure, said the master, graciously, whether your way
might not do in a case like that. It's crude,
of course, But with a few changes it would do. Gee, boss,
is that right, queried the astonished disciple. It would do,
said the master, frowning thoughtfully. It would do quite well,

(19:47):
Quite well. Spike drew a deep breath of joy and
astonishment that his method should meet the approval from such
a mind. Gee, he whispered, who would say? I am Napoleon?
Chapter six an exhibition performance. Cold reason may disapprove of wagers,

(20:14):
but without a doubt there is something joyous and lovable
in the type of mind that rushes at the least
provocation into the making of them, something smacking of the
spacious days of the regency. Nowadays, the spirit seems to
have deserted England. When mister Asquith became Premier of Great Britain,
no earnest forms were to be observed rolling peanuts along

(20:35):
the strand with a toothpick. When mister Asquith is dethroned,
it is improbable that any Briton will allow his beard
to remain unshaved until the Liberal Party returns to office.
It is in the United States that the wager has
found a home. It is characteristic of some minds to
dash into a wager with the fearlessness of a soldier

(20:57):
in a forlorn hope, and once in to regard it
almost as a sacred trust. Some men never grow up
out of the schoolboy spirit of daring. To this class,
Jimmy Pitt belonged. He was of the same type as
the men in the comic opera who proposed to the
lady because somebody bet him he wouldn't. There had never

(21:19):
been a time when a challenge, a dare had not
acted as a spur to him. In his newspaper days,
life had been one long series of challenges. They had
been the essence of the business. A story had not
been worth getting unless the getting were difficult. With the
conclusion of his newspaper life came a certain flatness into

(21:41):
the scheme of things. There were times, many times when
Jimmy was bored. He hungered for excitement, and life appeared
to have so little to offer. The path of the
rich man was so smooth, and it seemed to lead nowhere.
This task of burgling a house was like an unexpected

(22:02):
treat to a child, with an intensity of purpose that
should have touched his sense of humor, but as a
matter of fact, did not appeal to him as ludicrous
in any way. He addressed himself to the work. The
truth was that Jimmy was one of those men who
are charged to the brim with force. Somehow, the force
had to find an outlet. If he had undertaken to

(22:25):
collect birds eggs, he would have set about it with
the same tense energy. Spike was sitting on the edge
of his chair, dazed but happy, his head still buzzing
from the unhoped for praise. Jimmy looked at his watch.
It was nearly three o'clock. A sudden idea struck him.
The gods had provided gifts. Why not take them? Spike?

(22:49):
Huh would you care to come and crack a crib
with me? Now? Reverential awe was written on the red
haired one's face. Gee, Boss, would you surest thing you know? Boss?
Or rather proceeded Jimmy, would you care to crack a
crib while I came along with you? Strictly speaking, I

(23:12):
am here on a vacation, but a trifle like this
isn't real work. It's this way, he explained, I've taken
a fancy to you. Spike, and I don't like to
see you wasting your time on coarse work. You have
the root of the matter in you, and with a
little coaching, I could put a polish on you. I
wouldn't do this for everyone, but I hate to see

(23:34):
a man bungling who might do better. I want to
see you at work. Come right along and we'll go
uptown and you shall start in. Don't get nervous, just
work as you would if I were not there. I
shall not expect too much. Rome was not built in
a day. When we are through, I will criticize a
few of your mistakes. How does that suit you? Gee? Boss? Great?

(24:00):
And I know where there's a peach of a place, boss,
regular soft proposition. A friend of mine told me, it's
very well. Then one moment though, he went to the telephone.
Before he had left New York on his travels, Arthur
Mifflin had been living at a hotel near Washington Square.
It was probable that he was still there. He called

(24:23):
up the number. The night clerk was an old acquaintance
of his. Hello, Dixon said, Jimmy, is that you? I'm
Pitt Pitt, Yes, I'm back. How did you guess? Yes?
Very pleasant? Has mister Mifflin come in yet gone to bed?
Never mind? Call him up? Will you good? Presently? The

(24:45):
sleepy and outraged voice of mister Mifflin spoke at the
other end of the line. What's wrong? Who the Devil's that?
My dear Arthur? Where you pick up such expressions? I
can't think, not from is that you? Jimmy? What in
the name of heavens? What are you kicking about? The

(25:08):
Knight's yet, young Arthur? Touching that little arrangement we made,
cracking that crib? You know? Are you listening? Have you
any objection to my taking an assistant along with me?
I don't want to do anything contrary to our agreement,
But there's a young fellow here who's anxious that I
should let him come along and pick up a few hints.

(25:31):
He's a professional, all right, not in our class, of course,
but quite a fair rough workman, he Arthur, Arthur, these
are harsh words, then? Am I to understand? You have
no objection? Very well? Only don't say later on that
I didn't play fair. Good night. He hung up the

(25:51):
receiver and turned to Spike Ready, aid you's going to
put on your gum shoes, boss, Jimmy frown reflectively, as
if there was something in what this novice suggested. He
went into the bedroom and returned wearing a pair of thin,
patent leather shoes. Spike coughed tentatively. AH, won't use need

(26:14):
your gun, he hazarded. Jimmy gave a short laugh. I
work with brains, not guns, he said. Let us be going.
There was a taxicab nearby, as there always is in
New York. Jimmy pushed Spike in and they drove off
to Jimmy, New York stopped somewhere about seventy second Street.

(26:36):
Anything beyond that was getting on for the Middle West,
and seemed admirably suited as a field for the cracksmen.
He had a vague idea of Uptown as a remote,
desolate district, badly lighted, befflighted at all, and sparsely dotted
with sleepy policemen. The luxury of riding in a taxicab
kept Spike dumb for several miles. Having arrived at what

(27:00):
seemed a sufficiently remote part of America, Jimmy paid the driver,
who took the money with that magnificent aloof air which
characterizes the taxi chauffeur, a lesser man might have displayed
some curiosity about the ill matched pair. The chauffeur, having
lighted a cigarette, drove off without any display of interest whatsoever.

(27:21):
It might have been part of his ordinary duties to
drive gentlemen in evening clothes and shock headed youths in
party colored sweaters about the city. At three o'clock in
the morning, we will, now, said Jimmy, stroll on and prospect.
It is up to you, Spike. Didn't you say something
about knowing a suitable house somewhere? Are we anywhere near it?

(27:44):
Spike looked at the number of the street. We got
some weight the gold boss, He said, I wish you
hadn't sent away to cab. Did you think we were
going to drive up to the door. Pull yourself together,
my dear man. They walked on, striking eastward out of Broadway.
It caused Jimmy some surprise to find that the much

(28:06):
enduring thoroughfare extended as far as this. It had never
occurred to him before to ascertain what Broadway did with
itself beyond Time Square. It was darker now that they
had moved from the center of things, but it was
still far too light for Jimmy's tastes. He was content, however,
to leave matters entirely to his companion. Spike probably had

(28:28):
his methods for evading publicity. On these occasions. Spike plodded on.
Block after block he passed, until finally the houses began
to be more scattered. At last, he halted before a
fair size detached house. This is the place, he said,
A friend of mine tells me of it. I didn't

(28:49):
know he was me friend, though before he puts me
wise about disjoint. I thought he got it in for
me cause of last week when I scrapped with him
about sumpthing I taught. After day he was layin fir me.
But the next time he seen me he put me
wise to this place coals of fire, said Jimmy. He
was of a forgiving disposition. A single raindrop descended on

(29:13):
the nape of his neck. In another moment, a smart
shower had begun. This matter has passed out of our hands,
said Jimmy. We must break in, if only to get shelter.
Get busy, my lad. There was a handy window only
a few feet from the ground. Spike pulled from his
pocket a small bottle what's that, inquired Jimmy. Molasses boss,

(29:38):
said Spike deferentially. He poured the contents of the bottle
on a piece of paper, which he pressed firmly against
the window pane. Then, drawing out a short steel instrument,
he gave the paper a sharp tap. The glass broke,
almost inaudibly. The paper came away, leaving a gap in
the pane. Spike inserted his hand, shot back the catch,

(30:02):
and softly pushed up the window. Elementary, said Jimmy. Elementary,
but quite neat. There was now a shudder to be negotiated.
This took longer, but in the end Spike's persuasive methods prevailed.
Jimmy became quite cordial. You have been well grounded, Spike,

(30:23):
he said, and after all, that is half the battle.
The advice I give to every novice is learn to
walk before you try to run. Master the A, B
C of the craft first. With a little careful coaching,
you will do just so. Pop in, Spike climbed cautiously

(30:43):
over the sill, followed by Jimmy. The latter struck a
match and found the electric light switch. They were in
a parlor furnished and decorated with surprising taste. Jimmy had
expected the usual hideousness, but here everything from the wall
paper to the smallest ornaments was wonderfully well selected. Business, however,

(31:05):
was business. This was no time to stand admiring artistic
effects in room furnishing. There was that big j to
be carved on the front door. If twere done, then
twere well. Twere done quickly. He was just moving to
the door when from some distant part of the house
came the bark of a dog. Another joined in. The

(31:26):
solo became a duet. The air was filled with their
clamor Gee, cried Spike. The remark seemed more or less
to sum up the situation. Tis sweet, says Byron, to
hear the watchdog's honest bark. Jimmy and Spike found two
watch dog's honest barks, cloying. Spike intimated this by making

(31:50):
a feverish dash for the open window. Unfortunately for the
success of this maneuver, the floor of the room was
covered not with a carpet, but with taste fully scattered rugs,
and underneath these rugs it was very highly polished. Spike,
treading on one of these islands, was instantly Undone no
power of will or muscle can save a man in

(32:13):
such a case. Spike skidded, his feet flew from under him.
There was a momentary flash of red head as of
a passing meteor. The next moment he had fallen on
his back with a thud that shook the house. Even
in the crisis, the thought flashed across Jimmy's mind that
this was not Spike's lucky night. Upstairs, the efforts of

(32:36):
the canine choir had begun to resemble the a kelmorte
duet in Il travatore. Particularly good work was being done
by the baritone dog. Spike sat up, groaning, Equipped though
he was by nature with a skull of the purest
and most solid ivory, the fall had disconcerted him. His eyes,

(32:58):
like those of Shakespeare's poet, rolling in a fine frenzy,
did glance from heaven to earth, from Earth to heaven.
He passed his fingers tenderly through his vermilion hair. Heavy
footsteps were descending the stairs. In the distance. The soprano
dog had reached an a in alt and was holding
it while his fellow artiste executed runs in the lower register.

(33:22):
Get up, hissed, Jimmy, there's somebody coming. Get up, you idiot,
can't you. It was characteristic of Jimmy that it never
even occurred to him to desert the fallen one and
depart alone. Spike was his brother in arms. He would
as soon have thought of deserting him as a sea
captain would of abandoning the ship. Consequently, as Spike, despite

(33:45):
all exhortations, continued to remain on the floor, rubbing his
head and uttering g at intervals in a melancholy voice,
Jimmy resigned himself to fate and stood where he was,
waiting for the door to open. It opened the next moment,
as if a cyclone had been behind it. End of

(34:06):
Part two.