human
Odd, that! he observed with a light carelessness which he admired extremely and of which he would not have believed himself capable.
gpt
I suppose I must be somebody's double. What was the name he said?
human
Jimmy Crocker!
gpt
Oh yes, I remember. So it was. It's a curious thing, too, that it sounds familiar. I've heard the name before somewhere.
human
I was talking about Jimmy Crocker on the ship. That evening on deck.
gpt
Were you? Oh yes, of course. I've got it now. He is the man you dislike so.
human
I hope you aren't going to let the resemblance prejudice you against _me_? said Jimmy.
gpt
Some are born Jimmy Crockers, others have Jimmy Crockers thrust upon them. I hope you'll bear in mind that I belong to the latter class.
human
It's such an extraordinary thing.
gpt
Oh, I don't know. You often hear of doubles. There was a man in England a few years ago who kept getting sent to prison for things some genial stranger who happened to look like him had done.
human
I don't mean that. Of course there are doubles. But it is curious that you should have come over here and that we should have met like this at just this time. You see, the reason I went over to England at all was to try to get Jimmy Crocker to come back here.
gpt
What!
human
I don't mean that _I_ did. I mean that I went with my uncle and aunt, who wanted to persuade him to come and live with them.
gpt
Your uncle and aunt? Why?
human
I ought to have explained that they are his uncle and aunt, too. My aunt's sister married his father.
gpt
But--
human
It's quite simple, though it doesn't sound so. Perhaps you haven't read the _Sunday Chronicle_ lately? It has been publishing articles about Jimmy Crocker's disgusting behaviour in London--they call him Piccadilly Jim, you know--
gpt
There was another one printed yesterday.
human
I saw it,
gpt
Oh, did you? Well, just to show you what sort of a man Jimmy Crocker is, the Lord Percy Whipple whom he attacked in the club was his very best friend. His step-mother told my aunt so. He seems to be absolutely hopeless. She smiled.
human
You're looking quite sad, Mr. Bayliss. Cheer up! You may look like him, but you aren't him he?--him?--no, 'he' is right. The soul is what counts. If you've got a good, virtuous, Algernonish soul, it doesn't matter if you're so like Jimmy Crocker that his friends come up and talk to you in restaurants. In fact, it's rather an advantage, really. I'm sure that if you were to go to my aunt and pretend to be Jimmy Crocker, who had come over after all in a fit of repentance, she would be so pleased that there would be nothing she wouldn't do for you. You might realise your ambition of being adopted by a millionaire. Why don't you try it? I won't give you away.
gpt
Before they found me out and hauled me off to prison, I should have been near you for a time. I should have lived in the same house with you, spoken to you--!
human
You must listen to this, my dear, she said in an undertone.
gpt
He speaks _wonderfully!_ They used to call him the Boy Orator in his home-town. Sometimes that, and sometimes Eloquent Algernon!
human
One of these days you will try me too high--!
gpt
Oh, you didn't hear what I was saying to my friend, did you? she said in concern.
human
But I meant it, every word. I love to hear you talk. You have such _feeling!_
gpt
Have you no sentiment in you?
human
I was just warming up, too! In another minute you would have heard something worth while. You've damped me now. Let's talk about my lifework again.
gpt
Have you thought of anything?
human
I'd like to be one of those fellows who sit in offices, and sign checks, and tell the office-boy to tell Mr. Rockerfeller they can give him five minutes. But of course I should need a check-book, and I haven't got one. Oh well, I shall find something to do all right. Now tell me something about yourself. Let's drop the future for awhile.