the voice of the city-第10章

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held　it　out。　　Gillian　opened　it　and　saw　that　it　was　a

bank　deposit　book。　　It　showed　a　balance　of　1；785　to

the　blind　man's　credit。



Gillian　returned　the　book　and　got　into　the　cab。



〃I　forgot　something；〃　be　said。　　〃You　may　drive

to　the　law　offices　of　Tolman　&　Sharp；　at　…　Broad…

way。〃

Lawyer　Tolman　looked　at　him　hostilely　and　in…

quiringly　through　his　gold…rimmed　glasses。



〃　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　Gillian；　cheerfully；

〃but　may　I　ask　you　a　question？　　It　is　not　an　im…

pertinent　one；　I　hope。　　Was　Miss　Hayden　left　any…

thing　by　my　uncle's　will　besides　the　ring　and　the

10？〃



〃　Nothing；〃　said　Mr。　Tolman。



〃　I　thank　you　very　much；　sir；〃　said　Gillian；　and

on　he　went　to　his　cab。　　He　gave　the　driver　the　ad…

dress　of　his　late　uncle's　home。



Miss　Hayden　was　writing　letters　in　the　library。

She　was　small　and　slender　and　clothed　in　black。　　But

you　would　have　noticed　her　eyes。　　Gillian　drifted

in　with　his　air　of　regarding　the　world　as　inconse…

quent。



I've　just　come　from　old　Tolman's；〃　he　explained。

They've　been　going　over　the　papers　down　there。

They　found　a　…　Gillian　searched　his　memory　for　a

legal　term　…　they　found　an　amendment　or　a　post…

script　or　something　to　the　will。　　It　seemed　that　the

old　boy　loosened　up　a　little　on　second　thoughts　and

willed　you　a　thousand　dollars。　　I　was　driving　up　this

way　and　Tolman　asked　me　to　bring　you　the　money。

Here　it　is。　　You'd　better　count　it　to　see　if　it's　right。〃



Gillian　laid　the　money　beside　her　hand　on　the　desk。

Miss　Hayden　turned　white。　　〃Oh！　〃　she　said；　and

again　〃Oh　！〃



Gillian　half　turned　and　looked　out　the　window。

〃I　suppose；　of　course；〃　be　said；　in　a　low　voice；

that　you　know　I　love　you。〃



〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　Miss　Hayden；　taking　up　her

money。



〃　There　is　no　use？　　〃　asked　Gillian；　almost　light…

heartedly。



〃　I　am　sorry；〃　she　said　again。



〃　May　I　write　a　note？　　〃　asked　Gillian；　with　a　smile；

I…re　seated　himself　at　the　big　library　table。　　She　sup…

plied　him　with　paper　and　pen；　and　then　went　back　to

her　secretaire。



Gillian　made　out　his　account　of　his　expenditure　of

the　thousand　dollars　i；i　these　words：



Paid　by　the　black　sheep；　Robert　Gillian；　1；000

on　account　of　the　eternal　happiness；　owed　by　Heaven

to　the　best　and　dearest　woman　on　earth。〃



Gillian　slipped　his　writing　into　an　envelope；　bowed

and　went　his　way。



His　cab　stopped　again　at　the　offices　of　Tolman　&

Sharp。



〃I　have　expended　the　thousand　dollars；〃　he　said

cheerily；　to　Tolman　of　the　gold　glasses；　〃　and　I　have

come　to　render　account　of　it；　as　I　agreed。　　There　is

quite　a　feeling　of　summer　in　the　air　…　do　you　not

think　so；　Mr。　Tolman？〃　He　tossed　a　white　envelope

on　the　lawyer's　table。　You　will　find　there　a　memo…

randum；　sir；　of　the　modus　operandi　of　the　vanishing

of　the　dollars。〃



Without　touching　the　envelope；　Mr。　Tolman　went

to　a　door　and　called　his　partner；　Sharp。　　Together

they　explored　the　caverns　of　an　immense　safe。　Forth

they　dragged；　as　trophy　of　their　search　a　big　envelope

sealed　with　　wax。　This　they　forcibly　invaded；　and

wagged　their　venerable　heads　together　over　its　con…

tents。　　Then　Tolman　became　spokesman。



〃Mr。　Gillian；〃　he　said；　formally；　〃there　was　a

codicil　to　your　uncle's　will。　　It　was　intrusted　to　us

privately；　with　instructions　that　it　be　not　opened　until

you　had　furnished　us　with　a　full　account　of　your

handling　of　the　1；000　bequest　in　the　will。　　As　you

have　fulfilled　the　conditions；　my　partner　and　I　have

read　the　codicil。　　I　do　not　wish　to　encumber　your

understanding　with　its　legal　phraseology；　but　I　will

acquaint　you　with　the　spirit　of　its　contents。



In　the　event　that　your　disposition　of　the　1；000

demonstrates　that　you　possess　any　of　the　qualifica…

tions　that　deserve　reward；　much　benefit　will

accrue　to　you。　Mr。　Sharp　and　I　are　named

as　the　judges；　and　I　assure　you　that　we　will　do　our

duty　strictly　according　to　justice…with　liberality。

We　are　not　at　all　unfavorably　disposed　toward　you；

Mr。　Gillian。　　But　let　us　return　to　the　letter　of　the

codicil。　　If　your　disposal　of　the　money　in　question　has

been　prudent；　wise；　or　unselflish；　it　is　in　our　power　to

hand　you　over　bonds　to　the　value　of　50；000；　which

have　been　placed　in　our　hands　for　that　purpose。　　But

if　…　as　our　client；　the　late　Mr。　Gillian；　explicitly

provides　…　you　have　used　this　money　as　you　have

money　in　the　past；　I　quote　the　late　Mr。　Gillian

…　in　reprehensible　dissipation　among　disreputable

associates　…　the　50；000　is　to　be　paid　to　Miriam

Hayden；　ward　of　the　late　Mr。　Gillian；　without　delay。

Now；　Mr。　Gillian；　Mr。　Sharp　and　I　will　examine　your

account　in　regard　to　the　1；000。　　You　submit　it　in

writing；　I　believe。　　I　hope　you　will　repose　confidence

in　our　decision。〃



Mr。　Tolman　reached　for　the　envelope。　　Gillian

was　a　little　the　quicker　in　taking　it　up。　　He　tore　the

account　and　its　cover　leisurely　into　strips　and　dropped

them　into　his　pocket。



〃It's　all　right；〃　he　said；　smilingly。　　〃There　isn't　a

bit　of　need　to　bother　you　with　this。　　I　don't　suppose

you'd　understand　these　itemized　bets；　anyway。　　I

lost　the　thousand　dollars　on　the　races。　　Good…day　to

you；　gentlemen。〃



Tolman　&　Sharp　shook　their　beads　mournfully　at

each　other　when　Gillian　left；　for　they　heard　him　whis…

tling　gayly　in　the　hallway　as　he　waited　for　the　ele…

vator。









THE　DEFEAT　OF　THE　CITY



Robert　Walmsley's　descent　upon　the　city

resulted　in　a　Kilkenny　struggle。　　He　came　out　of　the

fight　victor　by　a　fortune　and　a　reputation。　　On　the

other　band；　he　was　swallowed　up　by　the　city。　　The

city　gave　him　what　he　demanded　and　then　branded

him　with　its　brand。　　It　remodelled；　cut；　trimmed　and

stamped　him　to　the　pattern　it　approves。　　It　opened

its　social　gates　to　him　and　shut　him　in　on　a　close…

cropped；　formal　lawn　with　the　select　herd　of　rumi…

nants。　　In　dress；　habits；　manners；　provincialism；

routine　and　narrowness　he　acquired　that　charming　in…

solence；　that　irritating　completeness；　that　sophisti…

cated　crassness；　that　overbalanced　poise　that　makes

the　Manhattan　gentleman　so　delightfully　small　in　his

greatness。



One　of　the　up…state　rural　counties　pointed　with

pride　to　the　successful　young　metropolitan　lawyer　as

a　product　of　its　soil。　Six　years　earlier　this　county

had　removed　the　wheat　straw　from　between　its　huckle…

berry…stained　teeth　and　emitted　a　derisive　and　bucolic

laugh　as　old　man　Walmsley's　freckle…faced　〃　Bob

abandoned　the　certain　three…per…diem　meals　of　the

one…horse　farm　for　the　discontinuous　quick　lunch

counters　of　the　three…ringed　metropolis。　　At　the　end

of　the　six　years　no　murder　trial；　coaching　party；　au…

tomobile　accident　or　cotillion　was　complete　in　which

the　name　of　Robert　Walmsley　did　not　figure。　　Tailors

waylaid　him　in　the　street　to　get　a　new　wrinkle　from

the　cut　of　his　unwrinkled　trousers。　　Hyphenated　fel…

lows　in　the　clubs　and　members　of　the　oldest　subpoenaed

families　were　glad　to　clap　him　on　the　back　and　allow

him　three　letters　of　his　name。



But　the　Matterhorn　of　Robert　Walmsley's　success

was　not　scaled　until　be　married　Alicia　Van　Der　Pool。

I　cite　the　Matterhorn；　for　just　so　high　and　cool　and

white　and　inaccessible　was　this　daughter　of　the　old

burghers。　　The　social　Alps　that　ranged　about　her

over　whose　bleak　passes　a　thousand　climbers　struggled

　reached　only　to　her　knees。　　She　towered　in　her　own

atmosphere；　serene；　chaste；　prideful；　wading　in　no

fountains；　dining　no　monkeys；　breeding　no　dogs　for

bench　shows。　　She　was　a　Van　Der　Pool。　　Fountains

were　made　to　play　for　her；　monkeys　were　made　for

other　people's　ancestors；　dogs；　she　understood；　were

created　to　be　companions　of　blind　persons　and　objec…

tionable　characters　who　smoked　pipes。



This　was　the　Matterhorn　that　Robert　Walmsley

accomplished。　　If　he　found；　with　the　good　poet　with

the　game　foot　and　artificially　curled　hair；　that　he　who

ascends　to　mountain　tops　will　find　the　loftiest　peaks

most　wrapped　in　clouds　and　snow；　he　concealed　his

chilblains　beneath　a　brave　and　smiling　exterior。　　He

was　a　lucky　man　and　knew　it；　even　though　he　were

imitating　the　Spartan　boy　with　an　ice…cream　freezer

beneath　his　doublet　frappeeing　the　region　of　his

heart。



After　a　brief　wedding　tour　abroad；　the　couple　re…

turned　to　create　a　decided　ripple　in　the　calm　cistern

（so　placid　and　cool　and　sunless　it　is）　of　the　best　so…

ciety。　　They　entertained　at　their　red　brick　mausoleum

of　ancient　greatness　in　an　old　square　that　is　a　ceme…

tery　of　crumbled　glory。　　And　Robert　Walmsley　was

proud　of　his　wife；　although　while　one　of　his　hands

shook　his　guests'　the　other　held　tightly　to　his　alpen…

stock　and　thermometer。



One　day　Alicia　found　a　letter　written　to　Robert　by

his　mother。　　It　was　an　unerudite　letter；　full　of　crops

and　motherly　love　and　farm　notes。　　It　chronicled　the

health　of　the　pig　and　the　recent　red　calf；　and　asked

concerning　Robert's　in　return。　　It　was　a　letter　direct

from　the　soil；　straight　from　home；　full　of　biographies

of　bees；　tales　of　turnips；　peaans　of　new…laid　eggs；　neg…

lected　parents　and　the　slump　in　dried　apples。



〃Why　have　I　not　been　shown　your　mother's　let…

ters？〃　asked　Alicia。　　There　was　always　something　in

her　voice　that　made　you　think　of　lorgnettes；　of　ac…

counts　at　Tiffany's；　of　sledges　smoothly　gliding　on

the　trail　from　Dawson　to　Forty　Mile；　of　the　tinkling

of　pendant　prisms　on　your　grandmothers'　chandeliers；

of　snow　lying　on　a　convent　roof；　of　a　police　sergeant

refusing　bail。　　〃Your　mother；〃　continued　Alicia；

〃invites　us　to　make　a　visit　to　the　farm。　　I　have

never　seen　a　farm。　　We　will　go　there　for　a　week　or

two；　Robert。〃



〃We　will；〃　said　Robert；　with　the　grand　air　of　an

associate　Supreme　Justice　concurring　in　an　opinion。

〃I　did　not　lay　the　invitation　before　you　because　I

thought　you　would　not　care　to　go。　I　am　much　pleased

at　your　decision。〃



〃I　will　write　to　her　myself；〃　answered　Alicia；　with

a　faint　foreshadowing　of　enthusiasm。　　〃　Felice　shall

pack　my　trunks　at　once。　　Seven；　I　think；　will　be

enough。　　I　do　not　suppose　that　your　mother　entertains

a　great　deal。　　Does　she　give　many　house　parties？〃



Robert　arose；　and　as　attorney　for　rural　places　filed

a　demurrer　against　six　of　the　seven　trunks。　He　en…

deavored　to　define；　picture；　elucidate；　set　forth　and

describe　a　farm。　　His　own　words　sounded　strange　in

his　ears。　　He　had　not　realized　how　thoroughly　urbsi…

dized　he　had　become。



A　week　passed　and　found　them　landed　at　the　little

country　station　five　hours　out　from　the　city。　　A　grin…

ning；　stentorian；　sarcastic　youth　driving　a　mule　to　a

spring　wagon　hailed　Robert　savagely。



〃Hallo；　Mr。　Walmsley。　　Found　your　way　back　at

last；　have　you？　　Sorry　I　couldn't　bring　in　the　auto…

mobile　for　you；　but　dad's　bull…tonguing　the　ten…acre

clover　patch　with　it　to…day。　　Guess　you'll　excuse　my；

not　wearing　a　dress　suit　over