the voice of the city-第12章

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He　was　either　young　or　old；　cheap　lodging…houses

had　flavored　him　mustily；　razors　and　combs　had

passed　him　by；　in　him　drink　had　been　bottled　and

sealed　in　the　devil's　bond。　　He　begged　a　match；　which

is　the　form　of　introduction　among　park　benchers；　and

then　he　began　to　talk。



〃You're　not　one　of　the　regulars；〃　he　said　to　Val…

lance。　　〃I　know　tailored　clothes　when　I　see　'em。

You　just　stopped　for　a　moment　on　your　way　through

the　park。　　Don't　mind　my　talking　to　you　for　a　while？

I've　got　to　be　with　somebody。　　I'm　afraid　　I'm

afraid。　　I've　told　two　or　three　of　those　bummers　over

about　it。　　They　think　I'm　crazy。　　Say　　let

tell　you　　all　I've　had　to　eat　to…day　was　a　couple

pretzels　and　an　apple。　　To…morrow　I'll　stand　in

to　inherit　three　millions；　and　that　restaurant　you

ee　over　there　with　the　autos　around　it　will　be　too

for　me　to　eat　in。　　Don't　believe　it；　do　you？



〃Without　the　slightest　trouble；〃　said　Vallance；

with　a　laugh。　〃I　lunched　there　yesterday。　To…

night　I　couldn't　buy　a　five…cent　cup　of　coffee。〃



〃You　don't　look　like　one　of　us。　　Well；　I　guess　those

things　happen。　　I　used　to　be　a　high…flyer　myself

years　ago。　　What　knocked　you　out　of　the　game？〃



〃I　　oh；　I　lost　my　job；〃　said　Vallance。



〃It's　undiluted　Hades；　this　city；〃　went　on　the

other。　〃One　day　you're　eating　from　china；　the

next　you　are　eating　in　China　　a　chop…suey　joint。

I've　had　more　than　my　share　of　hard　luck。　　For　five

years　I've　been　little　better　than　a　panhandler。　　I

was　raised　up　to　live　expensively　and　do　nothing。

Say　　I　don't　mind　telling　you　　I've　got　to　talk

to　somebody；　you　see；　because　I'm　afraid　　I'm

afraid。　　My　name's　Ide。　　You　wouldn't　think　that

old　Paulding；　one　of　the　millionaires　on　Riverside

Drive；　was　my　uncle；　would　you？　　Well；　he　is。　　I

lived　in　his　house　once；　and　had　all　the　money　I

wanted。　　Say；　haven't　you　got　the　price　of　a　couple

of　drinks　about　you　　er　　what's　your　name〃



〃Dawson；〃　said　Vallance。　　〃No；　I'm　sorry　to　say

that　I'm　all　in；　financially。〃



〃I've　been　living　for　a　week　in　a　coal　cellar　on

Division　Street；〃　went　on　Ide；　〃with　a　crook　they

called　'Blinky'　Morris。　　I　didn't　have　anywhere　else

to　go。　　While　I　was　out　to…day　a　chap　with　some　pa…

pers　in　his　pocket　was　there；　asking　for　me。　　I　didn't

know　but　what　he　was　a　fly　cop；　so　I　didn't　go　around

again　till　after　dark。　　There　was　a　letter　there　be

had　left　for　me。　　Say　　Dawson；　it　was　from　a　big

downtown　lawyer；　Mead。　　I've　seen　his　sign　on　Ann

Street。　　Paulding　wants　me　to　play　the　prodigal

nephew　　wants　me　to　come　back　and　be　his　heir

again　and　blow　in　his　money。　　I'm　to　call　at　the

lawyer's　office　at　ten　to…morrow　and　step　into　my　old

shoes　again　　heir　to　three　million；　Dawson；　and

10；000　a　year　pocket　money。　　And　　I'm　afraid

　I'm　afraid〃



The　vagrant　leaped　to　his　feet　and　raised　both

trembling　arms　above　his　bead。　　He　caught　his　breath

and　moaned　hysterically。



Vallance　seized　his　arm　and　forced　him　back　to　the

bench。



〃Be　quiet！〃　he　commanded；　with　something　like

disgust　in　his　tones。　　〃One　would　think　you　had　lost

a　fortune；　instead　of　being　about　to　acquire　one。　Of

what　are　you　afraid？〃



Ide　cowered　and　shivered　on　the　bench。　　He　clung

to　Vallance's　sleeve；　and　even　in　the　dim　glow　of　the

Broadway　lights　the　latest　disinherited　one　could　see

drops　on　the　other's　brow　wrung　out　by　some　strange

terror。



〃Why；　I'm　afraid　something　will　happen　to　me　be…

fore　morning。　　I　don't　know　what　　something　to

keep　me　from　coming　into　that　money。　　I'm　afraid　a

tree　will　fall　on　me　　I'm　afraid　a　cab　will　run　over

me；　or　a　stone　drop　on　me　from　a　housetop；　or　some…

thing。　　I　never　was　afraid　before。　　I've　sat　in　this

park　a　hundred　nights　as　calm　as　a　graven　image

without　knowing　where　my　breakfast　was　to　come

from。　　But　now　it's　different。　　I　love　money；　Daw…

son　…　I'm　happy　as　a　god　when　it's　trickling　through

my　fingers；　and　people　are　bowing　to　me；　with　the

music　and　the　flowers　and　fine　clothes　all　around。　　As

long　as　I　knew　I　was　out　of　the　game　I　didn't　mind。

I　was　even　happy　sitting　here　ragged　and　hungry；

listening　to　the　fountain　jump　and　watching　the

carriages　go　up　the　avenue。　　But　it's　in　reach　of　my

hand　again　now　　almost　　and　I　can't　stand　it　to

wait　twelve　hours；　Dawson　　I　can't　stand　it。

There　are　fifty　things　that　could　happen　to　me　　I

could　go　blind　　I　might　be　attacked　with　heart

disease　　the　world　might　come　to　an　end　before　I

could　　〃



Ide　sprang　to　his　feet　again；　with　a　shriek。　　Peo…

ple　stirred　on　the　benches　and　began　to　look。　　Val…

lance　took　his　arm。



〃Come　and　walk；〃　he　said；　soothingly。　　〃And　try

to　calm　yourself。　There　is　no　need　to　become　ex…

cited　or　alarmed。　　Nothing　is　going　to　happen　to

you。　　One　night　is　like　another。〃



〃That's　right；〃　said　Ide。　　〃Stay　with　me；　Daw…

son　　that's　a　good　fellow。　　Walk　around　with　me

awhile。　　I　never　went　to　pieces　like　this　before；　and

I've　had　a　good　many　hard　knocks。　　Do　you　think

you　could　hustle　something　in　the　way　of　a　little

lunch；　old　man？　　I'm　afraid　my　nerve's　too　far　gone

to　try　any　panhandling〃



Vallance　led　his　companion　up　almost　deserted

Fifth　Avenue；　and　then　westward　along　the　Thirties

toward　Broadway。　　〃Wait　here　a　few　minutes；〃　he

said；　leaving　Ide　in　a　quiet　and　shadowed　spot。　　He

entered　a　familiar　hotel；　and　strolled　toward　the　bar

quite　in　his　old　assured　way。



〃There's　a　poor　devil　outside；　Jimmy；〃　he　said　to

the　bartender；　〃who　says　he's　hungry　and　looks　it。

You　know　what　they　do　when　you　give　them　money。

Fix　up　a　sandwich　or　two　for　him；　and　I'll　see　that

he　doesn't　throw　it　away。〃



〃Certainly；　Mr。　Vallance；〃　said　the　bartender。

〃They　ain't　all　fakes。　　Don't　like　to　see　anybody　go

hungry。〃



Ide　folded　a　liberal　supply　of　the　free　lunch　into　a

napkin。　　Vallance　went　with　it　and　joined　his　com…

panion。　　Ide　pounced　upon　the　food　ravenously。　　〃I

haven't　had　any　free　lunch　as　good　as　this　in　a

year；〃　be　said。　　〃Aren't　you　going　to　eat　any；

Dawson？



〃I'm　not　hungry　…　thanks；〃　said　Vallance。



〃We'll　go　back　to　the　Square；〃　said　Ide。　　〃The

cops　won't　bother　us　there。　　I'll　roll　up　the　rest　of

this　ham　and　stuff　for　our　breakfast。　　I　won't　eat

any　more；　I'm　afraid　I'll　get　sick。　　Suppose　I'd　die

of　cramps　or　something　to…night；　and　never　get　to

touch　that　money　again！　　It's　eleven　hours　yet　till

time　to　see　that　lawyer。　You　won't　leave　me；　will

you；　Dawson？　I'm　afraid　something　might　happen。

You　haven't　any　place　to　go；　have　you？〃



〃No；〃　said　Vallance；　〃nowhere　to…night。　I'll

have　a　bench　with　you。〃



〃You　take　it　cool；〃　said　Ide；　〃if　you've　told　it　to

me　straight。　　I　should　think　a　man　put　on　the　bum

from　a　good　job　just　in　one　day　would　be　tearing　his

hair。〃



〃I　believe　I've　already　remarked；〃　said　Vallance；

laughing；　〃that　I　would　have　thought　that　a　man

who　was　expecting　to　come　into　a　fortune　on　the

next　day　would　be　feeling　pretty　easy　and　quiet。〃



〃It's　funny　business；〃　philosophized　Ide；　〃about

the　way　people　take　things；　anyhow。　　Here's　your

bench；　Dawson；　right　next　to　mine。　　The　light　don't

shine　in　your　eyes　here。　　Say；　Dawson；　I'll　get　the

old　man　to　give　you　a　letter　to　somebody　about　a　job

when　I　get　back　home。　You've　helped　me　a　lot　to…

night。　　I　don't　believe　I　could　have　gone　through

the　night　if　I　hadn't　struck　you。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Vallance。　　〃Do　you　lie　down

or　sit　up　on　these　when　you　sleep？



For　hours　Vallance　gazed　almost　without　winking

at　the　stars　through　the　branches　of　the　trees　and

listened　to　the　sharp　slapping　of　horses'　hoofs　on　the

sea　of　asphalt　to　the　south　　His　mind　was　active；

but　his　feelings　were　dormant。　　Every　emotion

seemed　to　have　been　eradicated。　　Ide　felt　no　regrets；

no　fears；　no　pain　or　discomfort。　　Even　when　be

thought　of　the　girl；　it　was　as　of　an　inhabitant　of　one

of　those　remote　stars　at　which　be　gazed。　　He　re…

membered　the　absurd　antics　of　his　companion　and

laughed　softly；　yet　without　a　feeling　of　mirth。　　Soon

the　daily　army　of　milk　wagons　made　of　the　city　a

roaring　drum　to　which　they　marched。　　Vallance　fell

asleep　on　his　comfortless　bench。



At　ten　o'clock　on　the　next　day　the　two　stood　at　the

door　of　Lawyer　Mead's　office　in　Ann　Street。



Ide's　nerves　fluttered　worse　than　ever　when　the

hour　approached；　and　Vallance　could　not　decide　to

leave　him　a　possible　prey　to　the　dangers　he　dreaded。



When　they　entered　the　office；　Lawyer　Mead　looked

at　them　wonderingly。　　He　and　Vallance　were　old

friends。　　After　his　greeting；　he　turned　to　Ide；　who

stood　with　white　face　and　trembling　limbs　before　the

expected　crisis。



〃I　sent　a　second　letter　to　your　address　last　night；

Mr。　Ide；〃　he　said。　　〃I　learned　this　morning　that

you　were　not　there　to　receive　it。　　It　will　inform　you

that　Mr。　Paulding　has　reconsidered　his　offer　to　take

you　back　into　favor。　　He　has　decided　not　to　do　so；

and　desires　you　to　understand　that　no　change　will　be

made　in　the　relations　existing　between　you　and

him。〃



Ide's　trembling　suddenly　ceased。　　The　color　came

back　to　his　face；　and　be　straightened　his　back。　　His

jaw　went　forward　half　an　inch；　and　a　gleam　came

into　his　eye。　　He　pushed　back　his　battered　bat　with

one　hand；　and　extended　the　other；　with　levelled　fin…

gers；　toward　the　lawyer。　　He　took　a　long　breath　and

then　laughed　sardonically。



〃Tell　old　Paulding　he　may　go　to　the　devil；〃　he

said；　loudly　and　clearly；　and　turned　and　walked　out

of　the　office　with　a　firm　and　lively　step。



Lawyer　Mead　turned　on　his　heel　to　Vallance　and

smiled。



〃I　am　glad　you　came　in；〃　he　said；　genially。

〃Your　uncle　wants　you　to　return　home　at　once。　　He

is　reconciled　to　the　situation　that　led　to　his　hasty

action；　and　desires　to　say　that　all　will　be　as　　〃



〃Hey；　Adams！〃　cried　Lawyer　Mead；　breaking　his

sentence；　and　calling　to　his　clerk。　　〃Bring　a　glass　of

water　Mr。　Vallance　has　fainted。〃









THE　PLUTONIAN　FIRE





There　are　a　few　editor　men　with　whom　I　am　privi…

leged　to　come　in　contact。　　It　has　not　been　long　since

it　was　their　habit　to　come　in　contact　with　me。　　There

is　a　difference。



They　tell　me　that　with　a　large　number　of　the

manuscripts　that　are　submitted　to　them　come　advices

（in　the　way　of　a　boost）　from　the　author　asseverating

that　the　incidents　in　the　story　are　true。　　The　des…

tination　of　such　contributions　depends　wholly　upon

the　question　of　the　enclosure　of　stamps。　　Some　are

returned；　the　rest　are　thrown　on　the　floor　in　a　corner

on　top　of　a　pair　of　gum　shoes；　an　overturned　statu…

ette　of　the　Winged　Victory；　and　a　pile　of　old　maga…

zines　containing　a　picture　of　the　editor　in　the　act

of　reading　the　latest　copy　of　Le　Petit　Journal；　right

side　up　…　you　can　tell　by　the　illustrations。　　It　is

only　a　legend　that　there　are　waste　baskets　in　editors'

offices。