the voice of the city-第21章

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mont　preserved　the　state　of　a　queen　whose　loneliness

was　of　position　only。　　She　breakfasted　at　ten；　a　cool；

sweet；　leisurely；　delicate　being　who　glowed　softly　in

the　dimness　like　a　jasmine　flower　in　the　dusk。



But　at　dinner　was　Madame's　glory　at　its　height。

She　wore　a　gown　as　beautiful　and　immaterial　as　the

mist　from　an　unseen　cataract　in　a　mountain　gorge。

The　nomenclature　of　this　gown　is　beyond　the　guess

of　the　scribe。　　Always　pale…red　roses　reposed　against

its　lace…garnished　front。　It　was　a　gown　that　the

bead…waiter　viewed　with　respect　and　met　at　the　door。

You　thought　of　Paris　when　you　saw　it；　and　maybe　of

mysterious　countesses；　and　certainly　of　Versailles　and

rapiers　and　Mrs。　Fiske　and　rouge…et…noir。　　There　was

an　untraceable　rumor　in　the　Hotel　Lotus　that

Madame　was　a　cosmopolite；　and　that　she　was　pulling

with　her　slender　white　bands　certain　strings　between

the　nations　in　the　favor　of　Russia。　　Being　a　citi…

zeness　of　the　world's　smoothest　roads　it　was　small

wonder　that　she　was　quick　to　recognize　in　the　refined

purlieus　of　the　Hotel　Lotus　the　most　desirable　spot　in

America　for　a　restful　sojourn　during　the　heat　of　mid…

summer。



On　the　third　day　of　Madame　Beaumont's　residence

in　the　hotel　a　young　man　entered　and　registered　him…

self　as　a　guest。　　His　clothing　　to　speak　of　his

points　in　approved　order　　was　quietly　in　the　mode；

his　features　good　and　regular；　his　expression　that　of

a　poised　and　sophisticated　man　of　the　world。　　He　in…

formed　the　clerk　that　he　would　remain　three　or　four

days；　inquired　concerning　the　sailing　of　European

steamships；　and　sank　into　the　blissful　inanition　of　the

nonpareil　hotel　with　the　contented　air　of　a　traveller　in

his　favorite　inn。



The　young　man　　not　to　question　the　veracity　of

the　register　　was　Harold　Farrington。　　He　drifted

into　the　exclusive　and　calm　current　of　life　in　the　Lotus

so　tactfully　and　silently　that　not　a　ripple　alarmed　his

fellow…seekers　after　rest。　　He　ate　in　the　Lotus　and

of　its　patronym；　and　was　lulled　into　blissful　peace

with　the　other　fortunate　mariners。　　In　one　day　he

acquired　his　table　and　his　waiter　and　the　fear　lest　the

panting　chasers　after　repose　that　kept　Broadway

warm　should　pounce　upon　and　destroy　this　contiguous

but　covert　haven。



After　dinner　on　the　next　day　after　the　arrival　of

Harold　Farrington　Madame　Beaumont　dropped　her

handkerchief　in　passing　out。　　Mr。　Farrington　recov…

ered　and　returned　it　without　the　effusiveness　of　a

seeker　after　acquaintance。



Perhaps　there　was　a　mystic　freemasonry　between

the　discriminating　guests　of　the　Lotus。　　Perhaps

they　were　drawn　one　to　another　by　the　fact　of　their

common　good　fortune　in　discovering　the　acme　of　sum…

mer　resorts　in　a　Broadway　hotel。　　Words　delicate　in

courtesy　and　tentative　in　departure　from　formality

passed　between　the　two。　　And；　as　if　in　the　expedient

atmosphere　of　a　real　summer　resort；　an　acquaintance

grew；　flowered　and　fructified　on　the　spot　as　does　the

mystic　plant　of　the　conjuror。　　For　a　few　moments

they　stood　on　a　balcony　upon　which　the　corridor

ended；　and　tossed　the　feathery　ball　of　conversation。



〃One　tires　of　the　old　resorts；〃　said　Madame　Beau…

mont；　with　a　faint　but　sweet　smile。　　〃What　is　the　use

to　fly　to　the　mountains　or　the　seashore　to　escape　noise

and　dust　when　the　very　people　that　make　both　follow

us　there？〃



〃Even　on　the　ocean；〃　remarked　Farrington；　sadly；

〃the　Philistines　be　upon　you。　　The　most　exclusive

steamers　are　getting　to　be　scarcely　more　than　ferry

boats。　　Heaven　help　us　when　the　summer　resorter　dis…

covers　that　the　Lotus　is　further　away　from　Broadway

than　Thousand　Islands　or　Mackinac。〃



〃I　hope　our　secret　will　be　safe　for　a　week；　any…

how；〃　said　Madame；　with　a　sigh　and　a　smile。　　〃I　do

not　know　where　I　would　go　if　they　should　descend

upon　the　dear　Lotus。　　I　know　of　but　one　place　so　de…

lightful　in　summer；　and　that　is　the　castle　of　Count

Polinski；　in　the　Ural　Mountains。〃



〃I　hear　that　Baden…Baden　and　Cannes　are　almost

deserted　this　season；〃　said　Farrington。　　〃Year　by

year　the　old　resorts　fall　in　disrepute。　　Perhaps　many

others；　like　ourselves；　are　seeking　out　the　quiet　nooks

that　are　overlooked　by　the　majority。〃



〃I　promise　myself　three　days　more　of　this　delicious

rest；〃　said　Madame　Beaumont。　　〃On　Monday　the

Cedric　sails。〃



Harold　Farrington's　eyes　proclaimed　his　regret。

〃I　too　must　leave　on　Monday；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　do

not　go　abroad。〃



Madame　Beaumont　shrugged　one　round　shoulder　in

a　foreign　gesture。



〃One　cannot　bide　here　forever；　charming　though　it

may　be。　　The　chateau　has　been　in　preparation　for　me

longer　than　a　month。　　Those　house　parties　that　one

must　give　　what　a　nuisance！　　But　I　shall　never　for…

get　my　week　in　the　Hotel　Lotus。〃



〃Nor　shall　I；〃　said　Farrington　in　a　low　voice；

and　I　shall　never　forgive　the　Cedric。〃



On　Sunday　evening；　three　days　afterward；　the　two

sat　at　a　little　table　on　the　same　balcony。　　A　discreet

waiter　brought　ices　and　small　glasses　of　claret　cup。



Madame　Beaumont　wore　the　same　beautiful　even…

ing　gown　that　she　had　worn　each　day　at　dinner。　　She

seemed　thoughtful。　　Near　her　hand　on　the　table　lay　a

small　chatelaine　purse。　　After　she　had　eaten　her　ice

she　opened　the　purse　and　took　out　a　one…dollar　bill。



〃Mr。　Farrington；〃　she　said；　with　the　smile　that

had　won　the　Hotel　Lotus；　〃I　want　to　tell　you　some…

thing。　　I'm　going　to　leave　before　breakfast　in　the

morning；　because　I've　got　to　go　back　to　my　work。

I'm　behind　the　hosiery　counter　at　Casey's　Mammoth

Store；　and　my　vacation's　up　at　eight　o'clock　to…

morrow。　　That　paper…dollar　is　the　last　cent　I'll　see

till　I　draw　my　eight　dollars　salary　next　Saturday

night。　　You're　a　real　gentleman；　and　you've　been

good　to　me；　and　I　wanted　to　tell　you　before　I　went。

I've　been　saving　up　out　of　my　wages　for　a　year

just　for　this　vacation。　　I　wanted　to　spend　one　week

like　a　lady　if　I　never　do　another　one。　　I　wanted　to

get　up　when　I　please　instead　of　having　to　crawl　out

at　seven　every　morning；　and　I　wanted　to　live　on　the

best　and　be　waited　on　and　ring　bells　for　things　just

like　rich　folks　do。　　Now　I've　done　it；　and　I've　had　the

happiest　time　I　ever　expect　to　have　in　my　life。　　I'm

going　back　to　my　work　and　my　little　hall　bedroom

satisfied　for　another　year。　　I　wanted　to　tell　you

about　it；　Mr。　Farrington；　because　I　　I　thought　you

kind　of　liked　me；　and　I　　I　liked　you。　　But；　oh；　I

couldn't　help　deceiving　you　up　till　now；　for　it　was　all

just　like　a　fairy　tale　to　me。　　So　I　talked　about　Eu…

rope　and　the　things　I've　read　about　in　other　countries；

and　made　you　think　I　was　a　great　lady。



〃This　dress　I've　got　on　　it's　the　only　one　I　have

that's　fit　to　wear　　I　bought　from　O'Dowd　&　Levin…

sky　on　the　instalment　plan。〃



〃Seventy…five　dollars　is　the　price；　and　it　was　made

to　measure。　　I　paid　10　down；　and　they're　to　collect

1　a　week　till　it's　paid　for。　　That'll　be　about　all　I

have　to　say；　Mr。　Farrington；　except　that　my　name　is

Mamie　Siviter　instead　of　Madame　Beaumont；　and　I

thank　you　for　your　attentions。　　This　dollar　will　pay

the　instalment　due　on　the　dress　to…morrow。　　I　guess

I'll　go　up　to　my　room　now。〃



Harold　Farrington　listened　to　the　recital　of　the

Lotus's　loveliest　guest　with　an　impassive　countenance。

When　she　had　concluded　he　drew　a　small　book　like　a

checkbook　from　his　coat　pocket。　　He　wrote　upon　a

blank　form　in　this　with　a　stub　of　pencil；　tore　out　the

leaf；　tossed　it　over　to　his　companion　and　took　up　the

paper　dollar。



〃I've　got　to　go　to　work；　too；　in　the　morning；〃　he

said；　〃and　I　might　as　well　begin　now。　　There's　a

receipt　for　the　dollar　instalment。　　I've　been　a　col…

lector　for　O'Dowd　&　Levinsky　for　three　years。

Funny；　ain't　it；　that　you　and　me　both　had　the　same

idea　about　spending　our　vacation？　　I've　always

wanted　to　put　up　at　a　swell　hotel；　and　I　saved　up　out

of　my　twenty　per；　and　did　it。　　Say；　Mame；　how　about

a　trip　to　Coney　Saturday　night　on　the　boat

what？〃



The　face　of　the　pseudo　Madame　Heloise　D'Arcy

Beaumont　beamed。



〃Oh；　you　bet　I'll　go；　Mr。　Farrington。　　The　store

closes　at　twelve　on　Saturdays。　　I　guess　Coney'll　be

all　right　even　if　we　did　spend　a　week　with　the　swells。〃



Below　the　balcony　the　sweltering　city　growled　and

buzzed　in　the　July　night。　　Inside　the　Hotel　Lotus

the　tempered；　cool　shadows　reigned；　and　the　solicitous

waiter　single…footed　near　the　low　windows；　ready　at

a　nod　to　serve　Madame　and　her　escort。



At　the　door　of　the　elevator　Farrington　took　his

leave；　and　Madame　Beaumont　made　her　last　ascent。

But　before　they　reached　the　noiseless　cage　be　said：

〃Just　forget　that　'Harold　Farrington；'　will　you？

McManus　is　the　name　　James　McManus。　　Some

call　me　Jimmy。〃



〃Good…night；　Jimmy；〃　said　Madame。









THE　RATHSKELLER　AND　THE　ROSE





Miss　Posie　Carrington　had　earned　her　suc…

cess。　　She　began　life　handicapped　by　the　family　name

of　〃Boggs；〃　in　the　small　town　known　as　Cranberry

Corners。　　At　the　age　of　eighteen　she　had　acquired

the　name　of　〃Carrington〃　and　a　position　in　the

chorus　of　a　metropolitan　burlesque　company。

Thence　upward　she　had　ascended　by　the　legitimate　and

delectable　steps　of　〃broiler；〃　member　of　the　famous

〃Dickey…bird〃　octette；　in　the　successful　musical

comedy；　〃Fudge　and　Fellows；〃　leader　of　the　potato…

bug　dance　in　〃Fol…de…Rol；〃　and　at　length　to　the　part

of　the　maid　〃'Toinette〃　in　〃The　King's　Bath…Robe；〃

which　captured　the　critics　and　gave　her　her　chance。

And　when　we　come　to　consider　Miss　Carrington　she

is　in　the　heydey　of　flattery；　fame　and　fizz；　and　that

astute　manager；　Herr　Timothy　Goldstein；　has　her

signature　to　iron…clad　papers　that　she　will　star　the

coming　season　in　Dyde　Rich's　new　play；　〃Paresis　by

Gaslight。〃



Promptly　there　came　to　Herr　Timothy　a　capable

twentieth…century　young　character　actor　by　the　name

of　Highsmith；　who　besought　engagement　as　〃Sol

Haytosser；〃　the　comic　and　chief　male　character　part

in　〃Paresis　by　Gaslight。〃



〃My　boy；〃　said　Goldstein；　〃take　the　part　if　you

can　get　it。　　Miss　Carrington　won't　listen　to　any　of

my　suggestions。　　She　has　turned　down　half　a　dozen

of　the　best　imitators　of　the　rural　dub　in　the　city。

She　declares　she　won't　set　a　foot　on　the　stage　un…

less　'Haytosser'　is　the　best　that　can　be　raked　up　

She　was　raised　in　a　village；　you　know；　and　when　a

Broadway　orchid　sticks　a　straw　in　his　hair　and　tries

to　call　himself　a　clover　blossom　she's　on；　all　right。

I　asked　her；　in　a　sarcastic　vein；　if　she　thought　Den…

man　Thompson　would　make　any　kind　of　a　show　in　the

part。　　'Oh；　no；'　says　she。　　'I　don't　want　him　or

John　Drew　or　Jim　Corbett　or　any　of　these　swell

actors　that　don't　know　a　turnip　from　a　turnstile。　　I

want　the　real　article。'　So；　my　boy；　if　you　want　to

play　I　'Sol　Haytosser'　you　will　have　to　convince　Miss

Carrington。　　Luck　be　with　you。〃



Highsmith　took　the　train　the　next