the voice of the city-第26章

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pretty　bad　dinner；　he　locks　his　door　at　the　dining

hour；　but　he　knows　spaghetti　as　the　boarding…house

knows　cold　veal；　and　　he　has　deposited　many　dol…

lars　in　a　certain　Banco　di　　something　with　many

gold　vowels　in　the　name　on　its　windows。



To　this　restaurant　Mr。　Brunelli　conducted　Katy。

The　house　was　dark　and　the　shades　were　lowered；　but

Mr。　Brunelli　touched　an　electric　button　by　the　base…

ment　door；　and　they　were　admitted。



Along　a　long；　dark；　narrow　hallway　they　went　and

then　through　a　shining　and　spotless　kitchen　that

opened　directly　upon　a　back　yard。



The　walls　of　houses　hemmed　three　sides　of　the

yard；　a　high；　board　fence；　surrounded　by　cats；　the

other。　　A　wash　of　clothes　was　suspended　high　upon

a　line　stretched　from　diagonal　corners。　　Those　were

property　clothes；　and　were　never　taken　in　by　'Tonio。

They　were　there　that　wits　with　defective　pronuncia…

tion　might　make　puns　in　connection　with　the　ragout。



A　dozen　and　a　half　little　tables　set　upon　the　bare

ground　were　crowded　with　Bohemia…hunters；　who

flocked　there　because　'Tonio　pretended　not　to　want

them　and　pretended　to　give　them　a　good　dinner。

There　was　a　sprinkling　of　real　Bohemians　present

who　came　for　a　change　because　they　were　tired　of

the　real　Bohemia；　and　a　smart　shower　of　the　men

who　originate　the　bright　sayings　of　Congressmen　and

the　little　nephew　of　the　well…known　general　passen…

ger　agent　of　the　Evansville　and　Terre　Haute　Rail…

road　Company。



Here　is　a　bon　mot　that　was　manufactured　at

'Tonio's：



〃A　dinner　at　'Tonio's；〃　said　a　Bohemian；　〃always

amounts　to　twice　the　price　that　is　asked　for　it。〃



Let　us　assume　that　an　accommodating　voice　in…

quires：



〃How　so？〃



〃The　dinner　costs　you　40　cents；　you　give　10　cents

to　the　waiter；　and　it　makes　you　feel　like　30　cents。〃



Most　of　the　diners　were　confirmed　table　d'hoters　

gastronomic　adventuress；　forever　seeking　the　El　Do…

rado　of　a　good　claret；　and　consistently　coming　to

grief　in　California。



Mr。　Brunelli　escorted　Katy　to　a　little　table　em…

bowered　with　shrubbery　in　tubs；　and　asked　her　to

excuse　him　for　a　while。



Katy　sat；　enchanted　by　a　scene　so　brilliant　to　her。

The　grand　ladies；　in　splendid　dresses　and　plumes　and

sparkling　rings；　the　fine　gentlemen　who　laughed　so

loudly；　the　cries　of　〃Garsong！　〃　and　〃We；　mon…

seer；〃　and　〃Hello；　Mame！　〃　that　distinguish　Bo…

hemia；　the　lively　chatter；　the　cigarette　smoke；　the

interchange　of　bright　smiles　and　eye…glances　　all

this　display　and　magnificence　overpowered　the　daugh…

ter　of　Mrs。　Dempsey　and　held　her　motionless。



Mr。　Brunelli　stepped　into　the　yard　and　seemed　to

spread　his　smile　and　bow　over　the　entire　company。

And　everywhere　there　was　a　great　clapping　of　bands

and　a　few　cries　of　〃Bravo！　〃　and　〃'Tonio！　　'Tonio！〃

whatever　those　words　might　mean。　　Ladies　waved

their　napkins　at　him；　gentlemen　almost　twisted　their

necks　off；　trying　to　catch　his　nod。



When　the　ovation　was　concluded　Mr。　Brunelli；

with　a　final　bow；　stepped　nimbly　into　the　kitchen　and

flung　off　his　coat　and　waistcoat。



〃Flaherty；　the　nimblest　〃garsong〃　among　the

waiters；　had　been　assigned　to　the　special　service　of

Katy。　　She　was　a　little　faint　from　hunger；　for　the

Irish　stew　on　the　Dempsey　table　had　been　particu…

larly　weak　that　day。　　Delicious　odors　from　unknown

dishes　tantalized　her。　　And　Flaherty　began　to　bring

to　her　table　course　after　course　of　ambrosial　food

that　the　gods　might　have　pronounced　excellent。



But　even　in　the　midst　of　her　Lucullian　repast　Katy

laid　down　her　knife　and　fork。　　Her　heart　sank　as

lead；　and　a　tear　fell　upon　her　filet　mignon。　　Her

haunting　suspicions　of　the　star　lodger　arose　again；

fourfold。　　Thus　courted　and　admired　and　smiled

upon　by　that　fashionable　and　gracious　assembly；

what　else　could　Mr。　Brunelli　be　but　one　of　those

dazzling　titled　patricians；　glorious　of　name　but　shy

of　rent　money；　concerning　whom　experience　had　made

her　wise？　　With　a　sense　of　his　ineligibility　growing

within　her　there　was　mingled　a　torturing　conviction

that　his　personality　was　becoming　more　pleasing　to

her　day　by　day。　　And　why　had　he　left　her　to　dine

alone？



But　here　he　was　coming　again；　now　coatless；　his

snowy　shirt…sleeves　rolled　high　above　his　Jeffries…

onian　elbows；　a　white　yachting　cap　perched　upon　his

jetty　curls。



〃'Tonio！　　'Tonio！〃　shouted　many；　and　〃The

spaghetti！　　The　spaghetti！〃　shouted　the　rest。



Never　at　'Tonio's　did　a　waiter　dare　to　serve　a　dish

of　spaghetti　until　'Tonio　came　to　test　it；　to　prove　the

sauce　and　add　the　needful　dash　of　seasoning　that

gave　it　perfection。



From　table　to　table　moved　'Tonio；　like　a　prince　in

his　palace；　greeting　his　guests。　　White；　jewelled

bands　signalled　him　from　every　side。



A　glass　of　wine　with　this　one　and　that；　smiles　for

all；　a　jest　and　repartee　for　any　that　might　challenge

　truly　few　princes　could　be　so　agreeable　a　host！

And　what　artist　could　ask　for　further　appreciation

of　his　handiwork？　　Katy　did　not　know　that　the

proudest　consummation　of　a　New　Yorker's　ambition

is　to　shake　bands　with　a　spaghetti　chef　or　to　receive

a　nod　from　a　Broadway　head…waiter。



At　last　the　company　thinned；　leaving'　but　a　few

couples　and　quartettes　lingering　over　new　wine　and

old　stories。　　And　then　came　Mr。　Brunelli　to　Katy's

secluded　table；　and　drew　a　chair　close　to　hers。



Katy　smiled　at　him　dreamily。　　She　was　eating　the

last　spoonful　of　a　raspberry　roll　with　Burgundy

sauce。



〃You　have　seen！〃　said　Mr。　Brunelli；　laying　one

hand　upon　his　collar　bone。　　〃I　am　Antonio　Brunelli！

Yes；　I　am　the　great　'Tonio！　　You　have　not　suspect

that！　　I　loave　you；　Katy；　and　you　shall　marry　with

me。　Is　it　not　so？　　Call　me　'Antonio；'　and　say　that

you　will　be　mine。〃



Katy's　head　drooped　to　the　shoulder　that　was　now

freed　from　all　suspicion　of　having　received　the

knightly　accolade。



〃Oh；　Andy；〃　she　sighed；　〃this　is　great！　　Sure；

I'll　marry　wid　ye。　　But　why　didn't　ye　tell　me　ye　was

the　cook？　　I　was　near　turnin'　ye　down　for　bein'　one

of　thim　foreign　counts！〃









FROM　EACH　ACCORDING　TO　HIS　ABILITY



Vuyning　left　his　club；　cursing　it　softly；　without

any　particular　anger。　　From　ten　in　the　morning　un…

til　eleven　it　had　bored　him　immeasurably。　　Kirk　with

his　fish　story；　Brooks　with　his　Porto　Rico　cigars；　old

Morrison　with　his　anecdote　about　the　widow；　Hep…

burn　with　his　invariable　luck　at　billiards　　all　these

afflictions　had　been　repeated　without　change　of　bill　or

scenery。　　Besides　these　morning　evils　Miss　Allison

had　refused　him　again　on　the　night　before。　　But　that

was　a　chronic　trouble。　　Five　times　she　had　laughed　at

his　offer　to　make　her　Mrs。　Vuyning。　　He　intended

to　ask　her　again　the　next　Wednesday　evening。



Vuyning　walked　along　Forty…fourth　Street　to

Broadway；　and　then　drifted　down　the　great　sluice

that　washes　out　the　dust　of　the　gold…mines　of　Gotham。

He　wore　a　morning　suit　of　light　gray；　low；　dull　kid

shoes；　a　plain；　finely　woven　straw　hat；　and　his　visible

linen　was　the　most　delicate　possible　shade　of　belio…

trope。　　His　necktie　was　the　blue…gray　of　a　Novem…

ber　sky；　and　its　knot　was　plainly　the　outcome　of　a

lordly　carelessness　combined　with　an　accurate　con…

ception　of　the　most　recent　dictum　of　fashion。



Now；　to　write　of　a　man's　haberdashery　is　a　worse

thing　than　to　write　a　historical　novel　〃around〃

Paul　Jones；　or　to　pen　a　testimonial　to　a　hay…fever

cure。



Therefore；　let　it　be　known　that　the　description　of

Vuyning's　apparel　is　germane　to　the　movements　of

the　story；　and　not　to　make　room　for　the　new　fall

stock　of　goods。



Even　Broadway　that　morning　was　a　discord　in

Vuyning's　ears；　and　in　his　eyes　it　paralleled　for　a

few　dreamy；　dreary　minutes　a　certain　howling；

scorching；　seething；　malodorous　slice　of　street　that　he

remembered　in　Morocco。　　He　saw　the　struggling

mass　of　dogs；　beggars；　fakirs；　slave…drivers　and

veiled　women　in　carts　without　horses；　the　sun　blazing

brightly　among　the　bazaars；　the　piles　of　rubbish

from　ruined　temples　in　the　street　…　and　then　a　lady；

passing；　jabbed　the　ferrule　of　a　parasol　in　his　side

and　brought　him　back　to　Broadway。



Five　minutes　of　his　stroll　brought　him　to　a　certain

corner；　where　a　number　of　silent；　pale…faced　men　are

accustomed　to　stand；　immovably；　for　hours；　busy

with　the　file　blades　of　their　penknives；　with　their　hat

brims　on　a　level　with　their　eyelids。　　Wall　Street

speculators；　driving　home　in　their　carriages；　love　to

point　out　these　men　to　their　visiting　friends　and　tell

them　of　this　rather　famous　lounging…place　of　the

〃crooks。〃　　On　Wall　Street　the　speculators　never

use　the　file　blades　of　their　knives。



Vuyning　was　delighted　when　one　of　this　company

stepped　forth　and　addressed　him　as　he　was　passing。

He　was　hungry　for　something　out　of　the　ordinary；

and　to　be　accosted　by　this　smooth…faced；　keen…eyed；

low…voiced；　athletic　member　of　the　under　world；　with

his　grim；　yet　pleasant　smile；　had　all　the　taste　of　an

adventure　to　the　convention…weary　Vuyning。



〃Excuse　me；　friend；〃　said　be。　　〃Could　I　have　a

few　minutes'　talk　with　you　　on　the　level？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Vuyning；　with　a　smile。　　〃But；

suppose　we　step　aside　to　a　quieter　place。　　There　is　a

divan　　a　cafe　over　here　that　will　do。　　Schrumm

will　give　us　a　private　corner。〃



Schrumm　established　them　under　a　growing　palm；

with　two　seidls　between　them。　　Vuyning　made　a

pleasant　reference　to　meteorological　conditions；　thus

forming　a　binge　upon　which　might　be　swung　the

door　leading　from　the　thought　repository　of　the

other。



〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　his　companion；　with　the

air　of　one　who　presents　his　credentials；　〃I　want　you

to　understand　that　I　am　a　crook。　　Out　West　I　am

known　as　Rowdy　the　Dude。　　Pickpocket；　supper　man；

second…story　man；　yeggman；　boxman；　all…round　bur…

glar；　cardsharp　and　slickest　con　man　west　of　the

Twenty…third　Street　ferry　landing　　that's　my　his…

tory。　That's　to　show　I'm　on　the　square　　with　you。

My　name's　Emerson。〃



〃Confound　old　Kirk　with　his　fish　stories〃　said

Vuyning　to　himself；　with　silent　glee　as　he　went

through　his　pockets　for　a　card。　　〃It's　pronounced

'Vining；'〃　he　said；　as　he　tossed　it　over　to　the　other。

〃And　I'll　be　as　frank　with　you。　　I'm　just　a　kind　of

a　loafer；　I　guess；　living　on　my　daddy's　money。　　At

the　club　they　call　me　'Left…at…the…Post。'　I　never

did　a　day's　work　in　my　life；　and　I　haven't　the　heart

to　run　over　a　chicken　when　I'm　motoring。　　It's　a

pretty　shabby　record；　altogether。〃



〃There's　one　thing　you　can　do；〃　said　Emerson；

admiringly；　〃you　can　carry　duds。　　I've　watched　you

several　times　pass　on　Broadway。　　You　look　the　best

dressed　man　I've　seen。　　And　I'll　bet　you　a　gold　mine

I've　got　50　worth　more　gent's　furnishings　on　my

frame　than　you　have。　　That's　what　I　wanted　to　see

you　about。　　I　can't　do　the　trick。　　Take　a　look　at

me。　What's　wrong？〃