the voice of the city-第28章

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Turning　any　corner；　a　dressing…sack　or　a　cul…de…sac

may　bring　you　up　short。　　You　meet　alarming

tragedians　stalking　in　bath…robes　in　search　of　ru…

mored　bathrooms。　　From　hundreds　of　rooms　come　the

buzz　of　talk；　scraps　of　new　and　old　songs；　and　the

ready　laughter　of　the　convened　players。



Summer　has　come；　their　companies　have　disbanded；

and　they　take　their　rest　in　their　favorite　caravansary；

while　they　besiege　the　managers　for　engagements　for

the　coming　season。



At　this　hour　of　the　afternoon　the　day's　work　of

tramping　the　rounds　of　the　agents'　offices　is　over。

Past　you；　as　you　ramble　distractedly　through　the

mossy　halls；　flit　audible　visions　of　houris；　with　veiled；

starry　eyes；　flying　tag…ends　of　things　and　a　swish　of

silk；　bequeathing　to　the　dull　hallways　an　odor　of

gaiety　and　a　memory　of　frangipanni。　　Serious　young

comedians；　with　versatile　Adam's　apples；　gather　in

doorways　and　talk　of　Booth。　　Far…reaching　from

somewhere　comes　the　smell　of　ham　and　red　cabbage；

and　the　crash　of　dishes　on　the　American　plan。



The　indeterminate　hum　of　life　in　the　Thalia　is

enlivened　by　the　discreet　popping　　at　reasonable

and　salubrious　intervals　　of　beer…bottle　corks。

Thus　punctuated；　life　in　the　genial　hostel　scans　easily

　the　comma　being　the　favorite　mark；　semicolons

frowned　upon；　and　periods　barred。



Miss　D'Armannde's　room　was　a　small　one。　　There

was　room　for　her　rocker　between　the　dresser　and　the

wash…stand　if　it　were　placed　longitudinally。　　On　the

dresser　were　its　usual　accoutrements；　plus　the　ex…lead…

ing　lady's　collected　souvenirs　of　road　engagements

and　photographs　of　her　dearest　and　best　professional

friends。



At　one　of　these　photographs　she　looked　twice　or

thrice　as　she　darned；　and　smiled　friendlily。



〃I'd　like　to　know　where　Lee　is　just　this　minute；〃

she　said；　half…aloud。



If　you　had　been　privileged　to　view　the　photograph

thus　flattered；　you　would　have　thought　at　the　first

glance　that　you　saw　the　picture　of　a　many…petalled

white　flower；　blown　through　the　air　by　a　storm。　　But

the　floral　kingdom　was　not　responsible　for　that　swirl

of　petalous　whiteness。



You　saw　the　filmy；　brief　skirt　of　Miss　Rosalie　Ray

as　she　made　a　complete　heels…over…head　turn　in　her

wistaria…entwined　swing；　far　out　from　the　stage；　high

above　the　heads　of　the　audience。　　You　saw　the　cam…

era's　inadequate　representation　of　the　graceful；

strong　kick；　with　which　she；　at　this　exciting　moment；

sent　flying；　high　and　far；　the　yellow　silk　garter　that

each　evening　spun　from　her　agile　limb　and　descended

upon　the　delighted　audience　below。



You　saw；　too；　amid　the　black…clothed；　mainly　mas…

culine　patrons　of　select　vaudeville　a　hundred　hands

raised　with　the　hope　of　staying　the　flight　of　the　bril…

liant　aerial　token。



Forty　weeks　of　the　best　circuits　this　act　had

brought　Miss　Rosalie　Ray；　for　each　of　two　years。

She　did　other　things　during　her　twelve　minutes　　a

song　and　dance；　imitations　of　two　or　three　actors　who

are　but　imitations　of　themselves；　and　a　balancing

feat　with　a　step…ladder　and　feather…duster；　but　when

the　blossom…decked　swing　was　let　down　from　the　flies；

and　Miss　Rosalie　sprang　smiling　into　the　seat；　with

the　golden　circlet　conspicuous　in　the　place　whence　it

was　soon　to　slide　and　become　a　soaring　and　coveted

guerdon　　then　it　was　that　the　audience　rose　in　its

seat　as　a　single　man　　or　presumably　so　　and　in…

dorsed　the　specialty　that　made　Miss　Ray's　name　a

favorite　in　the　booking…offices。



At　the　end　of　the　two　years　Miss　Ray　suddenly　an…

nounced　to　her　dear　friend；　Miss　D'Armande；　that

she　was　going　to　spend　the　summer　at　an　antediluvian

village　on　the　north　shore　of　Long　Island；　and　that

the　stage　would　see　her　no　more。



Seventeen　minutes　after　Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande

had　expressed　her　wish　to　know　the　whereabouts　of

her　old　chum；　there　were　sharp　raps　at　her　door。



Doubt　not　that　it　was　Rosalie　Ray。　　At　the　shrill

command　to　enter　she　did　so；　with　something　of　a

tired　flutter；　and　dropped　a　heavy　hand…bag　on　the

floor。　　Upon　my　word；　it　was　Rosalie；　in　a　loose；

travel…stained　automobileless　coat；　closely　tied　brown

veil　with　yard…long；　flying　ends；　gray　walking…suit　and

tan　oxfords　with　lavender　overgaiters。



When　she　threw　off　her　veil　and　hat；　you　saw　a

pretty　enough　face；　now　flushed　and　disturbed　by

some　unusual　emotion；　and　restless；　large　eyes　with

discontent　marring　their　brightness。　　A　heavy　pile

of　dull　auburn　hair；　hastily　put　up；　was　escaping　in

crinkly；　waving　strands　and　curling；　small　locks　from

the　confining　combs　and　pins。



The　meeting　of　the　two　was　not　marked　by　the

effusion　vocal；　gymnastical；　osculatory　and　catecheti…

cal　that　distinguishes　the　greetings　of　their　unpro…

fessional　sisters　in　society。　　There　was　a　brief　clinch；

two　simultaneous　labial　dabs　and　they　stood　on　the

same　footing　of　the　old　days。　　Very　much　like　the

short　salutations　of　soldiers　or　of　travellers　in　for…

eign　wilds　are　the　welcomes　between　the　strollers　at

the　corners　of　their　crisscross　roads。



〃I've　got　the　hall…room　two　flights　up　above

yours；〃　said　Rosalie；　〃but　I　came　straight　to　see　you

before　going　up。　　I　didn't　know　you　were　here　till

they　told　me。〃



〃I've　been　in　since　the　last　of　April；〃　said　Lyn…

nette。　　〃And　I'm　going　on　the　road　with　a　'Fatal

Inheritance'　company。　　We　open　next　week　in　Eliz…

abeth。　　I　thought　you'd　quit　the　stage；　Lee。　　Tell

me　about　yourself。〃



Rosalie　settled　herself　with　a　skilful　wriggle　on

the　top　of　Miss　D'Armande's　wardrobe　trunk；　and

leaned　her　head　against　the　papered　wall。　　From

long　habit；　thus　can　peripatetic　leading　ladies

and　their　sisters　make　themselves　as　comfort。

able　as　though　the　deepest　armchairs　embraced　them。



〃I'm　going　to　tell　you；　Lynn；〃　she　said；　with　a

strangely　sardonic　and　yet　carelessly　resigned　look

on　her　youthful　face。　　〃And　then　to…morrow　I'll

strike　the　old　Broadway　trail　again；　and　wear　some

more　paint　off　the　chairs　in　the　agents'　offices。　　If

anybody　had　told　me　any　time　in　the　last　three　months

up　to　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　that　I'd　ever　listen

to　that　'Leave…your…name…and…address'　rot　of　the

booking　bunch　again；　I'd　have　given　'em　the　real　Mrs。

Fiske　laugh。　　Loan　me　a　handkerchief；　Lynn。　　Gee！

but　those　Long　Island　trains　are　fierce。　　I've　got

enough　soft…coal　cinders　on　my　face　to　go　on　and　play

Topsy　without　using　the　cork。　And；　speaking　of

corks　　got　anything　to　drink；　Lynn？〃



Miss　D'Armande　opened　a　door　of　the　wash…stand

and　took　out　a　bottle。



〃There's　nearly　a　pint　of　Manhattan。　　There's　a

cluster　of　carnations　in　the　drinking　glass；　but　　〃



〃Oh；　pass　the　bottle。　　Save　the　glass　for　com…

pany。　　Thanks！　　That　hits　the　spot。　　The　same　to

you。　　My　first　drink　in　three　months！〃



〃Yes；　Lynn；　I　quit　the　stage　at　the　end　of　last

season。　　I　quit　it　because　I　was　sick　of　the　life。　　And

especially　because　my　heart　and　soul　were　sick　of　men

of　the　kind　of　men　we　stage　people　have　to　be　up

against。　　You　know　what　the　game　is　to　us　　it's　a

fight　against　'em　all　the　way　down　the　line　from　the

manager　who　wants　us　to　try　his　new　motor…car　to　the

bill…posters　who　want　to　call　us　by　our　front　names。



〃And　the　men　we　have　to　meet　after　the　show　are

the　worst　of　all。　　The　stage…door　kind；　and　the　man…

ager's　friends　who　take　us　to　supper　and　show　their

diamonds　and　talk　about　seeing　'Dan'　and　'Dave'

and　'Charlie'　for　us。　　They're　beasts；　and　I　hate　'em。



〃I　tell　you；　Lynn；　it's　the　girls　like　us　on　the　stage

that　ought　to　be　pitied。　　It's　girls　from　good　homes

that　are　honestly　ambitious　and　work　hard　to　rise　in

the　profession；　but　never　do　get　there。　　You　bear　a

lot　of　sympathy　sloshed　around　on　chorus　girls　and

their　fifteen　dollars　a　week。　　Piffle！　　There　ain't　a

sorrow　in　the　chorus　that　a　lobster　cannot　heal。



〃If　there's　any　tears　to　shed；　let　'em　fall　for　the

actress　that　gets　a　salary　of　from　thirty　to　forty…five

dollars　a　week　for　taking　a　leading　part　in　a　bum

show。　　She　knows　she'll　never　do　any　better；　but　she

hangs　on　for　years；　hoping　for　the　'chance　I　that

never　comes。



〃And　the　fool　plays　we　have　to　work　in！　　Having

another　girl　roll　you　around　the　stage　by　the　hind　legs

in　a　'Wheelbarrow　Chorus'　in　a　musical　comedy　is

dignified　drama　compared　with　the　idiotic　things　I've

had　to　do　in　the　thirty…centers。



〃But　what　I　hated　most　was　the　men　　the　men

leering　and　blathering　at　you　across　tables；　trying

to　buy　you　with　Wurzburger　or　Extra　Dry；　accord…

ing　to　their　estimate　of　your　price。　　And　the　men　in

the　audiences；　clapping；　yelling；　snarling；　crowding；

writhing；　gloating　　like　a　lot　of　wild　beasts；　with

their　eyes　fixed　on　you；　ready　to　eat　you　up　if　you

come　in　reach　of　their　claws。　　Oh；　how　I　hate　'em！



〃Well；　I'm　not　telling　you　much　about　myself；　am

I；　Lynn　？



〃I　had　two　hundred　dollars　saved　up；　and　I　cut

the　stage　the　first　of　the　summer。　　I　went　over　on

Long　Island　and　found　the　sweetest　little　village　that

ever　was；　called　Soundport；　right　on　the　water。　　I　was

going　to　spend　the　summer　there；　and　study　up　on

elocution；　and　try　to　get　a　class　in　the　fall。　　There

was　an　old　widow　lady　with　a　cottage　near　the　beach

who　sometimes　rented　a　room　or　two　just　for　com…

pany；　and　she　took　me　in。　　She　had　another　boarder；

too　　the　Reverend　Arthur　Lyle。



〃Yes；　he　was　the　head…liner。　　You're　on；　Lynn。

I'll　tell　you　all　of　it　in　a　minute。　It's　only　a　one…act

play。



〃The　first　time　he　walked　on；　Lynn；　I　felt　myself

going；　the　first　lines　he　spoke；　he　had　me。　　He　was

different　from　the　men　in　audiences。　　He　was　tall　and

slim；　and　you　never　heard　him　come　in　the　room；　but

you　felt　him。　　He　had　a　face　like　a　picture　of　a　knight

　like　one　of　that　Round　Table　bunch　　and　a　voice

like　a　'cello　solo。　　And　his　manners！



〃Lynn；　if　you'd　take　John　Drew　in　his　best　draw…

ing…room　scene　and　compare　the　two；　you'd　have　John

arrested　for　disturbing　the　peace。



〃I'll　spare　you　the　particulars；　but　in　less　than　a

month　Arthur　and　I　were　engaged。　　He　preached　at　a

little　one…night　stand　of　a　Methodist　church。　　There

was　to　be　a　parsonage　the　size　of　a　lunch…wagon；　and

hens　and　honeysuckles　when　we　were　married。　　Ar…

thur　used　to　preach　to　me　a　good　deal　about　Heaven；

but　be　never　could　get　my　mind　quite　off　those　honey…

suckles　and　hens。



〃No；　I　didn't　tell　him　I'd　been　on　the　stage。　I

hated　the　business　and　all　that　went　with　it；　I'd

cut　it　out　forever；　and　I　didn't　see　any　use　of　stirring

things　up。　　I　was　a　good　girl；　and　I　didn't　have　any…

thing　to　confess；　except　being　an　elocutionist；　and

that　was　about　all　the　strain　my　conscience　would

stand。



〃Oh；　I　tell　you；　Lynn；　I　was　happy。　　I　sang　in

the　choir　and　attended　the　sewing　society；　and　re…

cited　that　'Annie　Laurie'　thing　with　the