the voice of the city-第4章

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But　Carter　persisted。　　And　at　length　be　reached

the　flimsy；　fluttering　little　soul　of　the　shopgirl　that

existed　somewhere　deep　down　in　her　lovely　bosom。



His　words　penetrated　the　heart　whose　very　lightness

was　its　safest　armor。　　She　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes

that　saw。　　And　a　warm　glow　visited　her　cool　cheeks。

Tremblingly；　awfully；　her　moth　wings　closed；　and

she　seemed　about　to　settle　upon　the　flower　of　love。

Some　faint　glimmer　of　life　and　its　possibilities　on

the　other　side　of　her　glove　counter　dawned　upon　her。

Carter　felt　the　change　and　crowded　the　opportunity。



〃Marry　me；　Masie；〃　be　whispered　softly；　〃and　we

will　go　away　from　this　ugly　city　to　beautiful　ones。

We　will　forget　work　and　business；　and　life　will　be　one

long　holiday。　　I　know　where　I　should　take　you　…　I

have　been　there　often。　　Just　think　of　a　shore　where

summer　is　eternal；　where　the　waves　are　always　rip…

pling　on　the　lovely　beach　and　the　people　are　happy

and　free　as　children。　　We　will　sail　to　those　shores　and

remain　there　as　long　as　you　please。　　In　one　of　those

far…away　cities　there　are　grand　and　lovely　palaces

and　towers　full　of　beautiful　pictures　and　statues。

The　streets　of　the　city　are　water；　and　one　travels

about　in　〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Masie；　sitting　up　suddenly。

〃Gondolas。〃



〃Yes；〃　smiled　Carter。



〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Masie。



〃And　then；〃　continued　Carter；　〃we　will　travel　on

and　see　whatever　we　wish　in　the　world。　　After　the

European　cities　we　will　visit　India　and　the　ancient

cities　there；　and　ride　on　elephants　and　see　the　wonder…

ful　temples　of　the　Hindoos　and　Brahmins　and　the

Japanese　gardens　and　the　camel　trains　and　chariot

races　in　Persia；　and　all　the　queer　sights　of　foreign

countries。　　Don't　you　think　you　would　like　it；　Masie？



Masie　rose　to　her　feet。



〃I　think　we　had　better　be　going　home；〃　she　said；

coolly。　〃It's　getting　late。〃



Carter　humored　her。　　He　had　come　to　know　her

varying；　thistle…down　moods；　and　that　it　was　useless

to　combat　them。　　But　he　felt　a　certain　happy　triumph。

He　had　held　for　a　moment；　though　but　by　a　silken

thread；　the　soul　of　his　wild　Psyche；　and　hope　was

stronger　within　him。　　Once　she　had　folded　her　wings

and　her　cool　band　bad　closed　about　his　own。



At　the　Biggest　Store　the　next　day　Masie's　chum；

Lulu；　waylaid　her　in　an　angle　of　the　counter。



〃How　are　you　and　your　swell　friend　making　it？

she　asked。



〃Oh；　him？〃　said　Masie；　patting　her　side　curls。

〃He　ain't　in　it　any　more。　　Say；　Lu；　what　do　you

think　that　fellow　wanted　me　to　do？〃



〃Go　on　the　stage？〃　guessed　Lulu；　breathlessly。



〃Nit；　he's　too　cheap　a　guy　for　that。　　He　wanted

me　to　marry　him　and　go　down　to　Coney　Island　for

a　wedding　tour！〃







DOUGHERTY'S　EYE…OPENER





Big　Jim　Dougherty　was　a　sport。　　He　belonged

to　that　race　of　men。　　In　Manhattan　it　is　a　distinct

race。　　They　are　the　Caribs　of　the　North　　strong；

artful；　self…sufficient；　clannish；　honorable　within　the

laws　of　their　race；　holding　in　lenient　contempt　neigh…

boring　tribes　who　bow　to　the　measure　of　Society's

tapeline。　　I　refer；　of　course；　to　the　titled　nobility　of

sportdom。　　There　is　a　class　which　bears　as　a　qualify…

ing　adjective　the　substantive　belonging　to　a　wind　in…

strument　made　of　a　cheap　and　base　metal。　　But　the

tin　mines　of　Cornwall　never　produced　the　material

for　manufacturing　descriptive　nomenclature　for　〃Big

Jim〃　Dougherty。



The　habitat　of　the　sport　is　the　lobby　or　the　outside

corner　of　certain　…hotels　and　combination　restaurants

and　cafes。　　They　are　mostly　men　of　different　sizes；

running　from　small　to　large；　but　they　are　unanimous

in　the　possession　of　a　recently　shaven；　blue…black

cheek　and　chin　and　dark　overcoats　（in　season）　with

black　velvet　collars。



Of　the　domestic　life　of　the　sport　little　is　known。　　It

has　been　said　that　Cupid　and　Hymen　sometimes　take

a　band　in　the　game　and　copper　the　queen　of　hearts　to

lose。　　Daring　theorists　have　averred　…　not　content

with　simply　saying　…　that　a　sport　often　contracts　a

spouse；　and　even　incurs　descendants。　　Sometimes　he。

sits　in　the　game　of　politics；　and　then　at　chowder

picnics　there　is　a　revelation　of　a　Mrs。　Sport　and

little　Sports　in　glazed　hats　with　tin　pails。



But　mostly　the　sport　is　Oriental。　　He　believes　his

women…folk　should　not　be　too　patent。　　Somewhere　be…

bind　grilles　or　flower…ornamented　fire　escapes　they

await　him。　　There；　no　doubt；　they　tread　on　rugs　from

Teheran　and　are　diverted　by　the　bulbul　and　play

upon　the　dulcimer　and　feed　upon　sweetmeats。　　But

away　from　his　home　the　sport　is　an　integer。　　He　does

not；　as　men　of　other　races　in　Manhattan　do；　become

the　convoy　in　his　unoccupied　hours　of　fluttering　laces

and　high　heels　that　tick　off　delectably　the　happy

seconds　of　the　evening　parade。　　He　herds　with　his

own　race　at　corners；　and　delivers　a　commentary　in　his

Carib　lingo　upon　the　passing　show。



〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　had　a　wife；　but　be　did　not

wear　a　button　portrait　of　her　upon　his　lapel。　　He　bad

a　home　in　one　of　those　brown…stone；　iron…railed

streets　on　the　west　side　that　look　like　a　recently　ex…

cavated　bowling　alley　of　Pompeii。



To　this　home　of　his　Mr。　Dougherty　repaired　each

night　when　the　hour　was　so　late　as　to　promise　no

further　diversion　in　the　arch　domains　of　sport。　　By

that　time　the　occupant　of　the　monogamistic　harem

would　be　in　dreamland；　the　bulbul　silenced　and　the

hour　propitious　for　slumber。



〃Big　Jim〃　always　arose　at　twelve；　meridian；　for

breakfast；　and　soon　afterward　he　would　return　to

the　rendezvous　of　his　〃crowd。〃



He　was　always　vaguely　conscious　that　there　was

a　Mrs。　Dougherty。　　He　would　have　received　without

denial　the　charge　that　the　quiet；　neat；　comfortable

little　woman　across　the　table　at　home　was　his　wife。　　In

fact；　he　remembered　pretty　well　that　they　bad　been

married　for　nearly　four　years。　　She　would　often　tell

him　about　the　cute　tricks　of　Spot；　the　canary；　and

the　light…haired　lady　that　lived　in　the　window　of　the

flat　across　the　street。



〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　even　listened　to　this　con…

versation　of　hers　sometimes。　　He　knew　that　she　would

have　a　nice　dinner　ready　for　him　every　evening　at

seven　when　he　came　for　it。　　She　sometimes　went　to

matinees；　and　she　bad　a　talking　machine　with　six

dozen　records。　　Once　when　her　Uncle　Amos　blew　in　on

a　wind　from　up…state；　she　went　with　him　to　the　Eden

Musee。　　Surely　these　things　were　diversions　enough

for　any　woman。



One　afternoon　Mr。　Dougherty　finished　his　break…

fast；　put　on　his　bat　and　got　away　fairly　for　the　door。

When　his　hand　was　on　the　knob　be　heard　his　wife's

voice。



〃Jim；〃　she　said；　firmly；　〃I　wish　you　would　take

me　out　to　dinner　this　evening。　　It　has　been　three　years

since　you　have　been　outside　the　door　with　me。〃



〃Big　Jim〃　was　astounded。　　She　bad　never　asked

anything　like　this　before。　It　had　the　flavor　of　a

totally　new　proposition。　　But　he　was　a　game　sport。



〃All　right；〃　be　said。　〃You　be　ready　when　I　come

at　seven。　　None　of　this　'wait　two　minutes　till　I　primp

an　hour　or　two'　kind　of　business；　now；　Dele。〃



〃I'll　be　ready；〃　said　his　wife；　calmly。



At　seven　she　descended　the　stone　steps　in　the　Pom…

peian　bowling　alley　at　the　side　of　〃Big　Jim〃　Dough…

erty。　　She　wore　a　dinner　gown　made　of　a　stuff　that

the　spiders　must　have　woven；　and　of　a　color　that　a

twilight　sky　must　have　contributed。　　A　light　coat　with

many　admirably　unnecessary　capes　and　adorably

inutile　ribbons　floated　downward　from　her　shoulders。

Fine　feathers　do　make　fine　birds；　and　the　only　re…

proach　in　the　saying　is　for　the　man　who　refuses　to

give　up　his　earnings　to　the　ostrich…tip　industry。　



〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　was　troubled。　　There　was

a　being　at　his　side　whom　be　did　not　know。　He

thought　of　the　sober…hued　plumage　that　this　bird　of

paradise　was　accustomed　to　wear　in　her　cage；　and

this　winged　revelation　puzzled　him。　　In　some　way　she

reminded　him　of　the　Delia　Cullen　that　be　had　married

four　years　before。　　Shyly　and　rather　awkwardly　he

stalked　at　her　right　band。



〃After　dinner　I'll　take　you　back　home；　Dele；〃　said

Mr。　Dougherty；　〃and　then　I'll　drop　back　up　to　Selt…

zer's　with　the　boys。　　You　can　have　swell　chuck　to…

night　if　you　want　it。　　I　made　a　winning　on　Anaconda

yesterday；　so　you　can　go　as　far　as　you　like。〃



Mr。　Dougherty　had　intended　to　make　the　outing

with　his　unwonted　wife　an　inconspicuous　one。　Uxori…

ousness　was　a　weakness　that　the　precepts　of　the

Caribs　did　not　countenance。　　If　any　of　his　friends　of

the　track；　the　billiard　cloth　or　the　square　circle　had

wives　they　had　never　complained　of　the　fact　in　public。

There　were　a　number　of　table　d'hote　places　on　the

cross　streets　near　the　broad　and　shining　way；　and　to

one　of　these　he　had　purposed　to　escort　her；　so　that　the

bushel　might　not　be　removed　from　the　light　of　his

domesticity。



But　while　on　the　way　Mr。　Dougherty　altered　those

intentions。　　He　had　been　casting　stealthy　glances　at

his　attractive　companion　and　he　was　seized　with　the

conviction　that　she　was　no　selling　plater。　　He　re…

solved　to　parade　with　his　wife　past　Seltzer's　cafe；

where　at　this　time　a　number　of　his　tribe　would　be

gathered　to　view　the　daily　evening　procession。　　Yes；

and　he　would　take　her　to　dine　at　Hoogley's；　the　swell…

est　slow…lunch　warehouse　on　the　line；　he　said　to

himself。



The　congregation　of　smooth…faced　tribal　gentle…

men　were　on　watch　at　Seltzer's。　　As　Mr。　Dougherty

and　his　reorganized　Delia　passed　they　stared；　mo…

mentarily　petrified；　and　then　removed　their　hats　…　a

performance　as　unusual　to　them　as　was　the　astonish…

ing　innovation　presented　to　their　gaze　by　〃Big　Jim〃。

On　the　latter　gentleman's　impassive　face　there　ap…

peared　a　slight　flicker　of　triumph　…　a　faint　flicker；

no　more　to　be　observed　than　the　expression　called

there　by　the　draft　of　little　casino　to　a　four…card　spade

flush。



Hoogley's　was　animated。　　Electric　lights　shone

as；　indeed；　they　were　expected　to　do。　　And　the　napery；

the　glassware　and　the　flowers　also　meritoriously　per…

formed　the　spectacular　duties　required　of　them。　　The

guests　were　numerous；　well…dressed　and　gay。



A　waiter　…　not　necessarily　obsequious　…　conducted

〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　and　his　wife　to　a　table。



〃Play　that　menu　straight　across　for　what　you　like；

Dele；〃　said　〃Big　Jim。〃　〃It's　you　for　a　trough　of

the　gilded　oats　to…night。　　It　strikes　me　that　maybe

we've　been　sticking　too　fast　to　home　fodder。〃



〃Big　Jim's〃　wife　gave　her　order。　　He　looked　at

her　with　respect。　　She　had　mentioned　truffles；　and　be

bad　not　known　that　she　knew　what　truffles　were。　　From

the　wine　list　she　designated　an　appropriate　and　de…

sirable　brand。　He　looked　at　her　with　some　admiration。



She　was　beaming　with　the　innocent　excitement　that

woman　derives　from　the　exercise　of　her　gregarious…

ness。　　She　was　talking　to　him　about　a　hundred　things

with　animation　and　delight。　　And