the voice of the city-第5章

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ness。　　She　was　talking　to　him　about　a　hundred　things

with　animation　and　delight。　　And　as　the　meal　pro…

gressed　her　cheeks；　colorless　from　a　life　indoors；　took

on　a　delicate　flush。　　〃Big　Jim〃　looked　around　the

room　and　saw　that　none　of　the　women　there　had　her

charm。　　And　then　he　thought　of　the　three　years　she

had　suffered　immurement；　uncomplaining；　and　a　flush

of　shame　warmed　him；　for　he　carried　fair　play　as　an

item　in　his　creed。



But　when　the　Honorable　Patrick　Corrigan；　leader

in　Dougherty's　district　and　a　friend　of　his；　saw　them

and　came　over　to　the　table；　matters　got　to　the　three…

quarter　stretch。　　The　Honorable　Patrick　was　a　gal…

lant　man；　both　in　deeds　and　words。　　As　for　the　Blar…

ney　stone；　his　previous　actions　toward　it　must　have

been　pronounced。　　Heavy　damages　for　breach　of

promise　could　surely　have　been　obtained　had　the

Blarney　stone　seen　fit　to　sue　the　Honorable　Patrick。



〃Jimmy；　old　man！〃　he　called；　he　clapped　Dough…

erty　on　the　back；　be　shone　like　a　midday　sun　upon

Delia。



〃Honorable　Mr。　Corrigan　…　Mrs。　　Dougherty；〃

said　〃Big　Jim。〃



The　Honorable　Patrick　became　a　fountain　of　en…

tertainment　and　admiration。　　The　waiter　had　to

fetch　a　third　chair　for　him；　he　made　another　at　the

table；　and　the　wineglasses　were　refilled。



〃You　selfish　old　rascal！〃　he　exclaimed；　shaking　an

arch　finger　at　〃Big　Jim；〃　〃to　have　kept　Mrs。

Dougherty　a　secret　from　us。〃

And　then　〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty；　who　was　no

talker；　sat　dumb；　and　saw　the　wife　who　had　dined

every　evening　for　three　years　at　home；　blossom　like

a　fairy　flower。　　Quick；　witty；　charming；　full　of　light

and　ready　talk；　she　received　the　experienced　attack

of　the　Honorable　Patrick　on　the　field　of　repartee　and

surprised；　vanquished；　delighted　him。　　She　unfolded

her　long…closed　petals　and　around　her　the　room

became　a　garden。　　They　tried　to　include　〃Big

Jim〃　in　the　conversation；　but　he　was　without　a

vocabulary。



And　then　a　stray　bunch　of　politicians　and　good

fellows　who　lived　for　sport　came　into　the　room。　　They

saw　〃Big　Jim〃　and　the　leader；　and　over　they　came

and　were　made　acquainted　with　Mrs。　Dougherty。　　And

in　a　few　minutes　she　was　holding　a　salon。　　Half　a

dozen　men　surrounded　her；　courtiers　all；　and　six

found　her　capable　of　charming。　　〃Big　Jim〃　sat；

grim；　and　kept　saying　to　himself：　〃Three　years；

three　years！〃



The　dinner　came　to　an　end。　　The　Honorable　Pat…

rick　reached　for　Mrs。　Dougherty's　cloak；　but　that

was　a　matter　of　action　instead　of　words；　and　Dough…

erty's　big　band　got　it　first　by　two　seconds。



While　the　farewells　were　being　said　at　the　door

the　Honorable　Patrick　smote　Dougherty　mightily

between　the　shoulders。



〃Jimmy；　me　boy；〃　he　declared；　in　a　giant　whis…

per；　〃the　madam　is　a　jewel　of　the　first　water。　Ye're

a　lucky　dog。〃



〃Big　Jim〃　walked　homeward　with　his　wife。　　She

seemed　quite　as　pleased　with　the　lights　and　show

windows　in　the　streets　as　with　the　admiration　of　the

men　in　Hoogley's。　　As　they　passed　Seltzer's　they

heard　the　sound　of　many　voices　in　the　cafe。　　The

boys　would　be　starting　the　drinks　around　now　and

discussing　past　performances。



At　the　door　of　their　home　Delia　paused。　　The

pleasure　of　the　outing　radiated　softly　from　her

countenance。　　She　could　not　hope　for　Jim　of　evenings；

but　the　glory　of　this　one　would　Tighten　her　lonely

hours　for　a　long　time。



〃Thank　you　for　taking　me　out；　Jim；〃　she　said；

gratefully。　　〃You'll　be　going　back　up　to　Seltzer's

now；　of　course。〃



〃To　　with　Seltzer's；〃　said　〃Big　Jim；〃　em…

emphatically。　　〃And　d　Pat　Corrigan！　　Does

he　think　I　haven't　got　any　eyes？



And　the　door　closed　behind　both　of　them。









LITTLE　SPECK　IN　GARNERED　FRUIT





The　honeymoon　was　at　its　full。　　There　was　a　flat

with　the　reddest　of　new　carpets；　tasselled　portieres

and　six　steins　with　pewter　lids　arranged　on　a　ledge

above　the　wainscoting　of　the　dining…room。　　The　won…

der　of　it　was　yet　upon　them。　　Neither　of　them　had

ever　seen　a　yellow　primrose　by　the　river's　brim；　but　if

such　a　sight　had　met　their　eyes　at　that　time　it　would

have　seemed　like　…　well；　whatever　the　poet　expected

the　right　kind　of　people　to　see　in　it　besides　a　prim…

rose。



The　bride　sat　in　the　rocker　with　her　feet　resting

upon　the　world。　　She　was　wrapt　in　rosy　dreams　and　a

kimono　of　the　same　hue。　　She　wondered　what　the　peo…

ple　in　Greenland　and　Tasmania　and　Beloochistan

were　saying　one　to　another　about　her　marriage　to

Kid　McGarry。　　Not　that　it　made　any　difference。

There　was　no　welter…weight　from　London　to　the

Southern　Cross　that　could　stand　up　four　hours　…　no；

four　rounds　…　with　her　bridegroom。　　And　he　had

been　hers　for　three　weeks；　and　the　crook　of　her　little

finger　could　sway　him　more　than　the　fist　of　any　142…

pounder　in　the　world。



Love；　when　it　is　ours；　is　the　other　name　for　self…

abnegation　and　sacrifice。　　When　it　belongs　to　people

across　the　airshaft　it　means　arrogance　and　self…con…

ceit。



The　bride　crossed　her　oxfords　and　looked　thought…

fully　at　the　distemper　Cupids　on　the　ceiling。



〃Precious；〃　said　she；　with　the　air　of　Cleopatra

asking　Antony　for　Rome　done　up　in　tissue　paper　and

delivered　at　residence；　〃I　think　I　would　like　a　peach。〃



Kid　McGarry　arose　and　put　on　his　coat　and　hat。

He　was　serious；　shaven；　sentimental；　and　spry。



〃All　right；〃　said　he；　as　coolly　as　though　be　were

only　agreeing　to　sign　articles　to　fight　the　champion

of　England。　　〃I'll　step　down　and　cop　one　out　for　you

see？〃



〃Don't　be　long；〃　said　the　bride。　　〃I'll　be　lonesome

without　my　naughty　boy。　　Get　a　nice；　ripe　one。〃

After　a　series　of　farewells　that　would　have　befitted

an　imminent　voyage　to　foreign　parts；　the　Kid　went

down　to　the　street。



Here　he　not　unreasonably　hesitated；　for　the　season

was　yet　early　spring；　and　there　seemed　small　chance

of　wresting　anywhere　from　those　chill　streets　and

stores　the　coveted　luscious　guerdon　of　summer's

golden　prime。



At　the　Italian's　fruit…stand　on　the　corner　be

stopped　and　cast　a　contemptuous　eye　over　the　dis…

play　of　papered　oranges；　highly　polished　apples　and

wan；　sun…hungry　bananas。



〃Gotta　da　peach？〃　asked　the　Kid　in　the　tongue　of

Dante；　the　lover　of　lovers。



〃Ah；　no；　…　〃　sighed　the　vender。　〃Not　for　one　mont

com…a　da　peach。　　Too　soon。　　Gotta　da　nice…a　orange。

Like…a　da　orange？〃



Scornful；　the　Kid　　pursued　his　quest。　He　entered

the　all…night　chop…house；　cafe；　and　bowling…alley　of

his　friend　and　admirer；　Justus　O'Callahan。　　The

O'Callahan　was　about　in　his　institution；　looking　for

leaks。



〃I　want　it　straight；〃　said　the　Kid　to　him。　　〃The

old　woman　has　got　a　hunch　that　she　wants　a　peach。

Now；　if　you've　got　a　peach；　Cal；　get　it　out　quick。　　I

want　it　and　others　like　it　if　you've　got　'em　in　plural

quantities。〃



〃The　house　is　yours；〃　said　O'Callahan。　〃But

there's　no　peach　in　it。　　It's　too　soon。　　I　don't　sup…

pose　you　could　even　find　'em　at　one　of　the　Broadway

joints。　　That's　too　bad。　　When　a　lady　fixes　her

mouth　for　a　certain　kind　of　fruit　nothing　else　won't

do。　It's　too　late　now　to　find　any　of　the　first…class

fruiterers　open。　　But　if　you　think　the　missis　would

like　some　nice　oranges　I've　just　got　a　box　of　fine　ones

in　that　she　might。〃



〃Much　obliged；　Cal。　　It's　a　peach　proposition

right　from　the　ring　of　the　gong。　I'll　try　further。〃



The　time　was　nearly　midnight　as　the　Kid　walked

down　the　West…Side　avenue。　　Few　stores　were　open

and　such　as　were　practically　hooted　at　the　idea　of　a

peach。



But　in　her　moated　flat　the　bride　confidently　awaited

her　Persian　fruit。　　A　champion　welter…weight　not　find

a　peach？　…　not　stride　triumphantly　over　the　seasons

and　the　zodiac　and　the　almanac　to　fetch　an　Amsden's

June　or　a　Georgia　cling　to　his　owny…own？



The　Kid's　eye　caught　sight　of　a　window　that　was

lighted　and　gorgeous　with　nature's　most　entrancing

colors。　　The　light　suddenly　went　out。　The　Kid

sprinted　and　caught　the　fruiterer　locking　his　door。



〃Peaches？〃　said　he；　with　extreme　deliberation。



〃Well；　no；　Sir。　　Not　for　three　or　four　weeks　yet。

I　haven't　any　idea　where　you　might　find　some。　　There

may　be　a　few　in　town　from　under　the　glass；　but　they'd

be　bard　to　locate。　　Maybe　at　one　of　the　more　expen…

sive　hotels　…　some　place　where　there's　plenty　of

money　to　waste。　　I've　got　some　very　fine　oranges；

though　…　from　a　shipload　that　came　in　to…day。〃



The　Kid　lingered　on　the　corner　for　a　moment；

and　then　set　out　briskly　toward　a　pair　of　green　lights

that　flanked　the　steps　of　a　building　down　a　dark

side　street。



〃Captain　around　anywhere？〃　he　asked　of　the　desk

sergeant　of　the　police　station。



At　that　moment　the　captain　came　briskly　forward

from　the　rear。　　He　was　in　plain　clothes　and　had　a

busy　air。



〃Hello；　Kid；〃　he　said　to　the　pugilist。　　〃Thought

you　were　bridal…touring？



〃Got　back　yesterday。　I'm　a　solid　citizen　now。

Think　I'll　take　an　interest　in　municipal　doings。　How

would　it　suit　you　to　get　into　Denver　Dick's　place　to…

night；　Cap？



〃Past　performances；〃　said　the　captain；　twisting　his　

moustache。　〃Denver　was　closed　up　two　months　ago。〃



〃Correct；〃　said　the　　Kid。　〃Rafferty　chased　him

out　of　the　Forty…third。　He's　running　in　your　pre…

cinct　now；　and　his　game's　bigger　than　ever。　　I'm

down　on　this　gambling　business。　　I　can　put　you

against　his　game。〃



〃In　my　precinct？〃　growled　the　captain。　　〃Are

you　sure；　Kid？　　I'll　take　it　as　a　favor。　　Have　you

got　the　entree？　　How　is　it　to　be　done？〃



〃Hammers；〃　said　the　Kid。　〃They　haven't　got

any　steel　on　the　doors　yet。　　You'll　need　ten　men。

No；　they　won't　let　me　in　the　place。　　Denver　has　been

trying　to　do　me。　　He　thought　I　tipped　him　off　for　the

other　raid。　　I　didn't；　though。　　You　want　to　hurry。

I've　got　to　get　back　home。　　The　house　is　only　three

blocks　from　here。〃



Before　ten　minutes　had　sped　the　captain　with　a

dozen　men　stole　with　their　guide　into　the　hallway　of

a　dark　and　virtuous…looking　building　in　which　many

businesses　were　conducted　by　day。



〃Third　floor；　rear；〃　said　the　Kid；　softly。　　〃I'll

lead　the　way。〃



Two　axemen　faced　the　door　that　he　pointed　out　to

them。



〃It　seems　all　quiet；〃　said　the　captain；　doubtfully。



〃Are　you　sure　your　tip　is　straight？〃



〃Cut　away！〃　said　the　Kid。　　〃It's　on　me　if　it

ain't。〃



The　axes　crashed　through　the　as　yet　unprotected

door。　　A　blaze　of　light　from　within　poured　through

the　smashed　panels。　　The　door　fell；　and　the　raiders

rang　into　the　room　with　their　guns　handy。



The　big　room　was　furnished　with　the　gaudy　mag…

nificence　dear　to　Denver　Dick's　western　ideas。　　Vari…

ous　well…patronized　games　were　in　progress。　　About

fifty　men　who　were　in　the　room　rushed　upon　the　police

in　a　grand　break　for　personal　liberty。　　The　plain…

clothes　men　had　to　do　a　little　club…swinging。　　More

than　half　the　patrons　escaped。



Denver　Dick　had　graced　his　game　w