the voice of the city-第7章

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lifted　him　by　the　straps　of　his　congress　gaiters　and

set　him　on　new　ground。　　He　called　up　a　look　of　des…

perate　melancholy　to　his　eyes。



〃Clara；〃　he　said；　hollowly；　〃to　struggle　further

is　useless。　　You　have　always　misunderstood　me。

Heaven　knows　I　have　striven　with　all　my　might　to

keep　my　head　above　the　waves　of　misfortune；

but　…　〃

〃Cut　out　the　rainbow　of　hope　and　that　stuff　about

walkin'　one　by　one　through　the　narrow　isles　of

Spain；〃　said　Mrs。　Peters；　with　a　sigh。　　〃I've　heard

it　so　often。　　There's　an　ounce　bottle　of　carbolic　on　the

shelf　behind　the　empty　coffee　can。　　Drink　hearty。〃



Mr。　Peters　reflected。　　What　next！　　The　old　ex…

pedients　had　failed。　　The　two　musty　musketeers　were

awaiting　him　hard　by　the　ruined　chateau　　that　is

to　say；　on　a　park　bench　with　rickety　cast…iron　legs。

His　honor　was　at　stake。　　He　had　engaged　to　storm

the　castle　single…handed　and　bring　back　the　treas…

ure　that　was　to　furnish　them　wassail　and　solace。　　And

all　that　stood　between　him　and　the　coveted　dollar

was　his　wife；　once　a　little　girl　whom　he　could　　aha！

　why　not　again？　　Once　with　soft　words　he　could；　as

they　say；　twist　her　around　his　little　finger。　　Why　not

again？　　Not　for　years　had　he　tried　it。　　Grim　poverty

and　mutual　hatred　had　killed　all　that。　　But　Ragsy

and　Kidd　were　waiting　for　him　to　bring　the　dollar！



Mr。　Peters　took　a　surreptitiously　keen　look　at　his

wife。　　Her　formless　bulk　overflowed　the　chair。　　She

kept　her　eyes　fixed　out　the　window　in　a　strange　kind

of　trance。　　Her　eyes　showed　that　she　had　been　re…

cently　weeping。



〃I　wonder；〃　said　Mr。　Peters　to　himself；　〃if　there'd

be　anything　in　it。〃



The　window　was　open　upon　its　outlook　of　brick

walls　and　drab；　barren　back　yards。　Except　for　the

mildness　of　the　air　that　entered　it　might　have　been

midwinter　yet　in　the　city　that　turns　such　a　frown…

ing　face　to　besieging　spring。　　But　spring　doesn't

come　with　the　thunder　of　cannon。　　She　is　a　sapper

and　a　miner；　and　you　must　capitulate。



〃I'll　try　it；〃　said　Mr。　Peters　to　himself；　making　a

wry　face。



He　went　up　to　his　wife　and　put　his　arm　across

her　shoulders。



〃Clara；　darling；〃　he　said　in　tones　that　shouldn't

have　fooled　a　baby　seal；　〃why　should　we　have　hard

words？　　Ain't　you　my　own　tootsum　wootsums？



〃A　black　mark　against　you；　Mr。　Peters；　in　the　sa…

red　ledger　of　Cupid。　　Charges　of　attempted　graft　are

filed　against　you；　and　of　forgery　and　utterance　of

two　of　Love's　holiest　of　appellations。



But　the　miracle　of　spring　was　wrought。　　Into　the

back　room　over　the　back　alley　between　the　black

walls　had　crept　the　Harbinger。　　It　was　ridiculous；

and　yet　…　Well；　it　is　a　rat　trap；　and　you；　madam

and　sir　and　all　of　us；　are　in　it。



Red　and　fat　and　crying　like　Niobe　or　Niagara；

Mrs。　Peters　threw　her　arms　around　her　lord　and

dissolved　upon　him。　　Mr。　Peters　would　have　striven

to　extricate　the　dollar　bill　from　its　deposit　vault；

but　his　arms　were　bound　to　his　sides。



〃Do　you　love　me；　James？〃　asked　Mrs。　Peters。



〃Madly；〃　said　James；　〃but　　〃



〃You　are　ill！　〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Peters。　　〃Why

are　you　so　pale　and　tired　looking？〃



〃I　feel　weak；〃　said　Mr。　Peters。　〃I　　〃



〃Oh；　wait；　I　know　what　it　is。　　Wait；　James。　　I'll

be　back　in　a　minutes''



With　a　parting　bug　that　revived　in　Mr。　Peters

recollections　of　the　Terrible　Turk；　his　wife　hurried

out　of　the　room　and　down　the　stairs。



Mr。　Peters　hitched　his　thumbs　under　his　sus…

penders。



〃All　right；〃　he　confided　to　the　ceiling。　　〃I've　got

her　going。　　I　hadn't　any　idea　the　old　girl　was　soft

any　more　under　the　foolish　rib。　　Well；　sir；　ain't　I

the　Claude　Melnotte　of　the　lower　East　Side？　　What？

It's　a　100　to　1　shot　that　I　get　the　dollar。　　I　wonder

what　she　went　out　for。　　I　guess　she's　gone　to　tell

Mrs。　Muldoon　on　the　second　floor；　that　we're　recon…

ciled。　I'll　remember　this。　　　Soft　soap！　And　Ragsy

was　talking　about　slugging　her！



Mrs。　Peters　came　back　with　a　bottle　of　sarsapa…

rilla。



〃I'm　glad　I　happened　to　have　that　dollar；〃　she

said。　　〃You're　all　run　down；　boney。〃



Mr。　Peters　had　a　tablespoonful　of　the　stuff　in…

serted　into　him。　　Then　Mrs。　Peters　sat　on　his　lap

and　murmured：



〃Call　me　tootsum　wootsums　again；　James。〃



He　sat　still；　held　there　by　his　materialized　goddess

of　spring。



Spring　had　come。



On　the　bench　in　Union　Square　Mr。　Ragsdale　and

Mr。　Kidd　squirmed；　tongue…parched；　awaiting

D'Artagnan　and　his　dollar。



〃I　wish　I　had　choked　her　at　first；〃　said　Mr。　Peters

to　himself。









WHILE　THE　AUTO　WAITS



Promptly　at　the　beginning　of　twilight；　came

again　to　that　quiet　corner　of　that　quiet；　small　park

the　girl　in　gray。　　She　sat　upon　a　bench　and　read　a

book；　for　there　was　yet　to　come　a　half　hour　in　which

print　could　be　accomplished。



To　repeat：　Her　dress　was　gray；　and　plain　enough

to　mask　its　impeccancy　of　style　and　fit。　　A　large…

meshed　veil　imprisoned　her　turban　hat　and　a　face

that　shone　through　it　with　a　calm　and　unconscious

beauty。　　She　had　come　there　at　the　same　hour　on　the

day　previous；　and　on　the　day　before　that；　and　there

was　one　who　knew　it。



The　young　man　who　knew　it　hovered　near；　relying

upon　burnt　sacrifices　to　the　great　joss；　Luck。　　His

piety　was　rewarded；　for；　in　turning　a　page；　her　book

slipped　from　her　fingers　and　bounded　from　the　bench

a　full　yard　away。



The　young　man　pounced　upon　it　with　instant　avid…

ity；　returning　it　to　its　owner　with　that　air　that　seems

to　flourish　in　parks　and　public　places　…　a　compound

of　gallantry　and　hope；　tempered　with　respect　for　the

policeman　on　the　beat。　　In　a　pleasant　voice；　be　risked

an　inconsequent　remark　upon　the　weather　that　in…

troductory　topic　responsible　for　so　much　of　the

world's　unhappiness…and　stood　poised　for　a　mo…

ment；　awaiting　his　fate。



The　girl　looked　him　over　leisurely；　at　his　ordinary；

neat　dress　and　his　features　distinguished　by　nothing

particular　in　the　way　of　expression。



〃You　may　sit　down；　if　you　like；〃　she　said；　in　a

full；　deliberate　contralto。　　〃Really；　I　would　like　to

have　you　do　so。　　The　light　is　too　bad　for　reading。

I　would　prefer　to　talk。〃



The　vassal　of　Luck　slid　upon　the　seat　by　her　side

with　complaisance。



〃Do　you　know；〃　be　said；　speaking　the　formula

with　which　park　chairmen　open　their　meetings；　〃that

you　are　quite　the　stunningest　girl　I　have　seen　in　a

long　time？　　I　had　my　eye　on　you　yesterday。

Didn't　know　somebody　was　bowled　over　by　those

pretty　lamps　of　yours；　did　you；　honeysuckle？〃



〃Whoever　you　are；〃　said　the　girl；　in　icy　tones；

〃you　must　remember　that　I　am　a　lady。　　I　will　excuse

the　remark　you　have　just　made　because　the　mistake

was；　doubtless；　not　an　unnatural　one　　in　your　circle。

I　asked　you　to　sit　down；　if　the　invitation　must　con…

stitute　me　your　honeysuckle；　consider　it　with…

drawn。〃



〃I　earnestly　beg　your　pardon；〃　pleaded　the　young

ran。　　His　expression　of　satisfaction　had　changed　to

one　of　penitence　and　humility。　It　was　my　fault；

you　know　…I　mean；　there　are　girls　in　parks；　you

know　…　that　is；　of　course；　you　don't　know；　but　　〃



〃Abandon　the　subject；　if　you　please。　　Of　course

I　know。　Now；　tell　me　about　these　people　passing

and　crowding；　each　way；　along　these　paths。　　Where

are　they　going？　　Why　do　they　hurry　so？　Are　they

happy？〃



The　young　man　had　promptly　abandoned　his　air

of　coquetry。　　His　cue　was　now　for　a　waiting　part；

he　could　not　guess　the　role　be　would　be　expected　to

play。



〃It　is　interesting　to　watch　them；〃　he　replied；　pos…

tulating　her　mood。　　〃It　is　the　wonderful　drama　of

life。　　Some　are　going　to　supper　and　some　to　　er　

other　places。　　One　wonders　what　their　histories　are。〃



〃I　do　not；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I　am　not　so　inquisi…

tive。　　I　come　here　to　sit　because　here；　only；　can　I　be

tear　the　great；　common；　throbbing　heart　of　hu…

manity。　　My　part　in　life　is　cast　where　its　beats　are

never　felt。　　Can　you　surmise　why　I　spoke　to　you；

Mr。　　？〃



〃Parkenstacker；〃　supplied　the　young　man。　　Then

be　looked　eager　and　hopeful。



〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　holding　up　a　slender　finger；

and　smiling　slightly。　〃You　would　recognize　it　im…

mediately。　　It　is　impossible　to　keep　one's　name　out　of

print。　　Or　even　one's　portrait。　　This　veil　and　this

hat　of　my　maid　furnish　me　with　an　incog。　　You

should　have　seen　the　chauffeur　stare　at　it　when　he

thought　I　did　not　see。　　Candidly；　there　are　five　or　six

names　that　belong　in　the　holy　of　holies；　and　mine；　by

the　accident　of　birth；　is　one　of　them。　　I　spoke　to　you；

Mr。　Stackenpot　　〃



〃Parkenstacker；〃　corrected　the　young　man；　mod…

estly。



〃　　Mr。　Parkenstacker；　because　I　wanted　to　talk；

for　once；　with　a　natural　man　　one　unspoiled　by　the

despicable　gloss　of　wealth　and　supposed　social　su…

periority。　　Oh！　you　do　not　know　how　weary　I　am　of

it　　money；　money；　money！　　And　of　the　men　who

surround　me；　dancing　like　little　marionettes　all　cut　by

the　same　pattern。　　I　am　sick　of　pleasure；　of　jewels；

of　travel；　of　society；　of　luxuries　of　all　kinds。〃



〃I　always　had　an　idea；〃　ventured　the　young　man；

hesitatingly；　〃that　money　must　be　a　pretty　good

thing。〃



〃A　competence　is　to　be　desired。　But　when　you

leave　so　many　millions　that　　！〃　She　concluded

the　sentence　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　　〃It　is　the　mo…

otony　of　it〃　she　continued；　〃that　palls。　　Drives；

dinners；　theatres；　balls；　suppers；　with　the　gilding　of

superfluous　wealth　over　it　all。　　Sometimes　the　very

tinkle　of　the　ice　in　my　champagne　glass　nearly　drives

me　mad。〃



Mr。　Parkenstacker　looked　ingenuously　interested。



〃I　have　always　liked；〃　he　said；　〃to　read　and　hear

about　the　ways　of　wealthy　and　fashionable　folks。　　I

suppose　I　am　a　bit　of　a　snob。　　But　I　like　to　have　my

information　accurate。　　Now；　I　had　formed　the　opin…

ion　that　champagne　is　cooled　in　the　bottle　and　not　by

placing　ice　in　the　glass。〃



The　girl　gave　a　musical　laugh　of　genuine　amuse…

ment。



〃You　should　know；〃　she　explained；　in　an　indul…

gent　tone；　〃that　we　of　the　non…useful　class　depend

for　our　amusement　upon　departure　from　precedent。

Just　now　it　is　a　fad　to　put　ice　in　champagne。　　The

idea　was　originated　by　a　visiting　Prince　of　Tartary

while　dining　at　the　Waldorf。　　It　will　soon　give　way

to　some　other　whim。　　Just　as　at　a　dinner　party　this

week　on　Madison　Avenue　a　green　kid　glove　was　laid

by　the　plate　of　each　guest　to　be　put　on　and　used　while

eating　olives。〃



〃I　see；〃　admitted　the　young　man；　humbly。



〃These　special　diversions　of　the　inner　circle　do　not

become　familiar　to　the　common　public。〃



〃Sometimes；〃　continued　the　girl；　acknowledging

his　confession　of　error　by　a　slight　bow；　〃I　have

thought　that　if　I　ever　should　love　a　man　it　would　be

one　of　lowly　station。　　One　who　is　a　worker　and　not　a

drone。　　But；　doubtless；　the　claims　of　caste　and　wealth

will　prove　stronger　than　my　inclination。　　Just　now

I　am　besieged　by　two。　　One　i