the voice of the city-第9章

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love　transfiguring　her　countenance。



〃And　you　have　saved　it　for　me？〃　she　asked；

trembling　with　the　first　dim　ecstasy　of　a　woman　be…

loved。



Together　they　hurried　to　the　bootblack's　stand。

An　hour　they　spent　there　gazing　at　the　malformed

youth。



A　window…cleaner　fell　from　the　fifth　story　to　the

sidewalk　beside　them。　　As　the　ambulance　came　clang…

ing　up　William　pressed　her　hand　joyously。　　〃Four

ribs　at　least　and　a　compound　fracture；〃　he　whispered；

swiftly。　　〃You　are　not　sorry　that　you　met　me；　are

you；　dearest？



〃Me？〃　said　Violet；　returning　the　pressure。　　〃Sure

not。　　I　could　stand　all　day　rubbering　with　you。〃



The　climax　of　the　romance　occurred　a　few　days

later。　　Perhaps　the　reader　will　remember　the　intense

excitement　into　which　the　city　was　thrown　when　Eliza

Jane；　a　colored　woman；　was　served　with　a　subpoena。

The　Rubber　Tribe　encamped　on　the　spot。　　With　his

own　hands　William　Pry　placed　a　board　upon　two　beer

kegs　in　the　street　opposite　Eliza　Jane's　residence。

He　and　Violet　sat　there　for　three　days　and　nights。

Then　it　occurred　to　a　detective　to　open　the　door　and

serve　the　subpoena。　　He　sent　for　a　kinetoscope　and

did　so。



Two　souls　with　such　congenial　tastes　could　not　long

remain　apart。　　As　a　policeman　drove　them　away　with

his　night　stick　that　evening　they　plighted　their　troth。

The　seeds　of　love　bad　been　well　sown；　and　had　grown

up；　hardy　and　vigorous；　into　a　…　let　us　call　it　a　rub…

ber　plant。



The　wedding　of　William　Pry　and　Violet　Seymour

was　set　for　June　10。　　The　Big　Church　in　the　Middle

of　the　Block　was　banked　high　with　flowers。　　The

populous　tribe　of　Rubberers　the　world　over　is　ram…

pant　over　weddings。　　They　are　the　pessimists　of　the

pews。　　They　are　the　guyers　of　the　groom　and　the

banterers　of　the　bride。　　They　come　to　laugh　at　your

marriage；　and　should　you　escape　from　Hymen's

tower　on　the　back　of　death's　pale　steed　they　will

come　to　the　funeral　and　sit　in　the　same　pew　and　cry

over　your　luck。　　Rubber　will　stretch。



The　church　was　lighted。　　A　grosgrain　carpet　lay

over　the　asphalt　to　the　edge　of　the　sidewalk。　　Brides…

maids　were　patting　one　another's　sashes　awry　and

speaking　of　the　Bride's　freckles。　　Coachmen　tied

white　ribbons　on　their　whips　and　bewailed　the　space

of　time　between　drinks。　The　minister　was　musing

over　his　possible　fee；　essaying　conjecture　whether　it

would　suffice　to　purchase　a　new　broadcloth　suit　for

himself　and　a　photograph　of　Laura　Jane　Libbey　for

his　wife。　　Yea；　Cupid　was　in　the　air。



And　outside　the　church；　oh；　my　brothers；　surged

and　heaved　the　rank　and　file　of　the　tribe　of　Rubberers。

in　two　bodies　they　were；　with　the　grosgrain　carpet

and　cops　with　clubs　between。　　They　crowded　like

cattle；　they　fought；　they　pressed　and　surged　and

swayed　and　trampled　one　another　to　see　a　bit　of　a

girl　in　a　white　veil　acquire　license　to　go　through　a

man's　pockets　while　be　sleeps。

But　the　hour　for　the　wedding　came　and　went；　and

the　bride　and　bridegroom　came　not。　　And　impatience

gave　way　to　alarm　and　alarm　brought　about　search；

and　they　were　not　found。　　And　then　two　big　police…

men　took　a　band　and　dragged　out　of　the　furious　mob

of　onlookers　a　crushed　and　trampled　thing；　with　a

wedding　ring　in　its　vest　pocket　and　a　shredded　and

hysterical　woman　beating　her　way　to　the　carpet's

edge；　ragged；　bruised　and　obstreperous。



William　Pry　and　Violet　Seymour；　creatures　of

habit；　had　joined　in　the　seething　game　of　the　specta…

tors；　unable　to　resist　the　overwhelming　desire　to　gaze

upon　themselves　entering；　as　bride　and　bridegroom；

the　rose…decked　church。



Rubber　will　out。









ONE　THOUSAND　DOLLARS





〃One　thousand　dollars；〃　　repeated　Lawyer　Tolman；

solemnly　and　severely；　〃and　here　is　the　money。〃



Young　Gillian　gave　a　decidedly　amused　laugh　as

he　fingered　the　thin　package　of　new　fifty…dollar　notes。



〃It's　such　a　confoundedly　awkward　amount；〃　he

explained；　genially；　to　the　lawyer。　　〃If　it　had　been

ten　thousand　a　fellow　might　wind　up　with　a　lot　of

fireworks　and　do　himself　credit。　　Even　fifty　dollars

would　have　been　less　trouble。〃



〃You　heard　the　reading　of　your　uncle's　will；〃　con…

tinued　Lawyer　Tolman；　professionally　dry　in　his

tones。　　〃I　do　not　know　if　you　paid　much　attention

to　its　details。　　I　must　remind　you　of　one。　　You　are

required　to　render　to　us　an　account　of　the　manner　of

expenditure　of　this　1；000　as　soon　as　you　have　dis…

posed　of　it。　　The　will　stipulates　that。　　I　trust　that

you　will　so　far　comply　with　the　late　Mr。　Gillian's

wishes。〃



〃You　may　depend　upon　it；〃　said　the　young　man。％

politely；　〃in　spite　of　the　extra　expense　it　will　entail。

I　may　have　to　engage　a　secretary。　　I　was　never　good

at　accounts。〃



Gillian　went　to　his　club。　　There　be　hunted　out　one

whom　he　called　Old　Bryson。



Old　Bryson　was　calm　and　forty　and　sequestered。

He　was　in　a　corner　reading　a　book；　and　when　he　saw

Gillian　approaching　he　sighed；　laid　down　his　book

and　took　off　his　glasses。



〃Old　Bryson；　wake　up；〃　said　Gillian。　　〃I've　a

funny　story　to　tell　you。〃



〃　I　wish　you　would　tell　it　to　some　one　in　the　billiard

room；〃　said　Old　Bryson。　　〃You　know　how　I　hate

your　stories。〃



〃　This　is　a　better　one　than　usual；〃　said　Gillian；

rolling　a　cigarette；　〃　and　I'm　glad　to　tell　it　to　you。

It's　too　sad　and　funny　to　go　with　the　rattling　of

billiard　bars。　　I've　just　come　from　my　late　uncle's

firm　of　legal　corsairs。　　He　leaves　me　an　even　thou…

sand　dollars。　　Now；　what　can　a　man　possibly　do　with

a　thousand　dollars？　　〃



〃I　thought；〃　said　Old　Bryson；　showing　as　much

interest　as　a　bee　shows　in　a　vinegar　cruet；　〃that　the

late　Septimus　Gillian　was　worth　something　like　half

a　million。〃



〃　He　was；〃　assented　Gillian；　joyously；　〃　and　that's

where　the　joke　comes　in。　　He's　left　his　whole　cargo　of

doubloons　to　a　microbe。　　That　is；　part　of　it　goes　to

the　man　who　invents　a　new　bacillus　and　the　rest　to　es…

tablish　a　hospital　for　doing　away　with　it　again。



There　are　one　or　two　trifling　bequests　on　the　side。

…　the　butler　and　the　housekeeper　get　a　seal　ring　and

10　each。　　His　nephew　gets　1；000。〃



〃You've　always　had　plenty　of　money　to　spend；〃

observed　Old　Bryson。



〃Tons；〃　　said　Gillian。　〃Uncle　was　the　fairygod…

mother　as　far　as　an　allowance　was　concerned。〃



〃Any　other　heirs？　　〃　asked　Old　Bryson。



〃None。〃　Gillian　frowned　at　his　cigarette　and

kicked　the　upholstered　leather　of　a　divan　uneasily。



There　is　a　Miss　Hayden；　a　ward　of　my　uncle；　who

lived　in　his　house。　　She's　a　quiet　thing　…　musical　…

the　daughter　of　somebody　who　was　unlucky　enough　to

be　his　friend。　　I　forgot　to　say　that　she　was　in　on　the

seal　ring　and　10　joke；　too。　　I　wish　I　had　been。

Then　I　could　have　had　two　bottles　of　brut；　tipped　the

waiter　with　the　ring　and　had　the　whole　business　off

my　bands。　　Don't　be　superior　and　insulting；　Old　Bry…

son　…　tell　me　what　a　fellow　can　do　with　a　thousand

dollars。〃

Old　Bryson　rubbed　his　glasses　and　smiled。　　And

when　Old　Bryson　smiled；　Gillian　knew　that　be　in…

tended　to　be　more　offensive　than　ever。



〃A　thousand　dollars；〃　lie　said；　〃means　much　or

little。　　One　man　may　buy　a　happy　home　with　it　and

laugh　at　Rockefeller。　　Another　could　send　his　wife

South　with　it　and　save　her　life。　　A　thousand　dollars

would　buy　pure　milk　for　one　hundred　babies　during

June；　July；　and　August　and　save　fifty　of　their　lives。

You　could　count　upon　a　half　hour's　diversion　with　it

at　faro　in　one　of　the　fortified　art　galleries。　　It　would

furnish　an　education　to　an　ambitious　boy。　　I　am　told

that　a　genuine　Corot　was　secured　for　that　amount　in

an　auction　room　yesterday。　　You　could　move　to　a

New　Hampshire　town　and　live　respectably　two

years　on　it。　　You　could　rent　Madison　Square　Garden

for　one　evening　with　it；　and　lecture　your　audience；　if

you　should　have　one；　on　the　precariousness　of　the　pro…

fession　of　heir　presumptive。〃



〃People　might　like　you；　Old　Bryson；〃　said　Gillian；

always　unruffled；　〃if　you　wouldn't　moralize。　　I　asked

you　to　tell　me　what　I　could　do　with　a　thousand

dollars。〃



〃You？〃　said　Bryson；　with　a　gentle　laugh。

〃Why；　Bobby　Gillian；　there's　only　one　logical　thing

you　could　do。　　You　can　go　buy　Miss　Lotta　Lauriere

a　diamond　pendant　with　the　money；　and　then　take

yourself　off　to　Idaho　and　inflict；　your　presence　upon　a

ranch。　　I　advise　a　sheep　ranch；　as　I　have　a　particular

dislike　for　sheep。〃



〃Thanks；〃　said　Gillian；　rising；　〃I　thought　I

could　depend　upon　you；　Old　Bryson。　　You've　hit　on

the　very　scheme。　　I　wanted　to　chuck　the　money　in　a

lump；　for　I've　got　to　turn　in　an　account　for　it；　and

I　hate　itemizing。〃



Gillian　phoned　for　a　cab　and　said　to　the　driver：

〃The　stage　entrance　of　the　Columbine　Theatre。〃…

Miss　Lotta　Lauriere　was　assisting　nature　with　a

powder　puff；　almost　ready　for　her　call　at　a　crowded

Matinee；　when　her　dresser　mentioned　the　name　of　Mr。

Gillian。



〃Let　it　in；〃　said　Miss　Lauriere。　　〃　Now；　what　is

it；　Bobby？　　I'm　going　on　in　two　minutes。〃



〃Rabbit…foot　your　right　ear　a　little；〃　suggested

Gillian；　critically。　　〃　That's　better。　　It　won't　take

two　minutes　for　me。　　What　do　you　say　to　a　little

thing　in　the　pendant　line？　　I　can　stand　three　ciphers

with　a　figure　one　in　front　of　'em。〃



〃Oh；　just　as　you　say；〃　carolled　Miss　Lauriere。

my　right　glove；　Adams。　　Say；　Bobby；　did　you　see

that　necklace　Della　Stacey　had　on　the　other　night？

Twenty…two　hundred　dollars　it　cost　at　Tiffany's。

But；　of　course　…pull　my　sash　a　little　to　the　left；

Adams。〃



〃Miss　Lauriere　for　the　opening　chorus！〃　　cried　the

call　boy　without。



Gillian　strolled　out　to　where　his　cab　was　waiting。



〃What　would　you　do　with　a　thousand　dollars　if

you　had　it？〃　be　asked　the　driver。



〃Open　a　s'loon；〃　said　the　cabby；　promptly　and

huskily。　　〃　I　know　a　place　I　could　take　money　in　with

both　hands。　　It's　a　four…story　brick　on　a　corner。

I've　got　it　figured　out。　　Second　story　…　Chinks　and

chop　suey；　third　floor　…manicures　and　foreign　mis…

sions；　fourth　floor　…poolroom。　　If　you　was　think…

of　putting　up　the　capital。



〃Oh；　no；〃　said　Gillian；　　I　merely　asked　from　cu…

riosity。　　I　take　you　by　the　hour。　　Drive　'til　I　tell　you

to　stop。〃



Eight　blocks　down　Broadway　Gillian　poked　up

the　trap　with　his　cane　and　got　out。　　A　blind　man　sat

upon　a　stool　on　the　sidewalk　selling　pencils。　　Gillian

went　out　and　stood　before　him。



〃Excuse　me；〃　he　said；　〃　but　would　you　mind　tell…

ing　me　what　you　would　do　if　you　bad　a　thousand

dollars？〃



〃You　got　out　of　that　cab　that　just　drove　up；

didn't　you？　　〃　asked　the　blind　man。



〃I　did；〃　said　Gillian。



〃　guess　you　are　all　right；〃　said　the　pencil　dealer；

〃to　ride　in　a　cab　by　daylight。　　Take　a　look　at　that；

if　you　like。〃



He　drew　a　small　book　from　his　coat　pocket　and

held　it　out。　　Gillian　opened　it　and　saw　that　it　was　a

bank　deposit　book。　　It　showed　a　balance　of　1；785　t