the voice of the city-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



mand　says　you　are　brave。　　In　these　prosaic　days　men

who　are　both　brave　and　chivalrous　are　few。　　May　I

count　upon　your　assistance？〃



John　Hopkins　thrust　the　remains　of　his　cigar　into

his　coat　pocket。　　He　looked　upon　this　winning

creature　and　felt　his　first　thrill　of　romance。　　It　was　a

knightly　love；　and　contained　no　disloyalty　to　the　flat

with　the　flea…bitten　terrier　and　the　lady　of　his　choice。

He　bad　married　her　after　a　picnic　of　the　Lady　Label

Stickers'　Union；　Lodge　No。　2；　on　a　dare　and　a　bet　of

new　hats　and　chowder　all　around　with　his　friend；　Billy

McManus。　　This　angel　who　was　begging　him　to

come　to　her　rescue　was　something　too　heavenly　for

chowder；　and　as　for　hats　…　golden；　jewelled　crowns

for　her！



〃Say；〃　said　John　Hopkins；　〃just　show　me　the　guy

that　you've　got　the　grouch　at。　　I've　neglected　my

talents　as　a　scrapper　heretofore；　but　this　is　my　busy

night。〃



〃He　is　in　there；〃　said　the　lady；　pointing　to　a

closed　door。　　〃Come。　　Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not

falter　or　fear？〃



〃Me？〃　said　John　Hopkins。　　〃Just　give　me　one　of

those　roses　in　the　bunch　you　are　wearing；　will　you？〃



The　lady　gave　him　a　red；　red　rose。　　John　Hopkins

kissed　it；　stuffed　it　into　his　vest　pocket；　opened　the

door　and　walked　into　the　room。　　It　was　a　handsome

library；　softly　but　brightly　lighted。　　A　young　man

was　there；　reading。



〃Books　on　etiquette　is　what　you　want　to　study；〃

said　John　Hopkins；　abruptly。　　〃Get　up　here；　and　I'll

give　you　some　lessors。　　Be　rude　to　a　lady；　will　you？〃



The　young　man　looked　mildly　surprised。　　Then　he

arose　languidly；　dextrously　caught　the　arms　of　John

Hopkins　and　conducted　him　irresistibly　to　the　front

door　of　the　house。



〃Beware；　Ralph　Branscombe；〃　cried　the　lady；　who

had　followed；　〃what　you　do　to　the　gallant　man　who

has　tried　to　protect　me。〃



The　young　man　shoved　John　Hopkins　gently　out

the　door　and　then　closed　it。



〃Bess；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃I　wish　you　would　quit

reading　historical　novels。　　How　in　the　world　did　that

fellow　get　in　here？〃



〃Armand　brought　him；〃　said　the　young　lady。　　〃I

think　you　are　awfully　mean　not　to　let　me　have　that

St。　　Bernard。　　I　sent　Armand　for　Walter。　　I　was　so

angry　with　you。〃



〃Be　sensible；　Bess；〃　said　the　young　man；　taking

her　arm。　　〃That　dog　isn't　safe。　　He　has　bitten　two

or　three　people　around　the　kennels。　　Come　now；　let's

go　tell　auntie　we　are　in　good　humor　again。〃



Arm　in　arm；　they　moved　away。



John　Hopkins　walked　to　his　flat。　　The　janitor's

five…year…old　daughter　was　playing　on　the　steps'

Hopkins　gave　her　a　nice；　red　rose　and　walked　up…

stairs。



Mrs。　Hopkins　was　philandering　with　curl…papers。



〃Get　your　cigar？〃　she　asked；　disinterestedly。



〃Sure；〃　said　Hopkins；　〃and　I　knocked　around　a

while　outside。　　It's　a　nice　night。〃



He　sat　upon　the　hornblende　sofa；　took　out　the

stump　of　his　cigar；　lighted　it；　and　gazed　at　the　grace…

ful　figures　in　〃The　Storm〃　on　the　opposite　wall。



〃I　was　telling　you；〃　said　he；　〃about　Mr。

Whipple's　suit。　　It's　a　gray；　with　an　invisible　check；

and　it　looks　fine。〃









A　LICKPENNY　LOVER





There；　were　3；000　girls　in　the　Biggest　Store。

Masie　was　one　of　them。　　She　was　eighteen　and　a

selleslady　in　the　gents'　gloves。　　Here　she　became

versed　in　two　varieties　of　human　beings　…　the　kind　of

gents　who　buy　their　gloves　in　department　stores　and

the　kind　of　women　who　buy　gloves　for　unfortunate

gents。　　Besides　this　wide　knowledge　of　the　human

species；　Masie　had　acquired　other　information。　　She

had　listened　to　the　promulgated　wisdom　of　the　2；999

other　girls　and　had　stored　it　in　a　brain　that　was　as

secretive　and　wary　as　that　of　a　Maltese　cat。　　Per…

haps　nature；　foreseeing　that　she　would　lack　wise

counsellors；　had　mingled　the　saving　ingredient　of

shrewdness　along　with　her　beauty；　as　she　has　endowed

the　silver　fox　of　the　priceless　fur　above　the　other

animals　with　cunning。



For　Masie　was　beautiful。　　She　was　a　deep…tinted

blonde；　with　the　calm　poise　of　a　lady　who　cooks　butter

cakes　in　a　window。　　She　stood　behind　her　counter　in

the　Biggest　Store；　and　as　you　closed　your　band　over

the　tape…line　for　your　glove　measure　you　thought

of　Hebe；　and　as　you　looked　again　you　wondered　how

she　had　come　by　Minerva's　eyes。



When　the　floorwalker　was　not　looking　Masie

chewed　tutti　frutti；　when　he　was　looking　she　gazed

up　as　if　at　the　clouds　and　smiled　wistfully。



That　is　the　shopgirl　smile；　and　I　enjoin　you　to

shun　it　unless　you　are　well　fortified　with　callosity　of

the　heart；　caramels　and　a　congeniality　for　the　capers

of　Cupid。　　This　smile　belonged　to　Masie's　recreation

hours　and　not　to　the　store；　but　the　floorwalker　must

have　his　own。　　He　is　the　Shylock　of　the　stores。

When　be　comes　nosing　around　the　bridge　of　his　nose

is　a　toll…bridge。　　It　is　goo…goo　eyes　or　〃git〃　when

be　looks　toward　a　pretty　girl。　　Of　course　not　all　floor…

walkers　are　thus。　　Only　a　few　days　ago　the　papers

printed　news　of　one　over　eighty　years　of　age。



One　day　Irving　Carter；　painter；　millionaire；　trav…

eller；　poet；　automobilist；　happened　　to　enter　the　Big…

gest　Store。　　It　is　due　to　him　to　add　that　his　visit　was

not　voluntary。　　Filial　duty　took　him　by　the　collar　and

dragged　him　inside；　while　his　mother　philandered

among　the　bronze　and　terra…cotta　statuettes。



Carter　strolled　across　to　the　glove　counter　in　order

to　shoot　a　few　minutes　on　the　wing。　　His　need　for

gloves　was　genuine；　be　had　forgotten　to　bring　a　pair

with　him。　　But　his　action　hardly　calls　for　apology；　be…

cause　be　had　never　heard　of　glove…counter　flirtations。



As　he　neared　the　vicinity　of　his　fate　be　hesitated；

suddenly　conscious　of　this　unknown　phase　of　Cupid's

less　worthy　profession。



Three　or　four　cheap　fellows；　sonorously　garbed；

were　leaning　over　the　counters；　wrestling　with　the

mediatorial　hand…coverings；　while　giggling　girls

played　vivacious　seconds　to　their　lead　upon　the

strident　string　of　coquetry。　　Carter　would　have　re…

treated；　but　he　had　gone　too　far。　　Masie　confronted

him　behind　her　counter　with　a　questioning　look　in

eyes　as　coldly；　beautifully；　warmly　blue　as　the　glint

of　summer　sunshine　on　an　iceberg　drifting　in　Southern

seas。



And　then　Irving　Carter；　painter；　millionaire；　etc。；

felt　a　warm　flush　rise　to　his　aristocratically　pale　face。

But　not　from　diffidence。　　The　blush　was　intellectual

in　origin。　　He　knew　in　a　moment　that　he　stood　in　the

ranks　of　the　ready…made　youths　who　wooed　the　gig…

gling　girls　at　other　counters。　　Himself　leaned　against

the　oaken　trysting　place　of　a　cockney　Cupid　with　a

desire　in　his　heart　for　the　favor　of　a　glove　salesgirl。

He　was　no　more　than　Bill　and　Jack　and　Mickey。

And　then　be　felt　a　sudden　tolerance　for　them；　and

an　elating；　courageous　contempt　for　the　conventions

upon　which　he　had　fed；　and　an　unhesitating　deter…

mination　to　have　this　perfect　creature　for　his　own。



When　the　gloves　were　paid　for　and　wrapped　the

Carter　lingered　for　a　moment。　　The　dimples　at

corners　of　Masie's　damask　mouth　deepened。　　All　gen…

tlemen　who　bought　gloves　lingered　in　just　that　way。

She　curved　an　arm；　showing　like　Psyche's　through

her　shirt…waist　sleeve；　and　rested　an　elbow　upon　the

show…case　edge。



Carter　had　never　before　encountered　a　situation　of

which　he　had　not　been　perfect　master。　　But　now　he

stood　far　more　awkward　than　Bill　or　Jack　or　Mickey。

He　had　no　chance　of　meeting　this　beautiful　girl　so…

cially。　　His　mind　struggled　to　recall　the　nature　and

habits　of　shopgirls　as　be　had　read　or　heard　of　them。

Somehow　be　had　received　the　idea　that　they　some…

times　did　not　insist　too　strictly　upon　the　regular

channels　of　introduction。　　His　heart　beat　loudly　at

the　thought　of　proposing　an　unconventional　meeting

with　this　lovely　and　virginal　being。　　But　the　tumult

in　his　heart　gave　him　courage。



After　a　few　friendly　and　well…received　remarks　on

general　subjects；　he　laid　his　card　by　her　hand　on　the

counter。



〃Will　you　please　pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　seem

too　bold；　but　I　earnestly　hope　you　will　allow　me　the

pleasure　of　seeing　you　again。　　There　is　my　name；　I

assure　you　that　it　is　with　the　greatest　respect　that

I　ask　the　favor　of　becoming　one　of　your　

acquaintances。　　May　I　not　hope　for　the　privilege？〃



Masie　knew　men　…　especially　men　who　buy　gloves。

Without　hesitation　she　looked　him　frankly　and　smil…

ingly　in　the　eyes；　and　said：



〃Sure。　　I　guess　you're　all　right。　　I　don't　usually

go　out　with　strange　gentlemen；　though。　　It　ain't

quite　ladylike。　　When　should　you　want　to　see　me

again？〃



〃As　soon　as　I　may；〃　said　Carter。　〃If　you　would

allow　me　to　call　at　your　home；　I　　〃



Masie　laughed　musically。　〃Oh；　gee；　no！〃　she

said；　emphatically。　〃If　you　could　see　our　flat　once！

There's　five　of　us　in　three　rooms。　I'd　just　like　to　see

ma's　face　if　I　was　to　bring　a　gentleman　friend

there！〃



〃Anywhere；　then；〃　said　the　enamored　Carter；

〃that　will　be　convenient　to　you。〃



〃Say；〃　suggested　Masie；　with　a　bright…idea　look

in　her　peach…blow　face；　〃I　guess　Thursday　night　will

about　suit　me。　　Suppose　you　come　to　the　corner　of

Eighth　Avenue　and　Forty…eighth　Street　at　7：30。　I

live　right　near　the　corner。　　But　I've　got　to　be　back

home　by　eleven。　　Ma　never　lets　me　stay　out　after

eleven。〃

Carter　promised　gratefully　to　keep　the　tryst；　and

then　hastened　to　his　mother；　who　was　looking　about

for　him　to　ratify　her　purchase　of　a　bronze　Diana。



A　salesgirl；　with　small　eyes　and　an　obtuse　nose；

strolled　near　Masie；　with　a　friendly　leer。



〃Did　you　make　a　hit　with　his　nobs；　Mase？〃　she

asked；　familiarly。



〃The　gentleman　asked　permission　to　call。〃　an…

swered　Masie；　with　the　grand　air；　as　she　slipped　Car…

ter's　card　into　the　bosom　of　her　waist。



〃Permission　to　call！〃　echoed　small　eyes；　with　a

snigger。　〃Did　he　say　anything　about　dinner　in　the

Waldorf　and　a　spin　in　his　auto　afterward？〃



〃Oh；　cheese　it！