the voice of the city-第7部分

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price　of　quinine　foiled　in　the　House　by　Congressman

Jinks；　the　first　tall　poplar　struck　by　lightning　and

the　usual　stunned　picknickers　who　had　taken　refuge；

the　first　crack　of　the　ice　jam　in　the　Allegheny　River；

the　finding　of　a　violet　in　its　mossy　bed　by

the　correspondent　at　Round　Corners　…　these　are　the

advance　signs　of　the　burgeoning　season　that　are　wired

into　the　wise　city；　while　the　farmer　sees　nothing　but

winter　upon　his　dreary　fields。



But　these　be　mere　externals。　　The　true　harbinger

is　the　heart。　　When　Strephon　seeks　his　Chloe　and

Mike　his　Maggie；　then　only　is　spring　arrived　and　the

newspaper　report　of　the　five…foot　rattler　killed　in

Squire　Pettigrew's　pasture　confirmed。



Ere　the　first　violet　blew；　Mr。　Peters；　Mr。　Ragsdale

and　Mr。　Kidd　sat　together　on　a　bench　in　Union

Square　and　conspired。　　Mr。　Peters　was　the　D'Artag…

nan　of　the　loafers　there。　　He　was　the　dingiest；　the

laziest；　the　sorriest　brown　blot　against　the　green　back…

ground　of　any　bench　in　the　park。　　But　just　then　he

was　the　most　important　of　the　trio。



Mr。　Peters　had　a　wife。　　This　had　not　heretofore

affected　his　standing　with　Ragsy　and　Kidd。　　But　to…

day　it　invested　him　with　a　peculiar　interest。　　His

friends；　having　escaped　matrimony；　had　shown　a

disposition　to　deride　Mr。　Peters　for　his　venture　on

that　troubled　sea。　　But　at　last　they　had　been　forced

to　acknowledge　that　either　he　had　been　gifted　with

a　large　foresight　or　that　he　was　one　of　Fortune's

lucky　sons。



For；　Mrs。　Peters　had　a　dollar。　　A　whole　dollar　bill；

good　and　receivable　by　the　Government　for　customs；

taxes　and　all　public　dues。　　How　to　get　possession　of

that　dollar　was　the　question　up　for　discussion　by　the

three　musty　musketeers。



〃How　do　you　know　it　was　a　dollar？〃　asked　Ragsy；

the　immensity　of　the　sum　inclining　him　to　scepticism。



〃The　coalman　seen　her　have　it；〃　said　Mr。　Peters。

〃She　went　out　and　done　some　washing　yesterday。

And　look　what　she　give　me　for　breakfast　…　the　heel

of　a　loaf　and　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　her　with　a　dollar！〃



〃It's　fierce；〃　said　Ragsy。



〃Say　we　go　up　and　punch　'er　and　stick　a　towel

in　'er　mouth　and　cop　the　coin〃　suggested　Kidd；

Viciously。　〃Y'　ain't　afraid　of　a　woman；　are　you？〃



〃She　might　holler　and　have　us　pinched；〃　demurred

Ragsy。　　〃I　don't　believe　in　slugging　no　woman　in　a

houseful　of　people。〃



〃Gent'men；〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　severely；　through

his　russet　stubble；　〃remember　that　you　are　speaking

of　my　wife。　A　man　who　would　lift　his　hand　to　a

lady　except　in　the　way　of　　〃



〃Maguire；〃　said　Ragsy；　pointedly；　〃has　got　his

bock　beer　sign　out。　　If　we　had　a　dollar　we　could　　〃



〃Hush　up！〃　said　Mr。　Peters；　licking　his　lips。

〃We　got　to　get　that　case　note　somehow；　boys。　　Ain't

what's　a　man's　wife's　his？　　Leave　it　to　me。　　I'll　go

over　to　the　house　and　get　it。　　Wait　here　for　me。〃



〃I've　seen　'em　give　up　quick；　and　tell　you　where

it's　hid　if　you　kick　'em　in　the　ribs；〃　said　Kidd。



〃No　man　would　kick　a　woman；〃　said　Peters；　vir…

tuously。　　〃A　little　choking　…　just　a　touch　on　the

windpipe　…　that　gets　away　with　'em　…　and　no　marks

left。　　Wait　for　me。　　I'll　bring　back　that　dollar；　boys。〃



High　up　in　a　tenement…house　between　Second　Ave…

nue　and　the　river　lived　the　Peterses　in　a　back　room

so　gloomy　that　the　landlord　blushed　to　take　the　rent

for　it。　　Mrs。　Peters　worked　at　sundry　times；　doing

odd　jobs　of　scrubbing　and　washing。　　Mr。　Peters　had

a　pure；　unbroken　record　of　five　years　without　having

earned　a　penny。　　And　yet　they　clung　together；　shar…

ing　each　other's　hatred　and　misery；　being　creatures

of　habit。　　Of　habit；　the　power　that　keeps　the　earth

from　flying　to　pieces；　though　there　is　some　silly

theory　of　gravitation。



Mrs。　Peters　reposed　her　200　pounds　on　the　safer

of　the　two　chairs　and　gazed　stolidly　out　the　one　win…

dow　at　the　brick　wall　opposite。　　Her　eyes　were　red

and　damp。　　The　furniture　could　have　been　carried

away　on　a　pushcart；　but　no　pushcart　man　would　have

removed　it　as　a　gift。



The　door　opened　to　admit　Mr。　Peters。　His　fox…

terrier　eyes　expressed　a　wish。　　His　wife's　diagnosis

located　correctly　the　seat　of　it；　but　misread　it　hun…

ger　instead　of　thirst。



〃You'll　get　nothing　more　to　eat　till　night；〃　she

said；　looking　out　of　the　window　again。　Take　your

hound…dog's　face　out　of　the　room。〃



Mr。　Peters's　eye　calculated　the　distance　between

them。　　By　taking　her　by　surprise　it　might　be　pos…

sible　to　spring　upon　her；　overthrow　her；　and　apply

the　throttling　tactics　of　which　he　had　boasted　to

his　waiting　comrades。　　True；　it　had　been　only　a

boast；　never　yet　had　be　dared　to　lay　violent　bands

upon　her；　but　with　the　thoughts　of　the　delicious；　cool

bock　or　Culmbacher　bracing　his　nerves；　he　was　near

to　upsetting　his　own　theories　of　the　treatment　due　by

a　gentleman　to　a　lady。　　But；　with　his　loafer's　love

for　the　more　artistic　and　less　strenuous　way；　he　chose

diplomacy　first；　the　high　card　in　the　game　　the　as…

sumed　attitude　of　success　already　attained。



〃You　have　a　dollar；〃　he　said；　loftily；　but　signifi…

cantly　in　the　tone　that　goes　with　the　lighting　of　a

cigar　…　when　the　properties　are　at　hand。〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Mrs。　Peters；　producing　the　bill

from　her　bosom　and　crackling　it；　teasingly。



〃I　am　offered　a　position　in　a　　in　a　tea　store；〃

said　Mr。　Peters。　　〃I　am　to　begin　work　to…morrow。

But　it　will　be　necessary　for　me　to　buy　a　pair　of　〃



〃You　are　a　liar；〃　said　Mrs。　Peters；　reinterring

the　note。　〃No　tea　store；　nor　no　A　B　C　store；　nor

no　junk　shop　would　have　you。　　I　rubbed　the　skin　off

both　me　hands　washin'　jumpers　and　overalls　to　make

that　dollar。　　Do　you　think　it　come　out　of　them　suds

to　buy　the　kind　you　put　into　you？　Skiddoo！　　Get

your　mind　off　of　money。〃



Evidently　the　poses　of　Talleyrand　were　not　worth

one　hundred　cents　on　that　dollar。　　But　diplomacy　is

dexterous。　　The　artistic　temperament　of　Mr。　Peters

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　h