the voice of the city-第11章

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clover　patch　with　it　to…day。　　Guess　you'll　excuse　my；

not　wearing　a　dress　suit　over　to　meet　you　　it　ain't

six　o'clock　yet；　you　know。〃



〃I'm　glad　to　see　you；　Tom；〃　said　Robert；　grasp…

ing　his　brother's　band。　　〃Yes；　I've　found　my　way　at

last。　　You've　a　right　to　say　'at　last。'　It's　been　over

two　years　since　the　last　time。　　But　it　will　be　oftener

after　this；　my　boy。〃



Alicia；　cool　in　the　summer　beat　as　an　Arctic　wraith；

white　as　a　Norse　snow　maiden　in　her　flimsy　muslin　and

fluttering　lace　parasol；　came　round　the　corner　of　the

station；　and　Tom　was　stripped　of　his　assurance。　　He

became　chiefly　eyesight　clothed　in　blue　jeans；　and　on

the　homeward　drive　to　the　mule　alone　did　he　confide

in　language　the　inwardness　of　his　thoughts。



They　drove　homeward。　　The　low　sun　dropped　a

spendthrift　flood　of　gold　upon　the　fortunate　fields　of

wheat。　　The　cities　were　far　away。　　The　road　lay　curl…

ing　around　wood　and　dale　and　bill　like　a　ribbon　lost

from　the　robe　of　careless　summer。　　The　wind　followed

like　a　whinnying　colt　in　the　track　of　Phoebus's　steeds。



By　and　by　the　farmhouse　peeped　gray　out　of　its

faithful　grove；　they　saw　the　long　lane　with　its　convoy

of　walnut　trees　running　from　the　road　to　the　house；

they　smelled　the　wild　rose　and　the　breath　of　cool；

damp　willows　in　the　creek's　bed。　　And　then　in　unison

all　the　voices　of　the　soil　began　a　chant　addressed　to

the　soul　of　Robert　Walmsley。　　Out　of　the　tilted　aisles

of　the　dim　wood　they　came　hollowly；　they　chirped　and

buzzed　from　the　parched　grass；　they　trilled　from　the

ripples　of　the　creek　ford；　they　floated　up　in　clear

Pan's　pipe　notes　from　the　dimming　meadows；　the

whippoorwills　joined　in　as　they　pursued　midges　in　the

upper　air；　slow…going　cow…bells　struck　out　a　homely

accompaniment　　and　this　was　what　each　one　said：

〃You've　found　your　way　back　at　last；　have　you？〃



The　old　voices　of　the　soil　spoke　to　him。　　Leaf　and

bud　and　blossom　conversed　with　him　in　the　old　vocabu…

lary　of　his　careless　youth　…　the　inanimate　things；　the

familiar　stones　and　rails；　the　gates　and　furrows　and

roofs　and　turns　of　the　road　had　an　eloquence；　too；　and

a　power　in　the　transformation。　　The　country　had

smiled　and　he　had　felt　the　breath　of　it；　and　his　heart

was　drawn　as　if　in　a　moment　back　to　his　old　love。

The　city　was　far　away。



This　rural　atavism；　then；　seized　Robert　Walmsley

and　possessed　him。　　A　queer　thing　he　noticed　in　con…

nection　with　it　was　that　Alicia；　sitting　at　his　side；

suddenly　seemed　to　him　a　stranger。　　She　did　not　be…

long　to　this　recurrent　phase。　　Never　before　had　she

seemed　so　remote；　so　colorless　and　high　…　so　intan…

gible　and　unreal。　　And　yet　he　had　never　admired　her

more　than　when　she　sat　there　by　him　in　the　rickety

spring　wagon；　chiming　no　more　with　his　mood　and

with　her　environment　than　the　Matterhorn　chimes

with　a　peasant's　cabbage　garden。



That　night　when　the　greetings　and　the　supper　were

over；　the　entire　family；　including　Buff；　the　yellow　dog；

bestrewed　itself　upon　the　front　porch。　　Alicia；　not

haughty　but　silent；　sat　in　the　shadow　dressed　in　an

exquisite　pale…gray　tea　gown。　　Robert's　mother　dis…

coursed　to　her　happily　concerning　marmalade　and

lumbago。　　Tom　sat　on　the　top　step；　Sisters　Millie

and　Pam　on　the　lowest　step　to　catch　the　lightning

bugs。　　Mother　had　the　willow　rocker。　　Father　sat　in

the　big　armchair　with　one　of　its　arms　gone。　　Buff

sprawled　in　the　middle　of　the　porch　in　everybody's

way。　　The　twilight　pixies　and　pucks　stole　forth　un…

seen　and　plunged　other　poignant　shafts　of　memory

into　the　heart　of　Robert。　　A　rural　madness　entered

his　soul。　　The　city　was　far　away。



Father　sat　without　his　pipe；　writhing　in　his　heavy

boots；　a　sacrifice　to　rigid　courtesy。　　Robert　shouted：

〃No；　you　don't！〃　He　fetched　the　pipe　and　lit　it；　be

seized　the　old　gentleman's　boots　and　tore　them　off。

The　last　one　slipped　suddenly；　and　Mr。　Robert

Walmsley；　of　Washington　Square；　tumbled　off　the

porch　backward　with　Buff　on　top　of　him；　bowling

fearfully。　　Tom　laughed　sarcastically。



Robert　tore　off　his　coat　and　vest　and　hurled　them

into　a　lilac　bush。



〃Come　out　here；　you　landlubber；〃　be　cried　to　Tom；

and　I'll　put　grass　seed　on　your　back。　　I　think　you

Called　me　a　'dude'　a　while　ago。　Come　along　and　cut

your　capers。〃



Tom　understood　the　invitation　and　accepted　it　with

delight。　　Three　times　they　wrestled　on　the　grass；

〃side　holds；〃　even　as　the　giants　of　the　mat。　　And

twice　was　Tom　forced　to　bite　grass　at　the　hands　of

the　distinguished　lawyer。　　Dishevelled；　panting；　each

still　boasting　of　his　own　prowess；　they　stumbled　back

to　the　porch。　　Millie　cast　a　pert　reflection　upon　the

qualities　of　a　city　brother。　　In　an　instant　Robert　had

secured　a　horrid　katydid　in　his　fingers　and　bore　down

upon　her。　　Screaming　wildly；　she　fled　up　the　lane；

pursued　by　the　avenging　glass　of　form。　　A　quarter

of　a　mile　and　they　returned；　she　full　of　apology　to

the　victorious　〃　dude。〃　The　rustic　mania　possessed

him　unabatedly。



I　can　do　up　a　cowpenful　of　you　slow　hayseeds；〃

he　proclaimed；　vaingloriously。　　〃Bring　on　your　bull…

dogs；　your　hired　men　and　your　log…rollers。〃



He　turned　handsprings　on　the　grass　that　prodded

Tom　to　envious　sarcasm。　　And　then；　with　a　whoop；

he　clattered　to　the　rear　and　brought　back　Uncle　like；

a　battered　colored　retainer　of　the　family；　with　his

banjo；　and　strewed　sand　on　the　porch　and　danced

〃Chicken　in　the　Bread　Tray〃　and　did　buck…and…

wing　wonders　for　half　an　hour　longer。　　Incredibly；

wild　and　boisterous　things　he　did。　　He　sang；　he　told

stories　that　set　all　but　one　shrieking；　he　played　the

yokel；　the　humorous　clodhopper；　he　was　mad；　and

with　the　revival　of　the　old　life　in　his　blood。

He　became　so　extravagant　that　once　his　mother

sought　gently　to　reprove　him。　　Then　Alicia　moved　as

though　she　were　about　to　speak；　but　she　did　not。

Through　it　all　she　sat　immovable；　a　slim；　white　spirit

in　the　dusk　that　no　man　might　question　or　read。



By　and　by　she　asked　permission　to　ascend　to　her

room；　saying　that　she　was　tired。　　On　her　way　she

passed　Robert。　　He　was　standing　in　the　door；　the

figure　of　vulgar　comedy；　with　ruffled　hair；　reddened

face　and　unpardonable　confusion　of　attire　　no　trace

there　of　the　immaculate　Robert　Walmsley；　the　courted

clubman　and　ornament　of　select　circles。　　He　was　do…

ing　a　conjuring　trick　with　some　household　utensils；

and　the　family；　now　won　over　to　him　without　excep…

tion；　was　beholding　him　with　worshipful　admiration。



As　Alicia　passed　in　Robert　started　suddenly。　　He

had　forgotten　for　the　moment　that　she　was　present。



Without　a　glance　at　him　she　went　on　upstairs。



After　that　the　fun　grew　quiet。　　An　hour　passed

in　talk；　and　then　Robert　went　up　himself。



She　was　standing　by　the　window　when　he　entered

their　room。　　She　was　still　clothed　as　when　they　were

on　the　porch。　　Outside　and　crowding　against　the

window　was　a　giant　apple　tree；　full　blossomed。



Robert　sighed　and　went　near　the　window。　　He　was

ready　to　meet　his　fate。　　A　confessed　vulgarian；　he

foresaw　the　verdict　of　justice　in　the　shape　of　that

whiteclad　form。　　He　knew　the　rigid　lines　that　a

Van　Der　Pool　would　draw。　　He　was　a　peasant　gam…

bolling　indecorously　in　the　valley；　and　the　pure；　cold；

white；　unthawed　summit　of　the　Matterhorn　could　not

but　frown　on　him。　　He　had　been　unmasked　by　his

own　actions。　　All　the　polish；　the　poise；　the　form　that

the　city　had　given　him　had　fallen　from　him　like　an

ill…fitting　mantle　at　the　first　breath　of　a　country

breeze。　　Dully　be　awaited　the　approaching　condemna…

tion。



〃Robert；〃　said　the　calm；　cool　voice　of　his　judge；

〃I　thought　I　married　a　gentleman。〃



Yes；　it　was　coming。　　And　yet；　in　the　face　of　it；

Robert　Walmsley　was　eagerly　regarding　a　certain

branch　of　the　apple　tree　upon　which　be　used　to　climb

out　of　that　very　window。　　He　believed　he　could　do　it

now。　　He　wondered　bow　many　blossoms　there　were

on　the　tree　　ten　millions？　　But　here　was　some　one

speaking　again：



〃I　thought　I　married　a　gentleman；〃　the　voice

went　on；　〃but　　〃



Why　had　she　come　and　was　standing　so　close　by

his　side？



〃But　I　find　that　I　have　married〃　　　was　this

Alicia　talking？　　〃something　better　　a　man　

Bob；　dear；　kiss　me；　won't　you？〃



The　city　was　far　away。









THE　SHOCKS　OF　DOOM





Here　is　an　aristocracy　of　the　public　parks　and

even　of　the　vagabonds　who　use　them　for　their　private

apartments。　　Vallance　felt　rather　than　knew　this；

but　when　he　stepped　down　out　of　his　world　into

chaos　his　feet　brought　him　directly　to　Madison

Square。



Raw　and　astringent　as　a　schoolgirl　　of　the　old

order　　young　May　breathed　austerely　among　the

budding　trees。　　Vallance　buttoned　his　coat；　lighted

his　last　cigarette　and　took　his　seat　upon　a　bench。

For　three　minutes　be　mildly　regretted　the　last　hundred

of　his　last　thousand　that　it　had　cost　him　when　the

bicycle　cop　put　an　end　to　his　last　automobile　ride。

Then　he　felt　in　every　pocket　and　found　not　a

single　penny。　　He　had　given　up　his　apartment　that

morning。　　His　furniture　had　gone　toward　certain

debts。　　His　clothes；　save　what　were　upon　him；　had

descended　to　his　man…servant　for　back　wages。　　As　he

sat　there　was　not　in　the　whole　city　for　him　a　bed　or　a

broiled　lobster　or　a　street…car　fare　or　a　carnation　for

buttonhole　unless　be　should　obtain　them　by　spong…

on　his　friends　or　by　false　pretenses。　　Therefore

lie　had　chosen　the　park。



And　all　this　was　because　an　uncle　had　disinherited

him；　and　cut　down　his　allowance　from　liberality　to

nothing。　　And　all　that　was　because　his　nephew　had

disobeyed　him　concerning　a　certain　girl；　who　comes

not　into　this　story　　therefore；　all　readers　who

brush　their　hair　toward　its　roots　may　be　warned　to

read　no　further。　　There　was　another　nephew；　of　a

different　branch；　who　had　once　been　the　prospective

heir　and　favorite。　　Being　without　grace　or　hope；　he

had　long　ago　disappeared　in　the　mire。　　Now　drag…

nets　were　out　for　him；　he　was　to　be　rehabilitated　and

restored。　　And　so　Vallance　fell　grandly　as　Lucifer

to　the　lowest　pit；　joining　the　tattered　ghosts　in　the

little　park。



Sitting　there；　he　leaned　far　back　on　the　hard　bench

and　laughed　a　jet　of　cigarette　smoke　up　to　the　lowest

tree　branches。　　The　sudden　severing　of　all　his　life's

ties　had　brought　him　a　free；　thrilling；　almost　joyous

elation。　　He　felt　precisely　the　sensation　of　the　aero…

naut　when　he　cuts　loose　his　parachute　and　lets　his

balloon　drift　away。



The　hour　was　nearly　ten。　　Not　many　loungers

were　on　the　benches。　　The　park…dweller；　though　a

stubborn　fighter　against　autumnal　coolness；　is　slow

to　attack　the　advance　line　of　spring's　chilly　cohorts。



Then　arose　one　from　a　seat　near　the　leaping　foun…

tain；　and　came　and　sat　himself　at　Vallance's　side。

He　was　either　young　or　old；　cheap　lodging…houses

had　flavored　him　mustily；　razors　and　combs　had

pas