the voice of the city-第2章

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！



life　with　a　deeper　plummet　than　any　millionaire　can

hope　to　cast。



It　seems　that　the　wise　executive　power　that　rules

life　has　thought　best　to　drill　man　in　these　three　con…

ditions；　and　none　may　escape　all　three。　　In　rural

places　the　terms　do　not　mean　so　much。　　Poverty　is

less　pinching；　love　is　temperate；　war　shrinks　to　con…

tests　about　boundary　lines　and　the　neighbors'　hens。

It　is　in　the　cities　that　our　epigram　gains　in　truth　and

vigor；　and　it　has　remained　for　one　John　Hopkins　to

crowd　the　experience　into　a　rather　small　space　of

time。



The　Hopkins　flat　was　like　a　thousand　others。

There　was　a　rubber　plant　in　one　window；　a　flea…

bitten　terrier　sat　in　the　other；　wondering　when　he

was　to　have　his　day。



John　Hopkins　was　like　a　thousand　others。　　He

worked　at　20　per　week　in　a　nine…story；　red…brick

building　at　either　Insurance；　Buckle's　Hoisting　En…

gines；　Chiropody；　Loans；　Pulleys；　Boas　Renovated；

Waltz　Guaranteed　in　Five　Lessons；　or　Artificial

Limbs。　　It　is　not　for　us　to　wring　Mr。　Hopkins's　avo…

cation　from　these　outward　signs　that　be。



Mrs。　Hopkins　was　like　a　thousand　others。　　The

auriferous　tooth；　the　sedentary　disposition；　the　Sun…

day　afternoon　wanderlust；　the　draught　upon　the

delicatessen　store　for　home…made　comforts；　the

furor　for　department　store　marked…down　sales；　the

feeling　of　superiority　to　the　lady　in　the　third…floor

front　who　wore　genuine　ostrich　tips　and　had　two

names　over　her　bell；　the　mucilaginous　hours　during

which　she　remained　glued　to　the　window　sill；　the　vigi…

lant　avoidance　of　the　instalment　man；　the　tireless

patronage　of　the　acoustics　of　the　dumb…waiter　shaft

…　all　the　attributes　of　the　Gotham　flat…dweller　were

hers。



One　moment　yet　of　sententiousness　and　the　story

moves。



In　the　Big　City　large　and　sudden　things　happen。

You　round　a　corner　and　thrust　the　rib　of　your　um…

brella　into　the　eye　of　your　old　friend　from　Kootenai

Falls。　　You　stroll　out　to　pluck　a　Sweet　William　in　the

park　…　and　lo！　bandits　attack　you　…　you　are　am…

bulanced　to　the　hospital　…　you　marry　your　nurse；

are　divorced　…　get　squeezed　while　short　on　U。　P。　S。

and　D。　0。　W。　N。　S。　…　stand　in　the　bread　line　…　marry

an　heiress；　take　out　your　laundry　and　pay　your　club

dues　…　seemingly　all　in　the　wink　of　an　eye。　　You

travel　the　streets；　and　a　finger　beckons　to　you；　a

handkerchief　is　dropped　for　you；　a　brick　is　dropped

upon　you；　the　elevator　cable　or　your　bank　breaks；　a

table　d'hote　or　your　wife　disagrees　with　you；　and　Fate

tosses　you　about　like　cork　crumbs　in　wine　opened　by

an　un…feed　waiter。　　The　City　is　a　sprightly　young…

ster；　and　you　are　red　paint　upon　its　toy；　and　you　get

licked　off。



John　Hopkins　sat；　after　a　compressed　dinner；　in

his　glove…fitting　straight…front　flat。　　He　sat　upon　a

hornblende　couch　and　gazed；　with　satiated　eyes；　at

Art　Brought　Home　to　the　People　in　the　shape　of

〃The　Storm　〃　tacked　against　the　wall。　Mrs。　Hop…

kins　discoursed　droningly　of　the　dinner　smells　from

the　flat　across　the　ball。　　The　flea…bitten　terrier　gave

Hopkins　a　look　of　disgust；　and　showed　a　man…hating

tooth。



Here　was　neither　poverty；　love；　nor　war；　but　upon

such　barren　stems　may　be　grafted　those　essentials　of

a　complete　life。



John　Hopkins　sought　to　inject　a　few　raisins　of

conversation　into　the　tasteless　dough　of　existence。



〃Putting　a　new　elevator　in　at　the　office；〃　he　said；

discarding　the　nominative　noun；　〃and　the　boss　has

turned　out　his　whiskers。〃



〃You　don't　mean　it！　　commented　Mrs。　Hopkins。



〃Mr。　Whipples；〃　continued　John；　〃wore　his　new

spring　suit　down　to…day。　I　liked　it　fine　It's　a　gray

with　…　〃　He　stopped；　suddenly　stricken　by　a　need

that　made　itself　known　to　him。　　〃I　believe　I'll　walk

down　to　the　corner　and　get　a　five…cent　cigar；〃he

concluded。



John　Hopkins　took　his　bat　aid　picked　his　way

down　the　musty　halls　and　stairs　of　the　flat…house



The　evening　air　was　mild；　and　the　streets　shrill

with　the　careless　cries　of　children　playing　games　con…

trolled　by　mysterious　rhythms　and　phrases。　　Their

elders　held　the　doorways　and　steps　with　leisurely　pipe

and　gossip。　　Paradoxically；　the　fire…escapes　sup…

ported　lovers　in　couples　who　made　no　attempt　to　fly

the　mounting　conflagration　they　were　there　to　fan。

The　corner　cigar　store　aimed　at　by　John　Hopkins

was　kept　by　a　man　named　Freshmayer；　who　looked

upon　the　earth　as　a　sterile　promontory。



Hopkins；　unknown　in　the　store；　entered　and　called

genially　for　his　〃bunch　of　spinach；　car…fare　grade。〃

This　imputation　deepened　the　pessimism　of　Fresh…

mayer；　but　be　set　out　a　brand　that　came　perilously

near　to　filling　the　order。　　Hopkins　bit　off　the　roots　of

his　purchase；　and　lighted　up　at　the　swinging　gas

jet。　　Feeling　in　his　pockets　to　make　payment；　he

found　not　a　penny　there。



〃Say；　my　friend；〃　he　explained；　frankly；　〃I've

come　out　without　any　change。　　Hand　you　that　nickel

first　time　I　pass。〃



Joy　surged　in　Freshmayer's　heart。　　Here　was　cor…

roboration　of　his　belief　that　the　world　was　rotten　and

man　a　peripatetic　evil。　　Without　a　word　he　rounded

the　end　of　his　counter　and　made　earnest　onslaught

upon　his　customer。　　Hopkins　was　no　man　to　serve　as

a　punching…bag　for　a　pessimistic　tobacconist。　　He

quickly　bestowed　upon　Freshmayer　a　Colorado…

maduro　eye　in　return　for　the　ardent　kick　that　be

received　from　that　dealer　in　goods　for　cash　only。



The　impetus　of　the　enemy's　attack　forced　the

Hopkins　line　back　to　the　sidewalk。　　There　the　con…

flict　raged；　the　pacific　wooden　Indian；　with　his

carven　smile；　was　overturned；　and　those　of　the　street

who　delighted　in　carnage　pressed　round　to　view　the

zealous　joust。



But　then　came　the　inevitable　cop　and　imminent

convenience　for　both　the　attacker　and　attacked。

John　Hopkins　was　a　peaceful　citizen；　who　worked　at

rebuses　of　nights　in　a　flat；　but　be　was　not　without　the

fundamental　spirit　of　resistance　that　comes　with　the

battle…rage。　　He　knocked　the　policeman　into　a　gro…

cer's　sidewalk　display　of　goods　and　gave　Freshmayer

a　punch　that　caused　him　temporarily　to　regret　that

he　had　not　made　it　a　rule　to　extend　a　five…cent　line

of　credit　to　certain　customers。　　Then　Hopkins　took

spiritedly　to　his　heels　down　the　sidewalk；　closely　fol…

lowed　by　the　cigar…dealer　and　the　policeman；　whose

uniform　testified　to　the　reason　in　the　grocer's　sign

that　read：　〃Eggs　cheaper　than　anywhere　else　in

the　city。〃



As　Hopkins　ran　he　became　aware　of　a　big；　low；

red；　racing　automobile　that　kept　abreast　of　him　in

the　street。　　This　auto　steered　in　to　the　side　of　the

sidewalk；　and　the　man　guiding　it　motioned　to　Hopkins

to　jump　into　it。　　He　did　so　without　slackening　his

speed；　and　fell　into　the　turkey…red　upholstered　seat

beside　the　chauffeur。　　The　big　machine；　with　a　dimin…

uendo　cough；　flew　away　like　an　albatross　down　the

avenue　into　which　the　street　emptied。



The　driver　of　the　auto　sped　his　machine　without　a

word。　　He　was　masked　beyond　guess　in　the　goggles

and　diabolic　garb　of　the　chauffeur。



〃Much　obliged；　old　man；〃　called　　Hopkins；　grate…

fully。　　〃I　guess　you've　got　sporting　blood　in　you；

all　right；　and　don't　admire　the　sight　of　two　men

trying　to　soak　one。　　Little　more　and　I'd　have　been

pinched。〃



The　chauffeur　made　no　sign　that　he　had　heard。

Hopkins　shrugged　a　shoulder　and　chewed　at　his

cigar；　to　which　his　teeth　had　clung　grimly　through…

out　the　melee。



Ten　minutes　and　the　auto　turned　into　the　open

carriage　entrance　of　a　noble　mansion　of　brown　stone；

and　stood　still。　　The　chauffeur　leaped　out；　and　said：

〃Come　quick。　　The　lady；　she　will　explain。　　It　is

the　great　honor　you　will　have；　monsieur。　　Ah；　that

milady　could　call　upon　Armand　to　do　this　thing！

But；　no；　I　am　only　one　chauffeur。〃



With　vehement　gestures　the　chauffeur　conducted

Hopkins　into　the　house。　　He　was　ushered　into　a　small

but　luxurious　reception　chamber。　　A　lady；　young；　and

possessing　the　beauty　of　visions；　rose　from　a　chair。

In　her　eyes　smouldered　a　becoming　anger。　　Her　high…

arched；　threadlike　brows　were　ruffled　into　a　delicious

frown。



〃Milady；〃　said　the　chauffeur；　bowing　low；　〃I　have

the　honor　to　relate　to　you　that　I　went　to　the　house　of

Monsieur　Long　and　found　him　to　be　not　at　home。　　As

I　came　back　I　see　this　gentleman　in　combat　against

bow　you　say　…　greatest　odds。　　He　is　fighting　with

five　…　ten　…　thirty　men　…　gendarmes；　aussi。　　Yes；

milady；　he　what　you　call　'swat'　one　…　three　…　eight

policemans。　　If　that　Monsieur　Long　is　out　I　say　to

myself　this　Gentleman　be　will　serve　milady　so　well；　and

I　bring　him　here。〃



〃Very　well；　Armand；〃　said　the　lady；　〃you　may

go。〃　She　turned　to　Hopkins。



〃I　sent　my　chauffeur；〃　she　said；　〃to　bring　my

cousin；　Walter　Long。　　There　is　a　man　in　this　house

who　has　treated　me　with　insult　and　abuse。　　I　have

complained　to　my　aunt；　and　she　laughs　at　me。　　Ar…

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？〃