the voice of the city- 第26部分

Norcross　murder。



〃You　the　editor？　　。　　。　　。　　All　right。　　。　　。　　。　　I

am　the　man　who　killed　old　Norcross　　。　　。　　。　　Wait！

Hold　the　wire；　I'm　not　the　usual　crank　　。　　。　　。　　oh；

there　isn't　the　slightest　danger。　　I've　just　been　dis…

cussing　it　with　a　detective　friend　of　mine。　　I　killed

the　old　man　at　2：30　A。　M。　two　weeks　ago　to…

morrow。　　。　　。　　。　　Have　a　drink　with　you？　Now；

hadn't　you　better　leave　that　kind　of　talk　to　your

funny　man？　　Can't　you　tell　whether　a　man's　guying

you　or　whether　you're　being　offered　the　biggest　scoop

your　dull　dishrag　of　a　paper　ever　had？　　。　　。　　。　　

Well；　that's　so；　it's　a　bobtail　scoop　　but　you　can

hardly　expect　me　to　'phone　in　my　name　and　address。



。　　。　　。　　Why？　Oh；　because　I　beard　you　make　a

specialty　of　solving　mysterious　crimes　that　stump　the

police。　　。　　。　　。　　No；　that's　not　all。　　I　want　to　tell

you　that　your　rotten；　lying；　penny　sheet　is　of　no　more

use　in　tracking　an　intelligent　murderer　or　highway…

man　than　a　blind　poodle　would　be。　　。　　。　　。　　What？

。　　。　　。　　Oh；　no；　this　isn't　a　rival　newspaper　office；

you're　getting　it　straight。　　I　did　the　Norcross　job；

and　I've　got　the　jewels　in　my　suit　case　at　　'the

name　of　the　hotel　could　not　be　learned'　　you　recog…

nize　that　phrase；　don't　you？　　I　thought　so。　　You've

used　it　often　enough。　　Kind　of　rattles　you；　doesn't

it；　to　have　the　mysterious　villain　call　up　your　great；

big；　all…powerful　organ　of　right　and　justice　and　good

government　and　tell　you　what　a　helpless　old　gas…bag

you　are？　　。　　。　　。　　Cut　that　out；　you're　not　that　big

a　fool　　no；　you　don't　think　I'm　a　fraud。　　I　can　tell

it　by　your　voice。　　。　　。　　。　　Now；　listen；　and　I'll　give

you　a　pointer　that　will　prove　it　to　you。　　Of　course

you've　had　this　murder　case　worked　over　by　your　staff

of　bright　young　blockheads。　　Half　of　the　second　but…

ton　on　old　Mrs。　Norcross's　nightgown　is　broken　off。

I　saw　it　when　I　took　the　garnet　ring　off　her　finger。

I　thought　it　was　a　ruby。　　。　　。　　。　　　Stop　that！　　it

won't　work。〃



Kernan　turned　to　Woods　with　a　diabolic　smile。



〃I've　got　him　going。　　He　believes　me　now。　　He

didn't　quite　cover　the　transmitter　with　his　hand　when

he　told　somebody　to　call　up　Central　on　another　'phone

and　get　our　number。　　I'll　give　him　just　one　more　dig；

and　then　we'll　make　a　'get…away。'



〃Hello！　　。　　。　　。　　Yes。　　I'm　here　yet。　You

didn't　think　　I'd　run　from　such　a　little　subsidized；　turn…

coat　rag　of　a　newspaper；　did　you？　　。　　。　　。　　Have

me　inside　of　forty…eight　hours？　　Say；　will　you　quit

being　funny？　　Now；　you　let　grown　men　alone　and　at…

tend　to　your　business　of　hunting　up　divorce　cases

and　street…car　accidents　and　printing　the　filth　and

scandal　that　you　make　your　living　by。　　Good…by；　old

boy　　sorry　I　haven't　time　to　call　on　you。　　I'd　feel

perfectly　safe　in　your　sanctum　asinorum。　　Tra…la！〃



〃He's　as　mad　as　a　cat　that's　lost　a　mouse；〃　　said

Kernan；　hanging　up　the　receiver　and　coming　out。



〃And　now；　Barney；　my　boy；　we'll　go　to　a　show　and

enjoy　ourselves　until　a　reasonable　bedtime。　　Four

hours'　sleep　for　me；　and　then　the　west…bound。〃



The　two　dined　in　a　Broadway　restaurant。　　Kernan

was　pleased　with　himself。　　He　spent　money　like　a

prince　of　fiction。　　And　then　a　weird　and　gorgeous

musical　comedy　engaged　their　attention。　　Afterward

there　was　a　late　supper　in　a　grillroom；　with

champagne；　and　Kernan　at　the　height　of　his　com…

placency。



Half…past　three　in　the　morning　found　them　in　a

corner　of　an　all…night　cafe；　Kernan　still　boasting　in

a　vapid　and　rambling　way；　Woods　thinking　moodily

over　the　end　that　had　come　to　his　usefulness　as　an

upholder　of　the　law。



But；　as　he　pondered；　his　eye　brightened　with　a

speculative　light。



〃I　wonder　if　it's　possible；〃　be　said　to　himself；　〃I

won…der　if　it's　pos…si…ble！



And　then　outside　the　cafe　the　comparative　stillness

of　the　early　morning　was　punctured　by　faint；　uncer…

tain　cries　that　seemed　mere　fireflies　of　sound；　some

growing　louder；　some　fainter；　waxing　and　waning

amid　the　rumble　of　milk　wagons　and　infrequent　cars。

Shrill　cries　they　were　when　near　　well…known　cries

that　conveyed　many　meanings　to　the　ears　of　those　of

the　slumbering　millions　of　the　great　city　who　waked

to　hear　them。　　Cries　that　bore　upon　their　significant；

small　volume　the　weight　of　a　world's　woe　and　laugh…

ter　and　delight　and　stress。　　To　some；　cowering　be…

neath　the　protection　of　a　night's　ephemeral　cover；

they　brought　news　of　the　hideous；　bright　day；　to

others；　wrapped　in　happy　sleep；　they　announced　a

morning　that　would　dawn　blacker　than　sable　night。

To　many　of　the　rich　they　brought　a　besom　to　sweep

away　what　had　been　theirs　while　the　stars　shone；　to

the　poor　they　brought　　another　day。



All　over　the　city　the　cries　were　starting　up；　keen

and　sonorous；　heralding　the　chances　that　the　slip…

ping　of　one　cogwheel　in　the　machinery　of　time　had

made；　apportioning　to　the　sleepers　while　they　lay

at　the　mercy　of　fate；　the　vengeance；　profit；　grief；

reward　and　doom　that　the　new　figure　in　the　calen…

dar　had　brought　them。　　Shrill　and　yet　plaintive

were　the　cries；　as　if　the　young　voices　grieved　that　so

much　evil　and　so　little　good　was　in　their　irresponsible

hands。　　Thus　echoed　in　the　streets　of　the　helpless

city　the　transmission　of　the　latest　decrees　of　the　gods；

the　cries　of　the　newsboys　　the　Clarion　Call　of　the

Press。



Woods　flipped　a　dime　to　the　waiter；　and　said：

〃Get　me　a　Morning　Mars。〃



When　the　paper　came　he　glanced　at　its　first　page；

and　then　tore　a　leaf　out　of　his　memorandum　book

and　began　to　write　on　it　with　the　little　old　pencil。



〃What's　the　news？〃'　yawned　Kernan。



Woods　flipped　over　to　him　the　piece　of　writing：



〃The　New　York　Morning　Mars：



〃Please　pay　to　the　order　of　John　Kernan　the　one　thousand

dollars　reward　coming　to　me　for　his　arrest　and　conviction。



〃BARNARD　WOODS。〃





〃I　kind　of　thought　they　would　do　that；〃　said

Woods；　〃when　you　were　jollying　them　so　hard。　　Now；

Johnny；　you'll　come　to　the　police　station　with　me。〃









　　　　　　　EXTRADITED　FROM　BOHEMIA





From　near　the　village　of　Harmony；　at　the　foot

of　the　Green　Mountains；　came　Miss　Medora　Martin

to　New　York　with　her　color…box　and　easel。



Miss　Medora　resembled　the　rose　which　the　autum…

nal　frosts　had　spared　the　longest　of　all　her　sister

blossoms。　　In　Harmony；　when　she　started　alone　to

the　wicked　city　to　study　art；　they　said　she　was　a　mad；

reckless；　headstrong　girl。　　In　New　York；　when　she

first　took　her　seat　at　a　West　Side　boardinghouse

table；　the　boarders　asked：　〃Who　is　the　nice…looking

old　maid？〃



Medora　took　heart；　a　cheap　hall　bedroom　and　two

art　lessons　a　week　from　Professor　Angelini；　a　retired

barber　who　had　studied　his　profession　in　a　Harlem

dancing　academy。　　There　was　no　one　to　set　her　right；

for　here　in　the　big　city　they　do　it　unto　all　of　us。

How　many　of　us　are　badly　shaved　daily　and　taught

the　two…step　imperfectly　by　ex…pupils　of　Bastien　Le

Page　and　Gerome？　　The　most　pathetic　sight　in　New

York　　except　the　manners　of　the　rush…hour　crowds

　is　the　dreary　march　of　the　hopeless　army　of　Me…

diocrity。　　Here　Art　is　no　benignant　goddess；　but

a　Circe　who　turns　her　wooers　into　mewing　Toms　and

Tabbies　who　linger　about　the　doorsteps　of　her　abode；

unmindful　of　the　flying　brickbats　and　boot…jacks　of

the　critics。　　Some　of　us　creep　back　to　our　native　vil…

lages　to　the　skim…milk　of　〃I　told　you　so〃；　but　most

of　us　prefer　to　remain　in　the　cold　courtyard　of　our

mistress's　temple；　snatching　the　scraps　that　fall　from

her　divine　table　d'hote。　　But　some　of　us　grow　weary

at　last　of　the　fruitless　service。　　And　then　there　are

two　fates　open　to　us。　　We　can　get　a　job　driving　a

grocer's　wagon；　or　we　can　get　swallowed　up　in　the

Vortex　of　Bohemia。　　The　latter　sounds　good；　but　the

former　really　pans　out　better。　　For；　when　the　grocer

pays　us　off　we　can　rent　a　dress　suit　and　　the　cap…

italized　system　of　humor　describes　it　best　　Get　Bo…

hemia　On　the　Run。



Miss　Medora　chose　the　Vortex　and　thereby　fur…

nishes　us　with　our　little　story。



Professor　Angelini　praised　her　sketches　excessively。

Once　when　she　had　made　a　neat　study　of　a　horse…

chestnut　tree　in　the　park　he　declared　she　would　be…

come　a　second　Rosa　Bonheur。　　Again　　a　great　art…

ist　has　his　moods　　he　would　say　cruel　and　cutting

things。　　For　example；　Medora　had　spent　an　after…

noon　patiently　sketching　the　statue　and　the　archi…

tecture　at　Columbus　Circle。　　Tossing　it　aside　with

a　sneer；　the　professor　informed　her　that　Giotto　had

once　drawn　a　perfect　circle　with　one　sweep　of　his

hand。



One　day　it　rained；　the　weekly　remittance　from　Har…

mony　was　overdue；　Medora　had　a　headache；　the　pro…

fessor　had　tried　to　borrow　two　dollars　from　her；　her

art　dealer　had　sent　back　all　her　water…colors　unsold；

and　　Mr。　　Binkley　asked　her　out　to　dinner。



Mr。　Binkley　was　the　gay　boy　of　the　boarding…

house。　　He　was　forty…nine；　and　owned　a　fishstall　in

a　downtown　market。　　But　after　six　o'clock　he　wore

an　evening　suit　and　whooped　things　up　connected

with　the　beaux　arts。　　The　young　men　said　he　was　an

〃Indian。〃　　He　was　supposed　to　be　an　accomplished

habitue　of　the　inner　circles　of　Bohemia。　　It　was　no

secret　that　he　had　once　loaned　10　to　a　young　man

who　had　had　a　drawing　printed　in　Puck。　　Often　has

one　thus　obtained　his　entree　into　the　charmed　circle；

while　the　other　obtained　both　his　entree　and　roast。



The　other　boarders　enviously　regarded　Medora　as

she　left　at　Mr。　Binkley's　side　at　nine　o'clock。　　She

was　as　sweet　as　a　cluster　of　dried　autumn　grasses

in　her　pale　blue　　oh　　er　　that　very　thin　stuff

　in　her　pale　blue　Comstockized　silk　waist　and　box…

pleated　voile　skirt；　with　a　soft　pink　glow　on　her　thin

cheeks　and　the　tiniest　bit　of　rouge　powder　on　her

face；　with　her　handkerchief　and　room　key　in　her

brown　walrus；　pebble…grain　band…bag。



And　Mr。　Binkley　looked　imposing　and　dashing　with

his　red　face　and　g