the voice of the city- 第30部分

sonic　Temple；　in　Quincy；　Ill。？〃　inquired　another；

dropping　his　nose…glasses。



〃Will　he　spring　one　of　those　Western　Mississippi

River　catfish　stories；　in　which　they　use　yearling

calves　for　bait？〃　demanded　Kirk；　fiercely。



〃Be　comforted；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃He　has　none　of

the　little　vices。　　He　is　a　burglar　and　safe…blower；

and　a　pal　of　mine。〃



〃Oh；　Mary　Ann！〃　said　they。　　〃Must　you　always

adorn　every　statement　with　your　alleged　humor？〃



It　came　to　pass　that　at　eight　in　the　evening　a　calm；

smooth；　brilliant；　affable　man　sat　at　Vuyning's　right

hand　during　dinner。　　And　when　the　ones　who　pass

their　lives　in　city　streets　spoke　of　skyscrapers　or　of

the　little　Czar　on　his　far；　frozen　throne；　or　of　insig…

nificant　fish　from　inconsequential　streams；　this　big；

deep…chested　man；　faultlessly　clothed；　and　eyed　like

an　Emperor；　disposed　of　their　Lilliputian　chatter

with　a　wink　of　his　eyelash。



And　then　he　painted　for　them　with　hard；　broad

strokes　a　marvellous　lingual　panorama　of　the　West。

He　stacked　snow…topped　mountains　on　the　table；

freezing　the　hot　dishes　of　the　waiting　diners。　　With

a　wave　of　his　hand　he　swept　the　clubhouse　into　a

pine…crowned　gorge；　turning　the　waiters　into　a　grim

posse；　and　each　listener　into　a　blood…stained　fugitive；

climbing　with　torn　fingers　upon　the　ensanguined

rocks。　　He　touched　the　table　and　spake；　and　the　five

panted　as　they　gazed　on　barren　lava　beds；　and　each

man　took　his　tongue　between　his　teeth　and　felt　his

mouth　bake　at　the　tale　of　a　land　empty　of　water　and

food。　　As　simply　as　Homer　sang；　while　he　dug　a　tine

of　his　fork　leisurely　into　the　tablecloth；　he　opened　a

new　world　to　their　view；　as　does　one　who　tells　a　child

of　the　Looking…Glass　Country。



As　one　of　his　listeners　might　have　spoken　of　tea

too　strong　at　a　Madison　Square　〃afternoon；〃　so　he

depicted　the　ravages　of　redeye　in　a　border　town

when　the　caballeros　of　the　lariat　and　〃forty…five〃

reduced　ennui　to　a　minimum。



And　then；　with　a　sweep　of　his　white；　unringed

hands；　be　dismissed　Melpomene；　and　forthwith　Diana

and　Amaryllis　footed　it　before　the　mind's　eyes　of

the　clubmen。



The　savannas　of　the　continent　spread　before　them。

The　wind；　humming　through　a　hundred　leagues　of

sage　brush　and　mesquite；　closed　their　ears　to　the

city's　staccato　noises。　　He　told　them　of　camps；　of

ranches　marooned　in　a　sea　of　fragrant　prairie　blos…

soms；　of　gallops　in　the　stilly　night　that　Apollo　would

have　forsaken　his　daytime　steeds　to　enjoy；　he　read

them　the　great；　rough　epic　of　the　cattle　and　the　hills

that　have　not　been　spoiled　by　the　band　of　man；　the

mason。　　His　words　were　a　telescope　to　the　city　men；

whose　eyes　had　looked　upon　Youngstown；　O。；　and

whose　tongues　had　called　it　〃West。〃



In　fact；　Emerson　had　them　〃going。〃



The　next　morning　at　ten　he　met　Vuyning；　by　ap…

pointment；　at　a　Forty…second　Street　cafe。



Emerson　was　to　leave　for　the　West　that　day。　　He

wore　a　suit　of　dark　cheviot　that　looked　to　have　been

draped　upon　him　by　an　ancient　Grecian　tailor　who

was　a　few　thousand　years　ahead　of　the　styles。



〃Mr。　Vuyning；〃　said　he；　with　the　clear；　ingenuous

smile　of　the　successful　〃crook；〃　　it's　up　to　me　to

go　the　limit　for　you　any　time　I　can　do　so。　　You're

the　real　thing；　and　if　I　can　ever　return　the　favor；　you

bet　your　life　I'll　do　it。〃



〃What　was　that　cow…puncher's　name？〃　asked

Vuyning；　〃who　used　to　catch　a　mustang　by　the　nose

and　mane；　and　throw　him　till　he　put　the　bridle　on？〃



〃Bates；〃　said　Emerson。



〃Thanks；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃I　thought　it　was

Yates。　　Oh；　about　that　toggery　business　　I'd　for…

gotten　that。〃



〃I've　been　looking　for　some　guy　to　put　me　on　the

right　track　for　years；〃　said　Emerson。　　〃You're　the

goods；　duty　free；　and　half…way　to　the　warehouse　in　a

red　wagon。〃



〃Bacon；　toasted　on　a　green　willow　switch　over　red

coals；　ought　to　put　broiled　lobsters　out　of　business；〃

said　Vuyning。　　〃And　you　say　a　horse　at　the　end　of　a

thirty…foot　rope　can't　pull　a　ten…inch　stake　out　of　wet

prairie？　　Well；　good…bye；　old　man；　if　you　must

be　off。〃



At　one　o'clock　Vuyning　had　luncheon　with　Miss

Allison　by　previous　arrangement。



For　thirty　minutes　be　babbled　to　her；　unaccount…

ably；　of　ranches；　horses；　cations；　cyclones；　round…ups；

Rocky　Mountains　and　beans　and　bacon。　　She　looked

at　him　with　wondering　and　half…terrified　eyes。



〃I　was　going　to　propose　again　to…day；〃　said　Vuy…

ning；　cheerily；　but　I　won't。　I've　worried　you　often

enough。　　You　know　dad　has　a　ranch　in　Colorado。

What's　the　good　of　staying　here？　　Jumping　jon…

quils！　but　it's　great　out　there。　　I'm　going　to　start

next　Tuesday。〃



〃No；　you　won't；〃　said　Miss　Allison。



〃What？〃　said　Vuyning。



〃Not　alone；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　dropping　a　tear

upon　her　salad。　　〃What　do　you　think？〃



〃Betty！〃　exclaimed　Vuyning；　〃what　do　you

mean？



〃I'll　go　too；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　forcibly。

Vuyning　filled　her　glass　with　Apollinaris。



〃Here's　to　Rowdy　the　Dude！〃　　he　gave　　a　toast

mysterious。



〃Don't　know　him；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　　〃but　if

he's　your　friend；　Jimmy　　here　goes！〃









THE　MEMENTO





Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande　turned　her

back　on　Broadway。　　This　was　but　tit　for　tat；　be…

cause　Broadway　had　often　done　the　same　thing　to

Miss　D'Armande。　　Still；　the　〃tats〃　seemed　to　have

it；　for　the　ex…leading　lady　of　the　〃Reaping　the

Whirlwind〃　company　had　everything　to　ask　of

Broadway；　while　there　was　no　vice…versa。



So　Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande　turned　the　back　of

her　chair　to　her　window　that　overlooked　Broadway；

and　sat　down　to　stitch　in　time　the　lisle…thread　heel

of　a　black　silk　stocking。　　The　tumult　and　glitter　of

the　roaring　Broadway　beneath　her　window　had　no

charm　for　her；　what　she　greatly　desired　was　the

stifling　air　of　a　dressing…room　on　that　fairyland

street　and　the　roar　of　an　audience　gathered　in　that

capricious　quarter。　　In　the　meantime；　those　stock…

ings　must　not　be　neglected。　　Silk　does　wear　out　so；

but　　after　all；　isn't　it　just　the　only　goods　there　is？



The　Hotel　Thalia　looks　on　Broadway　as　Marathon

looks　on　the　sea。　　It　stands　like　a　gloomy　cliff　above

the　whirlpool　where　the　tides　of　two　great　thorough…

fares　clash。　　Here　the　player…bands　gather　at　the　end

of　their　wanderings；　to　loosen　the　buskin　and　dust　the

sock。　　Thick　in　the　streets　around　it　are　booking…

offices；　theatres；　agents；　schools；　and　the　lobster…pal…

aces　to　which　those　thorny　paths　lead。

Wandering　through　the　eccentric　halls　of　the　dim

and　fusty　Thalia；　you　seem　to　have　found　yourself

in　some　great　ark　or　caravan　about　to　sail；　or　fly；　or

roll　away　on　wheels。　　About　the　house　lingers　a　sense

of　unrest；　of　expectation；　of　transientness；　even　of

anxiety　and　apprehension。　　The　halls　are　a　labyrinth。

Without　a　guide；　you　wander　like　a　lost　soul　in　a

Sam　Loyd　puzzle。



Turning　any　corner；　a　dressing…sack　or　a　cul…de…sac

may　bring　you　up　short。　　You　meet　alarming

tragedians　stalking　in　bath…robes　in　search　of　ru…

mored　bathrooms。　　From　hundreds　of　rooms　come　the

buzz　of　talk；　scraps　of　new　and　old　songs；　and　the

ready　laughter　of　the　convened　players。



Summer　has　come；　their　companies　have　disbanded；

and　they　take　their　rest　in　their　favorite　caravansary；

while　they　besiege　the　managers　for　engagements　for

the　coming　season。



At　this　hour　of　the　afternoon　the　day's　work　of

tramping　the　rounds　of　the　agents'　offices　is　over。

Past　you；　as　you　ramble　distractedly　through　the

mossy　halls；　flit　audible　visions　of　houris；　with　veiled；

starry　eyes；　flying　tag…ends　of　things　and　a　swish　of

silk；　bequeathing　to　the　dull　hallways　an　odor　of

gaiety　and　a　memory　of　frangipanni。　　Serious　young

comedians；　with　versatile　Adam's　apples；　gather　in

doorways　and　talk　of　Booth。　　Far…reaching　from

somewhere　comes　the　smell　of　ham　and　red　cabbage；

and　the　crash　of　dishes　on　the　American　plan。



The　indeterminate　hum　of　life　in　the　Thalia　is

enlivened　by　the　discreet　popping　　at　reasonable

and　salubrious　intervals　　of　beer…bottle　corks。

Thus　punctuated；　life　in　the　genial　hostel　scans　easily

　the　comma　being　the　favorite　mark；　semicolons

frowned　upon；　and　periods　barred。



Miss　D'Armannde's　room　was　a　small　one。　　There

was　room　for　her　rocker　between　the　dresser　and　the

wash…stand　if　it　were　placed　longitudinally。　　On　the

dresser　were　its　usual　accoutrements；　plus　the　ex…lead…

ing　lady's　collected　souvenirs　of　road　engagements

and　photographs　of　her　dearest　and　best　professional

friends。



At　one　of　these　photographs　she　looked　twice　or

thrice　as　she　darned；　and　smiled　friendlily。



〃I'd　like　to　know　where　Lee　is　just　this　minute；〃

she　said；　half…aloud。



If　you　had　been　privileged　to　view　the　photograph

thus　flattered；　you　would　have　thought　at　the　first

glance　that　you　saw　the　picture　of　a　many…petalled

white　flower；　blown　through　the　air　by　a　storm。　　But

the　floral　kingdom　was　not　responsible　for　that　swirl

of　petalous　whiteness。



You　saw　the　filmy；　brief　skirt　of　Miss　Rosalie　Ray

as　she　made　a　complete　heels…over…head　turn　in　her

wistaria…entwined　swing；　far　out　from　the　stage；　high

above　the　heads　of　the　audience。　　You　saw　the　cam…

era's　inadequate　representation　of　the　graceful；

strong　kick；　with　which　she；　at　this　exciting　moment；

sent　flying；　high　and　far；　the　yellow　silk　garter　that

each　evening　spun　from　her　agile　limb　and　descended

upon　the　delighted　audience　below。



You　saw；　too；　amid　the　black…clothed；　mainly　mas…

culine　patrons　of　select　vaudeville　a　hundred　hands

raised　with　the　hope　of　staying　the　flight　of　the　bril…

liant　aerial　token。



Forty　weeks　of　the　best　circuits　this　act　had

brought　Miss　Rosalie　Ray；　for　each　of　two　years。

She　did　other　things　during　her　twelve　minutes　　a

song　and　dance；　imitations　of　two　or　three　actors　who

are　but　imitations　of　themselves；　and　a　balancing

feat　with　a　step…lad