the voice of the city- 第31部分

song　and　dance；　imitations　of　two　or　three　actors　who

are　but　imitations　of　themselves；　and　a　balancing

feat　with　a　step…ladder　and　feather…duster；　but　when

the　blossom…decked　swing　was　let　down　from　the　flies；

and　Miss　Rosalie　sprang　smiling　into　the　seat；　with

the　golden　circlet　conspicuous　in　the　place　whence　it

was　soon　to　slide　and　become　a　soaring　and　coveted

guerdon　　then　it　was　that　the　audience　rose　in　its

seat　as　a　single　man　　or　presumably　so　　and　in…

dorsed　the　specialty　that　made　Miss　Ray's　name　a

favorite　in　the　booking…offices。



At　the　end　of　the　two　years　Miss　Ray　suddenly　an…

nounced　to　her　dear　friend；　Miss　D'Armande；　that

she　was　going　to　spend　the　summer　at　an　antediluvian

village　on　the　north　shore　of　Long　Island；　and　that

the　stage　would　see　her　no　more。



Seventeen　minutes　after　Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande

had　expressed　her　wish　to　know　the　whereabouts　of

her　old　chum；　there　were　sharp　raps　at　her　door。



Doubt　not　that　it　was　Rosalie　Ray。　　At　the　shrill

command　to　enter　she　did　so；　with　something　of　a

tired　flutter；　and　dropped　a　heavy　hand…bag　on　the

floor。　　Upon　my　word；　it　was　Rosalie；　in　a　loose；

travel…stained　automobileless　coat；　closely　tied　brown

veil　with　yard…long；　flying　ends；　gray　walking…suit　and

tan　oxfords　with　lavender　overgaiters。



When　she　threw　off　her　veil　and　hat；　you　saw　a

pretty　enough　face；　now　flushed　and　disturbed　by

some　unusual　emotion；　and　restless；　large　eyes　with

discontent　marring　their　brightness。　　A　heavy　pile

of　dull　auburn　hair；　hastily　put　up；　was　escaping　in

crinkly；　waving　strands　and　curling；　small　locks　from

the　confining　combs　and　pins。



The　meeting　of　the　two　was　not　marked　by　the

effusion　vocal；　gymnastical；　osculatory　and　catecheti…

cal　that　distinguishes　the　greetings　of　their　unpro…

fessional　sisters　in　society。　　There　was　a　brief　clinch；

two　simultaneous　labial　dabs　and　they　stood　on　the

same　footing　of　the　old　days。　　Very　much　like　the

short　salutations　of　soldiers　or　of　travellers　in　for…

eign　wilds　are　the　welcomes　between　the　strollers　at

the　corners　of　their　crisscross　roads。



〃I've　got　the　hall…room　two　flights　up　above

yours；〃　said　Rosalie；　〃but　I　came　straight　to　see　you

before　going　up。　　I　didn't　know　you　were　here　till

they　told　me。〃



〃I've　been　in　since　the　last　of　April；〃　said　Lyn…

nette。　　〃And　I'm　going　on　the　road　with　a　'Fatal

Inheritance'　company。　　We　open　next　week　in　Eliz…

abeth。　　I　thought　you'd　quit　the　stage；　Lee。　　Tell

me　about　yourself。〃



Rosalie　settled　herself　with　a　skilful　wriggle　on

the　top　of　Miss　D'Armande's　wardrobe　trunk；　and

leaned　her　head　against　the　papered　wall。　　From

long　habit；　thus　can　peripatetic　leading　ladies

and　their　sisters　make　themselves　as　comfort。

able　as　though　the　deepest　armchairs　embraced　them。



〃I'm　going　to　tell　you；　Lynn；〃　she　said；　with　a

strangely　sardonic　and　yet　carelessly　resigned　look

on　her　youthful　face。　　〃And　then　to…morrow　I'll

strike　the　old　Broadway　trail　again；　and　wear　some

more　paint　off　the　chairs　in　the　agents'　offices。　　If

anybody　had　told　me　any　time　in　the　last　three　months

up　to　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　that　I'd　ever　listen

to　that　'Leave…your…name…and…address'　rot　of　the

booking　bunch　again；　I'd　have　given　'em　the　real　Mrs。

Fiske　laugh。　　Loan　me　a　handkerchief；　Lynn。　　Gee！

but　those　Long　Island　trains　are　fierce。　　I've　got

enough　soft…coal　cinders　on　my　face　to　go　on　and　play

Topsy　without　using　the　cork。　And；　speaking　of

corks　　got　anything　to　drink；　Lynn？〃



Miss　D'Armande　opened　a　door　of　the　wash…stand

and　took　out　a　bottle。



〃There's　nearly　a　pint　of　Manhattan。　　There's　a

cluster　of　carnations　in　the　drinking　glass；　but　　〃



〃Oh；　pass　the　bottle。　　Save　the　glass　for　com…

pany。　　Thanks！　　That　hits　the　spot。　　The　same　to

you。　　My　first　drink　in　three　months！〃



〃Yes；　Lynn；　I　quit　the　stage　at　the　end　of　last

season。　　I　quit　it　because　I　was　sick　of　the　life。　　And

especially　because　my　heart　and　soul　were　sick　of　men

of　the　kind　of　men　we　stage　people　have　to　be　up

against。　　You　know　what　the　game　is　to　us　　it's　a

fight　against　'em　all　the　way　down　the　line　from　the

manager　who　wants　us　to　try　his　new　motor…car　to　the

bill…posters　who　want　to　call　us　by　our　front　names。



〃And　the　men　we　have　to　meet　after　the　show　are

the　worst　of　all。　　The　stage…door　kind；　and　the　man…

ager's　friends　who　take　us　to　supper　and　show　their

diamonds　and　talk　about　seeing　'Dan'　and　'Dave'

and　'Charlie'　for　us。　　They're　beasts；　and　I　hate　'em。



〃I　tell　you；　Lynn；　it's　the　girls　like　us　on　the　stage

that　ought　to　be　pitied。　　It's　girls　from　good　homes

that　are　honestly　ambitious　and　work　hard　to　rise　in

the　profession；　but　never　do　get　there。　　You　bear　a

lot　of　sympathy　sloshed　around　on　chorus　girls　and

their　fifteen　dollars　a　week。　　Piffle！　　There　ain't　a

sorrow　in　the　chorus　that　a　lobster　cannot　heal。



〃If　there's　any　tears　to　shed；　let　'em　fall　for　the

actress　that　gets　a　salary　of　from　thirty　to　forty…five

dollars　a　week　for　taking　a　leading　part　in　a　bum

show。　　She　knows　she'll　never　do　any　better；　but　she

hangs　on　for　years；　hoping　for　the　'chance　I　that

never　comes。



〃And　the　fool　plays　we　have　to　work　in！　　Having

another　girl　roll　you　around　the　stage　by　the　hind　legs

in　a　'Wheelbarrow　Chorus'　in　a　musical　comedy　is

dignified　drama　compared　with　the　idiotic　things　I've

had　to　do　in　the　thirty…centers。



〃But　what　I　hated　most　was　the　men　　the　men

leering　and　blathering　at　you　across　tables；　trying

to　buy　you　with　Wurzburger　or　Extra　Dry；　accord…

ing　to　their　estimate　of　your　price。　　And　the　men　in

the　audiences；　clapping；　yelling；　snarling；　crowding；

writhing；　gloating　　like　a　lot　of　wild　beasts；　with

their　eyes　fixed　on　you；　ready　to　eat　you　up　if　you

come　in　reach　of　their　claws。　　Oh；　how　I　hate　'em！



〃Well；　I'm　not　telling　you　much　about　myself；　am

I；　Lynn　？



〃I　had　two　hundred　dollars　saved　up；　and　I　cut

the　stage　the　first　of　the　summer。　　I　went　over　on

Long　Island　and　found　the　sweetest　little　village　that

ever　was；　called　Soundport；　right　on　the　water。　　I　was

going　to　spend　the　summer　there；　and　study　up　on

elocution；　and　try　to　get　a　class　in　the　fall。　　There

was　an　old　widow　lady　with　a　cottage　near　the　beach

who　sometimes　rented　a　room　or　two　just　for　com…

pany；　and　she　took　me　in。　　She　had　another　boarder；

too　　the　Reverend　Arthur　Lyle。



〃Yes；　he　was　the　head…liner。　　You're　on；　Lynn。

I'll　tell　you　all　of　it　in　a　minute。　It's　only　a　one…act

play。



〃The　first　time　he　walked　on；　Lynn；　I　felt　myself

going；　the　first　lines　he　spoke；　he　had　me。　　He　was

different　from　the　men　in　audiences。　　He　was　tall　and

slim；　and　you　never　heard　him　come　in　the　room；　but

you　felt　him。　　He　had　a　face　like　a　picture　of　a　knight

　like　one　of　that　Round　Table　bunch　　and　a　voice

like　a　'cello　solo。　　And　his　manners！



〃Lynn；　if　you'd　take　John　Drew　in　his　best　draw…

ing…room　scene　and　compare　the　two；　you'd　have　John

arrested　for　disturbing　the　peace。



〃I'll　spare　you　the　particulars；　but　in　less　than　a

month　Arthur　and　I　were　engaged。　　He　preached　at　a

little　one…night　stand　of　a　Methodist　church。　　There

was　to　be　a　parsonage　the　size　of　a　lunch…wagon；　and

hens　and　honeysuckles　when　we　were　married。　　Ar…

thur　used　to　preach　to　me　a　good　deal　about　Heaven；

but　be　never　could　get　my　mind　quite　off　those　honey…

suckles　and　hens。



〃No；　I　didn't　tell　him　I'd　been　on　the　stage。　I

hated　the　business　and　all　that　went　with　it；　I'd

cut　it　out　forever；　and　I　didn't　see　any　use　of　stirring

things　up。　　I　was　a　good　girl；　and　I　didn't　have　any…

thing　to　confess；　except　being　an　elocutionist；　and

that　was　about　all　the　strain　my　conscience　would

stand。



〃Oh；　I　tell　you；　Lynn；　I　was　happy。　　I　sang　in

the　choir　and　attended　the　sewing　society；　and　re…

cited　that　'Annie　Laurie'　thing　with　the　whistling

stunt　in　it；　'in　a　manner　bordering　upon　the　profes…

sional；'　as　the　weekly　village　paper　reported　it。　　And

Arthur　and　I　went　rowing；　and　walking　in　the　woods；

and　clamming；　and　that　poky　little　village　seemed　to

me　the　best　place　in　the　world。　　I'd　have　been　happy

to　live　there　always；　too；　if　



〃But　one　morning　old　Mrs。　Gurley；　the　widow

lady；　got　gossipy　while　I　was　helping　her　string　beans

on　the　back　porch；　and　began　to　gush　information；　as

folks　who　rent　out　their　rooms　usually　do。　　Mr。　Lyle

was　her　idea　of　a　saint　on　earth　　as　he　was　mine；

too。　　She　went　over　all　his　virtues　and　graces；　and

wound　up　by　telling　me　that　Arthur　had　had　an　ex…

tremely　romantic　love…affair；　not　long　before；　that　had

ended　unhappily。　　She　didn't　seem　to　be　on　to　the　de…

tails；　but　she　knew　that　he　had　been　hit　pretty　hard。

He　was　paler　and　thinner；　she　said；　and　he　had　some

kind　of　a　remembrance　or　keepsake　of　the　lady　in　a

little　rosewood　box　that　he　kept　locked　in　his　desk

drawer　in　his　study。



〃'Several　times；〃　says　she；　〃I've　seen　him

gloomerin'　over　that　box　of　evenings；　and　he　always

locks　it　up　right　away　if　anybody　comes　into　the

room。'



〃Well；　you　can　imagine　how　long　it　was　before　I

got　Arthur　by　the　wrist　and　led　him　down　stage　and

hissed　in　his　ear。



〃That　same　afternoon　we　were　lazying　around　in　a

boat　among　the　water…lilies　at　the　edge　of　the　bay。



〃'Arthur；'　says　I；　'you　never　told　me　you'd　had

another　love…affair。　　But　Mrs。　Gurley　did；'　I　went　on；

to　let　him　know　I　knew。　　I　hate　to　bear　a　man　lie。



〃'　Before　you　came；'　says　he；　looking　me　frankly

in　the　eye；　'there　was　a　previous　affection　…　a　strong

one。　　Since　you　know　of　it；　I　will　be　perfectly　candid

with　you。'



〃'I　am　waiting；'　says　I。



〃'My　dear　Ida；'　says　Arthur　　of　course　I　went

by　my　real　name；　while　I　was　in　Soundport　　'this

former　affection　was　a　spiritual　one；　in　fact。　　Al…

though　the　lady　aro