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！
sorriest brown blot against the green back… ground of any bench in the
park。 But just then he was the most important of the trio。
Mr。 Peters had a wife。 This had not heretofore affected his standing
with Ragsy and Kidd。 But to… day it invested him with a peculiar interest。
His friends； having escaped matrimony； had shown a disposition to deride
Mr。 Peters for his venture on that troubled sea。 But at last they had been
31
… Page 32…
The Voice of the City
forced to acknowledge that either he had been gifted with a large foresight
or that he was one of Fortune's lucky sons。
For； Mrs。 Peters had a dollar。 A whole dollar bill； good and receivable
by the Government for customs； taxes and all public dues。 How to get
possession of that dollar was the question up for discussion by the three
musty musketeers。
〃How do you know it was a dollar？〃 asked Ragsy； the immensity of
the sum inclining him to scepticism。
〃The coalman seen her have it；〃 said Mr。 Peters。 〃She went out and
done some washing yesterday。 And look what she give me for breakfast …
the heel of a loaf and a cup of coffee； and her with a dollar！〃
〃It's fierce；〃 said Ragsy。
〃Say we go up and punch 'er and stick a towel in 'er mouth and cop the
coin〃 suggested Kidd； Viciously。 〃Y' ain't afraid of a woman； are you？〃
〃She might holler and have us pinched；〃 demurred Ragsy。 〃I don't
believe in slugging no woman in a houseful of people。〃
〃Gent'men；〃 said Mr。 Peters； severely； through his russet stubble；
〃remember that you are speaking of my wife。 A man who would lift his
hand to a lady except in the way of 〃
〃Maguire；〃 said Ragsy； pointedly； 〃has got his bock beer sign out。 If
we had a dollar we could 〃
〃Hush up！〃 said Mr。 Peters； licking his lips。 〃We got to get that case
note somehow； boys。 Ain't what's a man's wife's his？ Leave it to me。 I'll go
over to the house and get it。 Wait here for me。〃
〃I've seen 'em give up quick； and tell you where it's hid if you kick 'em
in the ribs；〃 said Kidd。
〃No man would kick a woman；〃 said Peters； vir… tuously。 〃A little
choking … just a touch on the windpipe … that gets away with 'em … and no
marks left。 Wait for me。 I'll bring back that dollar； boys。〃
High up in a tenement…house between Second Ave… nue and the river
lived the Peterses in a back room so gloomy that the landlord blushed to
take the rent for it。 Mrs。 Peters worked at sundry times； doing odd jobs of
scrubbing and washing。 Mr。 Peters had a pure； unbroken record of five
years without having earned a penny。 And yet they clung together； shar…
32
… Page 33…
The Voice of the City
ing each other's hatred and misery； being creatures of habit。 Of habit； the
power that keeps the earth from flying to pieces； though there is some silly
theory of gravitation。
Mrs。 Peters reposed her 200 pounds on the safer of the two chairs and
gazed stolidly out the one win… dow at the brick wall opposite。 Her eyes
were red and damp。 The furniture could have been carried away on a
pushcart； but no pushcart man would have removed it as a gift。
The door opened to admit Mr。 Peters。 His fox… terrier eyes expressed a
wish。 His wife's diagnosis located correctly the seat of it； but misread it
hun… ger instead of thirst。
〃You'll get nothing more to eat till night；〃 she said； looking out of the
window again。 Take your hound…dog's face out of the room。〃
Mr。 Peters's eye calculated the distance between them。 By taking her
by surprise it might be pos… sible to spring upon her； overthrow her； and
apply the throttling tactics of which he had boasted to his waiting
comrades。 True； it had been only a boast； never yet had be dared to lay
violent bands upon her； but with the thoughts of the delicious； cool bock
or Culmbacher bracing his nerves； he was near to upsetting his own
theories of the treatment due by a gentleman to a lady。 But； with his
loafer's love for the more artistic and less strenuous way； he chose
diplomacy first； the high card in the game the as… sumed attitude of
success already attained。
〃You have a dollar；〃 he said； loftily； but signifi… cantly in the tone that
goes with the lighting of a cigar … when the properties are at hand。〃
〃I have；〃 said Mrs。 Peters； producing the bill from her bosom and
crackling it； teasingly。
〃I am offered a position in a in a tea store；〃 said Mr。 Peters。 〃I am to
begin work to…morrow。 But it will be necessary for me to buy a pair of 〃
〃You are a liar；〃 said Mrs。 Peters； reinterring the note。 〃No tea store；
nor no A B C store； nor no junk shop would have you。 I rubbed the skin
off both me hands washin' jumpers and overalls to make that dollar。 Do
you think it come out of them suds to buy the kind you put into you？
Skiddoo！ Get your mind off of money。〃
Evidently the poses of Talleyrand were not worth one hundred cents
33
… Page 34…
The Voice of the City
on that dollar。 But diplomacy is dexterous。 The artistic temperament of Mr。
Peters lifted him by the straps of his congress gaiters and set him on new
ground。 He called up a look of des… perate melancholy to his eyes。
〃Clara；〃 he said； hollowly； 〃to struggle further is useless。 You have
always misunderstood me。 Heaven knows I have striven with all my might
to keep my head above the waves of misfortune； but … 〃 〃Cut out the
rainbow of hope and that stuff about walkin' one by one through the
narrow isles of Spain；〃 said Mrs。 Peters； with a sigh。 〃I've heard it so often。
There's an ounce bottle of carbolic on the shelf behind the empty coffee
can。 Drink hearty。〃
Mr。 Peters reflected。 What next！ The old ex… pedients had failed。 The
two musty musketeers were awaiting him hard by the ruined chateau
that is to say； on a park bench with rickety cast…iron legs。 His honor was at
stake。 He had engaged to storm the castle single…handed and bring back
the treas… ure that was to furnish them wassail and solace。 And all that
stood between him and the coveted dollar was his wife； once a little girl
whom he could aha！ why not again？ O