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！
stood between him and the coveted dollar was his wife； once a little girl
whom he could aha！ why not again？ Once with soft words he could；
as they say； twist her around his little finger。 Why not again？ Not for years
had he tried it。 Grim poverty and mutual hatred had killed all that。 But
Ragsy and Kidd were waiting for him to bring the dollar！
Mr。 Peters took a surreptitiously keen look at his wife。 Her formless
bulk overflowed the chair。 She kept her eyes fixed out the window in a
strange kind of trance。 Her eyes showed that she had been re… cently
weeping。
〃I wonder；〃 said Mr。 Peters to himself； 〃if there'd be anything in it。〃
The window was open upon its outlook of brick walls and drab； barren
back yards。 Except for the mildness of the air that entered it might have
been midwinter yet in the city that turns such a frown… ing face to
besieging spring。 But spring doesn't come with the thunder of cannon。 She
is a sapper and a miner； and you must capitulate。
〃I'll try it；〃 said Mr。 Peters to himself； making a wry face。
He went up to his wife and put his arm across her shoulders。
〃Clara； darling；〃 he said in tones that shouldn't have fooled a baby seal；
〃why should we have hard words？ Ain't you my own tootsum wootsums？
34
… Page 35…
The Voice of the City
〃A black mark against you； Mr。 Peters； in the sa… red ledger of Cupid。
Charges of attempted graft are filed against you； and of forgery and
utterance of two of Love's holiest of appellations。
But the miracle of spring was wrought。 Into the back room over the
back alley between the black walls had crept the Harbinger。 It was
ridiculous； and yet … Well； it is a rat trap； and you； madam and sir and all of
us； are in it。
Red and fat and crying like Niobe or Niagara； Mrs。 Peters threw her
arms around her lord and dissolved upon him。 Mr。 Peters would have
striven to extricate the dollar bill from its deposit vault； but his arms were
bound to his sides。
〃Do you love me； James？〃 asked Mrs。 Peters。 〃Madly；〃 said James；
〃but 〃
〃You are ill！ 〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Peters。 〃Why are you so pale and tired
looking？〃
〃I feel weak；〃 said Mr。 Peters。 〃I 〃
〃Oh； wait； I know what it is。 Wait； James。 I'll be back in a minutes''
With a parting bug that revived in Mr。 Peters recollections of the
Terrible Turk； his wife hurried out of the room and down the stairs。
Mr。 Peters hitched his thumbs under his sus… penders。
〃All right；〃 he confided to the ceiling。 〃I've got her going。 I hadn't any
idea the old girl was soft any more under the foolish rib。 Well； sir； ain't I
the Claude Melnotte of the lower East Side？ What？ It's a 100 to 1 shot that
I get the dollar。 I wonder what she went out for。 I guess she's gone to tell
Mrs。 Muldoon on the second floor； that we're recon… ciled。 I'll remember
this。 Soft soap！ And Ragsy was talking about slugging her！
Mrs。 Peters came back with a bottle of sarsapa… rilla。
〃I'm glad I happened to have that dollar；〃 she said。 〃You're all run
down； boney。〃
Mr。 Peters had a tablespoonful of the stuff in… serted into him。 Then
Mrs。 Peters sat on his lap and murmured：
〃Call me tootsum wootsums again； James。〃
He sat still； held there by his materialized goddess of spring。
Spring had come。
35
… Page 36…
The Voice of the City
On the bench in Union Square Mr。 Ragsdale and Mr。 Kidd squirmed；
tongue…parched； awaiting D'Artagnan and his dollar。
〃I wish I had choked her at first；〃 said Mr。 Peters to himself。
36
… Page 37…
The Voice of the City
WHILE THE AUTO WAITS
Promptly at the beginning of twilight； came again to that quiet corner
of that quiet； small park the girl in gray。 She sat upon a bench and read a
book； for there was yet to come a half hour in which print could be
accomplished。
To repeat： Her dress was gray； and plain enough to mask its
impeccancy of style and fit。 A large… meshed veil imprisoned her turban
hat and a face that shone through it with a calm and unconscious beauty。
She had come there at the same hour on the day previous； and on the day
before that； and there was one who knew it。
The young man who knew it hovered near； relying upon burnt
sacrifices to the great joss； Luck。 His piety was rewarded； for； in turning a
page； her book slipped from her fingers and bounded from the bench a full
yard away。
The young man pounced upon it with instant avid… ity； returning it to
its owner with that air that seems to flourish in parks and public places … a
compound of gallantry and hope； tempered with respect for the policeman
on the beat。 In a pleasant voice； be risked an inconsequent remark upon
the weather that in… troductory topic responsible for so much of the world's
unhappiness…and stood poised for a mo… ment； awaiting his fate。
The girl looked him over leisurely； at his ordinary； neat dress and his
features distinguished by nothing particular in the way of expression。
〃You may sit down； if you like；〃 she said； in a full； deliberate contralto。
〃Really； I would like to have you do so。 The light is too bad for reading。 I
would prefer to talk。〃
The vassal of Luck slid upon the seat by her side with complaisance。
〃Do you know；〃 be said； speaking the formula with which park
chairmen open their meetings； 〃that you are quite the stunningest girl I
have seen in a long time？ I had my eye on you yesterday。 Didn't know
somebody was bowled over by those pretty lamps of yours； did you；
honeysuckle？〃
〃Whoever you are；〃 said the girl； in icy tones； 〃you must remember
that I am a lady。 I will excuse the remark you have just made because the
37
… Page 38…
The Voice of the City
mistake was； doubtless； not an unnatural one in your circle。 I asked you
to sit down； if the invitation must con… stitute me your honeysuckle；
consider it with… drawn。〃
〃I earnestly beg your pardon；〃 pleaded the young ran。 His expression
of satisfaction had changed to one of