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！
bills； was there set forth to the hand and tooth of a long…suffering city；
while the gods lay beside their nectar and home…made biscuits and smiled；
and the dentists leaped for joy in their gold…leafy dens。
The eye of Binkley fixed a young man at his table with the Bobemian
gleam； which is a compound of the look of the Basilisk； the shine of a
bubble of Wurzburger； the inspiration of genius and the plead… ing of a
panhandler。
The young man sprang to his feet。 〃Hello； Bink； old boy！ be shouted。
〃Don't tell me you were go… ing to pass our table。 Join us unless you've
an… other crowd on hand。〃
〃Don't mind； old chap；〃 said Binkley； of the fish… stall。 〃You know how
I like to butt up against the fine arts。 Mr。 Vandyke Mr。 Madder er
Miss Martin； one of the elect also in art er 〃
The introduction went around。 There were also Miss Elise and Miss
'Toinette。 Perhaps they were models； for they chattered of the St。 Regis
decora… tions and Henry James and they did it not badly。
Medora sat in transport。 Music wild； intoxi… eating music made by
troubadours direct from a rear basement room in Elysium set her
thoughts to dancing。 Here was a world never before penetrated by her
warmest imagination or any of the lines con… trolled by Harriman。 With
the Green Mountains' external calm upon her she sat； her soul flaming in
her with the fire of Andalusia。 The tables were filled with Bohemia。 The
room was full of the fragrance of flowers both mille and cauli。
Questions and corks popped； laughter and silver rang； champagne flashed
in the pail； wit flashed in the pan。
Vandyke ruffled his long； black locks； disarranged his careless tie and
leaned over to Madder。
〃Say； Maddy；〃 he whispered； feelingly； 〃some… times I'm tempted to
pay this Philistine his ten dol… lars and get rid of him。〃
Madder ruffled his long； sandy locks and disar… ranged his careless tie。
129
… Page 130…
The Voice of the City
〃Don't think of it； Vandy；〃 he replied。 〃We are short； and Art is long。〃
Medora ate strange viands and drank elderberry wine that they poured in
her glass。 It was just the color of that in the Vermont home。 The waiter
poured something in another glass that seemed to be boiling； but when she
tasted it it was not hot。 She had never felt so light…hearted before。 She
thought lovingly of the Green Mountain farm and its fauna。 She leaned；
smiling； to Miss Elise。
〃If I were at home；〃 she said； beamingly； 〃I could show you the cutest
little calf！ 〃
〃Nothing for you in the White Lane；〃 said Miss Elise。 〃Why don't you
pad？
The orchestra played a wailing waltz that Medora had learned from the
hand…organs。 She followed the air with nodding head in a sweet soprano
hum。 Madder looked across the table at her； and wondered in what strange
waters Binkley had caught her in his seine。 She smiled at him； and they
raised glasses and drank of the wine that boiled when it was cold。 Binkley
had abandoned art and was prating of the unusual spring catch of shad。
Miss Elise arranged the palette…and…maul…stick tie pin of Mr。 Vandyke。 A
Philistine at some distant table was maundering volubly either about
Jerome or Gerome。 A famous actress was discoursing excitably about
monogrammed hosiery。 A hose clerk from a department store was loudly
proclaiming his opinions of the drama。 A writer was abusing Dickens。 A
magazine editor and a photographer were drinking a dry brand at a re…
served table。 A 36…25…42 young lady was saying to an eminent sculptor：
〃Fudge for your Prax Italys！ Bring one of your Venus Anno Dominis down
to Cohen's and see bow quick she'd be turned down for a cloak model。
Back to the quarries with your Greeks and Dagos！〃
Thus went Bohemia。
At eleven Mr。 Binkley took Medora to the board… ing…bouse and left
her； with a society bow； at the foot of the hall stairs。 She went up to her
room and lit the gas。
And then； as suddenly as the dreadful genie arose in vapor from the
copper vase of the fisherman； arose in that room the formidable shape of
the New England Conscience。 The terrible thing that Medora had done
130
… Page 131…
The Voice of the City
was revealed to her in its full enormity。 She had sat in the presence of the
un… godly and looked upon the wine both when it was red and
effervescent。
At midnight she wrote this letter：
〃Mr。 BERLAH HOSKINS； Harmony； Vermont。
〃Dear Sir： Henceforth； consider me as dead to you forever。 I have
loved you too well to blight your career by bringing into it my guilty and
sin…stained life。 I have succumbed to the insidious wiles of this wicked
world and have been drawn into the vortex of Bohemia。 There is scarcely
any depth of glittering iniquity that I have not sounded。 It is hopeless to
combat my decision。 There is no rising from the depths to which I have
sunk。 Endeavor to forget me。 I am lost forever in the fair but brutal maze
of awful Bohemia。 Farewell。
〃ONCE YOUR MEDORA。〃
On the next day Medora formed her resolutions。 Beelzebub； flung
from heaven； was no more cast down。 Between her and the apple blossoms
of Harmony there was a fixed gulf。 Flaming cherubim warded her from
the gates of her lost paradise。 In one evening； by the aid of Binkley and
Mumm； Bohemia had gathered her into its awful midst。
There remained to her but one thing a life of brilliant； but
irremediable error。 Vermont was a shrine that she never would dare to
approach again。 But she would not sink there were great and com…
pelling ones in history upon whom she would model her meteoric career
Camille； Lola Montez； Royal Mary； Zaza such a name as one of these
would that of Medora Martin be to future generations
For two days Medora kept her room。 On the third she opened a
magazine at the portrait of the King of Belgium； and laughed sardonically。
If that far…famed breaker of women's hearts should cross her path； he
would have to bow before her cold and im… perious beauty。 She would not
spare the old or the young。 All America all Europe should d