the voice of the city-第19节
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he did not perceive the formidable； pitiless； restless；
fierce angles of the great city waiting in the dark
to close about the rotundity of his heart and brain
and mould him to the form of its millions of re…shaped
victims。 A cabby picked him out of the whirl； as
Sam himself had often picked a nut from a bed of
wind…tossed autumn leaves； and whisked him away
to a hotel commensurate to his boots and carpet…
sack。
On the next morning the last of the Folwells made
his sortie into the city that sheltered the last Hark…
ness。 The Colt was thrust beneath his coat and se…
cured by a narrow leather belt； the hunting…knife
hung between his shoulder…blades； with the haft an
inch below his coat collar。 He knew this much
that Cal Harkness drove an express wagon some…
where in that town； and that he； Sam Folwell； had
come to kill him。 And as he stepped upon the side…
walk the red came into his eye and the feud…hate into
his heart。
The clamor of the central avenues drew him thith…
erward。 He had half expected to see Cal coming
down the street in his shirt…sleeves； with a jug and
a whip in his hand； just as he would have seen him
in Frankfort or Laurel City。 But an hour went by
and Cal did not appear。 Perhaps he was waiting in
ambush； to shoot him from a door or a window。 Sam
kept a sharp eye on doors and windows for a while。
About noon the city tired of playing with its mouse
and suddenly squeezed him with its straight lines。
Sam Folwell stood where two great； rectangular
arteries of the city cross。 He looked four ways； and
saw the world burled from its orbit and reduced
by spirit level and tape to an edged and cornered
plane。 All life moved on tracks； in grooves； accord…
ing to system； within boundaries； by rote。 The root
of life was the cube root； the measure of existence
was square measure。 People streamed by in straight
rows； the horrible din and crash stupefied him。
Sam leaned against the sharp corner of a stone
building。 Those faces passed him by thousands； and
none of them were turned toward him。 A sudden fool…
ish fear that he had died and was a spirit； and that
they could not see him； seized him。 And then the city
smote him with loneliness。
A fat man dropped out of the stream and stood
a few feet distant； waiting for his car。 Sam crept
to his side and shouted above the tumult into his
ear：
〃The Rankinses' hogs weighed more'n ourn a
whole passel； but the mast in thar neighborhood was
a fine chance better than what it was down 〃
The fat man moved away unostentatiously； and
bought roasted chestnuts to cover his alarm。
Sam felt the need of a drop of mountain dew。
Across the street men passed in and out through
swinging doors。 Brief glimpses could be had of a
glistening bar and its bedeckings。 The feudist crossed
and essayed to enter。 Again had Art eliminated the
familiar circle。 Sam's hand found no door…knob …
it slid； in vain； over a rectangular brass plate and
polished oak with nothing even so large as a pin's
head upon which his fingers might close。
Abashed； reddened； heartbroken； he walked away
from the bootless door and sat upon a step。 A locust
club tickled him in the ribs。
〃Take a walk for yourself；〃 said the policeman。
You've been loafing around here long enough。〃
At the next corner a shrill whistle sounded in Sam's
ear。 He wheeled around and saw a black…browed vil…
lain scowling at him over peanuts heaped on a steam…
ing machine。 He started across the street。 An im…
mense engine； running without mules； with the voice of
a bull and the smell of a smoky lamp； whizzed past；
grazing his knee。 A cab…driver bumped him with a
hub and explained to him that kind words were in…
vented to be used on other occasions。 A motorman
clanged his bell wildly and； for once in his life； cor…
roborated a cab…driver。 A large lady in a changeable
silk waist dug an elbow into his back； and a newsy
pensively pelted him with banana rinds； murmuring；
〃I hates to do it but if anybody seen me let it
pass！〃
Cal Harkness； his day's work over and his express
wagon stabled； turned the sharp edge of the build…
ing that； by the cheek of architects； is modelled upon
a safety razor。 Out of the mass of hurrying people
his eye picked up； three yards away； the surviving
bloody and implacable foe of his kith and kin。
He stopped short and wavered for a moment； be…
ing unarmed and sharply surprised。 But the keen
mountaineer's eye of Sam Folwell had picked him out。
There was a sudden spring； a ripple in the stream
of passersby and the sound of Sam's voice crying：
〃Howdy； Cal！ I'm durned glad to see ye。〃
And in the angles of Broadway； Fifth Avenue and
Twenty…third Street the Cumberland feudists shook
hands。
ROSES； RUSES AND ROMANCE
Ravenel Ravenel； the traveller； artist and
poet； threw his magazine to the floor。 Sammy Brown；
broker's clerk； who sat by the window； jumped。
〃What is it； Ravvy？〃 he asked。 〃The critics
been hammering your stock down？〃
〃Romance is dead；〃 said Ravenel； lightly。 When
Ravenel spoke lightly be was generally serious。 He
picked up the magazine and fluttered its leaves。
〃Even a Philistine； like you； Sammy；〃 said Rave…
nel； seriously （a tone that insured him to be speak…
ing lightly）； 〃ought to understand。 Now； here is
a magazine that once printed Poe and Lowell and
Whitman and Bret Harte and Du Maurier and Lanier
and well； that gives you the idea。 The current
number has this literary feast to set before you： an
article on the stokers and coal bunkers of battleships；
an expose of the methods employed in making liver…
wurst； a continued story of a Standard Preferred
International Baking Powder deal in Wall Street； a
'poem' on the bear that the President missed； an…
other 'story' by a young woman who spent a week
as a spy making overalls on the East Side； another
'fiction' story that reeks of the 'garage' and a cer…
tain make of automobile。 Of course； the title contains
the words 'Cupid' and 'Chauffeur' an article on
naval strategy； illustrated with cuts of the Spanish
Armada； and the new Staten Island ferry…boats； an…
other story of a political boss who won the love of a
Fifth Avenue belle by blackening her eye and refusing
to vote for an iniquitous ordinance （it doesn't say
whether it was in the Street…Cleaning Department or
Congress）； and nineteen pages by the editors brag…
ging about the circulation。 The whole thing； Sammy；
is an obituary on Romance。〃
Sammy Brown sat comfortably in the leather arm…
chair by the open window。 His suit was a vehement
brown with visible checks； beautifully matched in
shade by the ends of four cigars that his vest pocket
poorly concealed。 Light tan were his shoes； gray his
socks； sky…blue his apparent linen； snowy and high
and adamantine his collar； against which a black but…
terfly had alighted and spread his wings。 Sammy's
face least important was round and pleasant
and pinkish； and in his eyes you saw no haven for
fleeing Romance。
That window of Ravenel's apartment opened upon
an old garden full of ancient trees and shrubbery。
The apartment…house towered above one side of it；
a high brick wall fended it from the street； oppo…
site Ravenel's window an old； old mansion stood； half…
hidden in the shade of the summer foliage。 The house
was a castle besieged。 The city howled and roared
and shrieked and beat upon its double doors； and
shook white； fluttering checks above the wall； offering
terms of surrender。 The gray dust settled upon the
trees； the siege was pressed hotter； but the draw…
bridge was not lowered。 No further will the language
of chivalry serve。 Inside lived an old gentleman who
loved his home and did not wish to sell it。 That is
all the romance of the besieged castle。
Three or four times every week came Sammy
Brown to Ravenel's apartment。 He belonged to the
poet's club； for the former Browns had been con…
spicuous； though Sammy bad been vulgarized by
Business。 He had no tears for departed Romance。
The song of the ticker was the one that reached
his heart； and when it came to matters equine and
batting scores he was something of a pink edition。
He loved to sit in the leather armchair by Ravenel's
window。 And Ravenel didn't mind particularly。
Sammy seemed to enjoy his talk； and then the broker's
clerk was such a perfect embodiment of modernity and
the day's sordid practicality that Ravenel rather
liked to use him as a scapegoat。
〃I'll tell you what's the matter with you；〃 said
Sammy； with the shrewdness that business had taught
him。 〃The magazine has turned down some of your
poetry stunts。 That's why you are sore at it。〃
〃That would be a good guess in Wall Street or in
a campaign for the presidency of a woman's club；〃
sai
