the voice of the city-第20节

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〃That　would　be　a　good　guess　in　Wall　Street　or　in

a　campaign　for　the　presidency　of　a　woman's　club；〃

said　Ravenel；　quietly。　　〃Now；　there　is　a　poem　…　if

you　will　allow　me　to　call　it　that　…　of　my　own　in　this

number　of　the　magazine。〃



〃Read　it　to　me；〃　said　Sammy；　watching　a　cloud

of　pipe…smoke　be　had　just　blown　out　the　window。



Ravenel　was　no　greater　than　Achilles。　　No　one　is。

There　is　bound　to　be　a　spot。　　The　Somebody…or…Other

must　take　bold　of　us　somewhere　when　she　dips　us　in

the　Something…or…Other　that　makes　us　invulnerable。

He　read　aloud　this　verse　in　the　magazine：





THE　FOUR　ROSES



'One　rose　I　twined　within　your　hair　



　　（White　rose；　that　spake　of　worth）；



And　one　you　placed　upon　your　breast　



　　（Red　rose；　love's　seal　of　birth）。



You　plucked　another　from　its　stem　



　　（Tea　rose；　that　means　for　aye）；



And　one　you　gave　　that　bore　for　me



　　The　thorns　of　memory。〃





〃That's　a　crackerjack；〃　said　Sammy；　admiringly。



There　are　five　more　verses；〃　said　Ravenel；　pa…

tiently　sardonic。　　〃One　naturally　pauses　at　the　end

of　each。　　Of　course　　〃



〃Oh；　let's　have　the　rest；　old　man；〃　shouted　Sammy；

contritely；　〃　I　didn't　mean　to　cut　you　off。　　I'm　not

much　of　a　poetry　expert；　you　know。　　I　never　saw　a

poem　that　didn't　look　like　it　ought　to　have　terminal

facilities　at　the　end　of　every　verse。　　Reel　off　the　rest

of　it。〃



Ravenel　sighed；　and　laid　the　magazine　down。　　〃All

right；〃　said　Sammy；　cheerfully；　〃we'll　have　it　next

time。　　I'll　be　off　now。　　Got　a　date　at　five　o'clock。〃



He　took　a　last　look　at　the　shaded　green　garden

and　left；　whistling　in　an　off　key　an　untuneful　air　from

a　roofless　farce　comedy。



The　next　afternoon　Ravenel；　while　polishing　a

ragged　line　of　a　new　sonnet；　reclined　by　the　window

overlooking　the　besieged　garden　of　the　unmercenary

baron。　　Suddenly　he　sat　up；　spilling　two　rhymes　and

a　syllable　or　two。；



Through　the　trees　one　window　of　the　old　mansion

could　be　seen　clearly。　　In　its　window；　draped　in　flow…

ing　white；　leaned　the　angel　of　all　his　dreams　of　ro…

mance　and　poesy。　　Young；　fresh　as　a　drop　of　dew；

graceful　as　a　spray　of　clematis；　conferring　upon　the

garden　hemmed　in　by　the　roaring　traffic　the　air

of　a　princess's　bower；　beautiful　as　any　flower　sung

by　poet　　thus　Ravenel　saw　her　for　the　first　time。

She　lingered　for　a　while；　and　then　disappeared　within；

leaving　a　few　notes　of　a　birdlike　ripple　of　song　to

reach　his　entranced　ears　through　the　rattle　of　cabs

and　the　snarling　of　the　electric　cars。



Thus；　as　if　to　challenge　the　poet's　flaunt　at　ro…

mance　and　to　punish　him　for　his　recreancy　to　the

undying　spirit　of　youth　and　beauty；　this　vision　bad

dawned　upon　him　with　a　thrilling　and　accusive　power。

And　so　metabolic　was　the　power　that　in　an　instant

the　atoms　of　Ravenel's　entire　world　were　redistrib…

uted。　　The　laden　drays　that　passed　the　house　in　which

she　lived　rumbled　a　deep　double…bass　to　the　tune　of

love。　　The　newsboys'　shouts　were　the　notes　of　singing

birds；　that　garden　was　the　pleasance　of　the　Capulets；

the　janitor　was　an　ogre；　himself　a　knight；　ready　with

sword；　lance　or　lute。



Thus　does　romance　show　herself　amid　forests　of

brick　and　stone　when　she　gets　lost　in　the　city；　and

there　has　to　be　sent　out　a　general　alarm　to　find　her

again。



At　four　in　the　afternoon　Ravenel　looked　out　across

the　garden。　　In　the　window　of　his　hopes　were　set

four　small　vases；　each　containing　a　great；　full…blown

rose　…　red　and　white。　　And；　as　he　gazed；　she　leaned

above　them；　shaming　them　with　her　loveliness　and

seeming　to　direct　her　eyes　pensively　toward　his　own

window。　　And　then；　as　though　she　had　caught　his

respectful　but　ardent　regard；　she　melted　away；　leaving

the　fragrant　emblems　on　the　window…sill。



〃Yes；　emblems！　　he　would　be　unworthy　if　be　had

not　understood。　　She　had　read　his　poem；　〃The　Four

Roses〃；　it　had　reached　her　heart；　and　this　was　its

romantic　answer。　　Of　course　she　must　know　that

Ravenel；　the　poet；　lived　there　across　her　garden。　　His

picture；　too；　she　must　have　seen　in　the　magazines。

The　delicate；　tender；　modest；　flattering　message　could

not　be　ignored。



Ravenel　noticed　beside　the　roses　a　small　flowering…

pot　containing　a　plant。　　Without　shame　be　brought

his　opera…glasses　and　employed　them　from　the　cover

of　his　window…curtain。　　A　nutmeg　geranium！



With　the　true　poetic　instinct　be　dragged　a　book

of　useless　information　from　his　shelves；　and　tore　open

the　leaves　at　〃The　Language　of　Flowers。〃



〃Geranium；　Nutmeg　…　I　expect　a　meeting。〃



So！　Romance　never　does　things　by　halves。　　If　she

comes　back　to　you　she　brings　gifts　and　her　knitting；

and　will　sit　in　your　chimney…corner　if　you　will　let

her。



And　now　Ravenel　smiled。　　The　lover　smiles

when　be　thinks　he　has　won。　　The　woman　who　loves

ceases　to　smile　with　victory。　　He　ends　a　battle；　she

begins　hers。　　What　a　pretty　idea　to　set　the　four　roses

in　her　window　for　him　to　see！　　She　must　have

a　sweet；　poetic　soul。　　And　now　to　contrive　the

meeting。



A　whistling　and　slamming　of　doors　preluded　the

coming　of　Sammy　Brown。



Ravenel　smiled　again。　　Even　Sammy　Brown　was

shone　upon　by　the　far…flung　rays　of　the　renaissance。

Sammy；　with　his　ultra　clothes；　his　horseshoe　pin；　his

plump　face；　his　trite　slang；　his　uncomprehending

admiration　of　Ravenel　　the　broker's　clerk　made　an

excellent　foil　to　the　new；　bright　unseen　visitor　to　the

poet's　sombre　apartment。



Sammy　went　to　his　old　seat　by　the　window；　and

looked　out　over　the　dusty　green　foliage　in　the

garden。　　Then　he　looked　at　his　watch；　and　rose

hastily。



〃By　grabs！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Twenty　after　four！

I　can't　stay；　old　man；　I've　got　a　date　at　4：30。〃



〃Why　did　you　come；　then？〃　asked　Ravenel；　with

sarcastic　jocularity；　〃if　you　had　an　engagement　at

that　time。　　I　thought　you　business　men　kept　better

account　of　your　minutes　and　seconds　than　that。〃



Sammy　hesitated　in　the　doorway　and　turned

pinker。



〃Fact　is；　Ravvy；〃　be　explained；　as　to　a　customer

whose　margin　is　exhausted；　〃I　didn't　know　I　had　it

till　I　came。　　I'll　tell　you；　old　man　…　there's　a　dandy

girl　in　that　old　house　next　door　that　I'm　dead　gone

on。　I　put　it　straight　　we're　engaged。　　The　old

man　says　'nit'　but　that　don't　go。　　He　keeps　her

pretty　close。　　I　can　see　Edith's　window　from　yours

here。　　She　gives　me　a　tip　when　she's　going　shopping；

and　I　meet　her。　　It's　4：30　to…day。　　Maybe　I　ought

to　have　explained　sooner；　but　I　know　it's　all　right

with　you　　so　long。〃



〃How　do　you　get　your　'tip；'　as　you　call　it？〃　asked

Ravenel；　losing　a　little　spontaneity　from　his　smile。



〃Roses；〃　said　Sammy；　briefly。　Four　of　'em　to…

day。　　Means　four　o'clock　at　the　corner　of　Broadway

and　Twenty…third。〃



〃But　the　geranium？〃　persisted　Ravenel；　clutch…

ing　at　the　end　of　flying　Romance's　trailing　robe。



〃Means　half…past　5；〃　shouted　Sammy　from　the　hall。

〃See　you　to…morrow。〃









THE　CITY　OF　DREADFUL　NIGHT





〃During　the　recent　warmed…over　spell；〃　said　my

friend　Carney；　driver　of　express　wagon　No。　8；606；

〃a　good　many　opportunities　was　had　of　observing

human　nature　through　peekaboo　waists。



〃The　Park　Commissioner　and　the　Commissioner

of　Polis　and　the　Forestry　Commission　gets　together

and　agrees　to　let　the　people　sleep　in　the　parks　until

the　Weather　Bureau　gets　the　thermometer　down　again

to　a　living　basis。　　So　they　draws　up　open…air　resolu…

tions　and　has　them　0。　K。'd　by　the　Secretary　of　Agri…

culture；　Mr。　Comstock　and　the　Village　Improvement

Mosquito　Exterminating　Society　of　South　Orange；

N。　J。



〃When　the　proclamation　was　made　opening　up　to

the　people　by　special　grant　the　public　parks　that　be…

long　to　'em；　there　was　a　general　exodus　into　Central

Park　by　the　communities　existing　along　its　borders。

In　ten　minutes　after　sundown　you'd　have　thought

that　there　was　an　undress　rehearsal　of　a　potato

famine　in　Ireland　and　a　Kishineff　massacre。　　They

come　by　families；　gangs；　clambake　societies；　clans；

clubs　and　tribes　from　all　sides　to　enjoy　a　cool　sleep　on

the　grass。　　Them　that　didn't　have　oil　stoves　brought

along　plenty　of　blankets；　so　as　not　to　be　upset　with

the　cold　and　discomforts　of　sleeping　outdoors。　　By

building　fires　of　the　shade　trees　and　huddling　together

in　the　bridle　paths；　and　burrowing　under　the　grass

where　the　ground　was　soft　enough；　the　likes　of　5；000

head　of　people　successfully　battled　against　the　night

air　in　Central　Park　alone。



〃Ye　know　I　live　in　the　elegant　furnished　apart…

ment　house　called　the　Beersheba　Flats；　over　against

the　elevated　portion　of　the　New　York　Central　Rail…

road。



〃When　the　order　come　to　the　flats　that　all　hands

must　turn　out　and　sleep　in　the　park；　according　to　the

instructions　of　the　consulting　committee　of　the　City

Club　and　the　Murphy　Draying；　Returfing　and　Sod…

ding　Company；　there　was　a　look　of　a　couple　of　fires

and　an　eviction　all