the voice of the city-第4节

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mination　to　have　this　perfect　creature　for　his　own。



When　the　gloves　were　paid　for　and　wrapped　the

Carter　lingered　for　a　moment。　　The　dimples　at

corners　of　Masie's　damask　mouth　deepened。　　All　gen…

tlemen　who　bought　gloves　lingered　in　just　that　way。

She　curved　an　arm；　showing　like　Psyche's　through

her　shirt…waist　sleeve；　and　rested　an　elbow　upon　the

show…case　edge。



Carter　had　never　before　encountered　a　situation　of

which　he　had　not　been　perfect　master。　　But　now　he

stood　far　more　awkward　than　Bill　or　Jack　or　Mickey。

He　had　no　chance　of　meeting　this　beautiful　girl　so…

cially。　　His　mind　struggled　to　recall　the　nature　and

habits　of　shopgirls　as　be　had　read　or　heard　of　them。

Somehow　be　had　received　the　idea　that　they　some…

times　did　not　insist　too　strictly　upon　the　regular

channels　of　introduction。　　His　heart　beat　loudly　at

the　thought　of　proposing　an　unconventional　meeting

with　this　lovely　and　virginal　being。　　But　the　tumult

in　his　heart　gave　him　courage。



After　a　few　friendly　and　well…received　remarks　on

general　subjects；　he　laid　his　card　by　her　hand　on　the

counter。



〃Will　you　please　pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　seem

too　bold；　but　I　earnestly　hope　you　will　allow　me　the

pleasure　of　seeing　you　again。　　There　is　my　name；　I

assure　you　that　it　is　with　the　greatest　respect　that

I　ask　the　favor　of　becoming　one　of　your　

acquaintances。　　May　I　not　hope　for　the　privilege？〃



Masie　knew　men　…　especially　men　who　buy　gloves。

Without　hesitation　she　looked　him　frankly　and　smil…

ingly　in　the　eyes；　and　said：



〃Sure。　　I　guess　you're　all　right。　　I　don't　usually

go　out　with　strange　gentlemen；　though。　　It　ain't

quite　ladylike。　　When　should　you　want　to　see　me

again？〃



〃As　soon　as　I　may；〃　said　Carter。　〃If　you　would

allow　me　to　call　at　your　home；　I　　〃



Masie　laughed　musically。　〃Oh；　gee；　no！〃　she

said；　emphatically。　〃If　you　could　see　our　flat　once！

There's　five　of　us　in　three　rooms。　I'd　just　like　to　see

ma's　face　if　I　was　to　bring　a　gentleman　friend

there！〃



〃Anywhere；　then；〃　said　the　enamored　Carter；

〃that　will　be　convenient　to　you。〃



〃Say；〃　suggested　Masie；　with　a　bright…idea　look

in　her　peach…blow　face；　〃I　guess　Thursday　night　will

about　suit　me。　　Suppose　you　come　to　the　corner　of

Eighth　Avenue　and　Forty…eighth　Street　at　7：30。　I

live　right　near　the　corner。　　But　I've　got　to　be　back

home　by　eleven。　　Ma　never　lets　me　stay　out　after

eleven。〃

Carter　promised　gratefully　to　keep　the　tryst；　and

then　hastened　to　his　mother；　who　was　looking　about

for　him　to　ratify　her　purchase　of　a　bronze　Diana。



A　salesgirl；　with　small　eyes　and　an　obtuse　nose；

strolled　near　Masie；　with　a　friendly　leer。



〃Did　you　make　a　hit　with　his　nobs；　Mase？〃　she

asked；　familiarly。



〃The　gentleman　asked　permission　to　call。〃　an…

swered　Masie；　with　the　grand　air；　as　she　slipped　Car…

ter's　card　into　the　bosom　of　her　waist。



〃Permission　to　call！〃　echoed　small　eyes；　with　a

snigger。　〃Did　he　say　anything　about　dinner　in　the

Waldorf　and　a　spin　in　his　auto　afterward？〃



〃Oh；　cheese　it！〃　said　Masie；　wearily。　〃You've

been　used　to　swell　things；　I　don't　think。　　You've　had

a　swelled　bead　ever　since　that　hose…cart　driver　took

you　out　to　a　chop　suey　joint。　　No；　be　never　mentioned

the　Waldorf；　but　there's　a　Fifth　Avenue　address　on

his　card；　and　if　be　buys　the　supper　you　can　bet　your

life　there　won't　be　no　pigtail　on　the　waiter　what　takes

the　order。〃



As　Carter　glided　away　from　the　Biggest　Store

with　his　mother　in　his　electric　runabout；　he　bit　his　lip

with　a　dull　pain　at　his　heart。　　He　knew　that　love　had

come　to　him　for　the　first　time　in　all　the　twenty…nine

years　of　his　life。　　And　that　the　object　of　it　should

make　so　readily　an　appointment　with　him　at　a　street

corner；　though　it　was　a　step　toward　his　desires；　tor…

tured　him　with　misgivings。



Carter　did　not　know　the　shopgirl。　　He　did　not

know　that　her　home　is　often　either　a　scarcely　habit…

able　tiny　room　or　a　domicile　filled　to　overflowing　with

kith　and　kin。　　The　street…corner　is　her　parlor；　the

park　is　her　drawing…room；　the　avenue　is　her　garden

walk；　yet　for　the　most　part　she　is　as　inviolate　mis…

tress　of　herself　in　them　as　is　my　lady　inside　her

tapestried　chamber。



One　evening　at　dusk；　two　weeks　after　their　first

meeting；　Carter　and　Masie　strolled　arm…in…arm　into　a

little；　dimly…lit　park。　　They　found　a　bench；　tree…

shadowed　and　secluded；　and　sat　there。



For　the　first　time　his　arm　stole　gently　around　her。

Her　golden…bronze　head　slid　restfully　against　his

shoulder。



〃Gee！〃　sighed　Masie；　thankfully。　〃Why　didn't

you　ever　think　of　that　before？〃



〃Masie；〃　said　Carter；　earnestly；　〃you　surely

know　that　I　love　you。　　I　ask　you　sincerely　to　marry

me。　You　know　me　well　enough　by　this　time　to　have

no　doubts　of　me。　　I　want　you；　and　I　must　have　you。

I　care　nothing　for　the　difference　in　our　stations。〃



〃What　is　the　difference？〃　asked　Masie；　curi…

ously。



〃Well；　there　isn't　any；〃　said　Carter；　quickly；　〃ex…

cept　in　the　minds　of　foolish　people。　　It　is　in　my　power

to　give　you　a　life　of　luxury。　　My　social　position　is　be…

yond　dispute；　and　my　means　are　ample。〃



〃They　all　say　that；〃　remarked　Masie。　〃It's　the

kid　they　all　give　you。　　I　suppose　you　really　work　in　a

delicatessen　or　follow　the　races。　I　ain't　as　green　as

I　look。〃



〃I　can　furnish　you　all　the　proofs　you　want；〃　said

Carter；　gently。　〃And　I　want　you；　Masie。　　I　loved

you　the　first　day　I　saw　you。〃



〃They　all　do；〃　said　Masie；　with　an　amused　laugh；

〃to　hear　'em　talk。　　If　I　could　meet　a　man　that　got

stuck　on　me　the　third　time　he'd　seen　me　I　think　I'd

get　mashed　on　him。〃



〃Please　don't　say　such　things；〃　pleaded　Carter。

〃Listen　to　me；　dear。　　Ever　since　I　first　looked　into

your　eyes　you　have　been　the　only　woman　in　the　world

for　me。〃



〃Oh；　ain't　you　the　kidder！〃　smiled　Masie。　〃How

many　other　girls　did　you　ever　tell　that？〃



But　Carter　persisted。　　And　at　length　be　reached

the　flimsy；　fluttering　little　soul　of　the　shopgirl　that

existed　somewhere　deep　down　in　her　lovely　bosom。



His　words　penetrated　the　heart　whose　very　lightness

was　its　safest　armor。　　She　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes

that　saw。　　And　a　warm　glow　visited　her　cool　cheeks。

Tremblingly；　awfully；　her　moth　wings　closed；　and

she　seemed　about　to　settle　upon　the　flower　of　love。

Some　faint　glimmer　of　life　and　its　possibilities　on

the　other　side　of　her　glove　counter　dawned　upon　her。

Carter　felt　the　change　and　crowded　the　opportunity。



〃Marry　me；　Masie；〃　be　whispered　softly；　〃and　we

will　go　away　from　this　ugly　city　to　beautiful　ones。

We　will　forget　work　and　business；　and　life　will　be　one

long　holiday。　　I　know　where　I　should　take　you　…　I

have　been　there　often。　　Just　think　of　a　shore　where

summer　is　eternal；　where　the　waves　are　always　rip…

pling　on　the　lovely　beach　and　the　people　are　happy

and　free　as　children。　　We　will　sail　to　those　shores　and

remain　there　as　long　as　you　please。　　In　one　of　those

far…away　cities　there　are　grand　and　lovely　palaces

and　towers　full　of　beautiful　pictures　and　statues。

The　streets　of　the　city　are　water；　and　one　travels

about　in　〃



〃I　know；〃　said　Masie；　sitting　up　suddenly。

〃Gondolas。〃



〃Yes；〃　smiled　Carter。



〃I　thought　so；〃　said　Masie。



〃And　then；〃　continued　Carter；　〃we　will　travel　on

and　see　whatever　we　wish　in　the　world。　　After　the

European　cities　we　will　visit　India　and　the　ancient

cities　there；　and　ride　on　elephants　and　see　the　wonder…

ful　temples　of　the　Hindoos　and　Brahmins　and　the

Japanese　gardens　and　the　camel　trains　and　chariot

races　in　Persia；　and　all　the　queer　sights　of　foreign

countries。　　Don't　you　think　you　would　like　it；　Masie？



Masie　rose　to　her　feet。



〃I　think　we　had　better　be　going　home；〃　she　said；

coolly。　〃It's　getting　late。〃



Carter　humored　her。　　He　had　come　to　know　her

varying；　thistle…down　moods；　and　that　it　was　useless

to　combat　them。　　But　he　felt　a　certain　happy　triumph。

He　had　held　for　a　moment；　though　but　by　a　silken

thread；　the　soul　of　his　wild　Psyche；　and　hope　was

stronger　within　him。　　Once　she　had　folded　her　wings

and　her　cool　band　bad　closed　about　his　own。



At　the　Biggest　Store　the　next　day　Masie's　chum；

Lulu；　waylaid　her　in　an　angle　of　the　counter。



〃How　are　you　and　your　swell　friend　making　it？

she　asked。



〃Oh；　him？〃　said　Masie；　patting　her　side　curls。

〃He　ain't　in　it　any　more。　　Say；　Lu；　what　do　you

think　that　fellow　wanted　me　to　do？〃



〃Go　on　the　stage？〃　guessed　Lulu；　breathlessly。



〃Nit；　he's　too　cheap　a　guy　for　that。　　He　wanted

me　to　marry　him　and　go　down　to　Coney　Island　for

a　wedding　tour！〃







DOUGHERTY'S　EYE…OPENER





Big　Jim　Dougherty　was　a　sport。　　He　belonged

to　that　race　of　men。　　In　Manhattan　it　is　a　distinct

race。　　They　are　the　Caribs　of　the　North　　strong；

artful；　self…sufficient；　clannish；　honorable　within　the

laws　of　their　race；　holding　in　lenient