the voice of the city-第6节
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！
erty on the back； be shone like a midday sun upon
Delia。
〃Honorable Mr。 Corrigan … Mrs。 Dougherty；〃
said 〃Big Jim。〃
The Honorable Patrick became a fountain of en…
tertainment and admiration。 The waiter had to
fetch a third chair for him； he made another at the
table； and the wineglasses were refilled。
〃You selfish old rascal！〃 he exclaimed； shaking an
arch finger at 〃Big Jim；〃 〃to have kept Mrs。
Dougherty a secret from us。〃
And then 〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty； who was no
talker； sat dumb； and saw the wife who had dined
every evening for three years at home； blossom like
a fairy flower。 Quick； witty； charming； full of light
and ready talk； she received the experienced attack
of the Honorable Patrick on the field of repartee and
surprised； vanquished； delighted him。 She unfolded
her long…closed petals and around her the room
became a garden。 They tried to include 〃Big
Jim〃 in the conversation； but he was without a
vocabulary。
And then a stray bunch of politicians and good
fellows who lived for sport came into the room。 They
saw 〃Big Jim〃 and the leader； and over they came
and were made acquainted with Mrs。 Dougherty。 And
in a few minutes she was holding a salon。 Half a
dozen men surrounded her； courtiers all； and six
found her capable of charming。 〃Big Jim〃 sat；
grim； and kept saying to himself： 〃Three years；
three years！〃
The dinner came to an end。 The Honorable Pat…
rick reached for Mrs。 Dougherty's cloak； but that
was a matter of action instead of words； and Dough…
erty's big band got it first by two seconds。
While the farewells were being said at the door
the Honorable Patrick smote Dougherty mightily
between the shoulders。
〃Jimmy； me boy；〃 he declared； in a giant whis…
per； 〃the madam is a jewel of the first water。 Ye're
a lucky dog。〃
〃Big Jim〃 walked homeward with his wife。 She
seemed quite as pleased with the lights and show
windows in the streets as with the admiration of the
men in Hoogley's。 As they passed Seltzer's they
heard the sound of many voices in the cafe。 The
boys would be starting the drinks around now and
discussing past performances。
At the door of their home Delia paused。 The
pleasure of the outing radiated softly from her
countenance。 She could not hope for Jim of evenings；
but the glory of this one would Tighten her lonely
hours for a long time。
〃Thank you for taking me out； Jim；〃 she said；
gratefully。 〃You'll be going back up to Seltzer's
now； of course。〃
〃To with Seltzer's；〃 said 〃Big Jim；〃 em…
emphatically。 〃And d Pat Corrigan！ Does
he think I haven't got any eyes？
And the door closed behind both of them。
LITTLE SPECK IN GARNERED FRUIT
The honeymoon was at its full。 There was a flat
with the reddest of new carpets； tasselled portieres
and six steins with pewter lids arranged on a ledge
above the wainscoting of the dining…room。 The won…
der of it was yet upon them。 Neither of them had
ever seen a yellow primrose by the river's brim； but if
such a sight had met their eyes at that time it would
have seemed like … well； whatever the poet expected
the right kind of people to see in it besides a prim…
rose。
The bride sat in the rocker with her feet resting
upon the world。 She was wrapt in rosy dreams and a
kimono of the same hue。 She wondered what the peo…
ple in Greenland and Tasmania and Beloochistan
were saying one to another about her marriage to
Kid McGarry。 Not that it made any difference。
There was no welter…weight from London to the
Southern Cross that could stand up four hours … no；
four rounds … with her bridegroom。 And he had
been hers for three weeks； and the crook of her little
finger could sway him more than the fist of any 142…
pounder in the world。
Love； when it is ours； is the other name for self…
abnegation and sacrifice。 When it belongs to people
across the airshaft it means arrogance and self…con…
ceit。
The bride crossed her oxfords and looked thought…
fully at the distemper Cupids on the ceiling。
〃Precious；〃 said she； with the air of Cleopatra
asking Antony for Rome done up in tissue paper and
delivered at residence； 〃I think I would like a peach。〃
Kid McGarry arose and put on his coat and hat。
He was serious； shaven； sentimental； and spry。
〃All right；〃 said he； as coolly as though be were
only agreeing to sign articles to fight the champion
of England。 〃I'll step down and cop one out for you
see？〃
〃Don't be long；〃 said the bride。 〃I'll be lonesome
without my naughty boy。 Get a nice； ripe one。〃
After a series of farewells that would have befitted
an imminent voyage to foreign parts； the Kid went
down to the street。
Here he not unreasonably hesitated； for the season
was yet early spring； and there seemed small chance
of wresting anywhere from those chill streets and
stores the coveted luscious guerdon of summer's
golden prime。
At the Italian's fruit…stand on the corner be
stopped and cast a contemptuous eye over the dis…
play of papered oranges； highly polished apples and
wan； sun…hungry bananas。
〃Gotta da peach？〃 asked the Kid in the tongue of
Dante； the lover of lovers。
〃Ah； no； … 〃 sighed the vender。 〃Not for one mont
com…a da peach。 Too soon。 Gotta da nice…a orange。
Like…a da orange？〃
Scornful； the Kid pursued his quest。 He entered
the all…night chop…house； cafe； and bowling…alley of
his friend and admirer； Justus O'Callahan。 The
O'Callahan was about in his institution； looking for
leaks。
〃I want it straight；〃 said the Kid to him。 〃The
old woman has got a hunch that she wants a peach。
Now； if you've got a peach； Cal； get it out quick。 I
want it and others like it if you've got 'em in plural
quantities。〃
〃The house is yours；〃 said O'Callahan。 〃But
there's no peach in it。 It's too soon。 I don't sup…
pose you could even find 'em at one of the Broadway
joints。 That's too bad。 When a lady fixes her
mouth for a certain kind of fruit nothing else won't
do。 It's too late now to find any of the first…class
fruiterers open。 But if you think the missis would
like some nice oranges I've just got a box of fine ones
in that she might。〃
〃Much obliged； Cal。 It's a peach proposition
right from the ring of the gong。 I'll try further。〃
The time was nearly midnight as the Kid walked
down the West…Side avenue。 Few stores were open
and such as were practically hooted at the idea of a
peach。
But in her moated flat the bride confidently awaited
her Persian fruit。 A champion welter…weight not find
a peach？ … not stride triumphantly over the seasons
and the zodiac and the almanac to fetch an Amsden's
June or a Georgia cling to his owny…own？
The Kid's eye caught sight of a window that was
lighted and gorgeous with nature's most entrancing
colors。 The light suddenly went out。 The Kid
sprinted and caught the fruiterer locking his door。
〃Peaches？〃 said he； with extreme deliberation。
〃Well； no； Sir。 Not for three or four weeks yet。
I haven't any idea where you might find some。 There
may be a few in town from under the glass； but they'd
be bard to locate。 Maybe at one of the more expen…
sive hotels … some place where there's plenty of
money to waste。 I've got some very fine oranges；
though … from a shipload that came in to…day。〃
The Kid lingered on the corner for a moment；
and then set out briskly toward a pair of green lights
that flanked the steps of a building down a dark
side street。
〃Captain around anywhere？〃 he asked of the desk
sergeant of the police station。
At that moment the captain came briskly forward
from the rear。 He was in plain clothes and had a
busy air。
〃Hello； Kid；〃 he said to the pugilist。 〃Thought
you were bridal…touring？
〃Got back yesterday。 I'm a solid citizen now。
Think I'll take an interest in municipal doings。 How
would it suit you to get into Denver Dick's place to…
night； Cap？
〃Past performances；〃 said the captain； twisting his
moustache。 〃Denver was closed up two months ago。〃
〃Correct；〃 said the Kid。 〃Rafferty chased him
out of the Forty…third。 He's running in your pre…
cinct now； and his game's bigger than ever。 I'm
down on this gambling business。 I can put you
against his game。〃
〃In my precinct？〃 growled the captain。 〃Are
you sure； Kid？ I'll take it as a favor。 Have you
got the entree？ How is it to be done？〃
〃Hammers；〃 said the Kid。 〃They haven't got
any steel on the doors yet。 You'll need ten men。
No； they won't let me in the place。 Denver has been
trying to do me。 He thought I tipped him off for the
other raid。 I didn't； though。 You want to hurry。
I've got to get back home。 The house is only three
blocks from here。〃
Before ten minutes had sped the captain with a
dozen men stole with
