the voice of the city-第9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！



neat　dress　and　his　features　distinguished　by　nothing

particular　in　the　way　of　expression。



〃You　may　sit　down；　if　you　like；〃　she　said；　in　a

full；　deliberate　contralto。　　〃Really；　I　would　like　to

have　you　do　so。　　The　light　is　too　bad　for　reading。

I　would　prefer　to　talk。〃



The　vassal　of　Luck　slid　upon　the　seat　by　her　side

with　complaisance。



〃Do　you　know；〃　be　said；　speaking　the　formula

with　which　park　chairmen　open　their　meetings；　〃that

you　are　quite　the　stunningest　girl　I　have　seen　in　a

long　time？　　I　had　my　eye　on　you　yesterday。

Didn't　know　somebody　was　bowled　over　by　those

pretty　lamps　of　yours；　did　you；　honeysuckle？〃



〃Whoever　you　are；〃　said　the　girl；　in　icy　tones；

〃you　must　remember　that　I　am　a　lady。　　I　will　excuse

the　remark　you　have　just　made　because　the　mistake

was；　doubtless；　not　an　unnatural　one　　in　your　circle。

I　asked　you　to　sit　down；　if　the　invitation　must　con…

stitute　me　your　honeysuckle；　consider　it　with…

drawn。〃



〃I　earnestly　beg　your　pardon；〃　pleaded　the　young

ran。　　His　expression　of　satisfaction　had　changed　to

one　of　penitence　and　humility。　It　was　my　fault；

you　know　…I　mean；　there　are　girls　in　parks；　you

know　…　that　is；　of　course；　you　don't　know；　but　　〃



〃Abandon　the　subject；　if　you　please。　　Of　course

I　know。　Now；　tell　me　about　these　people　passing

and　crowding；　each　way；　along　these　paths。　　Where

are　they　going？　　Why　do　they　hurry　so？　Are　they

happy？〃



The　young　man　had　promptly　abandoned　his　air

of　coquetry。　　His　cue　was　now　for　a　waiting　part；

he　could　not　guess　the　role　be　would　be　expected　to

play。



〃It　is　interesting　to　watch　them；〃　he　replied；　pos…

tulating　her　mood。　　〃It　is　the　wonderful　drama　of

life。　　Some　are　going　to　supper　and　some　to　　er　

other　places。　　One　wonders　what　their　histories　are。〃



〃I　do　not；〃　said　the　girl；　〃I　am　not　so　inquisi…

tive。　　I　come　here　to　sit　because　here；　only；　can　I　be

tear　the　great；　common；　throbbing　heart　of　hu…

manity。　　My　part　in　life　is　cast　where　its　beats　are

never　felt。　　Can　you　surmise　why　I　spoke　to　you；

Mr。　　？〃



〃Parkenstacker；〃　supplied　the　young　man。　　Then

be　looked　eager　and　hopeful。



〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　holding　up　a　slender　finger；

and　smiling　slightly。　〃You　would　recognize　it　im…

mediately。　　It　is　impossible　to　keep　one's　name　out　of

print。　　Or　even　one's　portrait。　　This　veil　and　this

hat　of　my　maid　furnish　me　with　an　incog。　　You

should　have　seen　the　chauffeur　stare　at　it　when　he

thought　I　did　not　see。　　Candidly；　there　are　five　or　six

names　that　belong　in　the　holy　of　holies；　and　mine；　by

the　accident　of　birth；　is　one　of　them。　　I　spoke　to　you；

Mr。　Stackenpot　　〃



〃Parkenstacker；〃　corrected　the　young　man；　mod…

estly。



〃　　Mr。　Parkenstacker；　because　I　wanted　to　talk；

for　once；　with　a　natural　man　　one　unspoiled　by　the

despicable　gloss　of　wealth　and　supposed　social　su…

periority。　　Oh！　you　do　not　know　how　weary　I　am　of

it　　money；　money；　money！　　And　of　the　men　who

surround　me；　dancing　like　little　marionettes　all　cut　by

the　same　pattern。　　I　am　sick　of　pleasure；　of　jewels；

of　travel；　of　society；　of　luxuries　of　all　kinds。〃



〃I　always　had　an　idea；〃　ventured　the　young　man；

hesitatingly；　〃that　money　must　be　a　pretty　good

thing。〃



〃A　competence　is　to　be　desired。　But　when　you

leave　so　many　millions　that　　！〃　She　concluded

the　sentence　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　　〃It　is　the　mo…

otony　of　it〃　she　continued；　〃that　palls。　　Drives；

dinners；　theatres；　balls；　suppers；　with　the　gilding　of

superfluous　wealth　over　it　all。　　Sometimes　the　very

tinkle　of　the　ice　in　my　champagne　glass　nearly　drives

me　mad。〃



Mr。　Parkenstacker　looked　ingenuously　interested。



〃I　have　always　liked；〃　he　said；　〃to　read　and　hear

about　the　ways　of　wealthy　and　fashionable　folks。　　I

suppose　I　am　a　bit　of　a　snob。　　But　I　like　to　have　my

information　accurate。　　Now；　I　had　formed　the　opin…

ion　that　champagne　is　cooled　in　the　bottle　and　not　by

placing　ice　in　the　glass。〃



The　girl　gave　a　musical　laugh　of　genuine　amuse…

ment。



〃You　should　know；〃　she　explained；　in　an　indul…

gent　tone；　〃that　we　of　the　non…useful　class　depend

for　our　amusement　upon　departure　from　precedent。

Just　now　it　is　a　fad　to　put　ice　in　champagne。　　The

idea　was　originated　by　a　visiting　Prince　of　Tartary

while　dining　at　the　Waldorf。　　It　will　soon　give　way

to　some　other　whim。　　Just　as　at　a　dinner　party　this

week　on　Madison　Avenue　a　green　kid　glove　was　laid

by　the　plate　of　each　guest　to　be　put　on　and　used　while

eating　olives。〃



〃I　see；〃　admitted　the　young　man；　humbly。



〃These　special　diversions　of　the　inner　circle　do　not

become　familiar　to　the　common　public。〃



〃Sometimes；〃　continued　the　girl；　acknowledging

his　confession　of　error　by　a　slight　bow；　〃I　have

thought　that　if　I　ever　should　love　a　man　it　would　be

one　of　lowly　station。　　One　who　is　a　worker　and　not　a

drone。　　But；　doubtless；　the　claims　of　caste　and　wealth

will　prove　stronger　than　my　inclination。　　Just　now

I　am　besieged　by　two。　　One　is　a　Grand　Duke　of　a

German　principality。　　I　think　he　has；　or　has　bad；　a

wife；　somewhere；　driven　mad　by　his　intemperance　and

cruelty。　　The　other　is　an　English　Marquis；　so　cold

and　mercenary　that　I　even　prefer　the　diabolism　of　the

Duke。　　What　is　it　that　impels　me　to　tell　you　these

things；　Mr。　Packenstacker？



〃Parkenstacker；〃　breathed　the　young　man。　　〃In…

deed；　you　cannot　know　how　much　I　appreciate　your

confidences。〃



The　girl　contemplated　him　with　the　calm；　imper…

sonal　regard　that　befitted　the　difference　in　their　sta…

tions。



〃What　is　your　line　of　business；　Mr。　Parken…

stacker？〃　she　asked。



〃A　very　humble　one。　　But　I　hope　to　rise　in　the

world。　　Were　you　really　in　earnest　when　you　said

that　you　could　love　a　man　of　lowly　position？〃



〃Indeed　I　was。　　But　I　said　'might。'　There　is　the

Grand　Duke　and　the　Marquis；　you　know。　　Yes；　no

calling　could　be　too　humble　were　the　man　what　I

would　wish　him　to　be。〃



〃I　work；〃　declared　Mr。　Parkenstacker；　〃in　a　res…

taurant。〃



The　girl　shrank　slightly。



〃Not　as　a　waiter？〃　she　said；　a　little　imploringly。

〃Labor　is　noble；　but　personal　attendance；　you

know　　valets　and　　〃



〃I　am　not　a　waiter。　I　am　cashier　in〃　　on　the

street　they　faced　that　bounded　the　opposite　side　of

the　park　was　the　brilliant　electric　sign　〃RESTAU…

RANT〃　　〃I　am　cashier　in　that　restaurant　you　am

there。〃



The　girl　consulted　a　tiny　watch　set　in　a　bracelet　of

rich　design　upon　her　left　wrist；　and　rose；　hurriedly。

She　thrust　her　book　into　a　glittering　reticule　sus…

pended　from　her　waist；　for　which；　however；　the　book

was　too　large。



〃Why　are　you　not　at　work？〃　she　asked。



〃I　am　on　the　night　turn；〃　said　the　young　man；

it　is　yet　an　hour　before　my　period　begins。　　May　I

not　hope　to　see　you　again？〃



〃I　do　not　know。　　Perhaps　…　but　the　whim　may

not　seize　me　again。　　I　must　go　quickly　now。　　There

is　a　dinner；　and　a　box　at　the　play　　and；　oh！　the

same　old　round。　　Perhaps　you　noticed　an　automobile

at　the　upper　corner　of　the　park　as　you　came。　　One

with　a　white　body



〃And　red　running　gear？〃　asked　the　young　man；

knitting　his　brows　reflectively。



〃Yes。　　I　always　come　in　that。　　Pierre　waits　for

me　there。　　He　supposes　me　to　be　shopping　in　the　de…

partment　store　across　the　square。　　Conceive　of　the

bondage　of　the　life　wherein　we　must　deceive　even　our

chauffeurs。　　Good…night。〃



〃But　it　is　dark　now；〃　said　Mr。　Parkenstacker；

〃and　the　park　is　full　of　rude　men。　　May　I　not

walk　　〃



〃If　you　have　the　slightest　regard　for　my　wishes；〃

said　the　girl；　firmly；　〃you　will　remain　at　this　bench

for　ten　minutes　after　I　have　left。　　I　do　not　mean　to

accuse　you；　but　you　are　probably　aware　that　autos

generally　bear　the　monogram　of　their　owner。　　Again；

good…night〃



Swift　and　stately　she　moved　away　through　the

dusk。　　The　young　man　watched　her　graceful　form

as　she　reached　the　pavement　at　the　park's　edge；　and

turned　up　along　it　toward　the　corner　where　stood　the

automobile。　　Then　he　treacherously　and　unhesitat…

ingly　began　to　dodge　and　skim　among　the　park　trees

and　shrubbery　in　a　course　parallel　to　her　route；　keep…

ing　her　well　in　sight



When　she　reached　the　corner　she　turned　her　head

to　glance　at　the　motor　car；　and　then　passed　it；　con

tinuing　on　across　the　street。　　Sheltered　behind　a　con…

venient　standing　cab；　the　young　man　followed　her

movements　closely　with　his　eyes。　　Passing　down　the

sidewalk　of　the　street　opposite　the　park；　she　entered

the　restaurant　with　the　blazing　sign。　　The　place　was

one　of　those　frankly　glaring　establishments；　all　white；

paint　and　glass；　where　one　may　dine　cheaply　and

conspicuously。　　The　girl　penetrated　the　restaurant　to

some　retreat　at　its　rear；　whence　she　quickly　emerged

without　her　bat　and　veil。



The　cashier's　desk　was　well　to　the　front。　　A　red…

head　girl　an　the　stool　climbed　down；　glancing

pointedly　at　the　clock　as　she　did　so