the voice of the city(城市之声)-第14节
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his partner； Sharp。 Together they explored the caverns of an immense safe。
Forth they dragged； as trophy of their search a big envelope sealed with
wax。 This they forcibly invaded； and wagged their venerable heads
together over its con… tents。 Then Tolman became spokesman。
〃Mr。 Gillian；〃 he said； formally； 〃there was a codicil to your uncle's
will。 It was intrusted to us privately； with instructions that it be not opened
until you had furnished us with a full account of your handling of the
1；000 bequest in the will。 As you have fulfilled the conditions； my
partner and I have read the codicil。 I do not wish to encumber your
understanding with its legal phraseology； but I will acquaint you with the
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spirit of its contents。
In the event that your disposition of the 1；000 demonstrates that you
possess any of the qualifica… tions that deserve reward； much benefit will
accrue to you。 Mr。 Sharp and I are named as the judges； and I assure you
that we will do our duty strictly according to justice…with liberality。 We are
not at all unfavorably disposed toward you； Mr。 Gillian。 But let us return
to the letter of the codicil。 If your disposal of the money in question has
been prudent； wise； or unselflish； it is in our power to hand you over bonds
to the value of 50；000； which have been placed in our hands for that
purpose。 But if … as our client； the late Mr。 Gillian； explicitly provides …
you have used this money as you have money in the past； I quote the late
Mr。 Gillian … in reprehensible dissipation among disreputable associates …
the 50；000 is to be paid to Miriam Hayden； ward of the late Mr。 Gillian；
without delay。 Now； Mr。 Gillian； Mr。 Sharp and I will examine your
account in regard to the 1；000。 You submit it in writing； I believe。 I hope
you will repose confidence in our decision。〃
Mr。 Tolman reached for the envelope。 Gillian was a little the quicker in
taking it up。 He tore the account and its cover leisurely into strips and
dropped them into his pocket。
〃It's all right；〃 he said； smilingly。 〃There isn't a bit of need to bother
you with this。 I don't suppose you'd understand these itemized bets；
anyway。 I lost the thousand dollars on the races。 Good…day to you；
gentlemen。〃
Tolman & Sharp shook their beads mournfully at each other when
Gillian left； for they heard him whis… tling gayly in the hallway as he
waited for the ele… vator。
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The Voice of the City
THE DEFEAT OF THE CITY
Robert Walmsley's descent upon the city resulted in a Kilkenny
struggle。 He came out of the fight victor by a fortune and a reputation。 On
the other band； he was swallowed up by the city。 The city gave him what
he demanded and then branded him with its brand。 It remodelled； cut；
trimmed and stamped him to the pattern it approves。 It opened its social
gates to him and shut him in on a close… cropped； formal lawn with the
select herd of rumi… nants。 In dress； habits； manners； provincialism； routine
and narrowness he acquired that charming in… solence； that irritating
completeness； that sophisti… cated crassness； that overbalanced poise that
makes the Manhattan gentleman so delightfully small in his greatness。
One of the up…state rural counties pointed with pride to the successful
young metropolitan lawyer as a product of its soil。 Six years earlier this
county had removed the wheat straw from between its huckle… berry…
stained teeth and emitted a derisive and bucolic laugh as old man
Walmsley's freckle…faced 〃 Bob abandoned the certain three…per…diem
meals of the one…horse farm for the discontinuous quick lunch counters of
the three…ringed metropolis。 At the end of the six years no murder trial；
coaching party； au… tomobile accident or cotillion was complete in which
the name of Robert Walmsley did not figure。 Tailors waylaid him in the
street to get a new wrinkle from the cut of his unwrinkled trousers。
Hyphenated fel… lows in the clubs and members of the oldest subpoenaed
families were glad to clap him on the back and allow him three letters of
his name。
But the Matterhorn of Robert Walmsley's success was not scaled until
be married Alicia Van Der Pool。 I cite the Matterhorn； for just so high and
cool and white and inaccessible was this daughter of the old burghers。 The
social Alps that ranged about her over whose bleak passes a thousand
climbers struggled reached only to her knees。 She towered in her own
atmosphere； serene； chaste； prideful； wading in no fountains； dining no
monkeys； breeding no dogs for bench shows。 She was a Van Der Pool。
Fountains were made to play for her； monkeys were made for other
people's ancestors； dogs； she understood； were created to be companions
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of blind persons and objec… tionable characters who smoked pipes。
This was the Matterhorn that Robert Walmsley accomplished。 If he
found； with the good poet with the game foot and artificially curled hair；
that he who ascends to mountain tops will find the loftiest peaks most
wrapped in clouds and snow； he concealed his chilblains beneath a brave
and smiling exterior。 He was a lucky man and knew it； even though he
were imitating the Spartan boy with an ice…cream freezer beneath his
doublet frappeeing the region of his heart。
After a brief wedding tour abroad； the couple re… turned to create a
decided ripple in the calm cistern （so placid and cool and sunless it is） of
the best so… ciety。 They entertained at their red brick mausoleum of ancient
greatness in an old square that is a ceme… tery of crumbled glory。 And
Robert Walmsley was proud of his wife； although while one of his hands
shook his guests' the other held tightly to his alpen… stock and
thermometer。
One day Alicia found a letter written to Robert by his mother。 It was an
unerudite letter； full of crops and motherly love and farm notes。 It
chronicled the health of the pig and the recent red calf； and asked
concerning Robert's in return。 It was a letter direct from the soil； straight
from home； full of biographies of bees； tales of turnips； peaans of new…laid
eggs； neg… lected parents and the slump in dried apples。
〃Why have I not been shown your mother's let… ters？〃 asked Alicia。
There was always something in her voice that made you think of
lorgnettes； of ac… counts at Tiffany's； of sledges smoothly gliding on the
trail from Dawson to Forty Mile； of the tinkling of pendant prisms on your
grandmothers' chandeliers； of snow lying on a convent roof； of a police
sergeant refusing bail。 〃Your mother；〃 continued Alicia； 〃invites us to
make a visit to the farm。 I have never seen a farm。 We will go there for a
week or two； Robert。〃
〃We will；〃 said Robert； with the grand air of an associate Supreme
Justice concurring in an opinion。 〃I did not lay the invitation before you
because I thought you would not care to go。 I am much pleased at your
decision。〃
〃I will write to her myself；〃 answered Alicia； with a faint
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foreshadowing of enthusiasm。 〃 Felice shall pack my trunks at once。 Seven；
I think； will be enough。 I do not suppose that your mother entertains a
great deal。 Does she give many house parties？〃
Robert arose； and as attorney for rural places filed a demurrer against
six of the seven trunks。 He en… deavored to define； picture； elucidate； set
forth and describe a farm。 His own wo
