the voice of the city(城市之声)-第20节
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the block in the middle。 It per… ishes in a little court in the centre of the
block。 The district is theatrical； the inhabitants； the bubbling froth of half a
dozen nations。 The atmosphere is Bohemian； the language polyglot； the
locality pre… carious。
In the court at the rear of the alley lived the candy man。 At seven
o'clock be pushed his cart into the narrow entrance； rested it upon the
irregular stone slats and sat upon one of the handles to cool himself。 There
was a great draught of cool wind through the alley。
There was a window above the spot where be al… ways stopped his
pushcart。 In the cool of the after… noon； Mlle。 Adele； drawing card of the
Aerial Roof Garden； sat at the window and took the air。 Gen… erally her
ponderous mass of dark auburn hair was down； that the breeze might have
the felicity of aid… ing Sidonie； the maid； in drying and airing it。 About her
shoulders the point of her that the pho… tographers always made the
most of was loosely draped a heliotrope scarf。 Her arms to the elbow
were bare there were no sculptors there to rave over them but even the
stolid bricks in the walls of the alley should not have been so insensate as
to disapprove。 While she sat thus Fe1ice； another maid； anointed and
bathed the small feet that twinkled and so charmed the nightly Aerial
audiences。
Gradually Mademoiselle began to notice the candy man stopping to
mop his brow and cool himself be… neath her window。 In the hands of her
maids she was deprived for the time of her vocation the charming and
binding to her chariot of man。 To lose time was displeasing to
Mademoiselle。 Here was the candy man … no fit game for her darts； truly
but of the sex upon which she had been born to make war。
After casting upon him looks of unseeing coldness for a dozen times；
one afternoon she suddenly thawed and poured down upon him a smile
that put to shame the sweets upon his cart。
〃Candy man；〃 she said； cooingly； while Sidonie followed her
impulsive dive； brushing the heavy auburn hair； 〃don't you think I am
beautiful？
The candy man laughed harshly； and looked up； with his thin jaw set；
while he wiped his forehead with a red…and…blue handkerchief
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〃Yer'd make a dandy magazine cover；〃 he said； grudgingly。 〃Beautiful
or not is for them that cares。 It's not my line。 If yer lookin' for bou… quets
apply elsewhere between nine and twelve。 I think we'll have rain。〃
Truly； fascinating a candy man is like killing rab… bits in a deep snow；
but the hunter's blood is widely diffused。 Mademoiselle tugged a great coil
of hair from Sidonie's bands and let it fall out the window。
〃Candy man； have you a sweetheart anywhere with hair as long and
soft as that？ And with an arm so round？ 〃 She flexed an arm like Galatea's
after the miracle across the window…sill。
The candy man cackled shrilly as he arranged a stock of butter…scotch
that had tumbled down。
〃Smoke up！〃 said he； vulgarly。 〃Nothin' doin' in the complimentary
line。 I'm too wise to be bam… boozled by a switch of hair and a newly
massaged arm。 Oh； I guess you'll make good in the calcium； all right； with
plenty of powder and paint on and the orchestra playing 〃Under the Old
Apple Tree。〃 But don't put on your hat and chase downstairs to fly to the
Little Church Around the Corner with me。 I've been up against peroxide
and make…up boxes be… fore。 Say； all joking aside don't you think we'll
have rain？〃
〃Candy man；〃 said Mademoiselle softly； with her lips curving and her
chin dimpling； 〃don't you think I'm pretty？〃
The candy man grinned。 〃Savin' money； ain't yer？ 〃 said be； 〃by bein'
yer own press agent。 I smoke； but I haven't seen yer mug on any of the
five…cent cigar boxes。 It'd take a new brand of woman to get me goin'；
anyway。 I know 'em from sidecombs to shoelaces。 Gimme a good day's
sales and steak…and…onions at seven and a pipe and an evenin' paper back
there in the court； and I'll not trouble Lillian Russell herself to wink at me；
if you please。〃
Mademoiselle pouted。
〃Candy man；〃 she said； softly and deeply； 〃yet you shall say that I am
beautiful。 All men say so and so shall you。〃
The candy man laughed and pulled out his pipe。
〃Well；〃 said be； 〃I must be goin' in。 There is a story in the evenin'
paper that I am readin'。 Men are divin' in the seas for a treasure； and
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The Voice of the City
pirates are watchin' them from behind a reef。 And there ain't a woman on
land or water or in the air。 Good… evenin'。〃 And he trundled his pushcart
down the alley and back to the musty court where he lived。
Incredibly to him who has not learned woman； Mademoiselle sat at the
window each day and spread her nets for the ignominious game。 Once she
kept a grand cavalier waiting in her reception chamber for half an hour
while she battered in vain the candy man's tough philosophy。 His rough
laugh chafed her vanity to its core。 Daily he sat on his cart in the breeze of
the alley while her hair was being ministered to； and daily the shafts of her
beauty rebounded from his dull bosom pointless and ineffectual。 Un…
worthy pique brightened her eyes。 Pride…hurt she glowed upon him in a
way that would have sent her higher adorers into an egoistic paradise。 The
candy man's hard eyes looked upon her with a half…con… cealed derision
that urged her to the use of the sharp… est arrow in her beauty's quiver。
One afternoon she leaned far over the sill； and she did not challenge
and torment him as usual。
〃Candy man；〃 said she； 〃stand up and look into my eyes。〃
He stood up and looked into her eyes； with his harsh laugh like the
sawing of wood。 He took out his pipe； fumbled with it； and put it back into
big pocket with a trembling band。 〃That will do；〃 said Mademoiselle； with
a slow smile。 〃I must go now to my masseuse。 Good… evening。〃
The next evening at seven the candy man came and rested his cart
under the window。 But was it the candy man？ His clothes were a bright
new check。 His necktie was a flaming red； adorned by a glit… tering
horseshoe pin； almost life…size。 His shoes were polished； the tan of his
cheeks had paled his hands had been washed。 The window was empty；
and he waited under it with his nose upward； like a hound hoping for a
bone。
Mademoiselle came； with Sidonie carrying her load of hair。 She
looked at the candy man and smiled a slow smile that faded away into
ennui。 Instantly she knew that the game was bagged； and so quickly she
wearied of the chase。 She began to talk to Sidonie。
〃Been a fine day；〃 said the candy man； hollowly。 〃First time in a month
I've felt first…class。 Hit it up down old Madison； hollering out like I useter。
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Think it'll rain to…morrow？〃
Mademoiselle laid two round arms on the cushion on the window…sill；
and a dimpled chin upon them。
〃Candy man；〃 said she； softly； 〃do you not love me？ 〃
The candy man stood up and leaned against the brick wall。
〃Lady；〃 said be； chokingly； 〃I've got 800 saved up。 Did I say you
wasn't beautiful？ Take it every bit of it and buy a collar for your dog with
it。〃
A sound as of a hundred silvery bells tinkled in the room of
Mademoiselle。 The laughter filled the alley and trickled back into the court；
as strange a thing to enter there as sunlight itself。 Mademoiselle was
amused。 Sidonie； a wise echo； added a sepulchral but faithful contralto。
The laughter of the two seemed at last to penetrate the candy man。 He
fumbled with his horseshoe pin。 At len
