the voice of the city(城市之声)-第22节
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passed him by thousands； and none of them were turned toward him。 A
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sudden fool… ish fear that he had died and was a spirit； and that they could
not see him； seized him。 And then the city smote him with loneliness。
A fat man dropped out of the stream and stood a few feet distant；
waiting for his car。 Sam crept to his side and shouted above the tumult into
his ear：
〃The Rankinses' hogs weighed more'n ourn a whole passel； but the
mast in thar neighborhood was a fine chance better than what it was down
〃
The fat man moved away unostentatiously； and bought roasted
chestnuts to cover his alarm。
Sam felt the need of a drop of mountain dew。 Across the street men
passed in and out through swinging doors。 Brief glimpses could be had of
a glistening bar and its bedeckings。 The feudist crossed and essayed to
enter。 Again had Art eliminated the familiar circle。 Sam's hand found no
door…knob … it slid； in vain； over a rectangular brass plate and polished oak
with nothing even so large as a pin's head upon which his fingers might
close。 Abashed； reddened； heartbroken； he walked away from the bootless
door and sat upon a step。 A locust club tickled him in the ribs。
〃Take a walk for yourself；〃 said the policeman。 You've been loafing
around here long enough。〃
At the next corner a shrill whistle sounded in Sam's ear。 He wheeled
around and saw a black…browed vil… lain scowling at him over peanuts
heaped on a steam… ing machine。 He started across the street。 An im…
mense engine； running without mules； with the voice of a bull and the
smell of a smoky lamp； whizzed past； grazing his knee。 A cab…driver
bumped him with a hub and explained to him that kind words were in…
vented to be used on other occasions。 A motorman clanged his bell wildly
and； for once in his life； cor… roborated a cab…driver。 A large lady in a
changeable silk waist dug an elbow into his back； and a newsy pensively
pelted him with banana rinds； murmuring； 〃I hates to do it but if
anybody seen me let it pass！〃
Cal Harkness； his day's work over and his express wagon stabled；
turned the sharp edge of the build… ing that； by the cheek of architects； is
modelled upon a safety razor。 Out of the mass of hurrying people his eye
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picked up； three yards away； the surviving bloody and implacable foe of
his kith and kin。
He stopped short and wavered for a moment； be… ing unarmed and
sharply surprised。 But the keen mountaineer's eye of Sam Folwell had
picked him out。
There was a sudden spring； a ripple in the stream of passersby and the
sound of Sam's voice crying：
〃Howdy； Cal！ I'm durned glad to see ye。〃
And in the angles of Broadway； Fifth Avenue and Twenty…third Street
the Cumberland feudists shook hands。
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ROSES； RUSES AND ROMANCE
Ravenel Ravenel； the traveller； artist and poet； threw his magazine
to the floor。 Sammy Brown； broker's clerk； who sat by the window；
jumped。
〃What is it； Ravvy？〃 he asked。 〃The critics been hammering your
stock down？〃
〃Romance is dead；〃 said Ravenel； lightly。 When Ravenel spoke lightly
be was generally serious。 He picked up the magazine and fluttered its
leaves。
〃Even a Philistine； like you； Sammy；〃 said Rave… nel； seriously （a tone
that insured him to be speak… ing lightly）； 〃ought to understand。 Now； here
is a magazine that once printed Poe and Lowell and Whitman and Bret
Harte and Du Maurier and Lanier and well； that gives you the idea。 The
current number has this literary feast to set before you： an article on the
stokers and coal bunkers of battleships； an expose of the methods
employed in making liver… wurst； a continued story of a Standard
Preferred International Baking Powder deal in Wall Street； a 'poem' on the
bear that the President missed； an… other 'story' by a young woman who
spent a week as a spy making overalls on the East Side； another 'fiction'
story that reeks of the 'garage' and a cer… tain make of automobile。 Of
course； the title contains the words 'Cupid' and 'Chauffeur' an article on
naval strategy； illustrated with cuts of the Spanish Armada； and the new
Staten Island ferry…boats； an… other story of a political boss who won the
love of a Fifth Avenue belle by blackening her eye and refusing to vote for
an iniquitous ordinance （it doesn't say whether it was in the Street…
Cleaning Department or Congress）； and nineteen pages by the editors
brag… ging about the circulation。 The whole thing； Sammy； is an obituary
on Romance。〃
Sammy Brown sat comfortably in the leather arm… chair by the open
window。 His suit was a vehement brown with visible checks； beautifully
matched in shade by the ends of four cigars that his vest pocket poorly
concealed。 Light tan were his shoes； gray his socks； sky…blue his apparent
linen； snowy and high and adamantine his collar； against which a black
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but… terfly had alighted and spread his wings。 Sammy's face least
important was round and pleasant and pinkish； and in his eyes you saw
no haven for fleeing Romance。
That window of Ravenel's apartment opened upon an old garden full
of ancient trees and shrubbery。 The apartment…house towered above one
side of it； a high brick wall fended it from the street； oppo… site Ravenel's
window an old； old mansion stood； half… hidden in the shade of the
summer foliage。 The house was a castle besieged。 The city howled and
roared and shrieked and beat upon its double doors； and shook white；
fluttering checks above the wall； offering terms of surrender。 The gray dust
settled upon the trees； the siege was pressed hotter； but the draw… bridge
was not lowered。 No further will the language of chivalry serve。 Inside
lived an old gentleman who loved his home and did not wish to sell it。
That is all the romance of the besieged castle。
Three or four times every week came Sammy Brown to Ravenel's
apartment。 He belonged to the poet's club； for the former Browns had been
con… spicuous； though Sammy bad been vulgarized by Business。 He had
no tears for departed Romance。 The song of the ticker was the one that
reached his heart； and when it came to matters equine and batting scores
he was something of a pink edition。 He loved to sit in the leather armchair
by Ravenel's window。 And Ravenel didn't mind particularly。 Sammy
seemed to enjoy his talk； and then the broker's clerk was such a perfect
embodiment of modernity and the day's sordid practicality that Ravenel
rather liked to use him as a scapegoat。
〃I'll tell you what's the matter with you；〃 said Sammy； with the
shrewdness that business had taught him。 〃The magazine has turned down
some of your poetry stunts。 That's why you are sore at it。〃
〃That would be a good guess in Wall Street or in a campaign for the
presidency of a woman's club；〃 said Ravenel； quietly。 〃Now； there is a
poem … if you will allow me to call it that … of my own in this number of
the magazine。〃
〃Read it to me；〃 said Sammy； watching a cloud of pipe…smoke be had
just blown out the window。
Ravenel was no greater than Achilles。 No one is。 There is bound to be
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a spot。 The Somebody…or…Other must take bold of us somewhere when she
dips us in the Something…or…Other that makes us invulnerable。 He
