the voice of the city(城市之声)-第25节
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always threw peddlers down… stairs as fast as he came upon 'em； has to
unwind old Isaacstein's whiskers from around his neck； and wake up the
whole gang at daylight。 But here and there some few got acquainted and
overlooked the discom… forts of the elements。 There was five engagements
to be married announced at the flats the next morning。
About midnight I gets up and wrings the dew out of my hair； and goes
to the side of the driveway and sits down。 At one side of the park I could
see the lights in the streets and houses； and I was thinking how happy
them folks was who could chase the duck and smoke their pipes at their
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windows； and keep cool and pleasant like nature intended for 'em to。
Just then an automobile stops by me； and a fine… looking； well…dressed
man steps out。
'Me man；' says he； 'can you tell me why all these people are lying
around on the grass in the park？ I thought it was against the rules。'
〃''Twas an ordinance；' says I； 'just passed by the Polis Department and
ratified by the Turf Cut… ters' Association； providing that all persons not
car… rying a license number on their rear axles shall keep in the public
parks until further notice。 Fortu… nately； the orders comes this year during
a spell of fine weather； and the mortality； except on the borders of the lake
and along the automobile drives； will not be any greater than usual。'
〃'Who are these people on the side of the bill？' asks the man。
〃'Sure；' says I； 'none others than the tenants of the Beersheba Flats a
fine home for any man； especially on hot nights。 May daylight come
soon！'
〃'They come here be night；' says be； 'and breathe in the pure air and the
fragrance of the flowers and trees。 They do that；' says be； 'coming every
night from the burning beat of dwellings of brick and stone。'
〃'And wood；' says I。 'And marble and plaster and iron。'
〃'The matter will be attended to at once；' says the man； putting up his
book。
〃'Are ye the Park Commissioner？' I asks。
〃'I own the Beersheba Flats；' says he。 'God bless the grass and the trees
that give extra benefits to a man's tenants。 The rents shall be raised fifteen
per cent。 to…morrow。 Good…night；' says he。〃
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THE EASTER OF THE SOUL
It is hardly likely that a goddess may die。 Then Eastre； the old Saxon
goddess of spring； must be laughing in her muslin sleeve at people who
believe that Easter； her namesake； exists only along certain strips of Fifth
Avenue pavement after church service。
Aye！ It belongs to the world。 The ptarmigan in Chilkoot Pass discards
his winter white feathers for brown； the Patagonian Beau Brummell oils
his chi… gnon and clubs him another sweetheart to drag to his skull…strewn
flat。 And down in Chrystie Street
Mr。 〃Tiger〃 McQuirk arose with a feeling of disquiet that be did not
understand。 With a prac… tised foot be rolled three of his younger brothers
like logs out of his way as they lay sleeping on the floor。 Before a foot…
square looking glass hung by the win… dow he stood and shaved himself。 If
that may seem to you a task too slight to be thus impressively chron… icled；
I bear with you； you do not know of the areas to be accomplished in
traversing the cheek and chin of Mr。 McQuirk。
McQuirk； senior； had gone to work long before。 The big son of the
house was idle。 He was a marble… cutter； and the marble…cutters were out
on a strike。
〃What ails ye？〃 asked his mother； looking at him curiously； 〃are ye not
feeling well the morning； maybe now？〃
〃He's thinking along of Annie Maria Doyle； im… pudently explained
younger brother Tim； ten years old。〃
〃Tiger〃 reached over the hand of a champion and swept the small
McQuirk from his chair。
〃I feel fine；〃 said he； 〃beyond a touch of the I…don't…know…wbat…you…
call…its。 I feel like there was going to be earthquakes or music or a trifle of
chills and fever or maybe a picnic。 I don't know how I feel。 I feel like
knocking the face off a policeman； or else maybe like playing Coney
Island straight across the board from pop…corn to the elephant boudabs。〃
〃It's the spring in yer bones；〃 said Mrs。 McQuirk。 〃It's the sap risin'。
Time was when I couldn't keep me feet still nor me head cool when the
earthworms began to crawl out in the dew of the mornin'。 'Tis a bit of tea
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will do ye good； made from pipsissewa and gentian bark at the druggist's。〃
〃Back up！〃 said Mr。 McQuirk； impatiently。
〃There's no spring in sight There's snow yet on the shed in Donovan's
backyard。 And yesterday they puts open cars on the Sixth Avenue lines；
and the janitors have quit ordering coal。 And that means six weeks more of
winter； by all the signs that be。〃
After breakfast Mr。 McQuirk spent fifteen minutes before the
corrugated mirror； subjugating his hair and arranging his green…and…purple
ascot with its amethyst tombstone pin…eloquent of his chosen calling。
Since the strike had been called it was this par… ticular striker's habit to
hie himself each morning to the corner saloon of Flaherty Brothers； and
there establish himself upon the sidewalk； with one foot resting on the
bootblack's stand； observing the panorama of the street until the pace of
time brought twelve o'clock and the dinner hour。 And Mr。 〃Tiger〃
McQuirk； with his athletic seventy inches； well trained in sport and battle；
his smooth； pale； solid； amiable face blue where the razor had trav… elled；
his carefully considered clothes and air of capa… bility； was himself a
spectacle not displeasing to the eye。
But on this morning Mr。 McQuirk did not hasten immediately to his
post of leisure and observation。 Something unusual that he could not quite
grasp was in the air。 Something disturbed his thoughts； ruffled his senses；
made him at once languid； irritable； elated； dissastisfied and sportive。 He
was no diagnostician； and he did not know that Lent was breaking up
physiologically in his system。
Mrs。 McQuirk had spoken of spring。 Sceptically Tiger looked about
him for signs。 Few they were。 The organ…grinders were at work； but they
were always precocious harbingers。 It was near enough spring for them to
go penny…hunting when the skating ball dropped at the park。 In the
milliners' windows Easter hats； grave； gay and jubilant； blos… somed。
There were green patches among the side… walk debris of the grocers。 On a
third…story window… sill the first elbow cushion of the season old gold
stripes on a crimson ground supported the kimo… noed arms of a pensive
brunette。 The wind blew cold from the East River； but the sparrows were
fly… ing to the eaves with straws。 A second…hand store； combining foresight
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with faith； had set out an ice… chest and baseball goods。
And then 〃Tiger's〃 eye； discrediting these signs； fell upon one that
bore a bud of promise。 From a bright； new lithograph the head of
Capricornus con… fronted him； betokening the forward and heady brew。
Mr。 McQuirk entered the saloon and called for his glass of bock。 He
threw his nickel on the bar； raised the glass； set it down without tasting it
and strolled toward the door。
〃Wot's the matter； Lord Bolinbroke？〃 inquired the sarcastic bartender；
want a chiny vase or a gold…lined epergne to drink it out of hey？〃
〃Say；〃 said Mr。 McQuirk； wheeling and shooting out a horizontal hand
and a forty…five…degree chin； 〃you know your place only when it comes for
givin' titles。 I've changed me mind about drinkin see？ You got your
money； ain't you？ Wait till you get stung before you get the droop to your
lip； will you？〃
Thus Mr。 Quirk added mutability of desires to the strange humors that
had taken possession of him。
Leaving the saloon； he walked away twenty steps and le
