the voice of the city(城市之声)-第37节
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suspicion of having received the knightly accolade。
〃Oh； Andy；〃 she sighed； 〃this is great！ Sure； I'll marry wid ye。 But why
didn't ye tell me ye was the cook？ I was near turnin' ye down for bein' one
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of thim foreign counts！〃
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FROM EACH ACCORDING TO
HIS ABILITY
Vuyning left his club； cursing it softly； without any particular anger。
From ten in the morning un… til eleven it had bored him immeasurably。
Kirk with his fish story； Brooks with his Porto Rico cigars； old Morrison
with his anecdote about the widow； Hep… burn with his invariable luck at
billiards all these afflictions had been repeated without change of bill or
scenery。 Besides these morning evils Miss Allison had refused him again
on the night before。 But that was a chronic trouble。 Five times she had
laughed at his offer to make her Mrs。 Vuyning。 He intended to ask her
again the next Wednesday evening。
Vuyning walked along Forty…fourth Street to Broadway； and then
drifted down the great sluice that washes out the dust of the gold…mines of
Gotham。 He wore a morning suit of light gray； low； dull kid shoes； a plain；
finely woven straw hat； and his visible linen was the most delicate
possible shade of belio… trope。 His necktie was the blue…gray of a Novem…
ber sky； and its knot was plainly the outcome of a lordly carelessness
combined with an accurate con… ception of the most recent dictum of
fashion。
Now； to write of a man's haberdashery is a worse thing than to write a
historical novel 〃around〃 Paul Jones； or to pen a testimonial to a hay…fever
cure。
Therefore； let it be known that the description of Vuyning's apparel is
germane to the movements of the story； and not to make room for the new
fall stock of goods。
Even Broadway that morning was a discord in Vuyning's ears； and in
his eyes it paralleled for a few dreamy； dreary minutes a certain howling；
scorching； seething； malodorous slice of street that he remembered in
Morocco。 He saw the struggling mass of dogs； beggars； fakirs； slave…
drivers and veiled women in carts without horses； the sun blazing brightly
among the bazaars； the piles of rubbish from ruined temples in the street …
and then a lady； passing； jabbed the ferrule of a parasol in his side and
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brought him back to Broadway。
Five minutes of his stroll brought him to a certain corner； where a
number of silent； pale…faced men are accustomed to stand； immovably； for
hours； busy with the file blades of their penknives； with their hat brims on
a level with their eyelids。 Wall Street speculators； driving home in their
carriages； love to point out these men to their visiting friends and tell them
of this rather famous lounging…place of the 〃crooks。〃 On Wall Street the
speculators never use the file blades of their knives。
Vuyning was delighted when one of this company stepped forth and
addressed him as he was passing。 He was hungry for something out of the
ordinary； and to be accosted by this smooth…faced； keen…eyed； low…voiced；
athletic member of the under world； with his grim； yet pleasant smile； had
all the taste of an adventure to the convention…weary Vuyning。
〃Excuse me； friend；〃 said be。 〃Could I have a few minutes' talk with
you on the level？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Vuyning； with a smile。 〃But； suppose we step aside to
a quieter place。 There is a divan a cafe over here that will do。 Schrumm
will give us a private corner。〃
Schrumm established them under a growing palm； with two seidls
between them。 Vuyning made a pleasant reference to meteorological
conditions； thus forming a binge upon which might be swung the door
leading from the thought repository of the other。
〃In the first place；〃 said his companion； with the air of one who
presents his credentials； 〃I want you to understand that I am a crook。 Out
West I am known as Rowdy the Dude。 Pickpocket； supper man； second…
story man； yeggman； boxman； all…round bur… glar； cardsharp and slickest
con man west of the Twenty…third Street ferry landing that's my his… tory。
That's to show I'm on the square with you。 My name's Emerson。〃
〃Confound old Kirk with his fish stories〃 said Vuyning to himself；
with silent glee as he went through his pockets for a card。 〃It's pronounced
'Vining；'〃 he said； as he tossed it over to the other。 〃And I'll be as frank
with you。 I'm just a kind of a loafer； I guess； living on my daddy's money。
At the club they call me 'Left…at…the…Post。' I never did a day's work in my
life； and I haven't the heart to run over a chicken when I'm motoring。 It's a
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pretty shabby record； altogether。〃
〃There's one thing you can do；〃 said Emerson； admiringly； 〃you can
carry duds。 I've watched you several times pass on Broadway。 You look
the best dressed man I've seen。 And I'll bet you a gold mine I've got 50
worth more gent's furnishings on my frame than you have。 That's what I
wanted to see you about。 I can't do the trick。 Take a look at me。 What's
wrong？〃
〃Stand up；〃 said Vuyning。
Emerson arose； and slowly revolved。
〃You've been 'outfitted；'〃 declared the clubman。 〃Some Broadway
window…dresser has misused you。〃
〃That's an expensive suit； though； Emerson。〃
〃A hundred dollars；〃 said Emerson。
〃Twenty too much；〃 said Vuyning。 〃Six months old in cut； one inch
too long； and half an inch to… much lapel。 Your hat is plainly dated one
year ago； although there's only a sixteenth of an inch lacking in the brim to
tell the story。 That English poke in your collar is too short by the distance
between Troy and London。 A plain gold link cuff…button would take all the
shine out of those pearl ones with dia… mond settings。 Those tan shoes
would be exactly the articles to work into the heart of a Brooklyn school…
ma'am on a two weeks' visit to Lake Ronkon… koma。 I think I caught a
glimpse of a blue silk sock embroidered with russet lilies of the valley
when you improperly drew up your trousers as you sat down。 There
are always plain ones to be had in the stores。 Have I hurt your feelings；
Emer… son？〃
〃Double the ante！〃 cried the criticised one； greed… ily。 〃Give me more
of it。 There's a way to tote the haberdashery； and I want to get wise to it。
Say； you're the right kind of a swell。 Anything else to the queer about me？〃
〃Your tie；〃 said Vuyning； 〃is tied with absolute precision and
correctness。〃
〃Thanks；〃 gratefully 〃I spent over half an hour at it before I 〃
〃Thereby；〃 interrupted Vuyning； 〃completing your resemblance to a
dummy in a Broadway store window。〃
〃Yours truly；〃 said Emerson； sitting down again。
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〃It's bully of you to put me wise。 I knew there was something wrong；
but I couldn't just put my finger on it。 I guess it comes by nature to know
how to wear clothes。〃
〃Oh； I suppose；〃 said Vuyning； with a laugh； 〃that my ancestors picked
up the knack while they were peddling clothes from house to house a
couple of hundred years ago。 I'm told they did that。〃
〃And mine；〃 said Emerson； cheerfully； 〃were making their visits at
night； I guess； and didn't have a chance to catch on to the correct styles。〃
〃I tell you what；〃 said Vuyning； whose ennui had taken wings； 〃I'll
take you to my tailor。 He'll eliminate the mark of the beast from your
exterior。 That is； if you care to go any further in the way of expense。〃
〃Play 'em to the ceiling；〃 said Emerson； with a boyish smil
