the voice of the city(城市之声)-第39节
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wanderings； to loosen the buskin and dust the sock。 Thick in the streets
around it are booking… offices； theatres； agents； schools； and the lobster…
pal… aces to which those thorny paths lead。 Wandering through the
eccentric halls of the dim and fusty Thalia； you seem to have found
yourself in some great ark or caravan about to sail； or fly； or roll away on
wheels。 About the house lingers a sense of unrest； of expectation； of
transientness； even of anxiety and apprehension。 The halls are a labyrinth。
Without a guide； you wander like a lost soul in a Sam Loyd puzzle。
Turning any corner； a dressing…sack or a cul…de…sac may bring you up
short。 You meet alarming tragedians stalking in bath…robes in search of ru…
mored bathrooms。 From hundreds of rooms come the buzz of talk； scraps
of new and old songs； and the ready laughter of the convened players。
Summer has come； their companies have disbanded； and they take
their rest in their favorite caravansary； while they besiege the managers for
engagements for the coming season。
At this hour of the afternoon the day's work of tramping the rounds of
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the agents' offices is over。 Past you； as you ramble distractedly through the
mossy halls； flit audible visions of houris； with veiled； starry eyes； flying
tag…ends of things and a swish of silk； bequeathing to the dull hallways an
odor of gaiety and a memory of frangipanni。 Serious young comedians；
with versatile Adam's apples； gather in doorways and talk of Booth。 Far…
reaching from somewhere comes the smell of ham and red cabbage； and
the crash of dishes on the American plan。
The indeterminate hum of life in the Thalia is enlivened by the discreet
popping at reasonable and salubrious intervals of beer…bottle corks。
Thus punctuated； life in the genial hostel scans easily the comma being
the favorite mark； semicolons frowned upon； and periods barred。
Miss D'Armannde's room was a small one。 There was room for her
rocker between the dresser and the wash…stand if it were placed
longitudinally。 On the dresser were its usual accoutrements； plus the ex…
lead… ing lady's collected souvenirs of road engagements and photographs
of her dearest and best professional friends。
At one of these photographs she looked twice or thrice as she darned；
and smiled friendlily。
〃I'd like to know where Lee is just this minute；〃 she said； half…aloud。
If you had been privileged to view the photograph thus flattered； you
would have thought at the first glance that you saw the picture of a many…
petalled white flower； blown through the air by a storm。 But the floral
kingdom was not responsible for that swirl of petalous whiteness。
You saw the filmy； brief skirt of Miss Rosalie Ray as she made a
complete heels…over…head turn in her wistaria…entwined swing； far out
from the stage； high above the heads of the audience。 You saw the cam…
era's inadequate representation of the graceful； strong kick； with which she；
at this exciting moment； sent flying； high and far； the yellow silk garter
that each evening spun from her agile limb and descended upon the
delighted audience below。
You saw； too； amid the black…clothed； mainly mas… culine patrons of
select vaudeville a hundred hands raised with the hope of staying the flight
of the bril… liant aerial token。
Forty weeks of the best circuits this act had brought Miss Rosalie Ray；
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for each of two years。 She did other things during her twelve minutes a
song and dance； imitations of two or three actors who are but imitations of
themselves； and a balancing feat with a step…ladder and feather…duster； but
when the blossom…decked swing was let down from the flies； and Miss
Rosalie sprang smiling into the seat； with the golden circlet conspicuous in
the place whence it was soon to slide and become a soaring and coveted
guerdon then it was that the audience rose in its seat as a single man
or presumably so and in… dorsed the specialty that made Miss Ray's
name a favorite in the booking…offices。
At the end of the two years Miss Ray suddenly an… nounced to her dear
friend； Miss D'Armande； that she was going to spend the summer at an
antediluvian village on the north shore of Long Island； and that the stage
would see her no more。
Seventeen minutes after Miss Lynnette D'Armande had expressed her
wish to know the whereabouts of her old chum； there were sharp raps at
her door。
Doubt not that it was Rosalie Ray。 At the shrill command to enter she
did so； with something of a tired flutter； and dropped a heavy hand…bag on
the floor。 Upon my word； it was Rosalie； in a loose； travel…stained
automobileless coat； closely tied brown veil with yard…long； flying ends；
gray walking…suit and tan oxfords with lavender overgaiters。
When she threw off her veil and hat； you saw a pretty enough face；
now flushed and disturbed by some unusual emotion； and restless； large
eyes with discontent marring their brightness。 A heavy pile of dull auburn
hair； hastily put up； was escaping in crinkly； waving strands and curling；
small locks from the confining combs and pins。
The meeting of the two was not marked by the effusion vocal；
gymnastical； osculatory and catecheti… cal that distinguishes the greetings
of their unpro… fessional sisters in society。 There was a brief clinch； two
simultaneous labial dabs and they stood on the same footing of the old
days。 Very much like the short salutations of soldiers or of travellers in
for… eign wilds are the welcomes between the strollers at the corners of
their crisscross roads。
〃I've got the hall…room two flights up above yours；〃 said Rosalie； 〃but
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I came straight to see you before going up。 I didn't know you were here till
they told me。〃
〃I've been in since the last of April；〃 said Lyn… nette。 〃And I'm going
on the road with a 'Fatal Inheritance' company。 We open next week in Eliz…
abeth。 I thought you'd quit the stage； Lee。 Tell me about yourself。〃
Rosalie settled herself with a skilful wriggle on the top of Miss
D'Armande's wardrobe trunk； and leaned her head against the papered wall。
From long habit； thus can peripatetic leading ladies and their sisters make
themselves as comfort。 able as though the deepest armchairs embraced
them。
〃I'm going to tell you； Lynn；〃 she said； with a strangely sardonic and
yet carelessly resigned look on her youthful face。 〃And then to…morrow I'll
strike the old Broadway trail again； and wear some more paint off the
chairs in the agents' offices。 If anybody had told me any time in the last
three months up to four o'clock this afternoon that I'd ever listen to that
'Leave…your…name…and…address' rot of the booking bunch again； I'd have
given 'em the real Mrs。 Fiske laugh。 Loan me a handkerchief； Lynn。 Gee！
but those Long Island trains are fierce。 I've got enough soft…coal cinders on
my face to go on and play Topsy without using the cork。 And； speaking of
corks got anything to drink； Lynn？〃
Miss D'Armande opened a door of the wash…stand and took out a
bottle。
〃There's nearly a pint of Manhattan。 There's a cluster of carnations in
the drinking glass； but 〃
〃Oh； pass the bottle。 Save the glass for com… pany。 Thanks！ That hits
the spot。 The same to you。 My first drink in three months！〃
〃Yes； Lynn； I quit the stage at the end of last season。 I quit it because I
was sick of the life。 And especially because my heart and soul were sick of
men of the kind of men we stage people have to be up against。 You know
what the game is to us it's a fight against 'em all the way down the line
from the manager who wants us to try his new motor…car to the bill…posters
who want to call us by our front names。
〃And the men we have to meet after the show are the worst of all。
