the voice of the city(城市之声)-第5节
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head slid restfully against his shoulder。
〃Gee！〃 sighed Masie； thankfully。 〃Why didn't you ever think of that
before？〃
〃Masie；〃 said Carter； earnestly； 〃you surely know that I love you。 I ask
you sincerely to marry me。 You know me well enough by this time to have
no doubts of me。 I want you； and I must have you。 I care nothing for the
difference in our stations。〃
〃What is the difference？〃 asked Masie； curi… ously。
〃Well； there isn't any；〃 said Carter； quickly； 〃ex… cept in the minds of
foolish people。 It is in my power to give you a life of luxury。 My social
position is be… yond dispute； and my means are ample。〃
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〃They all say that；〃 remarked Masie。 〃It's the kid they all give you。 I
suppose you really work in a delicatessen or follow the races。 I ain't as
green as I look。〃
〃I can furnish you all the proofs you want；〃 said Carter； gently。 〃And I
want you； Masie。 I loved you the first day I saw you。〃
〃They all do；〃 said Masie； with an amused laugh； 〃to hear 'em talk。 If I
could meet a man that got stuck on me the third time he'd seen me I think
I'd get mashed on him。〃
〃Please don't say such things；〃 pleaded Carter。 〃Listen to me； dear。
Ever since I first looked into your eyes you have been the only woman in
the world for me。〃
〃Oh； ain't you the kidder！〃 smiled Masie。 〃How many other girls did
you ever tell that？〃
But Carter persisted。 And at length be reached the flimsy； fluttering
little soul of the shopgirl that existed somewhere deep down in her lovely
bosom。
His words penetrated the heart whose very lightness was its safest
armor。 She looked up at him with eyes that saw。 And a warm glow visited
her cool cheeks。 Tremblingly； awfully； her moth wings closed； and she
seemed about to settle upon the flower of love。 Some faint glimmer of life
and its possibilities on the other side of her glove counter dawned upon
her。 Carter felt the change and crowded the opportunity。
〃Marry me； Masie；〃 be whispered softly； 〃and we will go away from
this ugly city to beautiful ones。 We will forget work and business； and life
will be one long holiday。 I know where I should take you … I have been
there often。 Just think of a shore where summer is eternal； where the
waves are always rip… pling on the lovely beach and the people are happy
and free as children。 We will sail to those shores and remain there as long
as you please。 In one of those far…away cities there are grand and lovely
palaces and towers full of beautiful pictures and statues。 The streets of the
city are water； and one travels about in 〃
〃I know；〃 said Masie； sitting up suddenly。 〃Gondolas。〃
〃Yes；〃 smiled Carter。
〃I thought so；〃 said Masie。
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〃And then；〃 continued Carter； 〃we will travel on and see whatever we
wish in the world。 After the European cities we will visit India and the
ancient cities there； and ride on elephants and see the wonder… ful temples
of the Hindoos and Brahmins and the Japanese gardens and the camel
trains and chariot races in Persia； and all the queer sights of foreign
countries。 Don't you think you would like it； Masie？
Masie rose to her feet。
〃I think we had better be going home；〃 she said； coolly。 〃It's getting
late。〃
Carter humored her。 He had come to know her varying； thistle…down
moods； and that it was useless to combat them。 But he felt a certain happy
triumph。 He had held for a moment； though but by a silken thread； the soul
of his wild Psyche； and hope was stronger within him。 Once she had
folded her wings and her cool band bad closed about his own。
At the Biggest Store the next day Masie's chum； Lulu； waylaid her in
an angle of the counter。
〃How are you and your swell friend making it？ she asked。
〃Oh； him？〃 said Masie； patting her side curls。 〃He ain't in it any more。
Say； Lu； what do you think that fellow wanted me to do？〃
〃Go on the stage？〃 guessed Lulu； breathlessly。
〃Nit； he's too cheap a guy for that。 He wanted me to marry him and go
down to Coney Island for a wedding tour！〃
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The Voice of the City
DOUGHERTY'S EYE…OPENER
Big Jim Dougherty was a sport。 He belonged to that race of men。 In
Manhattan it is a distinct race。 They are the Caribs of the North strong；
artful； self…sufficient； clannish； honorable within the laws of their race；
holding in lenient contempt neigh… boring tribes who bow to the measure
of Society's tapeline。 I refer； of course； to the titled nobility of sportdom。
There is a class which bears as a qualify… ing adjective the substantive
belonging to a wind in… strument made of a cheap and base metal。 But the
tin mines of Cornwall never produced the material for manufacturing
descriptive nomenclature for 〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty。
The habitat of the sport is the lobby or the outside corner of certain …
hotels and combination restaurants and cafes。 They are mostly men of
different sizes； running from small to large； but they are unanimous in the
possession of a recently shaven； blue…black cheek and chin and dark
overcoats （in season） with black velvet collars。
Of the domestic life of the sport little is known。 It has been said that
Cupid and Hymen sometimes take a band in the game and copper the
queen of hearts to lose。 Daring theorists have averred … not content with
simply saying … that a sport often contracts a spouse； and even incurs
descendants。 Sometimes he。 sits in the game of politics； and then at
chowder picnics there is a revelation of a Mrs。 Sport and little Sports in
glazed hats with tin pails。
But mostly the sport is Oriental。 He believes his women…folk should
not be too patent。 Somewhere be… bind grilles or flower…ornamented fire
escapes they await him。 There； no doubt； they tread on rugs from Teheran
and are diverted by the bulbul and play upon the dulcimer and feed upon
sweetmeats。 But away from his home the sport is an integer。 He does not；
as men of other races in Manhattan do； become the convoy in his
unoccupied hours of fluttering laces and high heels that tick off delectably
the happy seconds of the evening parade。 He herds with his own race at
corners； and delivers a commentary in his Carib lingo upon the passing
show。
〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty had a wife； but be did not wear a button portrait
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of her upon his lapel。 He bad a home in one of those brown…stone； iron…
railed streets on the west side that look like a recently ex… cavated bowling
alley of Pompeii。
To this home of his Mr。 Dougherty repaired each night when the hour
was so late as to promise no further diversion in the arch domains of sport。
By that time the occupant of the monogamistic harem would be in
dreamland； the bulbul silenced and the hour propitious for slumber。
〃Big Jim〃 always arose at twelve； meridian； for breakfast； and soon
afterward he would return to the rendezvous of his 〃crowd。〃
He was always vaguely conscious that there was a Mrs。 Dougherty。 He
would have received without denial the charge that the quiet； neat；
comfortable little woman across the table at home was his wife。 In fact； he
remembered pretty well that they bad been married for nearly four years。
She would often tell him about the cute tricks of Spot； the canary； and the
light…haired lady that lived in the window of the flat across the street。
〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty even listened to this con… versation of hers
sometimes。 He knew that she would have a nice dinner ready for him
every evening at seven when he came for it。 She sometimes went to
matinees； and she bad a talking machine with six dozen records。 Once
when her Uncle Amos blew in on a wind from up…state； she went with him
to the Eden
