the voice of the city-第27章

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bacchantes　limned　on　the　wall　immediately　below　the

ceiling　bad　begun　to　move；　traversing　the　room　from

right　to　left　in　a　gay　and　spectacular　pilgrimage。　　I

did　not　confide　my　discovery　to　Kerner。　　The　artistic

temperament　is　too　high…strung　to　view　such　devia…

tions　from　the　natural　laws　of　the　art　of　kalsomining。

I　sipped　my　absinthe　drip　and　sawed　wormwood。



One　absinthe　drip　is　not　much　　but　I　said　again　to

Kerner；　kindly：



〃You　are　a　fool。〃　And　then；　in　the　vernacular：

〃Jesse　Holmes　for　yours。〃



And　then　I　looked　around　and　saw　the　Fool…Killer；

as　he　had　always　appeared　to　my　imagination；　sitting

at　a　nearby　table；　and　regarding　us　with　his　reddish；

fatal；　relentless　eyes。　　He　was　Jesse　Holmes　from　top

to　toe；　he　had　the　long；　gray；　ragged　beard；　the

gray　clothes　of　ancient　cut；　the　executioner's　look；

and　the　dusty　shoes　of　one　who　bad　been　called　from

afar。　　His　eyes　were　turned　fixedly　upon　Kerner。　　I

shuddered　to　think　that　I　bad　invoked　him　from　his

assiduous　southern　duties。　　I　thought　of　flying；　and

then　I　kept　my　seat；　reflecting　that　many　men　bad　es…

caped　his　ministrations　when　it　seemed　that　nothing

short　of　an　appointment　as　Ambassador　to　Spain

could　save　them　from　him。　　I　had　called　my　brother

Kerner　a　fool　and　was　in　danger　of　hell　fire。　　That

was　nothing；　but　I　would　try　to　save　him　from　Jesse

Holmes。



The　Fool…Killer　got　up　from　his　table　and　came

over　to　ours。　　He　rested　his　hands　upon　it；　and

turned　his　burning；　vindictive　eyes　upon　Kerner；　ig…

noring　me。



〃You　are　a　hopeless　fool；〃　be　said　to　the　artist。

〃Haven't　you　had　enough　of　starvation　yet？　　I　of…

fer　you　one　more　opportunity。　　Give　up　this　girl　and

come　back　to　your　home。　　Refuse；　and　you　must　take

the　consequences。〃



The　Fool…Killer's　threatening　face　was　within　a

foot　of　his　victim's；　but　to　my　horror；　Kerner　made

not　the　slightest　sign　of　being　aware　of　his　presence。



〃We　will　be　married　next　week；〃　be　muttered　ab…

sent…mindedly。　　〃With　my　studio　furniture　and　some

second…hand　stuff　we　can　make　out。〃



〃You　have　decided　your　own　fate；〃　said　the　Fool…

Killer；　in　a　low　but　terrible　voice。　　〃You　may　con…

sider　yourself　as　one　dead。　　You　have　had　your　last

chance。〃



〃In　the　moonlight；〃　went　on　Kerner；　softly；　〃we

will　sit　under　the　skylight　with　our　guitar　and　sing

away　the　false　delights　of　pride　and　money。〃



〃On　your　own　head　be　it；〃　hissed　the　Fool…Killer；

and　my　scalp　prickled　when　I　perceived　that　neither

Kerner's　eyes　nor　his　ears　took　the　slightest　cog…

nizance　of　Jesse　Holmes。　　And　then　I　knew　that　for

some　reason　the　veil　had　been　lifted　for　me　alone；　and

that　I　bad　been　elected　to　save　my　friend　from　de…

struction　at　the　Fool…Killer's　bands。　　Something　of

the　fear　and　wonder　of　it　must　have　showed　itself　in

my　face。



〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Kerner；　with　his　wan；　amiable

smile；　〃was　I　talking　to　myself？　　I　think　it　is　getting

to　be　a　habit　with　me。〃



The　Fool…Killer　turned　and　walked　out　of　Far…

ronils。



〃Wait　here　for　me；〃　said　I；　rising；　〃I　must　speak

to　that　man。　　Had　you　no　answer　for　him？　　Because

you　are　a　fool　must　you　die　like　a　mouse　under　his

foot？　　Could　you　not　utter　one　squeak　in　your　own

defence？



〃You　are　drunk；〃　said　Kerner；　heartlessly。　〃No

one　addressed　me。〃



〃The　destroyer　of　your　mind；〃　said　I；　〃stood

above　you　just　now　and　marked　you　for　his　victim。

You　are　not　blind　or　deaf。〃



〃I　recognized　no　such　person；〃　said　Kerner。　　〃I

have　seen　no　one　but　you　at　this　table。　　Sit　down。

Hereafter　you　shall　have　no　more　absinthe　drips。〃



〃Wait　here；〃　said　I；　furious；　〃if　you　don't　care

for　your　own　life；　I　will　save　it　for　you。〃



I　hurried　out　and　overtook　the　man　in　gray　half…

way　down　the　block。　　He　looked　as　I　bad　seen　him　in

my　fancy　a　thousand　times　…　truculent；　gray　and

awful。　　He　walked　with　the　white　oak　staff；　and　but

for　the　street…sprinkler　the　dust　would　have　been　fly…

ing　under　his　tread。

I　caught　him　by　the　sleeve　and　steered　him　to　a

dark　angle　of　a　building。　　I　knew　he　was　a　myth；　and

I　did　not　want　a　cop　to　see　me　conversing　with　va…

cancy；　for　I　might　land　in　Bellevue　minus　my　silver

matchbox　and　diamond　ring。



〃Jesse　Holmes；〃　said　I；　facing　him　with　apparent

bravery；　〃I　know　you。　　I　have　heard　of　you　all　my

life。　　I　know　now　what　a　scourge　you　have　been　to

your　country。　　Instead　of　killing　fools　you　have　been

murdering　the　youth　and　genius　that　are　necessary　to

make　a　people　live　and　grow　great。　　You　are　a　fool

yourself；　Holmes；　you　began　killing　off　the　brightest

and　best　of　our　countrymen　three　generations　ago；

when　the　old　and　obsolete　standards　of　society　and

honor　and　orthodoxy　were　narrow　and　bigoted。　　You

proved　that　when　you　put　your　murderous　mark　upon

my　friend　Kerner　　the　wisest　chap　I　ever　knew　in

my　life。〃



The　Fool…Killer　looked　at　me　grimly　and　closely。



〃You've　a　queer　jag；〃　said　he；　curiously。　　〃Oh；

yes；　I　see　who　you　are　now。　　You　were　sitting　with

him　at　the　table。　　Well；　if　I'm　not　mistaken；　I　heard

you　call　him　a　fool；　too。〃



〃I　did；〃　said　I。　〃I　delight　in　doing　so。　　It　is

from　envy。　　By　all　the　standards　that　you　know　he　is

the　most　egregious　and　grandiloquent　and　gorgeous

fool　in　all　the　world。　　That's　why　you　want　to　kill

him。〃



〃Would　you　mind　telling　me　who　or　what　you　think

I　am？〃　asked　the　old　man。



I　laughed　boisterously　and　then　stopped　suddenly；

for　I　remembered　that　it　would　not　do　to　be　seen　so

hilarious　in　the　company　of　nothing　but　a　brick

wall。



〃You　are　Jesse　Holmes；　the　Fool…Killer；〃　I　said；

solemnly；　〃and　you　are　going　to　kill　my　friend　Ker…

ner。　　I　don't　know　who　rang　you　up；　but　if　you　do

kill　him　I'll　see　that　you　get　pinched　for　it。　　That

is；〃　I　added；　despairingly；　〃if　I　can　get　a　cop　to　see

you。　　They　have　a　poor　eye　for　mortals；　and　I　think

it　would　take　the　whole　force　to　round　up　a　myth　mur…

derer。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Fool…Killer；　briskly；　〃I　must　be

going。　　You　had　better　go　home　and　sleep　it　off。

Good…night。〃



At　this　I　was　moved　by　a　sudden　fear　for　Kerner　to

a　softer　and　more　pleading　mood。　　I　leaned　against

the　gray　man's　sleeve　and　besought　him：



〃Good　Mr。　Fool…Killer；　please　don't　kill　little　Ker…

ner。　　Why　can't　you　go　back　South　and　kill　Con…

gressmen　and　clay…caters　and　let　us　alone？　　Why

don't　you　go　up　on　Fifth　Avenue　and　kill　millionaires

that　keep　their　money　locked　up　and　won't　let　young

fools　marry　because　one　of　'em　lives　on　the　wrong

street？　　Come　and　have　a　drink；　Jesse。　　Will　you

never　get　on　to　your　job？〃



〃Do　you　know　this　girl　that　your　friend　has　made

himself　a　fool　about？〃　asked　the　Fool…Killer。



〃I　have　the　honor；〃　said　I；　〃and　that's　why　I

called　Kerner　a　fool。　　He　is　a　fool　because　he　has

waited　so　long　before　marrying　her。　　He　is　a　fool

because　be　has　been　waiting　in　the　hopes　of　getting

the　consent　of　some　absurd　two…million…dollar…fool

parent　or　something　of　the　sort。〃



〃Maybe；〃　said　the　Fool…Killer　　〃　maybe　I　　I

might　have　looked　at　it　differently。　　Would　you　mind

going　back　to　the　restaurant　and　bringing　your　friend

Kerner　here？〃



〃OH；　what's　the　use；　Jesse；〃　I　yawned。　　〃He　can't

see　you。　　He　didn't　know　you　were　talking　to　him

at　the　table；　You　are　a　fictitious　character；　you

know。〃



〃Maybe　He　can　this　time。　　Will　you　go　fetch

him？〃



〃All　right；〃　said　I；　〃but　I've　a　suspicion　that

you're　not　strictly　sober；　Jesse。　　You　seem　to　be　wa…

vering　and　losing　your　outlines。　　Don't　vanish　before

I　get　back。〃



I　went　back　to　Kerner　and　said：



〃There's　a　man　with　an　invisible　homicidal　mania

waiting　to　see　you　outside。　　I　believe　he　wants　to

murder　you。　　Come　along。　　You　won't　see　him；　so

there's　nothing　to　be　frightened　about。〃



Kerner　looked　anxious。



〃Why；〃　said　be；　〃I　had　no　idea　one　absinthe

would　do　that。　　You'd　better　stick　to　Wurzburge