the voice of the city-第28章

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

would　do　that。　　You'd　better　stick　to　Wurzburger。

I'll　walk　home　with　you。〃



I　led　him　to　Jesse　Holmes's。



〃Rudolf；〃　said　the　Fool…Killer；　〃I'll　give　in。

Bring　her　up　to　the　house。　　Give　me　your　hand；

boy。〃；



〃Good　for　you；　dad；〃　said　Kerner；　shaking　hands

with　the　old　man。　You'll　never　regret　it　after　you

know　her。〃



〃So；　you　did　see　him　when　he　was　talking　to　you

at　the　table？〃　I　asked　Kerner。



〃We　hadn't　spoken　to　each　other　in　a　year；〃　said

Kerner。　　〃It's　all　right　now。〃



I　walked　away。



〃Where　are　you　going？〃　called　Kerner。



〃I　am　going　to　look　for　Jesse　Holmes；〃　I　an…

swered；　with　dignity　and　reserve。









TRANSIENTS　IN　ARCADIA





There　is　a　hotel　on　Broadway　that　has　escaped

discovery　by　the　summer…resort　promoters。　　It　is

deep　and　wide　and　cool。　　Its　rooms　are　finished　in

dark　oak　of　a　low　temperature。　　Home…made　breezes

and　deep…green　shrubbery　give　it　the　delights　without

the　inconveniences　of　the　Adirondacks。　　One　can

mount　its　broad　staircases　or　glide　dreamily　upward

in　its　aerial　elevators；　attended　by　guides　in　brass　but…

tons；　with　a　serene　joy　that　Alpine　climbers　have

never　attained。　　There　is　a　chef　in　its　kitchen　who

will　prepare　for　you　brook　trout　better　than　the　White

Mountains　ever　served；　sea　food　that　would　turn　Old

Point　Comfort　　〃by　Gad；　sah！〃　　green　with

envy；　and　Maine　venison　that　would　melt　the　official

heart　of　a　game　warden。



A　few　have　found　out　this　oasis　in　the　July　desert

of　Manhattan。　　During　that　month　you　will　see　the

hotel's　reduced　array　of　guests　scattered　luxuriously

about　in　the　cool　twilight　of　　its　lofty　dining…room；

gazing　at　one　another　across　the　snowy　waste　of　un…

occupied　tables；　silently　congratulatory。



Superfluous；　watchful；　pneumatically　moving　wait…

ers　hover　near；　supplying　every　want　before　it　is　ex…

pressed。　　The　temperature　is　perpetual　April。　　The

ceiling　is　painted　in　water　colors　to　counterfeit　a　sum…

mer　sky　across　which　delicate　clouds　drift　and　do　not

vanish　as　those　of　nature　do　to　our　regret。



The　pleasing；　distant　roar　of　Broadway　is　trans…

formed　in　the　imagination　of　the　happy　guests　to　the

noise　of　a　waterfall　filling　the　woods　with　its　restful

sound。　　At　every　strange　footstep　the　guests　turn　an

anxious　ear；　fearful　lest　their　retreat　be　discovered

and　invaded　by　the　restless　pleasure…seekers　who　are

forever　hounding　nature　to　her　deepest　lairs。



Thus　in　the　depopulated　caravansary　the　little

band　of　connoisseurs　jealously　bide　themselves　during

the　heated　season；　enjoying　to　the　uttermost　the　de…

lights　of　mountain　and　seashore　that　art　and　skill

have　gathered　and　served　to　them。



In　this　July　came　to　the　hotel　one　whose　card　that

she　sent　to　the　clerk　for　her　name　to　be　registered

read　〃Mme。　　He1oise　D'Arcy　Beaumont。〃



Madame　Beaumont　was　a　guest　such　as　the　Hotel

Lotus　loved。　　She　possessed　the　fine　air　of　the　e1ite；

tempered　and　sweetened　by　a　cordial　graciousness

that　made　the　hotel　employees　her　slaves。　　Bell…boys

fought　for　the　honor　of　answering　her　ring；　the

clerks；　but　for　the　question　of　ownership；　would　have

deeded　to　her　the　hotel　and　its　contents；　the　other

guests　regarded　her　as　the　final　touch　of　feminine

exclusiveness　and　beauty　that　rendered　the　entourage

perfect。



This　super…excellent　guest　rarely　left　the　hotel。

Her　habits　were　consonant　with　the　customs　of　the　dis…

criminating　patrons　of　the　Hotel　Lotus。　　To　enjoy

that　delectable　hostelry　one　must　forego　the　city　as

though　it　were　leagues　away。　　By　night　a　brief　ex…

cursion　to　the　nearby　roofs　is　in　order；　but　during

the　torrid　day　one　remains　in　the　umbrageous　fast…

nesses　of　the　Lotus　as　a　trout　hangs　poised　in　the　pel…

lucid　sanctuaries　of　his　favorite　pool。；



Though　alone　in　the　Hotel　Lotus；　Madame　Beau…

mont　preserved　the　state　of　a　queen　whose　loneliness

was　of　position　only。　　She　breakfasted　at　ten；　a　cool；

sweet；　leisurely；　delicate　being　who　glowed　softly　in

the　dimness　like　a　jasmine　flower　in　the　dusk。



But　at　dinner　was　Madame's　glory　at　its　height。

She　wore　a　gown　as　beautiful　and　immaterial　as　the

mist　from　an　unseen　cataract　in　a　mountain　gorge。

The　nomenclature　of　this　gown　is　beyond　the　guess

of　the　scribe。　　Always　pale…red　roses　reposed　against

its　lace…garnished　front。　It　was　a　gown　that　the

bead…waiter　viewed　with　respect　and　met　at　the　door。

You　thought　of　Paris　when　you　saw　it；　and　maybe　of

mysterious　countesses；　and　certainly　of　Versailles　and

rapiers　and　Mrs。　Fiske　and　rouge…et…noir。　　There　was

an　untraceable　rumor　in　the　Hotel　Lotus　that

Madame　was　a　cosmopolite；　and　that　she　was　pulling

with　her　slender　white　bands　certain　strings　between

the　nations　in　the　favor　of　Russia。　　Being　a　citi…

zeness　of　the　world's　smoothest　roads　it　was　small

wonder　that　she　was　quick　to　recognize　in　the　refined

purlieus　of　the　Hotel　Lotus　the　most　desirable　spot　in

America　for　a　restful　sojourn　during　the　heat　of　mid…

summer。



On　the　third　day　of　Madame　Beaumont's　residence

in　the　hotel　a　young　man　entered　and　registered　him…

self　as　a　guest。　　His　clothing　　to　speak　of　his

points　in　approved　order　　was　quietly　in　the　mode；

his　features　good　and　regular；　his　expression　that　of

a　poised　and　sophisticated　man　of　the　world。　　He　in…

formed　the　clerk　that　he　would　remain　three　or　four

days；　inquired　concerning　the　sailing　of　European

steamships；　and　sank　into　the　blissful　inanition　of　the

nonpareil　hotel　with　the　contented　air　of　a　traveller　in

his　favorite　inn。



The　young　man　　not　to　question　the　veracity　of

the　register　　was　Harold　Farrington。　　He　drifted

into　the　exclusive　and　calm　current　of　life　in　the　Lotus

so　tactfully　and　silently　that　not　a　ripple　alarmed　his

fellow…seekers　after　rest。　　He　ate　in　the　Lotus　and

of　its　patronym；　and　was　lulled　into　blissful　peace

with　the　other　fortunate　mariners。　　In　one　day　he

acquired　his　table　and　his　waiter　and　the　fear　lest　the

panting　chasers　after　repose　that　kept　Broadway

warm　should　pounce　upon　and　destroy　this　contiguous

but　covert　haven。



After　dinner　on　the　next　day　after　the　arrival　of

Harold　Farrington　Madame　Beaumont　dropped　her

handkerchief　in　passing　out。　　Mr。　Farrington　recov…

ered　and　returned　it　without　the　effusiveness　of　a

seeker　after　acquaintance。



Perhaps　there　was　a　mystic　freemasonry　between

the　discriminating　guests　of　the　Lotus。　　Perhaps

they　were　drawn　one　to　another　by　the　fact　of　their

common　good　fortune　in　discovering　the　acme　of　sum…

mer　resorts　in　a　Broadway　hotel。　　Words　delicate　in

courtesy　and　tentative　in　departure　from　formality

passed　between　the　two。　　And；　as　if　in　the　expedient

atmosphere　of　a　real　summer　resort；　an　acquaintance

grew；　flowered　and　fructified　on　the　spot　as　does　the

mystic　plant　of　the　conjuror。　　For　a　few　moments

they　stood　on　a　balcony　upon　which　the　corridor

ended；　and　tossed　the　feathery　ball　of　conversation。



〃One　tires　of　the　old　resorts；〃　said　Madame　Beau…

mont；　with　a　faint　but　sweet　smile。　　〃What　is　the　use

to　fly　to　the　mountains　or　the　seashore　to　escape　noise

and　dust　when　the　very　people　that　make　both　follow

us　there？〃



〃Even　on　the　ocean；〃　remarked　Farrington；　sadly；

〃the　Philistines　be　upon　you。　　The　most　exclusive

steamers　are　getting　to　be　scarcely　more　than　ferry

boats。　　Heaven　help　us　when　the　summer　resorter　dis…

covers　that　the　Lotus　is　further　away　from　Broadway

than　Thousand　Islands　or　Mackinac。〃



〃I　hope　our　secret　will　be　safe　for　a　week；　any…

how；〃　said　Madame；　with　a　sigh　and　a　smile。　　〃I　do

not　know　where　I　would　go　if　they　should　descend

upon　the　dear　Lotus。　　I　know　of　but　one　place　so　de…

lightful　in　summer；　and　that　is　the　castle　of　Count

Polinski；　in　the　Ural　Mountains。〃



〃I　hear　that　Baden…Baden　and　Cannes　are　almost

deserted　this　season；〃　said