the voice of the city-第3章

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first　time　I　pass。〃



Joy　surged　in　Freshmayer's　heart。　　Here　was　cor…

roboration　of　his　belief　that　the　world　was　rotten　and

man　a　peripatetic　evil。　　Without　a　word　he　rounded

the　end　of　his　counter　and　made　earnest　onslaught

upon　his　customer。　　Hopkins　was　no　man　to　serve　as

a　punching…bag　for　a　pessimistic　tobacconist。　　He

quickly　bestowed　upon　Freshmayer　a　Colorado…

maduro　eye　in　return　for　the　ardent　kick　that　be

received　from　that　dealer　in　goods　for　cash　only。



The　impetus　of　the　enemy's　attack　forced　the

Hopkins　line　back　to　the　sidewalk。　　There　the　con…

flict　raged；　the　pacific　wooden　Indian；　with　his

carven　smile；　was　overturned；　and　those　of　the　street

who　delighted　in　carnage　pressed　round　to　view　the

zealous　joust。



But　then　came　the　inevitable　cop　and　imminent

convenience　for　both　the　attacker　and　attacked。

John　Hopkins　was　a　peaceful　citizen；　who　worked　at

rebuses　of　nights　in　a　flat；　but　be　was　not　without　the

fundamental　spirit　of　resistance　that　comes　with　the

battle…rage。　　He　knocked　the　policeman　into　a　gro…

cer's　sidewalk　display　of　goods　and　gave　Freshmayer

a　punch　that　caused　him　temporarily　to　regret　that

he　had　not　made　it　a　rule　to　extend　a　five…cent　line

of　credit　to　certain　customers。　　Then　Hopkins　took

spiritedly　to　his　heels　down　the　sidewalk；　closely　fol…

lowed　by　the　cigar…dealer　and　the　policeman；　whose

uniform　testified　to　the　reason　in　the　grocer's　sign

that　read：　〃Eggs　cheaper　than　anywhere　else　in

the　city。〃



As　Hopkins　ran　he　became　aware　of　a　big；　low；

red；　racing　automobile　that　kept　abreast　of　him　in

the　street。　　This　auto　steered　in　to　the　side　of　the

sidewalk；　and　the　man　guiding　it　motioned　to　Hopkins

to　jump　into　it。　　He　did　so　without　slackening　his

speed；　and　fell　into　the　turkey…red　upholstered　seat

beside　the　chauffeur。　　The　big　machine；　with　a　dimin…

uendo　cough；　flew　away　like　an　albatross　down　the

avenue　into　which　the　street　emptied。



The　driver　of　the　auto　sped　his　machine　without　a

word。　　He　was　masked　beyond　guess　in　the　goggles

and　diabolic　garb　of　the　chauffeur。



〃Much　obliged；　old　man；〃　called　　Hopkins；　grate…

fully。　　〃I　guess　you've　got　sporting　blood　in　you；

all　right；　and　don't　admire　the　sight　of　two　men

trying　to　soak　one。　　Little　more　and　I'd　have　been

pinched。〃



The　chauffeur　made　no　sign　that　he　had　heard。

Hopkins　shrugged　a　shoulder　and　chewed　at　his

cigar；　to　which　his　teeth　had　clung　grimly　through…

out　the　melee。



Ten　minutes　and　the　auto　turned　into　the　open

carriage　entrance　of　a　noble　mansion　of　brown　stone；

and　stood　still。　　The　chauffeur　leaped　out；　and　said：

〃Come　quick。　　The　lady；　she　will　explain。　　It　is

the　great　honor　you　will　have；　monsieur。　　Ah；　that

milady　could　call　upon　Armand　to　do　this　thing！

But；　no；　I　am　only　one　chauffeur。〃



With　vehement　gestures　the　chauffeur　conducted

Hopkins　into　the　house。　　He　was　ushered　into　a　small

but　luxurious　reception　chamber。　　A　lady；　young；　and

possessing　the　beauty　of　visions；　rose　from　a　chair。

In　her　eyes　smouldered　a　becoming　anger。　　Her　high…

arched；　threadlike　brows　were　ruffled　into　a　delicious

frown。



〃Milady；〃　said　the　chauffeur；　bowing　low；　〃I　have

the　honor　to　relate　to　you　that　I　went　to　the　house　of

Monsieur　Long　and　found　him　to　be　not　at　home。　　As

I　came　back　I　see　this　gentleman　in　combat　against

bow　you　say　…　greatest　odds。　　He　is　fighting　with

five　…　ten　…　thirty　men　…　gendarmes；　aussi。　　Yes；

milady；　he　what　you　call　'swat'　one　…　three　…　eight

policemans。　　If　that　Monsieur　Long　is　out　I　say　to

myself　this　Gentleman　be　will　serve　milady　so　well；　and

I　bring　him　here。〃



〃Very　well；　Armand；〃　said　the　lady；　〃you　may

go。〃　She　turned　to　Hopkins。



〃I　sent　my　chauffeur；〃　she　said；　〃to　bring　my

cousin；　Walter　Long。　　There　is　a　man　in　this　house

who　has　treated　me　with　insult　and　abuse。　　I　have

complained　to　my　aunt；　and　she　laughs　at　me。　　Ar…

mand　says　you　are　brave。　　In　these　prosaic　days　men

who　are　both　brave　and　chivalrous　are　few。　　May　I

count　upon　your　assistance？〃



John　Hopkins　thrust　the　remains　of　his　cigar　into

his　coat　pocket。　　He　looked　upon　this　winning

creature　and　felt　his　first　thrill　of　romance。　　It　was　a

knightly　love；　and　contained　no　disloyalty　to　the　flat

with　the　flea…bitten　terrier　and　the　lady　of　his　choice。

He　bad　married　her　after　a　picnic　of　the　Lady　Label

Stickers'　Union；　Lodge　No。　2；　on　a　dare　and　a　bet　of

new　hats　and　chowder　all　around　with　his　friend；　Billy

McManus。　　This　angel　who　was　begging　him　to

come　to　her　rescue　was　something　too　heavenly　for

chowder；　and　as　for　hats　…　golden；　jewelled　crowns

for　her！



〃Say；〃　said　John　Hopkins；　〃just　show　me　the　guy

that　you've　got　the　grouch　at。　　I've　neglected　my

talents　as　a　scrapper　heretofore；　but　this　is　my　busy

night。〃



〃He　is　in　there；〃　said　the　lady；　pointing　to　a

closed　door。　　〃Come。　　Are　you　sure　that　you　do　not

falter　or　fear？〃



〃Me？〃　said　John　Hopkins。　　〃Just　give　me　one　of

those　roses　in　the　bunch　you　are　wearing；　will　you？〃



The　lady　gave　him　a　red；　red　rose。　　John　Hopkins

kissed　it；　stuffed　it　into　his　vest　pocket；　opened　the

door　and　walked　into　the　room。　　It　was　a　handsome

library；　softly　but　brightly　lighted。　　A　young　man

was　there；　reading。



〃Books　on　etiquette　is　what　you　want　to　study；〃

said　John　Hopkins；　abruptly。　　〃Get　up　here；　and　I'll

give　you　some　lessors。　　Be　rude　to　a　lady；　will　you？〃



The　young　man　looked　mildly　surprised。　　Then　he

arose　languidly；　dextrously　caught　the　arms　of　John

Hopkins　and　conducted　him　irresistibly　to　the　front

door　of　the　house。



〃Beware；　Ralph　Branscombe；〃　cried　the　lady；　who

had　followed；　〃what　you　do　to　the　gallant　man　who

has　tried　to　protect　me。〃



The　young　man　shoved　John　Hopkins　gently　out

the　door　and　then　closed　it。



〃Bess；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃I　wish　you　would　quit

reading　historical　novels。　　How　in　the　world　did　that

fellow　get　in　here？〃



〃Armand　brought　him；〃　said　the　young　lady。　　〃I

think　you　are　awfully　mean　not　to　let　me　have　that

St。　　Bernard。　　I　sent　Armand　for　Walter。　　I　was　so

angry　with　you。〃



〃Be　sensible；　Bess；〃　said　the　young　man；　taking

her　arm。　　〃That　dog　isn't　safe。　　He　has　bitten　two

or　three　people　around　the　kennels。　　Come　now；　let's

go　tell　auntie　we　are　in　good　humor　again。〃



Arm　in　arm；　they　moved　away。



John　Hopkins　walked　to　his　flat。　　The　janitor's

five…year…old　daughter　was　playing　on　the　steps'

Hopkins　gave　her　a　nice；　red　rose　and　walked　up…

stairs。



Mrs。　Hopkins　was　philandering　with　curl…papers。



〃Get　your　cigar？〃　she　asked；　disinterestedly。



〃Sure；〃　said　Hopkins；　〃and　I　knocked　around　a

while　outside。　　It's　a　nice　night。〃



He　sat　upon　the　hornblende　sofa；　took　out　the

stump　of　his　cigar；　lighted　it；　and　gazed　at　the　grace…

ful　figures　in　〃The　Storm〃　on　the　opposite　wall。



〃I　was　telling　you；〃　said　he；　〃about　Mr。

Whipple's　suit。　　It's　a　gray；　with　an　invisible　check；

and　it　looks　fine。〃









A　LICKPENNY　LOVER





There；　were　3；000　girls　in　the　Biggest　Store。

Masie　was　one　of　them。　　She　was　eighteen　and　a

selleslady　in　the　gents'　gloves。　　Here　she　became

versed　in　two　varieties　of　human　beings　…　the　kind　of

gents　who　buy　their　gloves　in　department　stores　and

the　kind　of　women　who　buy　gloves　for　unfortunate

gents。　　Besides　this　wide　knowledge　of　the　human

species；　Masie　had　acquired　other　information。　　She

had　listened　to　the　promulgated　wisdom　of　the　2；999

other　girls　and　had　stored　it　in　a　brain　that　was　as

secretive　and　wary　as　that　of　a　Maltese　cat。　　Per…

haps　nature；　foreseeing　that　she　would　lack　wise

counsellors；　had　mingled　the　saving　ingredient　of

shrewdness　along　with　her　beauty；　as　she　has　endowed

the　silver　fox　of　the　priceless　fur　above　the　other

animals　with　cunning。



For　Masie　was　beautiful。　　She　was　a　deep…tinted

blonde；　with　the