the voice of the city-第36章

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　truly　few　princes　could　be　so　agreeable　a　host！

And　what　artist　could　ask　for　further　appreciation

of　his　handiwork？　　Katy　did　not　know　that　the

proudest　consummation　of　a　New　Yorker's　ambition

is　to　shake　bands　with　a　spaghetti　chef　or　to　receive

a　nod　from　a　Broadway　head…waiter。



At　last　the　company　thinned；　leaving'　but　a　few

couples　and　quartettes　lingering　over　new　wine　and

old　stories。　　And　then　came　Mr。　Brunelli　to　Katy's

secluded　table；　and　drew　a　chair　close　to　hers。



Katy　smiled　at　him　dreamily。　　She　was　eating　the

last　spoonful　of　a　raspberry　roll　with　Burgundy

sauce。



〃You　have　seen！〃　said　Mr。　Brunelli；　laying　one

hand　upon　his　collar　bone。　　〃I　am　Antonio　Brunelli！

Yes；　I　am　the　great　'Tonio！　　You　have　not　suspect

that！　　I　loave　you；　Katy；　and　you　shall　marry　with

me。　Is　it　not　so？　　Call　me　'Antonio；'　and　say　that

you　will　be　mine。〃



Katy's　head　drooped　to　the　shoulder　that　was　now

freed　from　all　suspicion　of　having　received　the

knightly　accolade。



〃Oh；　Andy；〃　she　sighed；　〃this　is　great！　　Sure；

I'll　marry　wid　ye。　　But　why　didn't　ye　tell　me　ye　was

the　cook？　　I　was　near　turnin'　ye　down　for　bein'　one

of　thim　foreign　counts！〃









FROM　EACH　ACCORDING　TO　HIS　ABILITY



Vuyning　left　his　club；　cursing　it　softly；　without

any　particular　anger。　　From　ten　in　the　morning　un…

til　eleven　it　had　bored　him　immeasurably。　　Kirk　with

his　fish　story；　Brooks　with　his　Porto　Rico　cigars；　old

Morrison　with　his　anecdote　about　the　widow；　Hep…

burn　with　his　invariable　luck　at　billiards　　all　these

afflictions　had　been　repeated　without　change　of　bill　or

scenery。　　Besides　these　morning　evils　Miss　Allison

had　refused　him　again　on　the　night　before。　　But　that

was　a　chronic　trouble。　　Five　times　she　had　laughed　at

his　offer　to　make　her　Mrs。　Vuyning。　　He　intended

to　ask　her　again　the　next　Wednesday　evening。



Vuyning　walked　along　Forty…fourth　Street　to

Broadway；　and　then　drifted　down　the　great　sluice

that　washes　out　the　dust　of　the　gold…mines　of　Gotham。

He　wore　a　morning　suit　of　light　gray；　low；　dull　kid

shoes；　a　plain；　finely　woven　straw　hat；　and　his　visible

linen　was　the　most　delicate　possible　shade　of　belio…

trope。　　His　necktie　was　the　blue…gray　of　a　Novem…

ber　sky；　and　its　knot　was　plainly　the　outcome　of　a

lordly　carelessness　combined　with　an　accurate　con…

ception　of　the　most　recent　dictum　of　fashion。



Now；　to　write　of　a　man's　haberdashery　is　a　worse

thing　than　to　write　a　historical　novel　〃around〃

Paul　Jones；　or　to　pen　a　testimonial　to　a　hay…fever

cure。



Therefore；　let　it　be　known　that　the　description　of

Vuyning's　apparel　is　germane　to　the　movements　of

the　story；　and　not　to　make　room　for　the　new　fall

stock　of　goods。



Even　Broadway　that　morning　was　a　discord　in

Vuyning's　ears；　and　in　his　eyes　it　paralleled　for　a

few　dreamy；　dreary　minutes　a　certain　howling；

scorching；　seething；　malodorous　slice　of　street　that　he

remembered　in　Morocco。　　He　saw　the　struggling

mass　of　dogs；　beggars；　fakirs；　slave…drivers　and

veiled　women　in　carts　without　horses；　the　sun　blazing

brightly　among　the　bazaars；　the　piles　of　rubbish

from　ruined　temples　in　the　street　…　and　then　a　lady；

passing；　jabbed　the　ferrule　of　a　parasol　in　his　side

and　brought　him　back　to　Broadway。



Five　minutes　of　his　stroll　brought　him　to　a　certain

corner；　where　a　number　of　silent；　pale…faced　men　are

accustomed　to　stand；　immovably；　for　hours；　busy

with　the　file　blades　of　their　penknives；　with　their　hat

brims　on　a　level　with　their　eyelids。　　Wall　Street

speculators；　driving　home　in　their　carriages；　love　to

point　out　these　men　to　their　visiting　friends　and　tell

them　of　this　rather　famous　lounging…place　of　the

〃crooks。〃　　On　Wall　Street　the　speculators　never

use　the　file　blades　of　their　knives。



Vuyning　was　delighted　when　one　of　this　company

stepped　forth　and　addressed　him　as　he　was　passing。

He　was　hungry　for　something　out　of　the　ordinary；

and　to　be　accosted　by　this　smooth…faced；　keen…eyed；

low…voiced；　athletic　member　of　the　under　world；　with

his　grim；　yet　pleasant　smile；　had　all　the　taste　of　an

adventure　to　the　convention…weary　Vuyning。



〃Excuse　me；　friend；〃　said　be。　　〃Could　I　have　a

few　minutes'　talk　with　you　　on　the　level？〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　Vuyning；　with　a　smile。　　〃But；

suppose　we　step　aside　to　a　quieter　place。　　There　is　a

divan　　a　cafe　over　here　that　will　do。　　Schrumm

will　give　us　a　private　corner。〃



Schrumm　established　them　under　a　growing　palm；

with　two　seidls　between　them。　　Vuyning　made　a

pleasant　reference　to　meteorological　conditions；　thus

forming　a　binge　upon　which　might　be　swung　the

door　leading　from　the　thought　repository　of　the

other。



〃In　the　first　place；〃　said　his　companion；　with　the

air　of　one　who　presents　his　credentials；　〃I　want　you

to　understand　that　I　am　a　crook。　　Out　West　I　am

known　as　Rowdy　the　Dude。　　Pickpocket；　supper　man；

second…story　man；　yeggman；　boxman；　all…round　bur…

glar；　cardsharp　and　slickest　con　man　west　of　the

Twenty…third　Street　ferry　landing　　that's　my　his…

tory。　That's　to　show　I'm　on　the　square　　with　you。

My　name's　Emerson。〃



〃Confound　old　Kirk　with　his　fish　stories〃　said

Vuyning　to　himself；　with　silent　glee　as　he　went

through　his　pockets　for　a　card。　　〃It's　pronounced

'Vining；'〃　he　said；　as　he　tossed　it　over　to　the　other。

〃And　I'll　be　as　frank　with　you。　　I'm　just　a　kind　of

a　loafer；　I　guess；　living　on　my　daddy's　money。　　At

the　club　they　call　me　'Left…at…the…Post。'　I　never

did　a　day's　work　in　my　life；　and　I　haven't　the　heart

to　run　over　a　chicken　when　I'm　motoring。　　It's　a

pretty　shabby　record；　altogether。〃



〃There's　one　thing　you　can　do；〃　said　Emerson；

admiringly；　〃you　can　carry　duds。　　I've　watched　you

several　times　pass　on　Broadway。　　You　look　the　best

dressed　man　I've　seen。　　And　I'll　bet　you　a　gold　mine

I've　got　50　worth　more　gent's　furnishings　on　my

frame　than　you　have。　　That's　what　I　wanted　to　see

you　about。　　I　can't　do　the　trick。　　Take　a　look　at

me。　What's　wrong？〃



〃Stand　up；〃　said　Vuyning。



Emerson　arose；　and　slowly　revolved。



〃You've　been　'outfitted；'〃　declared　the　clubman。

〃Some　Broadway　window…dresser　has　misused　you。〃



〃That's　an　expensive　suit；　though；　Emerson。〃



〃A　hundred　dollars；〃　said　Emerson。



〃Twenty　too　much；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃Six　months

old　in　cut；　one　inch　too　long；　and　half　an　inch　to…

much　lapel。　　Your　hat　is　plainly　dated　one　year　ago；

although　there's　only　a　sixteenth　of　an　inch　lacking

in　the　brim　to　tell　the　story。　　That　English　poke　in

your　collar　is　too　short　by　the　distance　between　Troy

and　London。　　A　plain　gold　link　cuff…button　would

take　all　the　shine　out　of　those　pearl　ones　with　dia…

mond　settings。　　Those　tan　shoes　would　be　exactly

the　articles　to　work　into　the　heart　of　a　Brooklyn

school…ma'am　on　a　two　weeks'　visit　to　Lake　Ronkon…

koma。　　I　think　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　blue　silk

sock　embroidered　with　russet　lilies　of　the　valley　when

you　　improperly　　drew　up　your　trousers　as　you

sat　down。　　There　are　always　plain　ones　to　be　had

in　the　stores。　　Have　I　hurt　your　feelings；　Emer…

son？〃



〃Double　the　ante！〃　cried　the　criticised　one；　greed…

ily。　　〃Give　me　more　of　it。　　There's　a　way　to　tote

the　haberdashery；　and　I　want　to　get　wise　to　it。　　Say；

you're　the　right　kind　of　a　swell。　　Anything　else　to　the

queer　about　me？〃



〃Your　tie；〃　said　Vuyning；　〃is　tied　with　absolute

precision　and　correctness。〃



〃Thanks；〃　gratefully　　〃I　spent　over　half　an

hour　at　it　before　I　　〃



〃Thereby；〃　interrupted　Vuyning；　〃completing

your　resemblance　to　a　dummy　in　a　Broadway　store

window。〃



〃Yours　truly；〃　said　Emerson；　sitting　down　again。



〃It's　bully　of　you　to　put　me　wise。　　I　knew　there

was　something　wrong；　but　I　couldn't　just　put　my

finger　on　it。　　I　guess　it　comes　by　nature　to　know　how

to　wear　clothes。〃



〃Oh；　I　suppose；〃　said　Vuyning；　with　a　laugh；

〃that　my　ancestors　picked　up　the　knack　while　they