the voice of the city-第37章

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

〃that　my　ancestors　picked　up　the　knack　while　they

were　peddling　clothes　from　house　to　house　a　couple

of　hundred　years　ago。　　I'm　told　they　did　that。〃



〃And　mine；〃　said　Emerson；　cheerfully；　〃were

making　their　visits　at　night；　I　guess；　and　didn't　have

a　chance　to　catch　on　to　the　correct　styles。〃



〃I　tell　you　what；〃　said　Vuyning；　whose　ennui　had

taken　wings；　〃I'll　take　you　to　my　tailor。　　He'll

eliminate　the　mark　of　the　beast　from　your　exterior。

That　is；　if　you　care　to　go　any　further　in　the　way　of

expense。〃



〃Play　'em　to　the　ceiling；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a

boyish　smile　of　joy。　　〃I've　got　a　roll　as　big　around

as　a　barrel　of　black…eyed　peas　and　as　loose　as　the

wrapper　of　a　two…for…fiver。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you

that　I　was　not　touring　among　the　Antipodes　when

the　burglar…proof　safe　of　the　Farmers'　National　Bank

of　Butterville；　Ia。；　flew　open　some　moonless　nights

ago　to　the　tune　of　16；000。〃



〃Aren't　you　afraid；〃　asked　Vuyning；　〃that　I'll

call　a　cop　and　hand　you　over？〃



〃You　tell　me；〃　said　Emerson；　coolly；　〃why　I

didn't　keep　them。〃



He　laid　Vuyning's　pocketbook　and　watch　　the

Vuyning　100…year…old　family　watch　on　the　table。



〃Man；〃　said　Vuyning；　revelling；　〃did　you　ever

hear　the　tale　Kirk　tells　about　the　six…pound　trout

and　the　old　fisherman？〃



〃Seems　not；〃　said　Emerson；　politely。　　〃I'd

like　to。〃



〃But　you　won't；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃I've　heard　it

scores　of　times。　　That's　why　I　won't　tell　you。　　I　was

just　thinking　how　much　better　this　is　than　a　club。

Now；　shall　we　go　to　my　tailor？〃



〃Boys；　and　elderly　gents；〃　said　Vuyning；　five　days

later　at　his　club；　standing　up　against　the　window

where　his　coterie　was　gathered；　and　keeping　out　the

breeze；　〃a　friend　of　mine　from　the　West　will　dine

at　our　table　this　evening。〃



〃Will　he　ask　if　we　have　heard　the　latest　from

Denver？〃　　said　a　member；　squirming　in　his　chair。



〃Will　he　mention　the　new　twenty…three…story　Ma…

sonic　Temple；　in　Quincy；　Ill。？〃　inquired　another；

dropping　his　nose…glasses。



〃Will　he　spring　one　of　those　Western　Mississippi

River　catfish　stories；　in　which　they　use　yearling

calves　for　bait？〃　demanded　Kirk；　fiercely。



〃Be　comforted；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃He　has　none　of

the　little　vices。　　He　is　a　burglar　and　safe…blower；

and　a　pal　of　mine。〃



〃Oh；　Mary　Ann！〃　said　they。　　〃Must　you　always

adorn　every　statement　with　your　alleged　humor？〃



It　came　to　pass　that　at　eight　in　the　evening　a　calm；

smooth；　brilliant；　affable　man　sat　at　Vuyning's　right

hand　during　dinner。　　And　when　the　ones　who　pass

their　lives　in　city　streets　spoke　of　skyscrapers　or　of

the　little　Czar　on　his　far；　frozen　throne；　or　of　insig…

nificant　fish　from　inconsequential　streams；　this　big；

deep…chested　man；　faultlessly　clothed；　and　eyed　like

an　Emperor；　disposed　of　their　Lilliputian　chatter

with　a　wink　of　his　eyelash。



And　then　he　painted　for　them　with　hard；　broad

strokes　a　marvellous　lingual　panorama　of　the　West。

He　stacked　snow…topped　mountains　on　the　table；

freezing　the　hot　dishes　of　the　waiting　diners。　　With

a　wave　of　his　hand　he　swept　the　clubhouse　into　a

pine…crowned　gorge；　turning　the　waiters　into　a　grim

posse；　and　each　listener　into　a　blood…stained　fugitive；

climbing　with　torn　fingers　upon　the　ensanguined

rocks。　　He　touched　the　table　and　spake；　and　the　five

panted　as　they　gazed　on　barren　lava　beds；　and　each

man　took　his　tongue　between　his　teeth　and　felt　his

mouth　bake　at　the　tale　of　a　land　empty　of　water　and

food。　　As　simply　as　Homer　sang；　while　he　dug　a　tine

of　his　fork　leisurely　into　the　tablecloth；　he　opened　a

new　world　to　their　view；　as　does　one　who　tells　a　child

of　the　Looking…Glass　Country。



As　one　of　his　listeners　might　have　spoken　of　tea

too　strong　at　a　Madison　Square　〃afternoon；〃　so　he

depicted　the　ravages　of　redeye　in　a　border　town

when　the　caballeros　of　the　lariat　and　〃forty…five〃

reduced　ennui　to　a　minimum。



And　then；　with　a　sweep　of　his　white；　unringed

hands；　be　dismissed　Melpomene；　and　forthwith　Diana

and　Amaryllis　footed　it　before　the　mind's　eyes　of

the　clubmen。



The　savannas　of　the　continent　spread　before　them。

The　wind；　humming　through　a　hundred　leagues　of

sage　brush　and　mesquite；　closed　their　ears　to　the

city's　staccato　noises。　　He　told　them　of　camps；　of

ranches　marooned　in　a　sea　of　fragrant　prairie　blos…

soms；　of　gallops　in　the　stilly　night　that　Apollo　would

have　forsaken　his　daytime　steeds　to　enjoy；　he　read

them　the　great；　rough　epic　of　the　cattle　and　the　hills

that　have　not　been　spoiled　by　the　band　of　man；　the

mason。　　His　words　were　a　telescope　to　the　city　men；

whose　eyes　had　looked　upon　Youngstown；　O。；　and

whose　tongues　had　called　it　〃West。〃



In　fact；　Emerson　had　them　〃going。〃



The　next　morning　at　ten　he　met　Vuyning；　by　ap…

pointment；　at　a　Forty…second　Street　cafe。



Emerson　was　to　leave　for　the　West　that　day。　　He

wore　a　suit　of　dark　cheviot　that　looked　to　have　been

draped　upon　him　by　an　ancient　Grecian　tailor　who

was　a　few　thousand　years　ahead　of　the　styles。



〃Mr。　Vuyning；〃　said　he；　with　the　clear；　ingenuous

smile　of　the　successful　〃crook；〃　　it's　up　to　me　to

go　the　limit　for　you　any　time　I　can　do　so。　　You're

the　real　thing；　and　if　I　can　ever　return　the　favor；　you

bet　your　life　I'll　do　it。〃



〃What　was　that　cow…puncher's　name？〃　asked

Vuyning；　〃who　used　to　catch　a　mustang　by　the　nose

and　mane；　and　throw　him　till　he　put　the　bridle　on？〃



〃Bates；〃　said　Emerson。



〃Thanks；〃　said　Vuyning。　　〃I　thought　it　was

Yates。　　Oh；　about　that　toggery　business　　I'd　for…

gotten　that。〃



〃I've　been　looking　for　some　guy　to　put　me　on　the

right　track　for　years；〃　said　Emerson。　　〃You're　the

goods；　duty　free；　and　half…way　to　the　warehouse　in　a

red　wagon。〃



〃Bacon；　toasted　on　a　green　willow　switch　over　red

coals；　ought　to　put　broiled　lobsters　out　of　business；〃

said　Vuyning。　　〃And　you　say　a　horse　at　the　end　of　a

thirty…foot　rope　can't　pull　a　ten…inch　stake　out　of　wet

prairie？　　Well；　good…bye；　old　man；　if　you　must

be　off。〃



At　one　o'clock　Vuyning　had　luncheon　with　Miss

Allison　by　previous　arrangement。



For　thirty　minutes　be　babbled　to　her；　unaccount…

ably；　of　ranches；　horses；　cations；　cyclones；　round…ups；

Rocky　Mountains　and　beans　and　bacon。　　She　looked

at　him　with　wondering　and　half…terrified　eyes。



〃I　was　going　to　propose　again　to…day；〃　said　Vuy…

ning；　cheerily；　but　I　won't。　I've　worried　you　often

enough。　　You　know　dad　has　a　ranch　in　Colorado。

What's　the　good　of　staying　here？　　Jumping　jon…

quils！　but　it's　great　out　there。　　I'm　going　to　start

next　Tuesday。〃



〃No；　you　won't；〃　said　Miss　Allison。



〃What？〃　said　Vuyning。



〃Not　alone；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　dropping　a　tear

upon　her　salad。　　〃What　do　you　think？〃



〃Betty！〃　exclaimed　Vuyning；　〃what　do　you

mean？



〃I'll　go　too；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　forcibly。

Vuyning　filled　her　glass　with　Apollinaris。



〃Here's　to　Rowdy　the　Dude！〃　　he　gave　　a　toast

mysterious。



〃Don't　know　him；〃　said　Miss　Allison；　　〃but　if

he's　your　friend；　Jimmy　　here　goes！〃









THE　MEMENTO





Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande　turned　her

back　on　Broadway。　　This　was　but　tit　for　tat；　be…

cause　Broadway　had　often　done　the　same　thing　to

Miss　D'Armande。　　Still；　the　〃tats〃　seemed　to　have

it；　for　the　ex…leading　lady　of　the　〃Reaping　the

Whirlwind〃　company　had　everything　to　ask　of

Broadway；　while　there　was　no　vice…versa。



So　Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande　turned　the　back　of

her　chair　to　her　window　that　overlooked　Broadway；

and　sat　down　to　stitch　in　time　the　lisle…thread　heel

of　a　black　silk　stocking。　　The　tumult　and　glitter　of

the　roaring　Broadway　beneath　her　window　had　no

charm　for　her；　what　she　greatly　desired　was　the

stifling　air　of　a　dressing…room　on　that　fairyland

street　and　the　roar　of　an　audience　gathered　in　that

capricious　quarter。　　In　the　meantime；　those　stock…

ings　must　not　be　neglected。