the voice of the city-第38章

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capricious　quarter。　　In　the　meantime；　those　stock…

ings　must　not　be　neglected。　　Silk　does　wear　out　so；

but　　after　all；　isn't　it　just　the　only　goods　there　is？



The　Hotel　Thalia　looks　on　Broadway　as　Marathon

looks　on　the　sea。　　It　stands　like　a　gloomy　cliff　above

the　whirlpool　where　the　tides　of　two　great　thorough…

fares　clash。　　Here　the　player…bands　gather　at　the　end

of　their　wanderings；　to　loosen　the　buskin　and　dust　the

sock。　　Thick　in　the　streets　around　it　are　booking…

offices；　theatres；　agents；　schools；　and　the　lobster…pal…

aces　to　which　those　thorny　paths　lead。

Wandering　through　the　eccentric　halls　of　the　dim

and　fusty　Thalia；　you　seem　to　have　found　yourself

in　some　great　ark　or　caravan　about　to　sail；　or　fly；　or

roll　away　on　wheels。　　About　the　house　lingers　a　sense

of　unrest；　of　expectation；　of　transientness；　even　of

anxiety　and　apprehension。　　The　halls　are　a　labyrinth。

Without　a　guide；　you　wander　like　a　lost　soul　in　a

Sam　Loyd　puzzle。



Turning　any　corner；　a　dressing…sack　or　a　cul…de…sac

may　bring　you　up　short。　　You　meet　alarming

tragedians　stalking　in　bath…robes　in　search　of　ru…

mored　bathrooms。　　From　hundreds　of　rooms　come　the

buzz　of　talk；　scraps　of　new　and　old　songs；　and　the

ready　laughter　of　the　convened　players。



Summer　has　come；　their　companies　have　disbanded；

and　they　take　their　rest　in　their　favorite　caravansary；

while　they　besiege　the　managers　for　engagements　for

the　coming　season。



At　this　hour　of　the　afternoon　the　day's　work　of

tramping　the　rounds　of　the　agents'　offices　is　over。

Past　you；　as　you　ramble　distractedly　through　the

mossy　halls；　flit　audible　visions　of　houris；　with　veiled；

starry　eyes；　flying　tag…ends　of　things　and　a　swish　of

silk；　bequeathing　to　the　dull　hallways　an　odor　of

gaiety　and　a　memory　of　frangipanni。　　Serious　young

comedians；　with　versatile　Adam's　apples；　gather　in

doorways　and　talk　of　Booth。　　Far…reaching　from

somewhere　comes　the　smell　of　ham　and　red　cabbage；

and　the　crash　of　dishes　on　the　American　plan。



The　indeterminate　hum　of　life　in　the　Thalia　is

enlivened　by　the　discreet　popping　　at　reasonable

and　salubrious　intervals　　of　beer…bottle　corks。

Thus　punctuated；　life　in　the　genial　hostel　scans　easily

　the　comma　being　the　favorite　mark；　semicolons

frowned　upon；　and　periods　barred。



Miss　D'Armannde's　room　was　a　small　one。　　There

was　room　for　her　rocker　between　the　dresser　and　the

wash…stand　if　it　were　placed　longitudinally。　　On　the

dresser　were　its　usual　accoutrements；　plus　the　ex…lead…

ing　lady's　collected　souvenirs　of　road　engagements

and　photographs　of　her　dearest　and　best　professional

friends。



At　one　of　these　photographs　she　looked　twice　or

thrice　as　she　darned；　and　smiled　friendlily。



〃I'd　like　to　know　where　Lee　is　just　this　minute；〃

she　said；　half…aloud。



If　you　had　been　privileged　to　view　the　photograph

thus　flattered；　you　would　have　thought　at　the　first

glance　that　you　saw　the　picture　of　a　many…petalled

white　flower；　blown　through　the　air　by　a　storm。　　But

the　floral　kingdom　was　not　responsible　for　that　swirl

of　petalous　whiteness。



You　saw　the　filmy；　brief　skirt　of　Miss　Rosalie　Ray

as　she　made　a　complete　heels…over…head　turn　in　her

wistaria…entwined　swing；　far　out　from　the　stage；　high

above　the　heads　of　the　audience。　　You　saw　the　cam…

era's　inadequate　representation　of　the　graceful；

strong　kick；　with　which　she；　at　this　exciting　moment；

sent　flying；　high　and　far；　the　yellow　silk　garter　that

each　evening　spun　from　her　agile　limb　and　descended

upon　the　delighted　audience　below。



You　saw；　too；　amid　the　black…clothed；　mainly　mas…

culine　patrons　of　select　vaudeville　a　hundred　hands

raised　with　the　hope　of　staying　the　flight　of　the　bril…

liant　aerial　token。



Forty　weeks　of　the　best　circuits　this　act　had

brought　Miss　Rosalie　Ray；　for　each　of　two　years。

She　did　other　things　during　her　twelve　minutes　　a

song　and　dance；　imitations　of　two　or　three　actors　who

are　but　imitations　of　themselves；　and　a　balancing

feat　with　a　step…ladder　and　feather…duster；　but　when

the　blossom…decked　swing　was　let　down　from　the　flies；

and　Miss　Rosalie　sprang　smiling　into　the　seat；　with

the　golden　circlet　conspicuous　in　the　place　whence　it

was　soon　to　slide　and　become　a　soaring　and　coveted

guerdon　　then　it　was　that　the　audience　rose　in　its

seat　as　a　single　man　　or　presumably　so　　and　in…

dorsed　the　specialty　that　made　Miss　Ray's　name　a

favorite　in　the　booking…offices。



At　the　end　of　the　two　years　Miss　Ray　suddenly　an…

nounced　to　her　dear　friend；　Miss　D'Armande；　that

she　was　going　to　spend　the　summer　at　an　antediluvian

village　on　the　north　shore　of　Long　Island；　and　that

the　stage　would　see　her　no　more。



Seventeen　minutes　after　Miss　Lynnette　D'Armande

had　expressed　her　wish　to　know　the　whereabouts　of

her　old　chum；　there　were　sharp　raps　at　her　door。



Doubt　not　that　it　was　Rosalie　Ray。　　At　the　shrill

command　to　enter　she　did　so；　with　something　of　a

tired　flutter；　and　dropped　a　heavy　hand…bag　on　the

floor。　　Upon　my　word；　it　was　Rosalie；　in　a　loose；

travel…stained　automobileless　coat；　closely　tied　brown

veil　with　yard…long；　flying　ends；　gray　walking…suit　and

tan　oxfords　with　lavender　overgaiters。



When　she　threw　off　her　veil　and　hat；　you　saw　a

pretty　enough　face；　now　flushed　and　disturbed　by

some　unusual　emotion；　and　restless；　large　eyes　with

discontent　marring　their　brightness。　　A　heavy　pile

of　dull　auburn　hair；　hastily　put　up；　was　escaping　in

crinkly；　waving　strands　and　curling；　small　locks　from

the　confining　combs　and　pins。



The　meeting　of　the　two　was　not　marked　by　the

effusion　vocal；　gymnastical；　osculatory　and　catecheti…

cal　that　distinguishes　the　greetings　of　their　unpro…

fessional　sisters　in　society。　　There　was　a　brief　clinch；

two　simultaneous　labial　dabs　and　they　stood　on　the

same　footing　of　the　old　days。　　Very　much　like　the

short　salutations　of　soldiers　or　of　travellers　in　for…

eign　wilds　are　the　welcomes　between　the　strollers　at

the　corners　of　their　crisscross　roads。



〃I've　got　the　hall…room　two　flights　up　above

yours；〃　said　Rosalie；　〃but　I　came　straight　to　see　you

before　going　up。　　I　didn't　know　you　were　here　till

they　told　me。〃



〃I've　been　in　since　the　last　of　April；〃　said　Lyn…

nette。　　〃And　I'm　going　on　the　road　with　a　'Fatal

Inheritance'　company。　　We　open　next　week　in　Eliz…

abeth。　　I　thought　you'd　quit　the　stage；　Lee。　　Tell

me　about　yourself。〃



Rosalie　settled　herself　with　a　skilful　wriggle　on

the　top　of　Miss　D'Armande's　wardrobe　trunk；　and

leaned　her　head　against　the　papered　wall。　　From

long　habit；　thus　can　peripatetic　leading　ladies

and　their　sisters　make　themselves　as　comfort。

able　as　though　the　deepest　armchairs　embraced　them。



〃I'm　going　to　tell　you；　Lynn；〃　she　said；　with　a

strangely　sardonic　and　yet　carelessly　resigned　look

on　her　youthful　face。　　〃And　then　to…morrow　I'll

strike　the　old　Broadway　trail　again；　and　wear　some

more　paint　off　the　chairs　in　the　agents'　offices。　　If

anybody　had　told　me　any　time　in　the　last　three　months

up　to　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　that　I'd　ever　listen

to　that　'Leave…your…name…and…address'　rot　of　the

booking　bunch　again；　I'd　have　given　'em　the　real　Mrs。

Fiske　laugh。　　Loan　me　a　handkerchief；　Lynn。　　Gee！

but　those　Long　Island　trains　are　fierce。　　I've　got

enough　soft…coal　cinders　on　my　face　to　go　on　and　play

Topsy　without　using　the　cork。　And；　speaking　of

corks　　got　anything　to　drink；　Lynn？〃



Miss　D'Armande　opened　a　door　of　the　wash…stand

and　took　out　a　bottle。



〃There's　nearly　a　pint　of　Manhattan。　　There's　a

cluster　of　carnations　in　the　drinking　glass；　but　　〃



〃Oh；　pass　the　bottle。　　Save　the　glass　for　com…

pany。　　Thanks！　　That　hits　the　spot。　　The　same　to

you。　　My　first　drink　in　three　months！〃



〃Yes；　Lynn；　I　quit　the　stage　at　the　end　of　last

season。　　I　quit　it　because　I　was　sick　of　the　life。　　And

especially　because　my　heart　and　soul　were　sick　of　m