the voice of the city-第4章

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animals　with　cunning。



For　Masie　was　beautiful。　　She　was　a　deep…tinted

blonde；　with　the　calm　poise　of　a　lady　who　cooks　butter

cakes　in　a　window。　　She　stood　behind　her　counter　in

the　Biggest　Store；　and　as　you　closed　your　band　over

the　tape…line　for　your　glove　measure　you　thought

of　Hebe；　and　as　you　looked　again　you　wondered　how

she　had　come　by　Minerva's　eyes。



When　the　floorwalker　was　not　looking　Masie

chewed　tutti　frutti；　when　he　was　looking　she　gazed

up　as　if　at　the　clouds　and　smiled　wistfully。



That　is　the　shopgirl　smile；　and　I　enjoin　you　to

shun　it　unless　you　are　well　fortified　with　callosity　of

the　heart；　caramels　and　a　congeniality　for　the　capers

of　Cupid。　　This　smile　belonged　to　Masie's　recreation

hours　and　not　to　the　store；　but　the　floorwalker　must

have　his　own。　　He　is　the　Shylock　of　the　stores。

When　be　comes　nosing　around　the　bridge　of　his　nose

is　a　toll…bridge。　　It　is　goo…goo　eyes　or　〃git〃　when

be　looks　toward　a　pretty　girl。　　Of　course　not　all　floor…

walkers　are　thus。　　Only　a　few　days　ago　the　papers

printed　news　of　one　over　eighty　years　of　age。



One　day　Irving　Carter；　painter；　millionaire；　trav…

eller；　poet；　automobilist；　happened　　to　enter　the　Big…

gest　Store。　　It　is　due　to　him　to　add　that　his　visit　was

not　voluntary。　　Filial　duty　took　him　by　the　collar　and

dragged　him　inside；　while　his　mother　philandered

among　the　bronze　and　terra…cotta　statuettes。



Carter　strolled　across　to　the　glove　counter　in　order

to　shoot　a　few　minutes　on　the　wing。　　His　need　for

gloves　was　genuine；　be　had　forgotten　to　bring　a　pair

with　him。　　But　his　action　hardly　calls　for　apology；　be…

cause　be　had　never　heard　of　glove…counter　flirtations。



As　he　neared　the　vicinity　of　his　fate　be　hesitated；

suddenly　conscious　of　this　unknown　phase　of　Cupid's

less　worthy　profession。



Three　or　four　cheap　fellows；　sonorously　garbed；

were　leaning　over　the　counters；　wrestling　with　the

mediatorial　hand…coverings；　while　giggling　girls

played　vivacious　seconds　to　their　lead　upon　the

strident　string　of　coquetry。　　Carter　would　have　re…

treated；　but　he　had　gone　too　far。　　Masie　confronted

him　behind　her　counter　with　a　questioning　look　in

eyes　as　coldly；　beautifully；　warmly　blue　as　the　glint

of　summer　sunshine　on　an　iceberg　drifting　in　Southern

seas。



And　then　Irving　Carter；　painter；　millionaire；　etc。；

felt　a　warm　flush　rise　to　his　aristocratically　pale　face。

But　not　from　diffidence。　　The　blush　was　intellectual

in　origin。　　He　knew　in　a　moment　that　he　stood　in　the

ranks　of　the　ready…made　youths　who　wooed　the　gig…

gling　girls　at　other　counters。　　Himself　leaned　against

the　oaken　trysting　place　of　a　cockney　Cupid　with　a

desire　in　his　heart　for　the　favor　of　a　glove　salesgirl。

He　was　no　more　than　Bill　and　Jack　and　Mickey。

And　then　be　felt　a　sudden　tolerance　for　them；　and

an　elating；　courageous　contempt　for　the　conventions

upon　which　he　had　fed；　and　an　unhesitating　deter…

mination　to　have　this　perfect　creature　for　his　own。



When　the　gloves　were　paid　for　and　wrapped　the

Carter　lingered　for　a　moment。　　The　dimples　at

corners　of　Masie's　damask　mouth　deepened。　　All　gen…

tlemen　who　bought　gloves　lingered　in　just　that　way。

She　curved　an　arm；　showing　like　Psyche's　through

her　shirt…waist　sleeve；　and　rested　an　elbow　upon　the

show…case　edge。



Carter　had　never　before　encountered　a　situation　of

which　he　had　not　been　perfect　master。　　But　now　he

stood　far　more　awkward　than　Bill　or　Jack　or　Mickey。

He　had　no　chance　of　meeting　this　beautiful　girl　so…

cially。　　His　mind　struggled　to　recall　the　nature　and

habits　of　shopgirls　as　be　had　read　or　heard　of　them。

Somehow　be　had　received　the　idea　that　they　some…

times　did　not　insist　too　strictly　upon　the　regular

channels　of　introduction。　　His　heart　beat　loudly　at

the　thought　of　proposing　an　unconventional　meeting

with　this　lovely　and　virginal　being。　　But　the　tumult

in　his　heart　gave　him　courage。



After　a　few　friendly　and　well…received　remarks　on

general　subjects；　he　laid　his　card　by　her　hand　on　the

counter。



〃Will　you　please　pardon　me；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　seem

too　bold；　but　I　earnestly　hope　you　will　allow　me　the

pleasure　of　seeing　you　again。　　There　is　my　name；　I

assure　you　that　it　is　with　the　greatest　respect　that

I　ask　the　favor　of　becoming　one　of　your　

acquaintances。　　May　I　not　hope　for　the　privilege？〃



Masie　knew　men　…　especially　men　who　buy　gloves。

Without　hesitation　she　looked　him　frankly　and　smil…

ingly　in　the　eyes；　and　said：



〃Sure。　　I　guess　you're　all　right。　　I　don't　usually

go　out　with　strange　gentlemen；　though。　　It　ain't

quite　ladylike。　　When　should　you　want　to　see　me

again？〃



〃As　soon　as　I　may；〃　said　Carter。　〃If　you　would

allow　me　to　call　at　your　home；　I　　〃



Masie　laughed　musically。　〃Oh；　gee；　no！〃　she

said；　emphatically。　〃If　you　could　see　our　flat　once！

There's　five　of　us　in　three　rooms。　I'd　just　like　to　see

ma's　face　if　I　was　to　bring　a　gentleman　friend

there！〃



〃Anywhere；　then；〃　said　the　enamored　Carter；

〃that　will　be　convenient　to　you。〃



〃Say；〃　suggested　Masie；　with　a　bright…idea　look

in　her　peach…blow　face；　〃I　guess　Thursday　night　will

about　suit　me。　　Suppose　you　come　to　the　corner　of

Eighth　Avenue　and　Forty…eighth　Street　at　7：30。　I

live　right　near　the　corner。　　But　I've　got　to　be　back

home　by　eleven。　　Ma　never　lets　me　stay　out　after

eleven。〃

Carter　promised　gratefully　to　keep　the　tryst；　and

then　hastened　to　his　mother；　who　was　looking　about

for　him　to　ratify　her　purchase　of　a　bronze　Diana。



A　salesgirl；　with　small　eyes　and　an　obtuse　nose；

strolled　near　Masie；　with　a　friendly　leer。



〃Did　you　make　a　hit　with　his　nobs；　Mase？〃　she

asked；　familiarly。



〃The　gentleman　asked　permission　to　call。〃　an…

swered　Masie；　with　the　grand　air；　as　she　slipped　Car…

ter's　card　into　the　bosom　of　her　waist。



〃Permission　to　call！〃　echoed　small　eyes；　with　a

snigger。　〃Did　he　say　anything　about　dinner　in　the

Waldorf　and　a　spin　in　his　auto　afterward？〃



〃Oh；　cheese　it！〃　said　Masie；　wearily。　〃You've

been　used　to　swell　things；　I　don't　think。　　You've　had

a　swelled　bead　ever　since　that　hose…cart　driver　took

you　out　to　a　chop　suey　joint。　　No；　be　never　mentioned

the　Waldorf；　but　there's　a　Fifth　Avenue　address　on

his　card；　and　if　be　buys　the　supper　you　can　bet　your

life　there　won't　be　no　pigtail　on　the　waiter　what　takes

the　order。〃



As　Carter　glided　away　from　the　Biggest　Store

with　his　mother　in　his　electric　runabout；　he　bit　his　lip

with　a　dull　pain　at　his　heart。　　He　knew　that　love　had

come　to　him　for　the　first　time　in　all　the　twenty…nine

years　of　his　life。　　And　that　the　object　of　it　should

make　so　readily　an　appointment　with　him　at　a　street

corner；　though　it　was　a　step　toward　his　desires；　tor…

tured　him　with　misgivings。



Carter　did　not　know　the　shopgirl。　　He　did　not

know　that　her　home　is　often　either　a　scarcely　habit…

able　tiny　room　or　a　domicile　filled　to　overflowing　with

kith　and　kin。　　The　street…corner　is　her　parlor；　the

park　is　her　drawing…room；　the　avenue　is　her　garden

walk；　yet　for　the　most　part　she　is　as　inviolate　mis…

tress　of　herself　in　them　as　is　my　lady　inside　her

tapestried　chamber。



One　evening　at　dusk；　two　weeks　after　their　first

meeting；　Carter　and　Masie　strolled　arm…in…arm　into　a

little；　dimly…lit　park。　　They　found　a　bench；　tree…

shadowed　and　secluded；　and　sat　there。



For　the　first　time　his　arm　stole　gently　around　her。

Her　golden…bronze　head　slid　restfully　against　his

shoulder。



〃Gee！〃　sighed　Masie；　thankfully。　〃Why　didn't

you　ever　think　of　that　before？〃



〃Masie；〃　said　Carter；　earnestly；　〃you　surely

know　that　I　love　you。　　I　ask　you　sincerely　to　marry

me。　You　know　me　well　enough　by　this　time　to　have

no　doubts　of　me。　　I　want　you；　and　I　must　have　you。

I　care　nothing　for　the　difference　in　our　stations。〃



〃What　is　the　difference？〃　asked　Masie；　curi…

ously。



〃Well；　there　isn't　any；〃　said　Carter；　quickly；　〃