the voice of the city-第6章

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totally　new　proposition。　　But　he　was　a　game　sport。



〃All　right；〃　be　said。　〃You　be　ready　when　I　come

at　seven。　　None　of　this　'wait　two　minutes　till　I　primp

an　hour　or　two'　kind　of　business；　now；　Dele。〃



〃I'll　be　ready；〃　said　his　wife；　calmly。



At　seven　she　descended　the　stone　steps　in　the　Pom…

peian　bowling　alley　at　the　side　of　〃Big　Jim〃　Dough…

erty。　　She　wore　a　dinner　gown　made　of　a　stuff　that

the　spiders　must　have　woven；　and　of　a　color　that　a

twilight　sky　must　have　contributed。　　A　light　coat　with

many　admirably　unnecessary　capes　and　adorably

inutile　ribbons　floated　downward　from　her　shoulders。

Fine　feathers　do　make　fine　birds；　and　the　only　re…

proach　in　the　saying　is　for　the　man　who　refuses　to

give　up　his　earnings　to　the　ostrich…tip　industry。　



〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　was　troubled。　　There　was

a　being　at　his　side　whom　be　did　not　know。　He

thought　of　the　sober…hued　plumage　that　this　bird　of

paradise　was　accustomed　to　wear　in　her　cage；　and

this　winged　revelation　puzzled　him。　　In　some　way　she

reminded　him　of　the　Delia　Cullen　that　be　had　married

four　years　before。　　Shyly　and　rather　awkwardly　he

stalked　at　her　right　band。



〃After　dinner　I'll　take　you　back　home；　Dele；〃　said

Mr。　Dougherty；　〃and　then　I'll　drop　back　up　to　Selt…

zer's　with　the　boys。　　You　can　have　swell　chuck　to…

night　if　you　want　it。　　I　made　a　winning　on　Anaconda

yesterday；　so　you　can　go　as　far　as　you　like。〃



Mr。　Dougherty　had　intended　to　make　the　outing

with　his　unwonted　wife　an　inconspicuous　one。　Uxori…

ousness　was　a　weakness　that　the　precepts　of　the

Caribs　did　not　countenance。　　If　any　of　his　friends　of

the　track；　the　billiard　cloth　or　the　square　circle　had

wives　they　had　never　complained　of　the　fact　in　public。

There　were　a　number　of　table　d'hote　places　on　the

cross　streets　near　the　broad　and　shining　way；　and　to

one　of　these　he　had　purposed　to　escort　her；　so　that　the

bushel　might　not　be　removed　from　the　light　of　his

domesticity。



But　while　on　the　way　Mr。　Dougherty　altered　those

intentions。　　He　had　been　casting　stealthy　glances　at

his　attractive　companion　and　he　was　seized　with　the

conviction　that　she　was　no　selling　plater。　　He　re…

solved　to　parade　with　his　wife　past　Seltzer's　cafe；

where　at　this　time　a　number　of　his　tribe　would　be

gathered　to　view　the　daily　evening　procession。　　Yes；

and　he　would　take　her　to　dine　at　Hoogley's；　the　swell…

est　slow…lunch　warehouse　on　the　line；　he　said　to

himself。



The　congregation　of　smooth…faced　tribal　gentle…

men　were　on　watch　at　Seltzer's。　　As　Mr。　Dougherty

and　his　reorganized　Delia　passed　they　stared；　mo…

mentarily　petrified；　and　then　removed　their　hats　…　a

performance　as　unusual　to　them　as　was　the　astonish…

ing　innovation　presented　to　their　gaze　by　〃Big　Jim〃。

On　the　latter　gentleman's　impassive　face　there　ap…

peared　a　slight　flicker　of　triumph　…　a　faint　flicker；

no　more　to　be　observed　than　the　expression　called

there　by　the　draft　of　little　casino　to　a　four…card　spade

flush。



Hoogley's　was　animated。　　Electric　lights　shone

as；　indeed；　they　were　expected　to　do。　　And　the　napery；

the　glassware　and　the　flowers　also　meritoriously　per…

formed　the　spectacular　duties　required　of　them。　　The

guests　were　numerous；　well…dressed　and　gay。



A　waiter　…　not　necessarily　obsequious　…　conducted

〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty　and　his　wife　to　a　table。



〃Play　that　menu　straight　across　for　what　you　like；

Dele；〃　said　〃Big　Jim。〃　〃It's　you　for　a　trough　of

the　gilded　oats　to…night。　　It　strikes　me　that　maybe

we've　been　sticking　too　fast　to　home　fodder。〃



〃Big　Jim's〃　wife　gave　her　order。　　He　looked　at

her　with　respect。　　She　had　mentioned　truffles；　and　be

bad　not　known　that　she　knew　what　truffles　were。　　From

the　wine　list　she　designated　an　appropriate　and　de…

sirable　brand。　He　looked　at　her　with　some　admiration。



She　was　beaming　with　the　innocent　excitement　that

woman　derives　from　the　exercise　of　her　gregarious…

ness。　　She　was　talking　to　him　about　a　hundred　things

with　animation　and　delight。　　And　as　the　meal　pro…

gressed　her　cheeks；　colorless　from　a　life　indoors；　took

on　a　delicate　flush。　　〃Big　Jim〃　looked　around　the

room　and　saw　that　none　of　the　women　there　had　her

charm。　　And　then　he　thought　of　the　three　years　she

had　suffered　immurement；　uncomplaining；　and　a　flush

of　shame　warmed　him；　for　he　carried　fair　play　as　an

item　in　his　creed。



But　when　the　Honorable　Patrick　Corrigan；　leader

in　Dougherty's　district　and　a　friend　of　his；　saw　them

and　came　over　to　the　table；　matters　got　to　the　three…

quarter　stretch。　　The　Honorable　Patrick　was　a　gal…

lant　man；　both　in　deeds　and　words。　　As　for　the　Blar…

ney　stone；　his　previous　actions　toward　it　must　have

been　pronounced。　　Heavy　damages　for　breach　of

promise　could　surely　have　been　obtained　had　the

Blarney　stone　seen　fit　to　sue　the　Honorable　Patrick。



〃Jimmy；　old　man！〃　he　called；　he　clapped　Dough…

erty　on　the　back；　be　shone　like　a　midday　sun　upon

Delia。



〃Honorable　Mr。　Corrigan　…　Mrs。　　Dougherty；〃

said　〃Big　Jim。〃



The　Honorable　Patrick　became　a　fountain　of　en…

tertainment　and　admiration。　　The　waiter　had　to

fetch　a　third　chair　for　him；　he　made　another　at　the

table；　and　the　wineglasses　were　refilled。



〃You　selfish　old　rascal！〃　he　exclaimed；　shaking　an

arch　finger　at　〃Big　Jim；〃　〃to　have　kept　Mrs。

Dougherty　a　secret　from　us。〃

And　then　〃Big　Jim〃　Dougherty；　who　was　no

talker；　sat　dumb；　and　saw　the　wife　who　had　dined

every　evening　for　three　years　at　home；　blossom　like

a　fairy　flower。　　Quick；　witty；　charming；　full　of　light

and　ready　talk；　she　received　the　experienced　attack

of　the　Honorable　Patrick　on　the　field　of　repartee　and

surprised；　vanquished；　delighted　him。　　She　unfolded

her　long…closed　petals　and　around　her　the　room

became　a　garden。　　They　tried　to　include　〃Big

Jim〃　in　the　conversation；　but　he　was　without　a

vocabulary。



And　then　a　stray　bunch　of　politicians　and　good

fellows　who　lived　for　sport　came　into　the　room。　　They

saw　〃Big　Jim〃　and　the　leader；　and　over　they　came

and　were　made　acquainted　with　Mrs。　Dougherty。　　And

in　a　few　minutes　she　was　holding　a　salon。　　Half　a

dozen　men　surrounded　her；　courtiers　all；　and　six

found　her　capable　of　charming。　　〃Big　Jim〃　sat；

grim；　and　kept　saying　to　himself：　〃Three　years；

three　years！〃



The　dinner　came　to　an　end。　　The　Honorable　Pat…

rick　reached　for　Mrs。　Dougherty's　cloak；　but　that

was　a　matter　of　action　instead　of　words；　and　Dough…

erty's　big　band　got　it　first　by　two　seconds。



While　the　farewells　were　being　said　at　the　door

the　Honorable　Patrick　smote　Dougherty　mightily

between　the　shoulders。



〃Jimmy；　me　boy；〃　he　declared；　in　a　giant　whis…

per；　〃the　madam　is　a　jewel　of　the　first　water。　Ye're

a　lucky　dog。〃



〃Big　Jim〃　walked　homeward　with　his　wife。　　She

seemed　quite　as　pleased　with　the　lights　and　show

windows　in　the　streets　as　with　the　admiration　of　the

men　in　Hoogley's。　　As　they　passed　Seltzer's　they

heard　the　sound　of　many　voices　in　the　cafe。　　The

boys　would　be　starting　the　drinks　around　now　and

discussing　past　performances。



At　the　door　of　their　home　Delia　paused。　　The

pleasure　of　the　outing　radiated　softly　from　her

countenance。　　She　could　not　hope　for　Jim　of　evenings；

but　the　glory　of　this　one　would　Tighten　her　lonely

hours　for　a　long　time。



〃Thank　you　for　taking　me　out；　Jim；〃　she　said；

gratefully。　　〃You'll　be　going　back　up　to　Seltzer's

now；　of　course。〃



〃To　　with　Seltzer's；〃　said　〃Big　Jim；〃　em…

emphatically。　　〃And　d　Pat　Corrigan！　　Does

he　think　I　haven't　got　any　eyes？



And　the　door　closed　behind　both　of　them。









LITTLE　SPECK　IN　GARNERED　FRUIT





The　honeymoon　was　at　its　full。　　There　was　a　flat

with　the　reddest　of　new　carpets；　tasselled　portieres

and　six　steins　with　pewter　lids　arranged　on　a　ledge

above　the　wainscoting　of　the　dining…room。　　The　won…

der　of　it　was　yet　upon　them。　　Neither　of　them　had

ever　seen　a　yellow　primrose　by　the　riv