the voice of the city-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

ever　seen　a　yellow　primrose　by　the　river's　brim；　but　if

such　a　sight　had　met　their　eyes　at　that　time　it　would

have　seemed　like　…　well；　whatever　the　poet　expected

the　right　kind　of　people　to　see　in　it　besides　a　prim…

rose。



The　bride　sat　in　the　rocker　with　her　feet　resting

upon　the　world。　　She　was　wrapt　in　rosy　dreams　and　a

kimono　of　the　same　hue。　　She　wondered　what　the　peo…

ple　in　Greenland　and　Tasmania　and　Beloochistan

were　saying　one　to　another　about　her　marriage　to

Kid　McGarry。　　Not　that　it　made　any　difference。

There　was　no　welter…weight　from　London　to　the

Southern　Cross　that　could　stand　up　four　hours　…　no；

four　rounds　…　with　her　bridegroom。　　And　he　had

been　hers　for　three　weeks；　and　the　crook　of　her　little

finger　could　sway　him　more　than　the　fist　of　any　142…

pounder　in　the　world。



Love；　when　it　is　ours；　is　the　other　name　for　self…

abnegation　and　sacrifice。　　When　it　belongs　to　people

across　the　airshaft　it　means　arrogance　and　self…con…

ceit。



The　bride　crossed　her　oxfords　and　looked　thought…

fully　at　the　distemper　Cupids　on　the　ceiling。



〃Precious；〃　said　she；　with　the　air　of　Cleopatra

asking　Antony　for　Rome　done　up　in　tissue　paper　and

delivered　at　residence；　〃I　think　I　would　like　a　peach。〃



Kid　McGarry　arose　and　put　on　his　coat　and　hat。

He　was　serious；　shaven；　sentimental；　and　spry。



〃All　right；〃　said　he；　as　coolly　as　though　be　were

only　agreeing　to　sign　articles　to　fight　the　champion

of　England。　　〃I'll　step　down　and　cop　one　out　for　you

see？〃



〃Don't　be　long；〃　said　the　bride。　　〃I'll　be　lonesome

without　my　naughty　boy。　　Get　a　nice；　ripe　one。〃

After　a　series　of　farewells　that　would　have　befitted

an　imminent　voyage　to　foreign　parts；　the　Kid　went

down　to　the　street。



Here　he　not　unreasonably　hesitated；　for　the　season

was　yet　early　spring；　and　there　seemed　small　chance

of　wresting　anywhere　from　those　chill　streets　and

stores　the　coveted　luscious　guerdon　of　summer's

golden　prime。



At　the　Italian's　fruit…stand　on　the　corner　be

stopped　and　cast　a　contemptuous　eye　over　the　dis…

play　of　papered　oranges；　highly　polished　apples　and

wan；　sun…hungry　bananas。



〃Gotta　da　peach？〃　asked　the　Kid　in　the　tongue　of

Dante；　the　lover　of　lovers。



〃Ah；　no；　…　〃　sighed　the　vender。　〃Not　for　one　mont

com…a　da　peach。　　Too　soon。　　Gotta　da　nice…a　orange。

Like…a　da　orange？〃



Scornful；　the　Kid　　pursued　his　quest。　He　entered

the　all…night　chop…house；　cafe；　and　bowling…alley　of

his　friend　and　admirer；　Justus　O'Callahan。　　The

O'Callahan　was　about　in　his　institution；　looking　for

leaks。



〃I　want　it　straight；〃　said　the　Kid　to　him。　　〃The

old　woman　has　got　a　hunch　that　she　wants　a　peach。

Now；　if　you've　got　a　peach；　Cal；　get　it　out　quick。　　I

want　it　and　others　like　it　if　you've　got　'em　in　plural

quantities。〃



〃The　house　is　yours；〃　said　O'Callahan。　〃But

there's　no　peach　in　it。　　It's　too　soon。　　I　don't　sup…

pose　you　could　even　find　'em　at　one　of　the　Broadway

joints。　　That's　too　bad。　　When　a　lady　fixes　her

mouth　for　a　certain　kind　of　fruit　nothing　else　won't

do。　It's　too　late　now　to　find　any　of　the　first…class

fruiterers　open。　　But　if　you　think　the　missis　would

like　some　nice　oranges　I've　just　got　a　box　of　fine　ones

in　that　she　might。〃



〃Much　obliged；　Cal。　　It's　a　peach　proposition

right　from　the　ring　of　the　gong。　I'll　try　further。〃



The　time　was　nearly　midnight　as　the　Kid　walked

down　the　West…Side　avenue。　　Few　stores　were　open

and　such　as　were　practically　hooted　at　the　idea　of　a

peach。



But　in　her　moated　flat　the　bride　confidently　awaited

her　Persian　fruit。　　A　champion　welter…weight　not　find

a　peach？　…　not　stride　triumphantly　over　the　seasons

and　the　zodiac　and　the　almanac　to　fetch　an　Amsden's

June　or　a　Georgia　cling　to　his　owny…own？



The　Kid's　eye　caught　sight　of　a　window　that　was

lighted　and　gorgeous　with　nature's　most　entrancing

colors。　　The　light　suddenly　went　out。　The　Kid

sprinted　and　caught　the　fruiterer　locking　his　door。



〃Peaches？〃　said　he；　with　extreme　deliberation。



〃Well；　no；　Sir。　　Not　for　three　or　four　weeks　yet。

I　haven't　any　idea　where　you　might　find　some。　　There

may　be　a　few　in　town　from　under　the　glass；　but　they'd

be　bard　to　locate。　　Maybe　at　one　of　the　more　expen…

sive　hotels　…　some　place　where　there's　plenty　of

money　to　waste。　　I've　got　some　very　fine　oranges；

though　…　from　a　shipload　that　came　in　to…day。〃



The　Kid　lingered　on　the　corner　for　a　moment；

and　then　set　out　briskly　toward　a　pair　of　green　lights

that　flanked　the　steps　of　a　building　down　a　dark

side　street。



〃Captain　around　anywhere？〃　he　asked　of　the　desk

sergeant　of　the　police　station。



At　that　moment　the　captain　came　briskly　forward

from　the　rear。　　He　was　in　plain　clothes　and　had　a

busy　air。



〃Hello；　Kid；〃　he　said　to　the　pugilist。　　〃Thought

you　were　bridal…touring？



〃Got　back　yesterday。　I'm　a　solid　citizen　now。

Think　I'll　take　an　interest　in　municipal　doings。　How

would　it　suit　you　to　get　into　Denver　Dick's　place　to…

night；　Cap？



〃Past　performances；〃　said　the　captain；　twisting　his　

moustache。　〃Denver　was　closed　up　two　months　ago。〃



〃Correct；〃　said　the　　Kid。　〃Rafferty　chased　him

out　of　the　Forty…third。　He's　running　in　your　pre…

cinct　now；　and　his　game's　bigger　than　ever。　　I'm

down　on　this　gambling　business。　　I　can　put　you

against　his　game。〃



〃In　my　precinct？〃　growled　the　captain。　　〃Are

you　sure；　Kid？　　I'll　take　it　as　a　favor。　　Have　you

got　the　entree？　　How　is　it　to　be　done？〃



〃Hammers；〃　said　the　Kid。　〃They　haven't　got

any　steel　on　the　doors　yet。　　You'll　need　ten　men。

No；　they　won't　let　me　in　the　place。　　Denver　has　been

trying　to　do　me。　　He　thought　I　tipped　him　off　for　the

other　raid。　　I　didn't；　though。　　You　want　to　hurry。

I've　got　to　get　back　home。　　The　house　is　only　three

blocks　from　here。〃



Before　ten　minutes　had　sped　the　captain　with　a

dozen　men　stole　with　their　guide　into　the　hallway　of

a　dark　and　virtuous…looking　building　in　which　many

businesses　were　conducted　by　day。



〃Third　floor；　rear；〃　said　the　Kid；　softly。　　〃I'll

lead　the　way。〃



Two　axemen　faced　the　door　that　he　pointed　out　to

them。



〃It　seems　all　quiet；〃　said　the　captain；　doubtfully。



〃Are　you　sure　your　tip　is　straight？〃



〃Cut　away！〃　said　the　Kid。　　〃It's　on　me　if　it

ain't。〃



The　axes　crashed　through　the　as　yet　unprotected

door。　　A　blaze　of　light　from　within　poured　through

the　smashed　panels。　　The　door　fell；　and　the　raiders

rang　into　the　room　with　their　guns　handy。



The　big　room　was　furnished　with　the　gaudy　mag…

nificence　dear　to　Denver　Dick's　western　ideas。　　Vari…

ous　well…patronized　games　were　in　progress。　　About

fifty　men　who　were　in　the　room　rushed　upon　the　police

in　a　grand　break　for　personal　liberty。　　The　plain…

clothes　men　had　to　do　a　little　club…swinging。　　More

than　half　the　patrons　escaped。



Denver　Dick　had　graced　his　game　with　his　own

presence　that　night。　　He　led　the　rush　that　was　in…

tended　to　sweep　away　the　smaller　body　of　raiders；

But　when　be　saw　the　Kid　his　manner　became　personal。

Being　in　the　heavyweight　class　be　cast　himself　joy…

fully　upon　his　slighter　enemy；　and　they　rolled　down

a　flight　of　stairs　in　each　others　arms。　　On　the　land…

ing　they　separated　and　arose；　and　then　the　Kid　was

able　to　use　some　of　his　professional　tactics；　which　had

been　useless　to　him　while　in　the　excited　clutch　of　a

200…pound　sporting　gentleman　who　was　about　to　lose

20；000　worth　of　paraphernalia。



After　vanquishing　his　adversary　the　Kid　hurried

upstairs　and　through　the　gambling…room　into　a

smaller　apartment　connecting　by　an　arched　doorway。



Here　was　a　long　table　set　with　choicest　chinaware

and　silver；　and　lavishly　furnished　with　food　of　that

expensive　and　spectacular　sort　of　which　the　devotees

of　sport　are　supposed　to　be　fond。　　Here　again　was　to

be　perceived　the　liberal　and　florid　tast