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！
〃I thought I married a gentleman；〃 the voice went on； 〃but 〃
Why had she come and was standing so close by his side？
〃But I find that I have married〃 was this Alicia talking？
〃something better a man Bob； dear； kiss me； won't you？〃
58
… Page 59…
The Voice of the City
The city was far away。
59
… Page 60…
The Voice of the City
THE SHOCKS OF DOOM
Here is an aristocracy of the public parks and even of the vagabonds
who use them for their private apartments。 Vallance felt rather than knew
this； but when he stepped down out of his world into chaos his feet
brought him directly to Madison Square。
Raw and astringent as a schoolgirl of the old order young May
breathed austerely among the budding trees。 Vallance buttoned his coat；
lighted his last cigarette and took his seat upon a bench。 For three minutes
be mildly regretted the last hundred of his last thousand that it had cost
him when the bicycle cop put an end to his last automobile ride。 Then he
felt in every pocket and found not a single penny。 He had given up his
apartment that morning。 His furniture had gone toward certain debts。 His
clothes； save what were upon him； had descended to his man…servant for
back wages。 As he sat there was not in the whole city for him a bed or a
broiled lobster or a street…car fare or a carnation for buttonhole unless be
should obtain them by spong… on his friends or by false pretenses。
Therefore lie had chosen the park。
And all this was because an uncle had disinherited him； and cut down
his allowance from liberality to nothing。 And all that was because his
nephew had disobeyed him concerning a certain girl； who comes not into
this story therefore； all readers who brush their hair toward its roots may
be warned to read no further。 There was another nephew； of a different
branch； who had once been the prospective heir and favorite。 Being
without grace or hope； he had long ago disappeared in the mire。 Now
drag… nets were out for him； he was to be rehabilitated and restored。 And
so Vallance fell grandly as Lucifer to the lowest pit； joining the tattered
ghosts in the little park。
Sitting there； he leaned far back on the hard bench and laughed a jet of
cigarette smoke up to the lowest tree branches。 The sudden severing of all
his life's ties had brought him a free； thrilling； almost joyous elation。 He
felt precisely the sensation of the aero… naut when he cuts loose his
parachute and lets his balloon drift away。
The hour was nearly ten。 Not many loungers were on the benches。 The
60
… Page 61…
The Voice of the City
park…dweller； though a stubborn fighter against autumnal coolness； is slow
to attack the advance line of spring's chilly cohorts。
Then arose one from a seat near the leaping foun… tain； and came and
sat himself at Vallance's side。 He was either young or old； cheap lodging…
houses had flavored him mustily； razors and combs had passed him by； in
him drink had been bottled and sealed in the devil's bond。 He begged a
match； which is the form of introduction among park benchers； and then
he began to talk。
〃You're not one of the regulars；〃 he said to Val… lance。 〃I know tailored
clothes when I see 'em。 You just stopped for a moment on your way
through the park。 Don't mind my talking to you for a while？ I've got to be
with somebody。 I'm afraid I'm afraid。 I've told two or three of those
bummers over about it。 They think I'm crazy。 Say let tell you all I've
had to eat to…day was a couple pretzels and an apple。 To…morrow I'll stand
in to inherit three millions； and that restaurant you ee over there with the
autos around it will be too for me to eat in。 Don't believe it； do you？
〃Without the slightest trouble；〃 said Vallance； with a laugh。 〃I lunched
there yesterday。 To… night I couldn't buy a five…cent cup of coffee。〃
〃You don't look like one of us。 Well； I guess those things happen。 I
used to be a high…flyer myself years ago。 What knocked you out of the
game？〃
〃I oh； I lost my job；〃 said Vallance。
〃It's undiluted Hades； this city；〃 went on the other。 〃One day you're
eating from china； the next you are eating in China a chop…suey joint。
I've had more than my share of hard luck。 For five years I've been little
better than a panhandler。 I was raised up to live expensively and do
nothing。 Say I don't mind telling you I've got to talk to somebody； you
see； because I'm afraid I'm afraid。 My name's Ide。 You wouldn't think
that old Paulding； one of the millionaires on Riverside Drive； was my
uncle； would you？ Well； he is。 I lived in his house once； and had all the
money I wanted。 Say； haven't you got the price of a couple of drinks about
you er what's your name〃
〃Dawson；〃 said Vallance。 〃No； I'm sorry to say that I'm all in；
financially。〃
61
… Page 62…
The Voice of the City
〃I've been living for a week in a coal cellar on Division Street；〃 went
on Ide； 〃with a crook they called 'Blinky' Morris。 I didn't have anywhere
else to go。 While I was out to…day a chap with some pa… pers in his pocket
was there； asking for me。 I didn't know but what he was a fly cop； so I
didn't go around again till after dark。 There was a letter there be had left
for me。 Say Dawson； it was from a big downtown lawyer； Mead。 I've
seen his sign on Ann Street。 Paulding wants me to play the prodigal
nephew wants me to come back and be his heir again and blow in his
money。 I'm to call at the lawyer's office at ten to…morrow and step into my
old shoes again heir to three million； Dawson； and 10；000 a year
pocket money。 And I'm afraid I'm afraid〃
The vagrant leaped to his feet and raised both trembling arms above
his bead。 He caught his breath and moaned hysterically。
Vallance seized his arm and forced him back to the bench。
〃Be quiet！〃 he commanded； with something like disgust in his tones。
〃One would think you had lost a fortune； instead of being about to acquire
one。 Of what are you afraid？〃
Ide cowered and shivered on the bench。 He clung to Vallance's sleeve；
and even in the dim glow of the Broadway lights the latest disinherited
one could see drops on the other's brow wrung out by some strange terror。
〃Why； I'm afraid something will happen to me be… fore morning。 I
don't know what something to keep me from coming into that money。
I'm afraid a tree will fall on me I'm afraid a cab will run over me； or a
stone drop on me from a housetop； or some… thing。 I never was afraid
before。 I've sat in this park a hundred nights as calm as a graven image
without knowing where my breakfast was to come from。 But now it's
different。 I love money； Daw… son … I'm happy as a god when it's trickling
through my fingers； and people are bowing to me； with the music and the
flowers and fine clothes all ar