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！
a 'possum dog belonging to Bill Harkness。 The Harkness family evened up
this dire loss by laying out the chief of the Folwell clan。 The Folwells
were prompt at repartee。 They oiled up their squirrel rifles and made it
feasible for Bill Harkness to follow his dog to a land where the 'possums
come down when treed without the stroke of an ax。
The feud flourished for forty years。 Harknesses were shot at the
plough； through their lamp…lit cabin windows； coming from camp…meeting；
asleep； in duello； sober and otherwise； singly and in family groups；
prepared and unprepared。 Folwells had the branches of their family tree
lopped off in similar ways； as the traditions of their country prescribed and
authorized。
By and by the pruning left but a single member of each family。 And
then Cal Harkness； probably reasoning that further pursuance of the
controversy would give a too decided personal flavor to the feud； suddenly
disappeared from the relieved Cumberlands； baulking the avenging hand
of Sam； the ultimate op… posing Folwell。
A year afterward Sam Folwell learned that his hereditary；
unsuppressed enemy was living in New York City。 Sam turned over the
big iron wash…pot in the yard； scraped off some of the soot； which he
mixed with lard and shined his boots with the com… pound。 He put on his
store clothes of butternut dyed black； a white shirt and collar； and packed a
carpet…sack with Spartan lingerie。 He took his squirrel rifle from its hooks；
but put it back again with a sigh。 However ethical and plausible the habit
might be in the Cumberlands； perhaps New York would not swallow his
pose of hunting squirrels among the skyscrapers along Broadway。 An
ancient but reliable Colt's revolver that he resurrected from a bureau
drawer seemed to proclaim itself the pink of weapons for metropolitan
adventure and vengeance。 This and a hunting…knife in a leather sheath；
Sam packed in the carpet…sack。 As he started； Muleback； for the lowland
railroad station the last Folwell turned in his saddle and looked grimly at
the little cluster of white…pine slabs in the clump of cedars that marked the
79
… Page 80…
The Voice of the City
Folwell burying…ground。
Sam Folwell arrived in New York in the night。 Still moving and living
in the free circles of nature； he did not perceive the formidable； pitiless；
restless； fierce angles of the great city waiting in the dark to close about
the rotundity of his heart and brain and mould him to the form of its
millions of re…shaped victims。 A cabby picked him out of the whirl； as Sam
himself had often picked a nut from a bed of wind…tossed autumn leaves；
and whisked him away to a hotel commensurate to his boots and carpet…
sack。
On the next morning the last of the Folwells made his sortie into the
city that sheltered the last Hark… ness。 The Colt was thrust beneath his coat
and se… cured by a narrow leather belt； the hunting…knife hung between his
shoulder…blades； with the haft an inch below his coat collar。 He knew this
much that Cal Harkness drove an express wagon some… where in that
town； and that he； Sam Folwell； had come to kill him。 And as he stepped
upon the side… walk the red came into his eye and the feud…hate into his
heart。
The clamor of the central avenues drew him thith… erward。 He had half
expected to see Cal coming down the street in his shirt…sleeves； with a jug
and a whip in his hand； just as he would have seen him in Frankfort or
Laurel City。 But an hour went by and Cal did not appear。 Perhaps he was
waiting in ambush； to shoot him from a door or a window。 Sam kept a
sharp eye on doors and windows for a while。
About noon the city tired of playing with its mouse and suddenly
squeezed him with its straight lines。
Sam Folwell stood where two great； rectangular arteries of the city
cross。 He looked four ways； and saw the world burled from its orbit and
reduced by spirit level and tape to an edged and cornered plane。 All life
moved on tracks； in grooves； accord… ing to system； within boundaries； by
rote。 The root of life was the cube root； the measure of existence was
square measure。 People streamed by in straight rows； the horrible din and
crash stupefied him。
Sam leaned against the sharp corner of a stone building。 Those faces
passed him by thousands； and none of them were turned toward him。 A
80
… Page 81…
The Voice of the City
sudden fool… ish fear that he had died and was a spirit； and that they could
not see him； seized him。 And then the city smote him with loneliness。
A fat man dropped out of the stream and stood a few feet distant；
waiting for his car。 Sam crept to his side and shouted above the tumult into
his ear：
〃The Rankinses' hogs weighed more'n ourn a whole passel； but the
mast in thar neighborhood was a fine chance better than what it was down
〃
The fat man moved away unostentatiously； and bought roasted
chestnuts to cover his alarm。
Sam felt the need of a drop of mountain dew。 Across the street men
passed in and out through swinging doors。 Brief glimpses could be had of
a glistening bar and its bedeckings。 The feudist crossed and essayed to
enter。 Again had Art eliminated the familiar circle。 Sam's hand found no
door…knob … it slid； in vain； over a rectangular brass plate and polished oak
with nothing even so large as a pin's head upon which his fingers might
close。 Abashed； reddened； heartbroken； he walked away from the bootless
door and sat upon a step。 A locust club tickled him in the ribs。
〃Take a walk for yourself；〃 said the policeman。 You've been loafing
around here long enough。〃
At the next corner a shrill whistle sounded in Sam's ear。 He wheeled
around and saw a black…browed vil… lain scowling at him over peanuts
heaped on a steam… ing machine。 He started across the street。 An im…
mense engine； running without mules； with the voice of a bull and the
smell of a smoky lamp； whizzed past； grazing his knee。 A cab…driver
bumped him with a hub and explained to him that kind words were in…
vented to be used on other occasions。 A motorman clanged his bell wildly
and； for once in his life； cor… roborated a cab…driver。 A large lady in a
changeable silk waist dug an elbow into his back； and a newsy pensively
pelted him with banana rinds； murmuring； 〃I hates to do it but if
anybody seen me let it pass！〃
Cal Harkness； his day's work over and his express wagon stabled；
turned the sharp edge of the build… ing that； by the cheek of architects； is
modelled upon a safety razor。 Out of the mass of hurrying people his eye
81
… Page 82…
The Voice of the City
picked up； three yards away； the surviving bloody and implacable foe of
his kith and kin。
He stopped short and wavered for a moment； be… ing unarmed and
sharply surp