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！
pad？
The orchestra played a wailing waltz that Medora had learned from the
hand…organs。 She followed the air with nodding head in a sweet soprano
hum。 Madder looked across the table at her； and wondered in what strange
waters Binkley had caught her in his seine。 She smiled at him； and they
raised glasses and drank of the wine that boiled when it was cold。 Binkley
had abandoned art and was prating of the unusual spring catch of shad。
Miss Elise arranged the palette…and…maul…stick tie pin of Mr。 Vandyke。 A
Philistine at some distant table was maundering volubly either about
Jerome or Gerome。 A famous actress was discoursing excitably about
monogrammed hosiery。 A hose clerk from a department store was loudly
proclaiming his opinions of the drama。 A writer was abusing Dickens。 A
magazine editor and a photographer were drinking a dry brand at a re…
served table。 A 36…25…42 young lady was saying to an eminent sculptor：
〃Fudge for your Prax Italys！ Bring one of your Venus Anno Dominis down
to Cohen's and see bow quick she'd be turned down for a cloak model。
Back to the quarries with your Greeks and Dagos！〃
Thus went Bohemia。
At eleven Mr。 Binkley took Medora to the board… ing…bouse and left
her； with a society bow； at the foot of the hall stairs。 She went up to her
room and lit the gas。
And then； as suddenly as the dreadful genie arose in vapor from the
copper vase of the fisherman； arose in that room the formidable shape of
the New England Conscience。 The terrible thing that Medora had done
130
… Page 131…
The Voice of the City
was revealed to her in its full enormity。 She had sat in the presence of the
un… godly and looked upon the wine both when it was red and
effervescent。
At midnight she wrote this letter：
〃Mr。 BERLAH HOSKINS； Harmony； Vermont。
〃Dear Sir： Henceforth； consider me as dead to you forever。 I have
loved you too well to blight your career by bringing into it my guilty and
sin…stained life。 I have succumbed to the insidious wiles of this wicked
world and have been drawn into the vortex of Bohemia。 There is scarcely
any depth of glittering iniquity that I have not sounded。 It is hopeless to
combat my decision。 There is no rising from the depths to which I have
sunk。 Endeavor to forget me。 I am lost forever in the fair but brutal maze
of awful Bohemia。 Farewell。
〃ONCE YOUR MEDORA。〃
On the next day Medora formed her resolutions。 Beelzebub； flung
from heaven； was no more cast down。 Between her and the apple blossoms
of Harmony there was a fixed gulf。 Flaming cherubim warded her from
the gates of her lost paradise。 In one evening； by the aid of Binkley and
Mumm； Bohemia had gathered her into its awful midst。
There remained to her but one thing a life of brilliant； but
irremediable error。 Vermont was a shrine that she never would dare to
approach again。 But she would not sink there were great and com…
pelling ones in history upon whom she would model her meteoric career
Camille； Lola Montez； Royal Mary； Zaza such a name as one of these
would that of Medora Martin be to future generations
For two days Medora kept her room。 On the third she opened a
magazine at the portrait of the King of Belgium； and laughed sardonically。
If that far…famed breaker of women's hearts should cross her path； he
would have to bow before her cold and im… perious beauty。 She would not
spare the old or the young。 All America all Europe should do homage to
her sinister； but compelling charm。 As yet she could not bear to think of
the life she had once desired a peaceful one in the shadow of the Green
Mountains with Beriah at her side； and orders for expensive oil paintings
coming in by each mail from New York。 Her one fatal misstep had
131
… Page 132…
The Voice of the City
shattered that dream。
On the fourth day Medora powdered her face and rouged her lips。
Once she had seen Carter in 〃Zaza。〃 She stood before the mirror in a
reckless attitude and cried： 〃Zut！ zut！〃 She rhymed it with 〃nut；〃 but with
the lawless word Harmony seemed to pass away forever。 The Vortex had
her。 She belonged to Bohemia for evermore。 And never would Beriah
The door opened and Beriah walked in。
〃'Dory；〃 said he； 〃what's all that chalk and pink stuff on your face；
honey？
Medora extended an arm。
〃Too late；〃 she said； solemnly。 The die is cast。 I belong in another
world。 Curse me if you will it is your right。 Go； and leave me in the path
I have chosen。 Bid them all at home never to men… tion my name again。
And sometimes； Beriah； pray for me when I am revelling in the gaudy； but
hol… low； pleasures of Bohemia。〃
〃Get a towel； 'Dory；〃 said Beriah； 〃and wipe that paint off your face。 I
came as soon as I got your letter。 Them pictures of yours ain't amount… ing
to anything。 I've got tickets for both of us back on the evening train。 Hurry
and get your things in your trunk。〃
〃Fate was too strong for me； Beriah。 Go while I am strong to bear it。〃
〃How do you fold this easel； 'Dory？ now begin to pack； so we have
time to eat before train time。 The maples is all out in full…grown leaves；
'Dory you just ought to see 'em！
〃Not this early； Beriah？
〃You ought to see 'em； 'Dory； they're like an ocean of green in the
morning sunlight。〃
〃Oh； Beriah！〃
On the train she said to him suddenly：
〃I wonder why you came when you got my let… ter。〃
〃Oh； shucks！ 〃 said Beriah。 〃Did you think you could fool me？ How
could you be run away to that Bohemia country like you said when your
letter was postmarked New York as plain as day？〃
132
… Page 133…
The Voice of the City
A PHILISTINE IN BOHEMIA
George Washington； with his right arm up… raised； sits his iron horse
at the lower corner of Union Square； forever signaling the Broadway cars
to stop as they round the curve into Fourteenth Street。 But the cars buzz on；
heedless； as they do at the beck of a private citizen； and the great General
must feel； unless his nerves are iron； that rapid tran… sit gloria mundi。
Should the General raise his left hand as he has raised his right it
would point to a quarter of the city that forms a haven for the oppressed
and sup… pressed of foreign lands。 In the cause of national or personal
freedom they have found a refuge here； and the patriot who made it for
them sits his steed； overlooking their district； while he listens through his
left car to vaudeville that caricatures the posterity of his proteges。 Italy；
Poland； the former Spanish possessions and the polyglot tribes of Austria…
Hun… gary have spilled here a thick lather of their effer… vescent sons。 In
the eccentric cafes and lodging… houses of the vicinity they hover over
their native wines and political secrets。 The colony changes with much
frequency。 Faces disappear from the haunts to be replaced by others。
Whither do