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！
〃Hello； Mame！ 〃 that distinguish Bo… hemia； the lively chatter； the
cigarette smoke； the interchange of bright smiles and eye…glances all this
display and magnificence overpowered the daugh… ter of Mrs。 Dempsey
and held her motionless。
Mr。 Brunelli stepped into the yard and seemed to spread his smile and
bow over the entire company。 And everywhere there was a great clapping
of bands and a few cries of 〃Bravo！ 〃 and 〃'Tonio！ 'Tonio！〃 whatever those
words might mean。 Ladies waved their napkins at him； gentlemen almost
twisted their necks off； trying to catch his nod。
When the ovation was concluded Mr。 Brunelli； with a final bow；
stepped nimbly into the kitchen and flung off his coat and waistcoat。
〃Flaherty； the nimblest 〃garsong〃 among the waiters； had been
assigned to the special service of Katy。 She was a little faint from hunger；
for the Irish stew on the Dempsey table had been particu… larly weak that
day。 Delicious odors from unknown dishes tantalized her。 And Flaherty
began to bring to her table course after course of ambrosial food that the
gods might have pronounced excellent。
But even in the midst of her Lucullian repast Katy laid down her knife
and fork。 Her heart sank as lead； and a tear fell upon her filet mignon。 Her
haunting suspicions of the star lodger arose again； fourfold。 Thus courted
and admired and smiled upon by that fashionable and gracious assembly；
136
… Page 137…
The Voice of the City
what else could Mr。 Brunelli be but one of those dazzling titled patricians；
glorious of name but shy of rent money； concerning whom experience had
made her wise？ With a sense of his ineligibility growing within her there
was mingled a torturing conviction that his personality was becoming
more pleasing to her day by day。 And why had he left her to dine alone？
But here he was coming again； now coatless； his snowy shirt…sleeves
rolled high above his Jeffries… onian elbows； a white yachting cap perched
upon his jetty curls。
〃'Tonio！ 'Tonio！〃 shouted many； and 〃The spaghetti！ The spaghetti！〃
shouted the rest。
Never at 'Tonio's did a waiter dare to serve a dish of spaghetti until
'Tonio came to test it； to prove the sauce and add the needful dash of
seasoning that gave it perfection。
From table to table moved 'Tonio； like a prince in his palace； greeting
his guests。 White； jewelled bands signalled him from every side。
A glass of wine with this one and that； smiles for all； a jest and
repartee for any that might challenge truly few princes could be so
agreeable a host！ And what artist could ask for further appreciation of his
handiwork？ Katy did not know that the proudest consummation of a New
Yorker's ambition is to shake bands with a spaghetti chef or to receive a
nod from a Broadway head…waiter。
At last the company thinned； leaving' but a few couples and quartettes
lingering over new wine and old stories。 And then came Mr。 Brunelli to
Katy's secluded table； and drew a chair close to hers。
Katy smiled at him dreamily。 She was eating the last spoonful of a
raspberry roll with Burgundy sauce。
〃You have seen！〃 said Mr。 Brunelli； laying one hand upon his collar
bone。 〃I am Antonio Brunelli！ Yes； I am the great 'Tonio！ You have not
suspect that！ I loave you； Katy； and you shall marry with me。 Is it not so？
Call me 'Antonio；' and say that you will be mine。〃
Katy's head drooped to the shoulder that was now freed from all
suspicion of having received the knightly accolade。
〃Oh； Andy；〃 she sighed； 〃this is great！ Sure； I'll marry wid ye。 But why
didn't ye tell me ye was the cook？ I was near turnin' ye down for bein' one
137
… Page 138…
The Voice of the City
of thim foreign counts！〃
138
… Page 139…
The Voice of the City
FROM EACH ACCORDING TO
HIS ABILITY
Vuyning left his club； cursing it softly； without any particular anger。
From ten in the morning un… til eleven it had bored him immeasurably。
Kirk with his fish story； Brooks with his Porto Rico cigars； old Morrison
with his anecdote about the widow； Hep… burn with his invariable luck at
billiards all these afflictions had been repeated without change of bill or
scenery。 Besides these morning evils Miss Allison had refused him again
on the night before。 But that was a chronic trouble。 Five times she had
laughed at his offer to make her Mrs。 Vuyning。 He intended to ask her
again the next Wednesday evening。
Vuyning walked along Forty…fourth Street to Broadway； and then
drifted down the great sluice that washes out the dust of the gold…mines of
Gotham。 He wore a morning suit of light gray； low； dull kid shoes； a plain；
finely woven straw hat； and his visible linen was the most delicate
possible shade of belio… trope。 His necktie was the blue…gray of a Novem…
ber sky； and its knot was plainly the outcome of a lordly carelessness
combined with an accurate con… ception of the most recent dictum of
fashion。
Now； to write of a man's haberdashery is a worse thing than to write a
historical novel 〃around〃 Paul Jones； or to pen a testimonial to a hay…fever
cure。
Therefore； let it be known that the description of Vuyning's apparel is
germane to the movements of the story； and not to make room for the new
fall stock of goods。
Even Broadway that morning was a discord in Vuyning's ears； and in
his eyes it paralleled for a few dreamy； dreary minutes a certain howling；
scorching； seething； malodorous slice of street that he remembered in
Morocco。 He saw the struggling mass of dogs； beggars； fakirs； slave…
drivers and veiled women in carts without horses； the sun blazing brightly
among the bazaars； the piles of rubbish from ruined temples in the street …
and then a lady； passing； jabbed the ferrule of a parasol in his side and
139
… Page 140…
The Voice of the City
brought him back to Broadway。
Five minutes of his stroll brought him to a certain corner； where a
number of silent； pale…faced men are accustomed to stand； immovably； for
hours； busy with the file blades of their penknives； with their hat brims on
a level with their eyelids。 Wall Street speculators； driving home in their
carriages； love to point out these men to their visiting friends and tell them
of this rather famous lounging…place of the 〃crooks。〃 On Wall Street the
speculators never use the file blades of their knives。
Vuyning was delighted when one of this company stepped forth and
addressed him as he was passing。 He was hungry for something out of the
ordinary； and to be accosted by this smooth…faced； keen…eyed； low…voiced；
athletic member of the under world； with his grim； yet pleasant smile； had
all the taste of an adventure to the convention…weary Vuyning。
〃Excuse me； friend；〃 said be。 〃Could I have a few minutes' talk with