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！
triumph。 He had held for a moment； though but by a silken thread； the soul
of his wild Psyche； and hope was stronger within him。 Once she had
folded her wings and her cool band bad closed about his own。
At the Biggest Store the next day Masie's chum； Lulu； waylaid her in
an angle of the counter。
〃How are you and your swell friend making it？ she asked。
〃Oh； him？〃 said Masie； patting her side curls。 〃He ain't in it any more。
Say； Lu； what do you think that fellow wanted me to do？〃
〃Go on the stage？〃 guessed Lulu； breathlessly。
〃Nit； he's too cheap a guy for that。 He wanted me to marry him and go
down to Coney Island for a wedding tour！〃
18
… Page 19…
The Voice of the City
DOUGHERTY'S EYE…OPENER
Big Jim Dougherty was a sport。 He belonged to that race of men。 In
Manhattan it is a distinct race。 They are the Caribs of the North strong；
artful； self…sufficient； clannish； honorable within the laws of their race；
holding in lenient contempt neigh… boring tribes who bow to the measure
of Society's tapeline。 I refer； of course； to the titled nobility of sportdom。
There is a class which bears as a qualify… ing adjective the substantive
belonging to a wind in… strument made of a cheap and base metal。 But the
tin mines of Cornwall never produced the material for manufacturing
descriptive nomenclature for 〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty。
The habitat of the sport is the lobby or the outside corner of certain …
hotels and combination restaurants and cafes。 They are mostly men of
different sizes； running from small to large； but they are unanimous in the
possession of a recently shaven； blue…black cheek and chin and dark
overcoats （in season） with black velvet collars。
Of the domestic life of the sport little is known。 It has been said that
Cupid and Hymen sometimes take a band in the game and copper the
queen of hearts to lose。 Daring theorists have averred … not content with
simply saying … that a sport often contracts a spouse； and even incurs
descendants。 Sometimes he。 sits in the game of politics； and then at
chowder picnics there is a revelation of a Mrs。 Sport and little Sports in
glazed hats with tin pails。
But mostly the sport is Oriental。 He believes his women…folk should
not be too patent。 Somewhere be… bind grilles or flower…ornamented fire
escapes they await him。 There； no doubt； they tread on rugs from Teheran
and are diverted by the bulbul and play upon the dulcimer and feed upon
sweetmeats。 But away from his home the sport is an integer。 He does not；
as men of other races in Manhattan do； become the convoy in his
unoccupied hours of fluttering laces and high heels that tick off delectably
the happy seconds of the evening parade。 He herds with his own race at
corners； and delivers a commentary in his Carib lingo upon the passing
show。
〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty had a wife； but be did not wear a button portrait
19
… Page 20…
The Voice of the City
of her upon his lapel。 He bad a home in one of those brown…stone； iron…
railed streets on the west side that look like a recently ex… cavated bowling
alley of Pompeii。
To this home of his Mr。 Dougherty repaired each night when the hour
was so late as to promise no further diversion in the arch domains of sport。
By that time the occupant of the monogamistic harem would be in
dreamland； the bulbul silenced and the hour propitious for slumber。
〃Big Jim〃 always arose at twelve； meridian； for breakfast； and soon
afterward he would return to the rendezvous of his 〃crowd。〃
He was always vaguely conscious that there was a Mrs。 Dougherty。 He
would have received without denial the charge that the quiet； neat；
comfortable little woman across the table at home was his wife。 In fact； he
remembered pretty well that they bad been married for nearly four years。
She would often tell him about the cute tricks of Spot； the canary； and the
light…haired lady that lived in the window of the flat across the street。
〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty even listened to this con… versation of hers
sometimes。 He knew that she would have a nice dinner ready for him
every evening at seven when he came for it。 She sometimes went to
matinees； and she bad a talking machine with six dozen records。 Once
when her Uncle Amos blew in on a wind from up…state； she went with him
to the Eden Musee。 Surely these things were diversions enough for any
woman。
One afternoon Mr。 Dougherty finished his break… fast； put on his bat
and got away fairly for the door。 When his hand was on the knob be heard
his wife's voice。
〃Jim；〃 she said； firmly； 〃I wish you would take me out to dinner this
evening。 It has been three years since you have been outside the door with
me。〃
〃Big Jim〃 was astounded。 She bad never asked anything like this
before。 It had the flavor of a totally new proposition。 But he was a game
sport。
〃All right；〃 be said。 〃You be ready when I come at seven。 None of this
'wait two minutes till I primp an hour or two' kind of business； now； Dele。〃
〃I'll be ready；〃 said his wife； calmly。
20
… Page 21…
The Voice of the City
At seven she descended the stone steps in the Pom… peian bowling
alley at the side of 〃Big Jim〃 Dough… erty。 She wore a dinner gown made
of a stuff that the spiders must have woven； and of a color that a twilight
sky must have contributed。 A light coat with many admirably unnecessary
capes and adorably inutile ribbons floated downward from her shoulders。
Fine feathers do make fine birds； and the only re… proach in the saying is
for the man who refuses to give up his earnings to the ostrich…tip industry。
〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty was troubled。 There was a being at his side
whom be did not know。 He thought of the sober…hued plumage that this
bird of paradise was accustomed to wear in her cage； and this winged
revelation puzzled him。 In some way she reminded him of the Delia
Cullen that be had married four years before。 Shyly and rather awkwardly
he stalked at her right band。
〃After dinner I'll take you back home； Dele；〃 said Mr。 Dougherty； 〃and
then I'll drop back up to Selt… zer's with the boys。 You can have swell
chuck to… night if you want it。 I made a winning on Anaconda yesterday；
so you can go as far as you like。〃
Mr。 Dougherty had intended to make the outing with his unwonted
wife an inconspicuous one。 Uxori… ousness was a weakness that the
precepts of the Caribs did not countenance。 If any of his friends of the
track； the billiard cloth or the square circle had wives they had never
complained of the fact in public。 There were a number of table d'hote
places on the cross streets near the broad and shining way； and to one of
these he had purposed to escort her； so that the bushel might not be
removed from the light of his domesticity。
But while on the way Mr。 Dougherty