第 6 节
作者:连过十一人      更新:2021-02-27 02:16      字数:9322
  erty on the back; be shone like a midday sun upon
  Delia。
  〃Honorable Mr。 Corrigan … Mrs。  Dougherty;〃
  said 〃Big Jim。〃
  The Honorable Patrick became a fountain of en…
  tertainment and admiration。  The waiter had to
  fetch a third chair for him; he made another at the
  table; and the wineglasses were refilled。
  〃You selfish old rascal!〃 he exclaimed; shaking an
  arch finger at 〃Big Jim;〃 〃to have kept Mrs。
  Dougherty a secret from us。〃
  And then 〃Big Jim〃 Dougherty; who was no
  talker; sat dumb; and saw the wife who had dined
  every evening for three years at home; blossom like
  a fairy flower。  Quick; witty; charming; full of light
  and ready talk; she received the experienced attack
  of the Honorable Patrick on the field of repartee and
  surprised; vanquished; delighted him。  She unfolded
  her long…closed petals and around her the room
  became a garden。  They tried to include 〃Big
  Jim〃 in the conversation; but he was without a
  vocabulary。
  And then a stray bunch of politicians and good
  fellows who lived for sport came into the room。  They
  saw 〃Big Jim〃 and the leader; and over they came
  and were made acquainted with Mrs。 Dougherty。  And
  in a few minutes she was holding a salon。  Half a
  dozen men surrounded her; courtiers all; and six
  found her capable of charming。  〃Big Jim〃 sat;
  grim; and kept saying to himself: 〃Three years;
  three years!〃
  The dinner came to an end。  The Honorable Pat…
  rick reached for Mrs。 Dougherty's cloak; but that
  was a matter of action instead of words; and Dough…
  erty's big band got it first by two seconds。
  While the farewells were being said at the door
  the Honorable Patrick smote Dougherty mightily
  between the shoulders。
  〃Jimmy; me boy;〃 he declared; in a giant whis…
  per; 〃the madam is a jewel of the first water。 Ye're
  a lucky dog。〃
  〃Big Jim〃 walked homeward with his wife。  She
  seemed quite as pleased with the lights and show
  windows in the streets as with the admiration of the
  men in Hoogley's。  As they passed Seltzer's they
  heard the sound of many voices in the cafe。  The
  boys would be starting the drinks around now and
  discussing past performances。
  At the door of their home Delia paused。  The
  pleasure of the outing radiated softly from her
  countenance。  She could not hope for Jim of evenings;
  but the glory of this one would Tighten her lonely
  hours for a long time。
  〃Thank you for taking me out; Jim;〃 she said;
  gratefully。  〃You'll be going back up to Seltzer's
  now; of course。〃
  〃To  with Seltzer's;〃 said 〃Big Jim;〃 em…
  emphatically。  〃And d Pat Corrigan!  Does
  he think I haven't got any eyes?
  And the door closed behind both of them。
  LITTLE SPECK IN GARNERED FRUIT
  The honeymoon was at its full。  There was a flat
  with the reddest of new carpets; tasselled portieres
  and six steins with pewter lids arranged on a ledge
  above the wainscoting of the dining…room。  The won…
  der of it was yet upon them。  Neither of them had
  ever seen a yellow primrose by the river's brim; but if
  such a sight had met their eyes at that time it would
  have seemed like … well; whatever the poet expected
  the right kind of people to see in it besides a prim…
  rose。
  The bride sat in the rocker with her feet resting
  upon the world。  She was wrapt in rosy dreams and a
  kimono of the same hue。  She wondered what the peo…
  ple in Greenland and Tasmania and Beloochistan
  were saying one to another about her marriage to
  Kid McGarry。  Not that it made any difference。
  There was no welter…weight from London to the
  Southern Cross that could stand up four hours … no;
  four rounds … with her bridegroom。  And he had
  been hers for three weeks; and the crook of her little
  finger could sway him more than the fist of any 142…
  pounder in the world。
  Love; when it is ours; is the other name for self…
  abnegation and sacrifice。  When it belongs to people
  across the airshaft it means arrogance and self…con…
  ceit。
  The bride crossed her oxfords and looked thought…
  fully at the distemper Cupids on the ceiling。
  〃Precious;〃 said she; with the air of Cleopatra
  asking Antony for Rome done up in tissue paper and
  delivered at residence; 〃I think I would like a peach。〃
  Kid McGarry arose and put on his coat and hat。
  He was serious; shaven; sentimental; and spry。
  〃All right;〃 said he; as coolly as though be were
  only agreeing to sign articles to fight the champion
  of England。  〃I'll step down and cop one out for you
  see?〃
  〃Don't be long;〃 said the bride。  〃I'll be lonesome
  without my naughty boy。  Get a nice; ripe one。〃
  After a series of farewells that would have befitted
  an imminent voyage to foreign parts; the Kid went
  down to the street。
  Here he not unreasonably hesitated; for the season
  was yet early spring; and there seemed small chance
  of wresting anywhere from those chill streets and
  stores the coveted luscious guerdon of summer's
  golden prime。
  At the Italian's fruit…stand on the corner be
  stopped and cast a contemptuous eye over the dis…
  play of papered oranges; highly polished apples and
  wan; sun…hungry bananas。
  〃Gotta da peach?〃 asked the Kid in the tongue of
  Dante; the lover of lovers。
  〃Ah; no; … 〃 sighed the vender。 〃Not for one mont
  com…a da peach。  Too soon。  Gotta da nice…a orange。
  Like…a da orange?〃
  Scornful; the Kid  pursued his quest。 He entered
  the all…night chop…house; cafe; and bowling…alley of
  his friend and admirer; Justus O'Callahan。  The
  O'Callahan was about in his institution; looking for
  leaks。
  〃I want it straight;〃 said the Kid to him。  〃The
  old woman has got a hunch that she wants a peach。
  Now; if you've got a peach; Cal; get it out quick。  I
  want it and others like it if you've got 'em in plural
  quantities。〃
  〃The house is yours;〃 said O'Callahan。 〃But
  there's no peach in it。  It's too soon。  I don't sup…
  pose you could even find 'em at one of the Broadway
  joints。  That's too bad。  When a lady fixes her
  mouth for a certain kind of fruit nothing else won't
  do。 It's too late now to find any of the first…class
  fruiterers open。  But if you think the missis would
  like some nice oranges I've just got a box of fine ones
  in that she might。〃
  〃Much obliged; Cal。  It's a peach proposition
  right from the ring of the gong。 I'll try further。〃
  The time was nearly midnight as the Kid walked
  down the West…Side avenue。  Few stores were open
  and such as were practically hooted at the idea of a
  peach。
  But in her moated flat the bride confidently awaited
  her Persian fruit。  A champion welter…weight not find
  a peach? … not stride triumphantly over the seasons
  and the zodiac and the almanac to fetch an Amsden's
  June or a Georgia cling to his owny…own?
  The Kid's eye caught sight of a window that was
  lighted and gorgeous with nature's most entrancing
  colors。  The light suddenly went out。 The Kid
  sprinted and caught the fruiterer locking his door。
  〃Peaches?〃 said he; with extreme deliberation。
  〃Well; no; Sir。  Not for three or four weeks yet。
  I haven't any idea where you might find some。  There
  may be a few in town from under the glass; but they'd
  be bard to locate。  Maybe at one of the more expen…
  sive hotels … some place where there's plenty of
  money to waste。  I've got some very fine oranges;
  though … from a shipload that came in to…day。〃
  The Kid lingered on the corner for a moment;
  and then set out briskly toward a pair of green lights
  that flanked the steps of a building down a dark
  side street。
  〃Captain around anywhere?〃 he asked of the desk
  sergeant of the police station。
  At that moment the captain came briskly forward
  from the rear。  He was in plain clothes and had a
  busy air。
  〃Hello; Kid;〃 he said to the pugilist。  〃Thought
  you were bridal…touring?
  〃Got back yesterday。 I'm a solid citizen now。
  Think I'll take an interest in municipal doings。 How
  would it suit you to get into Denver Dick's place to…
  night; Cap?
  〃Past performances;〃 said the captain; twisting his
  moustache。 〃Denver was closed up two months ago。〃
  〃Correct;〃 said the  Kid。 〃Rafferty chased him
  out of the Forty…third。 He's running in your pre…
  cinct now; and his game's bigger than ever。  I'm
  down on this gambling business。  I can put you
  against his game。〃
  〃In my precinct?〃 growled the captain。  〃Are
  you sure; Kid?  I'll take it as a favor。  Have you
  got the entree?  How is it to be done?〃
  〃Hammers;〃 said the Kid。 〃They haven't got
  any steel on the doors yet。  You'll need ten men。
  No; they won't let me in the place。  Denver has been
  trying to do me。  He thought I tipped him off for the
  other raid。  I didn't; though。  You want to hurry。
  I've got to get back home。  The house is only three
  blocks from here。〃
  Before ten minutes had sped the captain with a
  dozen men stole with