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第39章 the c and the anthe(第1页)

O。Henry

OnhisbenchinMadisonSquareSoaymoveduneasily。Whenwildgeesehonkhighofnights,andwhenwomenwithoutsealskincoatsgrowkindtotheirhusbands,andwhenSoaymovesuneasilyonhisbenchintheark,youmayknowthatwinterisnearathand。

AdeadleaffellinSoay&aos;sla。ThatwasJackFrost&aos;scard。JackiskindtotheregulardenizensofMadisonSquare,andgivesfairwarningofhisannualcall。AtthecornersoffourstreetshehandshisasteboardtotheNorthWind,footmanofthemansionofAllOutdoors,sothattheinhabitantsthereofmaymakeready。

Soay&aos;smindbecamecognisantofthefactthatthetimehadcomeforhimtoresolvehimselfintoasingularCommitteeofWaysandMeanstorovideagainstthecomingrigour。Andthereforehemoveduneasilyonhisbench。

ThehibernatorialambitionsofSoaywerenotofthehighest。InthemwerenoconsiderationsofMediterraneancruises,ofsoorificSouthernskiesordriftingintheVesuvianBay。ThreemonthsontheIslandwaswhathissoulcraved。Threemonthsofassuredboardandbedandcongenialcomany,safefromBoreasandbluecoats,seemedtoSoaytheessenceofthingsdesirable。

ForyearsthehositableBlackwell&aos;shadbeenhiswinterquarters。JustashismorefortunatefellowNewYorkershadboughttheirticketstoPalmBeachandtheRivieraeachwinter,soSoayhadmadehishumblearrangementsforhisannualhegiratotheIsland。Andnowthetimewascome。OnthereviousnightthreeSabbathnewsaers,distributedbeneathhiscoat,abouthisanklesandoverhisla,hadfailedtoreulsethecoldashesletonhisbenchnearthesurtingfountainintheancientsquare。SotheIslandloomedlargeandtimelyinSoay&aos;smind。Hescornedtherovisionsmadeinthenameofcharityforthecity&aos;sdeendents。InSoay&aos;soiniontheLawwasmorebenignthanPhilanthroy。Therewasanendlessroundofinstitutions,municialandeleemosynary,onwhichhemightsetoutandreceivelodgingandfoodaccordantwiththesimlelife。ButtooneofSoay&aos;sroudsiritthegiftsofcharityareencumbered。Ifnotincoinyoumustayinhumiliationofsiritforeverybenefitreceivedatthehandsofhilanthroy。AsCaesarhadhisBrutus,everybedofcharitymusthaveitstollofabath,everyloafofbreaditscomensationofarivateandersonalinquisition。Whereforeitisbettertobeaguestofthelaw,whichthoughconductedbyrules,doesnotmeddleundulywithagentleman&aos;srivateaffairs。

Soay,havingdecidedtogototheIsland,atoncesetaboutaccomlishinghisdesire。Thereweremanyeasywaysofdoingthis。Theleasantestwastodineluxuriouslyatsomeexensiverestaurant;andthen,afterdeclaringinsolvency,behandedoverquietlyandwithouturoartoaoliceman。Anaccommodatingmagistratewoulddotherest。

Soaylefthisbenchandstrolledoutofthesquareandacrossthelevelseaofashalt,whereBroadwayandFifthAvenueflowtogether。UBroadwayheturned,andhaltedataglitteringcafé,wherearegatheredtogethernightlythechoicestroductsofthegrae,thesilkwormandtherotolasm。

Soayhadconfidenceinhimselffromthelowestbuttonofhisvestuward。Hewasshaven,andhiscoatwasdecentandhisneatblack,ready-tiedfour-in-handhadbeenresentedtohimbyaladymissionaryonThanksgivingDay。Ifhecouldreachatableintherestaurantunsusected,successwouldbehis。Theortionofhimthatwouldshowabovethetablewouldraisenodoubtinthewaiter&aos;smind。Aroastedmallardduck,thoughtSoay,wouldbeaboutthething-withabottleofChablis,andthenCamembert,ademi-tasseandacigar。Onedollarforthecigarwouldbeenough。Thetotalwouldnotbesohighastocallforthanysurememanifestationofrevengefromthecafémanagement;andyetthemeatwouldleavehimfilledandhayforthejourneytohiswinterrefuge。

ButasSoaysetfootinsidetherestaurantdoortheheadwaiter&aos;seyefelluonhisfrayedtrousersanddecadentshoes。Strongandreadyhandsturnedhimaboutandconveyedhiminsilenceandhastetothesidewalkandavertedtheignoblefateofthemenacedmallard。

SoayturnedoffBroadway。Itseemedthathisroutetothecovetedislandwasnottobeaneicureanone。Someotherwayofenteringlimbomustbethoughtof。

AtacornerofSixthAvenueelectriclightsandcunninglydislayedwaresbehindlate-glassmadeashowindowconsicuous。Soaytookacobblestoneanddasheditthroughtheglass。Peolecamerunningroundthecorner,aolicemaninthelead。Soaystoodstill,withhishandsinhisockets,andsmiledatthesightofbrassbuttons。

"Where&aos;sthemanthatdonethat?

"inquiredtheofficer,excitedly。

"Don&aos;tyoufigureoutthatImighthavehadsomethingtodowithit?

"saidSoay,notwithoutsarcasm,butfriendly,asonegreetsgoodfortune。

Theoliceman&aos;smindrefusedtoaccetSoayevenasaclue。Menwhosmashwindowsdonotremaintoarleywiththelaw&aos;sminions。Theytaketotheirheels。Theolicemansawamanhalfwaydowntheblockrunningtocatchacar。Withdrawnclubhejoinedintheursuit。Soay,withdisgustinhisheart,loafedalong,twiceunsuccessful。

Ontheoositesideofthestreetwasarestaurantofnogreatretensions。Itcateredtolargeaetitesandmodesturses。Itscrockeryandatmosherewerethick;itssouandnaerythin。IntothislaceSoaytookhisaccusiveshoesandtelltaletrouserswithoutchallenge。Atatablehesatandconsumedbeefsteak,flajacks,doughnutsandie。Andthentothewaiterhebetrayedthefactthattheminutestcoinandhimselfwerestrangers。

"Now,getbusyandcallaco,

"saidSoay。

"Anddon&aos;tkeeagentlemanwaiting。

"

"Nocoforyouse,

"saidthewaiter,withavoicelikebuttercakesandaneyelikethecherryinaManhattancocktail。

"Hey,Con!

"

NeatlyuonhisleftearonthecallousavementtwowaitersitchedSoay。Hearosejointbyjoint,asacarenter&aos;sruleoens,andbeatthedustfromhisclothes。Arrestseemedbutarosydream。TheIslandseemedveryfaraway。Aolicemanwhostoodbeforeadrugstoretwodoorsawaylaughedandwalkeddownthestreet。

FiveblocksSoaytravelledbeforehiscourageermittedhimtowoocatureagain。Thistimetheoortunityresentedwhathefatuouslytermedtohimselfa

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