第24章AfterTwentyYears

第24章aftertwentyyears

thepolicemanonthebeatmoveduptheavenueimpressively.theimpressivenesswashabitualandnotforshow,forspecta-torswerefew.thetimewasbarely10o'clockatnight,butchillygustsofwindwithatasteofraininthemhadwellnighdepeopledthestreets.

tryingdoorsashewent,twirlinghisclubwithmanyintricateandartfulmovements,turningnowandthentocasthiswatchfuleyeadownthepacificthoroughfare,theofficer,withhisstalwartformandslightser,madeafinepictureofaguardianofthepeace.thevicinitywasonethatkeptearlyhours.nowandthenyoumightseethelightsofacigarstoreorofanall-nightlunchcounter;butthemajorityofthedoorsbelongedtobusinessplacesthathadlongsincebeenclosed.

whenaboutmidwayofacertainblockthepolicemansuddenlyslowedhiswalk.inthedoorwayofadarkenedhardwarestoreamanleaned,withanunlightedcigarinhismouth.asthepolicemanwalkeduptohimthemanspokeupquickly.

"it'sallright,officer,"hesaid,reassuringly."i'mjustwaitingforafriend.it'sanappointmentmadetwentyyearsago.soundsalittlefunnytoyou,doesn'tit?well,i'llexplainifyou'dliketomakecertainit'sallstraight.aboutthatlongagothereusedtobearestaurantwherethisstorestands—'bigjoe'brady'srestaurant."

"untilfiveyearsago,"saidthepoliceman."itwastorndownthen."

themaninthedoorwaystruckamatchandlithiscigar.thelightshowedapale,square-jawedfacewithkeeneyes,andalittlewhitescarnearhisrighteyebrow.hisscarfpinwasalargediamond,oddlyset.

"twentyyearsagotonight,"saidtheman,"idinedhereat'bigjoe'brady'swithjimmywells,mybestchum,andthefinestchapintheworld.heandiwereraisedhereinnewyork,justliketwobrothers,together.iwaseighteenandjimmywastwenty.thenextmorningiwastostartforthewesttomakemyfortune.youcouldn'thaveedjimmyoutofnewyork;hethoughtitwastheonlyplaceonearth.well,weagreedthatnightthatwewouldmeethereagainexactlytwentyyearsfromthatdateandtime,nomatterwhatourconditionsmightbeorfromwhatdistancewemighthavetocome.wefiguredthatintwentyyearseachofusoughttohaveourdestinyworkedoutandourfortunesmade,whatevertheyweregoingtobe."

"itsoundsprettyinteresting,"saidthepoliceman."ratheralongtimebetweenmeets,though,itseemstome.haven'tyouheardfromyourfriendsinceyouleft?"

"well,yes,foratimewecorresponded,"saidtheother."butafterayearortwowelosttrackofeachother.yousee,thewestisaprettybigproposition,andikepthustlingaroundoveritprettylively.butiknowjimmywillmeetmehereifhe'salive,forhealwayswasthetruest,staunchestoldchapintheworld.he'llneverforget.icameathousandmilestostandinthisdoortonight,andit'sworthitifmyoldpartnerturnsup."

thewaitingmanpulledoutahandsomewatch,thelidsofitsetwithsmalldiamonds.

"threeminutestoten,"heannounced."itwasexactlyteno'clockwhenwepartedhereattherestaurantdoor."

"didprettywelloutwest,didn'tyou?"askedthepoliceman.

"youbet!ihopejimmyhasdonehalfaswell.hewasakindofplodder,though,goodfellowashewas.i'vehadtocompetewithsomeofthesharpestwitsgoingtogetmypile.amangetsinagrooveinnewyork.ittakesthewesttoputarazor-edgeonhim."

thepolicemantwirledhisclubandtookasteportwo.

"i'llbeonmyway.hopeyourfriendcomesaroundallright.goingtocalltimeonhimsharp?"

"ishouldsaynot!"saidtheother."i'llgivehimhalfanhouratleast.ifjimmyisaliveonearthhe'llbeherebythattime.solong,officer."

"goodnight,sir,"saidthepoliceman,passingonalonghisbeat,tryingdoorsashewent.

therewasnowafine,colddrizzlefalling,andthewindhadrisenfromitsuncertainpuffsintoasteadyblow.thefewfootpassengersastirinthatquarterhurrieddismallyandsilentlyalongwithcoatcollarsturnedhighandpocketedhands.andinthedoorofthehardwarestorethemanwhohadcomeathousandmilestofillanappointment,uncertainalmosttoabsurdity,withthefriendofhisyouth,smokedhiscigarandwaited.

abouttwentyminuteshewaited,andthenatallmaninalongovercoat,withcollarturneduptohisears,hurriedacrossfromtheoppositesideofthestreet.hewentdirectlytothewaitingman.

"isthatyou,bob?"heasked,doubtfully.

"isthatyou,jimmywells?"criedthemaninthedoor.

"blessmyheart!"exclaimedthenewarrival,graspingboththeother'shandswithhisown."it'sbob,sureasfate.iwascertaini'dfindyouhereifyouwerestillinexistence.well,well,well!—twentyyearsisalongtime.theoldgone,bob;iwishithadlasted,sowecouldhavehadanotherdinnerthere.howhasthewesttreatedyou,oldman?"

"bully;ithasgivenmeeverythingiaskeditfor.you'vechangedlots,jimmy.ineverthoughtyouweresotallbytwoorthreeinches."

"oh,igrewabitafteriwastwenty."

"doingwellinnewyork,jimmy?"

"moderately.ihaveapositioninoneofthecitydepartments.comeon,bob;we'llgoaroundtoaplaceiknowof,andhaveagoodlongtalkaboutoldtimes."

thetwomenstartedupthestreet,arminarm.themanfromthewest,hisegotismenlargedbyess,wasbeginningtooutlinethehistoryofhiscareer.theother,submergedinhisovercoat,listenedwithinterest.

atthecomerstoodadrugstore,brilliantwithelectriclights.whentheycameintothisglareeachofthemturnedsimultaneouslytogazeupontheother'sface.

themanfromtheweststoppedsuddenlyandreleasedhisarm.

"you'renotjimmywells,"hesnapped."twentyyearsisalongtime,butnotlongenoughtochangeaman'snosefromaromantoapug."

"itsometimeschangesagoodmanintoabadone,"saidthetallman."you'vebeenunderarrestfortenminutes,'silky’bob.chicagothinksyoumayhavedroppedoverourwayandwiresusshewantstohaveachatwithyou.goingquietly,areyou?that'ssensible.now,beforewegoontothestationhere'sanoteiwasaskedtohandtoyou.youmayreadithereatthewindow.it'sfrompatrolmanwells."

themanfromthewestunfoldedthelittlepieceofpaperhandedhim.hishandwassteadywhenhebegantoread,butittrembledalittlebythetimehehadfinished.thenotewasrathershort.

bob,iwasattheappointedplaceontime.whenyoustruckthematchtolightyourcigarisawitwasthefaceofthemanwantedinchicago.somehowicouldn'tdoitmyself,soiwentaroundandgotaplainclothesmantodothejob.jimmy.