第5章TheCopandtheAnthem

第5章thecopandtheanthem

onhisbenchinmadisonsquaresoapymoveduneasily.whenwildgeesehonkhighofnights,andwhenwomenwithoutsealskincoatsgrowkindtotheirhusbands,andwhensoapymovesuneasilyonhisbenchinthepark,youmayknowthatwinterisnearathand.

adeadleaffellinsoapy'slap.thatwasjackfrost'scard.jackiskindtotheregulardenizensofmadisonsquare,andgivesfairwarningofhisannualcall.atthecornersoffourstreetshehandshispasteboardtothenorthwind,footmanofthemansionofalloutdoors,sothattheinhabitantsthereofmaymakeready.

soapy'smindbecamecognizantofthefactthatthetimehadcomeforhimtoresolvehimselfintoasingularcommitteeofwaysandmeanstoprovideagainstthecomingrigor.andthereforehemoveduneasilyonhisbench.

thewinterambitionsofsoapywerenotofthehighest.inthemtherewerenoconsiderationsofmediterraneancruises,ofsoporificsouthernskiesdriftinginthevesuvianbay.threemonthsontheislandwaswhathissoulcraved.threemonthsofassuredboardandbedandcongenialcompany,safefromboreasandbluecoats,seemedtosoapytheessenceofthingsdesirable.

foryearsthehospitableblackwell'shadbeenhiswinterquarters.justashismorefortunatefellownewyorkershadbougbttheirticketstopalmbeachandtherivieraeachwinter,sosoapyhadmadehishumblearrangementsforhisannualhegiratotheisland.andnowthetimewascome.onthepreviousnightthreesabbathnewspapers,distributedbeneathhiscoat,abouthisanklesandoverhislap,hadfailedtorepulsethecoldashesleptonhisbenchnearthespurtingfountainintheancientsquare.sotheislandloomedbigandtimelyinsoapy'smind.hescornedtheprovisionsmadeinthenameofcharityforthecity'sdependents.insoapy'sopinionthelawwasmorebenignthanphilanthropy.therewasanendlessroundofinstitutions,municipalandeleemosynary,onwhichhemightsetoutandreceivelodgingandfoodaccordantwiththesimplelife.buttooneofsoapy'sproudspiritthegiftsofcharityareencumbered.ifnotincoinyoumustpayinhumiliationofspiritforeverybenefitreceivedatthehandsofphilanthropy.ascaesarhadhisbrutus,everybedofcharitymusthaveitstollofabath,everyloafofbreaditscompensationofaprivateandpersonalinquisition.whereforeitisbettertobeaguestofthelaw,whichthoughconductedbyrules,doesnotmeddleundulywithagentleman'sprivateaffairs

soapy,havingdecidedtogototheisland,atoncesetaboutaccomplishinghisdesire.thereweremanyeasywaysofdoingthis.thepleasantestwastodineluxuriouslyatsomeexpensiverestaurant;andthen,afterdeclaringinsolvency,behandedoverquietlyandwithoutuproartoapoliceman.anaccommodatingmagistratewoulddotherest.

soapylefthisbenchandstrolledoutofthesquareandacrossthelevelseaofasphalt,wherebroadwayandfifthavenueflowtogether.upbroadwayheturned,andhaltedataglitteringcafe,wherearegatheredtogethernightlythechoicestproductsofthegrape,thesilkwormandtheprotoplasm.

soapyhadconfidenceinhimselffromthelowestbuttonofhisvestupward.hewasshaven,andhiscoatwasdecentandhisneatblack,ready-tiedfour-in-handhadbeenpresentedtohimbyaladymissionaryonthanksgivingday.ifhecouldreachatableintherestaurantunsuspectedesswouldbehis.theportionofhimthatwouldshowabovethetablewouldraisenodoubtinthewaiter'smind.aroastedmallardduck,thoughtsoapy,wouldbeaboutthething—withabottleofchablis,andthencamembert,ademi-tasseandacigar.onedollarforthecigarwouldbeenough.thetotalwouldnotbesohighastocallforthanysuprememanifestationofrevengefromthecafemanagement;andyetthemeatwouldleavehimfilledandhappyforthejourneytohiswinterrefuge.

butassoapysetfootinsidetherestaurantdoortheheadwaiter'seyefelluponhisfrayedtrousersanddecadentshoes.strongandreadyhandsturnedhimaboutandconveyedhiminsilenceandhastetothesidewalkandavertedtheignoblefateofthemenacedmallard.

soapyturnedoffbroadway.itseemedthathisroutetothecovetedislandwasnottobeanepicureanone.someotherwayofenteringlimbomustbethoughtof.

atacornerofsixthavenueelectrichghtsandcunninglydisplayedwaresbehindplate-glassmadeashopwindowconspicuous.soapytookacobblestoneanddasheditthroughtheglass.peoplecamerunningaroundthecorner,apolicemaninthelead.soapystoodstill,withhishandsinhispockets,andsmiledatthesightofbrassbuttons.

"where'sthemanthatdonethat?"inquiredtheofficerexcitedly.

"don'tyoufigureoutthatimighthavehadsomethingtodowithit?"saidsoapy,notwithoutsarcasm,butfriendly,asonegreetsgoodfortune.

thepoliceman'smindrefusedtoacceptsoapyevenasaclue.menwhosmashwindowsdonotremaintoparleywiththelaw'sminions.theytaketotheirheels.thepolicemansawamanhalfwaydowntheblockrunningtocatchaear.withdrawnclubhejoinedinthepursuit.soapy,withdisgustinhisheart,loafedalong,twiceessful.

ontheoppositesideofthestreetwasarestaurantofnogreatpretensions.itcateredtolargeappetitesandmodestpurses.itscrockeryandatmospherewerethick;itssoupandnaperythin.intothisplacesoapytookhisaccusiveshoesandtelltaletrouserswithoutchallenge.atatablehesatandconsumedbeefsteak,flapjacks,doughnutsandpie.andthentothewaiterbebetrayedthefactthattheminutestcoinandhimselfwerestrangers.

"now,getbusyandcallacop,"saidsoapy."anddon'tkeepagentlemanwaiting."

"nocopforyouse,"saidthewaiter,withavoicelikebuttercakesandaneyelikethecherryinamanhattancocktail."hey,con!"

neatlyuponhisleftearonthecallouspavementtwowaiterspitchedsoapy.hearose,jointbyjoint,asacarpenter'sruleopens,andbeatthedustfromhisclothes.arrestseemedbutarosydream.theislandseemedveryfaraway.apolicemanwhostoodbeforeadrugstoretwodoorsawaylaughedandwalkeddownthestreet.

fiveblockssoapytraveledbeforehiscouragepermittedhimtowoocaptureagain.thistimetheopportunitypresentedwhathefatuouslytermedtohimselfa"cinch."ayoungwomanofamodestandpleasingguisewasstandingbeforeashowwindowgazingwithsprightlyinterestatitsdisplayofshavingmugsandinkstands,andtwoyardsfromthewindowalargepolicemanofseveredemeanorleanedagainstawaterplug.

itwassoapy'sdesigntoassumetheroleofthedespicableandexecrated"masher."therefinedandelegantappearanceofhisvictimandthecontiguityoftheconscientiouscopencouragedhimtobelievethathewouldsoonfeelthepleasantofficialclutchuponhisarmthatwouldinsurehiswinterquartersontherightlittle,tightlittleisle.

soapystraightenedtheladymissionary'sreadymadetie,edhisshrinkingcuffsintotheopen,sethishatatakillingcantandsidledtowardtheyoungwoman.hemadeeyesather,wastakenwithsuddencoughsand"hems,"smiled,smirkedandwentbrazenlythroughtheimpudentandcontemptiblelitanyofthe"masher".withhalfaneyesoapysawthatthepolicemanwaswatchinghimfixedly.theyoungwomanmovedawayafewsteps,andagainbestowedherabsorbedattentionupontheshavingmugs.soapyfollowed,boldlysteppingtoherside,raisedhishatandsaid:

"ahthere,bedelia!don'tyouwanttocomeandplayinmyyard?"

thepolicemanwasstilllooking.thepersecutedyoungwomanhadbuttobeckonafingerandsoapywouldbepracticallyenrouteforhisinsularhaven.alreadyheimaginedhecouldfeelthecozywarmthofthestation-house.theyoungwomanfacedhimand,stretchingoutahand,caughtsoapy'scoatsleeve.

"sure,mike,"shesaidjoyfully,"ifyou'llblowmetoapailofsuds.i'dhavespoketoyousooner,butthecopwaswatching."

withtheyoungwomanplayingtheclingingivytohisoaksoapywalkedpastthepolicemanovercomewithgloom.heseemeddoomedtoliberty.

atthenextcornerheshookoffhiscompanionandran.hehaltedinthedistrictwherebynightarefoundthelighteststreets,hearts,vowsandlibrettos.

womeninfursandmeningreatcoatsmovedgailyinthewintryair.asuddenfearseizedsoapythatsomedreadfulenchantmenthadrenderedhimimmunetoarrest.thethoughtbroughtalittleofpanicuponit,andwhenhecameuponanotherpolicemanlounginggrandlyinfrontofatranspleudenttheatrehecaughtattheimmediatestrawof"disorderlyconduct."

onthesidewalksoapybegantoyelldrunkengibberishatthetopofhisharshvoice.hedanced,howled,ravedandotherwisedisturbedthewelkin.

thepolicemantwirledhisclub,turnedhisbacktosoapyandremarkedtoacitizen.

"tisoneofthemyaleladscelebratin'thegooseeggtheygivetothehartfordcollege.noisy;butnoharm.we'veinstructionstolavethembe."

disconsolate,soapyceasedhisunavailingracket.wouldneverapolicemanlayhandsonhim?inhisfancytheislandseemedanunattainablearcadia.hebuttonedhisthincoatagainstthechillingwind.

inacigarstorehesawawell-dressedmanlightingacigarataswinginglight.hissilkumbrellahehadsetbythedooronentering.soapysteppedinside,securedtheumbrellaandsaunteredoffwithitslowly.themanatthecigarlightfollowedhastily.

"myumbrella,"hesaid,sternly.

"oh,isit?"sneeredsoapy,addinginsulttopetitlarceny."well,whydon'tyoucallapoliceman?itookit.yourumbrella!whydon'tyoucallacop?therestandsoneonthecorner."

theumbrellaownerslowedhissteps.soapydidlikewise,withapresentimentthatluckwouldagainrunagainsthim.thepolicemanlookedatthetwocuriously.

"ofcourse,"saidtheumbrellaman—"thatis—well,youknowhowthesemistakesoccur—i—ifit'syourumbrellaihopeyou'llexcuseme—ipickeditupthismorninginarestaurant—ifyourecognizeitasyours,why—ihopeyou'll—"

"ofcourseit'smine,"saidsoapy,viciously.

theex-umbrellamanretreated.thepolicemanhurriedtoassistatallblondeinanoperacloakacrossthestreetinfrontofastreetcarthatwasapproachingtwoblocksaway.

soapywalkedeastwardthroughastreetdamagedbyimprovements.hehurledtheumbrellawrathfullyintoanexcavation.hemutteredagainstthemenwhowearhelmetsandcarryclubs.becausehewantedtofallintotheirclutches,theyseemedtoregardhimasakingwhocoulddonowrong.

atlengthsoapyreachedoneoftheavenuestotheeastwheretheglitterandturmoilwasbutfaint.hesethisfacedownthistowardmadisonsquare,forthehominginstinctsurvivesevenwhenthehomeisaparkbench.

butonanunusuallyquietcornersoapycametoastandstill.herewasanoldchurch,quaintandramblingandgabled.throughoneviolet-stainedwindowasoftlightglowed,where,nodoubt,theorganistloiteredoverthekeys,makingsureofhismasteryofthecomingsabbathanthem.fortheredriftedouttosoapy'searssweetmusicthatcaughtandheldhimtransfixedagainsttheconvolutionsoftheironfence.

themoonwasabove,lustrousandserene;vehiclesandpedestr-ianswerefew;sparrowstwitteredsleepilyintheeaves—foralittlewhilethescenemighthavebeenacountrychurchyard.andtheanthemthattheorganistplayedcementedsoapytotheironfence,forhehadknownitwellinthedayswhenhislifecontainedsuchthingsasmothersandrosesandambitionsandfriendsandimmaculatethoughtsandcollars.

theconjunctionofsoapy'sreceptivestateofmindandtheinfluencesabouttheoldchurchwroughtasuddenandwonderfulchangeinhissoul.heviewedwithswifthorrorthepitintowhichhehadtumbled,thedegradeddays,unworthydesires,deadhopes,wreckedfacultiesandbasemotivesthatmadeuphisexistence.

andalsoinamomenthisheartrespondedthrillinglytothisnovelmood.aninstantaneousandstrongimpulsemovedhimtobattlewithhisdesperatefate.hewouldpullhimselfoutofthemire;hewouldmakeamanofhimselfagain;hewouldconquertheevilthathadtakenpossessionofhim.therewastime;hewascomparativelyyoungyet;hewouldresurrecthisoldeagerambitionsandpursuethemwithoutfaltering.thosesolemnbntsweetorgannoteshadsetuparevolutioninhim.tomorrowhewouldgointotheroaringdowntowndistrictandfindwork.afurimporterhadonceofferedhimaplaceasdriver.hewouldfindhimtomorrowandaskfortheposition.hewouldbesomebodyintheworld.hewould—soapyfeltahandlaidonhisarm.helookedquicklyaroundintothebroadfaceofapoliceman.

"whatareyoudoin'here?"askedtheofficer.

"nothin',"saidsoapy.

"thencomealong,"saidthepoliceman.

"threemonthsontheisland,"saidthemagistrateinthepolicecourtthenextmorning.