第3章BetweenRounds

第3章betweenrounds

themaymoonshonebrightupontheprivateboarding-houseofmrs.murphy.byreferencetothealmanacalargeamountofterritorywillbediscovereduponwhichitsraysalsofell.springwasinitsheyday,withhayfeversoontofollow.theparksweregreenwithnewleavesandbuyersforthewesternandsoutherntrade.flowersandsummer-resortagentswereblowing;theairandanswerstolawsonweregrowingmilder;handorgans,fountainsandpinochlewereplayingeverywhere.

thewindowsofmrs.murphy'sboarding-housewereopen.agroupofboarderswereseatedonthehighstoopuponround,flatmatslikegermanpancakes.

inoneofthesecond-floorfrontwindowsmrs.mccaskeyawaitedherhusband.supperwascoolingonthetable.itsheatwentintomrs.mccaskey.

atninemr.mccaskeycame.hecarriedhiscoatonhisarmandhispipeinhisteeth;andheapologizedfordisturbingtheboardersonthestepsasheselectedspotsofstonebetweenthemonwhichtosethissize9,widthds.

asheopenedthedoorofhisroomhereceivedasurprise.insteadoftheusualstove-lidorpotato-masherforhimtododge,cameonlywords.

mr.mccaskeyreckonedthatthebenignmaymoonhadsoftenedthebreastofhisspouse.

"iheardye,"cametheoralsubsritutesforkitchenware."yecanapologizetoriff-raffofthestreetsforsettin'yerunhandyfeetonthetailsoftheirflocks.butye'dwalkontheneckofyerwifethelengthofaclothes-linewithoutsomuchasa'kissmefut,’andi'msureit'sthatlongfromrubberin'outthewindyforyeandthevictualscoldsuchasthere'smoneytobuyafterdrinkin'upyerwagesatgallegher'severysaturdayevenin',andthegasmanheretwicetodayforhis."

"woman!"saidmr.mccaskey,dashinghiscoatandhatuponachair,"thenoiseofyeisaninsulttomeappetite.whenyerundownpolitenessyetakethemortarfrombetweenthebricksofthefoundationsofsociety.'tisnomorethanexercisin'theacrimonyofagentlemanwhenyeaskthedissentofladiesblockin'thewayforsteppin'betweenthem.willyebringthepig'sfaceofyeoutofthewindyandseetothefood?"

mrs.mccaskeyaroseheavilyandwenttothestove.therewassomethinginhermannerthatwarnedmr.mccaskey.whenthecornersofhermouthwentdownsuddenlylikeabarometeritusuallyforetoldafallofcrockeryandtinware.

"pig'sface,isit?"saidmrs.mccaskey,andhurledastewpanfullofbaconandturnipsatherlord.

mr.mccaskerwasnonoviceatrepartee.heknewwhatshouldfollowtheentree.onthetablewasaroastsirloinofpork,garnishedwithshamrocks.heretortedwiththis,anddrewtheappropriatereturnofabreadpuddinginanearthendish.ahunkofswisscheeseaccuratelythrownbyherhusbandstruckmrs.mccaskeybelowoneeye.whensherepliedwithawell-aimedcoffee-potfullofahot,black,semi-fragrantliquidthebattle,accordingtocourses,shouldhaveended.

butmr.mccaskeywasno50-centtabled'hoter.letcheapbohemiansconsidercoffeetheend,iftheywould.letthemmakethatfauxpas.hewasfoxierstill.finger-bowlswerenotbeyondthecompassofhisexperience.theywerenottobehadinthepensionmurphy;buttheirequivalentwasathand.triumphantlyhesentthegranitewarewashbasinattheheadofhismatrimonialadversary.mrs.mccaskcydodgedintime.shereachedforaflatiron,withwhich,asasortofcordial,shehopedtobringthegastronomicaldueltoaclose.butaloud,wailingscreamdownstairscausedbothherandmr.mccaskeytopauseinasortofinvoluntaryarmistice.

onthesidewalkatthecornerofthehousepolicemanclearywasstandingwithoneearupturned,listeningtothecrashofhouseholdutensils.

"'tisjawnmccaskeyandhismissisatitagain,"meditatedthepoliceman."iwondershalligoupandstoptherow.iwillnot.marriedfolkstheyare;andfewpleasurestheyhave."twillnotlastlong.sure,they'llhavetoborrowmoredishestokeepitupwith."

andjustthencametheloudscreambelow-stairs,betokeningfearordireextremity."'tisprobablytheeat,"saidpolicemancleary,andwalkedhastilyintheotherdirection.

theboardersonthestepswerefluttered.mr.toomey,aninsurancesolicitorbybirthandaninvestigatorbyprofession,wentinsidetoanalyzethescream.hereturnedwiththenewsthatmrs.murphy'slittleboy,mike,waslost.followingthemessenger,outbouncedmrs.murphy—twohundredpoundsintearsandhysterics,clutchingtheairandhowlingtotheskyforthelossofthirtypoundsoffrecklesandmischief.bathos,truly;butmr.toomeysatdownatthesideofmisspurdy,millinery,andtheirhandscametogetherinsympathy.thetwooldmaids,misseswalsh,whocomplainedeverydayaboutthenoiseinthehalls,inquiredimmediatelyifanybodyhadlookedbehindtheclock.

major,whosatbyhisfatwifeonthetopstep,aroseandbuttonedhiscoat."thelittleonelost?"heexclaimed."iwillscouythecity."hiswifeneverallowedhimoutafterdark.butnowshesaid:"go,ludovic!"inabaritonevoice."whoevercanlookuponthatmother'sgriefwithoutspringingtoherreliefhasaheartofstone.""givemesomethirtyor—sixtycents.mylove,"saidthemajor."lostchildrensometimesstrayfar.imayneedcarfares."

oldmandenny,hallroom,fourthfloorback,whosatontheloweststep,tryingtoreadapaperbythestreetlamp,turnedoverapagetofollowupthearticleaboutthecarpenters'strike.mrs.murphyshriekedtothemoon:"oh,ar-r-mike,f'rgawd'ssake,whereismelittiebitavaboy?"

"when'dyeseehimlast?"askedoldmandenny,witlloneeyeonthereportofthebuildingtradesleague.

"oh,"wailedmrs.murphy,"'twasyesterday,ormaybefourhoursago!idunno.butit'slostheis.melittleboymike.hewasplayin'onthesidewalkonlythismornin'—orwasitwednesday?i'mthatbusywithwork,'tishardtokeepupwithdates.buti'velookedthehouseoverfromtoptocellar,andit'sgoneheis.oh,fortheloveavhiven—"

silent,grim,colossal,thebigcityhaseverstoodagainstitsrevilers.theycallithardasiron;theysaythatnopulseofpitybeatsinitsbosom;theycompareitsstreetswithlonelyforestsanddesertsoflava.butbeneaththehardcrustofthelobsterisfoundadelectableandlusciousfood.perhapsadifferentsimilewouldhavebeenwiser.still,nobodyshouldtakeoffence.wewouldcallnoonealobsterwithoutgoodandsufficientclaws.

nocalamitysotouchesthecommonheartofhumanityasdoesthestrayingofalittlechild.theirfeetaresouncertainandfeeble;thewaysaresosteepandstrange.

majorshurrieddowntothecorner,anduptheavenueintobilly'splace."gimmearye-high,"hesaidtotheservitor."haven'tseenabow-ed,dirty-facedlittledevilofasix-year-oldlootkidaroundhereanywhere,haveyou?"

mr.toomeyretainedmisspurdy'shandonthesteps."thinkofthatdearlittlebabe,"saidmisspurdy,"lostfromhismother'sside—perhapsalreadyfallenbeneaththeironhoofsofgallopingsteeds—oh,isnitdreadful?"

"ain'tthatright?"agreedmr.toomey,squeezingherhand."sayistartoutandhelplookforum!"

"perhaps,"saidmisspurdy,"youshould.but,oh,mr.toomey,youaresodashing—soreckless—supposeinyourenthusiasmsomeaccidentshouldbefallyou,thenwhat—"

oldmandennyreadonaboutthearbitrationagreement,withonefingeronthelines.

inthesecondfloorfrontmr.andmrs.mccaskeycametothewindowtorecovertheirsecondwind.mr.mccaskeywasscoopingturnipsoutofhisvestwithacrookedforefinger,andhisladywaswipinganeyethatthesaltoftheroastporkhadnotbenefited.theyheardtheoutcrybelow,andthrusttheirheadsoutofthewindow.

"'tislittlemikeislost,"saidmrs.mecaskey,inahushedvoice,"thebeautiful,little,trouble-makingangelofagossoon!"

"thebitofaboymislaid?"saidmr.mccaskeyleaningoutofthewindow."why,now,that'sbadenough,entirely.thechildren,theybedifferent.if'twasawomani'dbewillin',fortheyleavepeacebehind'emwhentheygo."

disregardingthethrust,mrs.mecaskeycaughtherhusband'sarm.

"jawn,"shesaid,sentimentally,"missismurphy'slittlebyeislost.'tisagreatcityforlosinglittleboys.sixyearsoldhewasjawn,'tisthesameageourlittlebyewouldhavebeenifwehadhadonesixyearsago."

"weneverdid,"saidmr.mccaskey,lingeringwiththefact.

"butifwehad,jawn,thinkwhatsorrowwouldbeinourheartsthisnight,withourlittlephelanrunawayandstoleninthecitynowhereatall."

"yetalkfoolishness,"saidmr.mccaskey."'tispathewouldbenamed,aftermeoldfatherincantrim."

"yelie!"saidmrs.mccaskey,withoutanger."mebrotherwasworthtindozenbog-trottingmecaskeys.afterhimwouldthebyebenamed."sheleanedoverthewindow-sillandlookeddownatthehurryingandbustlebelow.

"jawn,"saidmrs.mccaskeysoftly,"i'msorryiwashastywidye."

"'twashastypuddin',asyesay,"saidherhusband,"andhurryupturnipsandget-a-move-on-yecoffee.'twaswhatyecouldcallaquicklunch,allright,andtellnolie."

mrs.mccaskeyslippedherarminsideherhusband'sandtookhisroughhandinhers.

"listenatthecryin'ofpoormrs.murphy,"shesaid."'tisanawfulthingforabitofabyetobelostinthisgreatbigcity.if'twasourlittlephelan,jawn,i'dbebreakin'meheart."

awkwardlymr.mccaskeywithdrewhishand.buthelaiditaroundthenearingshouldersofhiswife.

"'tisfoolishness,ofcourse,"saidhe,ronghly,"buti'dbecutupsomemeselfifourlittlepatwaskidnappedoranything.butthereneverwasanychildrenforus.sometimesi'vebeenuglyandhardwithye,judy.forgetit."

theyleanedtogether,andlookeddownattheheart-dramabeingactedbelow.

longtheysatthus.peoplesurgedalongthesidewalk,crowding,questioning,fillingtheairwithrumors,andinconsequentsurmises.mrs.murphyploughedbackandforthintheirmidst,likeasoftmountaindownwhichplungedanaudiblecataractoftears.courierscameandwent.

loudvoicesandareneweduproarwereraisedinfrontoftheboarding-house.

"what'supnow,judy?"askedmr.mccaskey.

"'tismissismurphy'svoice,"saidmrs.mccaskey,harking."shesaysshe'safterfindinglittlemikeasleepbehindtherollofoldlinoleumunderthebedinherroom."

mr.mccaskeylanghedloudly.

"that'syerphelan,"heshouted,sardonically."divilabitwouldapathavedonethattrick.ifthebyeweneverhadisstrayedandstole,bythepowers,callhimphelan,andseehimhideoutunderthebedlikeamangypup."