a hazard of new fortunes v1-第15部分

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gimcrackery。　　It　is　hard　to　report　the　processes　of　his　sophistication；
perhaps　this；　again；　may　best　be　left　to　the　marital　imagination。

He　rang　at　the　last　of　these　up…town　apartments　as　it　was　falling　dusk；
and　it　was　long　before　the　janitor　appeared。　　Then　the　man　was　very
surly；　and　said　if　he　looked　at　the　flat　now　he　would　say　it　was　too
dark；　like　all　the　rest。　　His　reluctance　irritated　March　in　proportion　to
his　insincerity　in　proposing　to　look　at　it　at　all。　　He　knew　he　did　not
mean　to　take　it　under　any　circumstances；　that　he　was　going　to　use　his
inspection　of　it　in　dishonest　justification　of　his　disobedience　to　his
wife；　but　he　put　on　an　air　of　offended　dignity。　　〃If　you　don't　wish　to
show　the　apartment；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　care　to　see　it。〃

The　man　groaned；　for　he　was　heavy；　and　no　doubt　dreaded　the　stairs。　　He
scratched　a　match　on　his　thigh；　and　led　the　way　up。　　March　was　sorry　for
him；　and　he　put　his　fingers　on　a　quarter　in　his　waistcoat…pocket　to　give
him　at　parting。　　At　the　same　time；　be　had　to　trump　up　an　objection　to　the
flat。　　This　was　easy；　for　it　was　advertised　as　containing　ten　rooms；　and
he　found　the　number　eked　out　with　the　bath…room　and　two　large　closets。
〃It's　light　enough；〃　said　March；　〃but　I　don't　see　how　you　make　out　ten
rooms〃

〃There's　ten　rooms；〃　said　the　man；　deigning　no　proof。

March　took　his　fingers　off　the　quarter；　and　went　down…stairs　and　out　of
the　door　without　another　word。　　It　would　be　wrong；　it　would　be
impossible；　to　give　the　man　anything　after　such　insolence。　　He　reflected；
with　shame；　that　it　was　also　cheaper　to　punish　than　forgive　him。

He　returned　to　his　hotel　prepared　for　any　desperate　measure；　and
convinced　now　that　the　Grosvenor　Green　apartment　was　not　merely　the　only
thing　left　for　him；　but　was；　on　its　own　merits；　the　best　thing　in　New
York。

Fulkerson　was　waiting　for　him　in　the　reading…room；　and　it　gave　March　the
curious　thrill　with　which　a　man　closes　with　temptation　when　he　said：
〃Look　here！　　Why　don't　you　take　that　woman's　flat　in　the　Xenophon？　　She's
been　at　the　agents　again；　and　they've　been　at　me。　　She　likes　your　look
or　Mrs。　March'sand　I　guess　you　can　have　it　at　a　pretty　heavy　discount
from　the　original　price。　　I'm　authorized　to　say　you　can　have　it　for　one
seventy…five　a　month；　and　I　don't　believe　it　would　be　safe　for　you　to
offer　one　fifty。〃

March　shook　his　head；　and　dropped　a　mask　of　virtuous　rejection　over　his
corrupt　acquiescence。　　〃It's　too　small　for　uswe　couldn't　squeeze　into
it。〃

〃Why；　look　here！〃　Fulkerson　persisted。　　〃How　many　rooms　do　you　people
want？〃

〃I've　got　to　have　a　place　to　work〃

〃Of　course！　And　you've　got　to　have　it　at　the　Fifth　Wheel　office。〃

〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that；〃　March　began。　　〃I　suppose　I　could　do　my　work
at　the　office；　as　there's　not　much　writing〃

〃Why；　of　course　you　can't　do　your　work　at　home。　　You　just　come　round　with
me　now；　and　look　at　that　again。〃

〃No；　I　can't　do　it。〃

〃Why？〃

〃II've　got　to　dine。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Fulkerson。　　〃Dine　with　me。　　I　want　to　take　you　round　to
a　little　Italian　place　that　I　know。〃

One　may　trace　the　successive　steps　of　March's　descent　in　this　simple
matter　with　the　same　edification　that　would　attend　the　study　of　the　self…
delusions　and　obfuscations　of　a　man　tempted　to　crime。　　The　process　is
probably　not　at　all　different；　and　to　the　philosophical　mind　the　kind　of
result　is　unimportant；　the　process　is　everything。

Fulkerson　led　him　down　one　block　and　half　across　another　to　the　steps　of
a　small　dwelling…house；　transformed；　like　many　others；　into　a　restaurant
of　the　Latin　ideal；　with　little　or　no　structural　change　from　the　pattern
of　the　lower　middle…class　New　York　home。　　There　were　the　corroded
brownstone　steps；　the　mean　little　front　door；　and　the　cramped　entry　with
its　narrow　stairs　by　which　ladies　could　go　up　to　a　dining…room　appointed
for　them　on　the　second　floor；　the　parlors　on　the　first　were　set　about
with　tables；　where　men　smoked　cigarettes　between　the　courses；　and　a
single　waiter　ran　swiftly　to　and　fro　with　plates　and　dishes；　and；
exchanged　unintelligible　outcries　with　a　cook　beyond　a　slide　in　the　back
parlor。　　He　rushed　at　the　new…comers；　brushed　the　soiled　table…cloth
before　them　with　a　towel　on　his　arm；　covered　its　worst　stains　with　a
napkin；　and　brought　them；　in　their　order；　the　vermicelli　soup；　the　fried
fish；　the　cheese…strewn　spaghetti；　the　veal　cutlets；　the　tepid　roast　fowl
and　salad；　and　the　wizened　pear　and　coffee　which　form　the　dinner　at　such
places。

〃Ah；　this　is　nice！〃　said　Fulkerson；　after　the　laying　of　the　charitable
napkin；　and　he　began　to　recognize　acquaintances；　some　of　whom　he
described　to　March　as　young　literary　men　and　artists　with　whom　they
should　probably　have　to　do；　others　were　simply　frequenters　of　the　place；
and　were　of　all　nationalities　and　religions　apparentlyat　least；　several
were　Hebrews　and　Cubans。　　〃You　get　a　pretty　good　slice　of　New　York　here；〃
he　said；　〃all　except　the　frosting　on　top。　　That　you　won't　find　much　at
Maroni's；　though　you　will　occasionally。　　I　don't　mean　the　ladies　ever；
of　course。〃　　The　ladies　present　seemed　harmless　and　reputable…looking
people　enough；　but　certainly　they　were　not　of　the　first　fashion；　and；
except　in　a　few　instances；　not　Americans。　　〃It's　like　cutting　straight
down　through　a　fruitcake；〃　Fulkerson　went　on；　〃or　a　mince…pie；　when　you
don't　know　who　made　the　pie；　you　get　a　little　of　everything。〃　　He　ordered
a　small　flask　of　Chianti　with　the　dinner；　and　it　came　in　its　pretty
wicker　jacket。　　March　smiled　upon　it　with　tender　reminiscence；　and
Fulkerson　laughed。　　〃Lights　you　up　a　little。　　I　brought　old　Dryfoos　here
one　day；　and　he　thought　it　was　sweet…oil；　that's　the　kind　of　bottle　they
used　to　have　it　in　at　the　country　drug…stores。〃

〃Yes；　I　remember　now；　but　I'd　totally　forgotten　it；〃　said　March。
〃How　far　back　that　goes！　　Who's　Dryfoos？〃

〃Dryfoos？〃　　Fulkerson；　still　smiling；　tore　off　a　piece　of　the　half…yard
of　French　loaf　which　had　been　supplied　them；　with　two　pale；　thin　disks　of
butter；　and　fed　it　into　himself。　　〃Old　Dryfoos？　　Well；　of　course！　I　call
him　old；　but　he　ain't　so　very。　　About　fifty；　or　along　there。〃

〃No；〃　said　March；　〃that　isn't　very　oldor　not　so　old　as　it　used　to　be。〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　you've　got　to　know　about　him；　anyway；〃　said　Fulkerson；
thoughtfully。　　〃And　I've　been　wondering　just　how　I　should　tell　you。
Can't　always　make　out　exactly　how　much　of　a　Bostonian　you　really　are！
Ever　been　out　in　the　natural…gas　country？〃

〃No；〃　said　March。　　〃I've　had　a　good　deal　of　curiosity　about　it；　but　I've
never　been　able　to　get　away　except　in　summer；　and　then　we　always
preferred　to　go　over　the　old　ground；　out　to　Niagara　and　back　through
Canada；　the　route　we　took　on　our　wedding　journey。　　The　children　like　it
as　much　as　we　do。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Fulkerson。　　〃Well；　the　natural…gas　country　is　worth
seeing。　　I　don't　mean　the　Pittsburg　gas…fields；　but　out　in　Northern　Ohio
and　Indiana　around　Moffittthat's　the　place　in　the　heart　of　the　gas
region　that　they've　been　booming　so。　　Yes；　you　ought　to　see　that　country。
If　you　haven't　been　West　for　a　good　many　years；　you　haven't　got　any　idea
how　old　the　country　looks。　　You　remember　how　the　fields　used　to　be　all
full　of　stumps？〃

〃I　should　think　so。〃

〃Well；　you　won't　see　any　stumps　now。　　All　that　country　out　around　Moffitt
is　just　as　smooth　as　a　checker…board；　and　looks　as　old　as　England。　　You
know　how　we　used　to　burn　the　stumps　out；　and　then　somebody　invented　a
stump…extractor；　and　we　pulled　them　out　with　a　yoke　of　oxen。　　Now　they
just　touch　'em　off　with　a　little　dynamite；　and　they've　got　a　cellar　dug
and　filled　up　with　kindling　ready　for　housekeeping　whenever　you　want　it。
Only　they　haven't　got　any　use　for　kindling　in　that　countryall　gas。
I　rode　along　on　the　cars　through　those　level　black　fields　at　corn…
planting　time；　and　every　once　in　a　while　I'd　come　to　a　place　with　a　piece
of　ragged　old　stove…pipe　stickin'　up　out　of　the　ground；　and　blazing　away
like　forty；　and　a　fellow　ploughing　all　round　it　and　not　minding　it　any
more　than　if　it　was　spring　violets。　　Horses　didn't　notice　it；　either。
Well；　they've　always　known　about　the　gas　out　there；　they　say　there　are
places　in　the　woods　where　it's　been　burning　ever　since　the　country　was
settled。

〃But　when　you　come　in　sight　of　Moffittmy；　oh；　my！　　Well；　you　come　in
smell　of　it　about　as　soon。　　That　gas　out　there　ain't　odorless；　like　the
Pittsburg　gas；　and　so　it's　perfectly　safe；　but　the　smell　isn't　badabout
as　bad　as　the　finest　kind　of　benzine。　　Well；　the　first　thing　that　strikes
you　when　you　come　to　Moffitt　is　the　notion　that　there　has　been　a　good
warm；　growing　rain；　and　the　town's　come　up　overnight。　　That's　in　the
suburbs；　the　annexes；　and　additions。　　But　it　ain't　shabbyno　shanty…farm
business；　nice　brick　and　frame　houses；　some　of　'em　Queen　Anne　style；　and
all　of　'em　looking　as　if　they　had　come　to　stay。　　And　when　you　drive　up
from　the　depot　you　think　everybody's　moving。　　Everything　seems　to　be
piled　into　the　street；　old　houses　made　over；　and　new　ones　going　up
everywhere。　　You　know　the　kind　of　street　Main　Street　always　used　to　be　in
our　sectionhalf　plank…road　and　turnpike；　and　the　rest　mud…hole；　and　a
lot　of　stores　and　doggeries　strung　along　with　false　fronts　a　story　higher
than　the　back；　and　here　and　there　a　decent　building　with　the　gable　end　to
the　public；　and　a　court…house　and　jail　and　two　taverns　and　three　or　four
churches。　　Well；　they're　all　there　in　Moffitt　yet；　but　architecture　has
struck　it　hard；　and　they've　got　a　lot　of　new　buildings　that　needn't　be
ashamed　of　themselves　anywhere；　the　new　court…house　is　as　big　as　St。
Peter's；　and　the　Grand　Opera…house　is　in　the　highest　style　of　the　art。
You　can't　buy　a　lot　on　that　street　for　much　less　than　you　can　buy　a　lot
in　New　Yorkor　you　couldn't　when　the　boom　was　on；　I　saw　the　place　just
when　the　boom　was　in　its　prime。　　l　went　out　there　to　work　the　newspapers
in　the　syndicate　business；　and　I　got　one　of　their　men　to　write　me　a　real
bright；　snappy　account　of　the　gas；　and　they　just　took　me　in　their　arms
and　showed　me　everything。　　Well；　it　was　wonderful；　and　it　was　beautiful；
too！　　To　see　a　whole　community　stirred　up　like　that　wasjust　like　a　big
boy；　all　hope　an