The Skylight Room.docx

The Skylight Room.docx

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TheSkylightRoom

TheSkylightRoom

FirstMrs.Parkerwouldshowyouthedoubleparlours.Youwouldnotdaretointerruptherdescriptionoftheiradvantagesandofthemeritsofthegentlemanwhohadoccupiedthemforeightyears.Thenyouwouldmanagetostammerforththeconfessionthatyouwereneitheradoctornoradentist.Mrs.Parker'smannerofreceivingtheadmissionwassuchthatyoucouldneverafterwardentertainthesamefeelingtowardyourparents,whohadneglectedtotrainyouupinoneoftheprofessionsthatfittedMrs.Parker'sparlours.

Nextyouascendedoneflightofstairsandlookedatthesecond-floor-backat$8.Convincedbyhersecond-floormannerthatitwasworththe$12thatMr.Toosenberryalwayspaidforituntilhelefttotakechargeofhisbrother'sorangeplantationinFloridanearPalmBeach,whereMrs.McIntyrealwaysspentthewintersthathadthedoublefrontroomwithprivatebath,youmanagedtobabblethatyouwantedsomethingstillcheaper.

IfyousurvivedMrs.Parker'sscorn,youweretakentolookatMr.Skidder'slargehallroomonthethirdfloor.Mr.Skidder'sroomwasnotvacant.Hewroteplaysandsmokedcigarettesinitalldaylong.Buteveryroom-hunterwasmadetovisithisroomtoadmirethelambrequins.Aftereachvisit,Mr.Skidder,fromthefrightcausedbypossibleeviction,wouldpaysomethingonhisrent.

Then--oh,then--ifyoustillstoodononefoot,withyourhothandclutchingthethreemoistdollarsinyourpocket,andhoarselyproclaimedyourhideousandculpablepoverty,nevermorewouldMrs.Parkerbeciceroneofyours.Shewouldhonkloudlytheword"Clara,"shewouldshowyouherback,andmarchdownstairs.ThenClara,thecolouredmaid,wouldescortyouupthecarpetedladderthatservedforthefourthflight,andshowyoutheSkylightRoom.Itoccupied7x8feetoffloorspaceatthemiddleofthehall.Oneachsideofitwasadarklumberclosetorstoreroom.

Initwasanironcot,awashstandandachair.Ashelfwasthedresser.Itsfourbarewallsseemedtocloseinuponyoulikethesidesofacoffin.Yourhandcrepttoyourthroat,yougasped,youlookedupasfromawell--andbreathedoncemore.Throughtheglassofthelittleskylightyousawasquareofblueinfinity.

"Twodollars,suh,"Clarawouldsayinherhalf-contemptuous,half-Tuskegeenialtones.

OnedayMissLeesoncamehuntingforaroom.Shecarriedatypewritermadetobeluggedaroundbyamuchlargerlady.Shewasaverylittlegirl,witheyesandhairthathadkeptongrowingaftershehadstoppedandthatalwayslookedasiftheyweresaying:

"Goodnessme!

Whydidn'tyoukeepupwithus?

"

Mrs.Parkershowedherthedoubleparlours."Inthiscloset,"shesaid,"onecouldkeepaskeletonoranaestheticorcoal"

"ButIamneitheradoctornoradentist,"saidMissLeeson,withashiver.

Mrs.Parkergavehertheincredulous,pitying,sneering,icystarethatshekeptforthosewhofailedtoqualifyasdoctorsordentists,andledthewaytothesecondfloorback.

"Eightdollars?

"saidMissLeeson."Dearme!

I'mnotHettyifIdolookgreen.I'mjustapoorlittleworkinggirl.Showmesomethinghigherandlower."

Mr.Skidderjumpedandstrewedthefloorwithcigarettestubsattheraponhisdoor.

"Excuseme,Mr.Skidder,"saidMrs.Parker,withherdemon'ssmileathispalelooks."Ididn'tknowyouwerein.Iaskedtheladytohavealookatyourlambrequins."

"They'retoolovelyforanything,"saidMissLeeson,smilinginexactlythewaytheangelsdo.

AftertheyhadgoneMr.Skiddergotverybusyerasingthetall,black-hairedheroinefromhislatest（unproduced）playandinsertingasmall,roguishonewithheavy,brighthairandvivaciousfeatures.

"AnnaHeld'lljumpatit,"saidMr.Skiddertohimself,puttinghisfeetupagainstthelambrequinsanddisappearinginacloudofsmokelikeanaerialcuttlefish.

Presentlythetocsincallof"Clara!

"soundedtotheworldthestateofMissLeeson'spurse.Adarkgoblinseizedher,mountedaStygianstairway,thrustherintoavaultwithaglimmeroflightinitstopandmutteredthemenacingandcabalisticwords"Twodollars!

"

"I'lltakeit!

"sighedMissLeeson,sinkingdownuponthesqueakyironbed.

EverydayMissLeesonwentouttowork.Atnightshebroughthomepaperswithhandwritingonthemandmadecopieswithhertypewriter.Sometimesshehadnoworkatnight,andthenshewouldsitonthestepsofthehighstoopwiththeotherroomers.MissLeesonwasnotintendedforasky-lightroomwhentheplansweredrawnforhercreation.Shewasgay-heartedandfulloftender,whimsicalfancies.OncesheletMr.Skidderreadtoherthreeactsofhisgreat（unpublished）comedy,"It'sNoKid;or,TheHeiroftheSubway."

TherewasrejoicingamongthegentlemenroomerswheneverMissLeesonhadtimetositonthestepsforanhourortwo.ButMissLongnecker,thetallblondewhotaughtinapublicschoolandsaid,"Well,really!

"toeverythingyousaid,satonthetopstepandsniffed.AndMissDorn,whoshotatthemovingducksatConeyeverySundayandworkedinadepartmentstore,satonthebottomstepandsniffed.MissLeesonsatonthemiddlestepandthemenwouldquicklygrouparoundher.

EspeciallyMr.Skidder,whohadcastherinhismindforthestarpartinaprivate,romantic（unspoken）dramainreallife.AndespeciallyMr.Hoover,whowasforty-five,fat,flushandfoolish.AndespeciallyveryyoungMr.Evans,whosetupahollowcoughtoinducehertoaskhimtoleaveoffcigarettes.Themenvotedher"thefunniestandjolliestever,"butthesniffsonthetopstepandthelowerstepwereimplacable.

******

IprayyouletthedramahaltwhileChorusstalkstothefootlightsanddropsanepicediantearuponthefatnessofMr.Hoover.Tunethepipestothetragedyoftallow,thebaneofbulk,thecalamityofcorpulence.Triedout,FalstaffmighthaverenderedmoreromancetothetonthanwouldhaveRomeo'sricketyribstotheounce.Alovermaysigh,buthemustnotpuff.TothetrainofMomusarethefatmenremanded.Invainbeatsthefaithfullestheartabovea52-inchbelt.Avaunt,Hoover!

Hoover,forty-five,flushandfoolish,mightcarryoffHelenherself;Hoover,forty-five,flush,foolishandfatismeatforperdition.Therewasneverachanceforyou,Hoover.

AsMrs.Parker'sroomerssatthusonesummer'sevening,MissLeesonlookedupintothefirmamentandcriedwithherlittlegaylaugh:

"Why,there'sBillyJackson!

Icanseehimfromdownhere,too."

Alllookedup--someatthewindowsofskyscrapers,somecastingaboutforanairship,Jackson-guided.

"It'sthatstar,"explainedMissLeeson,pointingwithatinyfinger."Notthebigonethattwinkles--thesteadyblueonenearit.Icanseeiteverynightthroughmyskylight.InameditBillyJackson."

"Well,really!

"saidMissLongnecker."Ididn'tknowyouwereanastronomer,MissLeeson."

"Oh,yes,"saidthesmallstargazer,"Iknowasmuchasanyofthemaboutthestyleofsleevesthey'regoingtowearnextfallinMars."

"Well,really!

"saidMissLongnecker."ThestaryourefertoisGamma,oftheconstellationCassiopeia.Itisnearlyofthesecondmagnitude,anditsmeridianpassageis--"

"Oh,"saidtheveryyoungMr.Evans,"IthinkBillyJacksonisamuchbetternameforit."

"Samehere,"saidMr.Hoover,loudlybreathingdefiancetoMissLongnecker."IthinkMissLeesonhasjustasmuchrighttonamestarsasanyofthoseoldastrologershad."

"Well,really!

"saidMissLongnecker.

"Iwonderwhetherit'sashootingstar,"remarkedMissDorn."IhitnineducksandarabbitoutofteninthegalleryatConeySunday."

"Hedoesn'tshowupverywellfromdownhere,"saidMissLeeson."Yououghttoseehimfrommyroom.Youknowyoucanseestarseveninthedaytimefromthebottomofawell.Atnightmyroomisliketheshaftofacoalmine,anditmakesBillyJacksonlooklikethebigdiamondpinthatNightfastensherkimonowith."

TherecameatimeafterthatwhenMissLeesonbroughtnoformidablepapershometocopy.Andwhenshewentoutinthemorning,insteadofworking,shewentfromofficetoofficeandletherheartmeltawayinthedripofcoldrefusalstransmittedthroughinsolentofficeboys.Thiswenton.

TherecameaneveningwhenshewearilyclimbedMrs.Parker'sstoopatthehourwhenshealwaysreturnedfromherdinnerattherestaurant.Butshehadhadnodinner.

AsshesteppedintothehallMr.Hoovermetherandseizedhischance.Heaskedhertomarryhim,andhisfatnesshoveredaboveherlikeanavalanche.Shedodged,andcaughtthebalustrade.Hetriedforherhand,andsheraiseditandsmotehimweaklyintheface.Stepbystepshewentup,draggingherselfbytherailing.ShepassedMr.Skidder'sdoorashewasred-inkingastagedirectionforMyrtleDelorme（MissLeeson）inhis（unaccepted）comedy,to"pirouetteacrossstagefromLtothesideoftheCount."Upthecarpetedladdershecrawledatlastandopenedthedooroftheskylightroom.

Shewastooweaktolightthelamportoundress.Shefellupontheironcot,herfragilebodyscarcelyhollowingthewornsprings.AndinthatErebusoftheskylightroom,sheslowlyraisedherheavyeyelids,andsmiled.

ForBillyJacksonwasshiningdownonher,calmandbrightandconstantthroughtheskylight.Therewasnoworldabouther.Shewassunkinapitofblackness,withbutthatsmallsquareofpallidlightframingthestarthatshehadsowhimsicallyandoh,soineffectuallynamed.MissLongneckermustberight;itwasGamma,oftheconstellationCassiopeia,andnotBillyJackson.AndyetshecouldnotletitbeGamma.

Asshelayonherbackshetriedtwicetoraiseherarm.ThethirdtimeshegottwothinfingerstoherlipsandblewakissoutoftheblackpittoBillyJackson.Herarmfellbacklimply.

"Good