警察与赞美诗文档格式.docx

警察与赞美诗文档格式.docx

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shadbeenhiswinterquarters.JustashismorefortunatefellowNewYorkershadboughttheirticketstoPalmBeachandtheRivieraeachwinter,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.Ifhecouldreachatableintherestaurantunsuspectedsuccesswouldbehis.Theportionofhimthatwouldshowabovethetablewouldraisenodoubtinthewaiter'

smind.Aroastedmallardduck,thoughtSoapy,wouldbeaboutthething--withabottleofChablis,andthenCamembert,ademi-tasseandacigar.Onedollarforthecigarwouldbeenough.Thetotalwouldnotbesohighastocallforthanysuprememanifestationofrevengefromthecafemanagement;

andyetthemeatwouldleavehimfilledandhappyforthejourneytohiswinterrefuge.

ButasSoapysetfootinsidetherestaurantdoortheheadwaiter'

seyefelluponhisfrayedtrousersanddecadentshoes.Strongandreadyhandsturnedhimaboutandconveyedhiminsilenceandhastetothesidewalkandavertedtheignoblefateofthemenacedmallard.

SoapyturnedoffBroadway.Itseemedthathisroutetothecovetedislandwasnottobeanepicureanone.Someotherwayofenteringlimbomustbethoughtof.

AtacornerofSixthAvenueelectriclightsandcunninglydisplayedwaresbehindplate-glassmadeashopwindowconspicuous.Soapytookacobblestoneanddasheditthroughtheglass.Peoplecamerunningaroundthecorner,apolicemaninthelead.Soapystoodstill,withhishandsinhispockets,andsmiledatthesightofbrassbuttons.

"

Where'

sthemanthatdonethat?

inquiredtheofficerexcitedly.

Don'

tyoufigureoutthatImighthavehadsomethingtodowithit?

saidSoapy,notwithoutsarcasm,butfriendly,asonegreetsgoodfortune.

Thepoliceman'

smindrefusedtoacceptSoapyevenasaclue.Menwhosmashwindowsdonotremaintoparleywiththelaw'

sminions.Theytaketotheirheels.Thepolicemansawamanhalfwaydowntheblockrunningtocatchacar.Withdrawnclubhejoinedinthepursuit.Soapy,withdisgustinhisheart,loafedalong,twiceunsuccessful.

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.

FiveblocksSoapytravelledbeforehiscouragepermittedhimtowoocaptureagain.Thistimetheopportunitypresentedwhathefatuouslytermedtohimselfa"

cinch."

Ayoungwomanofamodestandpleasingguisewasstandingbeforeashowwindowgazingwithsprightlyinterestatitsdisplayofshavingmugsandinkstands,andtwoyardsfromthewindowalargepolicemanofseveredemeanourleanedagainstawaterplug.

ItwasSoapy'

sdesigntoassumetheroleofthedespicableandexecrated"

masher."

Therefinedandelegantappearanceofhisvictimandthecontiguityoftheconscientiouscopencouragedhimtobelievethathewouldsoonfeelthepleasantofficialclutchuponhisarmthatwouldinsurehiswinterquartersontherightlittle,tightlittleisle.

Soapystraightenedtheladymissionary'

sreadymadetie,draggedhisshrinkingcuffsintotheopen,sethishatatakillingcantandsidledtowardtheyoungwoman.Hemadeeyesather,wastakenwithsuddencoughsand"

hems,"

smiled,smirkedandwentbrazenlythroughtheimpudentandcontemptiblelitanyofthe"

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,andwhenhecameuponanotherpolicemanlounginggrandlyinfrontofatransplendenttheatrehecaughtattheimmediatestrawof"

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--"