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第39章 the c and the anthe（第1页）

O。Henry

OnhisbenchinMadisonSquareSoaymoveduneasily。Whenwildgeesehonkhighofnights，andwhenwomenwithoutsealskincoatsgrowkindtotheirhusbands，andwhenSoaymovesuneasilyonhisbenchintheark，youmayknowthatwinterisnearathand。

AdeadleaffellinSoay&aos;sla。ThatwasJackFrost&aos;scard。JackiskindtotheregulardenizensofMadisonSquare，andgivesfairwarningofhisannualcall。AtthecornersoffourstreetshehandshisasteboardtotheNorthWind，footmanofthemansionofAllOutdoors，sothattheinhabitantsthereofmaymakeready。

Soay&aos;smindbecamecognisantofthefactthatthetimehadcomeforhimtoresolvehimselfintoasingularCommitteeofWaysandMeanstorovideagainstthecomingrigour。Andthereforehemoveduneasilyonhisbench。

ThehibernatorialambitionsofSoaywerenotofthehighest。InthemwerenoconsiderationsofMediterraneancruises，ofsoorificSouthernskiesordriftingintheVesuvianBay。ThreemonthsontheIslandwaswhathissoulcraved。Threemonthsofassuredboardandbedandcongenialcomany，safefromBoreasandbluecoats，seemedtoSoaytheessenceofthingsdesirable。

ForyearsthehositableBlackwell&aos;shadbeenhiswinterquarters。JustashismorefortunatefellowNewYorkershadboughttheirticketstoPalmBeachandtheRivieraeachwinter，soSoayhadmadehishumblearrangementsforhisannualhegiratotheIsland。Andnowthetimewascome。OnthereviousnightthreeSabbathnewsaers，distributedbeneathhiscoat，abouthisanklesandoverhisla，hadfailedtoreulsethecoldashesletonhisbenchnearthesurtingfountainintheancientsquare。SotheIslandloomedlargeandtimelyinSoay&aos;smind。Hescornedtherovisionsmadeinthenameofcharityforthecity&aos;sdeendents。InSoay&aos;soiniontheLawwasmorebenignthanPhilanthroy。Therewasanendlessroundofinstitutions，municialandeleemosynary，onwhichhemightsetoutandreceivelodgingandfoodaccordantwiththesimlelife。ButtooneofSoay&aos;sroudsiritthegiftsofcharityareencumbered。Ifnotincoinyoumustayinhumiliationofsiritforeverybenefitreceivedatthehandsofhilanthroy。AsCaesarhadhisBrutus，everybedofcharitymusthaveitstollofabath，everyloafofbreaditscomensationofarivateandersonalinquisition。Whereforeitisbettertobeaguestofthelaw，whichthoughconductedbyrules，doesnotmeddleundulywithagentleman&aos;srivateaffairs。

Soay，havingdecidedtogototheIsland，atoncesetaboutaccomlishinghisdesire。Thereweremanyeasywaysofdoingthis。Theleasantestwastodineluxuriouslyatsomeexensiverestaurant;andthen，afterdeclaringinsolvency，behandedoverquietlyandwithouturoartoaoliceman。Anaccommodatingmagistratewoulddotherest。

Soaylefthisbenchandstrolledoutofthesquareandacrossthelevelseaofashalt，whereBroadwayandFifthAvenueflowtogether。UBroadwayheturned，andhaltedataglitteringcafé，wherearegatheredtogethernightlythechoicestroductsofthegrae，thesilkwormandtherotolasm。

Soayhadconfidenceinhimselffromthelowestbuttonofhisvestuward。Hewasshaven，andhiscoatwasdecentandhisneatblack，ready-tiedfour-in-handhadbeenresentedtohimbyaladymissionaryonThanksgivingDay。Ifhecouldreachatableintherestaurantunsusected，successwouldbehis。Theortionofhimthatwouldshowabovethetablewouldraisenodoubtinthewaiter&aos;smind。Aroastedmallardduck，thoughtSoay，wouldbeaboutthething-withabottleofChablis，andthenCamembert，ademi-tasseandacigar。Onedollarforthecigarwouldbeenough。Thetotalwouldnotbesohighastocallforthanysurememanifestationofrevengefromthecafémanagement;andyetthemeatwouldleavehimfilledandhayforthejourneytohiswinterrefuge。

ButasSoaysetfootinsidetherestaurantdoortheheadwaiter&aos;seyefelluonhisfrayedtrousersanddecadentshoes。Strongandreadyhandsturnedhimaboutandconveyedhiminsilenceandhastetothesidewalkandavertedtheignoblefateofthemenacedmallard。

SoayturnedoffBroadway。Itseemedthathisroutetothecovetedislandwasnottobeaneicureanone。Someotherwayofenteringlimbomustbethoughtof。

AtacornerofSixthAvenueelectriclightsandcunninglydislayedwaresbehindlate-glassmadeashowindowconsicuous。Soaytookacobblestoneanddasheditthroughtheglass。Peolecamerunningroundthecorner，aolicemaninthelead。Soaystoodstill，withhishandsinhisockets，andsmiledatthesightofbrassbuttons。

"Where&aos;sthemanthatdonethat?

"inquiredtheofficer，excitedly。

"Don&aos;tyoufigureoutthatImighthavehadsomethingtodowithit?

"saidSoay，notwithoutsarcasm，butfriendly，asonegreetsgoodfortune。

Theoliceman&aos;smindrefusedtoaccetSoayevenasaclue。Menwhosmashwindowsdonotremaintoarleywiththelaw&aos;sminions。Theytaketotheirheels。Theolicemansawamanhalfwaydowntheblockrunningtocatchacar。Withdrawnclubhejoinedintheursuit。Soay，withdisgustinhisheart，loafedalong，twiceunsuccessful。

Ontheoositesideofthestreetwasarestaurantofnogreatretensions。Itcateredtolargeaetitesandmodesturses。Itscrockeryandatmosherewerethick;itssouandnaerythin。IntothislaceSoaytookhisaccusiveshoesandtelltaletrouserswithoutchallenge。Atatablehesatandconsumedbeefsteak，flajacks，doughnutsandie。Andthentothewaiterhebetrayedthefactthattheminutestcoinandhimselfwerestrangers。

"Now，getbusyandcallaco，

"saidSoay。

"Anddon&aos;tkeeagentlemanwaiting。

"

"Nocoforyouse，

"saidthewaiter，withavoicelikebuttercakesandaneyelikethecherryinaManhattancocktail。

"Hey，Con!

"

NeatlyuonhisleftearonthecallousavementtwowaitersitchedSoay。Hearosejointbyjoint，asacarenter&aos;sruleoens，andbeatthedustfromhisclothes。Arrestseemedbutarosydream。TheIslandseemedveryfaraway。Aolicemanwhostoodbeforeadrugstoretwodoorsawaylaughedandwalkeddownthestreet。

FiveblocksSoaytravelledbeforehiscourageermittedhimtowoocatureagain。Thistimetheoortunityresentedwhathefatuouslytermedtohimselfa

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