It is astonishing the miles one may pass over unconsciously when one's
mind is absorbed in thought. John strode rapidly down street, after his
interview with Gertrude, running against foot-passengers with an
audacity which his bland "beg pardon" scarcely atoned for. Some scowled,
some muttered "tipsy;" an old apple-woman whose basket he upset, picked
up the half-dollar he threw her with a very equivocal look of thanks,
and a lady whose flounces he pinned to the sidewalk, darted vengeance at
him, from a pair of eyes evidently made only for love-glances. Poor,
distracted John! pedestrians should have seen that his elbow had a
pugilistic crook in it, which might have notified any one with half an
eye, that he was in a state of mind. But it is heart-rending how
indifferent and stupid the out-door world is to one's individual frames.
The hardhearted teamster persists in halting his cart on the only dry
street-crossing, though bright eyes look down imploringly at pretty
gaiter boots; gentlemen who have practiced before the looking-glass the
most killing way of carrying a cane, and finally settled down upon the
arm-pit style, mercilessly extinguish unwary eyes with the protruding
weapon. It matters not to the smoker that he poisons the fresh air upon
which one has depended to cure a villainous headache. It matters not
that the stain of the cigar-stump he tosses upon your dress, is as
indelible as the stamp of loaferism upon the best-dressed man who smokes
in the street. It matters not to the grocer's boy, as he walks with his
head hind side before, that he draws a slimy salt-fish across a silk
mantle, or fetches up against a brocade with a quart of molasses. It
matters not that you are unable to decide whether the world is not big
enough, or whether there are too many people in it; the census keeps
going on all the same.
As our hero was sufficiently unfashionable never to have defiled his
very handsome mouth with a cigar, he had no escape-valve for his
irritation but accelerated motion; and that brought him, after a time,
to the door of a restaurant which stood invitingly open. Entering,
partly from weariness, partly from extreme thirst, consequent upon being
in an excited state, he seated himself in a curtained alcove, and
tossing his hat on the table, gave his order to the waiter, and
listlessly took up a newspaper. Ere his eyes were riveted upon any
particular paragraph, voices in the next alcove attracted his attention.
"Do you stay long in the city?"
"I think not; only a day or two."
"Well, there are plenty of things to look at, if you are fond of
sight-seeing; and if your taste runs to women, we have plenty of fair
faces. There is one in ---- street--ripe, rosy lips--such a foot, and
such a symmetrical little form; knows what she is about, too--demure as
a nun and sly as a priest; took me completely in with her Methodist way.
I thought she was what she pretended to be, and all the time she was
carrying on a most desperate flirtation with a fellow by the name of
Perry. She was a picture, that little Rose, and now it seems he has
caged her at last."
"Rose? Married her?"
"Lord bless you, no--of course not. He schools the boy, and all
that--pays the bills, etc.--you understand. The boy goes to school with
my little brother; that's the way I tracked her out. You see, it was on
board ship I first saw her, and then I lost sight of her again until I
got this clew. This whining Perry carried her off under my very
nose--I--who have had such success; well, I don't wish to boast, but
Perry's money was the thing--women are mercenary creatures. I suppose
she passes here for respectable. They have a lady with them whom Perry
pretends is his sister, to give it a more respectable air. No woman
treats me with contempt without rueing it. By Jupiter, she was as
imperious as a duchess because I honored her with a few compliments.
I'll turn their little comedy into a tragedy, as sure as my name is
Fritz."
"I will save you that trouble," exclaimed John, darting into the
alcove, and slapping him across the face with his glove. "There's my
card. You know me, sir," and he stood facing him with folded arms.
It is half the battle to have right on one's side, and Fritz was taken
at a liar's disadvantage. Conscious of this, he made no attempt at a
retort, but pointing to "his friend," muttered something to John about
"hearing from him."
John strode out into the open air, to the astonishment of the
open-mouthed waiter, who stood, tray in hand.
"A word with you, sir," said the gentleman, whom he had just seen in
Fritz's company, following him. "The lady who was the occasion of this
quarrel--'Rose'--I would speak of _her_."
"I am not accustomed to hearing her so familiarly designated by a
stranger," answered Perry, haughtily.
"Pardon me!" exclaimed the gentleman, much agitated. "I--I--in fact,
sir, I am a stranger to Mr. Fritz. We met casually in a railroad-car,
and meeting me just now before De Marco's, he invited me in to take a
glass of wine with him. I have declined having any thing to do as his
second in this affair. His manner to you convinced me that he has no
right to consider himself a gentleman. With regard to the lady, sir, it
may seem to you an impertinence that I should speak of her again--the
name attracted me--it is that of a dear lost friend--I fancied this
might be she," and the speaker became more agitated. "Now--it is at
your option, sir, whether to pursue the subject further."
John looked him in the face; there was goodness there, and must have
been sorrow, too--for the eyes were sunken and the form emaciated, and
his thin pale hands were as transparent as a woman's.
"Could this be _he_?" and John in his turn became agitated.
"If it were? should he lead him out of this labarynth of doubt? should
he place in his hand the thread which should conduct him through its dim
shadows out under the clear blue sky, 'mid soft breezes and blossoming
flowers? or leave him there to grope, while he wooed the blessed
sun-light for his own path?"
The temptation was but for a moment.
"You seem feeble," said John, kindly, though his voice still trembled
with emotion; "do me the favor to accompany me home, and then we will
talk of this more at length."
The two walked on, overshadowed each with the presence of a power, of
which all of us have been at some eventful moment conscious, and over
which the conventionalities of life have had no control. It did not seem
strange therefore to either, that they who had exchanged words, so
fraught with meaning to each, should walk on side by side in thoughtful
silence.