奇书网

第39章 The Cop and the Anthem（第2页）

ThepoliwasstilllookiedyoungwomanhadbuttobegerandSoapywouldbepractirouteforhisinsularhaven。Alreadyheimaginedhecouldfeelthethofthestatioheyoungwomanfad，stretgoutahand，p;apos;scoatsleeve。

"Sure，Mike，"shesaidjoyfully，"ifyou'llbloailofsuds。I'dhavespoketoyousoohecopwaswatg。"

WiththeyounglayingthegivytohisoakSoapyoliewithgloom。Heseemeddoomedtoliberty。

Attheerheshookoffhispanionaediwherebyhelighteststreets，hearts，vowsaos。Womeninfursandmesmovedgailyiryair。AsuddenfearseizedSoapythatsomedreadfulehadrenderedhimimmuhhtalittleofpaniit，andonanotherpoliginggrandlyinfrontofatrarehecaughtattheimmediatestrawof"disorderlyduct。"

Onthesideybegantibberishatthetopofhisharshvoiced，howled，raved，andotherwisedisturbedthewelkin。

ThepolitwirledhisedhisbacktoSoapyaoa:

"‘TisohemYalelads’thegooseeggtheygivetotheHartfe。Noisy;butnoharm。os;veinstrustolavethembe。"

Dissolate，Soapyceasedhisunavaili。Wouldneverapolilayhandsonhim?InhisfancytheIslatainableArcadia。Hebuttohinstthegwind。

Inacigarstorehesawawell-dressedmanlightingacigarataswinginglight。Hissilkumbrellahehadsetbythedoor。Soapysteppediheumbrellaandsauhitslowly。Themanatthecigarlightfollo>

"Myumbrella，"hesaidsternly。

"Oh，isit?"sneeredSoapy，addinginsulttopetitlary。"Well，os;tyouan?Itookit。Yourumbrella!os;tyoucallacop?Therestaheer。"Theumbrellaoweps。Soapydidlikewise，reseluckwainsthim。Thepolilookedatthetwocuriously。

"Ofcourse，"saidtheumbrellaman-"thatis-well，youknowhowthesemistakesoccur-I-ifit'syourumbrellaIhopeyou'llexcuseme-Ipickeditupthismi-Ifyasyours，why-Ihopeyou'll-"

"Ofcourseit'smi;saidSoapyviciously。

Theex-umbrellamahepolihurriedtoassistatallblondeinanoperacloakacrossthestreetinfrontofastreetcarthatroagtwoblocksa>

Soapywalkedeastwardthredbyimprovemeheumbrellawrathfullyiioeredagainstthemesandcarryclubs。Becausehewaofalliches，theyseemedtardhimasakingwho。

&hSoapyreaeoftheaveheeastwheretheglitterandturmoilwasbutfaihisfathistowardMadisohehominginstinctsurvivesevehehomeisaparkbench。

Butonanunusuallyquietetoastandstill。Herewasanoldchurtandramblingahroughoainedwindowasoftlightglowed，where，nodoubt，theanistloiteredoverthekeys，makingsureofhismasteryoftheingSabbathaheredriftedouttoSoapy'searssweetmusicthatdheldhimtrathevolutionsoftheironfence。

Themoonwasabove，lustrousandserene;vehidpedestrainsstwitteredsleepilyintheeaves-foralittlewhilethesemighthavebeenatrychurdtheaheaedSoapytotheironfence，forhehadkhedayswheaihingsasmothersandrosesandambitionsandfriendsandimmaculatethoughtsandcollars。

&ionofSoapy'sreceptivestateofmindandtheihehtasuddenandweinhissoul。Hevieifthorrorthepitintowhichhehadtumbled，thedegradeddays，unworthydesires，deadhopes，wreckedfadbasemotivesthatmadeuphisexistence。

Andalsoihisheartresplytothisnovelmood。Aninstantaneousandstrongimpulsemovedhimtobattlewithhisdesperatefate。Hewouldpullhimselfoutofthemire;hewouldmakeamanofhimselfagain;hewouldquertheevilthathadtakenpossessionofhim。Therewastime;hearativelyyou;hewouldresurrecthisoldeagerambitionsah。Thosesolemauparevolutioninhim。To-morrowhewouldgointdowntowndistridorterhadonceofferedhimaplaceasdriver。Hewouldfindhimto-morrowandaskfortheposition。Hewouldbesomebodyintheworld。Heyfeltahandlaidonhisarm。Helookedquidintothebroadfaan。

"Whatareyoudoin'here?"askedtheofficer。

"Nothing'，"saidSoapy。

"Thenealong，"saidthepoli。

"ThreemonthsontheIsland，"saidtheMagistrateinthePoliceCourtthem。