The Cop and the Anthem.docx
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The Cop and the Anthem.docx
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TheCopandtheAnthem
TheCopandtheAnthem(O·Henry)
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OnhisbenchinMadisonSquareSoapymoveduneasily.Whenwildgeesehonkhighofnights,andwhenwomenwithoutsealskincoatsgrowkindtotheirhusbands,andwhenSoapymovesuneasilyonhisbenchinthepark,youmayknowthatwinterisnearathand.
AdeadleaffellinSoapy'slap.ThatwasJackFrost'scard.JackiskindtotheregulardenizensofMadisonSquare,andgivesfairwarningofhisannualcall.AtthecornersoffourstreetshehandshispasteboardtotheNorthWind,footmanofthemansionofAllOutdoors,sothattheinhabitantsthereofmaymakeready.
Soapy'smindbecamecognisantofthefactthatthetimehadcomeforhimtoresolvehimselfintoasingularCommitteeofWaysandMeanstoprovideagainstthecomingrigour.Andthereforehemoveduneasilyonhisbench.
ThehibernatorialambitionsofSoapywerenotofthehighest.InthemtherewerenoconsiderationsofMediterraneancruises,ofsoporificSouthernskiesdriftingintheVesuvianBay.ThreemonthsontheIslandwaswhathissoulcraved.Threemonthsofassuredboardandbedandcongenialcompany,safefromBoreasandbluecoats,seemedtoSoapytheessenceofthingsdesirable.
ForyearsthehospitableBlackwell'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"masher."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."
Theumbrellaownerslowedhisste
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