Mary Ellen Darragh was a strange girl. Her life may have had something to do with that. Left fatherless at sixteen, with a mother and three little Darraghs on her hands, she at once jumped into the breach1, which in this case was the breeches, and by the use of good taste, a ready tongue, pleasant manners and plenty of hard work, performed her stint2 so well that now, at two-and-twenty, she was sole proprietor3 of a millinery establishment which employed four girls besides herself. Carriage-folk came to the door of Mary Ellen’s establishment, she was so good—and so cheap.
Mary Ellen was born with both gray eyes105 wide open; she absorbed the deportment of the ladies of her clientele with the unfailing surety of grasp that made her a success. She had the “business” of polite intercourse4 down as fine as the most pronouncedly mannered of her patrons—even to the English. The objective case received all that was due it from Mary Ellen when she had “her airs on,” as her detractors put it. Now, these were no airs; they were the girl’s standard. More than the tilt5 of the head and a shade of the voice were in them. There was the hope of something above the buying and selling, and wheedling6 of cross-grained customers.
Yet the effect on her acquaintances was bad. They thought it buncombe, and although Mary Ellen was trim, pretty and stylish7, she had never kept company with any young man until Fireman Carter appeared on the scene. Other young men had come, seen and left, saying that kind of gait was too swift for them.106 Mary Ellen wanted to sit at a reasonable distance from her caller and converse8. It must be added that Mary Ellen’s conversational9 powers were limited—there was a measure of justification10 in the course of the young men.
However, Fireman Carter was of another breed. He, too, had inner aspirations11 toward gentility. Let me at once confute any suspicion that Dick Carter was snob12 or prig. By no means. Indeed, in his effort not to be superior he sometimes exceeded the most ungentle actions of his companions. The war between his inner monitor and his desire to be rated a good fellow played havoc13 with Dick’s peace of mind. When he first put his cap under the sofa in Mary Ellen’s little parlor14 he recognized a quality in his hostess for which he long had yearned15. For one thing, he had an opportunity to hold forth16 at length on that subject so dear to the heart of man—himself.
Mary Ellen was trim, pretty and stylish. Page 105
107 Mary Ellen was smitten17 at first sight, and why not? A mighty18 agreeable picture of young manhood was Fireman Carter: thin, clean, dark, handsome in face; tall, strong and supple19 in body; alert and ready in mind; an ideal type of the finest corps20 of men in the world, the firemen. He looked especially distinguished21 in his uniform. So Mary Ellen listened to the song of Richard Carter. Again, I must interfere22. Dick didn’t blow and bluster23 about his prowess; he merely took out his soul and explained its works to Mary Ellen. He left that night feeling he was understood at last. And he went again every time he had a chance.
Mrs. Darragh, worthy24 old lady, chaperoned the visits, an acquired idea of Mary Ellen’s. She enjoyed her evening nap in the parlor almost as much as the young folk did their discussions. Little was she needed; Dick appreciated his lady’s dignity too much108 to do aught to invalidate it. In fact, he studied for those evenings, reading up by stealth and artfully leading the talk to the subject on which he was prepared, and then it would do your heart good to see Fireman Carter, with extended hand explaining the primal25 causes of things, to Mary Ellen’s cooing obligato of admiration26. Solomon, in all his glory was a poor fool to Dick Carter, in one person’s estimation.
This was all very well, but Mary Ellen, like most young women in love, would have liked a more forceful demonstration27 of her idol’s regard. She understood at last why her friends preferred action to conversation. This long-distance courtship might have been fatal to another man than handsome, daredevil Dick; as it was it added a piquancy28; but it made trouble, nevertheless, and here’s how that came.
Under the softening29 influence of Mary Ellen’s109 eyes, Carter had grown an intimacy30 with a man of his company by the name of Holtzer. Holtzer was German by parentage and sentimental31 by nature. Especially did Holtzer deplore32 the fact that he knew no nice young women—those who liked music and poetry. Dick gave him a “knock-down” to Mary Ellen, and Holtzer also became a constant visitor. The fact that it is bad policy to introduce one’s best friend to one’s best girl can be proved either by cold reasoning or by experience. Carter tried experience. You see, he would acknowledge to no emotional interest in Mary Ellen when questioned by Holtzer—he scouted33 the idea—so Holtzer wasn’t to blame.
As for Mary Ellen, Cupid had pounded her heart into a jelly. She was tender to Dick’s friend to a degree that put the none too modest German in possession of facts that were not so. All the overflow34 of regard110 he received as Dick’s friend he attributed to his own personal charms, and, unlike Carter, he didn’t hesitate to talk about it. It was Carter’s pleasant duty to listen to Holtzer’s joyful35 expounding36 of the reasons why the latter felt he had made a hit with Mary Ellen, and not only to listen, but to indorse. It shows the stuff Fireman Carter was made of to tell that he stood this vicious compound of insult and injury with a tranquil37 face. The serpent had entered Eden, and utilized38 Adam to support his position, but Adam smiled and took his medicine like a man.
Several times he intended to question Mary Ellen concerning Holtzer, yet, when in her presence, a certain feeling of surety and a very big slice of pride forbade it.
In the meantime he was regaled with Mary Ellen, per Holtzer, until violent thoughts entered his mind.
Dick yearned for the first time in his life to111 do something heroic. He sweated to stand out the one man of the day; to be held up to the public gaze on the powerful pen of the reporter. He wanted to swagger into Mary Ellen’s little parlor covered and rustling39 with metaphorical40 wreaths, and with an actual disk of engraved41 metal on his broad chest, and thus extinguish Holtzer beyond doubt—not Carter’s doubt, nor Mary Ellen’s doubt, but Holtzer’s doubt.
In this frame of mind he went to sleep one night, to be awakened42 in the early hours of the morning by a singular prescience born of long experience, which told him the gong was about to ring. For years the alarm had not wakened Dick. No matter how deep his slumber43, he was always alert and strained to catch the first note of it.
The metallic44 cry for help vibrated through the engine-house. It threw each inmate45 into action, like an electric shock. The dark winter112 morning was savagely46 cold, with a wind like an auger47. The heroic cord was busted48. “Damn the luck!” cried Dick as he took the pole; and it was no solo.
The two most picturesque49 feats50 of civilization are the handling of a field-piece and the charge of a fire-engine. Very fine was the old-time chariot race, but what was the driver’s risk on the smooth hippodrome track compared to that of the man who guides a fire-engine through city streets? The chariot driver could, at least, see what was before him; the man who holds the lines on an engine little knows what’s around the corner. But it’s a tale told too often already. A rush, a clamor of hoofs51, a roar, and they were rattling52 over the pavement, the stream of sparks from the engine stack and the constant lightnings from the horses’ shoes making one think of the old adage53 of fighting fire with fire.
“I suppose,” said Dick, clinging tightly113 with one hand and waving the other in wild circles as he got into his coat—“I suppose some old lady has left the cat to play with the lamp.”
“Yah,” assented54 Holtzer, “or else some Mick has taken his pipe to bed with him.”
Then they cursed the old lady and the Mick or whoever it might be.
“The worst of it is that I’m scart now,” confided55 Holtzer. “I didn’t ust to care much, except for the trouble, but now, when I think of Mary Ellen, I hate to go shinning around taking chances.”
General Bonaparte, the worst-mannered conqueror56 in history, said that no man was courageous57 at three o’clock in the morning, an unmerited slight to the vanity of his soldiery. However it may be as to courage, certainly no man was ever philosophical58 when hauled from his bed at that hour. It was in Fireman Carter’s mind that a small movement of114 his foot would put his erstwhile friend in violent contact with the cold world below. However, civilization isn’t impotent. He restrained the action and replied: “You want to leave your girl at home—fires is no place for ’em.”
“You don’t understand,” retorted Holtzer, full of sentiment. “You can’t get away from it. It ain’t thinking what’s going to happen to me, so much, as thinking how Mary Ellen will feel about it when she hears.”
“You’re awful dead certain on that part of it,” said Dick, and now he hated his friend. The last vestige59 of humor had left the theme. “Perhaps she won’t care a cuss—how do you know?”
Holtzer started to answer, while Dick listened, his hands clenched61 tight—maybe there was something he didn’t know about?
There was no more time for conversation.115 As they turned the corner they saw their destination, an eight-storied storage warehouse62, standing63 alone, with boarded vacant lots at each side of it.
The watchman was there with the keys; it was he who had turned in the alarm. Without delay the firemen, hauling the hose up after them, swarmed64 to the roof where the flames were beginning to curl.
The fire was in the back of the upper story. While some fought it on that level, the others cut holes through the roof and turned the streams down upon it.
The hose leaked and slippery ponds formed in an instant where the water fell. The wind sawed into one’s marrow65 in this utterly66 exposed position.
A head popped up and called off all the men but Holtzer and Dick.
“You fellers hold her down as best you116 can!” it shouted. “Keep a watch and don’t let it break through—come on, the rest of yer!”
They worked in silence on Dick’s part, and with a continued rattle67 of what Mary Ellen would think of this from Holtzer. It wrought68 harder and harder on his companion’s nerves, this prattle—indeed, such waves of rage came over him that he entirely69 forgot where he was.
Meanwhile the crowd below—gathered in strong numbers in spite of the weather and the hour—were wondering what must be the thoughts of those men standing over a furnace, a hundred feet from the ground. What could either man think of but the danger? The danger of one’s daily work? There is no such thing.
This was a commonplace fire which soon would be well in hand. It had not in the least turned the current of the thoughts of the117 two men aloft who formed the spectacle, while the household gods below made burnt-offerings of themselves. Then, as if to show that no fire is commonplace, a giant flare70 sprang from the corner of the building, poised71 in the air for a moment, then, overthrown72 by the wind, toppled toward the firemen. They leaped back—one to safety; the other, slipping on a treacherous73 skin of ice, to fight vainly for his balance for a second, and then to plunge74 down the mansard roof, speeding for that hard ground so far away. It was a trained man who fell, though. He turned as he went, instinctively75 gripping with his hands, and they caught—the edge of the cornice—an ice-covered edge to which they clung miraculously76, while his body dangled77 in the wind.
So Dick, safe, looked down at Holtzer, for whom it was a question of seconds, while the roar of pity from the crowd buzzed in his ears.
118 He might well have done nothing. No man could go down the steep slant78 unsupported. Nothing was to be seen of Holtzer but his hands, lighted by the flames; hands that could not clench60 even, as to grip would be to force loose, but which could only make stiff angles of themselves. It would all be over in ten heart-beats, for to take it as we are doing is like examining the moving pictures one by one at leisure, instead of as they live upon the screen.
Then Dick moved. He ripped off his coat, soaked the arm of it in the hose stream, pressed it to the roof, where it froze fast on touching79, and slid down his improvised80 cloth ladder, held only by the strength of the ice-film that bound the sleeve to the tin.
Before his frantic81 fellow-firemen below could scale the fence with the jumping-sheet he had hold of Holtzer’s wrist with one strong hand. The strain was terrible; he felt the119 coat yield with a soft, tearing sound, his head spun82, yet somehow he managed it, and there they stood on the cornice together.
Then, while the crowd that had been as silent as death cracked their throats with applause, Dick spoke83 to Holtzer on a private matter.
It so happened that a young man who did “space” for a morning paper lived on the top floor of the flat-house opposite, and saw the whole thing through an opera-glass. He hustled84 into his clothes and got down to the street, working a talk out of Dick by the plea that he needed the money.
The reporter was delighted. The incident had the two elements of daring and mother-wit that can be made into the long story of profit.
“How did you ever come to think of using your coat like that?” he asked.
“Why, a feller I knew when I was a kid in120 the country saved himself from drownding that way,” replied Carter. “He fell through the ice miles from anybody, and if he hadn’t froze the end of his muffler fast, and so anchored himself, he’d ’a’ been a gone gosling all right. That thing come back to me on the minute.”
That is why the first thing Fireman Carter saw in his morning paper was his own name. He started guiltily at the sight and threw the sheet away. No maiden85 caught en déshabillé could have been more abashed86; and, as the maiden afterward87 might wonder how she did look—was it so very awful?—so did Dick. He picked the paper up again stealthily and read all about it, lost in wonder at the end. To the applause that came his way he turned an inattentive ear, thus giving further life to the old idea that the bravest are always the most modest, which looks like a double superlative and is no more true than that they are121 always the fattest, or anything else. The bravest are usually the most courageous, and there ends deduction88. Dick was busy with his own thoughts—something troubled him. A strange thing was the fact that though his friend Holtzer scrupulously89 gave him every credit he did not seek his society.
The frown of hard thinking was on Dick’s brow all day. At night he asked for a few hours off and got them.
Mary Ellen met him at the door. “Oh, Dick!” she cried and gulped90. “Ain’t you just grand, though!” she said, and looked at him with beatified gray eyes.
Here was golden opportunity. The proper play for Fireman Carter was to reach out his strong arms and gather Mary Ellen then and there, but he did nothing of the sort. He seemed distrait91 and worried.
To her anxiety, he seated himself on the sofa and fumbled92 his hat.
122 “You ain’t mad at me, are you, Dick?” she asked tremulously.
“Holtzer been here?” bruskly interrupted her visitor with no apparent relevance93.
“Yes,” said Mary Ellen.
“What did you tell him?”
“I—I—I told him ‘No.’”
Fireman Carter passed his hand over his forehead, then drew out a newspaper, saying: “You’ve read this, ain’t you?”
“Yes.”
“More especially this?” reading aloud the most laudatory94 paragraph.
Mary Ellen was not feazed by such flagrant egotism.
“Beautiful!” she said dreamily. “Just beautiful!”
“Beautiful!” yelled Fireman Carter, leaping to his feet. The scorn in his voice could not be rendered by a phonograph. Poor man! He was about to knock the light out of those123 gray eyes, to spoil his own image, and nothing is so trying to a man’s temper.
“Hunh!” he continued. “Shows just about how much intelligence you got—beautiful! It’s a—lie—it’s fuzzy-water gas—there ain’t nothing to it at all—d’ye understand that?”
This last came out so fiercely that Mary Ellen faltered95 as she said she did.
“All right,” said Fireman Carter. “Now, I want to tell you just one thing: I ain’t the man to back-cap no man, when I come to get cooled down—not with a girl nor nothing else.” He tapped his knee with a perpendicular96 forefinger97. “Not with a girl nor nothing!” he repeated. “Understand that?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Now I’m going to tell you the God’s truth. Holtzer’d been making his cracks about how he only had to speak and you’d fall on his neck, until he had me so sore I ached wherever m’ clothes touched me. So,124 when I see him coasting down the roof, the one thing in my mind was that he’d go feeling sure that he was the star with you. I couldn’t stand that. No, sir! I couldn’t; so down I goes after him. When I snaked him up on the roof I tells him, ‘Cuss your thanks! I want this much out of you, you flappy-footed slob—you go to Mary Ellen to-day and see whether she’ll take you or not—I’ll bet you three months’ pay agin a cigaroot you get turned down.’ Now, I was within my rights there—but”—Fireman Carter stopped, wiped his hands on his handkerchief, wiped his forehead, blew his nose and swallowed hard. “But,” he continued bravely, “if all the yawp that pup of a newspaper kid got rid of has had anything to do with changing results, I don’t care for any of the pie. There wasn’t no ‘laying down his life for another’ nor anything of the kind in the whole play. It was just125 like I’m telling you. Well, that’s all. I—I thought you might like to hear about it.”
There was a lamentable98 change in the strong voice at the last words. The speaker stared at the door and drummed on his cap until the silence became unendurable, then he raised his eyes slowly, as a condemned99 man might to the gallows100.
There sat Mary Ellen, drinking him in, still beatified. The meekest101 man who ever esteemed102 himself poor relation to the worm that squirmeth could not have mistaken the meaning of that glance. It was simply adoration103.
He straightened up and stared at her open-mouthed.
“I’ll be durned if I believe she’s heard one word I said!” thought Fireman Carter.
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1
breach
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| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
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2
stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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3
proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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5
tilt
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| v.(使)倾侧；(使)倾斜；n.倾侧；倾斜 | |
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6
wheedling
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| v.骗取（某物），哄骗（某人干某事）( wheedle的现在分词 ) | |
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7
stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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converse
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| vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反 | |
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conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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10
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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11
aspirations
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| 强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音 | |
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12
snob
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| n.势利小人，自以为高雅、有学问的人 | |
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13
havoc
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| n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱 | |
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14
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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15
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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23
bluster
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| v.猛刮；怒冲冲的说；n.吓唬，怒号；狂风声 | |
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24
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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primal
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| adj.原始的；最重要的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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27
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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piquancy
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| n.辛辣，辣味，痛快 | |
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softening
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| 变软，软化 | |
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intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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32
deplore
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| vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾 | |
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33
scouted
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| 寻找，侦察( scout的过去式和过去分词 )； 物色（优秀运动员、演员、音乐家等） | |
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overflow
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| v.(使)外溢，(使)溢出；溢出，流出，漫出 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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expounding
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的现在分词 ) | |
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tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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utilized
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| v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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40
metaphorical
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| a.隐喻的，比喻的 | |
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41
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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42
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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43
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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44
metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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45
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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46
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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47
auger
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| n.螺丝钻，钻孔机 | |
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48
busted
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| adj. 破产了的，失败了的，被降级的，被逮捕的，被抓到的 动词bust的过去式和过去分词 | |
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49
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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50
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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51
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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52
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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53
adage
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| n.格言，古训 | |
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54
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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conqueror
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| n.征服者，胜利者 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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clench
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| vt.捏紧（拳头等），咬紧（牙齿等），紧紧握住 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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warehouse
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| n.仓库；vt.存入仓库 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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overthrown
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| adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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miraculously
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| ad.奇迹般地 | |
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dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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spun
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| v.纺，杜撰，急转身 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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hustled
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| 催促（hustle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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abashed
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| adj.窘迫的，尴尬的v.使羞愧，使局促，使窘迫( abash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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deduction
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| n.减除，扣除，减除额；推论，推理，演绎 | |
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scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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distrait
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| adj.心不在焉的 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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relevance
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| n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性 | |
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laudatory
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| adj.赞扬的 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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lamentable
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| adj.令人惋惜的，悔恨的 | |
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condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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meekest
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| adj.温顺的，驯服的( meek的最高级 ) | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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