The condition of affairs in the Atlas1 Building lasted long enough to carry the matter up to the experts in the employ of the companies; that is to say, until about three o'clock the following morning. Then, without reason, and all at once, the whole building from top to bottom was a blaze of incandescent2 light.
One of the men, stepping to the nearest telephone, unhooked the receiver. To his ear came the low busy hum of a live wire. Somebody touched a bell button, and the head janitor3, running joyfully4, two steps at a time, from his lair5, cried out that his bell had rung.
The little group of workmen and experts nodded in a competent and satisfied manner, and began leisurely6 to pack their tools as though at the successful completion of a long and difficult job.
But every man jack7 of them knew perfectly8 well that the electrical apparatus9 of the building was now in exactly the same condition as it had been the evening before. No repair work had followed a futile10 investigation11.
As the group moved toward the outer air, the head repair man quietly dropped behind. Surreptitiously he applied12 the slender cords of his pocket ammeter to the zinc13 and carbon of the dead batteries concerning whose freshness he and his assistant had argued. The delicate needle leaped forward, quivered like a snake's tongue, and hovered14 over a number.
"Fifteen," read the repair man; and then, after a moment: "Hell!"
The daily business, therefore, opened normally. The elevators shot from floor to floor; the telephones rang; the call-bells buzzed, and all was well. At six o'clock came the scrub-woman; at half past seven the office boys; at eight the clerks; a little later some of the heads; and precisely15 at nine Malachi McCarthy, as was his invariable habit.
As the bulky form of the political boss pushed around the leaves of the revolving16 door, the elevator starter glanced at his watch. This was not to determine if McCarthy was on time, but to see if the watch was right.
McCarthy had recovered his good humor. He threw a joke at the negro polishing the brass17, and paused genially18 to exchange a word with the elevator starter.
"Worked until about three o'clock," the latter answered a question. "Got it fixed19 all right. No, they didn't say what was the matter. Something to do with the wires, I suppose."
"Most like," agreed McCarthy.
At this moment an elevator dropped from above and came to rest, like a swift bird alighting. The doors parted to let out a young man wearing the cap of the United Wireless20.
"Good morning, Mr. McCarthy," this young man remarked in passing. "Aren't going into the sign-painting business, are you?" He laughed.
"What ye givin' us, Mike?" demanded McCarthy.
The young man wheeled to include the elevator starter in the joke.
"Air was full of dope most of last night from some merry little jester working a toy, home-made. He just kept repeating the same thing--something about 'McCarthy, at six o'clock you shall have a sign given unto you. It works,' over and over all night. Some new advertising21 dodge22, I reckon. Didn't know but you were the McCarthy and were getting a present from some admiring constituent23."
He threw back his head and laughed, but McCarthy's ready anger rose.
"Where did the stuff come from?"
"Out of the fresh air," replied the operator. "From most anywhere inside the zone of communication."
"Couldn't you tell who sent it?"
"No way. It wasn't signed. Come from quite a distance, though."
"How can you tell that?"
"You can tell by the way it sounds. Say, they ought to be a law about these amatoors cluttering24 up the air this way. Sometimes I got to pick my own dope out of a dozen or fifteen messages all ticking away in my headpiece at once."
"I know the crazy slob what sent 'em, all right, all right," growled27 McCarthy. "He's nutty for fair."
"Well, if he's nutty, I wish you'd hurry his little trip to Matteawan," complained the operator, turning away.
The boss went to his office, where he established himself behind his table-top desk. There all day he conducted a leisurely business of mysterious import, sitting where the cool autumn breeze from the river brought its refreshment28. His desk top held no papers; the writing materials lay undisturbed. Sometimes the office contained half a dozen people. Sometimes it was quite empty, and McCarthy sat drumming his blunt fingers on the window-sill, chewing a cigar, and gazing out over the city he owned.
There were two other, inner, offices to McCarthy's establishment, in which sat a private secretary and an office boy. Occasionally McCarthy, with some especial visitor, retired29 to one of these for a more confidential30 conversation. The secretary seemed always very busy; the office boy was often in the street. At noon McCarthy took lunch at a small round table in the cafe below. When he reappeared at the elevator shaft31, the elevator starter again verified his watch. Malachi McCarthy had but the one virtue32 of accuracy, and that had to do with matters of time. At five minutes of six he reached for his hat; at three minutes of six he boarded the elevator.
"Runs all right to-day, Sam," he remarked genially to the boy whom he had half throttled33 the evening before.
He stood for a moment in the entrance of the building, enjoying the sight of the crowds hurrying to their cars, the elevated, the subway, and the ferries. The clang and roar of the city pleased his senses, as a vessel34 vibrates to its master tone. McCarthy was feeling largely paternal35 as he stepped toward the corner, for to a great extent the destinies of these people were in his hands.
"Easy marks!" was his philanthropic expression of this sentiment.
At the corner he stopped for a car. He glanced up at the clock of the Metropolitan36 tower. The bronze hand pointed37 to the stroke of six. As he looked, the first note of the quarter chimes rang out. The car swung the corner and headed down the street. McCarthy stepped forward. The sweet chimes ceased their fourfold phrasing, and the great bell began its spaced and solemn booming.
_One!--Two!--Three!--Four!--Five!--Six!_ McCarthy counted. At the recollection of a crazy message from the Unknown, he smiled. He stepped forward to hold up his hand at the car. Somewhat to his surprise the car had already stopped some twenty feet away.
McCarthy picked his way to the car.
"Wonder you wouldn't stop at a crossing," he growled, swinging aboard.
"Juice give out," explained the motorman.
McCarthy clambered aboard and sat down in a comfortably filled car. Up and down the perspective of the street could be seen other cars, also stalled. Ten minutes slipped by; then Malachi McCarthy grew impatient. With a muttered growl26 he rose, elbowed his way through the strap-hangers, and stepped to the street. A row of idle taxicabs stood in front of the Atlas Building. Into the first of these bounced McCarthy, throwing his address to the expectant chauffeur38.
The man hopped39 down from his box, threw on the coil switch and ran to the front. He turned the engine over the compression, but no explosion followed. He repeated the effort a dozen times. Then, grasping the starting handle with a firmer grip, he "whirled" the engine--without result.
"What's the matter? Can't you make her go?" demanded McCarthy, thrusting his head from the door.
"Will you please listen, sir, and see if you hear a buzz when I turn her over?" requested the chauffeur.
"I don't hear nothing," was the verdict.
"I'm sorry, but you'll have to take another cab," then said the man. "My coil's gone back on me."
McCarthy impatiently descended40, entered the next taxi in line, and repeated the same experience. By now the other chauffeurs41, noticing the predicament of their brethren, were anxiously and perspiringly at work. Not an engine answered the call of the road! A passing truck driver, grinning from ear to ear, drove slowly down the line, dealing42 out the ancient jests rescued for the occasion from an oblivion to which the perfection of the automobile43 had consigned44 them.
McCarthy added his mite45; he was beginning to feel himself the victim of a series of nagging46 impertinences, which he resented after his kind.
"If," said he, "your company would put out something on the street besides a bunch of retired grist-mills with clock dials hitched47 on to them, you might be able to give the public some service. I've got lots of time. Don't hurry through your afternoon exercise on my account. Just buy a lawn-mower and a chatelaine watch apiece--you'd do just as well."
By now every man had his battery box open, McCarthy left them, puzzling over the singular failure of the electrical apparatus, which is the nervous system of the modern automobile.
He turned into Fifth Avenue. An astonishing sight met his eyes.
The old days had returned. The center of the long roadway, down which ordinarily a long file of the purring monsters of gasoline creep and dash, shouldering aside the few hansoms and victorias remaining from a bygone age, now showed but a swinging slashing48 trot49 of horses.
Hansoms, hacks50, broughams; up-raised whips, whirling in signal; the spat51 spat of horses' hoofs52; all the obsolescent53 vehicles that ordinarily doze25 in hope along the stands of the side streets; it was a gay sight of the past raised again for the moment to reality by the same mysterious blight54 that had shadowed the Atlas Building the night before.
Along the curbs55, where they had been handpushed under direction from the traffic squad56, stood an unbroken line of automobiles57. And the hood58 of each was raised for the eager tinkering of its chauffeur. Past them streamed the horses, and the faces of their drivers were illumined by broad grins.
McCarthy looked about him for a hansom. There was none unengaged. In fact, the boss soon determined59 that many others, like himself, were waiting for a chance at the first vacant one. Reluctantly he made up his mind to walk. He glanced up at the tower of the Metropolitan Building; then stared in astonishment60. The hands of the great dial were still perpendicular--the hour indicated was still six o'clock!
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1
atlas
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| n.地图册，图表集 | |
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incandescent
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| adj.遇热发光的， 白炽的，感情强烈的 | |
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janitor
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| n.看门人，管门人 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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7
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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zinc
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| n.锌；vt.在...上镀锌 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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advertising
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| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
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dodge
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| v.闪开，躲开，避开；n.妙计，诡计 | |
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constituent
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| n.选民；成分，组分；adj.组成的，构成的 | |
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cluttering
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的现在分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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25
doze
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| v.打瞌睡；n.打盹，假寐 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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27
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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28
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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33
throttled
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| v.扼杀( throttle的过去式和过去分词 )；勒死；使窒息；压制 | |
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34
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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paternal
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| adj.父亲的，像父亲的，父系的，父方的 | |
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metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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39
hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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42
dealing
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| n.经商方法，待人态度 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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44
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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46
nagging
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| adj.唠叨的，挑剔的；使人不得安宁的v.不断地挑剔或批评（某人）( nag的现在分词 )；不断地烦扰或伤害（某人）；无休止地抱怨；不断指责 | |
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hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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48
slashing
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| adj.尖锐的；苛刻的；鲜明的；乱砍的v.挥砍( slash的现在分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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49
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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50
hacks
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| 黑客 | |
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51
spat
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| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
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52
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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obsolescent
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| adj.过时的，难管束的 | |
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54
blight
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| n.枯萎病；造成破坏的因素；vt.破坏，摧残 | |
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curbs
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| v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 ) | |
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56
squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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automobiles
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| n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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58
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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