登陆注册
15483200000040

第40章 CHAPTER VIII AN OLD SONG(2)

All of this Fred poured into Oliver's willing ear without stopping to take breath, as they mounted the four long flights of stairs that led to the top floor, where, under the roof, there lived a group of Bohemians as unique in their personalities as could be found the great city over.

When the two pairs of feet had at last reached the last flight of steps under the flat roof of the house, the "Skylarkers" were singing "Old Dog Tray" at the top of their voices, to the accompaniment of a piano, and of some other instruments, the character of which our young hero failed to recognize, although the strains had grown louder and louder as the young men mounted the stairs.

As Oliver stood in the open doorway and looked in through the haze of tobacco-smoke upon the group, he instantly became conscious that a new world had opened before him; a world, as he had always pictured it, full of mystery and charm, peopled by a race as fascinating to him as any Mr. Crocker had ever described, and as new and strange as if its members had been the denizens of another planet.

The interior was not a room, but a square low-ceiled hall into which opened some six or more small bedrooms, slept in, whenever sleep was possible, by an equal number of Miss Teetum's boarders.

The construction and appointments of this open garret, with two exceptions, were similar to those of all other garrets of its class: it had walls and ceiling, once whitewashed, and now discolored by roof-leaks from a weather-beaten skylight; its floor was bare of carpet, and its well-worn woodwork was stained with time and use. Chairs, however, were scarce, most of the boarders and their guests being seated on the floor.

The two exceptions, already noted, were some crisp, telling sketches, big and little, in color and black-and-white, the work of the artist members of this coterie, which covered every square inch of the leak-stained surface of ceiling and wall, and the yellow-keyed, battered piano which occupied the centre of the open space and which stood immediately under two flaring gas-jets. At the moment of Fred's and Oliver's arrival the top of this instrument was ornamented by two musically inclined gentlemen, one seated cross-legged like a Turk, voicing the misfortunes of Dog Tray, the other, with his legs resting on a chair, beating time to the melody with a cane. This cane, at short intervals, he brought down upon the shoulders of any ambitious member who attempted to usurp his place. The chief object of the gathering, so far as Oliver's hasty glance could determine, was undoubtedly the making of as much noise as possible.

While the young men stood looking into the room waiting for the song to cease prior to Oliver's entry and introduction, Fred whispered hurriedly into his guest's ear some of the names, occupations, and characteristics of the group before him.

The cross-legged man with the long neck, drooping mustache, and ropy black hair, was none other than Bowdoin, the artist--the only American who had taken a medal at Munich for landscape, but who was now painting portraits and starving slowly in consequence. He mounted to this eyry every Friday night, so as to be reminded of the good old days at Schwartz's. The short, big-mustached, bald-headed man swinging the cane, was Bianchi--Julius Bianchi--known to the Skylarkers as "The Pole," and to the world at large as an accomplished lithographer and maker of mezzotints. Bianchi was a piece of the early artistic driftwood cast upon our shores--an artist every inch of him--drawing from life, and handling the crayon like a master.

The pale-faced young fellow at the piano, with bulging watch-crystal eye-glasses and hair tucked behind his ears, was the well-known, all-round musician, Wenby Simmons--otherwise known as "Pussy Me-ow"--a name associated in some way with the strings of his violin. This virtuoso played in the orchestra at the Winter Garden, and occupied the bedroom next to Fred's.

The clean-shaven, well-groomed young Englishman standing behind Simmons and holding a coal-scuttle half full of coal which he shook with deafening jangle to help swell the chorus, was "My Lord Cockburn" so called--an exchange clerk in a banking-house. He occupied the room opposite Fred's.

With the ending of the chorus Fred Stone stepped into the open space with his arm through that of his guest, and the noise was hushed long enough for the entire party to welcome the young Southerner--a welcome which kindled into a glow of enthusiasm when they caught the look of frank undisguised pleasure which lighted his face, and noticed the unaffected bow with which he entered the room, shaking hands with each one as Fred introduced him--and all with that warm, hearty, simple, courteous manner peculiar to his people.

The slight ceremony over--almost every Friday night some new guest was welcomed--Fred seated himself on the floor with his back to the whitewashed wall, although two chairs were at once offered them, and made room for Oliver, who settled down beside him.

As they sat leaning back, Oliver's eyes wandering over the room drinking in the strange, fascinating scene before him, as bewildering as it was unexpected, Fred--now that they were closer to the scene of action, again whispered or shouted, as the suddenly revived noise permitted, into Oliver's alert and delighted ears, such additional facts concerning the other members present as he thought would interest his guest.

The fat man behind the piano astride of a chair, a pipe in his mouth and a black velvet skull-cap on his head, was Tom Waller, the sheep-painter-Thomas Brandon Waller, he signed it--known as the Walrus.

同类推荐
  • 维摩义记

    维摩义记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 苏悉地羯罗供养法

    苏悉地羯罗供养法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 八大灵塔梵赞

    八大灵塔梵赞

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 飞花艳想

    飞花艳想

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 严氏济生方

    严氏济生方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 那天我在考场上见了一个女孩

    那天我在考场上见了一个女孩

    那天我在考场上见了一个女孩,然后......
  • 妖怪岛

    妖怪岛

    他,遥望前路却不知归处。她,情真意切却不知所踪。是坚守对过去的承诺?还是抛开过去大步向前?风雨如晦,妖怪岛早已是一场幻梦,在毁灭的欢喜中,是否预示着一个新的开始...
  • 狼群重生系统

    狼群重生系统

    他叫刑天,外号食尸鬼,雇佣兵团狼群成员,最后一役死于伊拉克。重生异界,获得万能的重生系统,从此,踏上了复活狼群的道路。既然死亡就是救赎,那么,屠夫,你这该死的混蛋,想要就此得到救赎,门都没有,等着,老子会把你从天堂里拖下来的!还有恶魔,队长,刺客,快慢机,你们一个个都别想逃,哈哈,有一个,老子拖一个,全部下来陪老子。牛仔,你救老子一条命,别急着开心,老子不会欠你的,等着...
  • ?搴?迨拢好悦院??

    ?搴?迨拢好悦院??

    【原创作者社团未央宫出品】围墙的那一边就是人间,越过围墙的时候,胡珠儿皱了一下眉头,她突然发现那墙上有好几个斗大的字,只是她开始急着逃出去才没有注意--此处通道危险,关闭!当胡珠儿还在怔怔的想那几个字是什么意思的时候,她已经越过围墙,坠入红尘来到了人间。  
  • 我们的承诺

    我们的承诺

    逗比作者我很懒,你们看吧,剧透不太好,呵呵,希望大家支持哦
  • 黄陵文典(黄帝祭祀卷)

    黄陵文典(黄帝祭祀卷)

    公元2008年4月4日,时值戊子年清明佳节。由黄帝故里黄陵县组织编纂、陕西人民出版社出版的大型历史文化系列丛书—《黄陵文典》1—16卷
  • 酸甜苦辣之咖啡加糖

    酸甜苦辣之咖啡加糖

    小时候,孤儿院遇到了胖嘟嘟的小女孩。小时候,她被他救了,醒来看到的不是他。因为一场事故,改变了她的终身幸福。因为遇到了他,孤儿院她的生活由他而改变。
  • 宦海沉浮之雨晴

    宦海沉浮之雨晴

    出生是不光彩的私生女,爸不疼妈不爱,6岁成为家族牺牲品,踏上一条“必死之路”。从此,传奇的一生就此展开。听说付雨晴是红颜祸水,引得天朝四少竞相折腰,狼烟四起,烽火遍地。听说付雨晴智谋无双,权倾朝野,国际舞台上叱咤风云。听说付雨晴吏治清明,堪比尧舜,备受人民拥护。听说。。。其实付雨晴只是看似有着比林妹妹还林妹妹的身体和气质,实际上是外干中强,心比墨还黑,无节操无下限的被亲情伤透了的可怜的娃。宦海风云,谁主沉浮?切看雨晴是如何从如履薄冰到恣意妄为。
  • 萝莉公主与酷王子

    萝莉公主与酷王子

    因彻彻底底被所有人给伤害,若心宛脱化高冷校花闪亮回归!
  • 王妃要安宁,做梦!

    王妃要安宁,做梦!

    兰家,天辰王朝历代的预言师世家,只因一个预言,满门皆灭。六岁的兰祈宁带着三岁弟弟兰祈安从火刑场逃离。……“姐,你这是从哪里给我捡来的姐夫啊?”“滚!这是路上碰到的一个死不要脸的混蛋!”“女人,跟我去王府。”“才不要嘞!我跟弟弟在这里生活的好……喂喂!放下我和弟弟,喂!”“姐夫威武!”因为本人是学生(初中),所以发的文可能并不稳定,但是保证好看哦!