警察与赞美诗 The Cop and the Anthem（第1页）

警察与赞美诗ThedtheAnthem

欧·亨利O。Henry

OnhisbenMadisonSquareSoapymoveduneasily。Whenwildgeesehonkhighofnights，andithoutsealskincoatsgrowkindtotheirhusbands，andymovesuneasilyohepark，youmayknowthatwihand。

AdeadleaffellinSoapy'slap。ThatwasJackFrost'scard。JadtulardenizensofMadisivesfairwarningofhisannualcall。AttheersoffourstreetshehandshispasteboardtotheNorthWind，footmanofthemansionofAllOutdoors，sothattheinhabitantsthereofmaymakeready。Soapy'smindbeisahatthetimehadtoresolvehimselfintoasingularitteeofWaysaainsttheingrigour。Andthereforehemoveduneasilyonhisbench。

&orialambitionsofSoapywere。Inthemwereioerraneancruises，ofsoporifiskiesintheVesuvianBay。ThreemonthsontheIslandwaswhathissoulcraved。Threemonthsofassuredboardandbedandialpany，safefromBoreasas，seemedtoSoapytheessehingsdesirable。

ForyearsthehospitableBlackwell'shadbeenhiswiers。JustashismorefortunatefellowNewYorkershadboughttheirtiBeadtheRivieraeater，soSoapyhadmadehishumblearrasforhisaheIsland。Aimewase。Ontheprevioushributedbehhiscoat，abouthisanklesandoverhislap，hadfailedtorepulsethecoldashesleptonhisbehespurtingfountaisquare。SotheIslandleandtimelyinSoapy'smind。Hesedtheprovisiohenameofcharityforthecity'sdepes。InSoapy'sopiniontheLawwasmnthanPhilanthropy。Therewasanendlessroundofinstitutions，munideleemosynary，osetoutandreceivelodgingandfoodatwiththesimplelife。ButtooneofSoapy'spriftsofcharityareeinustpayinhumiliationofspiritforeverybehehandsofphilanthropy。AsCaesarhadhisBrutus，everybedofcharitymusthaveitstollofabath，everyloafofbreaditspensationofaprivateandpersonalinquisitioisbettertobeaguestofthelaw，whichthoughductedbyrules，doesnotmeddleundulywithagentleman'sprivateaffairs。

Soapy，haviotheIsland，atoaplishihereweremanyeasywaysofdoingthis。Thepleasaodineluxuriouslyatsomeexpe;aerdesolvendedoverquietlyandwithoutuproartoapoliaagistratewoulddotherest。

Soapylefthisbendstrolledoutofthesquareandacrossthelevelseaofasphalt，whereBroadwayandFifthAveogether。UpBroadwayheturned，aaglitteringcafe，wherearegatheredthtlythechoicestproductsofthegrape，thesilkrotoplasm。

Soapyhadhimselffromthelowestbuttonofhisvestupward。Hewasshaven，andhiscoatwasdedhisblack，ready-tiedfour-in-haedtohimbyaladymissionaryonThanksgivingDay。Ifhecouldreachatableiued，successwouldbehis。Theportionofhimthatwouldshowabovethetablewouldraisenodoubtier'smind。Aroastedmallardduck，thoughtSoapy，wouldbeaboutthething—withabottleofChablis，andthe，ademi-tasseandaedarwouldbeealwouldnotbesohighastocallforthaatiefromtheagemehemeatwouldleavehimfilledandhappyforthejourohiswinterrefuge。

ButasSoapysetfootiaurantdoortheheadwaiter'seyefelluponhisfrayedtrousersashandreadyhandsturnedhimaboutandveyedhimietothesidewalkaheighemenacedmallard。

SoapyturnedoffBroadway。Itseemedthathisroutetothecovetedislandwasnottobeanepieotherwaylimbomustbethoughtof。

AtaerofSixthAvericlightsandglydisplayedwaresbehindplate-glassmadeashopwindowspicuous。Soapytookaeahroughtheglass。Peopleingroundtheer，apolithelead。Soapystoodstill，withhishandsinhispodsmiledatthesightofbrassbuttons。

"Where'sthemanthatdo?"iheoffcer，excitedly。

"Don'tyoufigureoutthatImighthavehadsomethingtodowithit?"saidSoapy，notwithoutsarcasm，butfriendly，asoodfortune。

ThepoliioacceptSoapyevenasawhosmashwindowsdooparleywiththelaw'smiotheirheels。Thepolisawamanhalfwaydownthebltocatchacar。Withdrawnclubhejoi。Soapy，withdisgusti，loafedalong，twisuccessful。

Oesideofthestreetwasarestaurantofensions。Itcateredteappetitesapurses。Itscrodatmospherewerethick;itssoupahin。IntothisplaceSoapytookhisaccusiveshoesarouserswithoutge。Atatablehesataeak，flapjacks，doughnutsaheerhebetrayedthefactthatthemidhimself>

"busyandcallacop，"saidSoapy。"Anddon'tkeepageing。"

"Nocopforyou，"saidthewaiter，withavoicelikebutterdaheaManhattancocktail。"Hey，!"

&lyupoearontheenttitchedSoapy。Hearosejointbyjoint，asater'sruleopehedustfromhisclothes。Arrestseemedbutarosydream。TheIslandseemedveryfaraoliwhoststoretwodoorsawaylaughedahestreet。

FiveblocksSoapytravelledbeforehiscepermittedhimtotureagain。Thistimetheopportuhefatuouslytermedtohimselfa"ch"。Ayoungwomanofamodestandpleasiandingbeforeashoithsprightlyisdisplayofshavingmugsandinkstands，andtwoyardsfromtheoliofseveredemeaalug。

Ity'sdesigntoassumetheroleofthedespidexecrated"masher"。Therefiappearanceofhisvidthetiguityofthetiouscedhimtobelievethathewouldsooofficialthatwouldierquartershtlittle，tightlittleisle。

Shteheladymissionary'sready-madetie，draggedhisshrinkingtotheopeatakillingdsidledtowardtheyoungwomeher，wastakenwithsuddend"hems"，smiled，smirked，abrazenlythroughtheimpudentaiblelita;masher"。WithhalfaneyeSoapysaoliwaswatghimfixedly。Theyoungwomanmovedas，andagaiowedherabsorbedattentionupontheshavingmugs。Soapyfollowed，boldlysteppingtoherside，raisedhishatandsaid:

"Ahthere，Bedelia!Don'tyouwanttoeandplayinmyyard?"

ThepoliwasstilllookiedyoungwomanhadbuttobegerandSoapywouldbepractirouteforhisinsularhaven。Alreadyheimaginedhecouldfeelthethofthestatioheyoungwomanfad，stretgoutahand，caughtSoapy'scoatsleeve。

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

WiththeyounglayingthegivytohisoakSoapyoliewithgloom。Heseemeddoomedtoliberty。

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

Onthesideybegantibberishatthetopofhisharshvoiced，howled，raved，andotherwisedisturbedthewelkin。

ThepolitwirledhisedhisbacktoSoapyaoa:

"ThisohemYaleladscelebrationthegooseeggtheygivetotheHartfe。Noisy;butnoharm。We'veinstrustolavethembe。"

Dissolate，Soapyceasedhisunavaili。Wouldneverapolilayhandsonhim?InhisfancytheIslatainableArcadia。Hebuttohinstthegwind。