‘Mr. Bleecker—my friend Mr. Kelcey!’
‘How d’yeh do?’
‘Mr. Kelcey, I’m happy to meet you, sir; have a drink.’
They drew up in line and waited. The busy hands of the bar-tender made glasses clink. Mr. Bleecker, in a very polite way, broke the waiting silence.
‘Never been here before, I believe, have you, Mr. Kelcey?’
The young man felt around for a highbred reply. ‘Er—no—I’ve never had that—er—pleasure,’ he said.
After a time the strained and wary courtesy of their manners wore away. It became evident to Bleecker that his importance slightly dazzled the young man. He grew warmer. Obviously, the youth was one whose powers of perception were developed. Directly, then, he launched forth into a tale of bygone days, when the world was better. He had known all the great men of that age. He reproduced his conversations with them. There were traces of pride and of mournfulness in his voice. He rejoiced at the glory of the world of dead spirits. He grieved at the youth and flippancy of the present one. He lived with his head in the clouds of the past, and he seemed obliged to talk of what he saw there.
Jones nudged Kelcey ecstatically in the ribs. ‘You’ve got th’ of man started in great shape,’ he whispered.
Kelcey was proud that the prominent character of the place talked at him, glancing into his eyes for appreciation of fine points.
Presently they left the bar, and going into a little rear room, took seats about a table. A gas-jet with a coloured globe shed a crimson radiance. The polished wood of walls and furniture gleamed with faint rose-coloured reflections. Upon the floor sawdust was thickly sprinkled.
Two other men presently came. By the time Bleecker had told three tales of the grand past, Kelcey was slightly acquainted with everybody.
He admired Bleecker immensely. He developed a brotherly feeling for the others, who were all gentle-spoken. He began to feel that he was passing the happiest evening of his life. His companions were so jovial and good-natured; and everything they did was marked by such courtesy.
For a time the two men who had come in late did not presume to address him directly. They would say: ‘Jones, won’t your friend have so and so, or so and so?’ And Bleecker would begin his orations: ‘Now, Mr. Kelcey, don’t you think—’
Presently he began to believe that he was a most remarkably fine fellow, who had at last found his place in a crowd of most remarkably fine fellows.
Jones occasionally breathed comments into his ear.
‘I tell yeh, Bleecker’s an ol’-timer. He was a husky guy in his day, yeh can bet. He was one ‘a th’ best known men in N’ York once. Yeh ought to hear him tell about—’
Kelcey listened intently. He was profoundly interested in these intimate tales of men who had gleamed in the rays of old suns.
‘That O’Connor’s a damn fine fellah,’ interjected Jones once, referring to one of the others; ‘he’s one ‘a th’ best fellahs I ever knowed. He’s always on th’ dead level, an’ he’s always jest th’ same as yeh see him now—good-natured an’ grinnin’.’
Kelcey nodded. He could well believe it.
When he offered to buy drinks there came a loud volley of protests. ‘No, no, Mr. Kelcey,’ cried Bleecker; ‘no, no. To-night you are our guest. Some other time—’
‘Here,’ said O’Connor; ‘it’s my turn now.’
He called and pounded for the bar-tender. He then sat with a coin in hand warily eyeing the others. He was ready to frustrate them if they offered to pay.
After a time Jones began to develop qualities of great eloquence and wit. His companions laughed. ‘It’s the whisky talking now,’ said Bleecker.
He grew earnest and impassioned; he delivered speeches on various subjects. His lectures were to him very imposing. The force of his words thrilled him. Sometimes he was overcome.
The others agreed with him in all things. Bleecker grew almost tender, and considerately placed words here and there for his use. As Jones became fiercely energetic the others became more docile in agreeing. They soothed him with friendly interjections.
His mode changed directly. He began to sing popular airs with enthusiasm. He congratulated his companions upon being in his society. They were excited by his frenzy. They began to fraternize in jovial fashion. It was understood that they were true and tender spirits. They had come away from a grinding world filled with men who were harsh.
When one of them chose to divulge some place where the world had pierced him, there was a chorus of violent sympathy. They rejoiced at their temporary isolation and safety.
Once a man, completely drunk, stumbled along the floor of the saloon. He opened the door of the little room and made a show of entering. The men sprang instantly to their feet. They were ready to throttle any invader of their island. They elbowed each other in rivalry as to who should take upon himself the brunt of an encounter.
‘Oh!’ said the drunken individual, swaying on his legs and blinking at the party’ oh! thish private room?’
‘That’s what it is, Willie,’ said Jones. ‘An’ you git outa here, er we’ll throw yeh out.’
‘That’s what we will,’ said the others.
‘Oh!’ said the drunken man. He blinked at them aggrievedly for an instant and then went away.
They sat down again. Kelcey felt in a way that he would have liked to display his fidelity to the others by whipping the intruder.
The bar-tender came often. ‘Gee, you fellahs er tanks!’ he said in a jocular manner, as he gathered empty glasses and polished the table with his little towel.
Through the exertions of Jones, the little room began to grow clamorous. The tobacco smoke eddied about the forms of the men in ropes and wreaths. Near the ceiling there was a thick gray cloud.
Each man explained in his way that he was totally out of place in the before-mentioned world. They were possessed of various virtues, which were unappreciated by those with whom they were commonly obliged to mingle—they were fitted for a tree-shaded land, where everything was peace.
Now that five of them had congregated, it gave them happiness to speak their inmost thoughts without fear of being misunderstood.
As he drank more beer Kelcey felt his breast expand with manly feeling. He knew that he was capable of sublime things. He wished that some day one of his present companions would come to him for relief. His mind pictured a little scene. In it he was magnificent in his friendship.
He looked upon the beaming faces and knew that if at that instant there should come a time for a great sacrifice he would blissfully make it. He would pass tranquilly into the unknown, or into bankruptcy, amid the ejaculations of his companions upon his many virtues.
They had no bickerings during the evening. If one chose to momentarily assert himself, the others instantly submitted.
They exchanged compliments. Once old Bleecker stared at Jones for a few moments. Suddenly he broke out:
‘Jones, you’re one of the finest fellows I ever knew!’
A flush of pleasure went over the other’s face, and then he made a modest gesture, the protest of a humble man.
‘Don’t flimflam me, of boy,’ he said with earnestness.
But Bleecker roared that he was serious about it.
The two men arose and shook hands emotionally. Jones butted against the table and knocked off a glass.
Afterward a general hand-shaking was inaugurated.