第8部分(第1/7 页)

or　tomany　books；　and　they　would　look　at　him　wit　pity。　He　would　enter　on　another　day；　when　he　hadread　all　the　books　uptown；　an　achievement　that　would；　he　felt；　lend　him　the　poise　to　enter　anybuilding　in　the　world。　People；　mostly　men；　leaned　over　the　stone　parapets　of　the　raised　park　thatsurrounded　the　library；　or　walked　up　and　own　and　bent　to　drink　water　from　the　public　drinking…fountains。　Silver　pigeons　lighted　briefly　on　the　heads　of　the　lions　or　the　rims　of　fountains；　andstrutted　along　the　walks。　John　loitered　in　front　of　Woolworth’s；　staring　at　the　candy　display；　tryingto　decide　what　candy　to　buy—and　buying　one；　for　the　store　was　crowded　and　he　was　certain　thatthe　salesgirl　would　never　notice　him—and　before　a　vendor　of　artificial　flowers；　and　crossed　SixthAvenue　where　the　Automat　was；　and　the　parked　taxis；　and　the　shops；　which　he　would　not　look　atto…day；　that　displayed　in　their　windows　dirty　postcards　and　practical　jokes。　Beyond　Sixth　Avenuethe　movie　houses　began；　and　now　he　studied　the　stills　carefully；　trying　to　decide　which　of　all　thesetheaters　he　should　enter。　He　stopped　at　last　before　a　gigantic；　colored　poster　that　represented　awicked　woman；　half　undressed；　leaning　in　a　doorway；　apparently　quarreling　with　a　blond　man　whostared　wretchedly　into　the　street。　The　legend　above　their　heads　was：　‘There’s　a　fool　like　him　inevery　family—and　a　woman　next　door　to　take　him　over！’　He　decided　to　see　this；　for　he　feltidentified　with　the　blond　young　man；　the　fool　of　his　family；　and　he　wished　to　know　more　about　hisso　blatantly　unkind　fate。

And　so　he　stared　at　the　price　above　the　ticket…seller’s　window　and；　showing　her　his　coins；received　the　piece　of　paper　that　was　charged　with　the　power　to　open　doors。　having　once　decided　toenter；　he　did　not　look　back　at　the　street　aga