The-furnished-room解读

1TheFurnishedRoomByO.HenryRestless,shifting,fugaciousastimeitselfisacertainvastbulkofthepopulationoftheredbrickdistrictofthelowerWestSide.Homeless,theyhaveahundredhomes.Theyflitfromfurnishedroomtofurnishedroom,transientsforever--transientsinabode,transientsinheartandmind.TheysingHome,SweetHomeinragtime;theycarrytheirlaresetpenatesinabandbox;theirvineisentwinedaboutapicturehat;arubberplantistheirfigtree.Hencethehousesofthisdistrict,havinghadathousanddwellers,shouldhaveathousandtalestotell,mostlydullones,nodoubt;butitwouldbestrangeiftherecouldnotbefoundaghostortwointhewakeofallthesevagrantguests.Oneeveningafterdarkayoungmanprowledamongthesecrumblingredmansions,ringingtheirbells.Atthetwelfthherestedhisleanhand-baggageuponthestepandwipedthedustfromhishatbandandforehead.Thebellsoundedfaintandfarawayinsomeremote,hollowdepths.Tothedoorofthis,thetwelfthhousewhosebellhehadrung,cameahousekeeperwhomadehimthinkofanunwholesome,surfeitedwormthathadeatenitsnuttoahollowshellandnowsoughttofillthevacancywithediblelodgers.Heaskediftherewasaroomtolet.Comein,saidthehousekeeper.Hervoicecamefromherthroat;herthroatseemedlinedwithfur.Ihavethethirdfloorback,vacantsinceaweekback.Shouldyouwishtolookatit?Theyoungmanfollowedherupthestairs.Afaintlightfromnoparticularsourcemitigatedtheshadowsofthehalls.Theytrodnoiselesslyuponastaircarpetthatitsownloomwouldhaveforsworn.Itseemedtohavebecomevegetable;tohavedegeneratedinthatrank,sunlessairtolushlichenor2spreadingmossthatgrewinpatchestothestaircaseandwasviscidunderthefootlikeorganicmatter.Ateachturnofthestairswerevacantnichesinthewall.Perhapsplantshadoncebeensetwithinthem.Ifsotheyhaddiedinthatfoulandtaintedair.Itmaybethatstatuesofthesaintshadstoodthere,butitwasnotdifficulttoconceivethatimpsanddevilshaddraggedthemforthinthedarknessanddowntotheunholydepthsofsomefurnishedpitbelow.Thisistheroom,saidthehousekeeper,fromherfurrythroat.It'saniceroom.Itain'toftenvacant.Ihadsomemostelegantpeopleinitlastsummer--notroubleatall,andpaidinadvancetotheminute.Thewater'sattheendofthehall.SprowlsandMooneykeptitthreemonths.Theydoneavaudevillesketch.MissB'rettaSprowls--youmayhaveheardofher--Oh,thatwasjustthestagenames--rightthereoverthedresseriswherethemarriagecertificatehung,framed.Thegasishere,andyouseethereisplentyofclosetroom.It'saroomeverybodylikes.Itneverstaysidlelong.Doyouhavemanytheatricalpeopleroominghere?askedtheyoungman.Theycomesandgoes.Agoodproportionofmylodgersisconnectedwiththetheatres.Yes,sir,thisisthetheatricaldistrict.Actorpeopleneverstayslonganywhere.Igetmyshare.Yes,theycomesandtheygoes.Heengagedtheroom,payingforaweekinadvance.Hewastired,hesaid,andwouldtakepossessionatonce.Hecountedoutthemoney.Theroomhadbeenmadeready,shesaid,eventotowelsandwater.Asthehousekeepermovedawayheput,forthethousandthtime,thequestionthathecarriedattheendofhistongue.Ayounggirl--MissVashner--MissEloiseVashner--doyouremembersuchaoneamongyourlodgers?Shewouldbesingingonthestage,mostlikely.Afairgirl,ofmediumheightandslender,withreddish,goldhairandadarkmolenearherlefteyebrow.3No,Idon'trememberthename.Themstagepeoplehasnamestheychangeasoftenastheirrooms.Theycomesandtheygoes.No,Idon'tcallthatonetomind.No.Alwaysno.Fivemonthsofceaselessinterrogationandtheinevitablenegative.Somuchtimespentbydayinquestioningmanagers,agents,schoolsandchoruses;bynightamongtheaudiencesoftheatresfromall-starcastsdowntomusichallssolowthathedreadedtofindwhathemosthopedfor.Hewhohadlovedherbesthadtriedtofindher.Hewassurethatsinceherdisappearancefromhomethisgreat,water-girtcityheldhersomewhere,butitwaslikeamonstrousquicksand,shiftingitsparticlesconstantly,withnofoundation,itsuppergranulesofto-dayburiedto-morrowinoozeandslime.Thefurnishedroomreceiveditslatestguestwithafirstglowofpseudo-hospitality,ahectic,haggard,perfunctorywelcomelikethespecioussmileofademirep.Thesophisticalcomfortcameinreflectedgleamsfromthedecayedfurniture,theraggedbrocadeupholsteryofacouchandtwochairs,afoot-widecheappierglassbetweenthetwowindows,fromoneortwogiltpictureframesandabrassbedsteadinacorner.Theguestreclined,inert,uponachair,whiletheroom,confusedinspeechasthoughitwereanapartmentinBabel,triedtodiscoursetohimofitsdiverstenantry.Apolychromaticruglikesomebrilliant-floweredrectangular,tropicalisletlaysurroundedbyabillowyseaofsoiledmatting.Uponthegay-paperedwallwerethosepicturesthatpursuethehomelessonefromhousetohouse--TheHuguenotLovers,TheFirstQuarrel,TheWeddingBreakfast,PsycheattheFountain.Themantel'schastelysevereoutlinewasingloriouslyveiledbehindsomepertdraperydrawnrakishlyaskewlikethesashesoftheAmazonianballet.Uponitwassomedesolateflotsamcastasidebytheroom'smaroonedwhenaluckysailhadbornethemtoafreshport--atriflingvaseortwo,picturesofactresses,amedicinebottle,somestraycardsoutofadeck.4Onebyone,asthecharactersofacryptographbecomeexplicit,thelittlesignsleftbythefurnishedroom'sprocessionofguestsdevelopedasignificance.Thethreadbarespaceintheruginfrontofthedressertoldthatlovelywomanhadmarchedinthethrong.Tinyfingerprintsonthewallspokeoflittleprisonerstryingtofeeltheirwaytosunandair.Asplatt