the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第12节
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cordiality： ‘‘Oh Mr。 Feuerstein。 Glad to see youAGAIN。 What's
the troubleNOW？''
At ‘‘again'' and ‘‘now'' Feuerstein winced slightly。 He looked
nervously at Loeb。
‘‘It's beenlet me seeat least seven years since I saw you；'' continued
Loeb； who was proud of his amazing memory。 He was a squat； fat man；
with a coarse brown skin and heavy features。 He was carefully groomed
and villainously perfumed and his clothes were in the extreme of the
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
loudest fashion。 A diamond of great size was in his bright…blue scarf；
another； its match； loaded down his fat little finger。 Both could be
unscrewed and set in a hair ornament which his wife wore at first nights or
when they dined in state at Delmonico's。 As he studied Feuerstein； his
face had its famous smile； made by shutting his teeth together and drawing
his puffy lips back tightly from them。
‘‘That is all past and gone；'' said Feuerstein。 ‘‘As a lad I was saved
by you from the consequences of boyish folly。 And now； a man grown； I
come to you to enlist your aid in avenging an insult to my honor； an''
‘‘Be as brief as possible；'' cut in Loeb。 ‘‘My time is much occupied。
The bald facts； pleaseFACTS； and BALD。''
Feuerstein settled himself and prepared to relate his story as if he were
on the stage； with the orchestra playing low and sweet。 ‘‘I met a woman
and loved her；'' he began in a deep； intense voice with a passionate
tremolo。
‘‘A bad start；'' interrupted Loeb。 ‘‘If you go on that way； we'll never
get anywhere。 You're a frightful fakir and liar； Feuerstein。 You were；
seven years ago； of course； the habit's grown on you。 Speak out！ What
do you want？ As your lawyer； I must know things exactly as they are。''
‘‘I ran away with a girlthe daughter of the brewer； Peter Ganser；''
said Feuerstein； sullen but terse。 ‘‘And her father wouldn't receive me
shut her upput me out。''
‘‘And you want your wife？''
‘‘I want revenge。''
‘‘Of coursecash。 Well； Ganser's a rich man。 I should say he'd give
up a good deal to get rid of YOU。'' Loeb gave that mirthless and mirth…
strangling smile as he accented the ‘‘you。''
‘‘He's got to give up！'' said Feuerstein fiercely。
‘‘Slowly！ Slowly！'' Loeb leaned forward and looked into Feuerstein's
face。 ‘‘You mustn't forget。''
Feuerstein's eyes shifted rapidly as he said in a false voice： ‘‘She got
a divorce years ago。''
‘‘M…m…m；'' said Loeb。
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‘‘Anyhow； she's away off in Russia。''
‘‘I don't want you to confess a crime you haven't come to me about；''
said Loeb； adding with peculiar emphasis： ‘‘Of course； if we KNEW you
were still married to the Mrs。 Feuerstein of seven years ago we couldn't
take the present case。 As it isthe best way is to bluff the old brewer。
He doesn't want publicity； neither do you。 But you know he doesn't； and
he doesn't know that you love quiet。''
‘‘Ganser treated me infamously。 He must sweat for it。 I'm nothing
if not a good hater。''
‘‘No doubt；'' said Loeb dryly。 ‘‘And you have rights which the law
safeguards。''
‘‘What shall I do？''
‘‘Leave that to us。 How much do you wanthow much damages？''
‘‘He ought to pay at least twenty…five thousand。''
Loeb shrugged his shoulders。 ‘‘Ridiculous！'' he said。 ‘‘Possibly the
five without the twenty。 And how do you expect to pay us？''
‘‘I'm somewhat pressed just at the moment。 But I thought''
Feuerstein halted。
‘‘That we'd take the case as a speculation？ Well； to oblige an old
client； we will。 But you must agree to give us all we can get over and
above five thousandhalf what we get if it's below that。''
‘‘Those are hard terms；'' remonstrated Feuerstein。 The more he had
thought on his case； the larger his expectations had become。
‘‘Very generous terms； in the circumstances。 You can take it or leave
it。''
‘‘I can't do anything without you。 I accept。''
‘‘Very well。'' Loeb took up his pen； as if he were done with
Feuerstein； but went on： ‘‘And you're SURE that thethe FORMER Mrs。
Feuerstein is divorcedand won't turn up？''
‘‘Absolutely。 She swore she'd never enter any country where I was。''
‘‘Has she any friends who are likely to hear of this？''
‘‘She knew no one here。''
‘‘All right。 Go into the room to the left there。 Mr。 Travis or Mr。
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Gordon will take your statement of the factsnames； dates； all details。
Good morning。''
Feuerstein went to Travis； small and sleek； smooth and sly。 When
Travis had done with him； he showed him out。 ‘‘Call day after to…
morrow；'' he said； ‘‘and when you come； ask for me。 Mr。 Loeb never
bothers with these small cases。''
Travis reported to Loeb half an hour later； when Feuerstein's statement
had been typewritten。 Loeb read the statement through twice with great
care。
‘‘Most complete； Mr。 Travis；'' was his comment。 ‘‘You've done a
good piece of work。'' He sat silent； drumming noiselessly on the table
with his stumpy； hairy； fat fingers。 At last he began： ‘‘It ought to be
worth at least twenty thousand。 Do you know Ganser？''
‘‘Just a speaking acquaintance。''
‘‘Excellent。 What kind of a man is he？''
‘‘Stupid and ignorant； but not without a certain cunning。 We can get
at him all right； though。 He's deadly afraid of social scandal。 Wants to
get into the German Club and become a howling swell。 But he don't
stand a chance； though he don't know it。''
‘‘You'd better go to see him yourself；'' said Loeb。
‘‘I'll be glad to do it； Mr。 Loeb。 Isn't your manthis Feuersteina
good bit to the queer？''
‘‘A dead beatone of the worst kindthe born gentleman。 You've
noticed； perhaps； that where a man or woman has been brought up to live
without work； to live off other people's work； there's nothing they
wouldn't stoop to； to keep on living that way。 As for this chap； if he had
got started right； he'd be operating up in the Fifth Avenue district。 He
used to have a wife。 He SAYS he's divorced。''
Loeb and Travis looked each at the other significantly。 ‘‘I see；'' said
Travis。
‘‘Neither side wants scandal。 Still； I think you're right； that Ganser's
good for twenty thousand。''
‘‘You can judge better after you've felt him；'' replied Loeb。 ‘‘You'd
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better go at once。 Give him the tip that Feuerstein's about to force him to
produce his daughter in court。 But you understand。 Try to induce him
to go to Beck。'' Travis grinned and Loeb's eyes twinkled。 ‘‘You might
lay it on strong about Feuerstein's actor…craze for getting into the papers。''
‘‘That's a grand idea；'' exclaimed Travis。 ‘‘I don't think I'll suggest
any sum if he agrees to go to Beck。 Beck can get at least five thousand
more out of him than any other lawyer in town。''
‘‘Beck's the wonder；'' said Loeb。
‘‘LOEB and Beck；'' corrected Travis in a flattering tone。
Loeb waved his hot； fat head gently to and fro as if a pleasant cooling
stream were being played upon it。 ‘‘I think I have got a ‘pretty good nut
on me；' as John L。 used to say；'' he replied。 ‘‘I think I do know a little
about the law。 And now hustle yourself； my boy。 This case must be
pushed。 The less time Ganser has to look
