the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第16节
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Otto went on to the boarding…house in East Sixteenth Street。 No； Mr。
Feuerstein was not in and it was not known when he would returnhe was
very uncertain。 Otto went to Stuyvesant Square and seated himself
where he could see the stoop of the boarding…house。 An hour； two hours；
two hours and a half passed； and then his patient attitude changed abruptly
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to action。 He saw the soft light hat and the yellow bush coming toward
him。 Mr。 Feuerstein paled slightly as he recognized Otto。
‘‘I'm not going to hurt you；'' said Otto in a tone which Mr。 Feuerstein
wished he had the physical strength to punish。 ‘‘Sit down hereI've got
something to say to you。''
‘‘I'm in a great hurry。 Really； you'll have to come again。''
But Otto's look won。 Mr。 Feuerstein hesitated； seated himself。
‘‘I want to tell you；'' said Otto quietly； ‘‘that as the result of your going
away so suddenly and not coming back a wicked lying story is going
round about Hilda。 She does not know it yet； but it won't be long
before something will be saidmaybe publicly。 And it will break her
heart。''
‘‘I can't discuss her with you；'' said Mr。 Feuerstein。 ‘‘Doubtless you
mean well。 I'm obliged to you for coming。 I'll see。'' He rose。
‘‘Is that all？'' said Otto。
‘‘What more can I say？''
‘‘But what are you going to DO？''
‘‘I don't see how I can prevent a lot of ignorant people from
gossiping。''
‘‘Then you're not going straight down there？ You're not going to do
what a man'd do if he had the decency of a dog？''
‘‘You are insulting！ But because I believe you mean well； I shall tell
you that it is impossible for me to go for several days at least。 As soon as
I honorably can； I shall come and the scandal will vanish like smoke。''
Otto let him go。 ‘‘I mustn't thrash him； and I can't compel him to
be a man。'' He returned to the German Theater； he must learn all he
could about this Feuerstein。
‘‘Did you see him？'' asked the ticket…seller。
‘‘Yes； but I didn't get anything。''
Otto looked so down that the ticket…seller was moved to pity； to
generosity。
‘‘Well； I'll give you a tip。 Keep after him； keep your eye on him。
He's got a rich father…in…law。''
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Otto leaned heavily on the sill of the little window。 ‘‘Father…in…law？''
A sickening suspicion peered into his mind。
‘‘He was full the other night and he told one of our people he was
married to a rich man's daughter。''
‘‘Was the name Brauner？'' asked Otto。
‘‘He didn't name any names。 Butlet me thinkthey say it's a
daughter of a brewer； away up town。 Yes； GanserI think that was the
name。''
‘‘Oh！'' Otto's face brightened。 ‘‘Where is Ganser's place？'' he asked。
‘‘I don't knowlook in the directory。 But the tip is to wait a few days。
He hasn't got hold of any of the old man's money yetthere's some hitch。
There'll be plenty for all when it comes； so you needn't fret。''
Otto went to the brewery； but Peter had gone home。 Otto went on to
the house and Peter came down to the brilliant parlor； where the battle of
hostile shades and colors was raging with undiminished fury。 In answer
to Peter's look of inquiry； he said： ‘‘I came about your son…in…law； Mr。
Feuerstein。''
‘‘Who are you？ Who told you？'' asked Peter； wilting into a chair。
‘‘They told me at the theater。''
Peter gave a sort of groan。 ‘‘It's out！'' he cried； throwing up his thick；
short arms。 ‘‘Everybody knows！''
Shrewd Otto saw the opening。 ‘‘I don't think so；'' he replied； ‘‘at
least not yet。 He has a bad reputationI see you know that already。 But
it's nothing to what he will have when it comes out that he's been trying to
marry a young lady down town since he married your daughter。''
‘‘But it mustn't come out！'' exclaimed Ganser。 ‘‘I won't have it。
This scandal has disgraced me enough。''
‘‘That's what I came to see you about；'' said Otto。 ‘‘The young lady
and her friends don't know about his marriage。 It isn't necessary that any
of them should know； except her。 But she must be put on her guard。 He
might induce her to run away with him。''
‘‘Rindsvieh！'' muttered Ganser； his hair and whiskers bristling。
‘‘Dreck！''
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‘‘I want to ask you； as a man and a father； to see that this young lady is
warned。 She'll be anxious enough to keep quiet。 If you do； there
won't be any scandalat least not from there。''
‘‘I'll go down and warn her。 Where is she？ I'll speak to her father。''
‘‘And have him make a row？ No； there's only one way。 Send your
daughter to her。''
‘‘But you don't know my daughter。 She's a born'' Just in time
Ganser remembered that he was talking to a stranger and talking about his
daughter。 ‘‘She wouldn't do it right；'' he finished。
‘‘She can go in and see the young lady alone and come out without
speaking to anybody else。 I'll promise you there'll be no risk。''
Ganser thought it over and decided to take Otto's advice。 They
discussed Mr。 Feuerstein for several minutes； and when Otto left； Ganser
followed him part of the way down the stoop； shaking hands with him。 It
was a profound pleasure to the brewer to be able to speak his mind on the
subject of his son…in…law to an intelligent； appreciative person。 He talked
nothing else to his wife and Lena； but he had the feeling that he might as
well talk aloud to himself。
After supperthe Gansers still had supper in the evening； their
fashionable progress in that direction having reached only the stage at
which dinner is called luncheonhe put Lena into the carriage and they
drove to Avenue A。 On the way he told her exactly what to say and do。
He stayed in the carriage。 ‘‘Be quick；'' he said； ‘‘and no foolishness！''
Lena； swelling and rustling with finery and homelier than before her
troubles； little though they disturbed her； marched into the shop and up to
the end counter； where Hilda was standing。
‘‘You are Miss Hilda Brauner？'' she said。 ‘‘I want to see you alone。''
Hilda looked her surprise but showed Lena into the living…room； which
happened to be vacant。 Lena could not begin； so intent was she upon
examining her rival。 ‘‘How plain she's dressed；'' she thought； ‘‘and how
thin and black she is！'' But it was in vain； she could not deceive her
rising jealousy。 It made her forget her father's instructions； forget that
she was supposed to hate Feuerstein and was getting rid of him。
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‘‘I am Mrs。 Carl Feuerstein；'' she cried； her face red and her voice
shrill with anger and excitement。 ‘‘And I want you to stop flirting with
my husband！''
Hilda stood petrified。 Lena caught sight of a photograph on the
mantelpiece behind Hilda。 She gave a scream of fury and darted for it。
‘‘How dare you！'' she shrieked。 ‘‘You impudent THING！'' She
snatched the frame； tore it away from the photograph and flung it upon the
floor。 As she gazed at that hair like a halo of light； at those romantic
features and upturned eyes； she fell to crying and kissing them。
Hilda slowly turned and watched the spectaclethe swollen； pudgy
face； tear…stained； silly； ugly； the tears and kisses falling upon the likeness
of HER lover。 She suddenly sprang at Lena；
