the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第17节
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of HER lover。 She suddenly sprang at Lena； her face like a thunder…
storm； her black brows straight and her great eyes flashing。 ‘‘You lie！''
she exclaimed。 And she tore the photograph from Lena's hands and
clasped it to her bosom。
Lena shrank in physical fear from this aroused lioness。 ‘‘He's my
husband；'' she whined。 ‘‘You haven't got any right to his picture。''
‘‘You lie！'' repeated Hilda； throwing back her head。
‘‘It's the truth；'' said Lena； beginning to cry。 ‘‘I swear to God it's so。
You can ask pa if it ain't。 He's Mr。 Ganser； the brewer。''
‘‘Who sent you here to lie about him to me？''
‘‘Oh； you needn't put on。 You knew he was married。 I don't wonder
you're mad。 He's MY husband； while he's only been making a fool of
YOU。 You haven't got any shame。'' Lena's eyes were on the
photograph again and her jealousy over…balanced fear。 She laughed
tauntingly。
‘‘Of course you're trying to brazen it out。 Give me that picture！
He's my husband！''
Just then Ganser appeared in the doorway he did not trust his
daughter and had followed her when he thought she was staying too long。
At sight of him she began to weep again。 ‘‘She won't believe me； pa；''
she said。 ‘‘Look at her standing there hugging his picture。''
Ganser scowled at his daughter and addressed himself to Hilda； ‘‘It's
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true； Miss；'' he said。 ‘‘The man is a scoundrel。 I sent my daughter to
warn you。''
Hilda looked at him haughtily。 ‘‘I don't know you；'' she said； ‘‘and I
do know him。 I don't know why you've come here to slander him。 But
I do know that I'd trust him against the whole world。'' She glanced from
father to daughter。 ‘‘You haven't done him any harm and you might as
well go。''
Peter eyed her in disgust。 ‘‘You're as big a fool as my Lena；'' he said。
‘‘Come on； Lena。''
As Lena was leaving the room； she gave Hilda a malignant glance。
‘‘He's MY husband；'' she said spitefully； ‘‘and you're well； I wouldn't
want to say what you are。''
‘‘Move！'' shouted Ganser； pushing her out of the room。 His parting
shot at Hilda was： ‘‘Ask him。''
Hilda； still holding the photograph； stared at the doorway through
which they had disappeared。 ‘‘You lie！'' she repeated； as if they were still
there。 Then again； a little catch in her voice： ‘‘You lie！'' And after a
longer interval； a third time； with a sob in her throat： ‘‘You lie！ I know
you lie！'' She sat at the table and held the photograph before her。 She
kissed it passionately； gazed long at it； seeing in those bold handsome
features all that her heart's love believed of him。
Suddenly she started up； went rapidly down the side hall and out into
the street。 Battling with her doubts； denouncing herself as disloyal to
him； she hurried up the Avenue and across the Square and on until she
came to his lodgings。 When she asked for him the maid opened the
parlor door and called through the crack： ‘‘Mr。 Feuerstein； a lady wants
to see you。''
As the maid disappeared down the basement stairs； Mr。 Feuerstein
appeared。 At sight of her he started back。 ‘‘Hilda！'' he exclaimed
theatrically； and frowned。
‘‘Don't be angry with me；'' she said humbly。 ‘‘I wouldn't have come；
only''
‘‘You must go at once！'' His tone was abrupt； irritated。
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‘‘YesI will。 I just wanted to warn you'' She raised her eyes
appealingly toward his face。 ‘‘Two people came to see me to…nightMr。
Ganser and his daughter''
Feuerstein fell back a step and she saw that he was shaking and that
his face had become greenish white。 ‘‘It's false！'' he blustered。 ‘‘False
as hell！''
And she knew that it was true。
She continued to look at him and he did not try to meet her eyes。
‘‘What did they tell you？'' he said； after a long pause； remembering that he
had denied before a charge had been made。
She was looking away from him now。 She seemed not to have
heard him。 ‘‘I must go；'' she murmured； and began slowly to descend the
stoop。
He followed her； laid his hand upon her arm。 ‘‘Hilda！'' he pleaded。
‘‘Let me explain！''
‘‘Don't touch me！'' She snatched her arm away from him。 She ran
down the rest of the steps and fled along the street。 She kept close to the
shadow of the houses。 She went through Avenue A with hanging head；
feeling that the eyes of all were upon her； condemning； scorning。 She hid
herself in her little room； locking the door。 Down beside the bed she
sank and buried her face in the covers。 And there she lay； racked with the
pain of her gaping woundswounds to love； to trust； to pride； to self…
respect。 ‘‘Oh； God； let me die；'' she moaned。 ‘‘I can't ever look
anybody in the face again。''
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CHAPTER VIII
A SHEEP WIELDS THE SHEARS
A few days later Peter Ganser appeared before Beck； triumph flaunting
from his stupid features。 Beck instantly scented bad news。
‘‘Stop the case；'' said Peter with a vulgar insolence that grated upon the
lawyer。 ‘‘It's no good。''
‘‘I beg your pardon； Mr。 Ganser。 I don't follow you。''
‘‘But I follow myself。 Stop the case。 I pay you off now。''
‘‘You can't deal with courts as you can with your employees； Mr。
Ganser。 There are legal forms to be gone through。 Of course； if you're
reconciled to your son…in…law； why''
Peter laughed。 ‘‘Son…in…law！ That scoundrelhe's a bigamist。 I
got the proofs from Germany this morning。''
Beck became blue round the edges of his mouth and his eyes snapped。
‘‘So you've been taking steps in this case without consulting me； Mr。
Ganser？''
‘‘I don't trust lawyers。 Anyway； what I hire you for？ To try my case。
It's none of your business what I do outside。 I pay you off； and I don't
pay for any dirty works I don't get。'' He had wrought himself into a fury。
Experience had taught him that that was the best mood in which to
conduct an argument about money。
‘‘We'll send you your bill；'' said Beck； in a huge； calm rage against this
dull man who had outwitted him。 ‘‘If you wish to make a scene； will you
kindly go elsewhere？''
‘‘I want to pay you offright away quick。 I think you and Loeb in
cahoots。 My detective； he says you both must have known about
Feuerstein。 He says you two were partners and knew his record。 I'll
expose you； if you don't settle now。 Give me my bill。''
‘‘It is impossible。'' Beck's tone was mild and persuasive。 ‘‘All the
items are not in。''
Ganser took out a roll of notes。 ‘‘I pay you five hundred dollars。
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Take it or fight。 I want a full receipt。 I discharge you now。''
‘‘My dear sir； we do not give our services for any such sum as that。''
‘‘Yes you do。 And you don't get a cent more。 If I go out of here
without my full receipt； I fight。 I expose you； you swindler。''
Peter was shouting at the top of his lusty lungs。 Beck wrote a receipt
and handed it to him。 Peter read it and handed it back。 ‘‘I'm not as big
a fool as I look；'' he said。 ‘‘That ain't a full receipt。''
Beck wrote again。
