the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第19节
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healing and never would heal。 She teased Otto and even flirted with him。
This elevated her father and his mother to hilarity。 They were two very
sensible young…old people； with a keen sense of humorthe experience of
age added to the simplicity and gaiety of youth。
You would have paused to admire and envy had you passed that way
and looked in under the trees； as they clinked glasses and called one to
another and went off into gales of mirth over nothing at all。 What
laughter is so gay as laughter at nothing at all？ Any one must laugh
when there is something to laugh at； but to laugh just because one must
have an outlet for bubbling spirits there's the test of happiness！
After luncheon they wandered into the woods and soon Otto and Hilda
found themselves alone； seated by a little waterfall； which in a quiet；
sentimental voice suggested that low tones were the proper tones to use in
that place。
‘‘We've known each other always； Hilda；'' said Otto。 ‘‘And we know
all about each other。 Why notdear？''
She did not speak for several minutes。
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‘‘You know I haven't any heart to give you；'' she answered at last。
Otto did not know anything of the kind； but he knew she thought so；
and he was too intelligent to dispute； when time would settle the question…
…and； he felt sure； would settle it right。 So he reached out and took her
hand and said： ‘‘I'll risk that。''
And they sat watching the waterfall and listening to it； and they were
happy in a serious； tranquil way。 It filled him with awe to think that he
had at last won her。 As for her； she was looking forward； without
illusions； without regrets； to a life of work and content beside this strong；
loyal； manly man who protested little； but never failed her or any one else。
On the way home in the train she told her mother； and her mother told
her father。 He； then and there； to the great delight and pleasure of the
others in the car； rose up and embraced and kissed first his daughter； then
Otto and then Otto's mother。 And every once in a while he beamed
down the line of his party and said： ‘‘This is a happy day！''
And he made them all come into the sitting…room back of the shop。
‘‘Wait here；'' he commanded。 ‘‘No one must move！''
He went down to the cellar； presently to reappear with a dusty bottle of
Johannisberger Cabinet。 He pointed proudly to the seal。 ‘‘Bronze！'' he
exclaimed。 ‘‘It is wine like gold。 It must be drunk slowly。'' He drew
the cork and poured the wine with great ceremony； and they all drank with
much touching of glasses and bowing and exchanging of good wishes；
now in German； now in English； again in both。 And the last toast； the
one drunk with the greatest enthusiasm； was Brauner's favorite famous
‘‘Arbeit und Liebe und Heim！''
From that time forth Hilda began to look at Otto from a different point
of view。 And everything depends on point of view。
Thenthe house in which Schwartz and Heilig had their shop was
burned。 And when their safe was drawn from the ruins； they found that
their insurance had expired four days before the fire。 It was Schwartz's
business to look after the insurance； but Otto had never before failed to
oversee。 His mind had been in such confusion that he had forgotten。
He stared at the papers； stunned by the disaster。 Schwartz wrung his
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
hands and burst into tears。 ‘‘I saw that you were in trouble；'' he wailed；
‘‘and that upset me。 It's my fault。 I've ruined us both。''
There was nothing left of their business or capital； nothing but seven
hundred dollars in debts to the importers of whom they bought。
Heilig shook off his stupor after a few minutes。 ‘‘No matter；'' he
said。 ‘‘What's past is past。''
He went straightway over to Second Avenue to the shop of Geishener；
the largest delicatessen dealer in New York。
‘‘I've been burned out；'' he explained。 ‘‘I must get something to do。''
Geishener offered him a place at eleven dollars a week。 ‘‘I'll begin in
the morning；'' said Otto。 Then he went to Paul Brauner。
‘‘When will you open up again？'' asked Brauner。
‘‘Not for a long time； several years。 Everything's gone and I've taken
a place with Geishener。 I came to say thatthat I can't marry your
daughter。''
Brauner did not know what answer to make。 He liked Otto and had
confidence in him。 But the masses of the people build their little fortunes
as coral insects build their islands。 And Hilda was getting alongwhy；
she would be twenty in four months。 ‘‘I don't know。 I don't know。''
Brauner rubbed his head in embarrassment and perplexity。 ‘‘It's bad
very bad。 And everything was running so smoothly。''
Hilda came in。 Both men looked at her guiltily。 ‘‘What is it？'' she
asked。 And if they had not been mere men they would have noticed a
change in her face； a great change； very wonderful and beautiful to see。
‘‘I came to release you；'' said Otto。
‘‘I've got nothing leftand a lot of debts。 I''
‘‘YesI know；'' interrupted Hilda。 She went up to him and put her
arm round his neck。 ‘‘We'll have to begin at the bottom；'' she said with a
gentle； cheerful smile。
Brauner pretended that he heard some one calling him from the shop。
‘‘Yes right away！'' he shouted。 And when he was alone in the shop he
wiped his eyes； not before a large tear had blistered the top sheet of a pile
of wrapping paper。
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‘‘I know you don't care for me asas'' Otto was standing uneasily；
his eyes down and his face red。 ‘‘It was hard enough for you before。
NowI couldn't let you do itdear。''
‘‘You can't get rid of me so easily；'' she said。 ‘‘I know I'm getting
along and I won't be an old maid。''
He paid no attention to her raillery。 ‘‘I haven't got anything to ask
you to share；'' he went on。 ‘‘I've been working ever since I was eleven
and that's fourteen yearsto get what I had。 And it's all gone。 It'll take
several years to pay off my debts； and mother must be supported。 No
I've got to give it up。''
‘‘Won't you marry me； Otto？'' She put her arms round his neck。
His lips trembled and his voice broke。 ‘‘I can'tlet you do it； Hilda。''
‘‘Very well。'' She pretended to sigh。
‘‘But you must come back this evening。 I want to ask you again。''
‘‘Yes； I'll come。 But you can't change me。''
He went； and she sat at the table； with her elbows on it and her face
between her hands； until her father came in。 Then she said： ‘‘We're
going to be married next week。 And I want two thousand dollars。 We'll
give you our note。''
Brauner rubbed his face violently。
‘‘We're going to start a delicatessen；'' she continued； ‘‘in the empty
store where Bischoff was。 It'll take two thousand dollars to start right。''
‘‘That's a good deal of money；'' objected her father。
‘‘You only get three and a half per cent。 in the savings bank；'' replied
Hilda。 ‘‘We'll give you six。 You know it'll be safeOtto and I together
can't fail to do well。''
Brauner reflected。 ‘‘You can have the money；'' he said。
She went up the Avenue humming softly one of Heine's love songs；
still with that wonderful； beautiful look in her eyes。 She stopped at the
tenement with the vacant store。 The owner； old man Schulte； was
sweeping the sidewalk。 He had an income of fifteen thousand a year； but
he held that he needed exercise； that sweeping was good exercise； and tha
