the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第20节
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he held that he needed exercise； that sweeping was good exercise； and that
it was stupid for a man； simply because he was rich； to stop taking
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
exercise or to take it only in some form which had no useful side。
‘‘Good morning；'' said Hilda。 ‘‘What rent do you ask for this store？''
‘‘Sixty dollars a month；'' answered the old man； continuing his
sweeping。 ‘‘Taxes are up； but rents are down。''
‘‘Not with you； I guess。 Otto Heilig and I are going to get married
and open a delicatessen。 But sixty dollars a month is too much。 Good
morning。'' And she went on。
Schulte leaned on his broom。 ‘‘What's your hurry？'' he called。
‘‘You can't get as good a location as this。''
Hilda turned； but seemed to be listening from politeness rather than
from interest。
‘‘We can't pay more than forty；'' she answered； starting on her way
again。
‘‘I might let you have it for fifty；'' Schulte called after her； ‘‘if you
didn't want any fixing up。''
‘‘It'd have to be fixed up；'' said Hilda； halting again。 ‘‘But I don't
care much for the neighborhood。 There are too many delicatessens here
now。''
She went on more rapidly and the old man resumed his sweeping；
muttering crossly into his long； white beard。 As she came down the
other side of the street half an hour later； she was watching Schulte from
the corner of her eye。 He was leaning on his broom； watching her。
Seeing that she was going to pass without stopping he called to her and
went slowly across the street。 ‘‘You would make good tenants；'' he said。
‘‘I had to sue Bischoff。 You can have it for fortyif you'll pay for the
changes you wantyou really won't want any。''
‘‘I was looking at it early this morning；'' replied Hilda。 ‘‘There'll
have to be at least two hundred dollars spent。 But then I've my eye on
another place。''
‘‘Forty's no rent at all；'' grumbled the old man； pulling at his whiskers。
‘‘I can get a store round in Seventh Street for thirty…five and that
includes three rooms at the back。 You've got only one room at the back。''
‘‘There's a kitchen； too；'' said Schulte。
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‘‘A kitchen？ Oh； you mean that closet。''
‘‘I'll let you have it for forty； with fifty the second year。''
‘‘No； forty for two years。 We can't pay more。 We're just starting；
and expenses must be kept down。''
‘‘Well； forty then。 You are nice peoplehard workers。 I want to see
you get on。'' The philanthropic old man returned to his sweeping。
‘‘Always the way； dealing with a woman；'' he growled into his beard。
‘‘They don't know the value of anything。 Well； I'll get my money
anyway； and that's a point。''
She spent the day shopping and by half…past five had her arrangements
almost completed。 And she told every one about the coming marriage
and the new shop and asked them to spread the news。
‘‘We'll be open for business next Saturday a week；'' she said。 ‘‘Give
us a trial。''
By nightfall Otto was receiving congratulations。 He protested；
denied； but people only smiled and winked。 ‘‘You're not so sly as you
think；'' they said。 ‘‘No doubt she promised to keep it quiet； but you know
how it is with a woman。''
When he called at Brauner's at seven he was timid about going in。
‘‘They've heard the story；'' he said to himself； ‘‘and they must think I went
crazy and told it。''
She had been bold enough all day； but she was shy； now that the time
had come to face him and confessshe had been a little shy with him
underneath ever since she had suddenly awakened to the fact that he was a
real heroin spite of his keeping a shop just like everybody else and
making no pretenses。 He listened without a word。
‘‘You can't back out now；'' she ended。
Still he was silent。 ‘‘Are you angry at me？'' she asked timidly。
He could not speak。 He put his arms round her and pressed his face
into her waving black hair。 ‘‘MY Hilda；'' he said in a low voice。 And
she felt his blood beating very fast； and she understood。
‘‘Arbeit und Liebe und Heim；'' she quoted slowly and softly。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
CHAPTER X
MR。 FEUERSTEIN IS CONSISTENT
The next day Mr。 Feuerstein returned from exile。 It is always
disillusioning to inspect the unheroic details of the life of that favorite
figure with romancersthe soldier of fortune。 Of Mr。 Feuerstein's six
weeks in Hoboken it is enough to say that they were weeks of storm and
stress wretched lodgments in low boarding… houses； odd jobs at giving
recitations in beer halls； undignified ejectments for drunkenness and
failure to pay； borrowings which were removed from frank street…begging
only in his imagination。 He sank very low indeed； but it must be
recorded to the credit of his consistency that he never even contemplated
the idea of working for a living。 And now here he was； back in New
York； with Hoboken an exhausted field； with no resources； no hopes； no
future that his brandy…soaked brain could discern。
His mane was still golden and bushy； but it was ragged and too long in
front of the ears and also on his neck。 His face still expressed insolence
and vanity； but it had a certain tragic bitterness； as if it were trying to
portray the emotions of a lofty spirit flinging defiance at destiny from a
slough of despair。 It was plain that he had been drinking heavilythe
whites of his eyes were yellow and bloodshot； the muscles of his eyelids
and mouth twitched disagreeably。 His romantic hat and collar and
graceful suit could endure with good countenance only the most casual
glance of the eye。
Mr。 Feuerstein had come to New York to perform a carefully…planned
last act in his life…drama； one that would send the curtain down amid tears
and plaudits for Mr。 Feuerstein； the central figure； enwrapped in a somber
and baleful blaze of glory。 He had arranged everything except such
details as must be left to the inspiration of the moment。 He was
impatient for the curtain to risebesides； he had empty pockets and might
be prevented from his climax by a vulgar arrest for vagrancy。
At one o'clock Hilda was in her father's shop alone。 The rest of the
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
family were at the midday dinner。 As she bent over the counter； near the
door； she was filling a sheet of wrapping paper with figurescalculations
in connection with the new business。 A shadow fell across her paper and
she looked up。 She shrank and clasped her hands tightly against her
bosom。 ‘‘Mr。 Feuerstein！'' she exclaimed in a low； agitated voice。
He stood silent； his face ghastly as if he were very ill。 His eyes； sunk
deep in blue…black sockets； burned into hers with an intensity that terrified
her。 She began slowly to retreat。
‘‘Do not fly from me；'' he said in a hollow voice； leaning against the
counter weakly。 ‘‘I have come only for a moment。 Thenyou will see
me never again！''
She paused and watched him。 His expression； his tone； his words
filled her with pity for him。
‘‘You hate me；'' he went on。 ‘‘You abhor me。 It is justjust！ Yet''…
…he looked at her with passionate sadness‘‘it was because I loved you
that I deceived you。 BecauseIloved you！''
‘‘You must go away
