the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第21节
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that I deceived you。 BecauseIloved you！''
‘‘You must go away；'' said Hilda； pleading rather than commanding。
‘‘You've done me enough harm。''
‘‘I shall harm you no more。'' He drew himself up in gloomy majesty。
‘‘I have finished my life。 I am bowing my farewell。 Another instant；
and I shall vanish into the everlasting night。''
‘‘That would be cowardly！'' exclaimed Hilda。 She was profoundly
moved。 ‘‘You have plenty to live for。''
‘‘Do you forgive me； Hilda？'' He gave her one of his looks of tragic
eloquence。
‘‘YesI forgive you。''
He misunderstood the gentleness of her voice。 ‘‘She loves me still！''
he said to himself。 ‘‘We shall die together and our names will echo down
the ages。'' He looked burningly at her and said： ‘‘I was madmad with
love for you。 And when I realized that I had lost you； I went down； down；
down。 God！ What have I not suffered for your sake； Hilda！'' As he
talked he convinced himself； pictured himself to himself as having been
drawn on by a passion such as had ruined many others of the great of
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earth。
‘‘That's all past now。'' She spoke impatiently； irritated against herself
because she was not hating him。 ‘‘I don't care to hear any more of that
kind of talk。''
A customer came in； and while Hilda was busy Mr。 Feuerstein went to
the rear counter。 On a chopping block lay a knife with a long； thin blade；
ground to a fine edge and a sharp point。 He began to play with it； and
presently； with a sly； almost insane glance to assure himself that she was
not seeing； slipped it into the right outside pocket of his coat。 The
customer left and he returned to the front of the shop and stood with just
the breadth of the end of the narrow counter between him and her。
‘‘It's all over for me；'' he began。 ‘‘Your love has failed me。 There is
nothing left。 I shall fling myself through the gates of death。 I shall be
forgotten。 And you will live on and laugh and not remember that you
ever had such love as mine。''
Another customer entered。 Mr。 Feuerstein again went to the rear of
the space outside the counters。 ‘‘She loves me。 She will gladly die with
me；'' he muttered。 ‘‘First into HER heart； then into mine； and we shall be
at peace； dead； as lovers and heroes die！''
When they were again alone； he advanced and began to edge round the
end of the counter。 She was no longer looking at him； did not note his
excitement； was thinking only of how to induce him to go。 ‘‘Hilda；'' he
said； ‘‘I have one last requesta dying man's request''
The counter was no longer between them。 He was within three feet
of her。 His right hand was in his coat pocket； grasping the knife。 His
eyes began to blaze and he nerved himself to seize her
Both heard her father's voice in the hall leading to the sitting…room。
‘‘You must go；'' she cried； hastily retreating。
‘‘Hilda；'' he pleaded rapidly； ‘‘there is something I must say to you。 I
can not say it here。 Come over to Meinert's as soon as you can。 I shall
be in the sitting…room。 Just for a moment； Hilda。 It might save my life。
If not that； it certainly would make my death happier。''
Brauner was advancing into the shop and his lowering face warned Mr。
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Feuerstein not to linger。 With a last； appealing look at Hilda he departed。
‘‘What was HE doing here？'' growled Brauner。
‘‘He'd just come in；'' answered Hilda absently。 ‘‘He won't bother us
any more。''
‘‘If he comes again； don't speak to him；'' said Brauner in the
commanding voice that sounded so fierce and meant so little。 ‘‘Just call
me or August。''
Hilda could not thrust him out of her mind。 His looks； his tones； his
dramatic melancholy saddened her； and his last words rang in her ears。
She no longer loved him； but she HAD loved him。 She could not think
of him as a stranger and an enemythere might be truth in his plea that he
had in some mysterious way fallen through love for her。 She might be
able to save him。
Almost mechanically she left the shop； went to Sixth Street and to the
‘‘family entrance'' of Meinert's beer…garden。 She went into the little
anteroom and； with her hand on the swinging door leading to the sitting…
room； paused like one waking from a dream。
‘‘I must be crazy；'' she said half aloud。 ‘‘He's a scoundrel and no
good can come of my seeing him。 What would Otto think of me？ What
am I doing here？'' And she hastened away； hoping that no one had seen
her。
Mr。 Feuerstein was seated at a table a few feet from where she had
paused and turned back。 He had come in half an hour before and had
ordered and drunk three glasses of cheap； fiery brandy。 As the moments
passed his mood grew wilder and more somber。 ‘‘She has failed me！'' he
exclaimed。 He called for pen； ink and paper。 He wrote rapidly and；
when he had finished； declaimed his production； punctuating the sentences
with looks and gestures。 His voice gradually broke； and he uttered the
last words with sobs and with the tears streaming down his cheeks。 He
signed his name with a flourish； added a postscript。 He took a stamped
envelope from his pocket； sealed the letter； addressed it and laid it before
him on the table。 ‘‘The presence of death inspired me；'' he said； looking
at his production with tragic pride。 And he called for another drink。
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When the waiter brought it； he lifted it high and； standing up； bowed
as if some one were opposite him at the table。 ‘‘I drink to you； Death！''
he said。 The waiter stared in open…mouthed astonishment； and with a
muttered； ‘‘He's luny！'' backed from the room。
He sat again and drew the knife from his pocket and slid his finger
along the edge。 ‘‘The key to my sleeping…room；'' he muttered； half
imagining that a vast audience was watching with bated breath。
The waiter entered and he hid the knife。
‘‘Away！'' he exclaimed； frowning heavily。 ‘‘I wish to be alone。''
‘‘Mr。 Meinert says you must pay；'' said the waiter。 ‘‘Four drinks
sixty cents。''
Mr。 Feuerstein laughed sardonically。
‘‘Pay！ Haha！ Always pay！ Another drink； wretch； and I shall
pay for allfor all！'' He laughed； with much shaking of the shoulders and
rolling of the eyes。
When the waiter had disappeared he muttered： ‘‘I can wait no
longer。'' He took the knife； held it at arm's length； blade down。 He
turned his head to the left and closed his eyes。 Then with a sudden
tremendous drive he sent the long； narrow blade deep into his neck。 The
blood spurted out； his breath escaped from between his lips with long；
shuddering； subsiding hisses。 His body stiffened； collapsed； rolled to the
floor。
Mr。 Feuerstein was deadwith empty pockets and the drinks unpaid
for。
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CHAPTER XI
MR。 FEUERSTEIN'S CLIMAX
When Otto came to see Hilda that evening she was guiltily effusive in
her greeting and made up her mind that； as soon as they were alone； she
must tell him what she had all but done。 But first there was the game of
pinochle which Otto must lose to her father。 As they sat at their game she
was at the zither…table； dreamily playing May Breezes as she watched Otto
and tho
