the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
‘‘Stupid！ You're always in the wayno wonder I HATE you！'' She
was clasping and unclasping her hands； trying to think； not conscious of
what she was saying。
‘‘Hate me？'' he repeated mechanically。 ‘‘Oh； nosurely not that。 No；
you can't''
‘‘Be still！ Let me think。 Ach！ Gott im Himmel！ He's in the hall！''
She sank wretchedly into a chair。 ‘‘Can you do nothing but gape and
mutter？'' In her desperation her tone was appealing。
‘‘He can say he came with me；'' said Otto。 ‘‘I'll stand for him。''
‘‘Yesyes！'' she cried。 ‘‘That will do！ Thank youthank you！''
And as the knock came at the door she opened it。 She had intended to be
reproachful； but she could not。 This splendid； romantic creature； with his
graceful hat and his golden hair and his velvet collar； was too compelling；
too overpowering。 Her adoring love put her at a hopeless disadvantage。
‘‘Oh Mr。 Feuerstein；'' she murmured； her color coming and going with
the rise and fall of her bosom。
Mr。 Feuerstein majestically removed his hat and turned a look of
19
… Page 20…
THE FORTUNE HUNTER
haughty inquiry upon Otto。 Otto's fists clenched he longed to discuss
the situation in the only way which seemed to him to meet its
requirements。
‘‘Hilda；'' said the actor； when he thought there had been a long enough
pause for an imposing entrance； ‘‘I have come to end the deceptionto
make you； before the world； as you are before Almighty God； my
affianced bride。''
‘‘Youyou mustn't；'' implored Hilda； her fears getting the better of her
awe。
‘‘If my parents learn nowjust now； they willoh； it will be hopeless！''
‘‘I can not delay； angel of my heart！'' He gave her the look that is the
theatrical convention for love beyond words。 ‘‘It must be settled at once。
I must know my fate。 I must put destiny to the touch and know
happiness orhell！''
‘‘Bah！'' thought Otto。 ‘‘He has to hurry mattershe must be in
trouble。 He's got to raise the wind at once。''
‘‘Mr。 FeuersteinCarl！'' pleaded Hilda。 ‘‘PLEASE try to be
practical。'' She went up to him； and Otto turned away； unable to bear the
sight of that look of love； tenderness and trust。 ‘‘You must notat least；
not right away。'' She turned to Otto。 ‘‘Help me； Otto。 Explain to
him。''
Heilig tried to put courtesy in his voice as he said to Mr。 Feuerstein：
‘‘Miss Brauner is right。 You'll only wreck herher happiness。 We're
plain people down here and don't understand these fine； grand ways。 You
must pass as my friend whom I brought herebut I make one condition。''
He drew a long breath and looked at Hilda。 For the first time she heard
him； the real Otto Heilig； speak。 ‘‘Hilda；'' he went on； ‘‘I don't want to
hurt you I'd do anything for you； except hurt you。 And I can't stand for
this felfor Mr。 Feuerstein； unless you'll promise me you won't marry him；
no matter what he may say； until your father has had a chance to find out
who and what he is。''
Mr。 Feuerstein drew himself up grandly。 ‘‘Who is this person； Miss
Brauner？'' he demanded with haughty coldness。
20
… Page 21…
THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘He don't know any better；'' she replied hurriedly。 ‘‘He's an old
friend。 Trust me； Mr。 FeuerCarl！ Everything depends on it。''
‘‘I can not tolerate this coarse hand between me and the woman I love。
No more deception！ Carl Feuerstein''how he did roll out that name！
‘‘can guard his own honor and his own destiny。''
The door into the private hall opened and in came Brauner and his
wife； fine pictures of homely content triumphing over the discomforts of
Sunday clothes。 They looked at Mr。 Feuerstein with candidly
questioning surprise。 Avenue A is not afraid to look； and speak； its mind。
Otto came forward。 ‘‘This is Mr。 Feuerstein；'' he said。
At once Brauner showed that he was satisfied； and Mrs。 Brauner
beamed。 ‘‘Oh； a friend of yours；'' Brauner said； extending his hand。
‘‘Glad to see any friend of Otto's。''
Mr。 Feuerstein advanced impressively and bowed first over Brauner's
hand； then over Mrs。 Brauner's。 ‘‘I am not a friend of thisyoung man；''
he said with the dignity of a Hoheit。 ‘‘I have come here to propose for
the honor of your daughter's hand in marriage。''
Mr。 Feuerstein noted the stupefied expression of the delicatessen
dealer and his wife； and glanced from Otto to Hilda with a triumphant
smile。 But Hilda was under no delusion。 She shivered and moved
nearer to Otto。 She felt that he was her hope in this crisis which the mad
love of her hero…lover had forced。 Brauner was the more angry because
he had been thus taken by surprise。
‘‘What nonsense is this？'' he growled； shaking his head violently。
‘‘My daughter is engaged to a plain man like ourselves。''
At this Heilig came forward again； pale and sad； but calm。 ‘‘No； Mr。
Brauner she is not engaged。 I'm sure she loves this gentleman； and I
want her to be happy。 I can not be anything to her but her friend。 And I
want you to give him a chance to show himself worthy of her。''
Brauner burst out furiously at Hilda。 The very presence of this gaudy；
useless…looking creature under his roof was an insult to his three gods of
honor and happiness his ‘‘Arbeit und Liebe und Heim。''
‘‘What does this mean？'' he shouted。
21
… Page 22…
THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘Where did you find this crazy fellow？ Who brought him here？''
Hilda flared。 ‘‘I love him； father！ He's a noble； good man。 I shall
always love him。 Listen to Ottoit'll break my heart if you frown on my
marrying the man I love。'' There was a touch of Mr。 Feuerstein in her
words and tone。
‘‘Let's have our game； Mr。 Brauner；'' interrupted Otto。 ‘‘All this can
be settled afterward。 Why spoil our afternoon？''
Brauner examined Mr。 Feuerstein； who was posing as a statue of
gloomy wrath。
‘‘Who are you？'' he demanded in the insulting tone which exactly
expressed his state of mind。
Mr。 Feuerstein cast up his eyes。 ‘‘For Hilda's sake！'' he murmured
audibly。 Then he made a great show of choking down his wrath。 ‘‘I； sir；
am of an ancient Prussian familya gentleman。 I saw your peerless
daughter； sought an introduction； careless who or what she was in birth
and fortune。 Love； the leveler； had conquered me。 I''
‘‘Do you work？'' Brauner broke in。 ‘‘What are your prospects？
What have you got？ What's your character？ Have you any respectable
friends who can vouch for you？ You've wandered into the wrong part of
town。 Down here we don't give our daughters to strangers or do…nothings
or rascals。 We believe in loveyes。 But we also have a little common
sense and self…respect。'' Brauner flung this at Mr。 Feuerstein in High…
German。 Hilda； mortified and alarmed； was also proud that her father
was showing Mr。 Feuerstein that she came of people who knew something；
even if they were ‘‘trades…folk。''
‘‘I can answer all your questions to your satisfaction；'' replied Mr。
Feuerstein loftily； with a magnanimous wave of his white hand。 ‘‘My
friends will speak for me。 And I shall give you the addresses of my noble
relatives in Germany； though I greatly fear they will oppose my marriage。
You； sir； were born in the Fatherland。 You know their prejudices。''
‘‘Don't trouble yourself；'' said Brauner ironically。 ‘‘Just take yourself
off and spare yourself the disgrace of mingling with us plain folk。 Hi
