the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第7节
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off and spare yourself the disgrace of mingling with us plain folk。 Hilda；
go to your room！'' Brauner pointed the stem of his pipe toward the
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
outside door and looked meaningly at Mr。 Feuerstein。
Hilda； her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed； put herself between
Mr。 Feuerstein and the door。 ‘‘I guess I've got something to say about
that！'' she exclaimed。 ‘‘Father； you can't make me marry Otto Heilig。 I
HATE him。 I guess this is a free country。 I shall marry Mr。 Feuer
Carl。'' She went up to him and put her arm through his and looked up at
him lovingly。 He drew her to him protectingly； and for an instant
something of her passionate enthusiasm fired him； or rather； the actor in
him。
Otto laid his hand on Brauner's arm。
‘‘Don't you see； sir；'' he said in Low…German； very earnestly； ‘‘that
you're driving her to him？ I beg you''in a lower tone ‘‘for the sake of
her futuredon't drive him out； and her with him。 If he really would
make her a good husband； why not let her have him？ If he's not what he
claims； she won't have him。''
Brauner hesitated。 ‘‘But she's yours。 Her mother and I have
promised。 We are people of our word。''
‘‘But I won't marry hernot unless she wishes it； she herself。 And
nothing can be done until this man has had a chance。''
It was evident from Brauner's face that he was yielding to this
common sense。 Hilda looked at Otto gratefully。 ‘‘Thank you； Otto；''
she said。 He shook his head mournfully and turned away。
Brauner gave Mr。 Feuerstein a contemptuous glance。 ‘‘Perhaps
Otto's right；'' he growled。 ‘‘You can stay。 Let us have our game； Otto。''
Mrs。 Brauner hurried to the kitchen to make ready for four…o'clock
coffee and cake。 Hilda arranged the table for pinochle； and when her
father and Otto were seated； motioned her lover to a seat beside her on the
sofa。
‘‘Heart's bride；'' he said in a low tone； ‘‘I am prostrated by what I have
borne for your sake。''
‘‘I love you；'' she said softly； her young eyes shining like Titania's
when she was garlanding her ass…headed lover。 ‘‘You were right； my
beloved。 We shall winfather is giving in。 He's very good…natured； and
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
now he's used to the idea of our love。''
Otto lost the game； and； with his customary patience； submitted to the
customary lecture on his stupidity as a player。 Brauner was once more in
a good humor。 Having agreed to tolerate Mr。 Feuerstein； he was already
taking a less unfavorable view of him。 And Mr。 Feuerstein laid himself
out to win the owner of three tenements。 He talked German politics with
him in High…German； and applauded his accent and his opinions。 He told
stories of the old German Emperor and Bismarck； and finally discovered
that Brauner was an ardent admirer of Schiller。 He saw a chance to make
a double stroketo please Brauner and to feed his own vanity。
‘‘With your permission； sir；'' he said； ‘‘I will give a soliloquy from
Wallenstein。''
Brauner went to the door leading down the private hall。 ‘‘Mother！''
he called。 ‘‘Come at once。 Mr。 Feuerstein's going to act。''
Hilda was bubbling over with delight。 Otto sat forgotten in the
corner。 Mrs。 Brauner came bustling； her face rosy from the kitchen fire
and her hands moist from a hasty washing。 Mr。 Feuerstein waited until
all were seated in front of him。 He then rose and advanced with stately
tread toward the clear space。 He rumpled his hair； drew down his brows；
folded his arms； and began a melancholy； princely pacing of the floor。
With a suddenness that made them start； he burst out thunderously。 He
strode； he roared； he rolled his eyes； he waved his arms； he tore at his hair。
It was Wallenstein in a soul…sweat。 The floor creaked； the walls echoed。
His ingenuous auditors； except Otto； listened and looked with bated breath。
They were as vastly impressed as is a drawing…room full of culture…hunters
farther up town when a man discourses to them on a subject of which he
knows just enough for a wordy befuddling of their ignorance。 And the
burst of applause which greeted the last bellowing groan was full as hearty
as that which greets the bad singing or worse playing at the average
musicale。
Swollen with vanity and streaming with sweat； Mr。 Feuerstein sat
down。 ‘‘Good； Mr。 Feuersteinah！ it is grand！'' said Brauner。 Hilda
looked at her lover proudly。 Otto felt that the recitation was idiotic
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘Nobody ever carried on like that；'' he said to himself。 But he also felt
the pitiful truth； ‘‘I haven't got a ghost of a chance。''
He rose as soon as he could muster the courage。 ‘‘I must get back
and help Schwartz open up；'' he said； looking round forlornly。 ‘‘It's five
o'clock。''
‘‘You must stay to coffee；'' insisted Mrs。 Brauner。 It should have
been served before； but Mr。 Feuerstein's exhibition had delayed it。
‘‘NoI must work；'' he replied。 ‘‘It's five o'clock。''
‘‘That's right；'' said Brauner with an approving nod。 ‘‘Business first！
I must go in myselfand you； too； Hilda。'' The late Sunday afternoon
opening was for a very important trade。
Hilda blushedthe descent from the romantic to the practical jarred
upon her。 But Mr。 Feuerstein rose and took leave most graciously。
‘‘May I return this evening？'' he said to Brauner。
‘‘Always glad to see our friends；'' answered Brauner with a
shamefaced； apologetic look at Otto。
At seven o'clock that evening Otto； just closing his shop； saw Mr。
Feuerstein and Hilda pass on their way toward Tompkins Square。 A few
minutes later Sophie came along。 She paused and tried to draw him into
conversation。 But he answered briefly and absently； gradually retreating
into the darkness of his shop and pointedly drawing the door between him
and her。 Sophie went on her way downcast； but not in the least
disheartened。 ‘‘When Hilda is Mrs。 Feuerstein；'' she said to herself。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
CHAPTER IV
A BOLD DASH AND A DISASTER
Mr。 Feuerstein's evening was even more successful than his afternoon。
Brauner was still grumbling。 Mr。 Feuerstein could not possibly be
adjusted in his mind to his beloved ideals； his religion of life‘‘Arbeit und
Liebe und Heim。'' Still he was yielding and Hilda saw the signs of it。
She knew he was practically won over and was secretly inclined to be
proud that his daughter had made this exalted conquest。 All men regard
that which they do not know either with extravagant awe or with
extravagant contempt。 While Brauner had the universal human failing
for attaching too much importance to the department of human knowledge
in which he was thoroughly at home； he had the American admiration for
learning； for literature； and instead of spelling them with a very small ‘‘l；''
as ‘‘practical'' men sometimes do with age and increasing vanity； he
spelled them with huge capitals； erecting them into a position out of all
proportion to their relative importance in the life of the human animal。
Mr。 Feuerstein had just enough knowledge to enable him to play upon
this weakness； this universal human susceptibility to the po
