the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第9节
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y'owe me ten dollarsesno； two ten dollarses。''
‘‘Oh； sit down；'' coaxed Feuerstein； taking him by the arm。 ‘‘It's
early yet。''
Dippel shook him off with much dignity。 ‘‘Don' touch me！'' he
growled。 ‘‘I know what I'm 'bout。 I'm goin' home。'' Then to himself；
but aloud： ‘‘Dippy； you're too full f'r utteranceyou mus' shake this
beat。'' Again to Feuerstein：
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‘‘G'night； Mr。 Funkelshineg'night。 Sit there till I'm gone。''
Feuerstein rose to follow and Dippel struck at him。 The waiter seized
each by the shoulder and flung them through the swinging doors。 Dippel
fell in a heap on the sidewalk； but Feuerstein succeeded in keeping to his
feet。 He went to the assistance of Dippel。
‘‘Don't touch me；'' shouted Dippel。
‘‘Police！ Police！''
Feuerstein looked fearfully round； gave Dippel a kick and hurried
away。 When he glanced back from a safe distance Dippel was waving to
and fro on his wobbling legs； talking to a cabman。
‘‘Close…fisted devil；'' muttered Feuerstein。 ‘‘He couldn't forget his
money even when he was drunk。 What good is money to a brute like
him？'' And he gave a sniff of contempt for the vulgarity and meanness of
Dippel and his kind。
Early the next morning he established a modus vivendi with his
landlady by giving her ten dollars on account。 He had an elaborate
breakfast at Terrace Garden and went to Bloomingdale's； arriving at eleven
precisely。 Lena Ganser was already there； pretending to shop at a counter
in full view of the appointed place。 They went to Terrace Garden and sat
in the Stube。 He at once opened up his sudden romantic passion。 ‘‘All
night I have walked the streets；'' he said； ‘‘dreaming of you。'' When he
had fully informed her of the state of his love…maddened mind toward her；
he went on to his most congenial topichimself。
‘‘You have heard of the Freiherr von Feuerstein； the great soldier？'' he
asked her。
Lena had never heard of him。 But she did not know who was
German Emperor or even who was President of the United States。 She；
therefore； had to be extremely cautious。 She nodded assent。
‘‘My uncle；'' said Feuerstein impressively。 His eyes became
reflective。 ‘‘Strange！'' he exclaimed in tender accents； soliloquizing
‘‘strange where romance will lead us。 Instead of remaining at home； in
ease and luxury； here am Ian actora wanderer roaming the earth in
search of the heart that Heaven intended should be wedded to mine。'' He
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
fixed his gaze upon Lena's fat face with the expression that had made
Hilda's soul fall down and worship。 ‘‘AndI have found it！'' He drew
in and expelled a vast breath。 ‘‘At last！ My soul is at rest。''
Lena tried to look serious in imitation of him； but that was not her way
of expressing emotion。 She made a brief struggle； then collapsed into her
own modea vain； delighted； giggling laugh。
‘‘Why do you smile？'' he asked sternly。 He revolted from this
discord to his symphony。
She sobered with a frightened； deprecating look。 ‘‘Don't mind me；''
she pleaded。 ‘‘Pa says I'm a fool。 I was laughing because I'm happy。
You're such a sweet； romantic dream of a man。''
Feuerstein was not particular either as to the quality or as to the source
of his vanity…food。 He accepted Lena's offering with a condescending
nod and smile。 They talked； or； rather； he talked and she listened and
giggled until lunch time。 As the room began to fill； they left and he
walked home with her。
‘‘You can come in；'' she said。 ‘‘Pa won't be home to lunch to…day and
ma lets me do as I please。''
The Gansers lived in East Eighty…first Street； in the regulation twenty…
five…foot brownstone house。 And within； also； it was of a familiar New
York type。 It was the home of the rich； vain ignoramus who has not
taste enough to know that those to whom he has trusted for taste have
shockingly betrayed him。 Ganser had begun as a teamster for a brewery
and had grown rapidly rich late in life。 He happened to be elected
president of a big Verein and so had got the notion that he was a person of
importance and attainments beyond his fellows。 Too coarse and narrow
and ignorant to appreciate the elevated ideals of democracy； he reverted to
the European vulgarities of rank and show。 He decided that he owed it to
himself and his family to live in the estate of ‘‘high folks。'' He bought a
house in what was for him an ultra…fashionable quarter； and called for bids
to furnish it in the latest style。 The results were even more regardless of
taste than of expensecarpets that fought with curtains； pictures that
quarreled with their frames and with the walls； upholstery so bellicose that
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it seemed perilous to sit upon。
But Feuerstein was as impressed as the Gansers had been the first time
they beheld the gorgeousness of their palace。 He looked about with a
proprietary sense ‘‘I'll marry this little idiot；'' he said to himself。
‘‘Maybe my nest won't be downy； and maybe I won't lie at my ease in it！''
He met Mrs。 Ganser and had the opportunity to see just what Lena
would look and be twenty years thence。 Mrs。 Ganser moved with great
reluctance and difficulty。 She did not speak unless forced and then her
voice seemed to have felt its way up feebly through a long and painfully
narrow passage； emerging thin； low and fainting。 When she sator；
rather； AS she sat； for she was always sittingher mountain of soft flesh
seemed to be slowly collapsing upon and around the chair like a lump of
dough on a mold。 Her only interest in life was disclosed when she was
settled and settling at the luncheon table。 She used her knife more than
her fork and her fingers more than either。 Feuerstein left soon after
luncheon； lingering only long enough to give Lena a theatrical embrace。
‘‘Well； I'll not spend much time with those women； once I'm married；'' he
reflected as he went down the steps； and he thought of Hilda and sighed。
The next day but one he met Lena in the edge of the park and； after
gloomy silence； shot with strange piercing looks that made her feel as if
she were the heroine of a book； he burst forth with a demand for
immediate marriage。
‘‘Forty…eight hours of torment！'' he cried。 ‘‘I shall not leave you
again until you are securely mine。''
He proceeded to drop vague； adroit hints of the perils that beset a
fascinating actor's life； of the women that had come and gone in his life。
And Lena； all a…tremble with jealous anxiety； was in the parlor of a
Lutheran parsonage； with the minister reading out of the black book；
before she was quite aware that she and her cyclonic adorer were not still
promenading near the green…house in the park。 ‘‘Now；'' said Feuerstein
briskly； as they were once more in the open air； ‘‘we'll go to your father。''
‘‘Goodness gracious； no；'' protested Lena。 ‘‘You don't know him
he'll be crazy just crazy！ We must wait till he finds out about youthen
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he'll be very proud。 He wanted a son…in…law of high social standinga
gentleman。''
‘‘We will go home； I tell you；'' replied Feuerstein firmlyhis tone was
now the tone of the master。 All the sentiment was out of it and all the
hardness in it。
Lena felt
