stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第16节
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〃Certainly a dowry！ A fine man like you！〃
〃How much do you think it would be？〃
〃Of course it is not a large warehouse； but then you could get your
boots at trade price； and your wife's； perhaps； for the cost of the leather。〃
〃When could I see her？〃
〃I will arrange for you to call next Sabbath afternoon。〃
〃You won't charge me more than a sovereign？〃
〃Not a groschen more！ Such a pious maiden！ I'm sure you will be
happy。 She has so much way…of…the…country ＇breeding＇。 And of course five
per cent on the dowry？〃
〃H'm！ Well； I don't mind！〃 〃Perhaps they won't give a dowry；〃 he
thought with a consolatory sense of outwitting the Shadchan。
On the Saturday Leibel went to see the damsel； and on the Sunday he
went to see Sugarman the Shadchan。
〃But your maiden squints！〃 he cried； resentfully。
〃An excellent thing！〃 said Sugarman。 〃A wife who squints can never
look her husband straight in the face and overwhelm him。 Who would
quail before a woman with a squint？〃
〃I could endure the squint；〃 went on Leibel； dubiously； 〃but she also
stammers。〃
〃Well； what is better； in the event of a quarrel？ The difficulty she has
in talking will keep her far more silent than most wives。 You had best
secure her while you have the chance。〃
〃But she halts on the left leg；〃 cried Leibel； exasperated。
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〃/Gott in Himmel！/ Do you mean to say you do not see what an
advantage it is to have a wife unable to accompany you in all your
goings？〃
Leibel lost patience。
〃Why； the girl is a hunchback！〃 he protested； furiously。
〃My dear Leibel；〃 said the marriage broker； deprecatingly shrugging
his shoulders and spreading out his palms； 〃you can't expect perfection！〃
Nevertheless Leibel persisted in his unreasonable attitude。 He accused
Sugarman of wasting his time； of making a fool of him。
〃A fool of you！〃 echoed the Shadchan； indignantly； 〃when I give you a
chance of a boot and shoe manufacturer's daughter？ You will make a fool
of yourself if you refuse。 I dare say her dowry would be enough to set you
up as a master tailor。 At present you are compelled to slave away as a
cutter for thirty shillings a week。 It is most unjust。 If you only had a few
machines you would be able to employ your own cutters。 And they can be
got so cheap nowadays。〃
This gave Leibel pause； and he departed without having definitely
broken the negotiations。 His whole week was befogged by doubt； his work
became uncertain； his chalk marks lacked their usual decision； and he did
not always cut his coat according to his cloth。 His aberrations became so
marked that pretty Rose Green； the sweater's eldest daughter； who
managed a machine in the same room； divined； with all a woman's
intuition； that he was in love。
〃What is the matter？〃 she said； in rallying Yiddish； when they were
taking their lunch of bread and cheese and ginger…beer amid the clatter of
machines； whose serfs had not yet knocked off work。
〃They are proposing me a match；〃 he answered； sullenly。
〃A match！〃 ejaculated Rose。 〃Thou！〃 She had worked by his side for
years； and familiarity bred the second person singular。 Leibel nodded his
head； and put a mouthful of Dutch cheese into it。
〃With whom？〃 asked Rose。 Somehow he felt ashamed。 He gurgled the
answer into the stone ginger…beer bottle； which he put to his thirsty lips。
〃With Leah Volcovitch！〃
〃Leah Volcovitch！〃 gasped Rose。 〃Leah； the boot and shoe
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manufacturer's daughter？〃
Leibel hung his headhe scarce knew why。 He did not dare meet her
gaze。 His droop said 〃Yes。〃 There was a long pause。
〃And why dost thou not have her？〃 said Rose。 It was more than an
inquiry； there was contempt in it； and perhaps even pique。
Leibel did not reply。 The embarrassing silence reigned again； and
reigned long。 Rose broke it at last。
〃Is it that thou likest me better？〃 she asked。
Leibel seemed to see a ball of lightning in the air； it burst； and he felt
the electric current strike right through his heart。 The shock threw his head
up with a jerk； so that his eyes gazed into a face whose beauty and
tenderness were revealed to him for the first time。 The face of his old
acquaintance had vanished； this was a cajoling； coquettish； smiling face；
suggesting undreamed…of things。
〃/Nu/； yes；〃 he replied； without perceptible pause。
〃/Nu/； good！〃 she rejoined as quickly。
And in the ecstasy of that moment of mutual understanding Leibel
forgot to wonder why he had never thought of Rose before。 Afterward he
remembered that she had always been his social superior。
The situation seemed too dream…like for explanation to the room just
yet。 Leibel lovingly passed a bottle of ginger…beer； and Rose took a sip；
with a beautiful air of plighting troth； understood only of those two。 When
Leibel quaffed the remnant it intoxicated him。 The relics of the bread and
cheese were the ambrosia to this nectar。 They did not dare kiss； the
suddenness of it all left them bashful； and the smack of lips would have
been like a cannon…peal announcing their engagement。 There was a subtler
sweetness in this sense of a secret； apart from the fact that neither cared to
break the news to the master tailor； a stern little old man。 Leibel's chalk
marks continued indecisive that afternoon； which shows how correctly
Rose had connected them with love。
Before he left that night Rose said to him； 〃Art thou sure thou wouldst
not rather have Leah Volcovitch？〃
〃Not for all the boots and shoes in the world；〃 replied Leibel；
vehemently。
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〃And I；〃 protested Rose； 〃would rather go without my own than
without thee。〃
The landing outside the workshop was so badly lighted that their lips
came together in the darkness。
〃Nay； nay； thou must not yet；〃 said Rose。 〃Thou art still courting Leah
Volcovitch。 For aught thou knowest； Sugarman the Shadchan may have
entangled thee beyond redemption。〃
〃Not so；〃 asserted Leibel。 〃I have only seen the maiden once。〃
〃Yes。 But Sugarman has seen her father several times；〃 persisted Rose。
〃For so misshapen a maiden his commission would be large。 Thou must
go to Sugarman to…night； and tell him that thou canst not find it in thy
heart to go on with the match。〃
〃Kiss me； and I will go；〃 pleaded Leibel。
〃Go； and I will kiss thee；〃 said Rose； resolutely。
〃And when shall we tell thy father？〃 he asked； pressing her hand； as
the next best thing to her lips。
〃As soon as thou art free from Leah。〃
〃But will he consent？〃
〃He will not be glad；〃 said Rose； frankly。 〃But after mother's death
peace be upon herthe rule passed from her hands into mine。〃
〃Ah； that is well；〃 said Leibel。 He was a superficial thinker。
Leibel found Sugarman at supper。 The great Shadchan offered him a
chair； but nothing else。 Hospitality was associated in his mind with special
occasions only； and involved lemonade and 〃stuffed monkeys。〃
He was very put outalmost to the point of indigestionto hear of
Leibel's final determination； and plied him with reproachful inquiries。
〃You don't mean to say that you give up a boot and shoe manufacturer
merely because his daughter has round shoulders！〃 he exclaimed；
incredulously。
〃It is more than round shouldersit is a hump！〃 cried Leibel。
〃And suppose？ See how much better off you will be when you get
your own machines！ We do not refuse to let camels carry our burdens
because they have humps。〃
〃Ah； but a wife is not a camel；〃 said Leibel； with a sage air。
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〃And a cutter is not a master tail
