the fortune hunter(闯世界的人)-第3章
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his embarrassment。 His pink and white skin was rosy red and his frank
blue…gray eyes shifted uneasily。 But he was smiling with eager
friendliness； showing even； sound； white teeth。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
‘‘You are coming to see us to…morrow？'' asked Mrs。 Braunerhe
always called on Sunday afternoons and stayed until five； when he had to
open shop for the Sunday supper rush。
‘‘Whythat isnot exactlyno；'' he stammered。 Hilda had told him
not to come； but he knew that if he admitted it to her parents they would
be severe with her。 He didn't like anybody to be severe with Hilda； and
he felt that their way of helping his courtship was not suited to the modern
ideas。 ‘‘They make her hate me；'' he often muttered。 But if he resented
it he would offend them and Hilda too； if he acquiesced he encouraged
them and added to Hilda's exasperation。
Mrs。 Brauner knew at once that Hilda was in some way the cause of
the break in the custom。 ‘‘Oh； you must come；'' she said。 ‘‘We'd feel
strange all week if we didn't see you on Sunday。''
‘‘YesI must have my cards；'' insisted Brauner。 He and Otto always
played pinochle； Otto's eyes most of the time and his thoughts all the time
were on Hilda； in the corner； at the zither； playing the maddest； most
romantic music； her father therefore usually won； poor at the game though
he was。 It made him cross to lose； and Otto sometimes defeated his own
luck deliberately when love refused to do it for him。
‘‘Very well； thenthat isif I can I'll try to come。''
Several customers pushed past him into his shop and he had to rejoin
his partner； Schwartz； behind the counters。 Brauner and his wife walked
slowly homeit was late and there would be more business than Hilda and
August could attend to。 As they crossed Third Street Brauner said：
‘‘Hilda must go and tell him to come。 This is her doing。''
‘‘But she can't do that；'' objected Mrs。 Brauner。 ‘‘She'd say it was
throwing herself at his head。''
‘‘Not if I send her？'' Brauner frowned with a seeming of severity。
‘‘Not if I； her father； send herfor two chickens； as we're out？'' Then he
laughed。 His fierceness was the family joke when Hilda was small she
used to say； ‘‘Now； get mad； father； and make little Hilda laugh！''
Hilda was behind the counter； a customer watching with fascinated
eyes the graceful； swift movements of her arms and hands as she tied up a
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
bundle。 Her sleeves were rolled to her dimpled elbows； and her arms
were round and strong and white； and her skin was fine and smooth。 Her
shoulders were wide； but not square； her hips were narrow； her wrists； her
hands； her head； small。 She looked healthy and vigorous and useful as
well as beautiful。
When the customers had gone Brauner said： ‘‘Go up to Schwartz
and Heilig； daughter； and ask them for two two…pound chickens。 And tell
Otto Heilig you'll be glad to see him to…morrow。''
‘‘But we don't need the chickens； now。 We'' Hilda's brow
contracted and her chin came out。
‘‘Do as I tell you；'' said her father。
‘‘MY children shall not sink to the disrespect of these days。''
‘‘But I shan't be here to…morrow！ I've made another engagement。''
‘‘You SHALL be here to…morrow！ If you don't wish young Heilig
here for your own sake； you must show consideration for your parents。
Are they to be deprived of their Sunday afternoon？ You have never done
this before； Hilda。 You have never forgotten us before。''
Hilda hung her head； after a moment she unrolled her sleeves； laid
aside her apron and set out。 She was repentant toward her father； but she
felt that Otto was to blame。 She determined to make him suffer for it
how easy it was to make him suffer； and how pleasant to feel that this big
fellow was her slave！ She went straight up to him。 ‘‘So you
complained of me； did you？'' she said scornfully； though she knew well
that he had not； that he could not have done anything that even seemed
mean。
He flushed。 ‘‘Nono；'' he stammered。 ‘‘No； indeed； Hilda。 Don't
think''
She looked contempt。 ‘‘Well； you've won。 Come down Sunday
afternoon。 I suppose I'll have to endure it。''
‘‘Hilda； you're wrong。 I will NOT come！'' He was angry； but his
mind was confused。 He loved her with all the strength of his simple；
straightforward nature。 Therefore he appeared at his worst before her
usually either incoherent or dumb。 It was not surprising that whenever it
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
was suggested that only a superior man could get on so well as he did； she
always answered： ‘‘He works twice as hard as any one else； and you
don't need much brains if you'll work hard。''
She now cut him short。 ‘‘If you don't come I'll have to suffer for it；''
she said。 ‘‘You MUST come！ I'll not be glad to see you。 But if you
don't come I'll never speak to you again！'' And she left him and went to
the other counter and ordered the chickens from Schwartz。
Heilig was wretched；another of those hideous dilemmas over which
he had been stumbling like a drunken man in a dark room full of furniture
ever since he let his mother go to Mrs。 Brauner and ask her for Hilda。 He
watched Hilda's splendid back； and fumbled about； upsetting bottles and
rattling dishes； until she went out with a glance of jeering scorn。
Schwartz burst out laughing。
‘‘Anybody could tell you are in love；'' he said。 ‘‘Be stiff with her；
Otto； and you'll get her all right。 It don't do to let a woman see that you
care about her。 The worse you treat the women the better they like it。
When they used to tell my father about some woman being crazy over a
man； he always used to say； ‘What sort of a scoundrel is he？' That was
good sense。''
Otto made no reply。 No doubt these maxims were sound and wise；
but how was he to apply them？ How could he pretend indifference when
at sight of her he could open his jaws only enough to chatter them； could
loosen his tongue only enough to roll it thickly about？ ‘‘I can work；'' he
said to himself； ‘‘and I can pay my debts and have something over； but
when it comes to love I'm no good。''
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
CHAPTER II
BRASS OUTSHINES GOLD
Hilda returned to her father's shop and was busy there until nine
o'clock。 Then Sophie Liebers came and they went into the Avenue for a
walk。 They pushed their way through and with the throngs up into
Tompkins Squarethe center of one
