the foreigner-第14章
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so very much。〃 He put the sharp blade against Rosenblatt's breast high up above the heart； and drove it slowly down through the soft flesh till he came to bone。 Like a mad thing； his unhappy victim threw himself wildly about in a furious struggle。 But he was like a babe in the hands that gripped him。 Kalmar laughed gleefully。 〃Aha！ Aha！ Good！ Good！ You give me much joy。 Alas！ it is so short… lived； and I must hurry。 Now for your right eye。 Or would you prefer the left first？〃
As he released the pressure upon Rosenblatt's throat； the wretched man gurgled forth； 〃Mercy！ Mercy！ God's name； mercy！〃
Piteous abject terror showed in his staring eyes。 His voice was to Kalmar like blood to a tiger。
〃Mercy！〃 he hissed； thrusting his face still nearer； his smile now all gone。 〃Mercy？ God's name！ Hear him！ I； too； cried for mercy for father； brother； wife； but found none。 Now though God Himself should plead； you will have only such mercy from me。〃 He seemed to lose hold of himself。 His breath came in thick sharp sobs； foam fell from his lips。 〃Ha；〃 he gasped。 〃I cannot wait even to pick your eyes。 There is some one at the door。 I must drink your heart's blood now！ Now！ A…h…h…h！〃 His voice rose in a wild cry； weird and terrible。 He raised his knife high； but as it fell the Dalmatian； who had been amusing himself battering the Polak about during these moments； suddenly heaved the little man at Kalmar； and knocked him into the corner。 The knife fell； buried not in the heart of Rosenblatt； but in the Polak's neck。
There was no time to strike again。 There was a loud battering； then a crash as the door was kicked open。
〃Hello！ What is all this row here？〃
It was Sergeant Cameron； pushing his big body through the crowd as a man bursts through a thicket。 An awed silence had fallen upon all； arrested； sobered by that weird cry。 Some of them knew that cry of old。 They had heard it in the Old Land in circumstances of heart…chilling terror； but never in this land till this moment。
〃What is all this？〃 cried the Sergeant again。 His glance swept the room and rested upon the huddled heap of men in the furthest corner。 He seized the topmost and hauled him roughly from the heap。
〃Hello！ What's this？ Why； God bless my soul！ The man is dying！〃
From a wound in the neck the blood was still spouting。 Quickly the Sergeant was on his knees beside the wounded man； his thumb pressed hard upon the gaping wound。 But still the blood continued to bubble up and squirt from under his thumb。 All around； the earthen floor was muddy with blood。
〃Run； some of you；〃 commanded the Sergeant； 〃and hurry up that Dr。 Wright； Main Street； two corners down！〃
Jacob Wassyl； who had come in from the room above； understood； and sent a man off with all speed。
〃Good Lord！ What a pig sticking！〃 said the Sergeant。 〃There is a barrel of blood around here。 And here is another man！ Here you！〃 addressing Jacob； 〃put your thumb here and press so。 It is not much good； but we cannot do anything else just now。〃 The Sergeant straightened himself up。 Evidently this was no ordinary 〃scrap。〃 〃Let no man leave this room；〃 he cried aloud。 〃Tell them；〃 he said； addressing Jacob； 〃you speak English； and two of you； you and you； stand by the door and let no man out except as I give the word。〃
The two men took their places。
〃Now then； let us see what else there is here。 Do you know these men？〃 he enquired of Jacob。
〃Dis man；〃 replied Jacob； 〃I not know。 Him Polak man。〃
The men standing about began to jabber。
〃What do they say？〃
〃Him Polak。 Kravicz his name。 He no bad man。 He fight quick； but not a bad man。〃
〃Well； he won't fight much more； I am thinking；〃 replied the Sergeant。
A second man lay on his back in a pool of blood； insensible。 His face showed ghastly beneath its horrible smear of blood and filth。
〃Bring me that lantern；〃 commanded the Sergeant。
〃My God！〃 cried Jacob； 〃it is Rosenblatt！〃
〃Rosenblatt？ Who is he？〃
〃De man dat live here； dis house。 He run store。 Lots mon'。 My God！ He dead！〃
〃Looks like it；〃 said the Sergeant； opening his coat。 〃He's got a bad hole in him here；〃 he continued； pointing to a wound in the chest。 〃Looks deep； and he is bleeding； too。〃
There was a knocking at the door。
〃Let him in；〃 cried the Sergeant； 〃it is the doctor。 Hello； Doctor！ Here is something for you all right。〃
The doctor； a tall； athletic young fellow with a keen； intellectual face； pushed his way through the crowd to the corner and dropped on his knees beside the Polak。
〃Why； the man is dead！〃 said the doctor； putting his hand over the Polak's heart。
Even as he spoke； a shudder passed through the man's frame； and he lay still。 The doctor examined the hole in his neck。
〃Yes； he's dead； sure enough。 The jugular vein is severed。〃
〃Well； here is another； Doctor； who will be dead in a few minutes； if I am not mistaken；〃 said the Sergeant。
〃Let me see；〃 said the doctor； turning to Rosenblatt。 〃Heavens above！〃 he cried； as his knees sank in the bloody mud； 〃it's blood！〃
He passed round the other side of the unconscious man； got out his syringe and gave him a hypodermic。 In a few minutes Rosenblatt showed signs of life。 He began to breathe heavily； then to cough and spit mouthfuls of blood。
〃Ha； lung； I guess；〃 said the doctor； examining a small clean wound high up in the left breast。 〃Better send for an ambulance； Sergeant； and hurry them up。 The sooner we get him to the hospital； the better。 And here is another man。 What's wrong with him？〃
Beyond Rosenblatt lay a black…bearded man upon his face； breathing heavily。 The doctor turned him over。
〃He's alive anyway； and；〃 after examination； 〃I can't find any wound。 Heart all right； nothing wrong with him； I guess； except that he's got a bad jag on。〃
A cursory examination of the crowd revealed wounds in plenty； but nothing serious enough to demand the doctor's attention。
〃Now then；〃 said the Sergeant briskly； 〃I want to get your names and addresses。 You can let me have them？〃 he continued； turning to Jacob。
〃Me not know all mens。〃
〃Go on；〃 said the Sergeant curtly。
〃Dis man Rosenblatt。 Dis man Polak； Kravicz。 Not know where he live。〃
〃It would be difficult； I am thinking； for any one to tell where he lives now；〃 said the Sergeant grimly； 〃and it does not much matter for my purpose。〃
〃Poor chap；〃 said the doctor； 〃it's too bad。〃
〃What？〃 said the Sergeant； glancing at him； 〃well； it is too bad； that is true。 But they are a bad lot； these Galicians。〃
〃Poor chap；〃 continued the doctor； looking down upon him； 〃perhaps he has got a wife and children。〃
A murmur rose among the men。
〃No； he got no wife；〃 said Jacob。
〃Thank goodness for that！〃 said the doctor。 〃These fellows are a bit rough；〃 he continued； 〃but they have never had a chance； nor even half a chance。 A beastly tyrannical government at home has put the fear of death on them for this world； and an ignorant and superstitious Church has kept them in fear of purgatory and hell fire for the next。 They have never had a chance in their own land； and so far； they have got no better chance here； except that they do not live in the fear of Siberia。〃 The doctor had his own views upon the foreign peoples in the West。
〃That is all right； Doctor；〃 said the Sergeant； despite the Calvinism of generations beating in his heart； 〃it is hard on them； but there is nobody compelling them here to drink and fight like a lot of brutes。〃
〃But who is to teach them any better？〃 said the doctor。
〃Come on；〃 said the Sergeant； 〃who is this？〃 pointing to the dark… bearded man lying in the corner。
〃Dis man；〃 said Jacob； 〃strange man。〃
〃Any of you know him here？〃 asked the Sergeant。
There was a murmur of voices。
〃What do they say？〃
〃No one know him。 He drink much beer。 He very drunk。 He play cards wit' Rosenblatt；〃 said Jacob。
〃Playing cards； eh？ I think we will be finding something now。 Who else was in the card game？〃
Again a murmur of voices arose。
〃Dis Polak man；〃 said Jacob； 〃and Rosenblatt； and dat man dere； and〃
Half a dozen voices rose in explanation； and half a dozen hands eagerly poin
