the foreigner-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　however；　and　Samuel　Sprink　among　them；　who　were　either　too　dull…witted　to　recognise　the　change　that　had　come　to　the　young　girl；　or　were　unwilling　to　acknowledge　it。　　Samuel　was　unwilling　also　to　surrender　his　patronising　and　protective　attitude；　and　when　patronage　became　impossible　and　protection　unnecessary；　he　assumed　an　air　of　bravado　to　cover　the　feeling　of　embarrassment　he　hated　to　acknowledge；　and　tried　to　bully　the　girl　into　her　former　submissive　admiration。

This　completed　the　revulsion　in　Irma's　mind；　and　while　outwardly　she　went　about　her　work　in　the　house　with　her　usual　cheerful　and　willing　industry；　she　came　to　regard　her　admirer　and　would　be　patron　with　fear；　loathing；　and　contempt。　　Of　this；　however；　Samuel　was　quite　unaware。　　The　girl　had　changed　in　her　manner　as　in　her　dress；　but　that　might　be　because　she　was　older；　she　was　almost　a　woman；　after　the　Galician　standard　of　computation。　　Whatever　the　cause；　to　Samuel　the　change　only　made　her　more　fascinating　than　ever；　and　he　set　himself　seriously　to　consider　whether　on　the　whole；　dowerless　though　she　would　be；　it　would　not　be　wise　for　him　to　devote　some　of　his　time　and　energy　to　the　winning　of　this　fascinating　young　lady　for　himself。

The　possibility　of　failure　never　entered　Samuel's　mind。　　He　had　an　overpowering　sense　of　his　own　attractions。　　The　question　was　simply　should　he　earnestly　set　himself　to　accomplish　this　end？　　Without　definitely　making　up　his　mind　on　this　point；　much　less　committing　himself　to　this　object；　Samuel　allowed　himself　the　pleasurable　occupation　of　trifling　with　the　situation。　　But　alas　for　Samuel's　peace　of　mind！　and　alas　for　his　self…esteem！　the　daily　presence　of　this　fascinating　maiden　in　her　new　Canadian　dress　and　with　her　new　Canadian　manners；　which　appeared　to　go　with　the　dress；　quite　swept　him　away　from　his　ordinary　moorings；　and　he　found　himself　tossed　upon　a　tempestuous　sea；　the　helpless　sport　of　gusts　of　passion　that　at　once　surprised　and　humiliated　him。　　It　was　an　intolerably　painful　experience　for　the　self…centred　and　self…controlled　Samuel；　and　after　a　few　months　of　this　acute　and　humiliating　suffering　he　was　prepared　to　accept　help　from　almost　any　course。

At　this　point　Rosenblatt；　who　had　been　keeping　a　watchful　eye　upon　the　course　of　events；　intervened。

〃Samuel；　my　boy；〃　he　said　one　winter　night　when　the　store　was　closed　for　the　day；　〃you　are　acting　the　fool。　　You　are　letting　a　little　Slovak　girl　make　a　game　of　you。〃

〃I　attend　to　my　own　business；　all　the　same；〃　growled　Samuel。

〃You　do；　Samuel；　my　boy；　you　do。　　But　you　make　me　sorry　for　you；　and　ashamed。〃

Samuel　grunted；　unwilling　to　acknowledge　even　partial　defeat　to　the　man　whom　he　had　beaten　more　than　once　in　his　own　game。

〃You　desire　to　have　that　little　girl；　Samuel；　and　yet　you　are　afraid　of　her。〃

But　Samuel　only　snarled　and　swore。

〃You　forget　she　is　a　Galician　girl。〃

〃She　is　Russian；〃　interposed　Samuel；　〃and　she　is　of　good　blood。〃

〃Good　blood！〃　said　Rosenblatt；　showing　his　teeth　like　a　snarling　dog；　〃good　blood！　　The　blood　of　a　murdering　Nihilist　jail　bird！〃

〃She　is　of　good　Russian　blood；〃　said　Samuel　with　an　ugly　look　in　his　face；　〃and　he　is　a　liar　who　says　she　is　not。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　Rosenblatt；　turning　from　the　point；　〃she　is　a　Galician　in　everything　else。　　Her　mother　is　a　Galician；　a　low…bred　Galician；　and　you　treat　the　girl　as　if　she　were　a　lady。　　This　is　not　the　Galician　manner　of　wooing。　　A　bolder　course　is　necessary。　You　are　a　young　man　of　good　ability；　a　rising　young　man。　　You　will　be　rich　some　day。　　Who　is　this　girl　without　family；　without　dower　to　make　you　fear　or　hesitate？　　What　says　the　proverb？　　'A　bone　for　my　dog；　a　stick　for　my　wife。'〃

〃Yes；　that　is　all　right；〃　muttered　Samuel；　〃a　stick　for　my　wife；　and　if　she　were　my　wife　I　would　soon　bring　her　to　time。〃

〃Ho；　ho；〃　said　Rosenblatt；　〃it　is　all　the　same；　sweetheart　and　wife。　　They　are　both　much　the　better　for　a　stick　now　and　then。　　You　are　not　the　kind　of　man　to　stand　beggar　before　a　portionless　Slovak　girl；　a　young　man　handsome；　clever；　well…to…do。　　You　do　not　need　thus　to　humble　yourself。　　Go　in；　my　son；　with　more　courage　and　with　bolder　tactics。　　I　will　gladly　help　you。〃

As　a　first　result　of　Rosenblatt's　encouraging　advice；　Samuel　recovered　much　of　his　self…assurance；　which　had　been　rudely　shattered；　and　therefore　much　of　his　good　humour。　　As　a　further　result；　he　determined　upon　a　more　vigorous　policy　in　his　wooing。　He　would　humble　himself　no　more。　　He　would　find　means　to　bring　this　girl　to　her　place；　namely；　at　his　feet。

The　arrival　of　a　Saint's　day　brought　Samuel　an　opportunity　to　inaugurate　his　new　policy。　　The　foreign　colony　was　rigidly　devoted　to　its　religious　duties。　　Nothing　could　induce　a　Galician　to　engage　in　his　ordinary　avocation　upon　any　day　set　apart　as　sacred　by　his　Church。　　In　the　morning　such　of　the　colony　as　adhered　to　the　Greek　Church；　went　en　masse　to　the　quaint　little　church　which　had　come　to　be　erected　and　which　had　been　consecrated　by　a　travelling　Archbishop；　and　there　with　reverent　devotion　joined　in　worship；　using　the　elaborate　service　of　the　Greek　rite。　　The　religious　duties　over；　they　proceeded　still　further　to　celebrate　the　day　in　a　somewhat　riotous　manner。

With　the　growth　of　the　colony　new　houses　had　been　erected　which　far　outshone　Paulina's　in　magnificence；　but　Paulina's　still　continued　to　be　a　social　centre　chiefly　through　Rosenblatt's　influence。　　For　no　man　was　more　skilled　than　he　in　the　art　of　promoting　sociability　as　an　investment。　　There　was　still　the　full　complement　of　boarders　filling　the　main　room　and　the　basement；　and　these　formed　a　nucleus　around　which　the　social　life　of　a　large　part　of　the　colony　loved　to　gather。

It　was　a　cold　evening　in　February。　　The　mercury　had　run　down　till　it　had　almost　disappeared　in　the　bulb　and　Winnipeg　was　having　a　taste　of　forty　below。　　Through　this　exhilarating　air　Kalman　was　hurrying　home　as　fast　as　his　sturdy　legs　could　take　him。　　His　fingers　were　numb　handling　the　coins　received　from　the　sale　of　his　papers；　but　the　boy　cared　nothing　for　that。　　He　had　had　a　good　afternoon　and　evening；　for　with　the　Winnipeg　men　the　colder　the　night　the　warmer　their　hearts；　and　these　fierce　February　days　were　harvest　days　for　the　hardy　news　boys　crying　their　wares　upon　the　streets。　　So　the　sharp　cold　only　made　Kalman　run　the　faster。　　Above　him　twinkled　the　stars；　under　his　feet　sparkled　the　snow；　the　keen　air　filled　his　lungs　with　ozone　that　sent　his　blood　leaping　through　his　veins。　　A　new　zest　was　added　to　his　life　to…night；　for　as　he　ran　he　remembered　that　it　was　a　feast　day　and　that　at　his　home　there　would　be　good　eating　and　dance　and　song。　　As　he　ran　he　planned　how　he　would　avoid　Rosenblatt　and　get　past　him　into　Paulina's　room；　where　he　would　be　safe；　and　where；　he　knew；　good　things　saved　from　the　feast　for　him　by　his　sister　would　be　waiting　him。　　To　her　he　would　entrust　all　his　cents　above　what　was　due　to　Rosenblatt；　and　with　her　they　would　be　safe。　　For　by　neither　threatening　nor　wheedling　could　Rosenblatt　extract　from　her　what　was　entrusted　to　her　care；　as　he　could　from　the　slow…witted　Paulina。

Keenly　sensitive　to　the　radiant　beauty　of　the　sparkling　night；　filled　with　the　pleasurable　anticipation　of　the　feast　before　him；　vibrating　in　every　nerve　with　the　mere　joy　of　living　his　vigorous　young　life；　Kalman　ran　along　at　full　speed；　singing　now　and　then　in　breathless　snatches　a　wild　song　of　the　Hungarian　plains。　　Turning　a　sharp　corner　near　his　home；　he　almost　overran　a　little　girl。

〃Kalman！〃　she　cried　with　a　joyous　note　in　her　voice。

〃Hello！　　Elizabeth　Ketzel；　what　do　you　want？〃　answered　the　boy；　pulling　up　panting。

〃Will　you　be　singing　to…night？〃　asked　the　little　girl　timidly。

〃Sure；　I　will；〃　replied　the　lad；　who　had　already　mastered　in　the　school　of　the　streets　the　intricacies　of　the　Canadian　vernacular。

〃I　wish　I　could　come　and　listen。〃

〃It　is　no　place　for　little　girls；〃　said　Kalman　brusquely；　then　noting　the　shadow　upon　the　face　of　the　child；　he　added；　〃Perhaps　you　can　come　to　the　back　window　and　Irma　will　let　you　in。〃

〃I'll　be　sure　to　come；〃　said　Elizabeth　to　herself；　for　Kalman　was　off　again　like　the　wind。

Paulina's　house　was　overflowing　with　riotous　festivity。　　Avoiding　the　front　door；　Kalman　ran　to　the　back　of　the　house；　and　making　entrance　through　the　window；　there　waited　for　his　sister。　　Soon　she　came　in。

〃Oh；　Kalman！〃　she　cried；　throwing　her　arms　about　him　and　kissing　him；　〃such　a　feast　as　I　have　saved　for　you！　　And　you　are　cold。　Your　poor　fingers　are　frozen。〃

〃Not　a　bit　of　it；　Irma；〃　said　the　boythey　always　spoke　in　Russian；　these　two；　ever　since　the　departure　of　their　father　〃but　I　am　hungry；　oh！　so　hungry！〃

Already　Irma　was　flying　about　the　room；　drawing　from　holes　and　corners　the　bits　she　had　saved　from　the　feast　for　her　brother。　She　spread　them　on　the　bed　before　him。

〃But　first；〃　she　cried；　〃I　shall　bring　to　the　window　the　hot　stew。　Paulina；〃　the　children　always　so　spoke　of　her；　〃has　kept　it　hot　for　you；〃　and　she　darted　through　the　door。

After　what　seemed　to　Kalman　a　very　long　time　indeed；　she　appeared　at　the　window　with　a　covered　dish　of　steaming　stew。

〃What　kept　you？〃　said　her　brother　impatiently；　〃I　am　starved。〃

〃That　nasty；　hateful；