stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第14章
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！
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。
60
… Page 61…
STORIES
〃And a cutter is not a master tailor；〃 retorted Sugarman。
〃Enough； enough！〃 cried Leibel。 〃I tell you； I would not have her if
she were a machine warehouse。〃
〃There sticks something behind；〃 persisted Sugarman； unconvinced。
Leibel shook his head。 〃Only her hump〃 he said with a flash of
humour。
〃Moses Mendelssohn had a hump；〃 expostulated Sugarman；
reproachfully。
〃Yes； but he was a heretic；〃 rejoined Leibel； who was not without
reading。 〃And then he was a man！ A man with two humps could find a
wife for each。 But a woman with a hump cannot expect a husband in
addition。〃
〃Guard your tongue from evil；〃 quoth the Shadchan； angrily。 〃If
everybody were to talk like you Leah Volcovitch would never be married
at all。〃
Leibel shrugged his shoulders； and reminded him that hunchbacked
girls who stammered and squinted and halted on left legs were not usually
led under the canopy。
〃Nonsense！ Stuff！〃 cried Sugarman； angrily。 〃That is because they do
not come to me。〃
〃Leah Volcovitch /has/ come to you；〃 said Leibel； 〃but she shall not
come to me。〃 And he rose； anxious to escape。
Instantly Sugarman gave a sigh of resignation。 〃Be it so！ Then I shall
have to look out for another； that's all。〃
〃No； I don't want any；〃 replied Leibel； quickly。
Sugarman stopped eating。 〃You don't want any？〃 he cried。 〃But you
came to me for one？〃
〃IIknow；〃 stammered Leibel。 〃But I'veI've altered my mind。〃
〃One needs Hillel's patience to deal with you！〃 cried Sugarman。 〃But I
shall charge you； all the same； for my trouble。 You cannot cancel an order
like this in the middle！ No； no！ You can play fast and loose with Leah
Volcovitch； but you shall not make a fool of me。〃
〃But if I don't want one？〃 said Leibel； sullenly。
Sugarman gazed at him with a cunning look of suspicion。 〃Didn't I say
61
… Page 62…
STORIES
there was something sticking behind？〃
Leibel felt guilty。 〃But whom have you got in your eye？〃 he inquired；
desperately。
〃Perhaps you may have some one in yours！〃 naively answered
Sugarman。
Leibel gave a hypocritic long…drawn 〃U…m…m…m！ I wonder if Rose
Green where I work〃 he said； and stopped。
〃I fear not；〃 said Sugarman。 〃She is on my list。 Her father gave her to
me some months ago； but he is hard to please。 Even the maiden herself is
not easy； being pretty。〃
〃Perhaps she has waited for some one；〃 suggested Leibel。
Sugarman's keen ear caught the note of complacent triumph。
〃You have been asking her yourself！〃 he exclaimed； in horror…stricken
accents。
〃And if I have？〃 said Leibel； defiantly。
〃You have cheated me！ And so has Eliphaz GreenI always knew he
was tricky！ You have both defrauded me！〃
〃I did not mean to；〃 said Leibel； mildly。
〃You /did/ mean to。 You had no business to take the matter out of my
hands。 What right had you to propose to Rose Green？〃
〃I did not；〃 cried Leibel； excitedly。
〃Then you asked her father！〃
〃No； I have not asked her father yet。〃
〃Then how do you know she will have you？〃
〃II know；〃 stammered Leibel； feeling himself somehow a liar as well
as a thief。 His brain was in a whirl； he could not remember how the thing
had come about。 Certainly he had not proposed； nor could he say that she
had。
〃You know she will have you；〃 repeated Sugarman； reflectively。 〃And
does /she/ know？〃
〃Yes。 In fact；〃 he blurted out； 〃we arranged it together。〃
〃Ah； you both know。 And does her father know？〃
〃Not yet。〃
〃Ah； then I must get his consent；〃 said Sugarman； decisively。
62
… Page 63…
STORIES
〃II thought of speaking to him myself。〃
〃Yourself！〃 echoed Sugarman； in horror。 〃Are you unsound in the head？
Why； that would be worse than the mistake you have already made！〃
〃What mistake？〃 asked Leibel； firing up。
〃The mistake of asking the maiden herself。 When you quarrel with her
after your marriage she will always throw it in your teeth that you wished
to marry her。 Moreover； if you tell a maiden you love her； her father will
think you ought to marry her as she stands。 Still； what is done is done。〃
And he sighed regretfully。
〃And what more do I want？ I love her。〃
〃You piece of clay！〃 cried Sugarman； contemptuously。 〃Love will not
turn machines； much less buy them。 You must have a dowry。 Her father
has a big stocking； he can well afford it。〃
Leibel's eyes lit up。 There was really no reason why he should not
have bread and cheese with his kisses。
〃Now； if /you/ went to her father；〃 pursued the Shadchan； 〃the odds are
that he would not even give you his daughterto say nothing of the dowry。
After all； it is a cheek of you to aspire so high。 As you told me from the
first； you haven't saved a penny。 Even my commission you won't be able
to pay till you get the dowry。 But if /I/ go I do not despair of getting a
substantial sumto say nothing of the daughter。〃
〃Yes； I think you had better go；〃 said Leibel； eagerly。
〃But if I do this thing for you I shall want a pound more；〃 rejoined
Sugarman。
〃A pound more！〃 echoed Leibel； in dismay。 〃Why？〃
〃Because Rose Green's hump is of gold；〃 replied Sugarman； oracularly。
〃Also； she is fair to see； and many men desire her。〃
〃But you have always your five per cent； on the dowry。〃
〃It will be less than Volcovitch's；〃 explained Sugarman。 〃You see；
Green has other and less beautiful daughters。〃
〃Yes； but then it settles itself more easily。 Say five shillings。〃
〃Eliphaz Green is a hard man；〃 said the Shadchan instead。
〃Ten shillings is the most I will give！〃
〃Twelve and sixpence is the least I will take。 Eliphaz Green haggles so
63
… Page 64…
STORIES
terribly。〃
They split the difference； and so eleven and threepence represented the
predominance of Eliphaz Green's stinginess over Volcovitch's。
The very next day Sugarman invaded the Green workroom。 Rose bent
over her seams； her heart fluttering。 Leibel had duly apprised her of the
roundabout manner in which she would have to be won； and she had
acquiesced in the comedy。 At the least it would save her the trouble of
father…taming。
Sugarman's entry was brusque and breathless。 He was overwhelmed
with joyous emotion。 His blue bandana trailed agitatedly from his coat…
tail。
〃At last！〃 he cried； addressing the little white…haired master tailor； 〃I
have the very man for you。〃
〃Yes？〃 grunted Eliphaz； unimpressed。 The monosyllable was packed
with emotion。 It said； 〃Have you really the face to come to me again with
an ideal man？〃
〃He has all the qualities that you desire；〃 began the Shadchan； in a
tone that repudiated the implications of the monosyllable。 〃He is young；
strong； God…fearing〃
〃Has he any money？〃 grumpily interrupted Eliphaz。
〃He /will/ have money；〃 replied Sugarman； unhesitatingly； 〃when he
marries。〃
〃Ah！〃 The father's voice relaxed； and his foot lay limp on the treadle。
He worked one of his machines himself； and paid himself the wages so as
to enjoy the profit。 〃How much will he have？〃
〃I think he will have fifty pounds； and the least you can do is to let him
have fifty pounds；〃 replied Sugarman； with the same happy ambiguity。
Eliphaz shook his head on principle。
〃Yes； you will；〃 said Sugarman； 〃when you learn how fine a man he
is。〃
The flush of confusion and trepidation already on Leibel's countenance
became a rosy glow of modesty； for he could not help overhearing what
was being said； owing to the lull of the master tailor's machine。
〃Tell me； then；〃 rejoined Eliphaz。
64
… Page 65…
STORIES
〃Tell me； first； if you will give fifty to a young； healthy； hard… working；
God…fearing man； whose idea it is to start as a master tailor on his own
account？ And you know how profitable that is！〃
〃To a man like that；〃 said Eliphaz； in a burst of enthusiasm； 〃I would
give as much as twenty…seven pounds ten！〃
Sugarman groaned inwardly； but Leibel's heart leaped with joy。 To get
four months' wages at a stroke！ With twenty…seven pounds ten he could
certainly procure several machines； especially on the instalment system。
Out of the corners of his eyes he shot a glance at Rose； who was beyond
earshot。
〃Unless you can promise thirty it is waste of time mentioning his
name；〃 said Sugarman。
〃Well； wellwho is he？〃
Sugarman bent down； lowering his voice into the father's ear。
〃What！ Leibel！〃 cried Eliphaz； outraged。
〃Sh！〃 said Sugarman； 〃or he will overhear your delight； and ask more。
He has his nose high enough； as it is。〃
〃Bbbut；〃 sputtered the bewildered parent； 〃I know Leibel myself。
I see
