stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第15章
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He has his nose high enough； as it is。〃
〃Bbbut；〃 sputtered the bewildered parent； 〃I know Leibel myself。
I see him every day。 I don't want a Shadchan to find me a man I know a
mere hand in my own workshop！〃
〃Your talk has neither face nor figure；〃 answered Sugarman； sternly。
〃It is just the people one sees every day that one knows least。 I warrant
that if I had not put it into your head you would never have dreamt of
Leibel as a son…in…law。 Come now； confess。〃
Eliphaz grunted vaguely； and the Shadchan went on triumphantly： 〃I
thought as much。 And yet where could you find a better man to keep your
daughter？〃
〃He ought to be content with her alone；〃 grumbled her father。
Sugarman saw the signs of weakening； and dashed in； full strength：
〃It's a question whether he will have her at all。 I have not been to him
about her yet。 I awaited your approval of the idea。〃 Leibel admired the
verbal accuracy of these statements； which he had just caught。
〃But I didn't know he would be having money；〃 murmured Eliphaz。
〃Of course you didn't know。 That's what the Shadchan is forto point
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out the things that are under your nose。〃
〃But where will he be getting this money from？〃
〃From you；〃 said Sugarman； frankly。
〃From me？〃
〃From whom else？ Are you not his employer？ It has been put by for
his marriage day。〃
〃He has saved it？〃
〃He has not /spent/ it；〃 said Sugarman； impatiently。
〃But do you mean to say he has saved fifty pounds？〃
〃If he could manage to save fifty pounds out of your wages he would
be indeed a treasure；〃 said Sugarman。 〃Perhaps it might be thirty。〃
〃But you said fifty。〃
〃Well； /you/ came down to thirty；〃 retorted the Shadchan。 〃You cannot
expect him to have more than your daughter brings。〃
〃I never said thirty；〃 Eliphaz reminded him。 〃Twenty…seven ten was
my last bid。〃
〃Very well； that will do as a basis of negotiations；〃 said Sugarman；
resignedly。 〃I will call upon him this evening。 If I were to go over and
speak to him now； he would perceive you were anxious； and raise his
terms； and that will never do。 Of course you will not mind allowing me a
pound more for finding you so economical a son…in…law？〃
〃Not a penny more。〃
〃You need not fear；〃 said Sugarman； resentfully。 〃It is not likely I shall
be able to persuade him to take so economical a father…in…law。 So you will
be none the worse for promising。〃
〃Be it so；〃 said Eliphaz； with a gesture of weariness； and he started his
machine again。
〃Twenty…seven pounds ten； remember；〃 said Sugarman； above the
whir。
Eliphaz nodded his head； whirring his wheel…work louder。
〃And paid before the wedding； mind。〃
The machine took no notice。
〃Before the wedding； mind；〃 repeated Sugarman。 〃Before we go under
the canopy。〃
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〃Go now； go now！〃 grunted Eliphaz； with a gesture of impatience。 〃It
shall all be well。〃 And the white…haired head bowed immovably over its
work。
In the evening Rose extracted from her father the motive of
Sugarman's visit； and confessed that the idea was to her liking。
〃But dost thou think he will have me； little father？〃 she asked； with
cajoling eyes。
〃Any one would have my Rose。〃
〃Ah； but Leibel is different。 So many years he has sat at my side and
said nothing。〃
〃He had his work to think of。 He is a good； saving youth。〃
〃At this very moment Sugarman is trying to persuade himnot so？ I
suppose he will want much money。〃
〃Be easy； my child。〃 And he passed his discoloured hand over her hair。
Sugarman turned up the next day； and reported that Leibel was
unobtainable under thirty pounds； and Eliphaz； weary of the contest； called
over Leibel； till that moment carefully absorbed in his scientific chalk
marks； and mentioned the thing to him for the first time。 〃I am not a man
to bargain；〃 Eliphaz said； and so he gave the young man his tawny hand；
and a bottle of rum sprang from somewhere； and work was suspended for
five minutes； and the 〃hands〃 all drank amid surprised excitement。
Sugarman's visits had prepared them to congratulate Rose； but Leibel was
a shock。
The formal engagement was marked by even greater junketing； and at
last the marriage day came。 Leibel was resplendent in a diagonal frockcoat；
cut by his own hand； and Rose stepped from the cab a medley of flowers；
fairness； and white silk； and behind her came two bridesmaids；her
sisters；a trio that glorified the spectator…strewn pavement outside the
synagogue。 Eliphaz looked almost tall in his shiny high hat and frilled
shirt…front。 Sugarman arrived on foot； carrying red…socked little Ebenezer
tucked under his arm。
Leibel and Rose were not the only couple to be disposed of； for it was
the thirty…third day of the Omera day fruitful in marriages。
But at last their turn came。 They did not； however； come in their turn；
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and their special friends among the audience wondered why they had lost
their precedence。 After several later marriages had taken place a whisper
began to circulate。 The rumour of a hitch gained ground steadily； and the
sensation was proportionate。 And； indeed； the rose was not to be picked
without a touch of the thorn。
Gradually the facts leaked out； and a buzz of talk and comment ran
through the waiting synagogue。 Eliphaz had not paid up！
At first he declared he would put down the money immediately after
the ceremony。 But the wary Sugarman； schooled by experience； demanded
its instant delivery on behalf of his other client。 Hard pressed； Eliphaz
produced ten sovereigns from his trousers…pocket； and tendered them on
account。 These Sugarman disdainfully refused； and the negotiations were
suspended。 The bridegroom's party was encamped in one room； the bride's
in another； and after a painful delay Eliphaz sent an emissary to say that
half the amount should be forthcoming； the extra five pounds in a bright
new Bank of England note。 Leibel； instructed and encouraged by
Sugarman； stood firm。
And then arose a hubbub of voices； a chaos of suggestions； friends
rushed to and fro between the camps； some emerging from their seats in
the synagogue to add to the confusion。 But Eliphaz had taken his stand
upon a rockhe had no more ready money。 To…morrow； the next day； he
would have some。 And Leibel； pale and dogged； clutched tighter at those
machines that were slipping away momently from him。 He had not yet
seen his bride that morning； and so her face was shadowy compared with
the tangibility of those machines。 Most of the other maidens were married
women by now； and the situation was growing desperate。 From the female
camp came terrible rumours of bridesmaids in hysterics； and a bride that
tore her wreath in a passion of shame and humiliation。 Eliphaz sent word
that he would give an I O U for the balance； but that he really could not
muster any more current coin。 Sugarman instructed the ambassador to
suggest that Eliphaz should raise the money among his friends。
And the short spring day slipped away。 In vain the minister； apprised
of the block； lengthened out the formulae for the other pairs； and blessed
them with more reposeful unction。 It was impossible to stave off the
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Leibel…Green item indefinitely； and at last Rose remained the only orange…
wreathed spinster in the synagogue。 And then there was a hush of solemn
suspense； that swelled gradually into a steady rumble of babbling tongues；
as minute succeeded minute and the final bridal party still failed to appear。
The latest bulletin pictured the bride in a dead faint。 The afternoon was
waning fast。 The minister left his post near the canopy； under which so
many lives had been united； and came to add his white tie to the forces for
compromise。 But he fared no better than the others。 Incensed at the
obstinacy of the antagonists； he declared he would close the synagogue。
He gave the couple ten minutes to marry in or quit。 Then chaos came； and
pandemoniuma frantic babel of suggestion and exhortation from the
crowd。 When five minutes had passed a legate from Eliphaz announced
that his side had scraped together twenty pounds； and that this was their
final bid。
Leibel wavered； the long day's combat had told upon him； the reports
of the bride's distress had weakened him。 Even Sugarman had lost his
cocksureness of victory。 A few minutes more and both commissions might
slip through his fingers。 Once the parties left the synagogue； it would not
be easy to drive them there another day。 But he cheered on his man still：
one could always surrender at the tenth minute。
At the eighth the buzz of tongues faltered suddenly； to be transposed
into a new key； so to speak。 Through the gesticulating assembly swept that
murmur of expectation which crowds know when the procession is
coming at last。 By some mysterious magnetism all were aware that the
BRIDE herselfthe poor hysteric bridehad left the paternal camp； was
coming in person to plead with her mercenary lover。
And as the glory of her and the flowers and the white draperies loomed
upon Leibel's vision his heart melted in worship； and he knew his citadel
would crumble in ruins at her first glance； at her first touch。 Was it fair
fighting？ As his troubled vision cleared； and as she came nigh unto him；
he saw to his amazement that she was speckless and composedno trace
of tears dimmed the fairness of her face；
