english stories-london-第12部分

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hard　at　his　visitor。　But　he　found　nothing　to　say。



〃Come　to　see　my　wife；〃　the　man　repeated。　〃So　now　we　can　talk　it　over

as　man　to　man。〃



Simmons　slowly　shut　his　mouth；　and　led　the　way　upstairs　mechanically；

his　fingers　still　in　his　hair。　A　sense　of　the　state　of　affairs　sank

gradually　into　his　brain；　and　the　small　devil　woke　again。　Suppose　this

man　/was/　Ford？　Suppose　he　/did/　claim　his　wife？　Would　it　be　a　knock…

down　blow？　Would　it　hit　him　out？or　not？　He　thought　of　the　trousers；

the　tea…things；　the　mangling；　the　knives；　the　kettles；　and　the

windows；　and　he　thought　of　them　in　the　way　of　a　backslider。



On　the　landing　Ford　clutched　at　his　arm；　and　asked　in　a　hoarse

whisper；　〃　'Ow　long　'fore　she's　back？〃



〃　'Bout　an　hour；　I　expect；〃　Simmons　replied；　having　first　of　all

repeated　the　question　in　his　own　mind。　And　then　he　opened　the　parlour

door。



〃Ah；〃　said　Ford；　looking　about　him；　〃you've　bin　pretty　comf'table。

Them　chairs　an'　things；〃　jerking　his　pipe　toward　them；　〃was　hers

mine；　that　is　to　say；　speakin'　straight；　and　man　to　man。〃　He　sat　down；

puffing　meditatively　at　his　pipe；　and　presently；　〃Well；〃　he　continued；

〃　'ere　I　am　agin；　ol'　Bob　Ford；　dead　an'　done　forgone　down　in　the

/Mooltan/。　On'y　I　/ain't/　done　for；　see？〃　And　he　pointed　the　stem　of

his　pipe　at　Simmons's　waistcoat。　〃I　ain't　done　for；　'cause　why？

Cons'kence　o'　bein'　picked　up　by　a　ol'　German　sailin'…'utch　an'　took

to　'Frisco　'fore　the　mast。　I've　'ad　a　few　years　o'　knockin'　about

since　then；　an'　now〃looking　hard　at　Simmons〃I've　come　back　to　see

my　wife。〃



〃Sheshe　don't　like　smoke　in　'ere；〃　said　Simmons；　as　it　were　at

random。



〃No；　I　bet　she　don't；〃　Ford　answered；　taking　his　pipe　from　his　mouth

and　holding　it　low　in　his　hand。　〃I　know　'Anner。　'Ow　d'　you　find　'her？

Do　she　make　ye　clean　the　winders？〃



〃Well；〃　Simmons　admitted；　uneasily；　〃II　do　'elp　'er　sometimes；　o'

course。〃



〃Ah！　An'　the　knives　too；　I　bet；　an'　the　bloomin'　kittles。　I　know。

W'y〃he　rose　and　bent　to　look　behind　Simmons's　head〃s'　'elp　me；　I

b'lieve　she　cuts　yer　'air！　Well；　I'm　dammed！　Jes'　wot　she　would　do；

too。〃



He　inspected　the　blushing　Simmons　from　divers　points　of　vantage。　Then

he　lifted　a　leg　of　the　trousers　hanging　behind　the　door。　〃I'd　bet　a

trifle；〃　he　said；　〃she　made　these　'ere　trucks。　No…body　else　'ud　do　'em

like　that。　Damme！　they're　wuss'n　wot　you're　got　on。〃



The　small　devil　began　to　have　the　argument　all　its　own　way。　If　this

man　took　his　wife　back　perhaps　he'd　have　to　wear　those　trousers。



〃Ah；〃　Ford　pursued；　〃she　ain't　got　no　milder。　An'；　my　davy；　wot　a

jore！〃



Simmons　began　to　feel　that　this　was　no　longer　his　business。　Plainly；

'Anner　was　this　other　man's　wife；　and　he　was　bound　in　honour　to

acknowledge　the　fact。　The　small　devil　put　it　to　him　as　a　matter　of

duty。



〃Well；〃　said　Ford；　suddenly；　〃time's　short　an'　this　ain't　business。　I

won't　be　'ard　on　you；　matey。　I　ought　prop'ly　to　stand　on　my　rights；

but　seein'　as　you're　a　well…meaning　young　man；　so　to　speak；　an'　all

settled　an'　a…livin'　'ere　quiet　an'　matrimonual；　I'll〃this　with　a

burst　of　generosity〃damme！　yus；　I'll　compound　the　felony　an'　take　me

'ook。　Come；　I'll　name　a　figure；　as　man　to　man；　fust　an'　last；　no　less

an'　no　more。　Five　pound　does　it。〃



Simmons　hadn't　five　pounds；he　hadn't　even　fivepence；and　he　said

so。　〃An'　I　wouldn't　think　to　come　between　a　man　an'　'is　wife；〃　he

added；　〃not　on　no　account。　It　may　be　rough　on　me；　but　it's　a　dooty。

/I'll/　'ook　it。〃



〃No；〃　said　Ford；　hastily；　clutching　Simmons　by　the　arm；　〃don't　do

that。　I'll　make　it　a　bit　cheaper。　Say　three　quidcome；　that's

reasonable；　ain't　it？　Three　quid　ain't　much　compensation　for　me　goin'

away　for　everwhere　the　stormy　winds　do　blow；　so　to　sayan'　never　as

much　as　seein'　me　own　wife　agin　for　better　nor　wuss。　Between　man　an'

man；　now；　three　quid；　an'　I'll　shunt。　That's　fair；　ain't　it？〃



〃Of　course　it's　fair；〃　Simmons　replied；　effusively。　〃It's　more'n　fair：

it's　nobledownright　noble；　/I/　call　it。　But　I　ain't　goin'　to　take　a

mean　advantage　o'　your　good…'artedness；　Mr。　Ford。　She's　your　wife；　an'

I　oughtn't　to　'a'　come　between　you。　I　apologise。　You　stop　an'　'ave　yer

proper　rights。　It's　me　as　ought　to　shunt；　an'　I　will。〃　And　he　made　a

step　toward　the　door。



〃　'Old　on；〃　quoth　Ford；　and　got　between　Simmons　and　the　door；　〃don't

do　things　rash。　Look　wot　a　loss　it'll　be　to　you　with　no　'ome　to　go　to；

an'　nobody　to　look　after　ye；　an'　all　that。　It'll　be　dreadful。　Say　a

couplethere；　we　won't　quarrel；　jest　a　single　quid；　between　man　an'

man；　an'　I'll　stand　a　pot　out　o'　the　money。　You　can　easy　raise　a　quid

the　clock　'ud　pretty　nigh　do　it。　A　quid　does　it；　an'　I'll〃



There　was　a　loud　double　knock　at　the　front　door。　In　the　East　End　a

double　knock　is　always　for　the　upstairs　lodgers。



〃Oo's　that？〃　asked　Bob　Ford；　apprehensively。



〃I'll　see；〃　said　Thomas　Simmons；　in　reply；　and　he　made　a　rush　for　the

staircase。



Bob　Ford　heard　him　open　the　front　door。　The　he　went　to　the　window；　and

just　below　him　he　saw　the　crown　of　a　bonnet。　It　vanished；　and　borne　to

him　from　within　the　door　there　fell　upon　his　ear　the　sound　of　a　well…

remembered　female　voice。



〃Where　ye　goin'　now　with　no　'at？〃　asked　the　voice；　sharply。



〃Awright；　'Annerthere'sthere's　somebody　upstairs　to　see　you；〃

Simmons　answered。　And；　as　Bob　Ford　could　see；　a　man　went　scuttling

down　the　street　in　the　gathering　dusk。　And　behold；　it　was　Thomas

Simmons。



Ford　reached　the　landing　in　three　strides。　His　wife　was　still　at　the

front　door；　staring　after　Simmons。　He　flung　into　the　back　room；　threw

open　the　window；　dropped　from　the　wash…house　roof　into　the　back　yard；

scrambled　desperately　over　the　fence；　and　disappeared　into　the　gloom。

He　was　seen　by　no　living　soul。　And　that　is　why　Simmons's　base

desertionunder　his　wife's　very　eyes；　toois　still　an　astonishment

to　the　neighbours。







A　ROSE　OF　THE　GHETTO



BY



ISRAEL　ZANGWILL







One　day　it　occurred　to　Leibel　that　he　ought　to　get　married。　He　went　to

Sugarman　the　Shadchan　forthwith。



〃I　have　the　very　thing　for　you；〃　said　the　great　marriage　broker。



〃Is　she　pretty？〃　asked　Leibel。



〃Her　father　has　a　boot　and　shoe　warehouse；〃　replied　Sugarman；

enthusiastically。



〃Then　there　ought　to　be　a　dowry　with　her；〃　said　Leibel；　eagerly。



〃Certainly　a　dowry！　A　fine　man　like　you！〃



〃How　much　do　you　think　it　would　be？〃



〃Of　course　it　is　not　a　large　warehouse；　but　then　you　could　get　your

boots　at　trade　price；　and　your　wife's；　perhaps；　for　the　cost　of　the

leather。〃



〃When　could　I　see　her？〃



〃I　will　arrange　for　you　to　call　next　Sabbath　afternoon。〃



〃You　won't　charge　me　more　than　a　sovereign？〃



〃Not　a　groschen　more！　Such　a　pious　maiden！　I'm　sure　you　will　be　happy。

She　has　so　much　way…of…the…country　＇breeding＇。　And　of　course　five　per

cent　on　the　dowry？〃



〃H'm！　Well；　I　don't　mind！〃　〃Perhaps　they　won't　give　a　dowry；〃　he

thought　with　a　consolatory　sense　of　outwitting　the　Shadchan。



On　the　Saturday　Leibel　went　to　see　the　damsel；　and　on　the　Sunday　he

went　to　see　Sugarman　the　Shadchan。



〃But　your　maiden　squints！〃　he　cried；　resentfully。



〃An　excellent　thing！〃　said　Sugarman。　〃A　wife　who　squints　can　never

look　her　husband　straight　in　the　face　and　overwhelm　him。　Who　would

quail　before　a　woman　with　a　squint？〃



〃I　could　endure　the　squint；〃　went　on　Leibel；　dubiously；　〃but　she　also

stammers。〃



〃Well；　what　is　better；　in　the　event　of　a　quarrel？　The　difficulty　she

has　in　talking　will　keep　her　far　more　silent　than　most　wives。　You　had

best　secure　her　while　you　have　the　chance。〃



〃But　she　halts　on　the　left　leg；〃　cried　Leibel；　exasperated。



〃/Gott　in　Himmel！/　Do　you　mean　to　say　you　do　not　see　what　an　advantage

it　is　to　have　a　wife　unable　to　accompany　you　in　all　your　goings？〃



Leibel　lost　patience。



〃Why；　the　girl　is　a　hunchback！〃　he　protested；　furiously。



〃My　dear　Leibel；〃　said　the　marriage　broker；　deprecatingly　shrugging

his　shoulders　and　spreading　out　his　palms；　〃you　can't　expect

perfection！〃



Nevertheless　Leibel　persisted　in　his　unreasonable　attitude。　He　accused

Sugarman　of　wasting　his　time；　of　making　a　fool　of　him。



〃A　fool　of　you！〃　echoed　the　Shadchan；　indignantly；　〃when　I　give　you　a

chance　of　a　boot　and　shoe　manufacturer's　daughter？　You　will　make　a

fool　of　yourself　if　you　refuse。　I　dare　say　her　dowry　would　be　enough

to　set　you　up　as　a　master　tailor。　At　present　you　are　compelled　to

slave　away　as　a　cutter　for　thirty　shillings　a　week。　It　is　most　unjust。

If　you　only　had　a　few　machines　you　would　be　able　to　employ　your　own

cutters。　And　they　can　be　got　so　cheap　nowadays。〃



This　gave　Leibel　pause；　and　he　departed　without　having　definitely

broken　the　negotiations。　His　whole　week　was　befogged　by　doubt；　his

work　became　uncertain；　his　chalk　marks　lacked　their　usual　decision；

and　he　did　not　always　cut　his　coat　according　to　his　cloth。　His

aberrations　became　so　marked　that　pretty　Rose　Green；　the　sweater's

eldest　daughter；　who　managed　a　machine　in　the　same　room；　divined；　with

all　a　woman's　intuition；　that　he　was　in　love。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　said；　in　rallying　Yiddish；　when　they　were

taking　their　lunch　of　bread　and　cheese　and　ginger…beer　amid　the

clatter　of　machines；　whose　serfs　had　not　yet　knocked　off　work。



〃They　are　proposing　me　a　match；〃　he　answered；　sullenly。



〃A　match！〃　ejaculated　Rose。　〃Thou！〃　She　had　worked　by　his　side　for

years；　and　familiarity　bred　the　second　person　singular。　Leibel　nodded

his　head；　and　put　a　mouthful　of　Dutch　cheese　into　it。



〃With　whom？〃　asked　Rose。　Somehow　he　felt　ashamed。　He　gurgled　the

answer　into　the　stone　ginger…beer　bottle；　which　he　put　to　his　thirsty

lips。



〃With　Leah　Volcovitch！〃



〃Leah　Volcovitch！〃　gasped　Rose。　〃Leah；　the　boot　and　shoe

manufacturer's　daughter？〃



Leibel　hung　his　headhe　scarce　knew　why。　He　did　not　dare　meet　her

gaze。　His　droop　sa