[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.»Never you mind, old boy! We'll stay by you, dear!«»Das ri'!« cried the man, his face lighting up at the soothing tones of the woman's voice.»Das ri', I'm damn goo' f'ler an' w'en anyone trea's me ri', I trea's zem ri'! Shee?«»Sure!« cried the women.»And we're not goin' back on you, old man.«The man turned appealing eyes to the woman.He felt that if he could be convicted of a contemptible action he would die.»Shay, Nell, damn it, I allus trea's yehs shquare, didn' I? I allus been goo' f'ler wi' yehs, ain't I, Nell?«»Sure you have, Pete,« assented the woman.She delivered an oration to her companions.»Yessir, that's a fact.Pete's a square fellah, he is.He never goes back on a friend.He's the right kind an' we stay by him, don't we, girls?«»Sure,« they exclaimed.Looking lovingly at him they raised their glasses and drank his health.»Girlsh,« said the man, beseechingly, »I allus trea's yehs ri', didn' I? I'm goo' f'ler, ain' I, girlsh?«»Sure,« again they chorused.»Well,« said he finally, »le's have nozzer drink, zen.«»That's right,« hailed a woman, »that's right.Yer no bloomin' jay! Yer spends yer money like a man.Dat's right.«The man pounded the table with his quivering fists.»Yessir,« he cried, with deep earnestness, as if someone disputed him.»I'm damn goo' f'ler, an' w'en anyone trea's me ri', I allus trea's – le's have nozzer drink.«He began to beat the wood with his glass.»Shay!« howled he, growing suddenly impatient.As the waiter did not then come, the man swelled with wrath.»Shay!« howled he again.The waiter appeared at the door.»Bringsh drinksh,« said the man.The waiter disappeared with the orders.»Zat f'ler damn fool,« cried the man.»He insul' me! I'm ge'man! Can' stan' be insul'! I'm goin' lickim when comes!«»No, no!« cried the women, crowding about and trying to subdue him.»He's all right! He didn't mean anything! Let it go! He's a good fellah!«»Din' he insul' me?« asked the man earnestly.»No,« said they.»Of course he didn't! He's all right!«»Sure he didn' insul' me?« demanded the man, with deep anxiety in his voice.»No, no! We know him! He's a good fellah.He didn't mean anything.«»Well, zen,« said the man, resolutely, »I'm go' 'pol'gize!«When the waiter came, the man struggled to the middle of the floor.»Girlsh shed you insul' me! I shay damn lie! I 'pol'gize!«»All right,« said the waiter.The man sat down.He felt a sleepy but strong desire to straighten things out and have a perfect understanding with everybody.»Nell, I allus trea's yeh shquare, din' I? Yeh likes me, don' yehs, Nell? I'm goo' f'ler?«»Sure!« said the woman.»Yeh knows I'm stuck on yehs, don' yehs, Nell?«»Sure,« she repeated, carelessly.Overwhelmed by a spasm of drunken adoration, he drew two or three bills from his pocket, and with the trembling fingers of an offering priest, laid them on the table before the woman.»Yehs knows, damn it, yehs kin have all I got, 'cause I'm stuck on yehs, Nell, damn 't, I – I'm stuck on yehs, Nell – buy drinksh – damn 't – we're havin' heluva time – w'en anyone trea's me ri' – I – damn 't, Nell – we're havin' heluva – time.«Presently he went to sleep with his swollen face fallen forward on his chest.The women drank and laughed, not heeding the slumbering man in the corner.Finally he lurched forward and fell groaning to the floor.The women screamed in disgust and drew back their skirts.»Come ahn,« cried one, starting up angrily, »let's get out of here.«The woman of brilliance and audacity stayed behind, taking up the bills and stuffing them into a deep, irregularly-shaped pocket.A guttural snore from the recumbent man caused her to turn and look down at him.She laughed.»What a damn fool,« she said, and went.The smoke from the lamps settled heavily down in the little compartment, obscuring the way out.The smell of oil, stifling in its intensity, pervaded the air.The wine from an overturned glass dripped softly down upon the blotches on the man's neck.Chapter XIXIn a room a woman sat at a table eating like a fat monk in a picture.A soiled, unshaven man pushed open the door and entered.»Well,« said he, »Mag's dead.«»What?« said the woman, her mouth filled with bread.»Mag's dead,« repeated the man.»D' hell she is,« said the woman.She continued her meal.When she finished her coffee she began to weep.»I kin remember when her two feet was no bigger dan' yer t'umb, and she weared worsted boots,« moaned she.»Well, whata dat?« said the man.»I kin remember when she weared worsted boots,« she cried.The neighbors began to gather in the hall, staring in at the weeping woman as if watching the contortions of a dying dog.A dozen women entered and lamented with her.Under their busy hands the rooms took on that appalling appearance of neatness and order with which death is greeted.Suddenly the door opened and a woman in a black gown rushed in with outstretched arms.»Ah, poor Mary,« she cried, and tenderly embraced the moaning one.»Ah, what ter'ble affliction is dis,« continued she.Her vocabulary was derived from mission churches.»Me poor Mary, how I feel fer yehs! Ah, what a ter'ble affliction is a disobed'ent chil'.«Her good, motherly face was wet with tears.She trembled in eagerness to express her sympathy.The mourner sat with bowed head, rocking her body heavily to and fro, and crying out in a high, strained voice that sounded like a dirge on some forlorn pipe
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]