the fortune hunter-第1部分

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The　Fortune　Hunter

David　Graham　Phillips





CONTENTS

CHAPTER　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　
I　　　　ENTER　MR。　FEURSTEIN
II　　　BRASS　OUTSHINES　GOLD
III　　FORTUNE　FAVORS　THE　IMPUDENT
IV　　　A　BOLD　DASH　AND　A　DISASTER
V　　　　A　SENSITIVE　SOUL　SEEKS　SALVE
VI　　　TRAGEDY　IN　TOMKINS　SQUARE
VII　　LOVE　IN　SEVERAL　ASPECTS
VIII　A　SHEEP　WIELDS　THE　SHEARS
IX　　　AN　IDYL　OF　PLAIN　PEOPLE
X　　　　MR。　FUERSTEIN　IS　CONSISTENT
XI　　　MR。　FEURSTEIN'S　CLIMAX
XII　　EXIT　MR。　FUERSTEIN





THE　FORTUNE　HUNTER




ENTER　MR。　FEUERSTEIN　


On　an　afternoon　late　in　April　Feuerstein　left　his　boarding…house　in　East　Sixteenth　Street；　in　the　block　just　beyond　the　eastern　gates　of　Stuyvesant　Square；　and　paraded　down　Second　Avenue。

A　romantic　figure　was　Feuerstein；　of　the　German　Theater　stock　company。　　He　was　tall　and　slender；　and　had　large；　handsome　features。　　His　coat　was　cut　long　over　the　shoulders　and　in　at　the　waist　to　show　his　lines　of　strength　and　grace。　　He　wore　a　pearl…gray　soft　hat　with　rakish　brim；　and　it　was　set　with　suspicious　carelessness　upon　bright　blue；　and　seemed　to　blazon　a　fiery；　sentimental　nature。　　He　strode　along；　intensely　self…conscious；　not　in　the　way　that　causes　awkwardness；　but　in　the　way　that　causes　a　swagger。　　One　had　only　to　glance　at　him　to　know　that　he　was　offensive　to　many　men　and　fascinating　to　many　women。

Not　an　article　of　his　visible　clothing　had　been　paid　for；　and　the　ten…cent　piece　in　a　pocket　of　his　trousers　was　his　total　cash　balance。　　But　his　heart　was　as　light　as　the　day。　　Had　he　not　youth？　　Had　he　not　health？　　Had　he　not　looks　to　bewitch　the　women；　brains　to　outwit　the　men？　　Feuerstein　sniffed　the　delightful　air　and　gazed　round；　like　a　king　in　the　midst　of　cringing　subjects。　　‘‘I　feel　that　this　is　one　of　my　lucky　days；''　said　he　to　himself。　　An　aristocrat；　a　patrician；　a　Hochwohlgeboren；　if　ever　one　was　born。

At　the　Fourteenth…Street　crossing　he　became　conscious　that　a　young　man　was　looking　at　him　with　respectful　admiration　and　with　the　anxiety　of　one　who　fears　a　distinguished　acquaintance　has　forgotten　him。　　Feuerstein　paused　and　in　his　grandest；　most　gracious　manner；　said：　　‘‘Ah！　　Mr。　Hartmanna　glorious　day！''

Young　Hartmann　flushed　with　pleasure　and　stammered；　‘‘Yesa　GLORIOUS　day！''

‘‘It　is　lucky　I　met　you；''　continued　Feuerstein。　　‘‘I　had　an　appointment　at　the　Cafe　Boulevard　at　four；　and　came　hurrying　away　from　my　lodgings　with　empty　pocketsI　am　so　absent…minded。　　Could　you　convenience　me　for　a　few　hours　with　five　dollars？　　I'll　repay　you　to…nightyou　will　be　at　Goerwitz's　probably？　　I　usually　look　in　there　after　the　theater。''

Hartmann　colored　with　embarrassment。

‘‘I'm　sorry；''　he　said　humbly；　‘‘I've　got　only　a　two…dollar　bill。　　If　it　would''

Feuerstein　looked　annoyed。　　‘‘Perhaps　　I　can　make　that　do。　　Thank　yousorry　to　trouble　you。　　I　MUST　be　more　careful。''

The　two　dollars　were　transferred；　Feuerstein　gave　Hartmann　a　flourishing　stage　salute　and　strode　grandly　on。　　Before　he　had　gone　ten　yards　he　had　forgotten　Hartmann　and　had　dismissed　all　financial　carehad　he　not　enough　to　carry　him　through　the　day；　even　should　he　meet　no　one　who　would　pay　for　his　dinner　and　his　drinks？　　‘‘Yes；　it　is　a　day　to　back　myself　to　winfearlessly！''

The　hedge　at　the　Cafe　Boulevard　was　green　and　the　tables　were　in　the　yard　and　on　the　balconies；　but　Feuerstein　entered；　seated　himself　in　one　of　the　smoke…fogged　reading…rooms；　ordered　a　glass　of　beer；　and　divided　his　attention　between　the　Fliegende　Blatter　and　the　faces　of　incoming　men。　　After　half　an　hour　two　men　in　an　arriving　group　of　three　nodded　coldly　to　him。　　He　waited　until　they　were　seated；　　then　joined　them　and　proceeded　to　make　himself　agreeable　to　the　one　who　had　just　been　introduced　to　himyoung　Horwitz；　an　assistant　bookkeeper　at　a　department　store　in　Twenty…third　Street。　　But　Horwitz　had　a　‘‘soul；''　and　the　yearning　of　that　secret　soul　was　for　the　stage。　　Feuerstein　did　Horwitz　the　honor　of　dining　with　him。　　At　a　quarter　past　seven；　with　his　two　dollars　intact；　with　a　loan　of　one　dollar　added　to　it；　and　with　five　of　his　original　ten　cents；　he　took　himself　away　to　the　theater。　　Afterward；　by　appointment；　he　met　his　new　friend；　and　did　him　the　honor　of　accompanying　him　to　the　Young　German　Shooters'　Society　ball　at　Terrace　Garden。

It　was　one　of　those　simple；　entirely　and　genuinely　gay　entertainments　that　assemble　the　society　of　the　real　New　Yorkthe　three　and　a　half　millions　who　work　and　play　hard　and　live　plainly　and　without　pretense；　whose　ideals　center　about　the　　hearth；　and　whose　aspirations　are　to　retire　with　a　competence　early　in　the　afternoon　of　life；　thenceforth　placidly　to　assist　in　the　prosperity　of　their　children　and　to　have　their　youth　over　again　in　their　grandchildren。

Feuerstein's　gaze　wandered　from　face　to　face　among　the　young　women；　to　pause　at　last　upon　a　dark；　handsome；　strong…looking　daughter　of　the　people。　　She　had　coal…black　hair　that　curled　about　a　low　forehead。　　Her　eyes　were　dreamy　and　stormy。　　Her　mouth　was　sweet；　if　a　trifle　petulant。　　‘‘And　who　is　she？''　he　asked。

‘‘That's　Hilda　Brauner；''　replied　Horwitz。　　‘‘Her　father　has　a　delicatessen　in　Avenue　A。　　He's　very　richowns　three　flat…houses。　　They　must　bring　him　in　at　least　ten　thousand　net；　not　to　speak　of　what　he　makes　in　the　store。　　They're　fine　people；　those　Brauners；　none　nicer　anywhere。''

‘‘A　beautiful　creature；''　said　Feuerstein；　who　was　feeling　like　a　prince　who；　for　reasons　of　sordid　necessity；　had　condescended　to　a　party　in　Fifth　Avenue。　　‘‘I'd　like　to　meet　her。''

‘‘Certainly；''　replied　Horwitz。　　‘‘I'll　introduce　her　to　you。''

She　blushed　and　was　painfully　ill　at　ease　in　presence　of　his　grand　and　lofty　courtesyshe　who　had　been　used　to　the　offhand　manners　which　prevail　wherever　there　is　equality　of　the　sexes　and　the　custom　of　frank　sociability。　　And　when　he　asked　her　to　dance　she　would　have　refused　had　she　been　able　to　speak　at　all。　　But　he　bore　her　off　and　soon　made　her　forget　herself　in　the　happiness　of　being　drifted　in　his　strong　arm　upon　the　rhythmic　billows　of　the　waltz。　　At　the　end　he　led　her　to　a　seat　and　fell　to　complimenting　herhis　eyes　eloquent；　his　voice；　it　seemed　to　her；　as　entrancing　as　the　waltz　music。　　When　　he　spoke　in　German　it　was　without　the　harsh　sputtering　and　growling；　the　slovenly　slurring　and　clipping　to　which　she　had　been　accustomed。　　She　could　answer　only　with　monosyllables　or　appreciative　looks；　though　usually　she　was　a　great　talker　and；　as　she　had　much　common　sense　and　not　a　little　wit；　a　good　talker。　　But　her　awe　of　him；　which　increased　when　she　learned　that　he　was　on　the　stage；　did　not　prevent　her　from　getting　the　two　main　impressions　he　wished　to　make　upon　herthat　Mr。　Feuerstein　was　a　very　grand　person　indeed；　and　that　he　was　condescending　to　be　profoundly　smitten　of　her　charms。

She　was　the　‘‘catch''　of　Avenue　A；　taking　prospects　and　looks　together；　and　the　men　she　knew　had　let　her　rule　them。　　In　Mr。　Feuerstein　she　had　found　what　she　had　been　unconsciously　seeking　with　the　Idealismus　of　genuine　youtha　man　who　compelled　her　to　look　far　up　to　him；　a　　man　who　seemed　to　her　to　embody　those　vague　dreams　of　a　life　grand　and　beautiful；　away　off　somewhere；　which　are　dreamed　by　all　young　people；　and　by　not　a　few　older　ones；　who　have　less　excuse　for　not　knowing　where　happiness　is　to　be　found。　　He　spent　the　whole　evening　with　her；　Mrs。　Liebers　and　Sophie；　with　whom　she　had　come；　did　not　dare　interrupt　her　pleasure；　but　had　to　stay；　yawning　and　cross；　until　the　last　strain　of　Home；　Sweet　Home。

At　parting　he　pressed　her　hand。　　‘‘I　have　been　happy；''　he　murmured　in　a　tone　which　said；　‘‘Mine　is　a　sorrow…shadowed　soul　that　has　rarely　tasted　happiness。''

She　glanced　up　at　him　with　ingenuous　feeling　in　her　eyes　and　managed　to　stammer：　　‘‘I　hope　we'll　meet　again。''

‘‘Couldn't　I　come　down　to　see　you　Sunday　evening？''

‘‘There's　a　concert　in　the　Square。　　If　you're　there　I　might　see　you。''　

‘‘Until　Sunday　night；''　he　said；　and　made　her　feel　that　the　three　intervening　days　would　be　for　him　three　eternities。

She　thought　of　him　all　the　way　home　in　the　car；　and　until　she　fell　asleep。　　His　sonorous　name　was　in　her　mind　when　she　awoke　in　the　morning；　and；　as　she　stood　in　the　store　that　day；　waiting　on　the　customers；　she　looked　often　at　the　door；　and；　with　the　childhood…surviving　faith　of　youth　in　the　improbable　and　impossible；　hoped　that　he　would　appear。　　For　the　first　time　she　was　definitely　discontented　with　her　lot；　was　definitely　fascinated　by　the　idea　that　there　might　be　something　higher　and　finer　than　the　simple　occupations　and　simple　enjoyments　which　had　filled　her　life　thus　far。


In　the　evening　after　supper　her　father　and　mother　left　her　and　her　brother　August　in　charge；　and　took　their　usual　stroll　　for　exercise　and　for　the　profound　delight　of　a　look　at　their　flat…housesthose　reminders　of　many　years　of　toil　and　thrift。　　They　had　spent　their　youth；　she　as　cook；　he　as　helper；　in　one　of　New　York's　earliest　delicatessen　shops。　　When　they　had　saved　three　thousand　dollars　they　married　and　put　into　effect　the　plan　which　had　been　their　chief　subject　of　conversation　every　day　and　every　evening　for　ten　years　they　opened　the　‘‘delicatessen''　in　Avenue　A；　near　Second　Street。　　They　lived　in　two　back　rooms；　they　toiled　early　and　late　for　twenty…three　contented；　cheerful　years　she　in　the　shop　when　she　was　not　doing　the　housework　or　caring　for　the　babies；　he　in　the　great　clean　cellar；　where　the　cooking　and　cabbage…cutting　and　pickling　and　spicing　were　done。　　And　now；　owners　of　three　houses　that　brought　in　eleven　thousand　a　year　clear；　they　were　about　to　retire。　　They　had　fixed　on　a　place　in　the　　Bronx；　in　the　East　Side；　of　course；　with　a　big　garden；　where　every　kind　of　gay　flower　and　good　vegetable　could　be　grown；　and　an　arbor　where　there　could　be　pinochle；　beer　and　coffee　on　Sunday　afternoons。　　In　a　sentence；　they　were　honorable　and　exemplary　members　of　that　great　mass　of　humanity　which　has　the　custody　of　the　present　and　the　future　of　the　racethose　who　live　by　the　sweat　of　their　own　brows　or　their　own　brains；　and　train　their　children　to　do　likewise；　those　who　maintain　the　true　ideals　of　happiness　and　progress；　those　from　whom　spring　all　the　workers　and　all　the　leaders　of　thought　and　action。

They　walked　slowly　up