the foreigner-第2部分

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ders　regularly　spread　their　blankets；　and　were　it　not　for　the　space　demanded　by　the　stove　and　the　door；　whose　presence　he　deeply　regretted；　this　ingenious　manipulator　could　have　provided　for　some　fifteen　additional　beds。　　Beyond　the　partition；　which　as　a　concession　to　Rosenblatt's　finer　sensibilities　was　allowed　to　remain；　was　Paulina's　boudoir；　eight　feet　by　twelve；　where　she　and　her　two　children　occupied　a　roomy　bed　in　one　corner。　　In　the　original　plan　of　the　cottage　four　feet　had　been　taken　from　this　boudoir　for　closet　purposes；　which　closet　now　served　as　a　store　room　for　Paulina's　superfluous　and　altogether　wonderful　wardrobe。

After　a　few　weeks'　experiment；　Rosenblatt；　under　pressure　of　an　exuberant　hospitality；　sought　to　persuade　Paulina　that；　at　the　sacrifice　of　some　comfort　and　at　the　expense　of　a　certain　degree　of　privacy；　the　unoccupied　floor　space　of　her　boudoir　might　be　placed　at　the　disposal　of　a　selected　number　of　her　countrymen；　who　for　the　additional　comfort　thus　secured；　this　room　being　less　exposed　to　the　biting　wind　from　the　door；　would　not　object　to　pay　a　higher　price。　　Against　this　arrangement　poor　Paulina　made　feeble　protest；　not　so　much　on　her　own　account　as　for　the　sake　of　the　children。

〃Children！〃　cried　Rosenblatt。　　〃What　are　they　to　you？　　They　are　not　your　children。〃

〃No；　they　are　not　my　children；　but　they　are　my　man's；　and　I　must　keep　them　for　him。　　He　would　not　like　men　to　sleep　in　the　same　room　with　us。〃

〃What　can　harm　them　here？　　I　will　come　myself　and　be　their　protector；〃　cried　the　chivalrous　Rosenblatt。　　〃And　see；　here　is　the　very　thing！　　We　will　make　for　them　a　bed　in　this　snug　little　closet。　　It　is　most　fortunate；　and　they　will　be　quite　comfortable。〃

Still　in　Paulina's　slow…moving　mind　lingered　some　doubt　as　to　the　propriety　of　the　suggested　arrangement。　　〃But　why　should　men　come　in　here？　　I　do　not　need　the　money。　　My　man　will　send　money　every　month。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　the　alert　and　startled　Rosenblatt；　〃every　month！　　Ah！　very　good！　　But　this　house；　you　will　remember；　is　not　all　paid　for；　and　those　English　people　are　terrible　with　their　laws。　　Oh；　truly　terrible！〃　continued　the　solicitous　agent。　　〃They　would　turn　you　and　your　children　out　into　the　snow。　　Ah；　what　a　struggle　I　had　only　last　month　with　them！〃

The　mere　memory　of　that　experience　sent　a　shudder　of　horror　through　Rosenblatt's　substantial　frame；　so　that　Paulina　hastened　to　surrender；　and　soon　Rosenblatt　with　three　of　his　patrons；　selected　for　their　more　gentle　manners　and　for　their　ability　to　pay；　were　installed　as　night　lodgers　in　the　inner　room　at　the　rate　of　five　dollars　per　month。　　This　rate　he　considered　as　extremely　reasonable；　considering　that　those　of　the　outer　room　paid　three　dollars；　while　for　the　luxury　of　the　cellar　accommodation　two　dollars　was　the　rate。



CHAPTER　II

WHERE　EAST　MEETS　WEST


The　considerate　thoughtfulness　of　Rosenblatt　relieved　Paulina　of　the　necessity　of　collecting　these　monthly　dues；　to　her　great　joy；　for　it　was　far　beyond　her　mental　capacity　to　compute；　first　in　Galician　and　then　in　Canadian　money；　the　amount　that　each　should　pay；　and　besides；　as　Rosenblatt　was　careful　to　point　out；　how　could　she　deal　with　defaulters；　who；　after　accumulating　a　serious　indebtedness；　might　roll　up　their　blankets　and　without　a　word　of　warning　fade　away　into　the　winter　night？　　Indeed；　with　all　her　agent's　care；　it　not　unfrequently　happened　that　a　lodger；　securing　a　job　in　one　of　the　cordwood　camps；　would　disappear；　leaving　behind　him　only　his　empty　space　upon　the　floor　and　his　debt　upon　the　books；　which　Rosenblatt　kept　with　scrupulous　care。　　Occasionally　it　happened；　however；　that；　as　in　all　bookkeeping；　a　mistake　would　creep　in。　　This　was　unfortunately　the　case　with　young　Jacob　Wassyl's　account；　of　whose　perfidy　Paulina　made　loud　complaints　to　his　friends；　who　straightway　remonstrated　with　Jacob　upon　his　return　from　the　camp。　　It　was　then　that　Jacob's　indignant　protestations　caused　an　examination　of　Rosenblatt's　books；　whereupon　that　gentleman　laboured　with　great　diligence　to　make　abundantly　clear　to　all　how　the　obliteration　of　a　single　letter　had　led　to　the　mistake。　　It　was　a　striking　testimony　to　his　fine　sense　of　honour　that　Rosenblatt　insisted　that　Jacob；　Paulina；　and　indeed　the　whole　company；　should　make　the　fullest　investigation　of　his　books　and　satisfy　themselves　of　his　unimpeachable　integrity。　　In　a　private　interview　with　Paulina；　however；　his　rage　passed　all　bounds；　and　it　was　only　Paulina's　tearful　entreaties　that　induced　him　to　continue　to　act　as　her　agent；　and　not　even　her　tears　had　moved　him　had　not　Paulina　solemnly　sworn　that　never　again　would　she　allow　her　blundering　crudity　to　insert　itself　into　the　delicate　finesse　of　Rosenblatt's　financial　operations。　　Thenceforward　all　went　harmoniously　enough；　Paulina　toiling　with　unremitting　diligence　at　her　daily　tasks；　so　that　she　might　make　the　monthly　payments　upon　her　house；　and　meet　the　rapacious　demands　of　those　terrible　English　people；　with　their　taxes　and　interest　and　legal　exactions；　which　Rosenblatt；　with　meritorious　meekness；　sought　to　satisfy。　　So　engrossed；　indeed；　was　that　excellent　gentleman　in　this　service　that　he　could　hardly　find　time　to　give　suitable　over…　sight　to　his　own　building　operations；　in　which；　by　the　erection　of　shack　after　shack；　he　sought　to　meet　the　ever　growing　demands　of　the　foreign　colony。

Before　a　year　had　gone　it　caused　Rosenblatt　no　small　annoyance　that　while　he　was　thus　struggling　to　keep　pace　with　the　demands　upon　his　time　and　energy；　Paulina；　with　lamentable　lack　of　consideration；　should　find　it　necessary　to　pause　in　her　scrubbing；　washing；　and　baking；　long　enough　to　give　birth　to　a　fine　healthy　boy。　　Paulina's　need　brought　her　help　and　a　friend　in　the　person　of　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　who　lived　a　few　doors　away　in　the　only　house　that　had　been　able　to　resist　the　Galician　invasion。　　It　had　not　escaped　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　eye　nor　her　kindly　heart；　as　Paulina　moved　in　and　out　about　her　duties；　that　she　would　ere　long　pass　into　that　mysterious　valley　of　life　and　death　where　a　woman　needs　a　woman's　help；　and　so　when　the　hour　came；　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　with　fine　contempt　of　〃haythen〃　skill　and　efficiency；　came　upon　the　scene　and　took　command。　　It　took　her　only　a　few　moments　to　clear　from　the　house　the　men　who　with　stolid　indifference　to　the　sacred　rights　of　privacy　due　to　the　event　were　lounging　about。　　Swinging　the　broom　which　she　had　brought　with　her；　she　almost　literally　swept　them　forth；　flinging　their　belongings　out　into　the　snow。　　Not　even　Rosenblatt；　who　lingered　about；　did　she　suffer　to　remain。

〃Y're　wife　will　not　be　nadin'　ye；　I'm　thinkin'；　for　a　while。　　Ye　can　just　wait　till　I　can　bring　ye　wurrd　av　y're　babby；〃　she　said；　pushing　him；　not　unkindly；　from　the　room。

Rosenblatt；　whose　knowledge　of　English　was　sufficient　to　enable　him　to　catch　her　meaning；　began　a　vigorous　protest：

〃Eet　ees　not　my　woman；〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Eat；　is　it！〃　replied　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　taking　him　up　sharply。　〃Indade　ye　can　eat　where　ye　can　get　it。　　Faith；　it's　a　man　ye　are；　sure　enough；　that　can　niver　forget　y're　stomach！　　An'　y're　wife　comin'　till　her　sorrow！〃

〃Eet　ees　not　my〃　stormily　began　Rosenblatt。

〃Out　wid　ye；〃　cried　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　impatiently　waving　her　big　red　hands　before　his　face。　　〃Howly　Mother！　　It's　the　wurrld's　wonder　how　a　dacent　woman　cud　put　up　wid　ye！〃

And　leaving　him　in　sputtering　rage；　she　turned　to　her　duty；　aiding；　with　gentle　touch　and　tender　though　meaningless　words；　her　sister　woman　through　her　hour　of　anguish。

In　three　days　Paulina　was　again　in　her　place　and　at　her　work；　and　within　a　week　her　household　was　re…established　in　its　normal　condition。　　The　baby；　rolled　up　in　an　old　quilt　and　laid　upon　her　bed；　received　little　attention　except　when　the　pangs　of　hunger　wrung　lusty　protests　from　his　vigorous　lungs；　and　had　it　not　been　for　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　frequent　visits；　the　unwelcome　little　human　atom　would　have　fared　badly　enough。　　For　the　first　two　weeks　of　its　life　the　motherly…hearted　Irish　woman　gave　an　hour　every　day　to　the　bathing　and　dressing　of　the　babe；　while　Irma；　the　little　girl　of　Paulina's　household；　watched　in　wide…eyed　wonder　and　delight；　watched　to　such　purpose；　indeed；　that　before　the　two　weeks　had　gone　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick　felt　that　to　the　little　girl's　eager　and　capable　hands　the　baby　might　safely　be　entrusted。

〃It's　the　ould…fashioned　little　thing　she　is；〃　she　confided　to　her　husband；　Timothy。　　〃Tin　years；　an'　she　has　more　sinse　in　the　hair　outside　av　her　head　than　that　woman　has　in　the　brains　inside　av　hers。　　It's　aisy　seen　she's　no　mother　of　hersye　can　niver　get　canary　burrds　from　owls'　eggs。　　And　the　strength　of　her；〃　she　continued；　to　the　admiring　and　sympathetic　Timothy；　〃wid　her　white　face　and　her　burnin'　brown　eyes！〃

And　so　it　came　that　every　day；　no　matter　to　what　depths　the　thermometer　might　fall；　the　little　white…faced；　white…haired　Russian　girl　with　the　〃burnin'〃　brown　eyes　brought　Paulina's　baby　to　be　inspected　by　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick's　critical　eye。　　Before　a　year　had　passed　Irma　had　won　an　assured　place　in　the　admiration　and　affection　of　not　only　Mrs。　Fitzpatrick；　but　of　her　husband；　Timothy；　as　well。

But　of　Paulina　the　same　could　not　be　said；　for　with　the　passing　mo