Hobohemians

104“But why should he choose me? How could he be so evil! How can I ever visit my friends again. They are all of them very select people. I am ruined. How can I tell my sweetheart?” Jank stamped the narrow bedroom in agony. Willy watched the crayon portrait on the wall. Two hundred francs so far, drinks, silk stockings, hotel, and now this, valued at the price of an opera seat, say one hundred. Got to get another two hundred out of him.

105“How could she go with me knowing her condition? I can never see her again. I should murder her.”

106“No, I shouldn’t see her again. I will take you to a good doctor. Come with me.”

107Willy took Jank to a distinguished quack on one of the boulevards. A flunkey took Jank’s name. He could be seen at once.

108When doktor in philosophy meets doctor in maladies des voies urinaires [diseases of the urinary tract]. . . . Willy thought how lucky it was for the first that he hadn’t really anything. Otherwise he could never get away from this place under pounds and pounds. He didn’t know the risks he was running, being so perturbed about the risks he hadn’t run. Jank returned. “He has taken a blood sample. I must come again. There is a special electrical treatment.”

109“Did he take any money?”

110“It will be a hundred francs a visit.”

111“Oh, that is very cheap in this line, modern treatment,” consoled Willy. “You must keep off drink.”

112Foreseeing a possible complication, Willy decided to forgive Heinke, and tell him most of the joke. Since Bela had recently half-strangled Heinke he kept Bela out of it.

113“When he made such insulting remarks about you, I thought we must get our own back. After all, she is your girl. It was disgusting the way he waited till you were out of the café to steal her. Waited till I went too.”

114Heinke’s eye rolled. He had never considered Lisette as particularly his, in view of many evidences to the contrary. But she was a fine girl and never troubled to hide her feelings for him. They should have been apparent to anyone, even to an idiot like Jank. Willy grew angry.

115“Besides, he said he was much better that way than you. I shall tell Lisette he is under treatment. Say you meant to tell her the man’s not safe. She’s very fond of you. And he never even stood her a drink.”

116Two weeks later Willy sitting with Heinke saw the Doktor enter the café.

117“I have been looking for you everywhere. Why haven’t you come for the lessons?”

118“I have been very ill,” said Willy. “This is the first day I have been out at all.” The two Germans sulked at one another. Then Jank bent across Willy: “That was a very base thing to do, Heinke. No Englishman would ever have done that.”

119“What?” growled Heinke.

120“Shove a girl like Lisette on to a fellow-countryman.”

121“Shove! It takes a dirty doktor from Heidelberg to steal his countryman’s girl.”