Part 45 (1/2)
Abe grunted inarticulately and handed a match to Feigenbaum, who lit his cigar, a fine imported one, and blew out great clouds of smoke with every evidence of appreciative enjoyment.
”Where's Rifkin?” he inquired between puffs.
Abe shook his head and smiled.
”You got to ask me something easier than that, Mr. Feigenbaum,” he murmured.
”What d'ye mean?” Feigenbaum cried, jumping to his feet.
”Ain't you heard it yet?” Abe asked.
”I ain't heard nothing,” Feigenbaum exclaimed.
”Then sit down and I'll tell you all about it,” Abe said.
Feigenbaum sat down again.
”You mean to tell me you ain't heard it nothing about Rifkin?”
Abe went on.
”Do me the favor, Potash, and spit it out,” Feigenbaum broke in impatiently.
”Well, Rifkin run away,” Abe announced.
”Run away!”
”That's what I said,” Abe went on. ”He made it a big failure and skipped to the old country.”
”You don't tell me!” Feigenbaum said. ”Why, I used to buy it all my goods from Rifkin.”
Abe leaned forward and placed his hand on Feigenbaum's knees.
”I know it,” he murmured, ”and oncet you used to buy it all your goods from us, Mr. Feigenbaum. I a.s.sure you, Mr. Feigenbaum, I don't want to make no bluffs nor nothing, but believe me, the line of garments what we carry and the line of garments what H. Rifkin carried, there ain't no comparison. Merchandise what H. Rifkin got in his place as leaders already, I wouldn't give 'em junk room.”
Mr. Feigenbaum nodded.
”Well, the fixtures what you was carrying at one time, Potash, I wouldn't give 'em junk room neither,” Feigenbaum declared. ”You're lucky I didn't sue you in the courts yet for busting my nose against that high rack of yours. I ain't never recovered from that accident what I had in your place, Potash. I got it catarrh yet, I a.s.sure you.”
”Accidents could happen with the best regulations, Mr. Feigenbaum,” Abe cried, ”and you see that here we got it a fine new line of fixtures.”
”Not so good as what Rifkin carried,” Feigenbaum said.
”Rifkin carried fine fixtures, Mr. Feigenbaum,” Abe admitted, ”but not so fine as what we got. We got it everything up to date. You couldn't b.u.mp your nose here, not if you was to get down on your hands and knees and try.”
”I wouldn't do it,” Mr. Feigenbaum said solemnly.
”Sure not,” Abe agreed. ”But come and look around our loft. We just moved in here, and everything we got it is new--fixtures and garments as well.”
”I guess you must excuse me. I ain't got much time to spare,” Mr.