Part 52 (2/2)
Simonetti looked amazedly at Baskof.
”Sure,” Baskof said. ”It ain't too late if he ain't signed the contract.”
”What do you mean?” Simonetti asked.
”Why, I mean this, Simonetti,” Baskof replied. ”Sammet Brothers will give you a contract for two thousand dollars, and Perlmutter here is willing to pay you twenty-five hundred. Ain't that right, Mawruss?”
Morris nodded.
”With privilege to renew it, Mawruss, ain't it?”
Again Morris nodded. ”One year renewal,” he said.
Simonetti looked earnestly at Morris, who fumbled in his waistcoat pocket and produced a cigar.
”Do you smoke, Mr. Simmons?” he began.
”Simonetti,” the designer interrupted, as he took the cigar and bit off the end; ”and eef ees too much-a you say Simonetti, call me 'Enery.”
When Morris entered his place of business the following morning he appeared to be in no better humour than when he left for home the previous evening.
”Well, Abe,” he announced, ”I hired a soap powder.”
Abe stared at him for a moment.
”What are you talking nonsense, you hired a soap powder?” he exclaimed.
”Are you _verruckt_?”
Morris snapped his fingers.
”A soap powder!” he cried. ”Hear me talk! I mean a designer. I hired a designer, Abe, a first-cla.s.s feller.”
”What d'ye mean, a first-cla.s.s feller?” Abe demanded. ”You are leaving here last night half-past six, and here it is only eight o'clock next morning and already you hired a designer which he is a first-cla.s.s feller. How do you know he is a first-cla.s.s feller, Mawruss? Did you dream it?”
”No, I didn't dream it, Abe,” Morris said as he hung up his hat; ”and what is more I want to tell you something. Yesterday you are saying I should go ahead and hire a designer and not bother you in your head, and to-day you are kicking yet. Well, you could kick all you want to, Abe, because if a feller's partner kicks _oder_ his wife kicks, Abe, he must got to stand for it. But just the same, Abe, this here feller comes to work for us Monday morning, and we got with him a contract, all signed and g'fixed by a lawyer, which he gets from us twenty-five hundred a year for one year, with privilege to renew for another year.”
”Twenty-five hundred dollars!” Abe exclaimed. ”By a lawyer? What are you talking about, Mawruss?”
At this juncture Morris grew purple with rage.
”Say, lookyhere, Abe,” he yelled, ”ask me no questions. I am sick and tired of it. You would think if a feller forgets to buy a packet soap powder, y'understand, his wife wouldn't go crazy and ring up the police station yet, on account I am going with Baskof and this here cutter to see a lawyer by the name Sholy, which he lives in my flathouse yet.
There we are sitting till twelve o'clock fixing up the contract, and if you don't like it you could lump it. When I come home I got to get Doctor Eichendorfer yet to tend to Minnie. Five dollars that robber soaks me, and he lives in the same house with me. Also this lawyer Sholy charges me also twenty-five dollars for drawing the contract, understand me, which Feldman himself would only charge us fifty. Neighbours them fellers is, Abe! Such neighbours I would expect to got it if I am living next door to Sing Sing prison.”
For more than an hour Abe pressed the matter no further, but at length curiosity impelled him to speak. ”Say, lookyhere, Mawruss,” he began, ”couldn't I look at that contract too?”
”Sure you could,” Morris replied. ”I'm surprised you ain't got no more interest in the matter you didn't ask me before.”
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