Part 30 (1/2)
”I came with Dr. Medjora,” replied Leon, somewhat startled by the unfriendliness of her manner.
”But who are you? What is your name?”
Alas! The inconvenience of having no name. In a moment Leon was all embarra.s.sment.
”My name?” He paused and stammered. ”My name is--Leon----” Here he stopped, blushed, and looked away.
”Leon! Leon what?” asked Madame Medjora, in tones far from conciliatory. Leon did not reply. She continued, now thoroughly aroused. ”You are ashamed of your name, are you? What is your name? I will know it! What is your last name, your full name?”
”Leon Grath is his name!” said a voice behind, and, turning, they both saw Dr. Medjora.
CHAPTER V.
A FACE FROM THE PAST.
Madame Medjora turned at the sound of her husband's voice with mingled emotion,--pleasure at seeing him at home again, for she still loved him with the pa.s.sionate ardor of those earlier days, and anxiety, because her keen ear detected a tone of reproval in his words. Had she been a thoroughly wise woman that note of warning would have served to make her desist, but she was not to be baffled, when once she had determined to learn the meaning of anything that had aroused her curiosity or excited her suspicion. So instead of abandoning the subject, and welcoming her husband with an effusiveness which would have smoothed the wrinkles from his forehead, she turned upon him almost angrily, and said:
”Why do you prompt him? Is he an idiot that he cannot tell his name?”
”Not at all,” said the Doctor, hopeful of dispersing the threatened storm, and therefore becoming slightly explanatory and conciliatory.
”You have evidently confused Mr. Grath by your manner of questioning him, that is all. He is a country boy, unused to city ways, and you must excuse him if he is not as ready with an answer, as he will be after we make a citizen of him.”
”He must be from the country indeed,” was the sneering reply. ”He must have been raised in a forest, to be so confused because I ask him his name.” Then altering her tone, and speaking more rapidly, she continued: ”Do not think that your wife is a fool, Dr. Medjora. Even a dog knows his name. There is something about this that you wish to hide from me. But I will not submit to it. You shall not bring any nameless beggars into my house!”
Leon uttered a cry as though wounded, and started to leave the apartment, but the Doctor, livid with anger, detained him by clutching his arm, as he would have pa.s.sed, and turning upon his wife uttered but one word:
”Cora!”
That was all, but his voice implied such a threat, that the woman shrunk back, awed, and frightened, and utterly subdued, she merely murmured:
”Emanuel, forgive me!”
”Go to your room!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the Doctor, sternly, and after one appealing glance at him, which he ignored, she swiftly glided through the door, and closed it softly after her. Thus the two men were left to themselves. Leon was the first to speak:
”Dr. Medjora,” he began, ”I thank you most heartily for what you have intended to do for me, but we have made a mistake. I cannot enter your home now. I can never hope that your wife will forget what has occurred to-day. Therefore were I to remain, my presence must become intolerably obnoxious to her; and her unhappiness would be but a blight upon your own peace.”
”Perhaps you are right,” said the Doctor quietly, and as though meditating upon the affair. ”It is possible that you would not be as happy here as I would wish you to be. But if you go away from me, what will you do?”
”Work!” answered the youth, succinctly.
”Well answered,” said the Doctor. ”But, my boy, that is more easily decided upon than accomplished. You are a stranger, not only in the city, but to city manners and city methods. You would start out with determination to succeed, and in the first day you would apply at many places. But at them all you would be met with such questions as 'Where did you work last?' 'What experience have you?' 'What references can you offer?' You would answer them all unsatisfactorily, and you would be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders.”
”I have no doubt, Doctor, that it will be hard to obtain a place; but, as ignorant as I am, I have formed an idea upon this subject. I believe that in this country, where surely nine tenths of all men earn a livelihood, the small proportion of idlers have themselves to blame for their condition. Of course there must be a meritorious few who are unfortunate, but I speak of the greater number. Therefore I think that if I seek work, without any scruples as to what work it may be, I shall not starve.”
”But are you ready to go right out into the world, single handed? Do you mean that you would begin the battle at once, to-day?”
”I do!”
”You do? Then I have faith in you. I, too, believe that you will succeed. I wish you G.o.d speed!”