Part 18 (1/2)
”Ain't it funny?” she murmured, ”I could almost swear I smell stale cigar smoke here.”
Sam turned his face to the wall.
”You're crazy!” he said.
During the ensuing week Sam Gembitz became an adept in the art of legerdemain; and the skill with which he palmed tablets under the very nose of his daughter was only equalled by the ingenuity he displayed in finally disposing of them. At least three dozen disappeared through a crack in the wainscoting behind Sam's bed, while as many more were poked through a hole in the mattress; and thus Sam became gradually stronger, until Doctor Eichendorfer himself could not ignore the improvement in his patient's condition.
”All right; you can sit up,” he said to Sam; ”but, remember, the least indiscretion and back to bed you go.”
Sam nodded, for Babette was in the room at the time; and, albeit Sam had gained new courage through his nightly raids on the ice-box, he lacked the boldness that three square meals a day engender.
”I would take good care of myself, Doctor,” he said, ”and the day after to-morrow might I could go downtown, maybe?”
”The day after to-morrow!” Doctor Eichendorfer exclaimed. ”Why, you wouldn't be downtown for a month yet.”
”The idea!” Babette cried indignantly. ”As if the boys couldn't look after the place without you! What d'ye want to go downtown for at all?”
”What d'ye mean, what do I want to go downtown for at all?” Sam demanded sharply, and Miss Babette Gembitz blushed; whereupon Sam rose from his chair and stood unsteadily on his feet.
”You are up to some monkey business here--all of you!” he declared.
”What is it about?”
Babette exchanged glances with Doctor Eichendorfer, who shrugged his shoulders in reply.
”Well, if you want to know what it is, popper,” she said, ”I'll tell you. You're a very sick man and the chances are you'll never go downtown again.” Doctor Eichendorfer nodded his approval and Sam sat down again.
”So we may as well tell you right out plain,” Babette continued; ”the boys have given out to the trade that you've retired on account of sickness--and here it is in the paper and all.”
She handed Sam a copy of the _Daily Cloak and Suit Record_ and indicated with her finger an item headed ”Personals.” It read as follows:
NEW YORK.--Samuel Gembitz, of S. Gembitz & Sons, whose serious illness was reported recently, has retired from the firm, and the business will be carried on by Max Gembitz, Lester Gembitz, and Sidney Gembitz, under the firm style of Gembitz Brothers.
As Sam gazed at the item the effect of one week's surrept.i.tious feeding was set at naught, and once more Babette and Doctor Eichendorfer a.s.sisted him to his bed. That night he had neither the strength nor the inclination to make his accustomed raid on the ice-box, nor could he resist the administration of Doctor Eichendorfer's tablets; so that the following day found him weaker than ever. It was not until another week had elapsed that his appet.i.te began to a.s.sert itself; but when it did he convalesced rapidly. Indeed, at the end of the month, Doctor Eichendorfer permitted him to take short walks with Babette. Gradually the length of these promenades increased until Babette found her entire forenoons monopolized by her father.
”Ain't it awful!” she said to Sam one Sunday morning as they paced slowly along Lenox Avenue. ”I am so tied down.”
”You ain't tied down,” Sam replied ungraciously. ”For my part, I would as lief hang around this here place by myself.”
”It's all very well for you to talk,” Babette rejoined; ”but you know very well that in your condition you could drop in the street at any time yet.”
”_Schmooes!_” Sam cried. ”I am walking by myself for sixty-five years yet and I guess I could continue to do it.”
”But Doctor Eichendorfer says----” Babette began.
”What do I care what Doctor Eichendorfer says!” Sam interrupted. ”And, furthermore, supposing I would drop in the street--which anybody could slip oncet in a while on a banana peel, understand me--ain't I got cards in my pocket?”
Babette remained silent for a moment, whereat Sam plucked up new courage.
”Why should you bother yourself to _schlepp_ me along like this?” he said. ”There's lots of people I could go out with. Ain't it? Take old man Herz _oder_ Mrs. Krakauer--they would be glad to go out walking with me; and oncet in a while I could go and call on Mrs. Schrimm maybe.”
”Mrs. Schrimm!” Babette exclaimed. ”I'm surprised to hear you talk that way. Mrs. Schrimm for years goes around telling everybody that mommer _selig_ leads you a dawg's life.”