Part 30 (1/2)
”How do you know my name?” I interrupt ”You have just arrived”
”They call e of pride ”I'reat deal in that time I had you pointed out to me”
”What do you call your line? What are you here for?”
For a moment he is silent With surprise I watch his face blush darkly
”You're a dead give-away Oh, excuse me, Mr Berko, under provocation, you know I meant to say, it's easy to see that you are not next to the way--not fas You should never ask a man what he is in for”
”Why not?”
”Well, er--”
”You are ashamed”
”Not a bit of it Ashaht at it--it's no credit to a gun's rep, his reputation, you understand But I'm proud of the jobs I've done I'm pretty slick, you know”
”But you don't like to be asked why you were sent here”
”Well, it's not good ainst the ethics of the trade, I suppose?”
”How sarcastic we can be, Mr Berkman But it's true, it's not the ethics And it isn't a trade, either; it's a profession Oh, you un, a professional, I mean, than one of your stupid factory hands”
”They are honest, though Honest producers, while you are a thief”
”Oh, there's no sting in that word for _ a thief, and what's un, you see the point?
The best dip in the States”
”A pickpocket? Stealing nickels off passengers on the street cars, and--”
”Me? A hell of a lot _you_ know about it Take me for such small fry, do you? I work only on race tracks”
”You call it work?”
”Sure damned hard work, too Takes more brains than a whole shopful of your honest producers can show”
”And you prefer that to being honest?”
”Do I? I spend loves than a bricklayer makes in a year Think I'm so dumb I have to slave all week for a few dollars?”
”But you spendshot A real good gun's always got his fall money planted,--I mean some ready coin in case of trouble,--and a s you most every time; beat the case, you know I've never seen the fly-cop you couldn't fix if you got enough dough; and es, too Of course, now and then, the best of us may fall; but it don't happen very often, and it's all in the gaot his graft”
”Do you rily