stories of a western town-第3章

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entieth　time；　any　imperfect　piece　of　work；　who　exacted　all　the　artisan　virtues　to　the　last　inch；　was　secretly　proud　of　him。　Yet；　in　fact；　the　thread　of　romance　in　Lieders's　prosaic　life　was　his　idolatry　of　the　Lossing　Manufacturing　Co。　It　is　hard　to　tell　whether　it　was　the　Lossings　or　that　intangible　quantity；　the　firm；　the　business；　that　he　worshipped。　Worship　he　did；　however；　the　one　or　the　other；　perhaps　the　both　of　them；　though　in　the　peevish　and　erratic　manner　of　the　savage　who　sometimes　grovels　to　his　idols　and　sometimes　kicks　them。　Nobody　guessed　what　a　blow　it　was　to　Kurt　when；　a　year　ago；　the　elder　Lossing　had　died。　　Even　his　wife　did　not　connect　his　sullen　melancholy　and　his　gibes　at　the　younger　generation；　with　the　crape　on　Harry　Lossing's　hat。　　He　would　not　go　to　the　funeral；　but　worked　savagely；　all　alone　by　himself；　in　the　shop；　the　whole　afternoonbreaking　down　at　last　at　the　sight　of　a　carved　panel　over　which　Lossing　and　he　had　once　disputed。　　The　desolate　loneliness　of　the　old　came　to　him　when　his　old　master　was　gone。　He　loved　the　young　man；　but　the　old　man　was　of　his　own　generation；　he　had　〃known　how　things　ought　to　be　and　he　could　understand　without　talking。〃　　Lieders　began　to　be　on　the　lookout　for　signs　of　waning　consideration；　to　watch　his　own　eyes　and　hands；　drearily　wondering　when　they　would　begin　to　play　him　false；　at　the　same　time　because　he　was　unhappy　he　was　ten　times　as　exacting　and　peremptory　and　critical　with　the　younger　workmen；　and　ten　times　as　insolently　independent　with　the　young　master。　Often　enough；　Lossing　was　exasperated　to　the　point　of　taking　the　old　man　at　his　word　and　telling　him　to　go　if　he　would；　but　every　time　the　chain　of　long　habit；　a　real　respect　for　such　faithful　service；　and　a　keen　admiration　for　Kurt's　matchless　skill　in　his　craft；　had　held　him　back。　　He　prided　himself　on　keeping　his　word；　for　that　reason　he　was　warier　of　using　it。　So　he　would　compromise　by　giving　the　domineering　old　fellow　a　〃good；　stiff　rowing。〃　　Once；　he　coupled　this　with　a　threat；　if　they　could　not　get　along　decently　they　would　better　part！　Lieders　had　answered　not　a　word；　he　had　given　Lossing　a　queer　glance　and　turned　on　his　heel。　　He　went　home　and　bought　some　poison　on　the　way。　　〃The　old　man　is　gone　and　the　young　feller　don't　want　the　old　crank　round；　no　more；〃　he　said　to　himself。　〃Thekla；　I　guess　I　make　her　troubles；　too；　I'll　git　out！〃　That　was　the　beginning　of　his　tampering　with　suicide。　Thekla；　who　did　not　have　the　same　opinion　of　the　〃trouble；〃　had　interfered。　　He　had　married　Thekla　to　have　someone　to　keep　a　warm　fireside　for　him；　but　she　was　an　ignorant　creature　who　never　could　be　made　to　understand　about　carving。　　He　felt　sorry　for　her　when　the　baby　died；　the　only　child　they　ever　had；　he　was　sorrier　than　he　expected　to　be　on　his　own　account；　too；　for　it　was　an　ugly　little　creature；　only　four　days　old；　and　very　red　and　wrinkled；　but　he　never　thought　of　confiding　his　own　griefs　or　trials　to　her。　　Now；　it　made　him　angry　to　have　that　stupid　Thekla　keep　him　in　a　world　where　he　did　not　wish　to　stay。　If　the　next　day　Lossing　had　not　remembered　how　his　father　valued　Lieders；　and　made　an　excuse　to　half　apologize　to　him；　I　fear　Thekla's　stratagems　would　have　done　little　good。　The　next　experience　was　cut　out　of　the　same　piece　of　cloth。　He　had　relented；　he　had　allowed　his　wife　to　save　him；　but　he　was　angry　in　secret。　　Then　came　the　day　when　open　disobedience　to　Lossing's　orders　had　snapped　the　last　thread　of　Harry's　patience。　　To　Lieders's　aggrieved　〃If　you　ain't　satisfied　with　my　work；　Mr。　Lossing；　I　kin　quit；〃　the　answer　had　come　instantly；　〃Very　well；　Lieders；　I'm　sorry　to　lose　you；　but　we　can't　have　two　bosses　here：　　you　can　go　to　the　desk。〃　And　when　Lieders　in　a　blind　stab　of　temper　had　growled　a　prophecy　that　Lossing　would　regret　it；　Lossing　had　stabbed　in　turn：　〃Maybe；　but　it　will　be　a　cold　day　when　I　ask　you　to　come　back。〃　And　he　had　gone　off　without　so　much　as　a　word　of　regret。　The　old　workman　had　packed　up　his　tools；　the　pet　tools　that　no　one　was　ever　permitted　to　touch；　and　crammed　his　arms　into　his　coat　and　walked　out　of　the　place　where　he　had　worked　so　long；　not　a　man　saying　a　word。　Lieders　didn't　reflect　that　they　knew　nothing　of　the　quarrel。　He　glowered　at　them　and　went　away　sore　at　heart。　　We　make　a　great　mistake　when　we　suppose　that　it　is　only　the　affectionate　that　desire　affection；　sulky　and　ill…conditioned　souls　often　have　a　passionate　longing　for　the　very　feelings　that　they　repel。　Lieders　was　a　womanish；　sensitive　creature　under　the　surly　mask；　and　he　was　cut　to　the　quick　by　his　comrades'　apathy。　〃There　ain't　no　place　for　old　men　in　this　world；〃　he　thought；　〃there's　them　boys　I　done　my　best　to　make　do　a　good　job；　and　some　of　'em　I've　worked　overtime　to　help；　and　not　one　of　'em　has　got　as　much　as　a　good…by　in　him　for　me！〃　But　he　did　not　think　of　going　to　poor　Thekla　for　comfort；　he　went　to　his　grim　dreams。　　〃I　git　my　property　all　straight　for　Thekla；　and　then　I　quit；〃　said　he。　　Perhaps　he　gave　himself　a　reprieve　unconsciously；　thinking　that　something　might　happen　to　save　him　from　himself。　　Nothing　happened。　　None　of　the　〃boys〃　came　to　see　him；　except　Carl　Olsen；　the　very　stupidest　man　in　the　shop；　who　put　Lieders　beside　himself　fifty　times　a　day。　The　other　men　were　sorry　that　Lieders　had　gone；　having　a　genuine　workman's　admiration　for　his　skill；　and　a　sort　of　underground　liking　for　the　unreasonable　old　man　because　he　was　so　absolutely　honest　and　〃a　fellow　could　always　tell　where　to　find　him。〃　But　they　were　shy；　they　were　afraid　he　would　take　their　pity　in　bad　part；　they　〃waited　a　while。〃　Carl；　honest　soul；　stood　about　in　Lieders's　workshop；　kicking　the　shavings　with　his　heels　for　half　an　hour；　and　grinned　sheepishly；　and　was　told　what　a　worthless；　scamping；　bragging　lot　the　〃boys〃　at　Lossing's　were；　and　said　he　guessed　he　had　got　to　go　home　now；　and　so　departed；　unwitting　that　his　presence　had　been　a　consolation。　Mrs。　Olsen　asked　Carl　what　Lieders　said；　Carl　answered　simply；　〃Say；　Freda；　that　man　feels　terrible　bad。〃　Meanwhile　Thekla　seemed　easily　satisfied。　　She　made　no　outcry　as　Lieders　had　dreaded；　over　his　leaving　the　shop。　〃Well；　then；　papa；　you　don't　need　git　up　so　early　in　the　morning　no　more；　if　you　aint　going　to　the　shop；〃　was　her　only　comment；　and　Lieders　despised　the　mind　of　woman　more　than　ever。　But　that　evening；　while　Lieders　was　down　town　（occupied；　had　she　known　it；　with　a　codicil　to　his　will）；　she　went　over　to　the　Olsens　and　found　out　all　Carl　could　tell　her　about　the　trouble　in　the　shop。　And　it　was　she　that　made　the　excuse　of　marketing　to　go　out　the　next　day；　that　she　might　see　the　rich　widow　on　the　hill　who　was　talking　about　a　china　closet；　and　Judge　Trevor；　who　had　asked　the　price　of　a　mantel；　and　Mr。　Martin；　who　had　looked　at　sideboards　（all　this　information　came　from　honest　Carl）；　and　who　proposed　to　them　that　they　order　such　furniture　of　the　best　cabinet…maker　in　the　country；　now　setting　up　on　his　own　account。　He；　simple　as　a　baby　for　all　his　doggedness；　thought　that　they　came　because　of　his　fame　as　a　workman；　and　felt　a　glow　of　pride；　particularly　as　（having　been　prepared　by　the　wife；　who　said；　〃You　see　it　don't　make　so　much　difference　with　my　Kurt　'bout　de　prize；　if　so　he　c