Evening star., 1932-03-25
EX AN1a1 Baum MS8|
dinner
merely
~

jacket, there was no good merely
waiting.
The dinner jacket was at the pawn
brokers, to redeem it would cost 50
count book and made long calculations.
AT last he went to Herr Birndl and !.
made proposal that displayed
financial acumen and also desperation.
Listen to me, Herr Birndl," said
Martin. "On the average, taking good
weather with bad, have earned 2
Schillings l3 groschen a day. There
are about 40 days Of my agreement
still to run. Pay me lump sum in
advance of so schiliings, and we're
quits. At the lowest reckoning you will
gain more than 20 schillings by it. The
weather is good, the glass has gone up
again, Herr Birndl
Yes" said Herr Birndl. "and sup
pose it rained for the 40 days, I should
be done in. I'll take no risks; that was
our agreement"
"Fifty-fve schillings for the whole
time. Herr Birndl -
I'm taking no risks: that was the
agreement"
"Fifty-three schillings," Martin said
weakly. ITS sheer profit for you"
Yes, and if it rains? I'm taking no
risks" answered Herr Birndl, with a
bovine stupidity as he swung his great
belly into the Office. Martin went
away. He wandered despondently to
and fro. looking for Anika, Anikuschka,
Countess Czereny. 1t was not easy to
speak to her alone; either she was ac-
companied by her greyhound friend and
pseudo husband, with his extremely dis
tinguished and gallant air, or else Herr
Lyssenhop's spruce iron-gray head was
seen at her side, not to speak of all
the various BobbyS and Dicks and
Freds who paraded their Anglicized
names and manners as they danced at
tendance on Anika at the exclusive Big
Petermann. In spite of this, Anika now
and then escaped by herself to the
beach and lay down on the sand be-
meath a large Japanese sunshade. On
these occasions she wore a sort of
soubrette costume with taffeta flounces,
and bathing shoes with crossed tapes.
Never yet had drop of lake water
come near her.
y Here you are, thank the Lord,
Anika, my darling Anikuschka, my dear
first love-" said Martin as he found
her there after lunch lazily and very
seductively lying at full length on the
sand. I've been looking for you. you
must help me, it would be mere moth
ing for you"-and then he put the
whole situation frankly before her tell
ing her how he had pawned his dinner
jacket and finally asking for loan Of
So schilIings
Anika became excessively grave, al
most sad. All the dimples vanished
from her face. Lost in thought, she
licked abstractedly the rouge from her
lips.
And so Bulls in trouble. Poor
Bull" she said. as she laid q hand
caressingly on his ankle Martin moved
little away from her. Anika sought
every opportunity to touch him and to
get close to him-probably without
knowing herself that she did so, the fit-
tie mink. And whenever she did touch
him, a glow like warm sand ran down
his spine. pleasant, but forbidden. For
Martin now belonged to May. and WIS
pledged to her body and soul, and it
seemed to him treachery to allow his
emotions to be sidetracked So he drew
away, and Anika's hand fell to the
ground and began drawing letters in
the sand.
mo - Anika said, she could not
lend Martin anything, she hadn't three
schillingS herself In her little bag. To
show him she shook 1t out into her lap.
powder box, pencils. and a little
crumpled silk handkerchief. When had
Anika ever had any money, little vaga-
bond as she always was? Surely Bull
knew that she was a scatterbrain who
could never keep money even when
she had it?
Poor Bull sighed. He ground his
teeth in portentous and alarming
manner.
Then get the money from your
count. Please, AnikuSchka, be a dear
and do this for me-" he implored her,
feeling the ignominy of it in his very
soul. He allowed Anika's shoulder to
70
approach close together, since there was
nothing else for it. "Anikuschka, help
me. 1t would be nothing for your count
to lend me trifle like that" he begged,
and he thought. to himself-cad,
sponger, that 1 am.
No Anika replied. sad but ohSti-
nate: It was impossible, utterly and
absolutely impossible. Things weren't
as he imagined them. 1t would not be
a trife for the count either. The count
had his money troubles, too, oh yes,
and everything did not go so smoothly
as it ought to do. Life in general was
often rather funny, and Bull was not
to plague her and give her no peace,
otherwise she would burst into tears
At this she ceased drawing let
terS in the sand and took out her little
handkerchief, and Martin drew back in
astonishment and alarm Before he
fled and delighted him by kissing his
bare arm where the little fair down
showed on the tanned skin. In the
sand in crazy letters could be read. ST
love my Bulli!"
Martin lay down under the planks
of the high diving platform. the only
spot after lunch that afforded a little
shade, and wondered who could lend
him the So schillings Among men he
had only one friend. and that was
Matz; the rest stood aloof, if they were
not either arrogantly envious or
violently jealous. They all had daugh-
ters, or fiancees, or wives, or girls, OF
some feminine adjunct, all Of whom
were apparently disturbed and en-
dangered by the mere fact of Martins
existence.
Herr Lyssenhop, it is true, sometimes
displayed a friendly cordiality. He
might clap him on the shoulder and
ask: We'll, and how goes business?
Plenty Of customers?" But this casual
sociability scarcely encouraged Martin
to ask for a loan.
(To be continued)