I was impelled to retort that advice was cheap, and he apparently read my thoughts
Presently he said, with genuine ardor: "I tell you what, Levinsky. Why not try to get your old landlady to open her stocking? From what you have told me, she ought not to be a hard nut to crack if you only go about it in the right way.
This suggestion made a certain appeal to me, but I would not betray it. I continued resentfully silent
"You just try her, Levinsky. She'll let you have the four hundred dollars, or half of it, at least."
"And if she does, her son will refuse to get me the goods," I remarked, with a sneer.
"Nonsense. If you know how to handle her, she will realize that she must keep her mouth shut until after she gets the money back."
"Oh, what's the use?" I said, impatiently. "I must get the cash at once, or all is lost."
Again he spoke of money-lenders. He went into details about one of them and offered to ascertain his address for me. He evidently felt awkward about his part in the matter and eager to atone for it in some way
"Why should a usurer trust me?" I said, rising to go.
"Wait. What's your hurry? If that money-lender hears your story, he may trust you. He is a peculiar fellow, don't you know. When he takes a fancy to a man he is willing to take a chance on him. Of course, the interest would be rather high." He paused abruptly, wrinkled his forehead with an effect of pondering some new scheme, and said: "Wait. I think I have a better plan.