Would neither of them speak? Food was laid before him, and he ate it without tasting it. Mitchell led Hetty away to another table and talked to her impressively there. Then he brought her back and went on with his whispering.
Coffee was laid before Mendel, and he drank it without tasting it.
At last Hetty said, in a loud voice that rang through the room:—
“No. I will take nothing from you. I ask nothing from you, not a penny.”
“By God,” said Mitchell, hanging his head, “I deserve it.”
Hetty turned to Mendel and asked him sweetly to buy her a bottle of wine, as she needed something to pick her up.
“You are a devil,” she said, “sitting there as though nothing had happened. But I always said you were a devil and no good. I always said so, but I have my friends and can be independent.”
“Don’t be a fool,” said he roughly. “You’ll have a short run, and you’d better find something to fall back on while you can.”
“Get your hair cut!” she replied. “I know which side my bread’s buttered, and the old men aren’t so sharp as the young ones. You’ve got a fool’s tongue in your clever head, Kühler, and a fool’s tongue makes enemies.”
“Shut up!” he said. “And you leave Mitchell alone. He hasn’t done you any harm.”