He put on his overcoat to hide the rip in the seat of his trousers. The frayed sleeves tickled his wrists. The dark stairs creaked. He was so weak he kept grabbing the rail for fear of falling. The old woman pounced out of a door on him in the lower hall. The rat had squirmed sideways on her head as if trying to escape from under the thin gray pompadour.
“Meester Harland how about you pay me tree veeks rent?”
“I’m just on my way out to cash a check now, Mrs. Budkowitz. You’ve been so kind about this little matter.... And perhaps it will interest you to know that I have
the promise, no I may say the certainty of a very good position beginning Monday.”
“I vait tree veeks ... I not vait any more.”
“But my dear lady I assure you upon my honor as a gentleman...”
Mrs. Budkowitz began to jerk her shoulders about. Her voice rose thin and wailing like the sound of a peanut wagon. “You pay me tat fifteen dollar or I rent te room to somebody else.”
“I’ll pay you this very evening.”
“Vat time?”
“Six o’clock.”