"Aha! Well, in the meantime let's get our lunch. Come on."
In the café a canary bird kept up a piercing song. The old man silently ate fried potatoes. Yevsey was unable to eat, and looked into his companion's face inquiringly.
"So you want to live with me? Well, come on."
When Yevsey heard these words, he instantly felt that they partitioned him off from the terrible life. Encouraged he said gratefully:
"I will clean your shoes for you."
The Smokestack thrust his long foot shod in a torn boot from under the table.
"You needn't clean this one. How about your mistress? Was she a good woman?"
The old man's eyes looked directly and kindly, and seemed to say:
"Speak the truth."
"I don't know," said Yevsey, dropping his head, and for the first time feeling that he used the phrase very often.