"Good-evening, Frau Fischelowitz," said Schmidt, trying to appear as calm
and collected as possible. "I would like to speak to your husband upon a
little matter of business."
"He is not at home yet. I left him in the shop."
Almost before the words were out of her mouth, Schmidt had turned and was
running down the stairs, two at a time. Akulina called him back.
"Wait a minute!" she cried, advancing to the hand-rail on the landing.
"What in the world are you in such a hurry about?"
"Oh--nothing--nothing especial," answered the man, suddenly stopping and
looking up.
Akulina set her fat hands on her hips and held her head a little on one
side. She had plenty of curiosity in her composition.
"Well, I must say," she observed, "for a man who is not in a hurry about
anything, you are uncommonly brisk with your feet. If it is only a matter
of business, I daresay I will do as well as my husband."
"Oh, I daresay," admitted Schmidt, scratching his head. "But this is
rather a personal matter of business, you see."
"And you mean that you want some money, I suppose," suggested Akulina, at
a venture.
"No, no, not at all--no money at all. It is not a question of money." He
hoped to satisfy her by a statement which was never without charm in her
ears. But Akulina was not satisfied; on the contrary, she began to suspect
that something serious might be the matter, for she could see Schmidt's
face better now, as he looked up to her, facing the gaslight that burned
above her own head.
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