Well, let them distrain then!
The father-in-law arrived with a large travelling coach to fetch his
daughter and grand-child. He warned his son-in-law not to show his
face at his house until he could pay his debts and make a home for his
wife and child. He said nothing to his daughter, but it seemed to him
that he was bringing home a girl who had been led astray. It was as if
he had lent his innocent child to a casual admirer and now received
her back "dishonoured." She would have preferred to stay with her
husband, but he had no home to offer her.
And so the husband of one year's standing was left behind to watch the
pillaging of his home, if he could call it his home, for he had paid
for nothing. The two men with spectacles carted away the beds and
bedclothes; the copper kettles and tin vessels; the dinner set, the
chandelier and the candlesticks; everything, everything!
He was left alone in the two empty, wretched rooms! If only _she_ had
been left to him! But what should she do here, in these empty rooms?
No, she was better off where she was! She was being taken care of.
Now the struggle for a livelihood began in bitter earnest. He found
work at a daily paper as a proof-corrector. He had to be at the office
at midnight; at three in the morning his work was done.
Pages:
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88