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Finally, the prisoner made it understood that his vocabulary was inadequate, and there stepped up a dapper young man with waxed mustaches, bidding him speak in any language he knew. Jurgis began; supposing that he would be given time, he explained how the boss had taken advantage of his wife's position to make advances to her and had threatened her with the loss of her place.
Jurgis, who had insisted upon coming, had the time of his life that night; he danced about and waved his arms in his excitement and at the very climax he broke loose from his friends, and got out into the aisle, and proceeded to make a speech himself!
"Freddie" got one bill loose, and then stuffed the rest back into his trousers' pocket. "Here, ole man," he said, "you take it." He held it out fluttering. They were in front of a saloon; and by the light of the window Jurgis saw that it was a hundred-dollar bill! "You take it," the other repeated. "Pay the cabbie an' keep the change I've got hic no head for business!
Some had books to read and cards to play, with candles to burn by night, but Jurgis was all alone in darkness and silence. He could not sleep again; there was the same maddening procession of thoughts that lashed him like whips upon his naked back. When night fell he was pacing up and down his cell like a wild beast that breaks its teeth upon the bars of its cage.
He went straight to the door, passed out, and started down the street. When his wife had died, Jurgis made for the nearest saloon, but he did not do that now, though he had his week's wages in his pocket. He walked and walked, seeing nothing, splashing through mud and water. Later on he sat down upon a step and hid his face in his hands and for half an hour or so he did not move.
So for two weeks more Jurgis fought with the demon of despair. Once he got a chance to load a truck for half a day, and again he carried an old woman's valise and was given a quarter.
If Jurgis did not believe it, he could try it, said the little Jew let them meet at a certain house on the morrow and make a test. For a secret like that they would have done a good many sluggings but the next day Goldberger informed them that the offending gambler had got wind of what was coming to him, and had skipped the town.
He was a dapper young fellow, with a light brown mustache and blue eyes, and a graceful figure. He nodded to Jurgis, and then, as the keeper closed the door upon him, began gazing critically about him. "Well, pal," he said, as his glance encountered Jurgis again, "good morning." "Good morning," said Jurgis. "A rum go for Christmas, eh?" added the other. Jurgis nodded.
Jurgis got home somehow, scarcely able to see for the pain, and with an awful terror in his soul, Elzbieta helped him into bed and bandaged his injured foot with cold water and tried hard not to let him see her dismay; when the rest came home at night she met them outside and told them, and they, too, put on a cheerful face, saying it would only be for a week or two, and that they would pull him through.
As if to complete the chain, the packers all paid their men in checks, refusing all requests to pay in coin; and where in Packingtown could a man go to have his check cashed but to a saloon, where he could pay for the favor by spending a part of the money? From all of these things Jurgis was saved because of Ona.
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