If I had had
the remotest doubt of his devotion to me it would have been
dispelled now. I was at my great mahogany desk every morning,
as usual, but I seldom stayed more than two hours, and even
during those two hours my mind was divided between cloaks and
real estate or between cloaks and Anna. Bender was practically in
full charge of the business. Instead, however, of welcoming the
power it gave him, he made unrelenting efforts to restore things to
their former state. He was constantly haranguing me on the risks I
was incurring, beseeching me to drop my new ventures, and
threatening to leave me unless I did so. Once, as he was thus
expostulating with me, he broke down
"I appeal to you as your friend, as your old-time teacher," he said,
and burst into tears
If it had not been for him I should have neglected my cloak
business beyond repair. He handled me as a gambler's wife does
her husband. He would seek me out in front of some unfinished
building, at Tevkin's, or at some "boom" caf?, and make me sign
some checks, consult me on something or other, or wheedle me
into accompanying him to my factory for an hour or two.
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