beads; for was not this reading as much as to say plainly
to the gentleman's face that they doubted his honesty?
Yet Jokubas Szedvilas read on and on; and presently
there developed that he had good reason for doing so.
For a horrible suspicion had begun dawning in his mind;
he knitted his brows more and more as he read. This was
not a deed of sale at all, so far as he could see -- it pro~
vided only for the renting of the property! It was hard
to tell, with all this strange legal jargon, words he had
never heard before; but was not this plain -- "the party
of the first part hereby covenants and agrees to _rent_ to
the said party of the second part!" And then again
-- "a monthly _rental_ of twelve dollars, for a period of
eight years and four months!" Then Szedvilas took off
his spectacles, and looked at the agent, and stammered a
question.

The agent was most polite, and explained that that was
the usual formula; that it was always arranged that the
property should be merely rented. He kept trying to
show them something in the next paragraph; but Szed~
vilas could not get by the word "rental" -- and when he
translated it to Teta Elzbieta, she too was thrown into a
fright. They would not own the home at all, then, for
nearly nine years! The agent, with infinite patience,
began to explain again; but no explanation would do
now. Elzbieta had firmly fixed in her mind the last
solemn warning of Jurgis: "If there is anything wrong,
do not give him the money, but go out and get a lawyer."
It was an agonizing moment, but she sat in the chair, her
hands clenched like death, and made a fearful effort, sum~
moning all her powers, and gasped out her purpose.

Jokubas translated her words. She expected the agent
to fly into a passion, but he was, to her bewilderment, as
ever imperturbable; he even offered to go and get a lawyer
for her, but she declined this. They went a long way, on
purpose to find a man who would not be a confederate.
Then let any one imagine their dismay, when, after half an
hour, they came in with a lawyer, and heard him greet
the agent by his first name!

[[59]]

p058 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p059w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p060

v?