Part 14 (1/2)
”Sure,” Morris broke in; ”but what did they say about the house, Alex?”
”So far what I could hear, Mawruss, Aaron says you are trying to buy from Mosha the house.”
”No such thing, Alex, believe me,” Abe interrupted.
”But Aaron says he's already got a customer for the house,” Alex went on; ”and who d'ye think it is?”
Abe wiped his forehead with his handkerchief and continued to glare at Morris.
”I don't know who it is,” Abe said, ”and, what's more, I don't care. I want to introduce you to a friend of mine, Alex. This is Mr. Max Gershon, from Johnsville, Texas.”
”I'm pleased to meetcher, Mr. Gershon,” Alex replied. ”Yes, Mawruss, Aaron says he sold the house already, and who d'ye think he sold it to?”
Morris made an inarticulate noise which he intended as an expression of curiosity.
”A friend of yours by the name Leon Sammet,” Alex Kronberg said.
”You see how it is?” Aaron Kronberg said to his Uncle Mosha as they pa.s.sed down Fifth Avenue after their encounter with Alex. ”You see how it is? The feller is a desperate character, Uncle Mosha. You couldn't make him mad even.”
”A lowlife!” Uncle Mosha cried, shaking his head from side to side. ”His mother before him was just such another like him. I could spit blood hollering at that woman and she wouldn't answer me back at all.”
”Well, now you got it,” Aaron retorted triumphantly; ”and so, if you would start to sell your house to his friend Perlmutter, the least that happens to you is they would do you for the whole thing.”
”Maybe you're right,” Uncle Mosha admitted.
”And so I am going to take you over to see a friend of mine by the name Leon Sammet,” Aaron continued, ”and if you want to leave the thing to me, Uncle Mosha, I am certain sure I could get you a good price for the house.”
”Certain sure n.o.body could be of getting a good price for a house in these times, Aaron,” Uncle Mosha said. ”Real estate on the East Side is 'way down, Aaron. The subway ruins everything.”
”I don't care about subways nor nothing,” Aaron cried. ”I would get you what you want for that house. What would you consider a good price for the house, uncle?”
”A very good price would be forty-two two-fifty,” Uncle Mosha replied; ”but me I would be willing to accept forty thousand.”
”Well, lookyhere,” Aaron commenced; ”I'm going to do this for you, Uncle Mosha. I'm going to get Leon Sammet to give you not forty thousand or forty-two two-fifty neither. I'm going to get Leon Sammet to give you forty-three thousand for the house, uncle, but I only do it on one condition, uncle.”
”And what is that?” Uncle Mosha asked.
”I would do it for you only on condition you come to live with me at Port Sullivan,” Aaron concluded; ”and also you must give me, to take care of it for you, all the cash money you get for the house.”
Uncle Mosha frowned as he drew from his pocket a small packet wrapped in newspaper. This he proceeded to unwrap until there was exposed the unburnt half of a large black cigar. It was all that remained of Morris Perlmutter's gift and Uncle Mosha carefully knocked the ash off before he put it in his mouth.
”Why don't you answer me?” Aaron asked.
”I got to think, ain't I?” Uncle Mosha mumbled as he paused to light up.
He puffed away in silence until they had nearly reached the entrance to Sammet Brothers' place of business.
”_Schon gut_, Aaron,” Uncle Mosha said at length. ”I will do it with this here exception: I would sell the house for forty-three thousand dollars, subject to a first mortgage of twenty-five thousand dollars, and a second mortgage of ninety-two hundred and fifty dollars. That leaves eighty-seven hundred and fifty dollars balance, ain't it?”
Aaron nodded.