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effect her interest would have on his cost price. Then she added: “How
much is it?”
“Well, it’s really a two-hundred-dollar coat,” began Mr
Rubinstein artfully. Then noting a shadow over Hortense’s face, he
added quickly: ”That sounds like a lot of money, but of course we don’t
ask so much for it here. One hundred and fifty is our price. But if that
coat was at Jarek’s, that’s what you’d pay for it and more. We don’t have
the best location here and we don’t have to pay the high rents. But it’s
worth every cent of two hundred.”
“Why, I think that’s a terrible price to ask for it, just awful,”
exclaimed Hortense sadly, beginning to remove the coat. She was feeling
as if life were depriving her of nearly all that was worth while. “Why, at
Biggs and Becks, they have lots of three-quartermink and beaver coats
for that much, and classy styles too.”
“Maybe, maybe. But not that coat,” insisted Mr Rubinstein
stubbornly. “Just look at it again. Look at the collar. You want to say you
can find a coat like that up there? If you can, I’ll buy the coat for you and
sell it to you again for a hundred dollars. Actually, this is a special coat.
It’s copied from one of the smartest coats that was in New York last
summer before the season opened. It has class. You won’t find any coat
like this coat.”
“Oh, well, just the same, a hundred and fifty dollars is more than
I can pay,” commented Hortense with sorrow, at the same time putting
on her old broadcloth jacket with the fur collar and cuffs, and slowly
moving towards the door.
“Wait! You like the coat?” wisely observed Mr Rubinstein, after
deciding that even a hundred dollars was too much for her purse, unless
it could be supplemented by some man’s. “It’s really a two-hundred-
dollar coat. I’m telling you that straight. Our regular price is one
hundred and fifty. But if you could bring me a hundred and twenty-five
dollars, since you want it so much, well, I’ll let you have it for that. And
that’s like finding it. A good-looking girl like you must have no trouble
in finding a dozen fellows who would be glad to buy the coat and give it
to you.”
Hortense was not displeased by the compliment. For some time
her mind was thinking about possible persons who, by her charm, might
be persuaded to procure this coat for her. Charlie for example – he
worked in a cigar store – but she thought that wouldn’t do much for her
without getting a good deal in return.
And then there was Robert, another youth. But he was too saving
–always talking about his future.

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