Read The Hustler: The Story of a Nameless Love From Friedrichstrasse for Free Online Page B

floor the man rang short and loud.
    The boy was still standing on the top step of the stairway. Fear gripped him again. He could still turn back and run away.
    Then he followed the man through the door that opened just at that moment.
    *
    Standing on the street again a half hour later (alone, for the “gentleman” had stayed up there), with ten marks in his pocket, he felt like laughing out loud from joy. From relief and from joy.
    If it was nothing more than that! The pastor in his village had also done that with them, only he had not been friendly, but clumsy and rough, and had only given them a couple of apples from his garden.
    So that’s how one could make money! And he had thought for a moment on the stairs he was to be murdered!
    But the hundreds of thoughts that were ready to storm over him were for the present drowned by a single one—eat, now, just eat! As soon as possible, and as much as possible! Eat! Eat and then drink!
    He dashed to Aschinger’s on Friedrichstrasse. He sat in the farthest room, in the farthest corner, where he was all alone at this early afternoon hour, and immediately shoved the ten-mark bill at the waiter.
    The waiter laughed: “You’ve got time! What will it be, then?”
    “Sausages! And bread. Right away. And then a glass of dark beer, a large—”
    The waiter laughed again pleasantly and first set a basket of bread in front of him. He soon came back with the rest.
    The first pair of sausages were devoured and then he studied the menu. But there were so many things on it that he did not know that he stayed with his sausages—a second and then a third pair—with a lot of potato salad and much more bread. Likewise, the first glass of beer was followed by a second with a small cognac. Next he bought cigarettes, no matter what price—ten all at once. And everything was paid for immediately.
    A half hour later he finally felt ready to calmly think over the unprecedented experience he had just had. He did it thoroughly.
    So that’s how one could make money. He felt well and relaxed, as never before in his life. He was also no longer tired. He had not a trace of fatigue—it had all been only hunger.
    No, he did not yet want to get up. It was so cozy in the corner, alone, with beer and cigarettes in front of him, as many as he wanted.
    So that’s how one could make money here in Berlin!
    That’s how Max got all that money, the ring, the watch, the cane and everything! That’s what was behind Max’s talk about good-looking boys, Friedrichstrasse, and the Passage! And still he had not directly said so, the deceitful dog! Did he think he would have betrayed the secret or passed it on! How little he knew him! One just did not talk about something like that—to no one!
    He was unable, though, to become really angry at his friend. His good feeling of being filled up was too great, and he felt too relieved, released from the puzzle which had racked his brains so much these past days!
    That’s why so many boys were standing around in the Passage! That’s why the gentlemen nudged him, looked at him, and whispered to him! That’s why the other boy earlier had been so angry with him! That’s why the other guys had laughed at him, and why the nice gentleman just earlier smilingly guessed that he was new to Berlin! (Otherwise he had asked nothing and was not at all curious.)
    And he had been afraid of this! Even if it had not been any great fun for him, there had indeed been nothing special about it. God, how stupid he had been! But in the end he was no longer so stupid!
    The thought came to him—what if I went again right away? And immediately look the affair over again, but now with entirely different eyes? Right away, today?
    He indeed had enough money, more than enough for today and also for tomorrow. (He counted it: still seven whole marks and twenty pennies. Aschinger’s was really cheap. With the remaining money he could go to his hotel, pay for the night, and redeem his things.)