Голод
Part IV
Atlengthsheshovedsomecakestowardsme,fourorfive,atanexorbitantprice,thehighestpossiblepriceshecouldthinkof,andbademetakethemandbegone.Iwrangledstillwithher,persistedthatshehadatleastcheatedmetotheextentofashilling,besidesrobbingmewithherexorbitantprices."Doyouknowthereisapenaltyforsuchrascallytrickery,"saidI;"Godhelpyou,youmightgetpenalservitudeforlife,youoldfool!"Sheflunganothercaketome,and,withalmostgnashingteeth,beggedmetogo.
AndIlefther.
Ha!amatchforthisdishonestcake-vendorwasnottobefound.Thewholetime,whilstIwalkedtoandfrointhemarket-placeandatemycakes,Italkedloudlyaboutthiscreatureandhershamelessness,repeatedtomyselfwhatwebothhadsaidtooneanother,anditseemedtomethatIhadcomeoutofthisaffairwithflyingcolours,leavinghernowhere.Iatemycakesinfaceofeverybodyandtalkedthisovertomyself.
Thecakesdisappearedonebyone;theyseemedtogonoway;nomatterhowIateIwasstillgreedilyhungry.Lord,tothinktheywereofnohelp!IwassoravenousthatIwasevenabouttodevourthelastlittlecakethatIhaddecidedtospare,rightfromthebeginning,toputitaside,infact,forthelittlechapdowninVognmandsgade—thelittleladwhoplayedwiththepaperstreamers.Ithoughtofhimcontinually—couldn’tforgethisfaceashejumpedandswore.
