The dark-complexioned man took a sheet of parchment and read, in a leaden, business-like voice:
"_In nomine dei_: Between Lambert Sternberg, of Canada Creek, and Joanna Catherine Weise, of Zellerfeld, in the electorate of Hanover, aged twenty years, single, the following service contract--shall we say six years, Mr. Sternberg." It is the usual period--for six successive years from this date, under the following conditions mutually agreed upon:
"_Pro primo_: Joanna Catherine Weise, born, etc.; agrees of her own free will, and after due consideration, to bind herself to Mr. Lambert Sternberg to go with him, or under his direction, to West Canada Creek, in the province of New York, and there, from the day on which she shall have arrived in the before-named district, for six successive years to give him true and faithful required maid-service, under no pretense to relax it, much less, without the consent of Lambert Sternberg, to forsake his service.
"To this, _pro secundo_, Lambert Sternberg promises--"
"It is enough," said Lambert. "I wish first to talk over the conditions with the maiden."
"My dear sir, consider the circumstances," called out Mr. Pitcher, in a friendly, helpful tone. "When a man pays £99 he can dictate the conditions."
"That may be," replied Lambert. "However, it is my privilege to deal in my own way."
"As you wish--altogether as you wish," said Mr. Pitcher. "We force nobody. You also wish--"
"Simply a receipt in full for Catherine Weise."
While he with the ear-rings wrote out the receipt, and Lambert counted out the money on the table--it was the same that he had received an hour before from Mr. Brown--Mr. Pitcher and the captain grimaced sneeringly behind the back of the simpleton who was so easily limed, and never once looked at the famous account he was satisfying.
"So," said Mr. Pitcher, "this is finished. Now we will--"
"Drink to your happy journey," said the captain, as he reached for a rum-flask which stood near on the rack.
"And to the _et cetera_, _et cetera_," cried Mr. Pitcher.
"Good morning, Messrs.," said Lambert, gathering up the receipt, the half-finished contract and Catherine's passage-ticket, and hurrying out of the cabin as though the deck under him was afire. Brutal laughter rung behind him. He stood still a moment. His cheeks glowed. His heart beat furiously against his ribs. Every convulsed fiber of his body urged him to turn back and take vengeance on the mean scoundrels for their laughter. But he thought of the poor girl--how much more she had endured, and that he could do nothing better for her than to release her from such a hell, as soon as possible.