translate question after question. He could not hear it
often enough; he could not ask with enough variations.
Yes, they had bought the house, they had really bought
it. It belonged to them, they had only to pay the money
and it would be all right. Then Jurgis covered his face
with his hands, for there were tears in his eyes, and he
felt like a fool. But he had had such a horrible fright;
strong man as he was, it left him almost too weak to
stand up.

The lawyer explained that the rental was a form -- the
property was said to be merely rented until the last pay-
ment had been made, the purpose being to make it easier
to turn the party out if he did not make the payments.
So long as they paid, however, they had nothing to fear,
the house was all theirs.

Jurgis was so grateful that he paid the half dollar the
lawyer asked without winking an eyelash, and then rushed
home to tell the news to the family. He found Ona in a
faint and the babies screaming, and the whole house in
an uproar -- for it had been believed by all that he had
gone to murder the agent. It was hours before the ex-
citement could be calmed; and all through that cruel
night Jurgis would wake up now and then and hear Ona
and her stepmother in the next room, sobbing softly to
themselves.

-62-