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Show 49 your shoes, Geist. Try them on so that I can see how long they must be, and then I can finish the stitching. I made them of leather so they will last longer. Cloth shoes may be fine to look at, but they wear out quickly." The leather vias so soft and supple that I took a moment to finger it before I pulled on the shoes. The tops of them came to just above my ankles but the toes had been left open so that Sigismund could decide the proper length. He put his thumb against my instep and stretched his fingers to measure. "We'll allow you some room to grow - all right, take them off and I'll finish in a few minutes." With a sharp knife he cut the leather at the front, tapering it to a point. Then he began to stitch quickly, closing the tips so that the shoes would end a few inches beyond my toes. I watched, gngrossed. I had never seen a shoemaker at work because I had never owned a pair of shoes before. In the summer I vient barefoot and in the winter I covered my feet with the worn cowhide. Gast was leaning against the doorframe, disinterested. When the shoes were finished, he stretched out his hand and dropped some coins into Sigismund's upturned palm. I wondered how much the shoes had cost, but Sigismund closed his fingers so quickly that I could not count the coins. Gast waited for me to put on the shoes, and then we left together. Along the next half square I wiggled and stretched my feet as we walked, getting used to the unaccustomed feel of shoes. They felt strange but comfortable, and they looked elegant. "How much money have you spent on me, Gast?" I asked him. |