her—why! let her answer; even as you did when I sought your heart and found it."
"Good husband! have you not noticed how very fond our dear daughter is of her cousin Jacob, my sister's only son?"
"Yes, I have seen that they like one another as cousins usually do, but I have also noticed that she seems to prefer her other cousin, David, my brother's only son."
"I cannot say," exclaimed the wife, "that I have noticed this preference. I certainly think that my nephew would make her an excellent husband. Jacob is, as you well know, a most learned man, fit to be a Rabbi, and he is a very good man."
"Yes, yes, dear wife! but I prefer my nephew David as our future son-in-law. He is very clever, and will one day make his mark in the world."
"That is quite likely, dearest husband! but I do not like him as much as I like Jacob."
"But, Dearest wife! you know I always preferred David."
"Now listen, best of husbands! I don't want my only daughter to marry David."
"Dear me! sweetest of wives! don't you know that I really do not wish our lovely child to marry her cousin Jacob?"
In this strain they argued till long past midnight, discussing the pros and cons of the two nephews. They could not, however, come to a final decision.
