THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 91
marked Rabbi Remorse Red-herring cordially, " I could just as well come round and see you after dinner."
"After dinner I never see people," said Manasseh majes- tically ; " I sleep."
The Rabbi dared not make further protest : he turned to Yankele" and asked, " Well, now, what's this about your marriage? "
" I can't tell you before Mr. da Costa," replied Yankele, to gain time.
" Why not? You said anybody might hear."
" Noting of the sort. I said a stranger might hear. But Mr. da Costa isn't a stranger. He knows too much about de matter."
" W T hat shall we do, then? " murmured the Rabbi.
" I can vait till after dinner," said Yankele, with good- natured carelessness, "/don't sleep — "
Before the Rabbi could reply, the wife brought in a baked dish, and set it on the table. Her husband glowered at her, but she, regular as clockwork, and as unthinking, pro- duced the black bottle of schnapps. It was her husband's business to get rid of Yankele - ; her business was to bring on the dinner. If she had delayed, he would have raged equally. She was not only wife, but maid-of-all-work.
Seeing the advanced state of the preparations, Manasseh da Costa took his seat at the table ; obeying her husband's significant glance, Mrs. Red-herring took up her position at the foot. The Rabbi himself sat down at the head, behind the dish. He always served, being the only person he could rely upon to gauge his capacities. Yankele was left stand- ing. The odour of the meat and potatoes impregnated the atmosphere with wistful poetry.
Suddenly the Rabbi looked up and perceived Yankele "Will you do as we do?" he said in seductive accents.
