THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 83
gives considerable dowries to portionless girls. There are large bequests for the purpose."
Yankele's eyes glittered.
" Ah, vat gentlemen you Spaniards be ! "
" Then I daresay I should hand over to my son-in-law all my Jerusalem land."
" Have you property in de Holy Land? " said Yankele.
"First class, with an unquestionable title. And, of course, I would give you some province or other in this country."
" What ! " gasped Yankele.
"Could I do less?" said Manasseh blandly. " My own flesh and blood, remember ! Ah, here is my door. It is too late to ask you in. Good Sabbath ! Don't forget your appointment to dine with Rabbi Remorse Red-herring to- morrow."
" Good Sabbath ! " faltered Yankele, and crawled home heavy-hearted to Dinah's Buildings, Tripe Yard, White- chapel, where the memory of him lingers even unto this day.
Rabbi Remorse Red-herring was an unofficial preacher who officiated at mourning services in private houses, having a gift of well-turned eulogy. He was a big, burly man with overlapping stomach and a red beard, and his spiritual con- solations drew tears. His clients knew him to be vastly self- indulgent in private life, and abstemious in the matter of benevolence ; but they did not confound the roles. As a mourning preacher he gave every satisfaction : he was regu- lar and punctual, and did not keep the congregation waiting, and he had had considerable experience in showing that there was yet balm in Gilead.
He had about five ways of showing it — the variants de- pending upon the circumstances. If, as not infrequently happened, the person deceased was a stranger to him, he
