Page:Yiddish Tales.djvu/417

 LOST HIS VOICE 413

"Yes, I do," answered the singer, looking at the cantor, and seeing how pale and thin he was. "A very great change "

"Now I see you are an honest man, you tell me the truth to my face. Do you know when it began ?"

"It will soon be a month," answered the singer.

"Yes, brother, a month, a month, but I felt "

The cantor wiped off the perspiration that covered his forehead, and continued:

"And you think, Yossel, that it's lost now, for good and all?"

"That what is lost?" asked Yossel, beginning to be aware that the conversation turned on something quite different from what was in his own mind.

"What? How can you ask? Ah? What should I lose ? Money ? I have no money I mean of course my voice."

Then Yossel understood everything he was too much of a musician not to understand. Looking com- passionately at the cantor, he asked :

"For certain?"

"For certain?" exclaimed the cantor, trying to be cheerful. "Why must it be for certain? Very likely it's all a mistake let us hope it is!"

Yossel looked at the cantor, and as a doctor behaves to his patient, so did he :

"Take do!" he said, and the cantor, like an obedient pupil, drew out do.

"Draw it out, draw it out! Four quavers draw it out !" commanded Yossel, listening attentively.

The cantor drew it out. 27