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89 THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 89

Yankele shook his head. " I couldn't tink of keeping you in dis draughty passage."

"I don't mind. I don't feel any draught."

" Dat's just vere de danger lays. You don't notice, and one day you find yourself laid up mid rheumatism, and you vill have Remorse," said Yankele with a twinkle. " Your life is precious — if you die, who vill console de com- munity? "

It was an ambiguous remark, but the Rabbi understood it in its most flattering sense, and his little eyes beamed. " I would ask you inside," he said, " but I have a vis- itor."

" No matter," said Yankele, " vat I have to say to you, Rabbi, is not private. A stranger may hear it."

Still undecided, the Rabbi muttered, " You want me to marry you? "

" I have come to get married," replied Yankele.

" But I have never been called upon to marry people."

" It's never too late to mend, dey say."

"Strange — strange," murmured the Rabbi reflectively.

"Vat is strange?"

"That you should come to me just to-day. But why did you not go to Rabbi Sandman? "

" Rabbi Sandman ! " replied Yankele with contempt. " Vere vould be de good of going to him ? "

"But why not?"

" Every Scluwrrer goes to him," said Yankele frankly.

" Hum ! " mused the Rabbi. " Perhaps there is an open- ing for a more select marrier. Come in, then, I can give you five minutes if you really don't mind talking before a stranger."

He threw open the door, and led the way into the sitting- room.