Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/27

13 THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 1.°>

in the Peninsula our ancestors graced the courts of kings, and controlled the purse-strings of princes ; in Holland we held the empery of trade. Ours have been the poets and scholars in Israel. You cannot expect that we should recog- nise your rabble, which prejudices us in the eyes of England. We made the name of Jew honourable ; you degrade it. You are as the mixed multitude which came up with our forefathers out of Egypt."

" Nonsense ! " said Grobstock sharply. " All Israel are brethren."

" Esau was the brother of Israel," answered Manasseh sententiously. " But you will excuse me if I go a-marketing, it is such a pleasure to handle gold." There was a note of wistful pathos in the latter remark which took off the edge of the former, and touched Joseph with compunction for bandying words with a hungry man whose loved ones were probably starving patiently at home.

" Certainly, haste away," he said kindly.

" I shall see you again," said Manasseh, with a valedictory wave of his hand, and digging his staff into the cobblestones he journeyed forwards without bestowing a single backward glance upon his benefactor.

Grobstock's road took him to Petticoat Lane in the wake of Manasseh. He had no intention of following him, but did not see why he should change his route for fear of the Schnorrer, more especially as Manasseh did not look back. By this time he had become conscious again of the bag he carried, but he had no heart to proceed with the fun. He felt conscience stricken, and had recourse to his pockets instead in his progress through the narrow jostling market- street, where he scarcely ever bought anything personally save fish and good deeds. He was a connoisseur in both. To-day he picked up many a good deed cheap, paying