Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/68

54 "Guard your tongue ! A Sephardi cannot marry a Te- desco ! It would be a degradation."

"Yes — but de oder vay round. A Tedesco can marry a Sephardi, not so? Dat is a rise. If Grobstock's daughter had married you, she vould have married above her," he ended, with an ingenuous air.

"True," admitted Manasseh. "But then, as Grobstock's daughter does not exist, and my wife does — !"

"Ah, but if you vas me," said Yankele, "vould you radcr marry a Tedesco or a Sephardi?"

"A Sephardi, of course. But — "

"I vill be guided by you," interrupted the Pole hastily. "You be de visest man I have ever known."

"But — " Manasseh repeated.

" Do not deny it. You be ! Instantly vill I seek out a Sephardi maiden and ved her. P'raps you crown your counsel by choosing von for me. Vat?"

Manasseh was visibly mollified.

"How do I know your taste?" he asked hesitatingly.

"Oh, any Spanish girl would be a prize," replied Yankele. " Even ven she had a face like a Passover cake. But still I prefer a Pentecost blossom."

" What kind of beauty do you like best?"

"Your daughter's style," plumply answered the Pole.

"But there are not many like that," said da Costa unsus- piciously.

"No — she is like de Rose of Sharon. But den dere are not many handsome faders."

Manasseh bethought himself. " There is Gabriel, the corpse-watcher's daughter. People consider his figure and deportment good."

" Pooh ! Offal ! She's ugly enough to keep de Messiah from coming. Vy, she's like cut out of de fader's face !