Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/78

64 64 THE KING OF SCHNORRERS.

" But dink how dey vould enjoy deirselves ! "

" We are not sent here to enjoy ourselves."

"True — most true," said Yankele, pulling a smug face. " Ve be sent here to obey de Law of Moses. But do not remind me I be a sinner in Israel."

"How so?"

" I am twenty-five — yet I have no vife."

"I daresay you had plenty in Poland."

"By my soul, not. Only von, and her I gave gett (divorce) for barrenness. You can write to de Rabbi of my town."

" Why should I write ? It's not my affair."

" But I vant it to be your affair."

Manasseh glared. "Do you begin that again?" he mur- mured.

" It is not so much dat I desire your daughter for a vife as you for a fader-in-law."

" It cannot be ! " said Manasseh more gently.

" Oh dat I had been born a Sephardi ! " said Yankele with a hopeless groan.

" It is too late now," said da Costa soothingly.

" Dey say it's never too late to mend," moaned the Pole. " Is dere no vay for me to be converted to Spanish Judaism? I could easily pronounce Hebrew in your superior vay."

" Our Judaism differs in no essential respect from yours — it is a question of blood. You cannot change your blood. As it is said, ' And the blood is the life.' "

" I know, I know dat I aspire too high. Oh, vy did you become my friend, vy did you make me believe you cared for me — so dat I tink of you day and night — and now, ven I ask you to be my fader-in-law, you say it cannot be. It is like a knife in de heart ! Tink how proud and happy I should be to call you my fader-in-law. All my life vould be