Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/80

66 60 THE KING OF SCHNORRERS.

" Hush ! " from all parts of the house as the curtain went up and the house settled down. But Yankele was no longer in rapport with the play ; the spectre had ceased to thrill and the heroine to touch. His mind was busy with feverish calculations of income, scraping together every penny he could raise by hook or crook. He even drew out a crumpled piece of paper and a pencil, but thrust them back into his pocket when he saw Manasseh's eye.

" I forgot," he murmured apologetically. " Being at de play made me forget it was de Sabbath." And he pursued his calculations mentally ; this being naturally less work.

When the play was over the two beggars walked out into the cool night air.

" I find," Yankele began eagerly in the vestibule, " I make at least von hundred and fifty pounds " — he paused to acknowledge the farewell salutation of the little door- keeper at his elbow — "a hundred and fifty a year."

" Indeed ! " said Manasseh, in respectful astonishment.

" Yes ! I have reckoned it all up. Ten are de sources of charity — "

" As it is written," interrupted Manasseh with unction, " ' With ten sayings was the world created ; there were ten generations from Noah to Abraham ; with ten trials our father Abraham was tried ; ten miracles were wrought for our fathers in Egypt and ten at the Red Sea ; and ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath in the twi- light ! ' And now it shall be added, ' Ten good deeds the poor man affords the rich man.' Proceed, Yankele."

" First comes my allowance from de Synagogue — eight pounds. Vonce a veek I call and receive half-a-crown."

" Is that all? Our Synagogue allows three-and-six."

"Ah!" sighed the Pole wistfully. "Did I not say you be a superior race? "