Page:Zangwill-King of schnorrers.djvu/89

75 THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 75

defensively. u He had a misfortune in the winter, and he has never got straight yet. A child of his died, and, un- happily, just when the snowballing was at its height, so that he lost seven days by the mourning." And he moved away.

" Did I not say work was uncertain ? " cried Manasseh.

"Not all," maintained the Schnorrer. "What of de six guineas I make by carrying round de Palm-branch on Tabernacles to be shaken by de voomans who cannot attend Synagogue, and by blowing de trumpet for de same voomans on New Year, so dat dey may break deir fasts? "

"The amount is too small to deserve discussion. Pass on."

"Dere is a smaller amount — just half dat — I get from de presents to de poor at de Feast of Lots, and from de Bridegrooms of de Beginning and de Bridegrooms of de Law at de Rejoicing of de Law, and dere is about four pounds ten a year from de sale of clothes given to me. Den I have a lot o' meals given me — dis, I have reckoned, is as good as seven pounds. And, lastly, I cannot count de odds and ends under ten guineas. You know dere are alvays legacies, gifts, distributions — all unexpected. You never know who'll break out next."

" Yes, I think it's not too high a percentage of your income to expect from unexpected sources," admitted Manasseh. " I have myself lingered about 'Change Alley or Sampson's Coffee House just when the jobbers have pulled off a special coup, and they have paid me quite a high percentage on their profits."

" And I," boasted Yankel£, stung to noble emulation, " have made two sov'rans in von minute out of Gideon de bullion-broker. He likes to give ScJmorrers sov'rans, as if in mistake for shillings, to see vat dey'll do. De fools