“But thou, my Simcha, hadst no need to be connected with Rabbonim!”

“Oh, yes; make mockery of me.”

“I mean it.  Thou art as a lily of Sharon.”

“Wilt thou have another cup of coffee, Shemuel?”

“Yes, my life.  Wait but a little and thou shalt see our Hannah under the Chuppah.”

“Hast thou any one in thine eye?”

The Reb nodded his head mysteriously and winked the eye, as if nudging the person in it.

“Who is it, father?” said Levi.  “I do hope it’s a real swell who talks English properly.”

“And mind you make yourself agreeable to him, Hannah,” said the Rebbitzin.  “You spoil all the matches I’ve tried to make for you by your stupid, stiff manner.”

“Look here, mother!” cried Hannah, pushing aside her cup violently.  “Am I going to have my breakfast in peace?  I don’t want to be married at all.  I don’t want any of your Jewish men coming round to examine me as if! were a horse, and wanting to know how much money you’ll give them as a set-off.  Let me be!  Let me be single!  It’s my business, not yours.”

The Rebbitzin bent eyes of angry reproach on the Reb.

“What did I tell thee, Shemuel?  She’s meshugga—­quite mad!  Healthy and fresh and mad!”

“Yes, you’ll drive me mad,” said Hannah savagely.  “Let me be!  I’m too old now to get a Chosan, so let me be as I am.  I can always earn my own living.”

“Thou seest, Shemuel?” said Simcha.  “Thou seest my sorrows?  Thou seest how impious our children wax in this godless country.”

“Let her be, Simcha, let her be,” said the Reb.  “She is young yet.  If she hasn’t any inclination thereto—!”

“And what is her inclination?  A pretty thing, forsooth!  Is she going to make her mother a laughing-stock!  Are Mrs. Jewell and Mrs. Abrahams to dandle grandchildren in my face, to gouge out my eyes with them!  It isn’t that she can’t get young men.  Only she is so high-blown.  One would think she had a father who earned five hundred a year, instead of a man who scrambles half his salary among dirty Schnorrers.”

“Talk not like an Epicurean,” said the Reb.  “What are we all but Schnorrers, dependent on the charity of the Holy One, blessed be He?  What!  Have we made ourselves?  Rather fall prostrate and thank Him that His bounties to us are so great that they include the privilege of giving charity to others.”

“But we work for our living!” said the Rebbitzin.  “I wear my knees away scrubbing.”  External evidence pointed rather to the defrication of the nose.

“But, mother,” said Hannah.  “You know we have a servant to do the rough work.”

“Yes, servants!” said the Rebbitzin, contemptuously.  “If you don’t stand over them as the Egyptian taskmasters over our forefathers, they don’t do a stroke of work except breaking the crockery.  I’d much rather sweep a room myself than see a Shiksah pottering about for an hour and end by leaving all the dust on the window-ledges and the corners of the mantelpiece.  As for beds, I don’t believe Shiksahs ever shake them!  If I had my way I’d wring all their necks.”