THE KING OF SCHNORRERS. 89
Yankele shook his head. " I couldn't tink of keeping you in dis draughty passage."
"I don't mind. I don't feel any draught."
" Dat's just vere de danger lays. You don't notice, and one day you find yourself laid up mid rheumatism, and you vill have Remorse," said Yankele with a twinkle. " Your life is precious — if you die, who vill console de com- munity? "
It was an ambiguous remark, but the Rabbi understood it in its most flattering sense, and his little eyes beamed. " I would ask you inside," he said, " but I have a vis- itor."
" No matter," said Yankele, " vat I have to say to you, Rabbi, is not private. A stranger may hear it."
Still undecided, the Rabbi muttered, " You want me to marry you? "
" I have come to get married," replied Yankele.
" But I have never been called upon to marry people."
" It's never too late to mend, dey say."
"Strange — strange," murmured the Rabbi reflectively.
"Vat is strange?"
"That you should come to me just to-day. But why did you not go to Rabbi Sandman? "
" Rabbi Sandman ! " replied Yankele with contempt. " Vere vould be de good of going to him ? "
"But why not?"
" Every Scluwrrer goes to him," said Yankele frankly.
" Hum ! " mused the Rabbi. " Perhaps there is an open- ing for a more select marrier. Come in, then, I can give you five minutes if you really don't mind talking before a stranger."
He threw open the door, and led the way into the sitting- room.
