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tenderness were revealed to him for the first time。 The face of his old
acquaintance had vanished； this was a cajoling； coquettish； smiling face；
suggesting undreamed…of things。
〃/Nu/； yes；〃 he replied； without perceptible pause。
〃/Nu/； good！〃 she rejoined as quickly。
And in the ecstasy of that moment of mutual understanding Leibel
forgot to wonder why he had never thought of Rose before。 Afterward he
remembered that she had always been his social superior。
The situation seemed too dream…like for explanation to the room just
yet。 Leibel lovingly passed a bottle of ginger…beer； and Rose took a sip；
with a beautiful air of plighting troth； understood only of those two。 When
Leibel quaffed the remnant it intoxicated him。 The relics of the bread and
cheese were the ambrosia to this nectar。 They did not dare kiss； the
suddenness of it all left them bashful； and the smack of lips would have
been like a cannon…peal announcing their engagement。 There was a subtler
sweetness in this sense of a secret； apart from the fact that neither cared to
break the news to the master tailor； a stern little old man。 Leibel's chalk
marks continued indecisive that afternoon； which shows how correctly
Rose had connected them with love。
Before he left that night Rose said to him； 〃Art thou sure thou wouldst
not rather have Leah Volcovitch？〃
〃Not for all the boots and shoes in the world；〃 replied Leibel；
vehemently。
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〃And I；〃 protested Rose； 〃would rather go without my own than
without thee。〃
The landing outside the workshop was so badly lighted that their lips
came together in the darkness。
〃Nay； nay； thou must not yet；〃 said Rose。 〃Thou art still courting Leah
Volcovitch。 For aught thou knowest； Sugarman the Shadchan may have
entangled thee beyond redemption。〃
〃Not so；〃 asserted Leibel。 〃I have only seen the maiden once。〃
〃Yes。 But Sugarman has seen her father several times；〃 persisted Rose。
〃For so misshapen a maiden his commission would be large。 Thou must
go to Sugarman to…night； and tell him that thou canst not find it in thy
heart to go on with the match。〃
〃Kiss me； and I will go；〃 pleaded Leibel。
〃Go； and I will kiss thee；〃 said Rose； resolutely。
〃And when shall we tell thy father？〃 he asked； pressing her hand； as
the next best thing to her lips。
〃As soon as thou art free from Leah。〃
〃But will he consent？〃
〃He will not be glad；〃 said Rose； frankly。 〃But after mother's death
peace be upon herthe rule passed from her hands into mine。〃
〃Ah； that is well；〃 said Leibel。 He was a superficial thinker。
Leibel found Sugarman at supper。 The great Shadchan offered him a
chair； but nothing else。 Hospitality was associated in his mind with special
occasions only； and involved lemonade and 〃stuffed monkeys。〃
He was very put outalmost to the point of indigestionto hear of
Leibel's final determination； and plied him with reproachful inquiries。
〃You don't mean to say that you give up a boot and shoe manufacturer
merely because his daughter has round shoulders！〃 he exclaimed；
incredulously。
〃It is more than round shouldersit is a hump！〃 cried Leibel。
〃And suppose？ See how much better off you will be when you get
your own machines！ We do not refuse to let camels carry our burdens
because they have humps。〃
〃Ah； but a wife is not a camel；〃 said Leibel； with a sage air。
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〃And a cutter is not a master tailor；〃 retorted Sugarman。
〃Enough； enough！〃 cried Leibel。 〃I tell you； I would not have her if
she were a machine warehouse。〃
〃There sticks something behind；〃 persisted Sugarman； unconvinced。
Leibel shook his head。 〃Only her hump〃 he said with a flash of
humour。
〃Moses Mendelssohn had a hump；〃 expostulated Sugarman；
reproachfully。
〃Yes； but he was a heretic；〃 rejoined Leibel； who was not without
reading。 〃And then he was a man！ A man with two humps could find a
wife for each。 But a woman with a hump cannot expect a husband in
addition。〃
〃Guard your tongue from evil；〃 quoth the Shadchan； angrily。 〃If
everybody were to talk like you Leah Volcovitch would never be married
at all。〃
Leibel shrugged his shoulders； and reminded him that hunchbacked
girls who stammered and squinted and halted on left legs were not usually
led under the canopy。
〃Nonsense！ Stuff！〃 cried Sugarman； angrily。 〃That is because they do
not come to me。〃
〃Leah Volcovitch /has/ come to you；〃 said Leibel； 〃but she shall not
come to me。〃 And he rose； anxious to escape。
Instantly Sugarman gave a sigh of resignation。 〃Be it so！ Then I shall
have to look out for another； that's all。〃
〃No； I don't want any；〃 replied Leibel； quickly。
Sugarman stopped eating。 〃You don't want any？〃 he cried。 〃But you
came to me for one？〃
〃IIknow；〃 stammered Leibel。 〃But I'veI've altered my mind。〃
〃One needs Hillel's patience to deal with you！〃 cried Sugarman。 〃But I
shall charge you； all the same； for my trouble。 You cannot cancel an order
like this in the middle！ No； no！ You can play fast and loose with Leah
Volcovitch； but you shall not make a fool of me。〃
〃But if I don't want one？〃 said Leibel； sullenly。
Sugarman gazed at him with a cunning look of suspicion。 〃Didn't I say
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there was something sticking behind？〃
Leibel felt guilty。 〃But whom have you got in your eye？〃 he inquired；
desperately。
〃Perhaps you may have some one in yours！〃 naively answered
Sugarman。
Leibel gave a hypocritic long…drawn 〃U…m…m…m！ I wonder if Rose
Green where I work〃 he said； and stopped。
〃I fear not；〃 said Sugarman。 〃She is on my list。 Her father gave her to
me some months ago； but he is hard to please。 Even the maiden herself is
not easy； being pretty。〃
〃Perhaps she has waited for some one；〃 suggested Leibel。
Sugarman's keen ear caught the note of complacent triumph。
〃You have b