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W'y〃he rose and bent to look behind Simmons's head〃s' 'elp me； I
b'lieve she cuts yer 'air！ Well； I'm dammed！ Jes' wot she would do；
too。〃
He inspected the blushing Simmons from divers points of vantage。 Then
he lifted a leg of the trousers hanging behind the door。 〃I'd bet a
trifle；〃 he said； 〃she made these 'ere trucks。 No…body else 'ud do 'em
like that。 Damme！ they're wuss'n wot you're got on。〃
The small devil began to have the argument all its own way。 If this
man took his wife back perhaps he'd have to wear those trousers。
〃Ah；〃 Ford pursued； 〃she ain't got no milder。 An'； my davy； wot a
jore！〃
Simmons began to feel that this was no longer his business。 Plainly；
'Anner was this other man's wife； and he was bound in honour to
acknowledge the fact。 The small devil put it to him as a matter of
duty。
〃Well；〃 said Ford； suddenly； 〃time's short an' this ain't business。 I
won't be 'ard on you； matey。 I ought prop'ly to stand on my rights；
but seein' as you're a well…meaning young man； so to speak； an' all
settled an' a…livin' 'ere quiet an' matrimonual； I'll〃this with a
burst of generosity〃damme！ yus； I'll compound the felony an' take me
'ook。 Come； I'll name a figure； as man to man； fust an' last； no less
an' no more。 Five pound does it。〃
Simmons hadn't five pounds；he hadn't even fivepence；and he said
so。 〃An' I wouldn't think to come between a man an' 'is wife；〃 he
added； 〃not on no account。 It may be rough on me； but it's a dooty。
/I'll/ 'ook it。〃
〃No；〃 said Ford； hastily； clutching Simmons by the arm； 〃don't do
that。 I'll make it a bit cheaper。 Say three quidcome； that's
reasonable； ain't it？ Three quid ain't much compensation for me goin'
away for everwhere the stormy winds do blow； so to sayan' never as
much as seein' me own wife agin for better nor wuss。 Between man an'
man； now； three quid； an' I'll shunt。 That's fair； ain't it？〃
〃Of course it's fair；〃 Simmons replied； effusively。 〃It's more'n fair：
it's nobledownright noble； /I/ call it。 But I ain't goin' to take a
mean advantage o' your good…'artedness； Mr。 Ford。 She's your wife； an'
I oughtn't to 'a' come between you。 I apologise。 You stop an' 'ave yer
proper rights。 It's me as ought to shunt； an' I will。〃 And he made a
step toward the door。
〃 'Old on；〃 quoth Ford； and got between Simmons and the door； 〃don't
do things rash。 Look wot a loss it'll be to you with no 'ome to go to；
an' nobody to look after ye； an' all that。 It'll be dreadful。 Say a
couplethere； we won't quarrel； jest a single quid； between man an'
man； an' I'll stand a pot out o' the money。 You can easy raise a quid
the clock 'ud pretty nigh do it。 A quid does it； an' I'll〃
There was a loud double knock at the front door。 In the East End a
double knock is always for the upstairs lodgers。
〃Oo's that？〃 asked Bob Ford； apprehensively。
〃I'll see；〃 said Thomas Simmons； in reply； and he made a rush for the
staircase。
Bob Ford heard him open the front door。 The he went to the window； and
just below him he saw the crown of a bonnet。 It vanished； and borne to
him from within the door there fell upon his ear the sound of a well…
remembered female voice。
〃Where ye goin' now with no 'at？〃 asked the voice； sharply。
〃Awright； 'Annerthere'sthere's somebody upstairs to see you；〃
Simmons answered。 And； as Bob Ford could see； a man went scuttling
down the street in the gathering dusk。 And behold； it was Thomas
Simmons。
Ford reached the landing in three strides。 His wife was still at the
front door； staring after Simmons。 He flung into the back room； threw
open the window； dropped from the wash…house roof into the back yard；
scrambled desperately over the fence； and disappeared into the gloom。
He was seen by no living soul。 And that is why Simmons's base
desertionunder his wife's very eyes； toois still an astonishment
to the neighbours。
A ROSE OF THE GHETTO
BY
ISRAEL ZANGWILL
One day it occurred to Leibel that he ought to get married。 He went to
Sugarman the Shadchan forthwith。
〃I have the very thing for you；〃 said the great marriage broker。
〃Is she pretty？〃 asked Leibel。
〃Her father has a boot and shoe warehouse；〃 replied Sugarman；
enthusiastically。
〃Then there ought to be a dowry with her；〃 said Leibel； eagerly。
〃Certainly a dowry！ A fine man like you！〃
〃How much do you think it would be？〃
〃Of course it is not a large warehouse； but then you could get your
boots at trade price； and your wife's； perhaps； for the cost of the
leather。〃
〃When could I see her？〃
〃I will arrange for you to call next Sabbath afternoon。〃
〃You won't charge me more than a sovereign？〃
〃Not a groschen more！ Such a pious maiden！ I'm sure you will be happy。
She has so much way…of…the…country ＇breeding＇。 And of course five per
cent on the dowry？〃
〃H'm！ Well； I don't mind！〃 〃Perhaps they won't give a dowry；〃 he
thought with a consolatory sense of outwitting the Shadchan。
On the Saturday Leibel went to see the damsel； and on the Sunday he
went to see Sugarman the Shadchan。
〃But your maiden squints！〃 he cried； resentfully。
〃An excellent thing！〃 said Sugarman。 〃A wife who squints can never
look her husband straight in the face and overwhelm him。 Who would
quail before a woman with a squint？〃
〃I could endure the squint；〃 went on Leibel； dubiously； 〃but she also
stammers。〃
〃Well； what is better； in the event of a quarrel？ The difficulty she
has in talking will keep her far more silent than most wives。 You had
best secure her while you have the chance。〃
〃But she halts on the left leg；〃 cried Leibel； exasperated。
〃/Gott in Himmel！/ Do you mean to say you do not see what an advantage
it is to have a wife unable to accompany you in all your goings？〃
Leibel lost patience。
〃Why； the girl is a hunchback！〃 he protested； furiously。
〃My dear Leibel；〃 said the marriage broker； deprecatingly shrugging
his shoulders and spreading out his palms； 〃you can't expect
perfection！〃
Nevertheless Leibel persisted in his unreasonable attitude。 He accused
Sugarman of wasting his time； of making a fool of him。
〃A fool of you！〃 echoed the Shadchan； indignantly； 〃when I give you a
chance of a boot and shoe manufacturer's daughter？ You will make a
fool of yourself if you refuse。 I dare say her dowry would be enough
to set you up as a master tailor。 At present you are compelled to
slave away as a cutter for thirty shillings a week。 It is most unjust。
If you only had a few machines you would be able to employ your own
cutters。 And they can be got so cheap nowadays。〃
This gave Leibel pause； and he departed without having definitely
broken the negotiations。 His whole week was befogged by doubt； his
work became uncertain； his chalk marks lacked their usual decision；
and he did not always cut his coat according to his cloth。 His
aberrations became s