The Ghetto Part 5

AARON.

[_To SACHEL._] Good evening. [_No answer._] What's the matter with you, old friend? I have a bit of business with you.

ESTHER.

Good evening. Rather late for business, isn't it? Sit down.

AARON.

It's never too late for business. It was never too early when we were young--eh, Sachel? Do you remember forty years ago, when you and I and Abram stood in line at two o'clock in the morning--to get the best places at the sale? Poverty wasn't trumps then, as it is now.

ESTHER.

H'm! I fancy not with you, now.

SACHEL.

What did you come about?

AARON.

Eh? Well, I have something I think you'll want.

SACHEL.

What?

AARON.

Eh? Why, some wool, I'll sell it cheap. Feel that! As soft as my daughter's cheek!

[_Gives SACHEL a packet of wool._

SACHEL.

[_Returning the packet._] I didn't think you'd have anything I wanted.

ESTHER.

No; it wouldn't interest us. Have some coffee, Rosa!

AARON.

You think it is not good. You don't know! That wool was bought by my daughter, Rebecca, and I'll back her judgment against any man's in the Ghetto! [_Gives a little to SACHEL._] Feel that!

SACHEL.

[_Breaking the fibres, and listening to the sound they make._] His daughter! Cotton! More cotton! His daughter!

AARON.

I will match her with your son, any day!

SACHEL.

My son is in no hurry to marry.

AARON.

Marry? I meant as a judge of wool. You are the only one that's thinking of marrying him. What's the matter--doesn't any girl's father want him?

SACHEL.

[_Picking the wool apart._] H'm!

AARON.

There _is_ a keen demand for handsome young wives nowadays, judging from the way my daughter is besieged.

SACHEL.

Your daughter? You speak as if she had had an offer.

_Enter ROSA with the coffee._

AARON.

H'm, _an_ offer! But I came here to talk about wool! If it were not the Sabbath I would burn a little for you, and you could tell by the smell there is not a shred of cotton in it!

SACHEL.

Let the Christian burn it for us, then. Rosa, light that!

[_ROSA burns a little of the wool in the spirit lamp._

AARON.

[_Laughingly._] If you can smell cotton in that, then the sheep have been eating cotton-seed, and it has sprouted through their s.h.i.+ns. Do you smell any cotton? Ah!

[_Exit ROSA._

SACHEL.

No; because I have picked all the cotton out. Rubbis.h.!.+

ESTHER.

Have some coffee?