"My daughter will have a dowry befitting her station, certainly," said Manasseh, with his grandest manner; "but then I had looked forward to her marrying a king of Schnorrers." "Vell, but ven I marry her I shall be." "How so?" "I shall have schnorred your daughter—the most precious thing in the world! And schnorred her from a king of Schnorrers, too!! And I shall have schnorred your services as marriage-broker into de bargain!!!" CHAPTER IV. SHOWING HOW THE ROYAL WEDDING WAS ARRANGED. Manasseh Bueno Barzillai Azevedo da Costa was so impressed by his would-be son-in-law's last argument that he perpended it in silence for a full minute. When he replied, his tone showed even more respect than had been infused into it by the statement of the aspirant's income. Manasseh was not of those to whom money is a fetish; he regarded it merely as something to be had for the asking. It was intellect for which he reserved his admiration. That was strictly not transferable. [79] [79] "It is true," he said, "that if I yielded to your importunities and gave you my daughter, you would thereby have approved yourself a king of Schnorrers, of a rank suitable to my daughter's, but an analysis of your argument will show that you are begging the question." "Vat more proof do you vant of my begging powers?" demanded Yankelé, spreading out his palms and shrugging his shoulders. "'VAT MORE PROOF DO YOU VANT?'" "Much greater proof," replied Manasseh. "I ought to have some instance of your powers. The only time I have seen you try to schnorr you failed." [80] [80] "Me! ven?" exclaimed Yankelé indignantly. "Why, this very night. When you asked young Weinstein for his dead father's clothes!"
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