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double knock is always for the upstairs lodgers。
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〃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。
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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。
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〃/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 so
marked that pretty Rose Green； the sweater's eldest daughter； who
managed a machine in the same room； divined； with all a woman's
intuition； that he was in love。
〃What is the matter？〃 she said； in rallying Yiddish； when they were
taking their lunch of bread and cheese and ginger…beer amid the clatter of
machines； whose serfs had not yet knocked off work。
〃They are proposing me a match；〃 he answered； sullenly。
〃A match！〃 ejaculated Rose。 〃Thou！〃 She had worked by his side for
years； and familiarity bred the second person singular。 Leibel nodded his
head； and put a mouthful of Dutch cheese into it。
〃With whom？〃 asked Rose。 Somehow he felt ashamed。 He gurgled the
answer into the stone ginger…beer bottle； which he put to his thirsty lips。
〃With Leah Volcovitch！〃
〃Leah Volcovitch！〃 gasped Rose。 〃Leah； the boot and shoe
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manufacturer's daughter？〃
Leibel hung his headhe scarce knew why。 He did not dare meet her
gaze。 His droop said 〃Yes。〃 There was a long pause。
〃And why dost thou not have her？〃 said Rose。 It was more than an
inquiry； there was contempt in it； and perhaps even pique。
Leibel did not reply。 The embarrassing silence reigned again； and
reigned long。 Rose broke it at last。
〃Is it that thou likest me better？〃 she asked。
Leibel seemed to see a ball of lightning in the air； it burst； and he felt
the electric current strike right through his heart。 The shock threw his head
up with a jerk； so that his eyes gazed into a face whose beauty and
tenderness were revealed to him for the first time。 The face of his old
acquaintance had vani