"I am a corn-chandler," said Mr. Whimpole. "Churchwarden, my dear," said Aaron, addressing his wife in a pleasant tone, "_and_ corn-chandler." For the life of him Mr. Whimpole could not have explained to the satisfaction of those not directly interested why he was angry at the reception he was meeting. That Aaron Cohen was not the kind of man he had expected to meet would not have been accepted as a sufficient reason. "I am not mistaken," said Mr. Whimpole, with a flush of resentment, "in believing you to be a Jew?" "You are not mistaken," replied Aaron with exceeding urbanity. "I am a Jew. If I were not proud of the fact it would be folly to attempt to disguise it, for at least one feature in my face would betray me." "It would," said Mr. Whimpole, dealing a blow which had the effect of causing Aaron to lean back in his chair, and laugh gently to himself for fully thirty seconds. "When you have quite finished," said Mr. Whimpole coldly, "we will proceed." "Excuse me," said Aaron, drawing a deep breath of enjoyment. "I beg you will not consider me wanting in politeness, but I have the instincts of my race, and I never waste the smallest trifle, not even a joke." A little tuft of hair which ran down the center of Mr. Whimpole's head--the right and left banks of which were devoid of verdure--quivered in sympathy with the proprietor's astonishment. That a man should make a joke out of that which was generally considered to be a reproach and a humiliation was, indeed, matter for amazement, nay, in this instance, for indignation, for in Aaron Cohen's laughter he, Mr. Whimpole himself, was made to occupy a ridiculous place. "We are loath," continued Aaron, "to waste even the thinnest joke. We are at once both thrifty and liberal." "We!" exclaimed Mr. Whimpole in hot repudiation. "We Jews, I mean. No person in the world could possibly mistake you for one of the chosen." "I should hope not. The idea is too absurd." "Make your mind easy, sir; you would not pass muster in a synagogue without exciting remark. Yes, we are both thrifty and liberal, wasting nothing, and in the free spending of our money seeing that we get good value for it. That is not a reproach, nor is it a reproach that we thoroughly enjoy an agreeable thing when we get it for nothing. There are so many things in life to vex us that the opportunity of a good laugh should never be neglected. Proceed, my dear sir, proceed; you were saying that you believed you were not mistaken in taking me for a Jew." "Is it your intention," asked Mr. Whimpole, coming now straight to the point, "to reside in Gosport?" "If I am permitted," replied Aaron meekly. "I hear, Mr. Cohen, that you have purchased the lease of this house." "It is true, sir. The money has been paid and the lease is mine." "It has twenty-seven years to run." "Twenty-seven years and three months. Who can tell where we shall be, and how we shall be situated at the end of that time?"