"He owes me dirty shillings. I found him a very fine maiden, but, now he is married, he says it was only worth a suvran. He offered it me but I vouldn't take it. A poor man he vas, too, and got ten pun from a marriage portion society." "Is it worth while bringing a scandal on the community for the sake of ten shillings? It will be in all the papers, and _Shadchan_ will be spelt shatcan, shodkin, shatkin, chodcan, shotgun, and goodness knows what else." "Yes, but it isn't ten shillings," said Sugarman. "It's dirty shillings." "But you say he offered you a sovereign." "So he did. He arranged for two pun ten. I took the suvran--but not in full payment." "You ought to settle it before the Beth-din," said Daniel vehemently, "or get some Jew to arbitrate. You make the Jews a laughing-stock. It is true all marriages depend on money," he added bitterly, "only it is the fashion of police court reporters to pretend the custom is limited to the Jews." "Vell, I did go to Reb Shemuel," said Sugarman "I dought he'd be the very man to arbitrate." "Why?" asked Daniel. "Vy? Hasn't he been a _Shadchan_ himself? From who else shall we look for sympaty?" "I see," said Daniel smiling a little. "And apparently you got none." "No," said Sugarman, growing wroth at the recollection. "He said ve are not in Poland." "Quite true." "Yes, but I gave him an answer he didn't like," said Sugarman. "I said, and ven ve are not in Poland mustn't ve keep _none_ of our religion?" His tone changed from indignation to insinuation. "Vy vill you not let me get _you_ a vife, Mr. Hyams? I have several extra fine maidens in my eye. Come now, don't look so angry. How much commission vill you give me if I find you a maiden vid a hundred pound?" "The maiden!" thundered Daniel. Then it dawned upon him that he had said a humorous thing and he laughed. There was merriment as well as mysticism in Daniel's blue eyes.