The fun of the thing wore off after a while, and then we experienced
the solid advantages of having an Iron-Clad in the house;
Afternoon--evening--the next day--my little man of business performed
his function promptly and assiduously. But in the afternoon of the
second day he began to change perceptibly. He wore an aspect of languor
and melancholy that alarmed me. The next morning he was pale, and went
to his work with an air of sorrowful resignation.
"He is thinking of Fatherland," said the sympathizing Dolly; while
Harry's less refined but more sprightly comment was, that the nose had
about played out.
Indeed it had almost ceased to wave; and I feared that I was about to
lose a most valuable servant, whose place it would be impossible to
fill. Accordingly I wrote on a slip of paper, which I sent in to him,"--
"You have done well, and I raise your salary to a dollar and a quarter a
day. Your influence over our unfortunate relative is soothing and
beneficial. Go on as you have begun,--continue in well-doing, and merit
the lasting gratitude of an afflicted family."
That seemed to cheer him a little--to wind him up, as Harry said, and
set the pendulum swinging again. But it was not long before the
listlessness and low spirits returned; Menzel showed a sad tendency to
shirk his duty; and before noon there came a crash.
I was in the garden, when I heard a shriek of rage and despair, and saw
the little Jew coming toward me with frantic gestures.
"I yielt! I abandone! I take my moneys and my shirt, and I go!" says he.
I stood in perfect astonishment at hearing the dumb speak; while he
threw his arms wildly above his head, exclaiming:
"I am not teaf! I am not teaf! I am not teaf! He is one terreeble mon!
He vill haf my life! So I go--I fly--I take my moneys and my shirt--I
leafe him, I leafe your house! I vould earn honest living, but--Gott im
himmel! dieu des dieux! all de devils!" he shrieked, mixing up several
of his languages at once, in his violent mental agitation.
"Jacob Menzel!" said I, solemnly, "I little thought I was having to do
with an impostor!"
"If I haf you deceive, I haf myself more dan punish!" was his reply.
"Now I resign de position. I ask for de moneys and de shirt, and I
part!"
Just then my uncle came up, amazed at his new friend's sudden revolt and
flight, and anxious to finish up with his seventh parish. "I vill hear
no more of your six, of your seven,--I know not how many parish!"
screamed the furious little Jew, turning on him.
"What means all this?" said my bewildered uncle.
"I tell you vat means it all!" the vindictive little impostor, tiptoeing
up to him, yelled at his cheek. "I make not vell my affairs in your
country; I vould return to Faderlant; for conwenience I carry dis
pappeer. I come here; I am suppose teaf; I accept de position to be your
companion, for if a man hear, you kill him tead soon vid your book and
your ten, twenty parish! I hear! you kill me! and I go!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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