The Community, after much discussion, much shaking of heads over the degeneracy of the times, had decided on accepting Bertie’s veneer of Judaism as the real thing, and the engagement was treated like any other. If Mr. Lee-Harrison had continued in the faith of his fathers this would not have been the case. Though both engagement and marriage would in a great number of instances have been countenanced, their recognition would have been less formal and public, and of course a fair proportion of Jews would never have recognized them at all. As it was, the brilliancy of the match was considered a little dimmed by the fact of Bertie’s not being of the Semitic race. It showed indifferent sportsmanship, if nothing else, to have failed in bringing down one of the wily sons of Shem. The Samuel Sachses came over at the first opportunity to _wish joy_, as they themselves expressed it, and inspect the new _fiancé_. It is possible that they were not well received, for Netta gave out subsequently, whenever the Lee-Harrisons were in question: “We don’t visit. Mamma doesn’t approve of mixed marriages.” The day on which the engagement was announced happened also to be that of the election, and in the course of the afternoon Adelaide burst in, much excited by the double event. “An overwhelming majority!” she cried; “Reuben is in by an overwhelming majority.” Then going up to Judith, she gave her a sounding kiss. “I am so glad, dear,” she said gushingly. Judith submitted to this display of affection with a good grace. For the last four days she had been living in a dream; a dream peopled by phantoms, who went and came, spoke and smiled, but had about as much reality as the figures of a magic lantern. As before Bertie’s proposal she had been too much preoccupied to be much aware of him, so now she continued to accept his attentions in the same spirit of amiable indifference and unconsciousness. Bertie, as Gwendolen Harleth said of Grandcourt, was not disgusting. He took his love, as he took his religion, very theoretically. There was something not unpleasant in the atmosphere of respectful devotion with which he contrived to surround her. “Where is your young man?” went on Adelaide, taking a seat close to Judith, and noting with admiration the rich colour in her face, the wonderful brilliance of her eyes. She felt very friendly towards the girl, who was safely out of her brother’s way, and was doing so remarkably well for herself. Afterwards she observed to her husband: “Judith looked quite good-looking. I always say there is nothing like being engaged for improving a girl’s complexion.” “Am I my young man’s keeper?” answered Judith lightly. “But I believe he is at Christie’s.” “When can you come and dine with us?” went on Adelaide, who had never asked Judith to dinner before. “I will get some pleasant people to meet you. You shall choose your own night. Reuben must come as well--if he is not too jealous.”