The prodigy burst into a chuckle, and was forthwith pulled down to his chair. He took a liking to the rough-and-ready straightforwardness of the American. There was a pause. Shaya and his uncles were obviously leaning toward the "boor." Asriel was clearly the master of the situation. At last Reb Lippe and his suite rose from their seats. "You can keep the bargain!" he said to Asriel, with a sardonic smile. "And be choked with it!" added his son. "What is your hurry, Reb Lippe?" said one of the uncles, rushing to the old man's side with obsequious solicitude. "Why, the thing is not settled yet. We don't know whether"-- "_You_ don't, but I do. I won't take that boy if _he_ brings twenty thousand roubles to _his_ marriage portion. Good-night!" "Good-night and good-year!" Asriel returned. "Why does the cat hate the cream? Because it is locked up." An hour afterward the remainder of the gathering were touching glasses and interchanging _mazol-tovs_ (congratulations) upon the engagement of Flora Stroon to Shaya Golub. "And now receive my _mazol-tov_!" said Asriel, pouncing upon the prodigy and nearly crushing him in his mighty embrace. "_Mazol-tov_ to you, Flora's bridegroom! _Mazol-tov_ to you, Flora's predestinated one! My child's dear little bridegroom!" he went on, hiding his face on the young man's shoulder. "I am only a boor, but you shall be my son-in-law. I'll dine you and wine you, as the preacher commanded, pearls will I strew on your righteous path, a crown will I place on your head--I am only a boor!" Sobs rang in the old man's voice. The bystanders looked on in smiling, pathetic silence. "A boor, but an honest man," some one whispered to the uncles. "A heart of gold!" put in the innkeeper. "And what will Flora say?" something whispered to Asriel, from a corner of his overflowing heart. "Do you mean to tell me that the American young lady will marry this old-fashioned, pious fellow?" "Hold your tongue, fool you!" Asriel snarled inwardly. "She will have to marry him, and that settles it, and don't you disturb my joy. It's for her good as well as for mine." With a sudden movement he disengaged his arms, and, taking off his enormous gold watch and chain, he put it on Shaya, saying:-- "Wear it in good health, my child. This is your first present from your sweetheart. But wait till we come to America!" * * * * * The next morning Asriel visited the cemetery, and was overawed by its size. While living Pravly had increased by scarcely a dozen houses, the number of dwellings in silent Pravly had nearly doubled.