Part 39 (1/2)
”He might have sent something to his nephew and his niece,” she said half seriously.
”Perhaps he will when I get to America and tell him how pretty you are,”
said Mendel oracularly. He looked quite joyous and even ventured to pinch Miriam's flushed cheek roguishly, and she submitted to the indignity without a murmur.
”Why _you're_ looking as pleased as Punch too, mother,” said Daniel, in half-rueful amazement. ”You seem delighted at the idea of leaving us.”
”I always wanted to see America,” the old woman admitted with a smile.
”I also shall renew an old friends.h.i.+p in New York.” She looked meaningly at her husband, and in his eye was an answering love-light.
”Well, that's cool!” Daniel burst forth. ”But she doesn't mean it, does she, father?”
”I mean it.” Hyams answered.
”But it can't be true,” persisted Daniel, in ever-growing bewilderment.
”I believe it's all a hoax.”
Mendel hastily drained his coffee-cup.
”A hoax!” he murmured, from behind the cup.
”Yes, I believe some one is having a lark with you.”
”Nonsense!” cried Mendel vehemently, as he put down his coffee-cup and picked up the letter from the table. ”Don't I know my own brother Yankov's writing. Besides, who else would know all the little things he writes about?”
Daniel was silenced, but lingered on after Miriam had departed to her wearisome duties.
”I shall write at once, accepting Yankov's offer,” said his father.
”Fortunately we took the house by the week, so you can always move out if it is too large for you and Miriam. I can trust you to look after Miriam, I know, Daniel.” Daniel expostulated yet further, but Mendel answered:
”He is so lonely. He cannot well come over here by himself because he is half paralyzed. After all, what have I to do in England? And the mother naturally does not care to leave me. Perhaps I shall get my brother to travel with me to the land of Israel, and then we shall all end our days in Jerusalem, which you know has always been my heart's desire.”
Neither mentioned Bessie Sugarman.
”Why do you make so much bother?” Miriam said to Daniel in the evening.
”It's the best thing that could have happened. Who'd have dreamed at this hour of the day of coming into possession of a relative who might actually have something to leave us. It'll be a good story to tell, too.”
After _Shool_ next morning Mendel spoke to the President.
”Can you lend me six pounds?” he asked.
Belcovitch staggered.
”Six pounds!” he repeated, dazed.
”Yes. I wish to go to America with my wife. And I want you moreover to give your hand as a countryman that you will not breathe a word of this, whatever you hear. Beenah and I have sold a few little trinkets which our children gave us, and we have reckoned that with six pounds more we shall be able to take steerage pa.s.sages and just exist till I get work.”