The King of Schnorrers: Grotesques and Fantasies

Mahamad, the intended union of his daughter with a Polish Jew having excited the liveliest horror and d

S OF THE S

on of the Mahamad." The Haham himself, the Sage or Chief Rabbi of the congregation, could not unite his flock in holy wedlock without the "permission of the Mahamad." And this authority was not merely negative and passive, it was likewise positive and active. To be a Yahid-a recognised congregant-one had to submit one's neck to a yoke more galling even than that of the Torah, to say nothing of the payment of Finta, or poll-tax. Woe to him who refused to be Warden of the Captives-he who ransomed the chained hostages of the Moorish Corsairs, or the war prisoners held in durance by the Turks-or to be President of the Congregation, or Parnass of the Holy Land, or Bridegroom of the Law, or any of the numerous dignitaries of a complex constitution. Fines, frequent and heavy-for the benefit of the poor-box-awaited him "by permission of the Mahamad." Unhappy the wight who misconducted himself in Synagogue "by offending the president, or grossly insulting any other person," as the ordinance deliciously ran. Penalties, stringent and harrying, visited these and other offences-deprivation of the "good deeds," of swathing the Holy Scroll, or opening the Ar

DENT OF TH

legislation that grew into two hundred pages of Portuguese-an intertangled network of Ascamot or regulations, providing for every contingency of Synagogue politics, from the quarrels of members for the best seats down to the dimensions of their graves in

ervant of greatness. He lived "by permission of the Mahamad." As an official he was theoretically inaccessible. If you approached him on a matter he would put out his palms deprecatingly and pant, "I must consult the Mahamad." It was said of him that he had once been asked the time, and that he had automatically panted, "I must consult the Mahamad." This consultation was the merest form; in practice the Secretary had more influence than the Chief Rabbi, who was not allowed to recommend an applicant for charity, for the quaint reason that the respect

the stately Castilian courtesy still preserved by the men who were met this afternoon, to whom their memory was as faint as the fading records of the panels. These descendants of theirs had still elaborate salutations and circumlocutions, and austere dignities of debate. "God-fearing men of capacity and respectability," as the Ascama demanded, they were also men of money, and it gave them a port and a repose. His Brit

resident, when the agenda demand

or, and beckoned vacancy with his finger till he discovered Man

WITH HIS

panted the Chancell

ed the beadle with the long-

red beadle. He ran down the passage, and found him sure enough at the end of it where it abutte

t his tone was less awesome and more t

es with it. This time the beggar gave indications of restored hearing. "Yes, my man," he said, turn

me calling?" gr

rally imagined it was one of your drinkin

iting for you," fa

don't hurry away, my dear Grobstock," he went on, resuming his place at the German magnate's side-"and so your wife is taking the waters at Tunbridge Well

ous to escape. He had caught the Schnorrer's eye as it

have to attend," he said indifferently

became a setting fo

ad was your chief Co

htly, and, while Grobstock gaped incredulous, the C

emen of the Mahamad waitin

thout me. Well, you will excuse me, I know. I am glad to have seen you again-we shall finish our

all this month," Gro

Perhaps mine will be away, too-at Buxton. Two bachelors, ha! ha! ha!" and, proffering his hand, he shook Grobstock's in gracious farewe

A!' LAUGHED

" he observed affably as he

t of his regal suavity. He was a puffy, swarthy personage, elegantly attired, and he

u expected me to cool my heels in the corridor I should not have come, and, had not my friend the

nent, sir," grow

and high breeding which has always distinguished your noble family, I can only explain your present tone by you

urned a questioning glance upon the outraged Chancellor, wh

ommencement of the meeting," he stammered hotly. "W

that at the next meeting of his august body he move a resolution that persons c

oint now," added Manasseh, "nor will I draw the attention of the committee to the careless, perfunctory manner in which the document

r name," protest

f dismissing the past, he seated himself on the nearest empty chair at the foot of the table, leaned his elbows on the table, and his face on his hands, and gazed across at the President immediately opposite. The Councillors were

crushingly, "they know better than to

rted the Chancellor, "you would

disrespect for the Mahamad, but of respect for the Law, which is higher than the Mahamad. The rich m

breasts. The President felt vaguely that the edge of his coming impressive rebuke had been turned, if, in

cts of the gentlemen of the Mahamad. May I ask you, sir," he concluded, "to proceed with the

fled wrath, of righteous indignation made unrighteous. "Is it true, sir," he burst forth at last in the most terrible

ied Manass

rmur of astonishment went round the table a

it to my wife," said the Co

ds him. "My daughter is going to marry a Polish Jew," he explained wi

ggar's progressive propinquity. "By no means," quoth Manasseh in surprised accents, as he drew his chair near

ance. "Do you not know that the union you contemplate is disgraceful and degrading to you, to your daug

oximity, had half-wheeled his chair round, offering only his back to the argumentative forefinger-"perhaps you think, because I have consented, that I cannot condole with you, that I am not at one with you in lamenting this blot on our common 'scutcheon; perhaps you think"-here he adroitly twisted his chair into argumentative position on the other side of the Councillor, rounding him lik

ed the President, stung into forgetfulness

so as to confront the President, who went on stormily, "Are you a

alties," repli

nyone may trample with impun

eh in surprise. "What have they to say

dered the Council breathless. Ma

cama." There was a moment of awful silence. It

n?" said the President at last, in low, ominous tones.

Man-of-the-Earth, but he should know your statutes, and he wi

President testily. "Mr. Ch

y turns; all eyes were bent upon him in anxious suspense. He hemmed

he stuttered at last. Manasseh s

and neighbour was the first to break the daze

Have we ever legislated against marrying Christians?" Manasseh veered round half a point of the compass, and fixed the new opponent with his argumentative forefinger. "Certainly we have," he replied unexpectedly. "In Section XX

," said the Chancellor, recovering himself. "It is s

ents assuredly," cried

e Chancellor, blossoming under the sunshine of the President's encouragement, and nami

dicted," said

tendance of the members of the House of Judgment, or of the Cantors; no celebration was to take place in the Snoga; no offeri

UGHED THE

t he had now arrived in his argumentative advances. "In the first place he is not one of us. His desire to join us is a compliment. If anyone has offended your traditions, it is my daughter. But

orary Treasurer, guffawing grimly. He sat op

u had better make up your mind to the inevitable, gentlemen. Have I not had to do it? There is no Ascama to prevent my son-in-law having all the usual privileges-in fact, it was to ask that he might receive the bridegroom's call to the Law on the Sabbath before his marriage that I really came. By Section III., Paragraph I., you are empowered to a

ily contact with these archaic sanctities had dulled his awe,

ragraph V. of the same section, any one whose name

perceive that those who take the charity are the pillars of the Synagogue. What keeps your community together? Fines. What ensures respect for your constitution? Fines. What makes every man do his duty? Fines. What rules this very Mahamad? Fines. And it is the poor who provid

for those grave amenities of the ancient Council Chamber which Manas

ne, "but if you would like me to address myself to you-" and wheeling ro

om his confidential contact. "You have no right to a voice at all; as

ly the Yahid who is privileged to do this, who is prohibited from doing th

es. But this man hardly ever does, sir." "I never do," corrected Manasseh, with touching sadness. "That is another of the

your turn in the graveyard wat

the Mahamad, who was wedged between the two bobbing, quarrelling figures, his

spend a night in the cemetery. If the body-snatchers did come they might find a c

ur asking me for the money to keep an old man

n two other

nd the shadows of twilight were falling. "You must not argue with the man. Hark you, my fine fellow, we refuse to sancti

n your Charity Li

President, tattooing on the table with his whole fist, "if yo

S SCANDAL INSTANTER, WE

said Manasseh, rising to his feet. T

epeated the President, agitatedly

it in a twinkling," said Manasseh sull

" echoed the Pres

xcepting the Chancellor. Only no one is really willing to save the community from this scandal, and so my daught

Pole," he ranted, "and you shall be cut off from us in life and death. Alive, you

sseh in ominous soliloquy. "For the rich man-

ciferated the President. "Yo

seh did n

do not forget that if I have no vote I have vast influence; that there is not a Yahid whom I do not visit weekly; that there is not a Schnorrer who would not follow me in my exile. Do not forget that there is another community to turn to-yes! that very Ashkenazic community

wrath. And being already on his legs, he dashed to the bell and tugged at it m

ED TO TH

oose," said Manasseh, dropping stolidly i

throat, every man leapt threateningly to his feet, and Man

her blenche

eats, gentlemen,"

round the walls, as if expecting the gold names to start from their panels. The beadle rushed in, terrified by the strenuous tintinnabulation, looked instinctively towards the throne for orders

cried imperiously. "Can't you see t

esident, and, perceiving his conditi

ed sideways. Manasseh sprang from his chair and caught the falling form in his arms. For one terrible moment he stood supporting it in a tense silence, broken only by the incoherent murmurs of the unconscious lips; then crying angrily, "Bestir yourselves, gentlemen, don't you

the glass of water, whi

way the water carelessly, in the Chancellor's direction,

said, "bring out your phial." A

age without?" Manasseh de

of the Elders in quest of a sedan chair. Then t

essive moralising. "It is swallowed up in an instant, as Lisbon was engulfed. Cursed are they who despise the poor. How is the saying of our

s, like reeds before the wind, or conscien

sness, was conveyed home in the sedan chair, and the Mahamad dissolved in confusion. Manasseh was the last to leave the Council Chamber. As he stalked into the corridor he turned the key in t

burst of irresistible honesty. "The Preside

attend the next meeting," said M