'Next year in Jerusalem!' cried Barzinsky fervently, when this was read to the next meeting.
'Order, order,' said the _Parnass_. 'I don't believe in his Jerusalem grave. They won't admit his dead body.'
'He relies on smuggling in alive,' said Barzinsky gloomily, 'as soon as he has made his pile.'
'That won't be very long at this rate,' added Ephraim Mendel.
'The sooner the better,' said the _Gabbai_ impatiently. 'Let him go to Jericho.'
There was a burst of laughter, to the _Gabbai's_ great astonishment.
'Order, order, gentlemen,' said the _Parnass_. 'Don't you see from this insolent letter how right I was? The rascal threatens to drag us to the Christian Courts, that's clear. All that about Jerusalem is only dust thrown into our eyes.'
The _Parnass_ glared, but took snuff silently.
'I don't wonder he laughed at us,' said Straumann, encouraged. '_Bi_-weekly _by_ a member. Ha! ha! ha!'
'Mr. President!' Barzinsky screamed. 'Will you throw that laughing hyena out, or shall I?'
Straumann froze to a statue of dignity. 'Let any animalcule try it on,' said he.
'Shut up, you children, I'll chuck you both out,' said Ephraim Mendel in conciliatory tones. 'The point is--what's to be done now, Mr. President?'
'Nothing--till the end of the year. When he offers his new subscription we refuse to take it. That can't be illegal.'
'We ought all to go to him in a friendly deputation,' said Straumann. 'These formal resolutions "Buy! buy!" put his back up. We'll go to him as brothers--all Israel are brethren, and blood is thicker than water.'
'Chutney is thicker than blood,' put in the _Parnass_ mysteriously. 'He'll simply try to palm off his stock on the deputation.'
Ephraim Mendel and Solomon Barzinsky jumped up simultaneously. 'What a good idea,' said Ephraim. 'There you have hit it!' said Solomon. Their simultaneous popping-up had an air of finality--like the long and the short of it!
'You mean?' said the _Parnass_, befogged in his turn.
'I mean,' said Barzinsky, 'we could buy up his stock, me and the other marine-dealers between us, and he could clear out!'
'If he sold it reasonably,' added Mendel.
'Even unreasonably you must make a sacrifice for the Sabbath,' said the _Parnass_. 'Besides, divided among the lot of you, the loss would be little.'