look at Esther, and then Esther saw that
it was Hannah Jacobs. She felt hot and uncomfortable, and half reluctant
to renew acquaintance with Levi's family, but with another impulse she
crossed over to the group, and went through the inevitable formulae.
Then, refusing Milly's warm-hearted invitation to have a cup of tea, she
shook hands and walked away.

"Wait a minute, Miss Ansell," said Hannah. "I'll come with you."

Milly gave her a shilling, with a facetious grimace, and she rejoined
Esther.

"I'm collecting money for a poor family of _Greeners_ just landed," she
said. "They had a few roubles, but they fell among the usual sharks at
the docks, and the cabman took all the rest of their money to drive them
to the Lane. I left them all crying and rocking themselves to and fro in
the street while I ran round to collect a little to get them a lodging."

"Poor things!" said Esther.

"Ah, I can see you've been away from the Jews," said Hannah smiling. "In
the olden days you would have said _Achi-nebbich_."

"Should I?" said Esther, smiling in return and beginning to like Hannah.
She had seen very little of her in those olden days, for Hannah had been
an adult and well-to-do as long as Esther could remember; it seemed
amusing now to walk side by side with her in perfect equality and
apparently little younger. For Hannah's appearance had not aged
perceptibly, which was perhaps why Esther recognized her at once. She
had not become angular like her mother, nor coarse and stout like other
mothers. She remained slim and graceful, with a virginal charm of
expression. But the pretty face had gained in refinement; it looked
earnest, almost spiritual, telling of suffering and patience, not
unblent with peace.

Esther silently extracted half-a-crown from her purse and handed it to
Hannah.

"I didn't mean to ask you, indeed I didn't," said Hannah.

"Oh, I am glad you told me," said Esther tremulously.

The idea of _her_ giving charity, after the account of herself she had
just heard, seemed ironical enough. She wished the transfer of the coin
had taken place within eyeshot of Malka; then dismissed the thought as
unworthy.

"You'll come in and have a cup of tea with us, won't you, after we've
lodged the _Greeners_?" said Hannah. "Now don't say no. It'll brighten
up my father to see 'Reb Moshe's little girl.'"

Esther tacitly assented.

"I heard of all of you recently," she said, when they had hurried on a
little furth