'Order, order!' said the _Parnass_ angrily. 'Those who are in favour
of the resolution! Carried.'

'_By_ a majority,' sneered the stylist, subsiding.

'Mr. Secretary'--the President turned to the poor
Reverend-of-all-work--'you need not record this verbal discussion in
the minutes.'

'_By_ request,' said the stylist, reviving.

'But what's the use of the resolution if you don't mention the
member's name?' suddenly inquired Ephraim Mendel, stretching his long,
languid limbs.

'But there's only one Sabbath-breaker,' replied the _Parnass_.

'To-day, yes, but to-morrow there might be two.'

'It could hardly be to-morrow,' said the stylist. 'For that happens to
be a Monday.'

Barzinsky bashed the table. 'Mr. President, are we here for business
or are we not?'

'You may be here for business--I am here for religion,' retorted
Straumann the stylist.

'You--you snub-nosed monkey, what do you mean?'

'Order, order, gentlemen,' said the _Parnass_.

'I will not order,' said Solomon Barzinsky excitedly. 'I did not come
here to be insulted.'

'Insulted!' quoth Straumann. 'It's you that must apologize, you
illiterate icthyosaurus! I appeal to the President.'

'You have both insulted _me_,' was that worthy's ruling. 'I give the
word to Mr. Mendel.'

'But----' from both the combatants simultaneously.

'Order, order!' from a dozen throats.

'I said Simeon Samuels' name must be put in,' Mendel repeated.

'You should have said so before--the resolution is carried now,' said
the President.

'And a fat lot of good it will do,' said Peleg. 'Gentlemen, if you
knew him as well as I, if you had my barometer to read him by, you'd
see that the only remedy is to put him in _Cherem_' (excommunication).

'If he can't get buried it _is_ a kind of _Cherem_,' said the
_Gabbai_.

'Assuredly,' added the _Parnass_. 'He will be frightened to think that
if he dies suddenly----'

'And he is sure to take a sudden death,' put in Barzinsky with
unction.

'He will not be buried among Jews,' wound up the _Parnass_.

'Hear, hear!' A murmur of satisfaction ran round the table. All felt
that Simeon Samuels was cornered at last. It was resolved that the
resolution be sent to him.

XVI

'Mr. Simeon Samuels requests me to say that he presents his
compliments to the secretary of the Sudminster Hebrew Congregation,
and begs to acknowledge the receipt of the Council's resolution. In
reply I am to state that Mr. Samuels regrets that