different dainties prepared from
honey--gingerbread, made with honey and poppy-seeds, sweet wine, and
various other things. Pani Hannah served her guests with these
tit-bits, which completed the dinner, composed of fish cooked the day
before, and a cake also baked the day before. But her sister, the
wife of the merchant from Wilno, was busy with something quite
different from eating sweetmeats. With great admiration she was
looking at the beautiful and precious brooches, rings, bracelets, and
earrings, shining in their satin boxes. All these jewels were
presents of betrothal sent by Saul, in Meir's name, to Mera,
immediately following her home-coming. For two days the mother and
aunt of the betrothed girl had been looking at them, and they were
not yet satisfied. But Leopold's mother was sorry that her son had
brought to Lija, his promised wife, presents which were a great deal
more modest than those received by Mera from Meir.

"Nu! She is a lucky girl!" she said, tossing her head. "God-gives her
true happiness. Such presents! Such nice people. But why does he not
come here?" she asked her sister.

"Iii!" exclaimed Pani Hannah, with a disdainful smile, "they are
common people. It is not customary that the bridegroom should visit
his fiancee!"

"He is young," said Eli, "he is bashful." At that moment Mera sat
down by the table, and leaning her head on her hand became sadly
thoughtful. Leopold, on the contrary, laughed loudly.

"To be sure, I will not send my presents of betrothal before I have
seen the girl," he said.

"Nu, you shall see her," said his mother. "We are all going to pay
them a visit."

"What kind of a girl is she?" asked Pani Hannah's sister.

"Iii!" answered Pani Hannah, as before, "she is a common girl."

"Her father, Raphael, gives her fifteen thousand roubles as dowry,"
said Eli.

Leopold frowned.

"That's not much," he said. "I cannot live on fifteen thousand."

"You will start some business," remarked the merchant.

But the mother of the good looking boy turned angrily to her
brother-in-law.

"Business!" she exclaimed, "he is not brought up for business! Did we
give him a fine education for business? He was through five classes
in the gymnasium (college) and he is now an official. It is true that
he has as yet only a small salary, but who knows what may happen! He
may be appointed to a governorship! Who can tell?"

Leopold raised his eyebrows significantly, indicating that he was