oo much. Are we then
treated like human beings? Have we any rights? Only when we have
to pay, do they remember that we have the right of giving up our
hard-earned property. If the Jew has no money, is he not at least a
man, say I?"

"Pshaw! a man!" cried Ephraim. "Whoever is without money is no man, be
he Jew or Christian. If Gotzkowsky had no money, he would be no better
than we are. Why does the Russian general have any thing to do with
him? Because he is rich. Why do the counts and lords pay court to him?
For the same reason. Why do they call his daughter an angel, and
swear she is the handsomest woman in Berlin? Because her father is
the richest Christian merchant in the town. The whole world knows and
admires him. And why? Because he is rich."

"No one is rich," said Itzig, shaking his head. "He who has not every
thing is not rich. There is no such thing as riches, for he who has
much has to give much."

"God knows we will have to give much!" whimpered Ephraim, and all his
companions joined in with groans and sighs as a chorus to his speech.
"They mean to take every thing from us that we own, and Itzig is
right; if the Jew has not money, he is nobody. Have we not suffered as
much as others? Have we not protected our people, and fed and housed
our poor? No one talks about these things, but the whole town talks
about Gotzkowsky. They praise him, they exalt him; they cry out his
name everywhere, so that one's heart actually burns for vexation. And
yet at the highest calculation he is not worth more than a million."

"He is worth more than ourselves; he is worth much more, for he has
the favor of the Russian general. For this reason we must bow down
before him, and flatter him, and assure him of our eternal gratitude,
for it is a question not of life, but what is more precious than
life--money."

With deep-drawn sighs they whined out, "Yes, we must bow to him, and
flatter him, and yet we are richer than he is."

As long as they were on the street they maintained an air of pride and
vexation; but as soon as they entered Gotzkowsky's house and stood in
his presence, they were all gentleness, humility, and friendliness.
With tears they implored Gotzkowsky to have pity, and to beg General
Tottleben to have compassion on them. They vowed eternal gratitude to
him, and swore with solemn oaths that if he succeeded in relieving
the Jews from the special impost, they would love him forever, and be
everlastingly thankful