“Ah, I see. Could you tell me, Mr. Arkush, of whom you got it originally—who pledged it with you?”
“Du lieber Gott! how should I remember that? It was two years ago already.”
“True, but—but your books would show.”
“Yes, my books would show the name the person gave.”
“Well, will you kindly refer to your books?”
“Ach, you make me much trouble!—Yakub,” he called.
The young man came.
Arkush told Yakub to get him the ledger for 18—. It was a ponderous and dingy volume. Yakub held it open while his employer turned the pages, running his finger from the top to the bottom of each. At length the finger reached a stand-still. Mr. Arkush said, “Yes, I have found it. It was pawned with me by a man calling himself Joseph White.”
“The date?”
“The 16th January.”