“That so? Any thing special?”
“Well, yes. That's why I wanted to see you, now. He spoke about you.” Emphasis on the “you.”
“About me? Indeed? Why, what could he have had to say about me?”
“Well, he thought it was strange that you didn't come to see him, and wanted to know why you were holding off.”
“Come to see him? Why, I went to see him only last week. Holding off? I don't know what he can mean.”
“No, no. You don't understand. He meant about declaring your intentions.”
“What intentions? Intentions? I don't know what you're driving at, I'm sure.”
“Why, your intentions in respect to his niece, of course.”
“My intentions in respect—Mercy!” gasped Elias, with honest astonishment, as the idea suddenly dawned upon him. “You don't mean to say that—that he imagines—that—that I—Good Lord!”
“Why, certainly,” said the rabbi. “How could he help it? You haven't taken Washington I. Koch for a fool, I hope. Besides, your attentions have been so very marked, that no great penetration was necessary. I'm not much at that sort of thing, but even I saw through them long ago. In fact, no man with half an eye open could have failed to do so.”