He changed his meat plate now, and helped him lavishly to tart. "Cream?" said Uriel, tendering the jug.
"No, no!" cried Daniel, with a look of horror and a violent movement of repulsion.
Uriel chuckled. "What! Little boys not like cream! We shall find cats shuddering at milk next." And pouring the contents of the jug lavishly over his own triangle of tart, he went on with his meal.
But little Daniel was staring at him with awe struck vision, forgetting to eat.
"Uncle," he cried at last, "thou art not a Jew."
Uriel laughed uneasily. "Little boys should eat and not talk."
"But, Uncle! We may not eat milk after meat."
"Well, well, then, little Rabbi!" And Uriel pushed his plate away and pinched the child's ear fondly.
But when the child went home he prattled of his uncle's transgressions, and Joseph hurried down, storming at this misleading of his boy, and this breach of promise to the synagogue. Uriel retorted angrily with that native candor of his which made it impossible for him long to play a part.
"I am but an ape among apes," he said, using his pet private sophism.