"Paul," said I, "you are a lucky fellow." I kissed him on the brow with icy lips. He saw my great emotion, but felt it was but natural.
"Da," said he, "I am a lucky fellow. It is a great thing. Few men have had such an opportunity at twenty-five."
"Nutchozh? And how do you propose to utilize it?" I asked.
"Och, I must conduct the paper on the same general lines," he said; "of course, with improvements."
"Amongst the latter the omission of the anti-Semitic bias, I hope."
He stared at me. "Certainly not. The proprietors make its continuance on the same general lines a condition. They are very good. They even guard me against possible prosecutions by paying a handsome salary to a man of straw. Ish-lui, it is a fine berth that I've got."
Should I tell him the thing was impossible—that he was a Jew? No; time for that when all other means had failed. "Och, you have accepted it?" I said.
"Of course I have, father. Why should I give them time to change their minds?"
"I should have thought you would have consulted me first."
"Nu, uzh, I have never consulted you yet about accepting work," he said in a wondering, disappointed tone.