'That's good,' said De Haan, caressing his white beard. Then, growing gloomy again, he went on: 'On page 5 you have a little article by Gabriel Hamburg, a well-known Epikouros.'
'Oh, but he is one of the greatest scholars in Europe!' broke in Raphael. 'I thought you'd be extra pleased to have it. He sent it to me from Stockholm as a special favour!' He did not mention he had secretly paid for it. 'I know some of his views are heterodox, and I don't agree with half he says, but this article is perfectly harmless.'
'Well, let it pass: very few of our readers have ever heard of him. But on the same page you have a Latin quotation. I don't say there's anything wrong in that, but it smacks of Reform. Our readers don't understand it, and it looks as if our Hebrew were poor. The Mishnah contains texts suited for all purposes. We are in no need of Roman writers. On page 6 you speak of the Reform Shool as if it were to be reasoned with. Sir, if we mention these freethinkers at all, it must be in the strongest language. By worshipping bareheaded, and by seating the sexes together, they have defiled Judaism.'
'Stop a minute,' interrupted Raphael warmly. 'Who told you the Reformers do this?'
'Who told me, indeed? Why, it's common knowledge. That's how they've been going on for the last fifty years.'
'Everybody knows it,' said the committee in chorus.
'Has one of you ever been there?' said Raphael, rising in excitement.
'God forbid!' cried the chorus.
'Well, I have, and it's a lie,' said Raphael. His arm whirled round to the discomfort of the committee.
'You ought not to have gone there,' said Schlesinger severely. 'Besides, will you deny they have the organ in their Sabbath services?'