He was very put out—almost to the point of indigestion—to hear of Leibel's final determination, and plied him with reproachful enquiries.
"You don't mean to say that you give up a boot and shoe manufacturer merely because his daughter has round shoulders!" he exclaimed incredulously.
"It is more than round shoulders—it is a hump!" cried Leibel.
"And suppose? See how much better off you will be when you get your own machines! We do not refuse to let camels carry our burdens because they have humps."
"Ah, but a wife is not a camel," said Leibel, with a sage air.
"And a cutter is not a master-tailor," retorted Sugarman.
"Enough, enough!" cried Leibel. "I tell you I would not have her if she were a machine warehouse."
"There sticks something behind," persisted Sugarman, unconvinced.
Leibel shook his head. "Only her hump," he said, with a flash of humour.
"Moses Mendelssohn had a hump," expostulated Sugarman reproachfully.