"The obstacle is Mathilde. She will soon die, and Henri would marry me immediately."
"The grapes are too green."
"We will see, and as a last resort I have always Sofronof."
Some days after the arrival of Jacob's mother Henri Segel said to his father-in-law:--
"This Jacob is intractable. He will never be a society man. Presumptuous and obstinate, he refuses to see the world as it is. His head is full of fantasies from the Talmud, of dreams of reform, strange ideas of fraternal union. He is for Poland, and at the same time against the revolution. He refuses to enter into relations with the most important persons. He keeps to himself and is a real savage; useless to the world, yet not deprived of intelligence. But he is of no use to us."
"He always reminds me of the beggary from which I took him," said Samuel. "He seems to be proud of it."
"It is too bad; with his large acquaintance he could have been of great service to us. He has good manners and a sympathetic character. No one would ever take him for a Jew, if he did not foolishly avow his origin on every occasion. He is compromising in society. Men of his calibre are destined to an evil end, and he makes himself disagreeable to all. He must be blind, to act so much against his own interests."
"Have you heard about his mother?"
"Not yet."
"Imagine, then, a Jewess of the lowest rank suddenly appearing at his house. He has welcomed her, and made much of her, and walked with her on the public streets. He would have brought her to me, if I had not begged him to spare me this ridicule."