"Before I moved in, certainly," Kovner answered. "I told you that he says to me I couldn't move in unless I would agree to take the place for a year."
"And when did you move in?" Goldstein continued.
"On the first of October," Kovner said.
"No, popper," Mrs. Kovner interrupted; "we didn't move in on the first. We moved in the day before."
"That's right," Kovner said—"we moved in on the thirtieth of September."
"So," Goldstein declared, "you made a verbal agreement before September thirtieth for a lease of one year from October first?"
Kovner nodded and Goldstein turned to Henry D. Feldman, whose lofty smile had completely disappeared.
"Well, Feldman," he said, "you pulled a couple of objections on me from 'way back in the last century, understand me; so I guess it won't hurt if I remind you of a little statute passed in the reign of Charles the Second, which says: 'All contracts which by their terms are not to be performed within one year must be in writing and signed by the party to be charged.' I mean the Statute of Frauds."
"I know what you mean all right," Feldman replied; "but you'll have to prove that before a court and jury. Just now we are confronted with Kovner, who claims to have a year's lease; and my client is relieved from his purchase in the circumstances. No man is bound to buy a lawsuit, Goldstein."
"I know he ain't," Goldstein retorted; "but what's the difference, Feldman? He'll have a lawsuit on his hands, anyhow, because if he don't take title now, understand me, I'll bring an action to compel him to do so this very afternoon."