"With a capital of about one hundred thousand marks?"
"Joshua!" her voice trembled with deep excitement. Hugo and Rita regarded their father in astonishment.
"O papa," the girl said softly in gratitude; while Hugo showed the pride he felt in his father, who had decided upon the large sum without hesitation, and then, as if it were a mere aside, Mr. Benas continued: "The main thing is to assemble as large a number as possible in Rawitsch, and to be sure that in respect to lodging everything is well arranged. Now will follow the report of the commissariat: Mrs. Benas has the floor."
His good humor infected his wife.
"Well, in regard to food. I shall send a capable Jewish cook, who knows all about keeping kosher. There will be people to help her in Rawitsch. A new table service will have to be bought,—that I attend to, here, and also whatever is necessary to complete the silver service."
"You will provide, then, as I judge, a complete Passover service for sixty persons. And what is to become of all of it afterwards?"
"I have not thought of that yet. But it will not be wasted."
"Suppose each one were to receive his own service to take home as a souvenir?"
She and the children laughed gayly.
"That would not be so bad."