"Married Hannah Jacobs!" repeated Samuel incredulously.
"Yes," affirmed old Hyams. "What you have done constitutes a marriage according to Jewish law. You have pledged yourself to her in the presence of two witnesses."
There was another tense silence. Samuel broke it with a boisterous laugh.
"No, no, old fellow," he said; "you don't have me like that!"
The tension was relaxed. Everybody joined in the laugh with a feeling of indescribable relief. Facetious old Hyams had gone near scoring one. Hannah smilingly plucked off the glittering bauble from her finger and slid it on to Leah's. Hyams alone remained grave. "Laugh away!" he said. "You will soon find I am right. Such is our law."
"May be," said Samuel, constrained to seriousness despite himself. "But you forget that I am already engaged to Leah."
"I do not forget it," replied Hyams, "but it has nothing to do with the case. You are both single, or rather you _were_ both single, for now you are man and wife."
Leah, who had been sitting pale and agitated, burst into tears. Hannah's face was drawn and white. Her mother looked the least alarmed of the company.
"Droll person!" cried Malka, addressing Sam angrily in jargon. "What hast thou done?"
"Don't let us all go mad," said Samuel, bewildered. "How can a piece of fun, a joke, be a valid marriage?"
"The law takes no account of jokes," said old Hyams solemnly.
"Then why didn't you stop me?" asked Sam, exasperated.
"It was all done in a moment. I laughed myself; I had no time to think."
Sam brought his fist down on the table with a bang.
"Well, I'll never believe this! If this is Judaism----!"
"Hush!" said Malka angrily. "These are your English Jews, who make mock of holy things. I always said the son of a proselyte was----"
"Look here, mother," put in Michael soothingly. "Don't let us make a fuss before we know the truth. Send for some one who is likely to know." He played agitatedly with his complex pocket-knife.
"Yes, Hannah's father, Reb Shemuel is just the man," cried Milly Phillips.
"I told you my husband was gone to Manchester for a day or two," Mrs. Jacobs reminded her.
"There's the _Maggid_ of the Sons of the Covenant," said one of the company. "I'll go and fetch him."
The stooping, black-bearded _Maggid_ was brought. When he arrived, it was evident from his look that he knew all and brought confirmation of their worst fears. He explained the law at great length, and cited precedent upon precedent. When he ceased, Leah's sobs alone broke the silence. Samuel's face was white. The merry gathering had been turned to a wedding party.