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PARTISAN REVIEW
barrassing fumbling-to call in an experienced person to advise him
in these matters. He remarked in passing that the function of the
marriage broker was ancient and honorable, highly approved in the
Jewish community, because it made practical the necessary without
hindering joy. Moreover,
his
own parents had been brought to–
gether by a matchmaker. They had made, if not a financially profit–
able marriage-since neither had possessed any worldly goods to
speak of, at least a successful one in the sense of their everlasting
devotion to one another. Salzman listened in embarrassed surprise,
sensing a sort of apology. Later, however, he experienced a glow of
pride in his work, an emotion that had left him years ago, and he
heartily approved of Finkle.
The two men went to their business. Leo had led Salzman to
the only clear place in the room, a table near a window that over–
looked the lamp-lit city. He seated himself at the matchmaker's side
but facing
him,
attempting by an act of will to suppress the un–
pleasant tickle in his throat. Salzman eagerly unstrapped his port–
folio and removed a loose rubber band from a thin packet of much–
handled cards.
As
he flipped through them, a gesture and sound that
physically hurt Leo, the student pretended not to see and gazed
steadfastly out the window. Although it was still February, winter
was on its last legs, signs of which he had for the first time in years
begun to notice. He now observed the round white moon, moving
high in the sky through a cloud-menagerie, and watched with half–
open mouth as it penetrated a huge hen, and dropped out of her
like an egg laying itself. Salzman, though pretending through eye–
glasses he had just slipped on, to be engaged in scanning the writing
on the cards, stole occasional glances at the young man's distinguished
face, noting with pleasure the long, severe scholar's nose, brown eyes
heavy with learning, sensitive yet ascetic lips, and a certain almost
hollow quality of the dark cheeks. He gazed around at shelves upon
shelves of books and let out a soft but happy sigh.
When Leo's eyes fell upon the cards, he counted six spread out
in Salzman's hand.
"So few?" he said in disappointment.
"You wouldn't believe me how much cards I got in my office,"
Salzman replied. "The drawers are already filled to the top, so I
keep them now in a barrel, but is every girl good for a new rabbi?"
