The recommendation did not convey any definite meaning to her at the moment.  Still in a pleasant haze, she stuffed the twelve five-pound notes and the three gold-pieces into her purse, scribbled a receipt, and departed.  Afterwards the recommendation rang mockingly in her ears.  She felt herself sterile, written out already.  As for writing again on the same lines, she wondered what Raphael would think if he knew of the profits she had reaped by bespattering his people.  But there!  Raphael was a prig like the rest.  It was no use worrying about his opinions.  Affluence had come to her—­that was the one important and exhilarating fact.  Besides, had not the hypocrites really enjoyed her book?  A new wave of emotion swept over her—­again she felt strong enough to defy the whole world.

When she got “home,” Debby said, “Hannah Jacobs called to see you.”

“Oh, indeed, what did she want?”

“I don’t know, but from something she said I believe I can guess who sent the half-sovereign.”

“Not Reb Shemuel?” said Esther, astonished.

“No, your cousin Malka.  It seems that she saw Hannah leaving Zachariah Square with you, and so went to her house last night to get your address.”

Esther did not know whether to laugh or be angry; she compromised by crying.  People were not so bad, after all, nor the fates so hard to her.  It was only a little April shower of tears, and soon she was smiling and running upstairs to give the half-sovereign to the Greeners.  It would have been ungracious to return it to Malka, and she purchased all the luxury of doing good, including the effusive benedictions of the whole family, on terms usually obtainable only by professional almoners.

Then she told Debby of her luck with the publishers.  Profound was Debby’s awe at the revelation that Esther was able to write stories equal to those in the London Journal.  After that, Debby gave up the idea of Esther living or sleeping with her; she would as soon have thought of offering a share of her bed to the authoresses of the tales under it.  Debby suffered scarce any pang when her one-night companion transferred herself to Reb Shemuel’s.

For it was to suggest this that Hannah had called.  The idea was her father’s; it came to him when she told him of Esther’s strange position.  But Esther said she was going to America forthwith, and she only consented on condition of being allowed to pay for her keep during her stay.  The haggling was hard, but Esther won.  Hannah gave up her room to Esther, and removed her own belongings to Levi’s bedroom, which except at Festival seasons had been unused for years, though the bed was always kept ready for him.  Latterly the women had had to make the bed from time to time, and air the room, when Reb Shemuel was at synagogue.  Esther sent her new address to her brothers and sisters, and made inquiries as to the prospects of educated girls in the States.