BOOK ONE: YESTERDAY 107 Marie, observed that the Chanukka anthem was really finer than the Christmas hymn, "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht." Moritz Ehrenreich retorted peevishly that he was unable to judge. Herr Wolfsohn's decision was that both songs were equally fine. After the children had been put to bed, Frau Wolfsohn and Frau Ehrenreich discussed domestic affairs. Messrs. Wolfsohn and Ehrenreich, however, aired their views on politics and economics. The more sceptical and calm Markus was, the more aggressive and violent Moritz became, "[ust take a look at this," he stormed, taking a newspaper clipping from his pocket. "A certain Dr. Rost writes here: 'There are still a few Germans who say: of course, everything is .the fault of the Jews but aren't there some decent Jews too? That is nonsense. For if every Nazi knew even one single decent Jew then there would have to be twelve million decent Jews in Germany to counter- balance the twelve million Nazis. But in all Germany there are less than six hundred thousand.' No. I refuse to live among a people who permit their leaders the use of such logic." Markus Wolfsohn thought the argument of Dr, Rost over. A good salesman, too, often has to develop a daring sense of logic. But if he addressed the customers of Oppermann's in terms of Dr. Rost's logic it would be risky. In general, he in- formed Moritz, the adherents of the swastika were quite nice to hirn personally. Of course, it sometimes happened that cus- tomers refused to be served by Jewish salesmen. But they could seidom tell the difference between the Christian and the Jew- ish salesmen. Onee, indeed, one of them took a Christian sales- man for a [ew and declined to be served by hirn, deliberately requesting to be served by hirnself, Wolfsohn. Moritz stamped up and down the room and laughed scorn- fully. "You'll ne ver get any sense until you are poking your head out of the hospital window with a bandage round it."