, 1874-08-23
REKLAM BROTHERS.

I
tracted my attention, and induced me to enter
| the shop OF Mess1s. Reklam Drothe1s- It WAS
certainly not the ticket inscribed, "First
floor to lot nniurnshea' it was rather, ii ro~
member rightly, delicate little taxa of genuine
Venetian glass. curiously designed. and 1;ch in
dainty opaline tints and reflections. Was in q
| humble way, and for my own gratif-
cation simply, collector OF tribes Of that kind.
The Messys. Rekla1n we're Germnn Jewe,-or
Polish, I'm not, sure which dealing in old pic
lures, curiosities, articles Of vertu, and antqu-
ties Their house vas situated iu dull street
| in the Soho district. Fashion and gontility had,
no doubt, in times past made their home there :;
| they had long since vanished, however, learing
IN their stead sort of dipgy respectability, aud
| an air Of trade Of rather torpid character
| Shops and private houses we're much in-
Of business being very actively carried
! on. The street could not boast much
traffic, for, although thoroughfare, it led to
nowhere i'll particular, and offered email advan-
ItaSes as J. shortcut. It was bounded on the
| north BY Oxford street, and Oh tho south by an
| intricate tanG1e Of courts aud alloys. Tho
! houses were OF q substantial, spacious, old
fashioned class, with rather dim1y lit rooms.
Tho contents OF the shop almost defy cnumera-
tlon. They We.o such, however, az are usually
| to be found in tho posscss,on OF traders in
curiosiies, had been collected from MI parts OF
the globo, and pertained to every period, with
the exception. perhaps, Of the present. There
"eie weapons and armor, OF course, in great
abundance, with carvings in wood aud ivory,
| paintings and enamels, china and glas$,
gems, coins, embroideries, lace, antique furni-
tufo. feathers. idols. stuffed animals, skins,
monstro6ltes Of all kinds, aud other 1nultitudiu-
GUS objects I was impressed bv the extent and
value Of tho collection. It filed the shop q1iite
to its remote corncrs, leaving only little patch
I Of vacancy in the centre Of the floor. Even tho
| ceiling Was crowded aud outrageous with pre-
cious thlngs-among them, pendent lamps Of
! every device, and chandeliers that were perfect
! thickets Of crystal.
! Mr. Aaron lsck1am, With whom first became
| acquainted, was by no moans tie picturesque
Jew OF fiction. He was not bent with age; he
| wore NO flowing beard or long draperics no
| velvet ekull-cap crowned him his skin was not
OF parchment, nor was his face followed ard
dintcd BY the hand OF time. uo was aimply
dressed, and had the air OF = London tradcsman
| OF reputable position. In answer to my i11-
ouirios, was waited by him to tho upper floors
Of tile house. The two dravlng-roon,s were
altogether empty: Lofty, wainacoted chambers,
with heavy coru.ces aud richly moulded ceilings.
They led to a third room, 1oug aud narrow, look
| Ing on to the leads and skyght Of the back shop
below, and boasting q sldo-yiew OF small
garden beyond, in which lanYuishcd plane-treo
and come lilac bushes Of 1atter wan aud a:ckly
appearance. In the rooms aboya, I was given to
understand, tho Brothers Rek|sm resided, still
among stores Of treasures similar to those crowd
ing the chop below.
Aaron Ecklam dtd not quit mo until had
pledged myself to become the tenant OF the Va
cant tirst door. What moved me to this step I
do not even now clearly understand. 1t was
true that was ut the time under notice to quit
the lodgings had occupied during some years.
The house was to be pulled down, 10 that q now
street might be constructed or aolne other met
ropolitan improvement OF that nature carried
into effect. For this purpose an act OF Parlia-
ment had been obtained, aud all due forms OBJ
served. And l was sluggish sort of nav--
for there MAS no special need for haste had
still come weeks before rle,-looking out for
Iodinss. Still, AZ have said, engaged to be
tie occupant OF the apartments.
Next day, rcpenting Of the bargain, entered
the shop again, resolved to excuse myself, and
now, for the first time, cav Nathan, the elder
brother, who .receiyel mo With all po1iteness.
To get OF was impossible; besides saw that
tue rooasa had tleir ADVANTAGES In short, I
took possession of uen, trusting to have some
degree OF comfort After dav or tHo's expo
rieuce, lad nothing to complain of but cer-
tain degree OF righteousness which pervaded
the dwelling. Ono or other OF the brothers ras
often hanging about, as il listening or making
observations; and occasionally there we're loud
and uppleasana qualreIs in IN unknown tongue,
which, for anything / knew, might be Hebrew
or Polish.
They we're certainly strange people had got
amongst. At times modisatcd running away;
but such step would have involved forfeiture
Of all my goods / therefore held OH. Some
months had passed in this fashion; there bad
been no change in the situation OF affa!1s, and [
had added little to MT stock Of oLser gations coa-
corning tie Brothers Rehla1n, their proceedings.
aud Ways of life, except in this respect: I had
not failed to note that all their collection of
treasures. notwithstanding their business, was
almost altogether as q stand-still. They
were tradesmen apparently possessed OF
in uosllns. No CUSTOMERS ever entered tllo
shop OF if they did, it was only to quis it again
rapidly, without any sa'o or m1re1ssc having
been elfected. Sometimes. lndeed, TIC shutters
remained closed for days together,
Another thing I remarked, too, was tho late
hours they kept. They were seldom absent from
the house, aad they never. so far Is could as-
certain, lecslved any visitors. Yet they seemed
to be moved by IN extreme repuguance to retire
to rest. At nll times OF the night could hear
them stirring in tho house, restless in tie shop,
Jr passing up and down tho staircase. or pacing,
% ard fro the floors above me- Their move
tents were generally Of astea!sly kind, al though
ley were seeking to make as littls noise as pos
comfort. But. now and then, their disposition
to quarrel asserted ITSELF
=. The domestic arrangements were by no means
effective, but they answered my moderate wants.
'l,.:re was no regular female snryans-only
ec.: OF charwomau, who cana in tho morning to
Prepare breakfast, and again appeared for
snort time ut night. This suited tolegnh1y we'll,
for I did not dine in tho house. Odd jobs and
errands were executed by small jewish boy.
The disappearance Of this little fellow was the
first thing that s:ruck mo With surprise. Then.
had fresh Gus, for astonislnent in sceiug that
tile shop shutters were now very seldom removed.
Ny landlords had, as it seemed, abandoned all
attempt to carry on publicly their trade aH deal
ers in antiquities and curioaticB. Bnt they
watched me. leit persuaded, more closciv thai,
ever. was conscious that my residence under
thckF roof was becoming more and moro painful
aod uneudurabie.
Tie summertime had arrived, and for souo
days tie weather had been almost insufe1ably
sultry. I could scarcely breathe in my murky,
oppressive apartments. The nodded ceiling;
and the patcled walls seemed now to absorb all
the air as well az all tie light.
/ was eitting III the third room ut
the bnck OF my bedroom, 1emern-
ber, which Taa' comparatively cooler than
the nthern for it as not subjected to she fiercA