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Some JOURNALS published byUNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA PRESSANTHROPOLOGICAL FORUMAn international journal of social and cultural anthropology andcomparative sociology. Subscription: $2.00THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF HIGHER EDUCATIONAn annual re\'iew of some of the broader and more advancededucational issues. Subscription: $1.50ESSAYS IN FRENCH LITERATUREA journal which aims to provide a forum for the discussion ofaspects of French literature from the Middle Ages to the presentday. Subscription: $2.00UNIVERSITY STUDIES IN HISTORYStudies in Australian history with some emphasis on the historyof Western Austraha. Subscription: $1.05STUDIES IN MUSICA journal which provides a forum for the discussion of allaspects of musical thought. Subscription: $2.50WESTERLYA quarterly review which publishes contemporary Australiancreative and critical writing.Subscription: $2.40 per annum, plus postage:40c Australasia; overseas 80c per annum.ECONOMIC ACTIVITYA quarterly journal which pubhshes comment and analysis ofeconomic activity in Australia with an emphasis on WesternAustraha. Subscription: $4.00FARM POLICYA quarterly review of contemporary problems and developmentsin agricultural economics. Subscription: $2

G. M. GlaskinTHE ASKING PRICEMr Johnson said to Mrs Jonhson: "Somebody'sat last bought the AlUngham place."And Mrs Johnson gave immediate attention.Putting down both knife and fork, she said,"Really?"Mr Johnson went on eating; he could bequite maddening at times. It had given herweeks of speculation ever since Mr AUinghamhad run off with his secretary and Mrs Ailinghamhad gone for a divorce. After all, it wasnot only that there was a house vacant on TheHeights, but also that it should happen to bejust across The Knoll from themselves. Eversince the AUinghams had gone (and so precipitately,too, mind you—she had to hand itto Ted AUingham, nobody had even guessed)and the AUingham house had been put up forsale, she had been in a state of nervous anticipationas to who their new neighbours wouldbe."Well, tell me who," she demanded."Tell you who what?""Who's bought the AUingham place, ofcourse.""Oh. Fellow called Steinberg, I gather."Mrs Johnson's hands fell clean into her lap."Oh, no!"At which' just slightly alarmed, Mr Johnsonlooked up."Oh no what?" he ventured to ask."That name!""What about it?""What about it! Alec, don't be an idiot! It'sJewish, of course.""Oh, I don't know. Could be German. Perhapseven Aryan. I suppose the mountains inGermany are made of stone like anywhereelse."He well knew his wife's prejudices, as wellas her whims."Steinberg!" she said, and it was almost ascreech. "German, my foot!"Mr Johnson sighed. At least, for once, shehadn't referred to some other part of heranatomy."Well, until we're sure, you might give himthe benefit of the doubt," Mr Johnson daredto suggest."There can be no doubt," Mrs Johnson retaliated."Steinberg! Steinberg! My God, whatcould be more Jewish than that?"Mr Johnson could conjure up a suggestionor two, but thought better of it. Besides, hiswife hadn't finished. Dinner perhaps, but certainlynot what she had to say."Did he pay the Allingham's asking price?"she wanted to know."Ah-hah.""What, right to the penny?""Right to the cent, dear. Right to the cent.""Then that settles it.""What settles what?""That's he's a Jew, of course.""How do you make that out?""Well, who else but a Jew could pay a pricelike that!"Mr Johnson had to give her one there. MrsJohnson's hands remained in her lap; they haddiscovered her dinner napkin to toy with. Butfood didn't interest her; only Steinberg did."And how many of them are there?" shewanted to know."How many what?""Oh, Alec! Steinbergs, of course. Dozens ofthem, I suppose! And all with names like Benjaminand Sarah and Rachel and such!""Oh, that. No, only the one."She seemed a little placated."Just Mrs Steinberg, then?""No. Only him.""What! A bachelor! On The Heights!""It has been known, you know.""That was different. He at least was abishop."WESTERLY, No. 1, MARCH, 1 968

G. M. GlaskinTHE ASKING PRICEMr Johnson said to Mrs Jonhson: "Somebody'sat last bought the AlUngham place."And Mrs Johnson gave immediate attention.Putting down both knife and fork, she said,"Really?"Mr Johnson went on eating; he could bequite maddening at times. It had given herweeks of speculation ever since Mr AUinghamhad run off with his secretary and Mrs Ailinghamhad gone for a divorce. After all, it wasnot only that there was a house vacant on TheHeights, but also that it should happen to bejust across The Knoll from themselves. Eversince the AUinghams had gone (and so precipitately,too, mind you—she had to hand itto Ted AUingham, nobody had even guessed)and the AUingham house had been put up forsale, she had been in a state of nervous anticipationas to who their new neighbours wouldbe."Well, tell me who," she demanded."Tell you who what?""Who's bought the AUingham place, ofcourse.""Oh. Fellow called Steinberg, I gather."Mrs Johnson's hands fell clean into her lap."Oh, no!"At which' just slightly alarmed, Mr Johnsonlooked up."Oh no what?" he ventured to ask."That name!""What about it?""What about it! Alec, don't be an idiot! It'sJewish, of course.""Oh, I don't know. Could be German. Perhapseven Aryan. I suppose the mountains inGermany are made of stone like anywhereelse."He well knew his wife's prejudices, as wellas her whims."Steinberg!" she said, and it was almost ascreech. "German, my foot!"Mr Johnson sighed. At least, for once, shehadn't referred to some other part of heranatomy."Well, until we're sure, you might give himthe benefit of the doubt," Mr Johnson daredto suggest."There can be no doubt," Mrs Johnson retaliated."Steinberg! Steinberg! My God, whatcould be more Jewish than that?"Mr Johnson could conjure up a suggestionor two, but thought better of it. Besides, hiswife hadn't finished. Dinner perhaps, but certainlynot what she had to say."Did he pay the Allingham's asking price?"she wanted to know."Ah-hah.""What, right to the penny?""Right to the cent, dear. Right to the cent.""Then that settles it.""What settles what?""That's he's a Jew, of course.""How do you make that out?""Well, who else but a Jew could pay a pricelike that!"Mr Johnson had to give her one there. MrsJohnson's hands remained in her lap; they haddiscovered her dinner napkin to toy with. Butfood didn't interest her; only Steinberg did."And how many of them are there?" shewanted to know."How many what?""Oh, Alec! Steinbergs, of course. Dozens ofthem, I suppose! And all with names like Benjaminand Sarah and Rachel and such!""Oh, that. No, only the one."She seemed a little placated."Just Mrs Steinberg, then?""No. Only him.""What! A bachelor! On The Heights!""It has been known, you know.""That was different. He at least was abishop."WESTERLY, No. 1, MARCH, 1 968

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