Page:Meir Ezofovitch a novel, from the Polish of Eliza Orzeszko.djvu/47

Rh community, for his great learning, piety, and not less for the clever management of his business, The young man lead- ing the boy, who did not seem to mind it at all, picked his steps carefully over the heaps of litter in the darkness, crossed the entrance, sacended some rickety steps, opened a door and pushed the culprit inside, Having done this he did not go away at once, but putting his head into the half-opened door he called out, "Reb Jankeil, I brought home your eon Mendel; punish him with a fatherly hand. He roams about in the dark, and sssaults innocent people."

There was no anewer, but from the interior of the room came the continual murmur of a man engaged in prayer. A large room was visible, with dirty walls and a big stove black with dust and soot. There was a table covered with a linen cloth of doubtful cleanliness. ‘The Sabbath feast had not began, but the seven candles were lit already, and sounds of clattering dishes and children’s voices sounded from a distance. There was nobody in the room hut a middle-sized man of thin and flexible limbs. To say he stood against the wall would be scarcely appropriate, a8 he did not stand, but swayed in continual motion. He threw his body backwards and forwards so that the soft drapery of his tallith flapped abont like huge winge, and the philacterin on head and wrist danced about, and the red beard whipped his face and shoulders. These violent jerks wers accompanied by a low murmur, which grew louder and louder till it rose sometimes to a shriek or ended with a wail or a song,

The young man standing at the door looked at the figure