Page:Taras Bulba. A Tale of the Cossacks. 1916.djvu/113

Rh lords never were seen before, never, by God! Such good, kind, brave men there never were in the world before!" His voice died away, quivering with terror. "How was it possible that we should think any evil of the Zaporozhtzi? Those men are not of us at all, those who take leases in the Ukraina. God is my witness—they are not of us! They are not Jews at all. The Devil only knows what they are; they are only fit to spit upon, and cast aside. Behold, they will tell you the same thing! Is it not true, Shloma? or you, Shmul?"

"By God, it is true!" replied Shloma and Shmul, from among the crowd, both pale as clay under their ragged caps.

"We never yet," pursued the long Jew, "have had any secret intercourse with your enemies, and with Roman Catholics we will have nothing to do; may they dream of the Devil! We are like blood brothers to the Zaporozhtzi…"

"What! Do you mean to say that the Zaporozhtzi are brothers to you!" exclaimed one among the throng. "Don't wait; accursed Jews! Into the Dnyeper with them, noble sirs! Drown all unbelievers!"

These words served as the signal. They seized the Jews by the arms, and began to hurl them into the waves. Piteous cries resounded on all sides;