Page:Taras Bulba. A Tale of the Cossacks. 1916.djvu/251

Rh over Poland the people are as hungry as dogs now. They'll steal the fish, and feel the noble lord."

"Then take me in any devil's way you like, only take me."

"Listen, listen, noble sir!" said the Jew, stripping up the cuffs of his sleeves, and approaching him with arms outstretched. "This is what we'll do.—They're building fortresses and castles everywhere: French engineers have come from Germany, and so a great deal of brick and stone is being carted over the highways. Let the noble lord lie down in the bottom of the wagon, and over him I will pile bricks. The noble lord is strong and well, apparently, so he will not mind if it is a little heavy; and I will make a hole in the bottom of the wagon, so that I can feed the noble lord."

"Do what you will, only take me!"

And in an hour, a wagon-load of bricks left Uman, drawn by two sorry nags. On one of them sat tall Yankel; and his long, curling earlocks fluttered from beneath his Jewish cap of felt, as, long as a verst-post planted by the roadside, he bounced about on the horse.