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 EEB SHLOIMEH 337

would have no effect on anyone. "People are not so foolish as all that," he thought, "and they wouldn't treat him in that way !" He sat and laid plans for carrying on the education in the Talmud Torah, and he felt so light of heart that he sang to himself for very pleasure.

The old wife, meanwhile, was muttering and moaning. She had all her life been quite content with her husband and everything he did, and had always done her best to help him, hoping that in the world to come she would certainly share his portion of immortality. And now she saw with horror that he was like to throw away his future. But how ever could it be? she wondered, and was bathed in tears : "What has come over you ? What has happened to make you like that? They are not just to you, are they, when they say that about taking children and making Gentiles of them?" Eeb Shloimeh smiled. "Do you think," he said to her, "that I have gone mad in my old age ? Don't be afraid. I'm in my right mind, and you shall not lose your place in Paradise."

But the wife was not satisfied with the reply, and continued to mutter and to weep. There were goings-on in the town, too. The place was aboil with excitement. Of course they talked about Eeb Shloimeh; nobody could make out what had come to him all of a sudden.

"That is the teacher's work!" explained one of a knot of talkers.

"And we thought Eeb Shloimeh such a sage, such a clever man, so book-learned. How can the teacher (may his name perish !) have talked him over?"