Fuss nischt behalten; nāch'n Tōdt hāt der Wind dās klēine Brettel
vun sein Keewer umgeworfen, un' dem Kabren's Weib hāt es gefun'en
weit vun Keewer un' derbei a Töppel Kartoffles ābgekocht.... Es is'
drei Täg' nāch Bonzje's Tōdt, frägt dem Kabren becheerem, wu er hāt
ihm gelēgt!
Wollt' Bonzje chotsch a Mazeewe geha't, wollt' efscher über hundert
Jāhr sie an Alterthumsforscher gefun'en un' Bonzje Schweig wollt'
noch a Māl übergeklungen in unser Luft.
A Schātten, sein Photographje is' nischt geblieben bei Kēinem in
Harz; es is' vun ihm kēin Seecher in Kēinem's Mōach nischt
geblieben!
"Kēin Kind, kēin Rind,"--elend gelebt, elend gestorben!
Wenn nischt dās menschliche Geruder, wollt' efscher Emizer a Māl
gehört, wie Bonzje's Marchbein hāt unter der Masse geknackt: wollt'
die Welt mehr Zeit geha't, wollt' Emizer efscher a Māl bemerkt, as
Bonzje (äuch a Mensch) hāt lebedigerhēit zwēi ausgeloschene Äugen
un' schrecklich eingefallene Backen; as afile wenn er hāt gār schōn
kēin Masse nit auf die Pleezes, is' ihm äuch der Kopp zu der Erd'
gebōgen, gleich er wollt' lebedigerhēit sein Keewer gesucht!
Wollten asō wēnig Menschen wie Ferd in Tramwaj gewesen, wollt'
efscher a Māl Emizer gefrägt: Wu is' Bonzje ahin gekummen?
Wenn män hāt Bonzjen in Spital areingeführt, is' sein Winkel in
Suterine nischt lēdig geblieben,--es hāben derauf zehn
Seins-gleichen gewart't, un' zwischen sich dem Winkel "In-pljum"
lizitirt; wenn män hāt'n vun Spitalbett in Tōtenstübel arein
getrāgen, hāben auf'n Bett zwanzig āreme Chaluim gewart't.... Wenn
er is' araus vun Tōtenstübel, hāt män zwanzig Harugim vun unter ēin
eingefallen Haus gebrengt,--wer
footsteps; after his death the wind threw down the small board over his
grave, and the grave-digger's wife found it far away from the mound and
made a fire with it over which she boiled a pot of potatoes.... It is
but three days since Bontsie's death, but you will ask in vain of the
grave-digger where he has laid him at rest!
If Bontsie had had a tombstone, an archæologist might have found it a
hundred years later, and Bontsie's name would have resounded again in
our atmosphere.
He was but a shadow: his picture does not live in anybody's heart; his
memory does not exist in anybody's mind!
He left no child, no possessions! He had lived in misery, and he died in
misery.
Had it not been for the noise of the crowd, some one might have heard
the snapping of Bontsie's bones under a heavy burden; if the world had
had more time, some one might have noticed that Bontsie's eyes were dim
and his eyes frightfully sunken for one alive; that even when he carried
no load on his shoulders, his head was bent to the ground as if he were
looking for the grave! If there were as few people as there are horses
in the street cars, some one might, perhaps, have asked: What has become
of Bontsie?
* * * * *
When Bontsie was taken to the hospital, his corner in the basement was
not left unoccupied; ten people of his sort had been waiting for it, and
it was auctioned off to the highest bidder; when they carried him from
the hospital bed to the morgue, twenty poor people were waiting for his
bed. When he left the morgue, they brought in twenty people who had been
killed by a falling wall.... Who knows how long he will rest
wēisst, wie lang er wet ruhig wōhnen in Keewer? Wer wēisst, wieviel
es warten schōn auf dem Stückel Platz....
Still gebōren, still gelebt, still gestorben un' noch stiller
begrāben.
Nor nischt asō is' gewesen auf jener Welt! Dorten hat Bonzje's Tōdt
a grōssen Rōschem gemacht!
Der grōsser Schōfer vun Moschiach's Zeiten hāt geklungen in alle
sieben Himmlen: Bonzje Schweig is' nifter gewor'en! Die grösste
Malochim mit die brēit'ste Flügel senen geflōgen un' Ēiner dem
Anderen übergegeben: Bonzje is' "nischbakesch" gewor'en "bischiwo
schel majlo"! In Ganeeden is' a Rasch, a Ssimche, a Geruder:
"Bonzje Schweig! A Spass Bonzje Schweig!!!"
Junge Malochimlech mit brilljantene Aeugelech, goldene
drāht-arbeitene Flügelech un' silberene Pantöffelech senen Bonzjen
ankegen geloffen mit Ssimche! Der Gerasch vun die Flügel, dās
Klappen vun die Pantöffelech un' dās froehliche Lachen vun die
junge, frische, rosige Maülechlech hāt verfüllt alle Himmlen un'
is' zugekummen bis zum Kisse-ha-kowed, un' Gott allēin hāt äuch
schōn gewusst, as Bonzje Schweig kummt!
Awrohom Owinu hāt sich in Thōer vun Himmel gestellt, die rechte
Hand ausgestellt zum brēiten "Scholem-aleechem!" un' a süsser
Schmēichel scheint asō hell auf sein alten Ponim!
Wās rädelt asō in Himmel?
Dās hāben zwēi Malochim in Ganeeden arein far Bonzje's wegen a
gingoldene Vāterstuhl auf Rädlech geführt!
Wās hāt asō hell geblitzt?
Dās hāt män durchgeführt a goldene Krōn', mit die theuerste Stēiner
gesetzt! All's far Bonzjen!
quietly in his grave? Who knows how many are already waiting for his
place?
* * * * *
Born quietly, lived quietly, died quietly, and still more quietly
buried!
But matters went differently in the other world! There Bontsie's death
produced a sensation!
The sound of Moses' ram's horn was heard in all the seven heavens:
Bontsie Silent has died! The greatest angels, with the broadest wings,
were flying about and announcing the news to each other: Bontsie has
been summoned before the Judgment Seat! There is a noise, an excitement,
a joy in Heaven: Bontsie Silent! Just think of it,--Bontsie Silent!!!
Young little angels with sparkling eyes, gold-worked wings, and silver
slippers rushed out to receive Bontsie with joy! The buzzing of their
wings, the clatter of their slippers, and the merry laughter of the
young, fresh, and rosy little mouths filled the heavens and reached the
Seat of Honor, and God himself knew that Bontsie Silent was coming!
Father Abraham placed himself at the gate of Heaven, and he stretched
out his right hand for a friendly "Peace be with you!" and a sweet smile
lit up his old face!
* * * * *
What are they rolling there in Heaven?
Two angels are rolling into Paradise an armchair of pure gold on wheels
for Bontsie!
* * * * *
What caused that lightning?
They are carrying a golden crown, all set in the most precious stones!
All for Bontsie!
--Noch var'n Psak vun Bess-din-schel-majle? frägen die Zadikim
verwundert un' nischt gār ohn' Kine.
* * * * *
--Oh! entwern die Malochim, dās wet sein a proste, puste Forme!
Gegen Bonzje Schweig wet afile der Katēgor kēin Wort in Maul nischt
gefin'en! Die Djele wet dauern fünf Minut!
Ihr spielt sich mit Bonzje Schweig?
* * * * *
As die Malochimlech hāben Bonzjen gechappt in der Luft un'
ābgespielt ihm a Semer; as Awrohom Owinu hāt ihm wie an alten
Kamrat die Hand geschockelt; as er hāt gehört, as sein Stuhl is'
grēit in Ganeeden; as auf sein Kopp wart't a Krōn', as in
Bess-din-schel-majle wet män über ihm kēin übrig Wort nischt
reden,--hāt Bonzje, gleich wie auf jener Welt, geschwiegen var
Schreck! Es is' ihm dās Harz entgangen. Er is' sicher, as dās mus
sein a Cholem, oder a proster Toes!
Er is' Bēide gewōhnt! Nischt ēin Māl hāt sich ihm auf jener Welt
gecholemt, as er klaubt Geld auf der Podloge, ganze Ōzres liegen
... un' hāt sich aufgechappt noch a grösserer Kabzen wie
nächten.... Nischt ēin Māl hāt män in'm a Toes gehāt, es hāt ihm
Emiz zugeschmēichelt, a gut Wort gesāgt un' bald sich übergedrēht
un' ausgespiegen....
--Mein Masel, tracht er, is' schōn asō!
Un' er hāt Mōre, die Äugen aufzuhēben, der Cholem soll nischt
verschwunden wer'en; er soll sich nischt aufchappen ergez in a
Hoehl' zwischen Schlangen un' Egdissen! Er hāt Mōre vun Maul a
Klang arauszulāsen, a Tnue mit an Eewer zu machen,--män soll ihm
nischt derkennen un' nischt awegschleudern auf Kaf-hakal....
Er zittert un' hört nit die Malochim's Komplimenten,
"What? Even before the sentence of the Supreme Court has been passed?"
the saints ask not without envy.
"Oh!" answer the angels, "that will be a mere formality. The Prosecuting
Attorney himself will find no words against Bontsie! The case will last
but five minutes!"
Bontsie Silent--that's no trifling matter!
* * * * *
As the angels carried Bontsie through the air and played sweet tunes to
him; as Father Abraham shook his hand like that of an old comrade; as he
heard that his chair was ready for him in Paradise, that a crown was
waiting for his head, that no trifling words would be spoken against him
before the Supreme Court,--Bontsie was frightened into silence just as
in the other world! His heart failed him. He was sure that this was but
a dream, or a mere mistake!
He had been used to both. Many a time he had dreamed in the other world
of picking up money from the floor where fortunes were lying.... More
than once they had mistaken him for some one else; they had smiled at
him, had said a good word, and then had turned aside, and spit out....
* * * * *
"That's just my luck!" thought he.
And he is afraid to raise his eyes for fear that the dream would
disappear, that he should not awaken somewhere in a cave full of
serpents and lizards. He is afraid to utter a sound, to move a limb,
lest he be recognized and hurled to perdition.
* * * * *