It happened three years ago.
Damp fog was rising from the muddy streets of the town and made dark
the transparency of a starry evening. A breath of March wind mingled
with the odour of freshly ploughed fields, flew over low roofs, but
could not drive out the suffocating exhalations coming in clouds from
the doors and windows of the houses.
Notwithstanding the mists and exhalations which filled it, the town
had a gay and festive appearance. From behind gray curtains thousands
of windows shone with bright illuminations, and from lighted houses
came the sounds of noisy conversation or collective prayers. Whoever
passed through the streets and looked into this or that window of
this or that house, would see all around bright family scenes. In the
centre of larger or smaller rooms were long tables, covered with
white cloths, and all prepared for a feast. Around them bustled women
in variegated dresses, carrying and leaving contributions with a
smile on their faces, and admiring their own work in the decoration
of the tables. Bearded husbands, holding their children in their
arms, pressed their lips to the pink cheeks, or kissed the on the
mouth with a loud smack. They tossed them up to the low ceilings, to
the great mirth of the older members of the family. Others sat in
groups on benches and talked of affairs of the past week. Others
still, covered with the folds of their white talliths, stood
motionless, facing the walls, rocking their figures back and forward.
These were preparing themselves by fervent prayer to meet the holy
Sabbath day.
For it was Friday evening.
In the whole town there was but one house in which reigned darkness,
emptiness, and sadness. It was a little gray hut which seemed to have
been clapped on to a small hill at the other end of the town--it was
the only elevation on the waste plain. And even this hill was not
natural. Tradition said that it was made by Karaites, who built it on
their temple. Today there remained no traces of that temple. The
bare, sandy hill, protected the little hut from the winds and snow
storms, and the hut humbly and gratefully nestled in its shelter.
Over its roof, on the side of the hill, grew a large pear tree.
Through its branches the wind rushed sweetly--over it shone a few
stars. A large, cultivated field separated this spot from the town. A
deep quiet reigned here, interrupted only by muffled echoes of the
remote noise of the town. Over the black beds thick clouds of steam
and mist, coming from the streets of the town, crept toward the hut.
The interior of the hut was dark as a precipice, and from behind its
small windows resounded the trembling but vigorous voice of a man:
"Beyond far seas, beyond high mountains,"--spoke this voice amidst
the darkness--"the river Sabbation flows. But it flows not with
water, nor with milk and honey, but with yellow gravel and big
stones."
The hoarse, trembling voice became silent, and in the dark room, seen
from behind two small windows, there was deep silence for a while.
This time it was interrupted by quite different sounds.
"Zeide! speak further."
These words were spoken in the voice of a girl--almost childish, but
languid and dreamy.
Zeide (grandfather) asked, "Are they not coming yet?"
"I don't hear them," answered the girl.
In the dark room the hoarse trembling narrative began again:
"Beyond the holy river of Sabbation there live four Israelitic
tribes; Gad, Assur, Dan and Naphtali. These tribes escaped there from
great fears and oppressions, and Jehovah--may His holy name be
blessed--has hidden them from their enemies, beyond the river of
gravel and stones. And this gravel rises high as the waves of the sea
and the stones are roaring and rushing like a big forest when it is
shaken by a storm. And when the day of Sabbath comes--"
Here the old voice stopped suddenly, and after a while he asked
softly:
"Are they not yet coming?"
There was no answer for a long time. It seemed as though the other
was listening before replying.
"They are coming," she said finally.
In the dark interior was heard a long, muffled moaning.
"Zeide! speak further," said the girl's voice, sonorous and pure as
before, only less childish--stronger this time.
Zeide did not speak any more.
From the direction of the town rushed, approaching the hut, a strange
noise. This was caused by numerous human feet, by piercing
exclamations and silvery laughter of the children. Soon in the
distance appeared a big moving spot rolling on the surface of the
fields. Soon the spot neared the hut, scattered into several groups
and with irresistible shouting, screaming, laughing, rushed toward
the bent walls and low windows of the hut.
They were children--boys of various ages. The oldest amongst them was
perhaps fourteen years and the youngest five. It was difficult to see
their dresses in the darkness, but from beneath their caps and long
curls of hair, their eyes shone with the passionate fire of mischief
and perhaps some other excited sentiment.
"Guten abend! karaime!" shouted at once the rabble, kicking at the
locked door with their feet, and shaking the frames of the windows.
"Why don't you show some light on the Sabbath? Why are you sitting in
a black hole like the devil? Kofrim, uberwerfer!" (You unbeliever!
heretic!) shouted the older ones.
"Aliejdyk giejer! oreman! mishugener!" (rascal, beggar, mad-man!)
howled the young ones at the top of their voices.
The insults, laughter, and shaking of the door and windows increased
every moment, when from within the hut resounded the girl's voice,
quiet and sonorous as before, but so strong that it pierced the
noise--"Zeide! speak further!"
"Aj! aj! aj!" answered the old voice, "how can I speak when they
shout so loudly."
"Zeide! speak further!"
This time the girl's voice sounded almost imperatively. It was no
longer childish. In it could be heard grief, contempt and struggle
for the preservation of peace.
As sad singing is blended with the noise of stormy elements, so with
the wild noise of the mob of children, insulting, mewing, howling,
and laughing, the sobbing words were mingled.
"And during the day of Sabbath, Jehovah--may His name be
blessed--gives rest to the holy river of Sabbation. The gravel ceases
to flow, the big waves of stones do not roar like the forest--only
from the river, which lies quiet and does not move, a thick mist
rises--so great that it reaches the high clouds, and hides again from
the enemies, the four tribes of Israel: Gad, Assur, Dan and
Naphtali."
Alas! around the hut with bent walls and dark interior, the holy
river of Sabbation did not flow; neither did high waves or gravel nor
thick mists hide its inhabitants from the enemies.
These foes were small, but they were numerous. By a last effort of
mischievous frolic several of them pulled at the frames of the
windows so strongly that several panes broke. A shout of joy sounded
far over the field. Through the openings the interior of the hut
became strewn with small clods of earth and stones. The old voice,
from the most remote part of the room, trembling, and still more
hoarse, cried:
"Aj! Aj! Aj! Jehovah! Jehovah!"
The girl's voice, always sonorous, repeated:
"Zeide, keep quiet! Zeide, don't shout! Zeide, don't be afraid!"
All at once, from behind the crowd of children, someone exclaimed
threateningly and imperatively:
"Shtyl Bube! What are you doing here, you rascals? Get out!"
The children at once became silent. The man who caused the
tranquillity by his loud voice was tall and well built. His long
dress was lined with fur. His face looked pale in the dusk, and his
eyes shone as only young eyes can shine.
"What are you doing here?" he repeated, in an angry and decided
voice. "Do you think that this house is inhabited by wolves, and that
you can howl at them and break the windows?"
The boys, gathered in one compact body, were silent. After a while,
however, one of them, the tallest, and evidently the boldest, said:
"Why do they not show some light on Sabbath?"
"That's none of your business," said the man.
"No! That's none of yours either," said the stubborn boy. "We come
here every week and do the same--what then?"
"I know that you do the same every week. Therefore I watched to catch
you here . . . now go home! quick!"
"And you, Meir, why don't you go yourself to your house? Your bobe
and your zeide are eating the fish without you. Why do you drive us
from here, and not observe the Sabbath yourself?"
The eyes of the young man became more fiery. He stamped the earth
with his foot and shouted so angrily that the younger children
dispersed immediately, and only the oldest boy, as though he would
have revenge for the scolding, seized a clod of earth and wished to
throw it into the little house.
But two strong hands seized him by the arms and the collar.
"Come," said the young man, "I will take you back home."
The boy shouted, and tried to escape. But the strong arm held him
fast, and a quiet voice ordered him to be silent. He obeyed, dropping
his head.
Around the hut it was now deep dusk. From the dark interior came the
sound of heavy, hoarse sighing as from some very old breast, and near
the broken window sounded the girl's voice:
"Thank you."
"Rest in peace," answered the young man, and went off, leading the
little prisoner.
They passed silently through a few streets, and went toward a house
situated at the square.
The house was low and long, with a piazza, and a long corridor ran
through the whole building. All this announced an inn. The windows in
the part of the house assigned to guests were dark. In the others,
situated opposite the piazza, and not higher than half-an-ell from
the ground, which was covered with straw and hay and all kinds of
rubbish, the lights of Sabbath shone forth from behind the dirty
panes.
The young man, still leading the boy--who, as it seems, was not only
not afflicted by his situation, but was jumping joyfully--passed the
rubbish-covered ground, entered the deep corridor, where in the
darkness some horse was stamping with his feet, and, groping, found
the door Having half-opened it, he pushed the youngster into the
room. Then he put his head in the door and said:
"Reb Jankiel, I have brought you Mendel. Scold him or punish him. He
roams in the darkness around the town, and attacks innocent people."
This speech, delivered in a loud voice, remained without an answer.
Only the continual and fervent murmuring of a prayer came from the
interior of the room. Through the door, which still remained half-opened,
could be seen the whole long room, with very dirty walls, and enormous
stove, which was black with the dust. In the centre of the room was a
table covered with a cloth of doubtful cleanliness, but lighted with a
copious blaze of light from seven candles burning in a great branched
candlestick hanging from the ceiling. The Sabbath feast had not yet
begun, and although from the remote part of the house could be heard the
voices of women and children, announcing that the family was numerous,
there was only one man, his face turned toward the wall, in the room where
stood the table ready for the Sabbath supper. This man was of medium size,
and very thin and supple. It is not exact to say that he was standing,
because that does not express the position of his figure, but, just
the same, it would be hard to find another expression. He was neither
walking nor jumping, but, nevertheless, he was in continual and
violent motion. He threw his head--which was covered with red
hair--backward and forward with great rapidity. With these swift
movements, the sounds which came from his mouth were in perfect
harmony; for he was murmuring, then shouting passionately, then
pouring forth long plaintive songs.
The young man standing on the threshold looked for a long time at
that figure, praying with all its soul, or, rather, with all its
body. Evidently he was waiting for an interruption in the prayer. But
it was known that the one who wished to see the end of Reb Jankiel's
prayers would have to wait for some time. Apparently the young man
was anxious to settle the mischief of the little Mendel quickly.
"Reb Jankiel," he said aloud, after quite a long time, "your son
wanders about during the night and assaults innocent people!"
There was no answer.
"Reb Jankiel, your son insults people with bad words!"
Reb Jankiel continued to pray with the same fervour.
"Reb Jankiel, your son breaks the windows of poor people!"
Reb Jankiel turned a few leaves of a large book which he held in both
hands, and sang triumphantly:
"Sing to the Lord a new song, because he has created all marvels!
Sing! Play, play with a loud singing! Sound the trumpets and horns
before the King, Lord!"
The last words were accompanied by the closing of the door. The young
man left the long dark corridor, wading once more through the
rubbish. When he passed the last lighted window he heard the sound of
soft singing. He stopped, and anyone would have done the same, for
the voice was pure, young and soft as a murmuring of a complaint,
full of prayer, sadness and longing. It was a man's voice.
"Eliezer!" whispered the passer-by, and stopped at the low window.
These windows had far cleaner panes than the others. Through them
could be seen a small room, in which was only a bed, a table, a few
chairs, and a library full of books. On the table burned a tallow
candle, and at the table sat a young man holding his head between the
palms of his hands. He was about twenty years old, and his face was
white, and of a delicate oval shape. From his fresh lips came the
beautiful singing which would have attracted the attention of a great
master of music.
And no wonder. Eliezer, Jankiel's son, was the cantor of the
community of Szybow--the singer of people and Jehovah.
"Eliezer!" was repeated from behind the window in a soft, friendly
whisper.
The singer must have heard the whisper, for he sat near the window.
He raised his eyes, and turned them toward the pane. They were blue,
meek, and sad. But he did not interrupt his singing. On the contrary,
he lifted his hands, white as alabastar, and in that ecstatic
position, with an enthusiastic expression on his face, he sang still
louder:
"My people, cast from thee the dust of heavy roads. Rise, and
take the robe of thy beauty. Hasten, ah hasten, with help to your
people, the Only, Incomprehensible! God of our fathers."
The young man at the window did not call any more to the singer
praying for his people. He went off, stepping softly in careful
respect, and walking through the dark, empty place toward the large
house ablaze with lights; he looked at the few stars shining with
their pale light through the fog, and he softly hummed, plunged in
deep thankfulness:
"Hasten! ah, hasten! with help to your people the Only,
Incomprehensible! God of our fathers!"