our timidly. He already knew of the Rabbi's
visit, and he guessed at the aim of it; he was afraid of his
grandfather's anger and grief.

"Nu," said the old man, "come nearer. I am going to tell you
beautiful things, at which you will rejoice greatly."

And when Meir had come to within a couple of steps from him, Saul
looked at him sharply from beneath his bushy eyebrows, and said:

"I am going to betroth you, and in two months you must be married."

Meir grew pale, but was silent.

"I am going to betroth you to Jankiel Kamionker's daughter."

After these words there was quite a long silence, which Meir at last
interrupted.

"Zeide," said he, in a low but determined voice, "I am not going to
marry Kamionker's daughter."

"Why?" asked Saul, smothering his anger.

"Because, zeide," growing bolder and bolder, "Kamionker is a bad and
unjust man, and I don't wish to have anything to do with him!"

Then Saul's anger burst out. He reproached his grandson for the
audacity of this judgment, and praised Rob Jankiel's piety.

"Zeide," interrupted Meir, "he wrongs the poor!"

"Is that any of your business?" exclaimed the grandfather.

This time the young man's eyes shone warmly. "Zeide," he said, "he
pockets a great deal of the money produced by the sweat
and work of these miserable people who live at the other end of the
town, and through him they are thieves. While their children are
naked, Reb Jankiel builds new houses! In the dram-shops and
distilleries which he rents from the nobility be carries on evil
acts. His dram-shop keepers make the peasants drunk, and cheat them,
and his distilleries produce more vodka than is permitted by the
Government. Zeide, you must not look at the way he prays, but the way
he acts, for it is written: 'I do not need prayers, nor your
sacrifices! The one who wrongs the poor man wrongs the Creator
Himself!'"

Saul was very angry, but his grandson's quotation mollified him, for
he very much desired to see him a scholar, and expert in the
knowledge of the holy books.

"Well," muttered he angrily, but without vehemence, "it does not
matter that Jankiel makes the peasants drunk, and that he produces
more vodka than the law permits. You don't know yet that business is
business! When you are married to Reb Jankiel's daughter, and go into
partnership with him, you will do the same."

"Zeide," answered Meir quickly, "I shall neither produce nor sell
vodka. I have no inclination for it."