ins. When this happened they were
already on the piazza of the Ezofowich house. Then the three men
entered the room in which old Saul was sitting on the yellow sofa,
reading in a large book by the light of two candles, which burned in
two antique silver candlesticks.

Saul, seeing the entering guests was a little astonished, because it
was already quite late and the time was not suitable for a visit. He
greeted them, however, with a friendly nod, and pointed to the chairs
standing near the sofa. The men did not sit in the places indicated
to them, but stood opposite Saul. Although their faces were animated
by anger, their mein was solemn. Evidently they had come to an
understanding as to how the conversation was to be commenced, for
Kamionker spoke first:

"Reb Saul," said he, "we come here to complain against your grandson
Meir."

A painful shiver passed over Saul's face.

"What has he done?" he asked in a low voice.

Kamionker began to speak, at first solemnly, and then very violently:

"Your grandson Meir spoils our sons! He causes their souls to rebel
against the Holy Law; he reads to them excommunicated books, and
sings worldly songs on the Sabbath! Besides this he is bound by an
impure friendship to the Karaimian girl, and we saw in the meadow our
sons lying at his feet as though at the feet of their master, and
over his head the Karaimian girl stood and sang abominable songs with
him."

He stopped, out of breath from the angry speech, and Morejne Calman,
looking at Saul with his honey like eyes, said slowly:

"My son Aryel was there, and I shall punish him for it."

Abraham, looking gloomily on the ground, then said:

"And my son, your grandson Haim, was also there, and I shall punish
him for it."

Then all said:

"You must punish Meir!"

Saul bent his sorrowful face.

"Lord of the world," he whispered with trembling lips, "have I
deserved that the light of my eyes should be changed into darkness?"

Then he raised his head and said with determination:

"I will punish him."

Abraham's eyes, fixed on his father's face, were shining.

"Father," said he, "you must think the most of that Karaimian girl.
That unclean friendship between them is a great shame to our whole
family. You know, father, our custom--no Israelite shall know another
woman save the one his parents have destined for his wife."

It seemed that Saul's wrinkled forehead was covered with a pinkish
flush.

"I will soon marry