d the melamed, and through him
the elders and the people. That is what I have done to-day. Arid when
I come to think of it, it seems to me a rash, useless act, as it will
not prevent the melamed from destroying the poor children's health
and intelligence. What can I do? I am alone, young, without a wife
and family, or any position in the world. They can do with me what
they like, and I can do nothing. They will persecute my friends until
they desert me; they have already begun to injure and insult you,
because you gave me your heart and joined your voice with mine on the
meadow. I shall only bring unhappiness to you; perhaps it would be
better to shut my eyes and ears to everything, and live like other
people."

His voice became lower and lower, and more difficult from the
inward struggle with doubts and perplexities.

Both remained silent for a few minutes, when suddenly a strange
noise, seemingly from the other side of the hill, reached their ears.
First it sounded faint and distant, like the passing of many wheels
upon a soft and sandy soil. It grew louder by degrees, till the
grating of wheels and stamping of many human feet could be heard
quite distinctly. All this amidst the dark silence of the night gave
it a mysterious, almost unreal appearance.

Meir stood straight up and listened intently.

"What is that?" he asked.

"What can it be?" said Golda, in her quiet voice.

It seemed as if a great many carts were passing on the other side of
the hill.

"I thought something rumbled and knocked inside the hill," said
Golda.

Indeed, it sounded now like human steps inside the hill, and as if
some heavy weights were being thrown down. There was fear in Meir's
face. He looked intently at Golda.

"Shut the window, and bolt your door," he said quickly; "I will go
and see what it is!"

It was evident that he feared only on her account. "Why should I
fasten either window or door? A strong hand could easily wrench them
open."

Meir went round the base of the hill, and soon found himself on the
other side. What he saw there filled him with the greatest
astonishment.

In a half-circle, upon the sandy furrows, stood a great many carts
laden with casks of all sizes. Around the carts a great many people
were moving--peasants and Jews. The peasants were busy unload-the
carts and rolling the casks into a cavern, which either nature or
human hands had shaped in the hill.

The Jews, who were flitting in and out amon