n, as it
was that of the principal fair, which brought crowds of people of all
sorts to the town. Both Jankiel's daughters, two strong, plain, and
slatternly girls, with the help of the boy Mendel, whose stupid,
malicious face bore the traces of Reb Moshe's training, were busy
preparing the two guest rooms for the arrival of distinguished
customers. Next to the guest rooms was the large bar-room, where,
during the fair, crowds of country people were wont to drink and to
dance. The servant pretended to clean the benches around the wall,
and made a scanty fire in the great black stove, as the morning was
cool and the air damp and musty. In Jankiel's room, the first from
the entrance, the window of which looked upon the still empty
market-square, were two people, Jankiel and his wife Jenta, both at
their morning prayers.

Jankiel, dressed his everyday gabardine with black kerchief twisted
round his neck, rocked his body violently and prayed in a loud voice:

"Blessed be the Lord of the world that he hath not made me a heathen!
Blessed be the Lord that he hath not made me a slave! Blessed be the
Lord that he hath not made me a woman!"

At the same time Jenta, dressed in a blue sleeveless jacket and short
skirt, bent her body in short, jerky motions, and in a voice much
lower than her husband's, began:

"Blessed be the Lord of the world that he has made me according to
his will!"

Rocking to and fro, she sighed heavily:

"Blessed be the Lord who gives strength to the tired and drives away
from their eyes sleep and weariness!"

Then Jankiel took up the white tallith with the black border, and,
wrapping himself in its soft folds, exclaimed:

"Blessed be the Lord who enlightened us with his law and bade us to
cover ourselves with the tallith!"

He put the philacteries, or holy scroll, upon his forehead and
wrists, saying:

"I betroth myself for ever, betroth myself unto truth, unto the
everlasting grace."

Both husband and wife were so absorbed in their prayers that they did
not hear the quick step of a man.

Meir Ezofowich crossed the room where Jankiel and his wife were
praying, and the next, which was full of beds and trunks, where the
two smaller children were still asleep, and opened the door of his
friend's room.

There was as yet only a dim light in the little apartment where
Eliezer stood at the window and prayed. He recognised his friend's
step, but did not interrupt his prayers, only raised his hand