eplied:

"No gentle ray will come from my eye, nor will my wrath be softened
till the writing has been torn out of the accursed hands."

Moshe groaned:

"Rabbi, the writing shall be in your hands tomorrow."

The moon fell bright upon the faces of both men, of whom one looked
at the heavens, the other into his master's face. The master searched
the heavens for the silvery streaks which are the ways the angels
travel from star to star through eternity; the pupil looked into the
master's eyes for the reflection of the supernatural light.

In both their minds the name of the angel of death whom they had
called up was present--yet both their hearts were full of love and
boundless admiration.

CHAPTER X

A great and unusual emotion prevailed among the population of the
little town. From all parts they thronged towards the large brown
house of prayer, where, under the three-storied roof covered with
moss, the row of high and narrow windows blazed with light. The sky
was covered with stars twinkling feebly and paling before the full
moon.

The interior of the temple, large and roomy, would easily hold
several thousand people. The high and smooth walls, forming a perfect
square, were cut across by a long, heavy gallery, divided into
niches, not unlike private boxes, and surrounded by a high, open-work
grating. Wooden benches, standing closely together, filled the body
of the synagogue from the entrance door up to the raised platform,
which was surrounded by a highly ornamental grating. There was a
table on the platform, used for unfolding the leaves of the Tora on
days when extracts from it were read to the people. It served also as
a pulpit when, on solemn days, speeches or religious discourses were
delivered. Here also stood the choir of young men or grown-up
children, who united their voices or answered to the intonating
singer.

The platform was about a dozen feet from the principal part of the
building, which looked very impressive in its dignity and blaze of
colour. It was the altar, or the place where the holy of holies was
preserved. The top of the altar reached to the ceiling, and consisted
of two great tables incrusted with lapis-lazuli and covered with
white letters, like strings of arabesques, in a rich and fantastic
design, in which the initiated eye could read the Ten Commandments.
The tables of lapis-lazuli were supported by two gilt-bronze lions of
huge size, resting on two heavy columns of the i