risk of incurring your displeasure. Think you that the prejudice
which the Christian has felt against the Jew for over eighteen centuries
can be eradicated in a moment by the apostasy of our race? The Russian
nobility, accustomed to regard the Hebrews as accursed in the sight of
God, as a nation of usurers and ungodly fanatics, is not in a fit
condition of mind to forego its prejudices and welcome these same Jews
as equals. The lower classes of Russians who have at the the mother's
breast imbibed hatred and contempt for the despised and helpless Jew,
who have from time immemorial considered the Jews as their just and
legitimate prey, will scarcely condescend to offer the rejected race the
hand of brotherly love simply because the Governor or even the Emperor
commands it. It has been tried, your excellency, at various times;
notably in Spain. Terrified by threats of torture on the one hand or
seduced by promises of great reward on the other, many an Israelite
accepted the Catholic faith. Alas! how bitterly was the error regretted.
Instead of being admitted to that fellowship with which the gentiles had
tempted them, greater humiliations, greater persecutions followed, until
the horrors of the inquisition chamber and death at the stake were
welcomed by the poor wretches as a relief from mental torment still more
terrible."

So they talked, the mighty ruler and the humble Rabbi, while those in
the ante-room waited impatiently for an audience.

Finally the Governor arose.

"I will not exact a definite answer at present," he said. "Discuss the
matter with your friends and come to see me again in the course of a
week or two. Perhaps you will then think better of it."

Mendel shook his head.

"In a few days we shall have _Yom-Kipur_, our Day of Atonement," he
said. "If you would know how tenaciously the Israelites cling to their
faith and to their God, visit the synagogue on that day; behold them in
fasting and prayer, renewing their covenant with the Lord and relying
upon his divine protection and assistance. You will find it an
impressive sight, one that will speak more eloquently than my weak
words."

"I may come," answered the Governor, half in jest and half in earnest,
while Mendel bowed himself out through the crowd of angry people in the
waiting-room.

We shall not attempt to analyze the thoughts of the young Rabbi, as he
retraced his steps towards his dwelling. On his arrival there, he found
his wife and her m