."

I stole back into the house, and into my own bed.

I dreamt that I ran, swept through the air. I flew with my little knife
in my hand. And the moon looked at me and said:

"Catch him, beat him. He is a thief--a thief."

* * *

A long, long sleep, and a heavy, a very heavy dream. A fire burnt within
me. My head was buzzing. Everything I saw was red as blood. Burning rods
of fire cut into my flesh. I was swimming in blood. Around me wriggled
snakes and serpents. They had their mouths open, ready to swallow me.
Right into my ears some one was blowing a trumpet. And, some one was
standing over me, and shouting, keeping time with the trumpet: "Whip
him, whip him, whip him. He is a thie--ef." And I myself shouted: "Oh,
oh, take the moon away from me. Give her up the little knife. What have
you against poor Berrel? He is not guilty. It is I who am a thief--a
thief."

Beyond that, I remember nothing.

* * *

I opened one eye, then the other. Where was I? On a bed, I think. Ah, is
that you, mother, mother? She does not hear me. Mother, mother,
mo--o--other! What is this? I imagine I am shouting aloud. Shah! I
listen. She is weeping silently. I also see my father, with his yellow,
sickly face. He is sitting near me, an open book in his hand. He reads,
and sighs, and coughs and groans. It seems that I am dead already.
Dead?... All at once, I feel that it is growing brighter before my eyes.
Everything is growing lighter, too. My head and my limbs are lighter.
There is a ringing in my ear, and in my other ear. Tschinna! I sneezed.
Akhstchu!

"Good health! May your days be lengthened! May your years be prolonged!
It is a good sign. Blessed art Thou, O Lord!"

"Sneezed in reality? Blessed be the Most High!"

"Let us call at once Mintze the butcher's wife. She knows how to avert
the evil eye."

"The doctor ought to be called--the doctor."

"The doctor? What for? That is nonsense. The Most High is the best
doctor. Blessed be the Lord, and praised be His Name!"

"Go asunder, people. Separate a bit. It is terribly hot. In the name of
God, go away."

"Ah, yes. I told you that you have to cover him with wax. Well, who is
right?"

"Praise be the Lord, and blessed be His Holy Name! Ah, God! God! Blessed
be the Lord! and praised be His Holy Name!"

They fluttered about me. They looked at me. Each one came and felt my
head. They prayed over me, and buzzed around me. They licked my
forehead, and spat out, by way of a