ediately whipped the smelling-bottle out of his
pocket, took out the stopper with a flourish, and held it to Feivke's
nose. The next moment Feivke had wrenched himself free, and was making
for the chicken-face with nails spread, when he received two smart,
sounding boxes on the ears, from two great, heavy, horny hands, which so
clouded his brain that for a minute he stood dazed and dumb. Suddenly he
made a spring at Leibrutz, fell upon his hand, and fastened his sharp
teeth in the flesh. Leibrutz gave a loud yell.

There was a great to-do. People came running out in their robes, women
with pale, startled faces called to their children. A few of them
reproved Mattes for his son's behavior. Then they dispersed, till there
remained behind the inn only Mattes and Feivke. Mattes looked at his boy
in silence. He was not a talkative man, and he found only two or three
words to say:

"Feivke, Mother there at home--and you--here?"

Again Feivke found himself alone on the field, and again he stretched
himself out and dozed. Again, too, the red streams flowed before his
eyes, and someone unknown to him stood at his head and recited prayers.
Only the streams were thicker and darker, and the davvening over his
head was louder, sadder, more penetrating.

It was quite dark when Mattes came out again, took Feivke by the hand,
set him on his feet, and said, "Now we are going home."

Indoors everything had come to an end, and the room had taken on a
week-day look. The candles were gone, and a lamp was burning above the
table, round which sat men in their hats and usual cloaks, no robes to
be seen, and partook of some refreshment. There was no more davvening,
but in Feivke's ears was the same ringing of bells. It now seemed to him
that he saw the room and the men for the first time, and the old Jew
sitting at the head of the table, presiding over bottles and
wine-glasses, and clicking with his tongue, could not possibly be the
old man with the silver-white beard who had held the scroll of the Law
to his breast.

Mattes went up to the table, gave a cough, bowed to the company, and
said, "A good year!"

The old man raised his head, and thundered so loudly that Feivke's face
twitched as with pain:

"Ha?"

"I said--I am just going--going home--home again--so I wish--wish you--a
good year!"

"Ha, a good year? A good year to you also! Wait, have a little brandy,
ha?"

Feivke shut his eyes. It made him feel bad to have the lamp bu