divine unity. Nay, 'tis a bliss as of
bridegroom with bride. Whoso does not feel this joy of union--this
divine kiss--has not prayed."

"Then have I never prayed," I said.

"Then 'tis you that are the sinner," he retorted, laughing.

His words struck me into a meditative silence. It was towards twilight
when our oddly-encountered trio approached the great Talmudical
centre. To my surprise a vast crowd seemed to be waiting at the gates.

"It is for me," said the woman hysterically, for she had now awakened.
"My brothers have told the elders. They will kill you. O save
yourself."

"Peace, peace," said the old man, puffing his pipe.

As we came near we heard the people shouting, and nearer still made
out the sounds. Was it? Yes, I could not be mistaken. "The Baal Shem!
The Baal Shem!"

My heart beat violently. What a stroke of luck was this! "The Baal
Shem is there!" I cried exultantly.

The woman grew worse. "The Baal Shem!" she shrieked. "He is a holy
man. He will slay us with a glance."

"Peace, my beautiful creature," said the driver. "You are more likely
to slay him with a glance."

This time his levity grated on me. I peered eagerly towards the gates,
striving to make out the figure of the mighty Saint!

The dense mob swayed tumultuously. Some of the people ran towards our
cart. Our horse had to come to a stand-still. In a trice a dozen hands
had unharnessed him, there was an instant of terrible confusion in
which I felt that violence was indeed meditated, then I found our cart
being drawn forward as in triumph by contesting hands, while in my
ears thundered from a thousand throats, "The Baal Shem! The Baal
Shem!" Suddenly I looked with an incredible suspicion at the old man,
smoking imperturbably at my side.

"'Tis indeed a change for Brody," he said, with a laugh that was half
a sob.

A faintness blotted out the whole strange scene--the town-gates, the
eager faces, the gesticulating figures, the houses, the frightened
woman at my side.

It was the greatest surprise of my life.

VII

A chaos of images clashed in my mind. I saw the mystic figure of the
mighty Master of the Name standing in the cemetery judging betwixt the
souls of the dead; I saw him in the upper world amid the angels; I saw
him serene in the centre of his magic circle, annihilating with his
glance the flaming hordes of demon boars; and even as the creatures
shattered themselves into nothingness against the circle, so must
t