hese sublime visions vanish before this genial old man. And yet my
disillusion was not all empty. There were still the cheers to exalt
me, there was still my strange companion, to whose ideas I had already
vibrated, and whose face was now transfigured to my imagination,
gaining much of what the visionary figure had lost. And, amid all the
tumult of the moment, there sang in my breast the divine assurance
that here at last were the living waters, here the green pastures.
"Master," I cried frantically, as I seized his hand and kissed it.

"My son," he said tenderly. "Those murderers have evidently informed
the townspeople of my coming."

"It is well," said I, "I rejoice to witness your triumph over a town
so rabbi-ridden."

"Nay, speak not of _my_ triumph," reproved the Master. "Thank God for
the change in _them_, if change there be. It should be indifferent to
man whether he be praised or blamed, loved or hated, reputed to be the
wisest of mankind or the greatest of fools."

"They wish you to address them, Master," I cried, as the cheers
continued. He smiled.

"Doubtless--a sermon full of hair-splitting exegesis and devil's webs.
I pray you descend and see that my horse be not stolen."

I sprang down with alacrity to obey this his first wish, and,
scrambling on the animal, had again a view of the sea of faces, all
turned towards the Baal Shem. From the excited talk of the crowd, I
gathered that the Baal Shem had just performed one of his greatest
miracles. Two brothers had been journeying with their sister in the
woods, and had been attacked by robbers. They had been on the point of
death when the Baal Shem miraculously appeared, and by merely
mentioning the Name, had caused the robbers to sink into the earth
like Korah. The sister being too terrified to return with her
brothers, the Baal Shem undertook to bring her to Brody himself in his
own celestial chariot, which, to those not initiated into the higher
mysteries, appeared like an ordinary cart.

Meantime the Master had refilled his pipe. "Is that my old friend
David," he cried, addressing one with a cobbler's apron; "and how is
business?"

The cobbler, abashed by this unexpected honor, flushed and stammered:
"God is good."

"A sorry answer, David; God would be as good if he sent you a-begging.
Ha, ha!" he went on cheerily, "I see Joseph the innkeeper has waxed
more like a barrel than ever. Peace be to you, Joseph! Have you learnt
to read yet? No! Then yo