, "then
the melamed did not tell the truth!"

Eliezer was silent for a long time again. It was evident that he
preferred not to answer, but the young impatient hands pulled him by
the sleeve, asking for a reply.

"He did not tell the truth," he finally exclaimed timidly.

At that moment Meir put his hand on his shoulder. "Eliezer," said he,
"you gave me the same answer two years ago, when you came back from
the great city where you studied singing. Then you opened my eyes,
which alone began to search for the truth, and you taught me that we
are not true Israelites; that our faith was not the same that was
given to us on Mount Sinai; that Judaism has grown muddy like water
when a handful of earth is thrown into it--and that mud has blackened
our heads and our hearts. Eliezer, you have told me this, and I have
seen the light. Since that time I have loved you as a brother who
helped me out of obscurity, but Since that time, I feel in my heart a
great oppression and a great loneliness."

"Meir, Eliezer taught you, and Eliezer is silent--you, his pupil,
commence to talk," said her, whose lazy words were tinged with irony.

"I wish I knew how to talk," exclaimed the young man, with sparkling
eyes, "and what to do!"

And after a while he added, more softly:

"But I know neither how to speak nor how to act--only in my heart I
bear a great hatred toward those who deceive us, and a great love
toward those who are deceived."

"And a great audacity," drawled Ber, negligently stretched on the
bed.

"Until now I have not had the audacity, but--but if I knew what to
do, I would have it."

There was a silence for a few moments which was finally broken by
Meir.

"Eliezer, you are happier!"

"Why?"

"You have been out into the broad world--you have seen its
wisdom--you have listened to clever people. Ah! if I could but go out
into the world!"

"Eliezer, tell us something of the great world," said one of the
young men.

And in the eyes watching the cantor there was curiosity and a strange
longing.

Of the youth of Szybow, Eliezer alone had been out into the world.
This was because of his marvellous voice, to cultivate which he had
been sent to a large city. Everything he had to say had been told to
his friends long ago. It was not much, but such as it was they were
willing to listen to it every day. How does a large city appear? How
high are the houses there? What kind of people live in those houses,
and how many