the stranger that is in thy camp,
from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water."

"He says beautiful things, and speaks well," said one.

"And the hewer of thy wood and the drawer of thy water," repeated the
two poorly dressed men as they raised their shining eyes to heaven.
The woman, who had listened attentively, drew from her shabby gown a
dirty handkerchief, and undoing one of the knots, deposited a big
copper coin on Abel's knees.

A few more had joined the little group which surrounded Abel, Jews,
Christians, and young people. These few had torn themselves from the
noisy, haggling crowd, and listened to other words than those of
roubles and kopecks--the sounds of the far past. It seemed almost as
if Abel felt the attention of the people, and as if all these eyes
upon him warmed his heart and stirred his memory. His eyes shone
brighter from under the half-closed eyelids; the fur cap pushed at
the back of his head, and the long white hair falling upon breast and
shoulder, gave him the air of a half-blind bard who, with national
songs, rouses and gladdens the spirit of the people. In a louder and
steadier voice he went on:

"When the Israelites crossed the Jordan, Joshua erected two great
stones, and wrote upon them the ten commandments. One half of the
people rested under Mount Gerisim, the other half under Mount Ebal,
and the voice spoke unto all men: He breaks the covenant of the Lord
who worships false gods, he who does not honour his father and
mother. He breaks the covenant who covets his neighbour's property
and leads astray the blind. He breaks it who wrongs the stranger, the
orphan, and the widow; he who putteth a lie into his brother's ear,
and sayeth of the innocent, Let him die. And when the people of
Israel heard it they called out, as if in one voice: All that thou
commandest, we will do."

"Amen," murmured around Abel the voices which a short time before had
haggled desperately over their small bargains. A peasant woman pushed
through the little group, picked up one of the baskets and asked the
price. Golda told her, after which the woman began to bargain; but
Golda did not answer again, not because she did not want to, as
rather that she did not hear the shrill voice any longer. Her eyes
were fixed upon one point in the crowd, a hot blush suffused her
features, and a half-childish, half-passionate smile played upon her
lips. She saw Meir making his way through the crowd and coming nea