yfulness with which his eyes twinkled was evidently caused
by the sight of the nimble Jew, whose body seemed to be made of india
rubber, and the two corkscrew curls behind his ears of a fiery red,
seemed to dance to and fro with his every motion.

Then he became thoughtful again, because the red-haired Jew spoke
about important business. The young nobleman did not know anything
about the man himself with whom he dealt.

He was to him a Jew, and the tenant of his distillery. Thus he might
be also a prominent member of a powerfully organised body, a greatly
respected and pious person, a mystic deeply versed in sacred
knowledge, and finally a man who, in those dirty, freckled hands,
held the entangled threads of many Jewish and Christian families; of
all this the lord of Kamionka knew nothing. Therefore it never
occurred to him to invite the Jew to draw nearer or sit down. Reb
Jankiel likewise did not think of such a thing. He had been
accustomed to stand humbly, as his fathers had done before him;
nevertheless, his pale blue eyes were full of malice whenever the
young gentleman turned his look elsewhere and could not see him. It
may be Reb Jankiel did not realise his own feelings, yet he could not
help seeing the contrast between his present humble attitude and the
proud position he occupied in his own community. Such feelings,
though ill-defined, if united to a bad heart, could produce no other
results than hatred and even crime.

"You bore me, Jankiel, with your everlasting bargains and
agreements," said the nobleman carelessly, twisting his cigar between
his fingers. "I stopped at your inn for a few minutes to rest my
horses, and you get me into business discussions at once."

Reb Jankiel bowed nimbly.

"I beg the gracious lord's pardon," he said smilingly, "but the
distillery will be starting work next month, and I should like to
renew the agreement."

"Of course you will be my tenant, as you have been these last three
years; but there is plenty of time."

"It is better to arrange everything beforehand. I shall have to
buy a hundred head of cattle for fattening purposes, and I cannot
afford the outlay unless I am sure of the tenancy. If the gracious
lord permits, I shall come to-morrow to write the agreement."

The young nobleman rose.

"Very well, come to-morrow, but not in the morning, as I shall not be
at home."

"The gracious lord thinks of spending the night in the
neighbourhood?" asked Jankiel, his