Jew, and grasped his ear-locks
with both hands, and then raised them both on high.

"Well, why are you so frightened?"

"And does not my lord know that God has made brandy expressly for every
one to sip? They are all gluttons and fond of dainties there: a nobleman
will run five versts after a cask; he will make a hole in it, and as
soon as he sees that nothing runs out, he will say, 'A Jew does not
carry empty casks; there is certainly something wrong. Seize the Jew,
bind the Jew, take away all the Jew's money, put the Jew in prison!'
Then all the vile people will fall upon the Jew, for every one takes a
Jew for a dog; and they think he is not a man, but only a Jew."

"Then put me in the waggon with some fish over me."

"I cannot, my lord, by heaven, I cannot: all over Poland the people are
as hungry as dogs now. They will steal the fish, and feel my lord."

"Then take me in the fiend's way, only take me."

"Listen, listen, my lord!" said the Jew, turning up the ends of his
sleeves, and approaching him with extended arms. "This is what we
will do. They are building fortresses and castles everywhere: French
engineers have come from Germany, and so a great deal of brick and stone
is being carried over the roads. Let my lord lie down in the bottom of
the waggon, and over him I will pile bricks. My lord is strong and well,
apparently, so he will not mind if it is a little heavy; and I will make
a hole in the bottom of the waggon in order to feed my lord."

"Do what you will, only take me!"

In an hour, a waggon-load of bricks left Ouman, drawn by two sorry nags.
On one of them sat tall Yankel, his long, curling ear-locks flowing
from beneath his Jewish cap, as he bounced about on the horse, like a
verst-mark planted by the roadside.

CHAPTER XI

At the time when these things took place, there were as yet on the
frontiers neither custom-house officials nor guards--those bugbears
of enterprising people--so that any one could bring across anything he
fancied. If any one made a search or inspection, he did it chiefly
for his own pleasure, especially if there happened to be in the waggon
objects attractive to his eye, and if his own hand possessed a certain
weight and power. But the bricks found no admirers, and they entered the
principal gate unmolested. Bulba, in his narrow cage, could only hear
the noise, the shouts of the driver, and nothing more. Yankel, bouncing
up and down on his dust-covered nag, turned, a