ting for replies.

It was decided that for the present the fugitives should remain with
Bensef as his guests.

At the conclusion of the meal, the _Hagadas_ were again taken up, and to
the prayers of thanksgiving was added a prayer for the welfare of that
little soul that was lost to Israel, the missing child Jacob.

CHAPTER XV.

TWO LOVING HEARTS.

The Crimean War had reached its disastrous conclusion. Russia had
suffered ignominious defeat, the allies were successful in the Black
Sea, and the despised Turks had shown a bold front along the Danube. It
was evident that the military organization was as corrupt as the civil
administration, that fraud and dishonesty were prevalent and neutralized
the bravery of the troops.

"Another year of war and the whole of Southern Russia will be ruined,"
so wrote a patriot of 1855.

Under this great humiliation, the people suddenly awoke from their
lethargy. The system of Nicholas had been put to the test and found
wanting. The Government believed that it could accomplish everything by
its own inherent wisdom and superiority, and had shown itself wofully
incompetent. Dissatisfaction was deep and widespread. Philippics and
satires appeared, and reforms were so boldly demanded that the Czar
could not close his ears to the universal clamor. In the midst of
disasters abroad and dissatisfaction at home, Nicholas died, and was
succeeded by his son, a man of very different type.

The new monarch was well aware of the existing abuses, many of which had
been carefully concealed from Nicholas by his obsequious counsellors. As
heir-apparent he had held aloof from public affairs, and was therefore
free from pledges of any kind; yet, while he allowed popular ideas and
aspirations to find free utterance, he did not commit himself to any
definite policy.

To Alexander, the Russians, Jew and gentile, now looked for relief.
There were many abuses to correct and oppressive laws to repeal, and the
public heart beat high with hope at the prospect of reforms. He repealed
the laws limiting the number of students at each university; he reduced
the excessive fees for passports; he moderated the rigorous censorship
of the press, and, in fact, the Czar's acts justified the hopes of his
subjects. Hundreds of new journals sprang into existence. He introduced
reforms into the civil and military administrations, and, best of all,
he created the _semstvos_ or town assemblies of the people.

To