our. At a word from her the Kohen Gadol rose, with many
apologies, and prepared to go. But before he left he said:

"When I was a child I was shipwrecked, and was taken up a ship which
conveyed me to a nation beyond the sea. There I grew up to manhood. I
learned their language and manners and customs, and when I returned
home I found myself an alien here: I do not love darkness or death, I
do not hate riches, and the result is that I am what I am. If I were
like the rest of my countrymen, my lot would make me miserable; but as
it is I prefer it to any other, and consider myself not the lowest but
the greatest in the land. My daughter is like me, and instead of being
ashamed of her station she is proud of it, and would not give it up
even to become a pauper. I will see you again. I have much to say."

With these words the Kohen Gadol retired, followed by Layelah, leaving
me more hopeful than I had been for a long time.

For many joms following I received visits from the Kohen Gadol and
from Layelah. Almah was with me until sleeping-time, and then these
other visitors would come. In this, at least, they resembled the other
Kosekin, that they never dreamed of interfering with Almah when she
might wish to be with me. Their visits were always long, and we
had much to say; but what I lost of sleep I always made up on the
following jom. The Kohen Gadol, with his keen, shrewd face,
interested me greatly; but Layelah, with her proud face and air of
command, was a positive wonder.

I soon learned that the Kohen Gadol was what we term "a man of
advanced views," or perhaps a "Reformer," or a "Philosophic Radical,"
it matters not which; suffice it to say that his ideas and feelings
differed from those of his nation, and if carried out would be equal
to a revolution in politics and morals.

The Kohen Gadol advocated selfishness as the true law of life, without
which no state can prosper. There were a few of similar views, but
they were all regarded with great contempt by the multitude, and had
to suffer the utmost rigor of the law; for they were all endowed with
vast wealth, compelled to live in the utmost splendor and luxury, to
have enormous retinues, and to wield the chief power in politics and
in religion. Even this, however, had not changed the sentiments of
the condemned, and I learned that they were laboring incessantly,
notwithstanding their severe punishment, to disseminate their peculiar
doctrines. These were formulate