nd eat with us," we replied out of politeness.

"Eat in health," he said. "I do not wish to eat yet. But, if you like, I
will make a blessing over the wine. What have you in that bottle?
Brandy?" he asked, and stretched out his long, dried-up hand with its
bony fingers to the bottle of brandy. He poured out a glassful, tasted
it, and made such a grimace that we must have been stronger than iron to
control ourselves from exploding with laughter.

"Whose is this terrible thing?" he asked, taking another drop. "It's not
a bad brandy." He filled a third glass and drank our health.

"Long life to you, children. May God grant that we be alive next year,
and--and.... Haven't you anything to bite? Well, in honour of '_L'ag
Beomer_' I will wash my hands and eat with you."

What is wrong with our teacher? He's not the same Mazeppa. He is in good
humour, and talkative. His cheeks are shining; his nose is red; and his
eyes are sparkling. He eats and laughs and points to the bottle of wine.

"What sort of wine have you there? Passover wine?" (He tasted it and
pursed up his lips.) "P-s-ss! The best wine in the world." (He drank
more.) "It's a long time since I tasted such wine." (To Yossel the
wine-merchant's son, with a laugh.) "The devil take your father's
cellar. I saw there barrels upon barrels. And of the finest raisins. Ha!
ha! To your health, children. May the Lord help you to be honest, pious
Jews, and may you--may you open the second bottle. Take glasses and
drink to long life. May God grant that--that----" (He licked his lips.
His eyes were closing.) "All good to the children of Israel."

* * *

Having eaten and said grace, Mazeppa turned to us, his tongue failing
him as he spoke:

"Then we have carried out the duty of eating together on '_L'ag
Beomer_.' Well, and what next, eh?"

"Now we will go for the walk."

"For the walk, eh? Excellent. Where do we go?"

"To the black forest."

"Ha? To the black forest? Excellent. I go with you. It is good to walk
in a forest, very healthy, because a forest.... Well, I will explain to
you what a forest is."

We went off with our teacher, beyond the town. We were not altogether
comfortable having him with us. But, shah! The teacher walked in the
middle, waving his hands and explaining to us what a forest was.

"The nature of the forest, you must know, is as the Lord has created it.
It is full of trees. On the trees are branches; and the branches are
covered with leaves