great deal of 'the merits of the fathers,' and that it is very pleasant
to me to think of living in the land that will remind me of such dear
forefathers. And although it will be hard at first, the recollection of
my ancestors and the thought of providing my children with a corner of
their own and honestly earned bread will give me strength, till I shall
work my way up to something. And I hope I _will_ get to something.
Remember, Yuedel, I believe and I hope! You will see, Yuedel--you know
that our brothers consider Palestinian earth a charm against being
eaten by worms, and you think that I laugh at it? No, I believe in it!
It is quite, quite true that my Palestinian earth will preserve me from
worms, only not after death, no, but alive--from such worms as devour
and gnaw at and poison the whole of life!"

Yuedel scratched his nose, gave a rub to the cap on his head, and uttered
a deep sigh.

"Yes, Yuedel, you sigh! Now do you know what I wanted to say to you?"

"Ett!" and Yuedel made a gesture with his hand. "What you have to say to
me?--ett!"

"Oi, that 'ett!' of yours! Yuedel, I know it! When you have nothing to
answer, and you ought to think, and think something out, you take refuge
in 'ett!' Just consider for once, Yuedel, I have a plan for you, too.
Remember what you were, and what has become of you. You have been
knocking about, driven hither and thither, since childhood. You haven't
a house, not a corner, you have become a beggar, a tramp, a nobody,
despised and avoided, with unpleasing habits, and living a dog's life.
You have very good qualities, a clear head, and acute intelligence. But
to what purpose do you put them? You waste your whole intelligence on
getting in at backdoors and coaxing a bit of bread out of the
maidservant, and the mistress is not to know. Can you not devise a
means, with that clever brain of yours, how to earn it for yourself? See
here, I am going to buy a bit of ground in Palestine, come with me,
Yuedel, and you shall work, and be a man like other men. You are what
they call a 'living orphan,' because you have many fathers; and don't
forget that you have _one_ Father who lives, and who is only waiting
for you to grow better. Well, how much longer are you going to live
among strangers? Till now you haven't thought, and the life suited you,
you have grown used to blows and contumely. But now that--that--none
will let you in, your eyes must have been opened to see your condition,
an