The Yoke Of The Thorah

He raised his eyes absent-mindedly upon Elias's face, where they rested for an instant, vacant of expression. Then, suddenly, they lighted up, but with a light wh

h me?" stammered Elias, h

death. You look-you look as

d a laugh,

s the shade of your lamp. The light, coming thro

presently the rabbi, who had not ceased to regard him anxiously, observed with an air of relief, "Yes, I guess it was the lamp-shade. Now that you're seated and out of the range o

arette into the grate, "I wanted to have a little talk with

bbi returned kindly, lowering his

suppose. I wanted to tell you that

"Thinking of getting married! Well, I'm glad, right glad, to

conscious of a certain dis

bi, still with a smile upon his lips, seemed

o long nowadays about getting married. In half the weddings that I perform, the bridegrooms are fully thirty-five, and many of them are upwards of forty. Now, in my time, it was different

then asked, "Well, have

nd?" queried

oung lady," expl

found her withou

then, that you have ac

se. What did

ad decided that the time had come. But you say that you have already chosen the lady. Well, I declar

ons? How d

f course. Ask for her han

hat isn't

How

for myself. I have propos

have stuck to the good, old-fashioned custom, and had me make the first advances; but I congratul

skin had become slightly flushed. His eyes, beaming over the gold

ut an end to it. Now, however, when its end had arrived naturally, in the course of circumstances, he w

his voice was a trifle unsteady-"she's a young America

ivid crimson, and then faded quite away, leaving the skin waxen white, with the blue veins distended upon it. A dart of light, like an electric spark, shot from his eyes, which then filled with an opaque, smoky darkness.

st at once he seemed to recover himself. His fingers relaxed. His face regained its ordina

Christine-? Be kind enough

d at the floor, repeated it: "

machinery, and then a single clear stroke of its bell-half-after midnight. Next instant the clock of St. George's church, across the park, responded with a deep, reverberating boom-Elias waited; and still the rabbi did not speak. Such silence was incomprehensible, exasperating, ominous. All the more violent, for this delay, would the storm be, when it broke, Elias thought. He did not dare to look the rabbi squarely in the face, to meet his eye; but he stole a glance, swift enough to escap

le in reply; but his lips curl

e silence had again grown insupportable. At length, springing to

crutable smile, and a scarcely perceptible s

me crazy, keep it up. It makes me feel as if-as if my head would burst open." He crushed his hands hard against h

about like that. Sit down-there, where you were before.

pped into

rational," he gr

ubmitted. "I don't see that

t you heard? Haven't you understood? Haven't I

s. I have understood. When-when was it your in

ce to-morrow evening at

o long about telling me? Or, having wai

. Many reason

es no difference," the rabbi interru

red Elias, in

?" returned

u go on? Finish wha

at I have any th

haven't said any th

know that I have any

any how? I tell you that I am going to marry a Christian; and you-you sit ther

g to say about it-except this, that the ma

ive it up. What in rea

n what

e-are not going to ge

es

that our marriage come

es

el

told me so; but

hink you must

age won't come off to-morrow

to know what's

l be pr

t just

nd you s

for example? If

o; not

hom,

question, smi

eet, advanced close to Elias, and stood facing him. With an expression of immense dignity upon his white, delicately model

is lips. But then, with an attempt at lightness which was somehow very unbecoming, "Oh, so? You mean, I

that must follow upon such a sin, to plead with you in the name of your dead father and mother, to entreat you, to endeavor in every possible way to get you to give up your insane, suicidal idea. You expected me, as you have said, to curse you; or, that failing, to fall upon my knees, and beseech you.-Well, you see-and, to judge from your actions, you see with some surprise, even with some disappointment-that I do none of these things, that I do nothing of the kind. Why?

t. Having concluded, he went back to his chair, took off his spectacles, wiped their le

u don't state the grounds for this singular and no doubt comforting belief, nor do you specify the methods by which the Lord is to accomplish the result.

ith you-especially when you see fit to adopt that insolent and blasphemous tone of voice. I will simply repeat-what I hope you will re

as

ily, Uncle Felix; and since you practicall