"The Jewish town has assumed a holiday aspect. The stands of the
petty retailers have disappeared; Jewish boys and girls were
strolling about in their holiday attire. The houses and windows
were adorned with green branches. On the old benches sat men,
talking seriously; in the alleys youths were chatting. From time to
time men and women in their best Sabbath clothes were going to the
synagogue, carrying prayer books in their hands; while poor
Christian women whom need had forced to work in this quarter were
running with keys and dishes in order to prepare for the feast.
"It was the last day of the Feast of Booths, the day of Assembly,
and dusk was gathering over the narrow streets, while the Christian
part of the city was still brightly illumined by the last rays of
the setting sun. Two men (the older wore a black silk mantle, with
long earlocks, which showed that he was a Polish Jew; the other was
middle aged, in modern clothes, with diamond studs in his shirt and
a heavy golden chain on his vest) walked along the narrow streets,
without paying any attention to the crowd.
"The younger seemed to be the guide. Having come with his companion
to the little house where the watchman of the cemetery lived, he
knocked at the closed door, through a crevice of which the bright
light of wax candles was seen, showing the watchman's holiday mood.
Pages:
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33