Now let
us go home; my wife is waiting for us.'
"'Let us go, my son,' replied the Rabbi. 'But relieve me of
worldly pleasures. I shall spend the night in prayer!'
"The banker shrugged his shoulders and gave the watchman a gold
coin.
"'Joel,' he said in a low voice, 'the other trustees of the
community must not know about this violation of the rule.'
"The watchman nodded, and the companion again disappeared in the
dark streets, which had already become deserted, while in the
houses people talked merrily and the sounds of holiday festivities
were heard.
"How poor, dirty and dark these little houses looked from outside!
But it was quite different within! In the rear rooms of many of
these houses the bright light of numerous wax candles was reflected
in the splendid high mirrors, in expensive dishes and precious
rugs. Girls and women, who in the morning perhaps walked with trays
in their hands, now were seated at the tables in heavy silk gowns
with golden chains and bracelets; their jewels and diamonds were
glittering.
* * * * *
"The clock in the town-hall tower struck ten. In the chapel, near
the statue of St. Nepomucenus, upon a stone bench, sat a
large-sized man, with the pale serious face of Germanic type. Every
physiognomist, looking at him, would have said that this man had
devoted his youth to serious scientific work and that he had spent
many sleepless nights over books.
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