"Why? I have always been a favorite with the women, thank God, but it's like this. When one is married, one has to live in one place, settle down on the land. My land is very poor, a very small piece, and my uncle has taken even that from me. When my young brother came back from being a soldier, he fell out with our uncle, and was brought before the court for punching his head. There was blood shed over the matter, in fact. And for that they sent him to prison for a year and a half. When you come out of prison, son, there is only one road for you; and that leads back to prison again. His wife was such a pleasant young woman--but what is the use of talking about it? When one is married, one ought to be master of one's own stable. But a soldier is not even master of his own life." "Do you say your prayers?" "You fun--n--y--y fellow, of course I do!" "But how?" "All kinds of ways." "What prayers do you say?" "I know the night prayers. I say quite simply, my brother: 'Lord Jesus, while I live, have mercy on me, and when I am dead give me rest. Save me, Lord, from sickness----' and one or two other things I say." "What things?" "Several things. Even what you don't say, gets to Him." His manner to me was kind, but full of curiosity, as it might have been to a clever kitten which could perform amusing tricks. Sometimes, when I was sitting with him at night, when he smelt of naphtha, burning oil, and onions, for he loved onions and used to gnaw them raw, like apples, he would suddenly ask: "Now, Olekha, lad, let's have some poetry." I knew a lot of verse by heart, besides which I had a large notebook in which I had copied my favorites. I read "Rousslan" to him,' and he listened without moving, like a deaf and dumb man, holding his wheezy breath. Then he said to me in a low voice: "That's a pleasant, harmonious, little story. Did you make it up yourself? There is a gentleman called Mukhin Pushkin. I have seen him." "But this man was killed ever so long ago." "What for?" I told him the story in short words, as "Queen Margot" had told it to me. Yaakov listened, and then said calmly: "Lots of people are ruined by women."