I had not been called that for a long time. One more quiver, and I ran indoors with lips still burning from his kiss. I scarcely recognized the room. On the table stood two strange candle-sticks with lighted candles, and beside them, brandy and gingerbread. Father was sitting on a chair propped up with cushions, joy smiling out of every wrinkle in his face. And round the table were strange chairs with strange people--and mother caught me in her arms and kissed me. "Good luck to you, daughter, my little daughter, Leah'she! good luck to you!" I don't understand, but I am frightened, and my heart beats wildly. When my mother let me loose, my father called me. I had no strength to stand, and I dropped on my knees beside him, and laid my head in his lap. He stroked my head, curled my hair with his fingers. "My child you will never suffer want and hunger again, you will never go barefoot--you will be a lady--you will be rich--you will pay for the teaching of your little brothers--so that they shall not be turned out of the Cheder--you will help _us_, too--I-shall get well." "And do you know who the suitor is?" asked mother, excitedly. "Reb Zeinwill! fancy, Reb Zeinwill! He sent the match-maker himself." * * * * * I don't know what happened to me, but I woke to find myself on my bed in broad daylight. "God be praised!" cried my mother. "Praised be His dear Name!" said my father. And they continued to embrace and kiss me. They even offered me preserves.... Would I like syrup in water?... Perhaps a sip of wine? I shut my eyes again, and was choked with a terrible fit of crying. "Never mind, never mind," said my mother, joyfully. "Poor child, let her have her cry out. It is our fault for telling her the good news all at once, so suddenly. She might have burst a vein, which heaven forbid. But God be praised! Yes, cry your heart out. May all sorrow swim away with the tears, and a new life begin for you--a new life." Man has two angels, a good and a bad, and I felt convinced that the good angel bade me forget my Röfeh-boy, eat Reb Zeinwill's preserves, drink his syrup in water, and dress at his expense, while the bad angel urged me to tell my parents, once and for all, that I would not consent, that on no account would I consent. I did not know Reb Zeinwill, unless I had seen him once and then forgotten--or else not known who it was--but I disliked him. The second night I dreamed that I stood under the wedding canopy. The bridegroom is Reb Zeinwill, and they lead me round him seven times, but my feet are as if paralyzed, and they carry me in their hands. Then I am taken home. My mother comes to meet me with a cake, and they are bringing the golden broth.[14] I am afraid to raise my eyes. I feel sure I shall see before me a blind man, both eyes gone, with a dreadfully long nose--a cold shudder runs through me--but someone whispers in my ear: