The rabbi stood in the centre, I and the Maskil on either side of him, and we all three began to call out. The market was full of people. In a few minutes there was a crowd inside the room. "Gentlemen," began the rabbi, "I know this person." "There will be no writing people down!" called out several voices together. The rabbi soon loses heart. "No use, no use," he murmurs, but the Maskil has got on to the table and calls out: "Donkeys! They _must_ be written down! The good of the Jews at large demands it!" "The good of the Jews at large," he says, and he goes on to tell them that he has gone through the whole chapter with me, that there is no question of a joke, that I have shown him letters from the Chief Rabbis. "From which Chief Rabbis?" is the cry. "From the Chief Rabbi in Paris," bellows the Maskil, "from the Chief Rabbi in Paris (no other will do for him), from the Chief Rabbi in London--" "Jews, let us go home!" interrupted someone, "_nisht unsere Leut!_"[73] And the crowd dispersed as quickly as it had come together. We three remained--and the beadle, who came close to me: "Give me something," he said, "for the day's work." I gave him a few ten-kopek pieces, he slipped them into his pocket without counting them, and was off without saying good-bye. "What do _you_ say, Rabbi?" I asked. "I don't know what to say, how should I? I am only dreadfully afraid--lest it should do me harm--" "_You?_" "Whom else? _You?_ If you don't get any statistics, it will be of no great consequence, for 'He that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep!' I mean the two extra gulden a week." The rebbitzin with the large spectacles has come out from behind the stove. "I told you long ago," she says, "not to interfere in the affairs of the community, but when did you ever listen to me? What has a rabbi to do with _that_ sort of thing? Kohol's business!" "_Nu_, hush, Rebbitzin, hush!" he answers gently; "you know what I am, I have a soft heart, it touched me, but it's a pity about the two gulden a week." TALES THAT ARE TOLD Sad and perplexed in spirit, I came down from the rabbi, with the Maskil, and into the street. There we came across the beadle, who assured us that, in his opinion, we should be able to go on with the work to-morrow. The whole Tararam[74] had been stirred up by two impoverished householders, who were now in great misery; one, a public-house keeper, and the other, a horse-dealer. The Maskil, for his part, promises to talk the matter over with the townspeople between Minchah and Maariv, and if he doesn't turn the place upside down, then his name is not Shmeril (such a name has a Maskil in Tishewitz!). They may stand on their heads, he said, but the notes must be taken. "The very authorities that forbade will permit." Well done! It is evident that the Maskil had studied in a Cheder, in the great world one meets with other Maskilîm.