[Page 513]

Tenth Chapter:

Writers, Enlighteners, Public Figures

Remembrance

by Dr. Yakov Vigodsky

Translated by Odelia Alroy

When I was ten, my father, may he rest in peace, went to Vilna where he was involved in contracting for the Russian military. From then on he would visit us in Bobruisk only from time to time. His steady residence was in Vilna. My mother, may she rest in peace, was a very able, clever and energetic woman, and needed to work very hard to provide for our large family.

Until the age of ten, I was the biggest tease in the city, and no tale was too unlikely. Then I came under the special influence of my new Rabbi, Avraham B'ar Yermyahus, a genial Talmudist and skilled in Kabbalah, and was devoted heart and soul to the ways of the Rabbi. Avraham B'ar was a recluse in the full sense of the word. He was not involved in the worldy matters but totally involved in the Torah and Kabbalah. Avraham B'ar drew me deeply into both worlds…. He made me into a prodigy. He snatched me from this world and made me a dreamer in the Chasidic-Kabbalah doctrine. He implanted Yiddishkeit so deeply in me that nothing could dislodge it.

When I was eleven, my father, who was a follower of the Haskalah [Enlightenment], began to send me all sorts of books about Haskalah. That had a strong influence on my development. I taught myself a little German from Moses Mendelsohn's Bible translation. And I also taught myself Russian. Not quite fourteen years old, I decided that I wanted to enter the gymnasium. In just about a half year, I prepared and passed the examination for the fifth class of the classic gymnasium in Mariampol (Suwalki province).

[Page 525]

My Mother

by Celia Dropkin

Translated by Odelia Alroy

With Rich Kinsman on the “Imenie”

by Celia Dropkin

Translated by Odelia Alroy

Faigel could not read anymore. Tears came to her eyes. After the fire, Faigel and her only 14-year-old daughter Dina found themselves with neighbors, a rather poor family in a part of town where the fire hadn't reached. In a dark room, where there was only room for the bed, Dina was lying. She had just awakened when Faigel came in with the letter.

Dinale, my daughter, see what Aunt Shifra writes. She invites us to her estate. Dina sat up in bed. “To Aunt Shifra? Never!”

“What did she ever do to you?”

“To such rich people I will not go.” Dina kicked the quilt with her bare feet.

“But she invites us to be guests for a whole…” Faigel argued. “ See what a letter, what gentleness. We'll stay there for a while. But what will I wear, since everything is burnt? How will I show myself amid the cousins?”

Faigel was afraid to say that in the letter there was a check for 20 rubles. Dina, she knows, can't bear for her mother to take help from the rich relatives. “We'll borrow at the dressmakers and Hannah the seamstress will get paid later when there will be some money” said Faigel.

Dina sprang out of bed and was ready to go to the seamstress. She chose a blue satin and white batiste and smiled quietly imagining how she would look in them.

Rabinovitch's estate was at the end of the Polesie forest. Riding from the station, Faigel and Dina breathed in deeply the sweet smell of the pine trees' sap.

It was morning. Woods and newly planted fields were facing the carriage and erased the memory of the burnt ruins and the remaining black chimneys, the town they just left, and they enter a courtyard that looks like a big field, but with clean, wide cottages and here and there round beds for flowers.

On both side of the courtyard, as in a street, were houses.

The Rabinovitch family lives here. But only in summer. In the winter they travel back to the big city and out of the country. It seems that they are all sleeping. The shutters are closed. But here and there they heard banging of dishes and pots. They were preparing breakfast for the bosses. A watchman went over to them.

“Where is Chaim Rabinovitch's house?” Faigel asked him.

He pointed directly at the first house, which was spread out with verandas and bathed in the morning dew. Faigel and Dina went past the closed door that was opposite them, bolted and sought the entrance to the kitchen.

Taibe, a fat cook with red cheeks and kerchief on her head, tied under her chin was standing near the hearth. Faigel knew Taibe. She, Faigel, would usually send her sister servants. She had sent Taibe to her more than a year ago. They were happy to see each other.

“How's everyone?”

The madam left just yesterday for Carlsbad. The doctor told her to go.

“Indeed?”

Faigel was disappointed. Who does she know except Shifra, Shifra's husband? There is a proverb, that a man likes a healthy wife and a rich sister.

“Her husband went with her.” Taibe said recognizing Faigel's disappointment.

“Yes” said Faigel.

“But just for a while. He is coming back and leaving his wife there.”

“How are the children? Sonitchke, Lizotchke, Aletchke, Davidke, Kivele?”

“What are they lacking?” Taibe raised her shoulders. “Your child is pale and thin.” She turned her eyes to Dina.

“She's tired from the trip, didn't sleep all night.” Faigel answered. “And also we experienced a fright. Half the town is gone!”

Taibe hearing about the big fire began shaking her head and wiping her eyes. It was her own town. She caught herself. “You are both tired. I'll call the house servant-girl, she'll show you to the room that was prepared for you. The Madam told me to take good care of you.”

The housemaid, Nastya, a tall, sleepy gentile showed them to a long light room, which was just recently added to the house. The walls smelled of sap. Dina barely turned her head and she was soon in a deep, sweet sleep.

When the sun was already high in the sky, Dina opened her eyes. The ringing of a bell woke her. Faigel went into the room. Nastya followed with a pitcher of water and a bowl. The bell rang again. “They are calling for lunch” said Nastya.

Dina stretched out her hands over the bowl and Faigel poured fresh cold water over them.

“What a pleasure this is! said Faigel and sighed. Exactly like at home. “You should eat all you can and not leave anything over.”

“I won't eat more than usual” said Dina stubbornly and felt a hunger pang.

Faigel went out on a wide veranda with Dina, where there was a large table and benches. The veranda was sheltered from the sun with linen shades. The children were already seated at the table. They greeted them cheerfully in Russian.

“Good morning Aunt, Good morning Dina!” The oldest girl, Rosa, graciously showed them to a place at the table.

Dina felt uncomfortable among her cousins about whom she had heard much but had not often seen. She also felt that her cousin Kiva was watching her. The attention of Kiva, who was two years older than she, made her blush.

The table was set with preserves, eggs, all sorts of cheese and good things.

Not regarding her hunger, Dina, to Faigel's annoyance, barely ate.

After lunch, Kiva came over to her. “Come to the pavilion, we are all going there now”

And he pointed to a round glass structure that stood like a throne in the open court. Dina felt gratitude toward Kiva who valued her more than his sisters.

With an unexpected joy in her body she ran to the pavilion and Kiva after her. In the pavilion was a piano. And on the piano she found a fine brown box with a horn. Dina had never seen such a thing before.

“What is this?” she asked her cousin Sonitchke.

“Don't you know?” Sonitchke turned up her nose. “That's a gramophone!”

Dina was ashamed of her ignorance. She looked around for Kiva, but couldn't find him. The pavilion was filled with young people of the Rabinovitch family, cousins all dressed in nicely sewn clothes of the finest fabrics.

Among the young men were a few students in uniforms with epaulets.

Dina was sad that she had but two new dresses and these are not of the same kind that the Rabinovitches wore. She saw their shoes made out of thin leather, yellow or black patent and they didn't compare with her heavy shoes made of thick leather. She was angry with herself and her mother that she had come here.

Soon she heard deep, hearty sounds of piano playing. One of her cousin's cousins was playing, a twelve-year-old girl. Everyone circled around her, even the grown young people. When she finished, everyone applauded loudly. Dina saw that they are all very proud of the young pianist who had blue green eyes, dark skin and pair of strong hands which ruled over the white and black piano keys.

The pianist's mother was deaf since childhood and the wonder that the little Rebecca had such a sharp ear for music was greater as though the mother would have lent her hearing and remained deaf and now the daughter hears for two.

Dina was bewitched and somewhere in her heart she felt envious of Rebecca. Dina wanted to be grown and gracious. As soon as everyone went away, Dina was alone in the pavilion. She banged on the piano keys and harbored a wish that a wonder would happen and from under her fingers there would suddenly pour such a melody, that those who would hear it would fall on their knees and look at her as at an angel sent by G-d.

Dina left the pavilion sad. She saw the hammocks between the trees ad she lay down on one of them and when the blue sky appeared through the thick green branches Dina again felt the plain joy of being in the woods and fields far from the burnt town far from her windowless room.

The next morning Kiva again rain with her to the pavilion, but he disappeared before he reached the pavilion. What's with him? Where is he hiding? Dina thought. She waited—perhaps Rebecca would play again. Rebecca however was standing with the other children carefree, laughing and didn't go near the piano.

“Look, Look!” shouted one in the group of children. Everyone turned their eyes to the window. Two groups of gentiles dressed in workmen's clothes of heavy linen and like farmers were striding to the pavilion and Kiva was with them.

There was a commotion in the pavilion. A girl with a serious smug face cried, “Out!”

“It's impossible! He is bringing ragamuffins here. We're not going to have any rest this summer!”

“I'm leaving here, we've already eaten” said a second.

The boys smiled. One suddenly made a stern faced and yelled to the girls. “Those are the workers from our factories. They make all your wealth possible. Without them you would be unable to exist. You are parasites, who suck their blood.”

After having said that, he ran over to the groupo who had stationed themselves opposite the open door of the pavilion. Kiva asked them to enter. The girls, ashamed, tried to avoid whenever possible going near the workers, went away angry. The workers sat down on the benches of the pavilion.

Kiva turned on the gramophone and the workers listened to the songs coming from the box with great wonder.

“Come To My Palace” was coming from the gramophone. “Oh you might, you don't might” someone wailed in the gramophone. And afterward Kiva tried to explain to them what a gramophone is. When the workers left, Kiva stood in a corner and talked with the lad who had called his cousins parasites. Joseph was his name. Kiva went around troubled and was always whispering with Joseph.

Dina wondered about him A strange mood, not just curiosity, came over Dina. Something awoke in her. New feeling blossomed. The evenings filled her with an unimagined longing.

A small bridge which went over a slow running almost dried up lake to the great forest. As soon as the sun began to arch over the west and the air in the woods became rosy, one heard the echoing creaking of the frogs.

Dina ran to the bridge and as though drunk from the croaking she breathed deeply and searched for something with her eyes.

Joseph noticed and ran by and tugged her by her braids. Her hear leaped. Joseph had red cheeks, full lips and beautiful burning eyes. He was a typical member of the Rabinovitch's well-fed family. Dina didn't find him appealing. But when on that same night, Joseph stepped from behind a tree near the house, went over to her and took her hand she didn't take her hand away.

Oh that same night a hot night it was, Dina caught one of the small Rabinovitch cousins on the veranda, a cousin of one of her cousins an eleven-year-old boy and kissed him passionately on his downy lips. The boy kissed her back.

Dina imagined all night long that black hot down stuck to her wherever she went and even on a calm evening she would suddenly feel her heart tighten.

Dina became restless, capricious. She pestered Faigel. She wanted to leave. What does she have to do? After just such an argument she once ran into the woods exactly at the time when they had to be seated at the table. No one was in the woods then because everyone was eating.

A pair of hammocks hung between the trees. Dina avoided them. She was a little hungry and every now and then she bent down and picked berries which grew in small patches near the pines. Cranberries, flaming red were all around. Dina's eyes burned with enthusiasm. How beautiful the woods are!

She heard footsteps. Kiva was coming toward her. “I wanted to see you Dina.”

Dina stood still. Kiva smiled at her. “You understand, Dina” he began, “I regard you as more clever and more educated than my sisters and therefore I'd like to ask something of you, but meanwhile read this and tell me what you think of it.”

Kiva took out a folded sheet of paper. Dina opened it and read the title: “Proletarians of all lands, unite.” Dina looked at him in wonder. Yes, she knows what that means. She had already read such pamphlets. They used to scatter them in her town and she used to find them. But how does this come to him she asked him.

“Where did you find this Kiva?”

“Found? I myself printed it. I am working against my father's exploitation. And he proudly stated: “As long as I'm here, I will organize his workers in a knowledgeable group.”

Dina felt herself trembling. She admired Kiva who had the courage to oppose his own family. “What should I do, Kiva?” she asked quietly and felt her heart throbbing. “You understand Papa is coming back tomorrow. He will certainly go into my room and see the secret printing press. That could be bad. He can't come into your room. I'll put it in your room.”

“Sure, Kiva,” Dina answered. “You need not worry that anyone will know about it from us.”

“good Dina, you will become a revolutionary.” Kiva shook her hand and left.

She went back to the veranda. Her mother looked at her with anger. “Where were you?”

“In the woods” she answered casually. Varenikes [stuffed dumplings] were on the table. Dina ate one and got up.

“Where are you running? There are roasted mushrooms.”

Dina liked roasted mushrooms, but this time she didn't even stop to answer her mother. She ran to her room, closed the door and carefully surveyed the room. The corner near her, she thinks is the best spot to locate such an ornament which the secret printing machine is. She didn't leave the room and waited for Kiva. Kiva came and looked over the spot late at night when everyone was asleep, Kiva and Joseph brought the machine and quietly, wordlessly left the room.

Dina slept badly that night. Nightmares troubled her and she awoke frightened more than once she would glance at the printing press as a living soul and cover her head with the quilt so as not to be able to see it.

At meal time she saw Kiva and she immediately felt courageous and brave. The secret which she shared with him lifted her above the others who sat at the table. She cast a proud glance at those before whom she had been ashamed because of her poverty.

Kiva looked at her. Dina caught his glance, like an obedient pupil, and saw how he motioned with his finger. She struggled to understand, broke out in a sweat but couldn't understand what he meant. At last she got up and ran off to her room.

“Wait, drink your cocoa” screamed her mother.

Dina three herself on the bed and tried to make the same signal with her finder that Kiva had made to her. She now thought, that Kiva enjoyed that she had not understood.

Kiva soon came in. “I really wanted for you to be in your room now, before everyone was finished eating,” Kiva said. “Joseph is going to bring you a pack of forbidden literature. A brochure fell into his sister's hands. She threatened she would search his house and burn everything. She is a great spy, that Anita. Now while they are eating he can easily bring over the literature. But be careful with Nastya, when she comes to clean your room.”

“I don't need her here at all” answered Dina, “I can clean my own room, I always do that at home.” And Dina blushed as though she had committed a great sin.

After a quiet knock on the door Joseph entered holding in his hand a packed valise. He looked about the room. “Under the bed is the only place for this.” He said.

“Can I read some of this that you have here?” Dina bashfully asked.

Joseph looked at her sharply. “Certainly, but how old are you Dina?”

“I'm already 15” Dina told a little lie, which women don't usually say because she would only turn 15 in about three months.

“That means that one could have a romance with you” said Joseph and he began to bite his upper lip upon which a mustache was beginning to sprout.

Dina turned red from ear to ear. Kiva looked at Joseph with open anger. “Your Don Juan antics can wait. We have important matters to think about. Come. Ivan is waiting for us at the lumber mill.

Upon leaving, Kiva's eyes lingered on Dina more than usual and Dina felt that his glance now had no relation to the ordinary signs of various work. She ran to the mirror and looked at herself for a long time.

Nastya entered the room. “I'll clean myself today, Nastya.”

“Oh Miss, with your hands how can you?”

Dina looked at her small white hands which became even more delicate at the estate. Her hands this time appeared to her and she lifted her little finger in the air like Rabinovitch's daughters did.

Nastya meanwhile began to change the bed. She saw in a corner near the bed the secret printing press. “What is this, Miss?” she asked with great curiosity in her hearty blue eyes. “I just yesterday saw this in the young man's room. But I was afraid to ask him about it. He's such a strange one. Oh Mister Joseph is such a different sort” and she began to laugh.

Dina hoped that she would forget to ask about the printing press and in the meanwhile she thought about what kind of lie to tell.

“Nastya, Nastya” she heard a voice near the window.

“Miss Rosa is calling you” said Dina.

Nastya ran out of the room.

“Thank G-d” Dina breathed easily.

The wood mill was a verst [about two-thirds of a mile] from the spot where the Rabinovitches lived. Behind the lumber mill is a street of small houses where the workers lived. The houses did not seem to be like those in other ordinary Russian villages. They were built by the Rabinovitches so that the workers would be near the Lesopilna until the frosts came. They looked more like cardboard houses than like Russian houses. They were put together out of boards and they were on a low clay spot.

Not only at the lumber mill, but even in the town one didn't see any bit of green. Behind the houses were small gardens. People came here from nearby villages too. And so as to not plant on strange soil which did not belong to them but to the “Jewish Baron.”

Dina would often see grandmothers with grandchildren on their laps and children nearby.

The grandmothers were thin and small typical “Polieser” [a large region that is now southern Belarus] grandmothers. Their children had bloated bellies, thin feet and dirty flaccid heads.

Lice raged in every neighborhood and other children had very tangled hair. All the grandmothers wore kerchiefs on their heads. When Dina once wandered through the town with Kiva she felt their dull stare which the inhabitants threw at both of them, but with a mixture of suspicion. They didn't believe Kiva and most of all did not understand him. However, Kiva was enthusiastic and didn't notice their distrust and their dullness.

Just one small incident brought out their bitterness toward him. It was August. Kiva and Dina were walking in the woods. Kiva had composed a new proclamation and he was telling Dina about it. She helped him think up some strong, nice sayings. They wanted to seat on a bench, but the bench was covered with graffiti. Dina and Kiva didn't want to but they bent over to read what was written and both of them reddened as thought a snake had bitten them and they quickly left that place to looking at one another.

The bench was covered with foul ugly words and rhymes. Both of their names were carved into it. When they recovered Kiva spit and said, “That's what they are, the bastards! And he spoke further. “I'm afraid that all my work here is wasted. I only know two who know to write. All the rest are practically illiterate. If I can't trust these two there's no one to trust. A few gentiles told me that there is a betrayer among them who is preparing to go to the city or the village to inform against me. I didn't want to believe it. Now I believe it.” He took her by the hand and spoke with unusual softness in his voice, “I want you to leave here, Dina. Anything can happen. It's too soon for you to be a martyr for the revolution. You must wait and accomplish much before it is your fate to rot somewhere in prison. If the printing press is discovered in your room, Siberia awaits you.”

Dina looked at him. Her face paled in her heart, she decided that she would not leave this place. “I won't leave Kiva,” she said with a quiver.

Kiva suddenly bent down and kissed here. He immediately reddened and quickly said, “Until I see you again” and left.

Dina went home dreamily. She skipped across the bridge. It was evening. The frogs were croaking. She didn't hear them. She was listening to a stranger tune in her heart.

When Dina came to breakfast the next morning, she encountered at the table a glance from which she felt uncomfortable. And the pride of a poor relative suffered. The glance was from her uncle Chaim Rabinovitch. It was already three weeks since he had come from Carlsbad where he had accompanied his wife. Dina wouldn't have too much to do with him or he with her.

When he would motion with his head a t the table toward some delicacy he would say, “No!” and push his plate closer to Faigel and Dina, not even looking at them. Faigel sighed more than once over the fact that her sister Shifra wasn't there. More than once she spoke to Dina, “Do you know daughter, we should get on our way.”

“Why are you in such a hurry Mama. Wait until the end of August.” When Dina saw her uncle's look she felt that she had been there too long. But Kiva's look overshadowed her uncle's, but instead of going out with Kiva as usual, Nastya stopped her.

“The Baron asks that you come to his study.”

Dina stopped like a lame person. But she soon revived, looked about and searched for Kiva with her eyes and wondering, saw no sign of him.

She went to the study. “Come in!” Dina heard when she knocked. Rabinovitch looked her over coldly. Dina saw that Kiva was there too. He bravely smiled at her and knowing was very concerned. Rabinovitch took the proclamation out of his pocket. “Tell me all that you know about this,” he said sternly to Dina.

“She doesn't know anything about it. I know…” Kiva sprang to the table.

“Be quiet!” Rabinovitch pushed Kiva with such a force that he was against the wall.

Sweat poured from Dina's face. Her lips and eyes she felt burn.

“Nu…what do you have to say?” Rabinovitch drew out the words. The watchman saw how you brought a package at night to Kiva at the lumber mill. He saw how Kiva distributed them in the village at every stoop.

Dina couldn't speak. Her teeth were chattering. She felt that even if forced she wouldn't speak.

“I told your Aunt that I don't want poor relatives here, that the children will take after their bad manners. Send money, but don't bring them here. But she didn't listen to me. Even the Czar helped the Jews in the burned-out city, so how can I not help my sister?” She cried. “Now you have the gratitude.”

Now Kiva yelled with great strength, “Silence” and Rabinovitch heard him like a wall and threw one insult after another at Dina who was as though stone.

He took out a red credit card from his pocket and offered it to her. “It's for fare” he said shortly. Dina felt Kiva's paleness like a white bean. She suddenly smiled to him, turned her back on Rabinovitch and left him with his credit card in his outstretched hand.

“Mother, pack” she said to Faigel with stern lips.

“What? What's with you daughter? What happened?” And she grabbed Dina by the hand. “, people help!”

Dina fainted. That was near the steps of the veranda. The Rabinovitches ran over from their verandas. Taibe came from the kitchen with a waddle and broke her finger.

Joseph picked Dina up with his strong hands and carried her to the veranda. There they put her into a kind of carriage and sprayed water on her, gave hare smelling salts and she revived.

Kiva was standing near her and his eyes burned with sympathy for her. Rabinovitch was there too with a guilty face.

“We have to call the factory doctor” he said.

“I don't want a doctor!” Dina cried with a growing anger for these people. She didn't allow anyone to help her and went carefully to her room. She chained the door, fell down on her bed and had a long cry. She didn't let Faigel inside regardless of how much she asked.

Kiva knocked on the door in vain. Here Dina had a reason. She knew that she didn't look good when she cried. Dina looked up and saw that the sun was high in the sky and she knew that they wouldn't be able to travel because the train left in the morning.

Dina washed and left the room. Everyone was happy to see her. Aside from Kiva and Rabinovitch none knew the real reason for Dina's not feeling well. Natia was fussing in the kitchen but about what she didn't know. Faigel knew even less.

After Dina's fainting, Rabinovitch didn't dare to speak to Faigel as he had planned. He called Faigel into his office and told her with a smile that he didn't think that the climate was good for Dina and that the next day his brother Yacov Rabinovitch was going to the station and they could get a ride with him. And he put a 50 ruble note in Faigel's hand.

“Be well and live out your years with Shifra.” Faigel wiped her eyes,” but brother-in-law I won't take more than half of that.”

It will be of use after such a fire. But don't tell Dina and take care of her. See that in your town she doesn't get involved with the Red Brigade, the socialists.

“G-d is with you brother-in-law.” Faigel was distressed, “What do you mean, ‘Is Dina just anyone?' We bless ourselves with her. She's quiet as a dove.”

“Fine, very fine” smiled Rabinovitch and thought: the little devil led Kiva astray. We'll have to pay bribes right and left. The workers probably have already informed against him.

“Nu, be well. We won't see you in the morning and take care of Dina. Remember what I'm telling you.”

Faigel crumpled the money in her hand and going to her room she thought, I have to leave a ruble for Taibe and a ruble for Nastya and 50 kopeks for the coachman. With so much money

one can make an impression that one is a rich relative and she smiled confidently.

In the room she found Kiva. He sat on the bed with Dina.

“Don't worry that you'll spend another evening here.” He spoke quietly to Dina, “besides tonight we are going to read Pisarev in our club. You know that with my cousins and sisters one can't begin with illegal literature. One has to lead them little by little onto the proper path.”

“What of Pisarev's will you read to them?” Dina became alive. “What do you think?”

“Is that a good lecture about the working class and parasites?”

Dina clapped her hands enthusiastically. “Now let's go for a walk.” Kiva got up. She began to pack.

It was a starry night in the middle of August. The pavilion was full of lights. The small children were already sent to bed and the youngsters between 14 and 20 were playing and laughing and enjoying the summer sitting on the benches, tables and on top of the piano. Others were sprawled on the steps not paying any attention to the reading.

Do they come because of the reading? They are fooling around, pinching each other, but sometimes their attention is captured and they listen.

This time there were many people at the reading. The girls and boys saw Pisarov's “Binen” not a symbol of the working class and rich parasites, but they enjoyed the queen and her wealthy lover. They screamed, laughed and kissed one another. The young men unwillingly touched the bossoms of their cousins. It was joyous.

Dina alone sat soberly with flaming eyes. She felt older and more serious than usual. She listened to Pisarov's “Binen” which she had already read. Kiva was now reading it aloud. His manner was inflamed. His hair fluttered around his high forehead.

Dina could not take her eyes off of Kiva. His eyes often met hers and his voice would become more intense and stronger. When Kiva finished and everyone left the pavilion he went over to Dina.

“How are you?” he asked. “You seem tired. Come, I will walk you home.”

On the way, Kiva knocked on Joseph's window. Joseph wasn't at the reading. He was preparing for his examinations.

Joseph came out of his room and they tiptoed into the room where Faigel slept. Joseph and Kiva carried out the printing press. Kiva quickly came back in.

“Where will you hide the printing press?” Dina whispered to him so her mother wouldn't awaken. “I'm so afraid after the way your father spoke….”

“Don't be afraid. He has enough money to ransom me if anything happens.”

Kiva took Dina's hand in his and smiled, “And we're going to send this away quickly back to the organization in town. Father doesn't know that I have a hidden printing press and it is better that he shouldn't know.”

The room was lighted by the full moon. In that light Dina's face was thoroughly white, her eyes shone with a religious beauty.

“No, go Kiva” she said, “Your father will look for you.”

“Don't talk about him, Dina!”

“Be well, Kiva!”

“Be well, Dina!” and he left quietly.

Through the summer fields a carriage rode to the station. The carriage was new and three horses were harnessed to it while Faigel, Dina and Yacov Rabinovitch, Chaim Rabinovitch's brother were in it.

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