Page:By order of the Czar.djvu/32

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20 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

up nor to arrest the murderers. Two thousand of our brethren are houseless : six have gone to their long rest ; many are grievously wounded, and the community has been plundered of property of the value of forty thousand English pounds."

" Thou strikest me dumb, Ferrari ! " said the host. " What dost thou advise ?

" Nay, calm yourself," said Losinski ; " this is not the first rising against our brethren ; and while all Russia has suffered much in this way, do not forget that Czarovna has been free from trouble. We must not seem to know of this terrible news ; we must show no fear ; we must not let it change our manner towards our neighbors ; General Poltava is still with us, and his officers are kind and considerate."

" Do not be deceived." said Ferrari ; " to-morrow, per- haps to-night, your new governor will arrive at the palace ; I passed him on the way ; he was traveling incognito. By this time General Poltava is under arrest."

Klosstock leaned back in his chair and groaned.

11 I almost hate myself for being the bearer of such ill- tidings," said Ferrari ; " it is the bolt from the blue. I found you steeped in the happiness of virtue, good-feel- ing, and sweet content ; I am a moral earthquake to your household bliss. But it is in one's happiest hours that Fate strikes us down."

" Let us pray ! " said the rabbi.

Nathan Klosstock fell upon his knees in a paroxysm of grief. Ferrari bowed his head, mumbling to himself that he would rather cut the throat of the servant Negrusz, before he had time to do him, at least, a mischief.

The rabbi offered up an eloquent appeal to the God of their Fathers, recalling the many favors He had accorded to His chosen people, and especially the blessings He had rouchsafed to Czarovna, bewailing the persecutions which




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