The San Francisco call., 1904-06-26
CHAPTER II.
MY SECOND BIRTH.

morning with a ndppy WOTQ on my lips
-Vilno. I lay in bed listening to the
rumbling of wheels on the loud cobble-
stones as if it were sweet music, and
later. glancing through my window at
the tier upon tier of high buildings and
domes and spires, pictured myself as
Napoleon beholding the FURNISHED roofs
and magnificent structures of Moscow
before It's doom.
My joy was so overwhelming for
many days to come that all past recol-
lections escaped my memory; even the
fresh remembrance of Make was mere
ly like the sour taste that remains after
eating sweets. / thought of nothing
but the future. Nor was 1 troubled by
the suspicion that Dolgoff had at first
aroused in my mind 1 did my clerical
work as he bade me, asking no ques-
tions. Not infrequently I wondered
what he did with so many passports,
which / copied, and what he did with
that printing-press, which 1 often
heard him work behind closed doors,
but would instantly recall his stipu-
lation and remain dumb. Did 1 have
any cause to disregard his orders? Did
he not treat me generously? Did he not
furnish me with books that 1 might
pursue my studies? Did he not help me
in every possible way? With such ques-
tions would quiet any misgivings that
arose in my mind. And what a COM
panion! His rich. elastic barytone,
which rang with tragic sweetness and
pathos on many a frosty winter night,
still chimes in my ears like a weird
echo whenever my mind recurs to that
period of my eventful life.
Two months passed happily In rou-
tine work and study. One night about
Christmas time, while 1 sat reading, 1
heard Dolgoff and another man talk
ing in the adjoining room. That there
was a man in his room was itself sur
prlsing, as Dolgoff had few visitors,
but my attention was attracted not so
much by the visitor as by something
suggestive in the voice of the guest.
Ssh! 1 hear somebody stirring in the
next room,' heard the visitor say.
'"This is the fellow I told you about
silent as a fish,"
A short pause.
How soon must you have the pass
ports and the circulars?"
folding large sheet of paper ITO
morrow morning, if possible" the
stranger answered. There is danger
If they don't get the passports in three
days"
II am afraid to work at night. The
press makes too much noise, and my
housekeeper tells me that the neigh
bors are getting suspicious of u.s.
How about getting the fellow to
work tomorrow all day?"
Another pause.
'I am afraid to trust him. He ap-
peared dull at first, but 1 find him
quite shrewd."
Suppose you call him out so can
size him up"
Dolgoff called. Israeli"
! pretended not to hear.
He called a second time.
/ stepped into the next room. 1t was
dim, and could not see Dolgoff's COM
panion very distinctly, but 1 noticed
that he wore a gymnasium uniform.
us that you?" the stranger ex-
claimed.
1 shrank back a step and said laugh
ingly: The voice is Jacobs voice and
Don't you know me?" he asked,
again coming closer to me.
Ephraim! But what a changei A
heavy crop Of dark, curly hair crowned
his well-formed head. a brown mus
tache shaded his upper lip, and his
keen eyes sparkled through a pair of
glasses. He was more erect, more
graceful than ever. and in the smart
gymnasium uniform he looked quite
distinguished.
Then we forgot everything else and
talked of days gone by and of what
had happened to us since our separa-
tion.
81 am in the seventh" he answered
to my question as to his class.
"And I am in minus one" l said jo-
cosely, though trihe jealousy.
You will catch up with the rest Of
u.s." Ephraim assured me encourag-
'ingly. "Once rid of the fanatics, the
rest is easy sailing. In der Beschrank-
Jung zeigt sich erst der Meister,'" he
quoted Goethe. "The danger is now
over; one daring step brings the ad-
vance of two"
Although 1 rejoiced at meeting my
ola Irlenu, yet l. dreaded MS dSSOc1a-
ton. I realized that Ephraims mo-
tives and ideas had always been wor-
thy. but at the same time I feared he
was instinctively creating trouble for
himself and his companions. 1 did not
clearly upderstand in what complica-
tion he was now involved, but the pass
ports of his and Dolgoff's fabrication,
as well as the circulars printed behind
closed doors, were doubtless not serv-
ing legitimate purpose. However, my
situation was such as did not warrant
my severing connections with either
him or Dolgoff. And. besides, in spite
of Ephraim's revolutionary ideas,
which were not in harmony with my
nature, loved him for his sincerity.
I have always preferred erring sin
cerity to truth advocated by a hypo-
critic.
The following day he took me to his
lodging. where we discussed my future
There would be no trouble in my being
admitted to the sixth. he assured me,
If / should study all winter and the
coming summer; but had no passport,
without which, he said, ! could not
even nresent myself for examination