More arguments, more tears without arguments--till the rabbi
softened: he could not resist a woman. Then mother took me and
Solomon up to the garret, and ordered us not to venture outside.--
Here the old man interrupted himself by a soft sigh, and
continued:--
To a great extent it was my own fault, wild boy that I was. I broke
my mother's injunction. In the alley, near the house of my parents,
there lived a wine-dealer, Bendet by name. Good wine was to be
found in his cellar. For this reason army officers and other
persons of rank frequented his place, and he was somewhat of a
favorite with them. In short, though he lived in a mean little
alley, those important personages were not averse to calling at his
house. That Bendet had an only child, a daughter. She was
considered beautiful and educated. I had not known her. In my day
they spoke ill of her. Naturally, her father loved her. Is there a
father who loves not his offspring? And how much more such a
daughter, whom everyone loved. However that may be, one day
Bendet's daughter broke away, left her father's house, and renounced
her faith--may we be spared such a fate! And many years after her
father's death she returned to our town, to take possession of her
portion of the inheritance.
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