BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 29
The home he had entered was the house of Moses Grunstein, who lived with his young wife and one servant in the utmost seclusion that was possible in the Ghetto. He had married a second time, had no children, was rich in this world's goods, and was honored and respected. He carried on a large general business, and had made money by dint of saving his profits and lending them at fair usance to his Russian neighbors, and to the landowners of the district. Few persons never a Christian if he could help it ever saw the inner glories of his house, where he lived in good style, surrounded with valuable articles of furniture and decoration, which rejoiced the heart of his young wife, Deborah, who was content to wear her jewels on high days and holidays, and in the intervals for her own pleasure in the private rooms of her husband's house.
" A fugitive," said Moses, repeating Ferrari's explana- tion , " the friend of Joel Strackosch, of St. Petersburg, with a mission to the Rothschilds, in London, and the victim of a conspiracy of the Russian police. It were enough that thou art the esteemed guest of our brother Klosstock. For I have seen thee there."
" Do you not know, then, what has happened ? " asked the Italian.
" Where ? When ? "
" Now in the village almost in the next street ! "
" No," answered the old man, his young wife clinging to him in an attitude of alarm.
" Have you not heard the report of firearms ? "
" No ; we spend our nights in prayer and contempla- tion."
" Where are your servants ? "
" We have only one. Where is Esther ? " He turned and addressed his wife, who at once went forth to find the servant. Returning, she said Esther was not in the house, and yet the doors were barred.
