BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 61
A few men of the ghetto gathered about her threaten- ingly, for the Jews of Czarovna, through many years of something approaching to freedom, were not altogether devoid of courage, and at once, half crazy as she was, Anna seemed to see her advantage.
" Men of the ghetto ! " she cried, " look to your wives and daughters. You knew me a pure, good woman j your vile governor Petronovitch has put upon me an ever- lasting curse ; avenge me, for the love of your women and babes ! "
" Down with the Governor Petronovitch ! " shouted the imbecile who had betrayed Losinski.
And the knout continued to fall upon the dead rabbi. When the last blow was struck there was a movement towards the crowd where Anna was haranguing them, and this was encountered by a hostile rush of the multitude that had now gathered about the outraged woman. The Governor could be seen giving orders. Several officers left his side and made for the spot where Anna was con- spicuous, her arms tossing to and fro above the crowd, her tall figure a rallying point for the riot, that now began with a quick ferocity, in defence of the wretched queen of the ghetto, to capture whom it was at once seen was the object of the Governor's officers.
All at once there was fighting, from one end of the street to the other. The foremost band was led by the imbecile, who fairly leaped upon the police as they charged the crowd, only, however, to be transfixed by a bayonet thrust. Anna seemed to be the very centre and object of the riot. The men of the ghetto defended her with a devotion that was as noble as it was ill-advised and futile. It is true that several of the Imperial troops and police bit the dust, but the Jews fell by the score, and before Losinski's body was removed from the scaffold and carried as a matter of form to the hospital, a fresh company of
