BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 83
" We retrace our steps," said the old man.
They returned to the entrance of the cave. A stream of water was falling into the well.
" Now, my son," said the old man, " turn thine eyes to the right."
" Yes," said Ferrari.
" Raise the lamp."
Ferrari held the lamp above his head.
" You see a ring of iron ? "
"Yes."
" Grasp it."
Ferrari laid hold upon it.
" Stand back and pull it. Keep free from the entrance."
Ferrari pulled the ring. There fell down a slab of metal or hard wood, entirely closing communication with the well and the exit above.
" The water will rise up in front of it," said the old man, " and no skill in Russia will find out its secret. When it is time for us to go forth, we open our door and admit our watery guard, which will scatter itself in these passages in ten minutes and our egress remains as before. Without this sentinel some prying devil more clever than his fellows might find our hall of entrance ; but now if he has a mind to drop into the well he finds no rest for the sole of his foot ; only the water. And didst thou notice a rope hang- ing from the rock over the yard ? "
No."
" They will notice it when they beat down the door, and close by pieces of rock and soil as if someone had clam- bered up to the daylight ; and that will be regarded as thy means of escape, and so perad venture the well may claim no attention whatever. Come then, my friend, let us go within and praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth for ever ! "
Ferrari shrugged his shoulders at the invitation, think- ing of the dead rabbi, and the worse than dead Queen of the Ghetto.
