YOM KIPPUR 197
honor, my good name? And what of the match? "Mercy, Father," he cried, "have mercy !"
Berel proceeded no further with the Prayer of Expia- tion. He stood lost in his melancholy thoughts, his whole life passed before his eyes. He, Berel, had never licked honey, trouble had been his in plenty, he had known cares and worries, but God had never abandoned him. It had frequently happened to him in the course of his life to think he was lost, to give up all his hope. But each time God had extricated him unexpectedly from his difficulty, and not only that, but lawfully, honestly, Jewishly. And now he had suddenly lost his trust in the Providence of His dear Name ! "Donkey !" thus Berel abused himself, "went to look for trouble, did you? Now you've got it! Sold yourself body and soul for one hundred rubles ! Thief ! thief ! thief 1" It did Berel good to abuse himself like this, it gave him a sort of pleasure to aggravate his wounds.
Berel, sunk in his sad reflections, has forgotten where he is in the world. The congregation has finished the Prayer of Expiation, and is ready for Kol Nidre. The cantor is at his post at the reading-desk on the platform, two of the principal, well-to-do Jews, with Torahs in their hands, on each side of him. One of them is Moisheh Chalfon. There is a deep silence in the build- ing. The very last rays of the sun are slanting in through the window, and mingling with the flames of the wax-candles. . . .
"With the consent of the All-Present and with the consent of this congregation, we give leave to pray with them that have transgressed," startled Berel's ears. It
