"Has he had such a good time of it...?" Ephraim felt compelled to ask
himself... "how different our poor mother looked!"

With a violent effort he repressed the feelings which swelled his bosom.
"Dear father," he said, with tears in his eyes, "make yourself quite
comfortable; you haven't closed your eyes the whole night, you must be
worn out. You are at home, remember...father!"

"It's all right," said Ascher, with a deprecating gesture, "WE fellows
know other ways of spending the night."

"WE FELLOWS!" The words cut Ephraim to the heart.

"But you may be taken ill, father," he timidly observed.

"I taken ill! What do you take me for?" Ascher laughed, boisterously.
"I haven't the slightest intention of falling ill."

At that moment the watchman was heard hammering at the door of the next
house. The reverberating blows seemed to have a strangely disquieting
effect upon the strong man: a violent tremor seized him; he cast one of
the frightened glances which Ephraim had noticed before in the direction
of the window, then with one bound he was at the door, and swiftly
turned the knob.

"Father, what's the matter?" Ephraim cried, much alarmed.

"Does the watchman look into the room when he passes by?" asked Ascher,
while his eyes almost burst from their sockets, with the intentness of
their gaze.