Read Jacob's Way for Free Online Page A

preparations, and shortly before three, Yelena’s uncle, a tall thin man named Fedor Varvarinski, pulled his wagon up in front of Jacob’s door. Reisa was ready, dressed in her best dress, and she turned to kiss Jacob’s cheek. “Be sure and eat enough,” she prompted. She climbed into the wagon and seated herself beside Yelena. As they set off she waved at Jacob until the wagon took the curve that hid their house.
    â€œWe’re going to have a good time,” Yelena said with satisfaction. “My cousin Boris Babin will be there—he’s Sonya’s brother. So good-looking! He’ll fall in love with you, I’m sure! Then we can have another wedding…”
    The village of Kitzel was only five miles away, but the horses were old and slow, so that the sun was low in the west before Fedor nodded his head. “There’s Kitzel, right over that rise.”
    The party reached the village just as dark was falling, and Yelena saw to it that she and Reisa were settled in the house belonging to the bride’s father. They arrived in time for the evening’s festivities, and Reisa thoroughly enjoyed the music, the food, and the dancing. The celebration went on until nearly eleven, and Reisa found that Boris Babin was indeed fine looking and a good dancer.
    Shortly before midnight, the two girls were in bed, weary, but too excited to sleep. Yelena whispered about the men she’d danced with until Reisa finally could not stay awake. She fell into a deep sleep in the middle of Yelena’s talk and slept dreamlessly.

    Reisa awakened as the first gray light of dawn slanted through the small window, touching her face. She sat up, stretched, and then reached out and shook Yelena, who was sleeping soundly. “Wake up!” she commanded. When her companion grunted and tried to burrow deeper under the blankets, she yanked the covers back. “It’s time to get up,” she said firmly.
    Yelena groaned, but emerged with her hair swirled wildly and her eyes half-open. “It’s too early,” she complained, but at Reisa’s urging, she sat up. “I’m hungry.”
    â€œYou’re always hungry—even after you’ve had a big meal,” Reisa laughed. “Now, let’s get dressed. I think I can smell breakfast cooking.”
    Yelena sniffed, then exclaimed, “It smells good!” She leaped out of bed and began to dress, shivering in the cold.
    Reisa pulled her clothes on hurriedly, including her coat, for the room was cold. Turning to watch Yelena, who was lacing her boots, she said, “I slept like a log! It’s going to be—”
    Reisa never finished her remark, for the sound of many horses traveling hard came to her. She straightened up and went to the window at once. The room was on the second floor, and she could see in the pale light of dawn a dark mass driving down the street. “Soldiers on horses!” she gasped. A sudden fear ran along her nerves.
    Yelena darted across the room and took one look at the street. “Cossacks!” she whispered hoarsely. “It’s a pogrom!”
    â€œWe’ve got to get out of here,” Reisa exclaimed. The stories she’d heard of the horrible things that had befallen Jews caught in a pogrom flashed in her mind. “Come on, Yelena!”
    The two girls fled their bedroom and dashed down the stairs. By the time they reached the door, screams of terror filled their ears. “We can’t go out there!” Yelena gasped. “They’ll kill us!”
    â€œWe can’t stay here!” Reisa’s mind raced, and she grasped the handle of the door and pulled it open. “We can run to the woods and hide.”
    The two young women stepped outside, and Reisa saw a mounted cossack ride his horse into a young man. As the force of the blow knocked the man down, Reisa saw that it was Boris Babin, the brother of the bride. She halted and watched