The Model of Sorrows by Israel Zangwill

I came here because Russia had grown intolerable to me. All my life, and during the lives of my parents, we Quarriars had been innkeepers, and thereby earned our bread. But Russia took away our livelihood for herself, and created a monopoly. Thus we were left destitute. So what could I do with a large family? Of London and America I had long heard as places where they have compassion on foreigners. They are not countries like Russia, where Truth exists not. Secondly, my children also worried me greatly. They are females, all the five, and a female in Russia, however beautiful, good and clever she be, if she have no dowry, has to accept any offer of marriage, however uncongenial the man may be. These things conspired to drive me from Russia. So I turned everything into money, and realized three hundred and fifty roubles. People had told me that the whole journey to London should cost us two hundred roubles, so I concluded I should have one hundred and fifty roubles with which to begin life in the new country. It was very bitter to me to leave my Fatherland, but as the moujik says: 'Necessity brings everything. ' So we parted from our friends with many tears: little had we thought we should be so broken up in our old age. But what else could I do in such a wretched country? As the moujik says: 'If the goat doesn't want to go to market it is compelled to go. ' So I started for London. We travelled to Isota on the Austrian frontier.

As we sat at the railway-station there, wondering how we were going to smuggle ourselves across the frontier, in came a benevolent-looking Jew with a long venerable beard, two very long ear-locks, and a girdle round his waist, washed his hands ostentatiously at the station tap, prayed aloud the _Asher Yotzer_ with great fervour, and on finishing his prayer looked everyone expectantly in the eyes, and all responded 'Amen. ' Then he drew up his coat-sleeve with great deliberation, extended his hand, gave me an effusive '_Shalom Aleichem_' and asked me how it went with me. Soon he began to talk about the frontier. Said he: 'As you see me, an _Ish kosher_ (a ritually correct man), I will do you a kindness, not for money, but for the sake of the _Mitzvah_ (good deed). ' I began to smell a rat, and thought to myself, How comes it that you know I want the frontier? Your kindness is suspicious, for, as the moujik says: 'The devil has guests. ' But if we need the thief, we cut him down even from the gallows.