Once more there is silence, and I continue: "The misfortune was aggravated by the fact that the nobility and the wealthy began to feel ashamed of their own people, and to adopt Greek ways of living. They used to frequent the gymnasiums."
She and the old gentleman look at me in astonishment.[134]
"In the gymnasiums of those days," I hasten to add, "there was no studying—they used to practice gymnastics, naked, men and women together—"
The two pairs of eyes lower their gaze, but the young house-master raises his with a flash.
"What did you say?"
I make no reply, but go on to speak of the theatres where men fought wild beasts and oxen, and of other Greek manners and customs which must have been contrary to Jewish tradition.
"The Greeks thought nothing of all this; they were bent on effacing every trace of independent national existence. They set up an altar in the street with an 'Avodeh zoroh,'[135] and commanded us to sacrifice to it."
"What is that?" she asks in Polish.
I explain; and the old man adds excitedly:
"And a swine, too! We were to sacrifice a swine to it!"