"Ah! your words are the words of wisdom. You touch the root of the evil. It is what I have always told them."
Noah rose to his feet, displaying a royal stature in harmony with his broad shoulders. "Yes, I resolved it should be mine to elevate my people, to make them hold up their heads worthily in this century of freedom and enlightenment."
"It is the Ark of the Convenant, as well as of the Deluge, which will rest on Ararat!"
"True—and like the first Noah, I may become the progenitor of a new world. I have communications from the four corners of the earth. You are the type of thousands who will flee from the rotting tyrannies of Europe into the great free republic which I shall direct."
He began to pace the room. Peloni had visions of great black lines of pilgrims converging from every quarter of the compass.
"But this Grand Island—is it yours?" he inquired timidly.
"I have bought thousands of acres of it—I and a few others who believe in the great future of our people."
"Jews?"
"No, not Jews—capitalists who know that we shall become the commercial centre of the new world,—that is, of the world of the future."
Peloni groaned. "And Jews will not believe? We must go to the Gentiles. Jews will only put their money into Gentile schemes; will build always for others, never for themselves. It is the same everywhere. Alas for Israel!"