And the Breklins saw that their money would not hold out till Purim—that their Fast of Esther would be too long. Coal was beyond them, and kerosene as dear as wine, and yet how could they possibly spend less? How could they do without a fire when it was so cold? Without a lamp when it was so dark? And the Breklins had an "idea"!
Why sit up at night and watch the stove and the lamp burning away their money, when they might get into bed, bury themselves in rags, and defy both poverty and cold? There is nothing in particular to do, anyhow. What should there be, a long winter evening through? Nothing! They only sat and poured out the bitterness in their heart one upon the other, quarrelled, and scolded. They could do that in bed just as well, and save firing and light into the bargain.
So, at the first approach of darkness, the bed was made ready for Mr. Breklin, and his wife put to sleep their only, three-year-old child. Avremele did not understand why he was put to bed so early, but he asked no questions. The room began to feel cold, and the poor little thing was glad to nestle deep into the bedcoverings.
The lamp and the fire were extinguished, the stove would soon go out of itself, and the Breklin family slept.
They slept, and fought against poverty by lying in bed.
It was waging cheap warfare.
Having had his first sleep out, Breklin turns to his wife:
"What do you suppose the time to be now, Yudith?"
Yudith listens attentively.
"It must be past eight o'clock," she says.