noon
The waifs were brought into the ante-chamber , and obliged to pass muster before his excellency , who read them a lesson upon their future career and duties . After those whose hasty abduction had made it impossible to dress , had been provided with odds and ends of clothing , the rags cast off by the children of the Governor 's serfs , and which his excellency declared were much too good for Jews , the lads were again placed upon rickety carts , and , while the Governor proceeded to his religious services at the _ kiosk _ , they were escorted under a strong guard to the military headquarters at Kharkov . Long and tedious was the journey . At noon a village was reached , and the travellers were furnished with a meal consisting of pork and bread . Half-famished by his long fast , one of the boys had already bitten into his portion , but stern religion interfered . `` Do not eat it , '' whispered Mendel ; `` it is _ trefa ! _ '' -LRB- unclean -RRB- .