The women held children in their arms, and many of them were crying bitterly.

The men stood in silence peering curiously over the heads of the further throng into the crowded chamber.

Some of them greeted Hester with great respect, and moved aside that we might have room to enter.

As we neared the door I could hear a babel of strange tongues and the voices of women calling down the blessings of Heaven upon some one in their midst.

It was Rayel.
He stood in a corner of the room holding two little children in his arms, and the crowd was pressing forward as if eager to speak with him.
He was talking in a low voice to those nearest him, but I was unable to catch his words.