Volume I Part 44 (1/2)
”Ha! the Christian! the cursed Christian!” he growled, and clenched his fist. ”That fair Goth again, with his insufferable pride! Father Isaac, is that the stag that suits thee for thy hind?”
”Son, speak no mocking word against Isaac! Thou knowest that the youth has set his heart upon a Roman girl; he thinks not of the Pearl of Judah!”
”But perhaps the Pearl of Judah thinks of him!”
”With joy and grat.i.tude, as the lamb thinks of the strong shepherd who has saved it from the jaws of the wolf. Hast thou forgotten, that, when last these cursed Romans hunted for the treasures and gold-heaps of Israel, and burnt down the synagogue with unholy fire, a band of these wicked men chased my poor child through the streets, like a pack of wolves after a white lamb, and tore the veil from her face, and the kerchief from her shoulders? Where was Jochem then, my cousin's son, who had accompanied her? He had fled from danger with swift feet, and had left the dove in the claws of the vulture!”
”I am a man of peace,” said Jochem uneasily; ”my hand holds not the sword of force.”
”But Totila held it, brave as the Lion of Judah; and the Lord was with him. Alone he sprang amid the group of impudent robbers, struck the boldest with his sharp sword, and drove away the others as a falcon frighten crows. He covered my trembling child carefully with her veil, and supporting her tottering footsteps, led her home, unhurt, to the arms of her old father. May Jehovah the Lord bless him for this deed with long life and happiness!”
”Well,” said Jochem, taking up his papers, ”then I will go: this time for a long while. I must travel over the great waters to transact an important business.”
”An important business? With whom?”
”With Justinia.n.u.s, the Emperor of the East. A portion of the great church, which he is building to the glory of G.o.d, in the golden town of Constantine, has fallen in. I have made a plan for the restoration of the building.”
The old man sprang up hastily, and struck his stick upon the ground.
”What, Jochem, son of Rachel! wilt thou serve the Romans? Wilt thou serve the Emperor, whose forefathers destroyed the holy city of Zion, and reduced the Temple of the Lord to ashes? Wilt thou build a house for the erring faith, thou, the son of the pious Mana.s.seh? Woe, woe to thee!”
”Why callest thou 'woe,' and knowest not wherefore? Canst thou smell whether a gold piece comes from the hand of a Jew or from that of a Christian? Does it not weigh as heavily and s.h.i.+ne as brightly?”
”Son of Mana.s.seh, thou canst not serve G.o.d and Mammon.”
”But thou thyself art a servant of the unbelievers! Do I not see the warder's keys on the walls of thy chamber? Dost thou not keep them for these Goths, and openest the doors for their outgoing and incoming, and guardest the castle of their strength?”
”Yes, I do so,” said the old man proudly; ”and I will watch for them faithfully, day and night, like a dog for its master; and as long as Isaac lives, no enemy of their nation shall enter these gates. For the children of Israel owe fervent thanks to them and to their great King, who was as wise as Solomon and as mighty as Gideon! We owe them such thanks as our forefathers owed to Cyrus, who freed them from the Babylonian captivity. The Romans destroyed the Temple of the Lord, and scattered His people over the face of the earth. They have mocked and beaten us, and burnt our holy places, and plundered our towns, and defiled our houses, and forced our wives, all over this land, and have made many a cruel law against us. But there came this great King from the North, whose seed may Jehovah bless! and he rebuilt our synagogues, and where the Romans had destroyed them, they were obliged to rebuild them with their own hands and their own money. He protected our homes, and whoever injured an Israelite was punished as if he had offended a Christian. He left us our G.o.d and our belief, and protected our commerce, and we celebrated the Paschal in such joy and peace as we had never known since the time when the Temple still stood upon Zion. And when a Roman n.o.ble had taken my Sarah from me by force, King Theodoric ordered that his proud head should be struck off that very day, and gave me back my wife unhurt. This I will remember as long as my days endure, and I will serve the nation faithfully till death, and once again it shall be said far and wide: as faithful and true as a Jew!”
”Mayst thou not reap ingrat.i.tude where thou sowest grat.i.tude,” said Jochem, preparing to go; ”it seems to me that the time will come, when I shall again sue for Miriam--for the last time. Perhaps, father Isaac, thou wilt then be less proud.” And he went through Miriam's chamber and down the steps, where he met Totila.
With an ungracious bow and a piercing look, the little man pressed past the slender Goth, who was obliged to stoop, as he entered the warder's dwelling.
Miriam followed Totila immediately.
”There hangs your gardener's dress,” said she in a melodious voice, without raising her long lashes, ”and here in the window I have placed the flowers ready. You said lately that she loved the white narcissus.
I have taken care to procure some. They smell so sweet!”
”You are a good little maiden, Miriam,” said Totila, taking off his helmet with the silver-white swan's wings, and setting it upon the table. ”Where is your father?”
”The blessing of the Lord rest upon thy golden locks,” said the old man, as he entered the room.
”Good even, faithful Isaac!” cried Totila, taking off the long white mantle which hung from his shoulders, and enveloping himself in a brown cloak, which Miriam took down from the wall. ”You good people! without you and your faithful silence, all Neapolis would know of my secret.
How can I thank you!”
”Thank?” said Miriam, fixing her beaming eyes upon him, ”you have thanked us beforehand to all eternity!”
”No, Miriam,” said Totila, pulling a broad-brimmed brown felt hat low down upon his forehead, ”that was nothing. Tell me, father Isaac, who is that little man who just went away, and whom I have often met here?
It seems to me that he has cast his eyes upon Miriam. Speak frankly. If a dowry is wanting--I would gladly be of use.”