Part 19 (1/2)
Then he bowed to the President of the Court and the President bowed back in answer. But not one of the rest so much as moved his head, since already every man of them hated this stranger who was about to carry away her whom they called their Queen.
”Sirs,” said Benoni breaking the silence, ”I come here upon a strange errand--namely, to ask of you a maid whom I believe to be my granddaughter, of whose existence I learned not long ago, and whom, as it seems, you have sheltered from her birth. Is she among you here?” and he looked at Miriam.
”The lady Miriam sits yonder,” said the President. ”You are right in naming her your granddaughter, as we have known her to be from the beginning.”
”Then why,” said Benoni, ”did I not know it also?”
”Because,” answered the President quietly, ”we did not think it fitting to deliver a child that was committed to our charge, to the care of one who had brought her father, and tried to bring her mother, his own seed, to the most horrible of deaths.”
As he spoke he fixed his eyes indignantly upon Benoni; as did every man of all that great company, till even the bold-faced Jew dropped his head abashed.
”I am not here,” he said, recovering himself, ”to make defence of what I have done, or have not done in the past. I am here to demand that my grandchild, now as I perceive a woman grown, may be handed over to me, her natural guardian.”
”Before this can be considered,” answered the President, ”we who have been her guardians for so many years, should require guarantees and sureties.”
”What guarantees, and what sureties?” asked Benoni.
”These among others--That money sufficient for her support after your death should be settled upon her. That she shall be left reasonable liberty in the matter of her daily life and her marriage, if it should please her to marry. Lastly, that as we have undertaken not to meddle with her faith, or to oppress her into changing it, so must you undertake also.”
”And if I refuse these things?” asked Benoni.
”Then you see the lady Miriam for the first and last time,” answered the President boldly, while the others nodded approval. ”We are men of peace, but, merchant, you must not, therefore, think us men without power. We must part with the lady Miriam, who to every one of us is as a daughter, because the unbreakable rule of our order ordains that she, who is now a woman grown, can no longer remain among us. But wherever she dwells, to the last day of her life our love shall go with her and the whole strength of our Order shall protect her. If any harm is attempted to her, we shall be swift to hear and swifter to avenge. If you refuse our conditions, she will vanish from your sight, and then, merchant, go, search the world, the coasts of Syria, the banks of Egypt, and the cities of Italy--and find her if you can. We have spoken.”
Benoni stroked his white beard before he answered.
”You talk proudly,” he said. ”Did I shut my eyes I might fancy that this voice was the voice of a Roman procurator speaking the decrees of Caesar.
Still, I am ready to believe that what you promise you can perform, since I for one am sure that you Essenes are not mere harmless heretics who wors.h.i.+p angels and demons, see visions, prophesy things to come by the help of your familiars, and adore the sun in huts upon the desert.”
He paused, but the President, without taking the slightest notice of his insults or sarcasms, repeated merely:
”We have spoken,” and as with one voice, like some great echo, the whole hundred of them cried, ”We have spoken!”
”Do you hear them, master?” said Nehushta in the silence that followed.
”Well, I know them. They mean what they say, and you are right--what which they threaten they can perform.”
”Let my grandchild speak,” said Benoni. ”Daughter, is it your wish that such dishonouring bonds should be laid upon me?”
”Grandsire,” replied Miriam, in a pure, clear voice, ”I may not quarrel with that which is done for my own good. For the wealth I care little, but I would not become a slave in everything save the name, nor do I desire to set my feet in that path my parents trod. What my uncles say--all of these”--and she waved her hand--”speaking in the name of the thousands that are without, that I do, for they love me and I love them, and their mind is my mind and their words are my words.”
”Proud-spirited, and well spoken, like all her race,” muttered Benoni.
Still he stroked his beard and hesitated.
”Be pleased to give your answer,” said the President, ”that we may finish our discussion before the hour of evening prayer. To help you to it, remember one thing--we ask no new conditions.” Benoni glanced up quickly and the President added: ”Those of which we have received a copy, that you swore to and signed in the presence of Marcus the Roman, are enough for us.”
Now it was Miriam's turn to look, first up and then down. As for her grandfather, he turned white with anger, and broke into a bitter laugh.
”Now I understand----”
”----that the arm of the Essenes is longer than you thought, since it can reach from here to Rome,” said the President.
”Ay! that you can plot with Romans. Well, be careful lest the sword of these Romans prove longer than _you_ thought and reach even to your hearts, O you peaceful dwellers in the desert!” Then, as though he feared some answer, he added quickly, ”I am minded to return and leave this maiden with you to dispose of as you think fit. Yet I will not do so, for she is very fair and gracious, and with the wealth that I can give her, may fill some high place in the world. Also--and this is more to me--I am old and draw near my end and she alone has my blood in her veins. Therefore I will agree to all your terms, and take her home with me to Tyre, trusting that she may learn to love me.”