Part 31 (2/2)
”Oh! Miriam,” he broke in in a pleading voice, ”if I did this--and in truth I scarcely know what I did--it was because love and jealousy maddened me.”
”Love? The love of the lion for the lamb! Jealousy? Why were you jealous? Because, having striven to murder Marcus--oh! I saw the fight and it was little better, for you smote him unawares, being fully prepared when he was not--you feared lest I might have saved him from your fangs. Well, thanks be to G.o.d! I did save him, as I hope. And now, officer of the most merciful and learned Sanhedrim, do your duty.”
”At least, Miriam,” Caleb went on, humbly, for her bitter words, unjust as they were in part, seemed to crush him, ”at least, I strove my best for you to-day--after I found time to think.”
”Yes,” she answered, ”to think that other lions would get the lamb which you chance to desire for yourself.”
”More,” he continued, taking no note. ”I have made a plan.”
”A plan to do what?”
”To escape. If I give the signal on your way to the gate where I must lead you, you will be rescued by certain friends of mine who will hide you in a place of safety, while I, the officer, shall seem to be cut down. Afterwards I can join you and under cover of the night, by a way of which I know, we will fly together.”
”Fly? Where to?”
”To the Romans, who will spare you because of what you did yesterday--and me also.”
”Because of what _you_ did yesterday?”
”No--because you will say that I am your husband. It will not be true, but what of that?”
”What of it, indeed?” asked Miriam, ”since it can always become true.
But how is it that you, being one of the first of the Jewish warriors, are prepared to fly and ask the mercy of your foes? Is it because----”
”Spare to insult me, Miriam. You know well why it is. You know well that I am no traitor, and that I do not fly for fear.”
”Yes,” she answered, in a changed tone, for his manly words touched her, ”I know that.”
”It is for you that I fly, for your sake I will eat this dirt and crown myself with shame. I fly that for the second time I may save you.”
”And in return you demand--what?”
”Yourself.”
”That I will not give, Caleb. I reject your offer.”
”I feared it,” he answered huskily, ”who am accustomed to such denials.
Then I demand this, for know that if once you pa.s.s your word I may trust it: that you will not marry the Roman Marcus.”
”I cannot marry the Roman Marcus any more than I can marry you, because neither of you are Christians, and as you know well it is laid upon me as a birth duty that I may take no man to husband who is not a Christian.”
”For your sake, Miriam,” he answered slowly, ”I am prepared to be baptised into your faith. Let this show you how much I love you.”
”It does not show that you love the faith, Caleb, nor if you did love it could I love you. Jew or Christian, I cannot be your wife.”
He turned his face to the wall and for a while was silent. Then he spoke again.
”Miriam, so be it. I will still save you. Go, and marry Marcus, if you can, only, if I live, I will kill him if I can, but that you need scarcely fear, for I do not think that I shall live.”
<script>