Part 6 (2/2)
”I heard it”, she said with a stubborn nod, quite pallid.
He turned upon her a stare of displeasure; but in that second they heard a shouting down the village, ran to the front, and saw heaven all like cancer and cracked window-panes, for from a central plash of pa.s.sion the shattered asteroid had shot long-lingering ribbons of lilac light over the bowl of the sky.
X
ISAAC
On the Tuesday was the inquest on the murdered Mephibosheth; ending in a verdict of wilful murder against some person unknown.
The same night at nine Frankl had Hogarth's two guns from Margaret on the towing-path, she now well inveigled into his net, and under his commands.
”I want you”, he said, ”to meet me-here again on Thursday night, at 7.30”.
”But you will tell one why, I suppose!”
”When you come you will hear. And don't let anything keep you away--not _anything_, mind--if you take my hint”.
She left him with her head hung, praying for deliverance, but consenting.
The next (Wednesday) morning Frankl was in a high room of the Hall, in a corner of which cowered the Arab, Isaac, and he said in his strong ba.s.s in Arabic: ”Well, Isaac, well”.
A groan broke from the obese heap of grief; down each side of his kefie streamed waves of trembling; on his square-cut beard of ritual flecks of foam.
”Isaac, why did you kill Mephibosheth?”
Vigorously sputtered Isaac, spitting out the ill-omened words. He said: ”Your servant did not kill Mephibosheth”.
”Well, there was an inquest to-day, the Court decided that you did, and has sentenced you to be hanged by the neck like a dog”.
The Arab sprang up, his thick bluish under-lip s.h.i.+vering.
”An eye for an eye”, said Frankl solemnly: ”it is written in the Torah”.
”_Mercy_ My father served your father--”
”I have remembered that: that is why I have saved you from hanging like a dog at the hands of these _Goyim_ vermin: but, Isaac, you must die--”
”G.o.d of--!”
”You dare raise your voice! Blood for blood--”
”_Mercy_!--I did not mean to kill--!”
”Blood for blood, you dog! Raise it, and I fell you! Raise it, and the noose sinks into your fat swine's-throat! Can't you understand?--you have been tracked by the avengers of blood! and you may swing lingeringly, with a crowd of Christian boys and girls mocking round you, or you may shoot yourself in one painless flash. Which shall it be?”
Isaac, again dropping a-heap, covered his face, without answer.
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