Part 6 (1/2)
”'What does the law say?' asked one of the twelve.
”'For adultery with a woman of our own people-death; for seducing a girl-a fine, if she was not betrothed; if she was betrothed-death.
But the law is not so rigorous with regard to one who lives with a slave-her body belongs to her master.'
”'Are the goyim better than our slaves?'
”This explanation was followed by a whisper of approval.
”'The tribe of Mana.s.seh may speak now!'
”The last of the orators lifted his hand and during his speech he raised and lowered it, as if desiring thus to make a stronger impression by his words. His voice was hoa.r.s.e and unpleasant, but he spoke skilfully and with a.s.surance.
”'If gold is the first power in the world, the press is the second.
Of what value are all the opinions and advice given here without the aid of the press? We will attain our aim only when the press is in our hands. Our people must direct the daily publications. We are cunning, shrewd, and we possess money which we know how to utilize for our purposes. We need great political newspapers which mold public opinion-criticism, the literature of the streets and the stage. In this way we will crowd out the Christians step by step, and will dictate to the world what it should believe in, what it should respect, and what it should curse. We will repeat the sorrowful cry of Israel and the complaints against the persecutions which are directed against us. Then, even though each individual may be against us, the ma.s.ses, in their stupidity, will always be for us. With the press in our hands, we can turn wrong into right, dishonesty into honesty. We can shake all foundations, and separate families. We can destroy faith in all that our enemies, until now, have believed. We can ruin credits and arouse pa.s.sions. We can declare war; we can award fame or disgrace. We can uplift or ruin talent.
”'When Israel shall have gold and the press in his hands, we will be able to ask: ”On what day will it please you to _put on Atarah_ (crown) which belongs to us by right, to erect s.h.i.+sse (?) and extend the Shebet (sceptre) over the nations of the earth?”'
”A noisy greeting followed these words and the agitated men who listened hardly understood for some time what was being said at the meeting. At last the voice of the Levite called upon all to be silent.
”'The Roshe-Bate-Aboth of the twelve tribes have uttered words of wisdom. These words will be as pillars for the times to come, if the son of him ”who has not rest” will write these words upon his memory and spread the seeds among the nation of Israel in order that it may grow to be a mighty tree. They will be the sword with which Israel will strike down his enemies. Our posterity must share among themselves happiness, wealth and power as it shared misfortune and dangers. They must help one another. Wherever one of them places his foot, he must drag another-his brother-along with him. If one of them is unfortunate, others must help him, if he but lives according to the law of our nation.
”'He who was in prison for ten years, may become a rich man to whom princes will bow, if only our people will not forsake him. Where everybody is against us, all will be for us. After forty years of wandering in the desert, the hand of Jehovah brought us to power in the land of Canaan; the same hand will lead us after forty-five times forty years from our misfortune and miseries to rule over lands which are forty-five times vaster than Canaan. If Israel shall obey the decision here adopted by the Sanhedrin of the Caballah, our grandchildren, coming a hundred years hence to the grave of the founder of our union, will announce to him that they have indeed become the princes of the world and that the promise made to the nation of Israel has been fulfilled. Other nations will become his slaves! Renew our oath, sons of the golden calf, and go to all lands of the world.'
”The blue flame flared up brightly upon the grave of the Rabbi; each of the thirteen threw upon the tomb a stone which each carried under his cloak.
”It seemed to the doctor that on the top of the tombstone, in the bluish flame, there appeared a monstrous golden figure of an animal.
”Then he heard the same metallic sound that he had heard when the light first appeared. Then impenetrable darkness covered the cemetery.
”The white figures again slipped by among the tombstones. The gates creaked softly.
”The clock in the tower struck two past midnight. The last of the mysterious visitors knocked at the window and a hoa.r.s.e voice said (as though the speaker knew that the watchman was not asleep):
”'Close the house of life, watchman of those who are awaiting the resurrection, and may your lips be sealed with the seal of Solomon for a hundred years.'
”The scholar still lay motionless; he was afraid to stir; all he had heard had made upon him such a dreadful impression.
”A noise near him indicated that his companion was rising.
”'To concentrate in their hands all the capital of the nations of all lands; to secure possession of all the land, railroads, mines, houses; to be at the head of all organizations, to occupy the highest governmental posts, to paralyze commerce and industry everywhere, to seize the press, to direct legislation, public opinion and national movements-and all for the purpose of subjugating all nations on earth to their power! No! I shall struggle against the golden calf and shall smash it to pieces as Moses smashed it in the desert.'