按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
humbled myself to the dust； I； the haughtiest of God's creatures；
knelt and prayed to them for the sake of my mother。 I besought
them that I might undergo the punishment ten times over in her
stead。 And once or twice I DID obtain the encouragement of a few
natural tearsgiven more； however； as I was told； to my piety than
to my mother's deserts。 But rarely was I heard out with patience；
and from some houses repelled with personal indignities。 The day
came： I saw my mother half undressed by the base officials； I heard
the prison gates expand； I heard the trumpets of the magistracy
sound。 She had warned me what to do； I had warned myself。 Would I
sacrifice a retribution sacred and comprehensive； for the momentary
triumph over an individual？ If not； let me forbear to look out of
doors； for I felt that in the selfsame moment in which I saw the
dog of an executioner raise his accursed hand against my mother；
swifter than the lightning would my dagger search his heart。 When
I heard the roar of the cruel mob； I pausedenduredforbore。 I
stole out by by…lanes of the city from my poor exhausted sisters；
whom I left sleeping in each other's innocent arms； into the
forest。 There I listened to the shouting populace； there even I
fancied that I could trace my poor mother's route by the course of
the triumphant cries。 There； even then； even then； I madeO
silent forest！ thou heardst me when I madea vow that I have kept
too faithfully。 Mother； thou art avenged： sleep； daughter of
Jerusalem！ for at length the oppressor sleeps with thee。 And thy
poor son has paid； in discharge of his vow； the forfeit of his own
happiness； of a paradise opening upon earth； of a heart as innocent
as thine； and a face as fair。
〃I returned； and found my mother returned。 She slept by starts；
but she was feverish and agitated； and when she awoke and first saw
me； she blushed； as if I could think that real degradation had
settled upon her。 Then it was that I told her of my vow。 Her eyes
were lambent with fierce light for a moment； but； when I went on
more eagerly to speak of my hopes and projects； she called me to
herkissed me； and whispered： 'Oh； not so； my son！ think not of
methink not of vengeancethink only of poor Berenice and
Mariamne。' Aye； that thought WAS startling。 Yet this magnanimous
and forbearing mother； as I knew by the report of our one faithful
female servant； had； in the morning； during her bitter trial；
behaved as might have become a daughter of Judas Maccabaeus： she
had looked serenely upon the vile mob； and awed even them by her
serenity； she had disdained to utter a shriek when the cruel lash
fell upon her fair skin。 There is a point that makes the triumph
over natural feelings of pain easy or not easythe degree in which
we count upon the sympathy of the bystanders。 My mother had it not
in the beginning； but； long before the end； her celestial beauty；
the divinity of injured innocence； the pleading of common womanhood
in the minds of the lowest class； and the reaction of manly feeling
in the men； had worked a great change in the mob。 Some began now
to threaten those who had been active in insulting her。 The
silence of awe and respect succeeded to noise and uproar； and
feelings which they scarcely understood； mastered the rude rabble
as they witnessed more and more the patient fortitude of the
sufferer。 Menaces began to rise toward the executioner。 Things
wore such an aspect that the magistrates put a sudden end to the
scene。
〃That day we received permission to go home to our poor house in
the Jewish quarter。 I know not whether you are learned enough in
Jewish usages to be aware that in every Jewish house； where old
traditions are kept up； there is one room consecrated to confusion；
a room always locked up and sequestered from vulgar use； except on
occasions of memorable affliction； where everything is purposely in
disorderbrokenshatteredmutilated： to typify； by symbols
appalling to the eye； that desolation which has so long trampled on
Jerusalem； and the ravages of the boar within the vineyards of
Judea。 My mother； as a Hebrew princess； maintained all traditional
customs。 Even in this wretched suburb she had her 'chamber of
desolation。' There it was that I and my sisters heard her last
words。 The rest of her sentence was to be carried into effect
within a week。 She； meantime； had disdained to utter any word of
fear； but that energy of self…control had made the suffering but
the more bitter。 Fever and dreadful agitation had succeeded。 Her
dreams showed sufficiently to us； who watched her couch； that
terror for the future mingled with the sense of degradation for the
past。 Nature asserted her rights。 But the more she shrank from
the suffering； the more did she proclaim how severe it had been；
and consequently how noble the self…conquest。 Yet； as her weakness
increased； so did her terror； until I besought her to take comfort；
assuring her that； in case any attempt should be made to force her
out again to public exposure； I would kill the man who came to
execute the orderthat we would all die togetherand there would
be a common end to her injuries and her fears。 She was reassured
by what I told her of my belief that no future attempt would be
made upon her。 She slept more tranquillybut her fever increased；
and slowly she slept away into the everlasting sleep which knows of
no to…morrow。
〃Here came a crisis in my fate。 Should I stay and attempt to
protect my sisters？ But； alas！ what power had I to do so among our
enemies？ Rachael and I consulted； and many a scheme we planned。
Even while we consulted； and the very night after my mother had
been committed to the Jewish burying ground； came an officer；
bearing an order for me to repair to Vienna。 Some officer in the
French army； having watched the transaction respecting my parents；
was filled with shame and grief。 He wrote a statement of the whole
to an Austrian officer of rank； my father's friend； who obtained
from the emperor an order； claiming me as a page of his own； and an
officer in the household service。 O heavens！ what a neglect that
it did not include my sisters！ However； the next best thing was
that I should use my influence at the imperial court to get them
passed to Vienna。 This I did； to the utmost of my power。 But
seven months elapsed before I saw the emperor。 If my applications
ever met his eye he might readily suppose that your city； my
friend； was as safe a place as another for my sisters。 Nor did I
myself know all its dangers。 At length； with the emperor's leave
of absence； I returned。 And what did I find？ Eight months had
passed； and the faithful Rachael had died。 The poor sisters；
clinging together； but now utterly bereft of friends； knew not
which way to turn。 In this abandonment they fell into the
insidious hands of the ruffian jailer。 My eldest sister； Berenice；
the stateliest and noblest of beauties； had attracted this
ruffian's admiration while she was in the prison with her mother。
And when I returned to your city； armed with the imperial passports
for all； I found that Berenice had died in the villain's custody；
nor could I obtain anything beyond a legal certificate of her
death。 And； finally； the blooming； laughing Mariamne； she also had
diedand of affliction for the loss of her sister。 You； my
friend； had been absent upon your travels during the calamitous
history I have recited。 You had seen neither my father nor my
mother。 But you came in time to take under your protection； from
the abhorred wretch the jailer； my little broken…hearted Mariamne。
And when sometimes you fancied that you had seen me under other
circumstances； in her it was； my dear friend； and in her features
that you saw mine。
〃Now was the world a desert to me。 I cared little； in the way of
love； which way I turned。 But in the way of hatred I cared
everything。 I transferred myself to the Russian service； with the
view of gaining some appointment on the Polish frontier； which
might put it in my power to execute my vow of destroying all the
magistrates of your city。 War； however； raged； and carried me into
far other regions。 It ceased； and there was little prospect that
another generation would see it relighted； for the disturber of
peace was a prisoner forever； and all nations were exhausted。 Now；
then； it became necessary that I should adopt some new mode for
executing my vengeance； and the more so； because annually some were
dying of those whom it was my mission to punish。 A voice ascended
to me； day and night； from the graves of my father and mother；
calling for vengeance before it should be too late。
I took my measures thus： Many Jews were present at Waterloo。 From
among these； all irritated against Napoleon for the expectations he
had raised； only to disappoint； by his great assembly of Jews at
Paris； I selected eight； whom I