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diff --git a/36855-h/36855-h.htm b/36855-h/36855-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a16377a --- /dev/null +++ b/36855-h/36855-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6757 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<title>Gabriel, A Story of the Jews in Prague</title> +<meta name="Author" content="Salomon Kohn"> +<meta name="Translator" content="Arthur Milman"> + +<meta name="Publisher" content="Bernhard Tauchnitz"> +<meta name="Date" content="1869"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; background-color:#FFFFFF;} + + + +p.normal {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify;} +.center {margin: auto; text-align:center; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + + + +p.right {text-align:right; margin-right:20%;} + +p.continue {text-indent: 0in; margin-top:9pt;} +.text10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} +.text20 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:20%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} + + +.poem0 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 0%; + margin-right: 0%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem1 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 2em; + margin-right: 10%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem2 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 5em; + margin-right: 10%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem3 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 30%; + margin-right: 10%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + + + + + +figcenter {margin:auto; text-align:center; margin-top:9pt;} + +.t0 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0em; margin-right:0px;} +.t1 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:1em; margin-right:0px;} +.t2 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0px;} +.t3 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:3em; margin-right:0px;} +.t4 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:4em; margin-right:0px;} +.t5 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:5em; margin-right:0px;} +.t6 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:6em; margin-right:0px;} +.t7 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:7em; margin-right:0px;} +.t8 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:8em; margin-right:0px;} +.t9 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:9em; margin-right:0px;} +.t10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10em; margin-right:0px;} +.t11 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:11em; margin-right:0px;} +.t12 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:12em; margin-right:0px;} +.t13 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:13em; margin-right:0px;} +.t14 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:14em; margin-right:0px;} +.t15 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:15em; margin-right:0px;} +.t16 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:16em; margin-right:0px;} + + +.quote {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} +.ctrquote {text-align: center; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} + +.dateline {text-align:right; font-size:90%; margin-right:10%; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5 {text-align: center;} + +span.sc {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:100%;} +span.sc2 {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:90%;} + +hr.W10 {width:10%; color:black; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + +hr.W20 {width:20%; color:black;} + +hr.W50 {width:50%; color:black;} +hr.W90 {width:90%; color:black;} + +p.hang1 {margin-left:1em; text-indent:-1em;} +p.hang2 {margin-left:1em; text-indent:0em;} + + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Gabriel, by Salomon Kohn + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Gabriel + A Story of the Jews in Prague + +Author: Salomon Kohn + +Translator: Arthur Milman + +Release Date: August 8, 2011 [EBook #36855] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GABRIEL *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + + + + + +</pre> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<p class="hang1">Transcriber's Note:<br> +<br> +1. Page scan source:<br> +http://www.archive.org/details/gabrielstoryofje00kohnuoft +<br> +2. Author's full name is Salomon Kohn.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>COLLECTION</h2> + +<h4>OF</h4> + +<h1>GERMAN AUTHORS.</h1> + +<h3>VOL. 14.</h3> +<br> +<hr class="W20"> +<br> +<h3>GABRIEL,</h3> + +<h4>A STORY OF THE JEWS IN PRAGUE</h4> + +<h3>IN ONE VOLUME.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>GABRIEL,</h1> +<br> +<h2>A STORY OF THE JEWS IN PRAGUE</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>BY</h5> +<h2>S. KOHN.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h5>FROM THE GERMAN</h5> +<h5>BY</h5> +<h3>ARTHUR MILMAN, M.A.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>LEIPZIG 1869</h3> + +<h3>BERNHARD TAUCHNITZ.</h3> + +<h4>LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE & RIVINGTON.<br> +CROWN BUILDINGS, 188, FLEET STREET.</h4> + +<h4>PARIS: C. REINWALD & C<sup style="font-size:80%">IE</sup>, 15, RUE DES SAINTS PÈRES.</h4> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>GABRIEL.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>I.</h2> + + +<p class="normal">It was the morning of a wintry autumnal day in the year 1620, when a +young man stepped slowly and thoughtfully through the so-called +Pinchas-Synagogue Gate into the Jews' quarter in the city of Prague. A +strange scene presented itself. The morning service was just over in +the synagogues, and whilst numerous crowds were still streaming out of +the houses of prayer, others, mostly women with heavy bunches of keys +in their hands, were already hurrying to the rag-market situated +outside of the Ghetto. The shops too and stalls within the Ghetto were +now opened, and even in the open street an activity never seen in the +other quarters of the city displayed itself. Here, for instance, +dealers--in truth of the lowest class--were offering their wares +consisting of pastry, wheat-bread, fruits, cheese, cabbage, boiled peas +and more of such kind of stuff to the passers-by. Here and there too in +spite of the early hour emerged some peripatetic cooks, in peaceful +competition extolling loudly the products of their kitchen, bits of +liver, eggs, meat and puddings, and whilst in one hand they held a tin +plate, in the other a two-pronged fork,--a very unnecessary article for +most of their guests,--devoted their attention chiefly to the foreign +students of the Talmud. To them also the greatest attention was paid by +those cobblers who less wealthy than their colleagues in the so-called +Golden St. offered their services to the students in open street, and +most assiduously, while the owners were obliged to wait in the street +or a neighbouring house, mended their shoes at a very moderate price, +but, it must also be allowed, in a very inefficient manner.</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man who had just stepped into the Jew's quarter, gazed +earnestly and observantly at this busy stir, and did not seem to +notice, that he himself had become an object of common attention. His +appearance was however fully calculated to excite observation. His form +was powerful and commanding; his dress that of a Talmud-student, cloak +and cap. Out of his pale face shadowed by a dark beard, under heavy +arching eyebrows there shone two black eyes of uncommon brilliance; +raven locks fell in waves from his head; the fingers of a white sinewy +hand, that held close the silken cloak, were covered with golden rings; +his thick ruff was of spotless purity and smoothness. Had not the +stranger by the elegance of his appearance, perhaps also by his +gigantic make, struck a little awe into the curious dealers in the +street, of a surety at his first appearance, a whole heap of questions +would have been addressed to him. "Who or what he wanted? What could +they do for him?" and such like.... Under the circumstances, however, +it was Abraham, a cobbler, who sat on a bench by the Pinchas-Synagogue +that after some consideration mustered up courage and as he laid down a +shoe that had been committed to his artistic skill, began to ask: "dear +student! whom are you seeking? Certainly not me, that I can see from +your beautifully made shoes with their glittering silver buckles; +<i>they</i> were not made at Prague."--This was put in more for the benefit +of those about him and himself than the stranger.--"You are surely a +stranger here? pardon me, you are perhaps a German, a Moravian or a +Viennese? do you wish to go to a lecture upon the Talmud, or perchance +to the Rabbi, or to Reb Lippman Heller? Who do you want to go to? I +will gladly shew you the way to the Talmud-lecturers--or, perhaps, you +are looking out for a lodging? I can very likely procure you a +convenient one." "I <i>am</i> a stranger here," replied the student, "and +must, indeed, first of all look about me for a lodging. If you happen +to know of an apartment where I could pursue my studies undisturbed I +shall thankfully avail myself of your offer: but the apartment must be +large, light and cheerful."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then I only know of one in the whole town, at my superior attendant +Reb Schlome's, I mean the superior attendant of my synagogue, the +Old-Synagogue, he lives close to the synagogue; there is a beautiful +room there--and besides, Reb Schlome is very learned in the Talmud, and +has got a beautiful library,--in a word that or none is the lodging for +you."</p> + +<p class="normal">While this short conversation was going on, the cobbler's neighbours +had as it were accidentally got nearer, so as to overhear a few words; +and the group that for some minutes had been hazarding the most +ingenious opinions and conjectures about the stranger, formed, perhaps +without noticing it, a complete circle round the two talkers. This was +now suddenly broken through, and a shabbily dressed old man thrust +himself up impetuously against the stranger.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Peace be with you," he cried, "you are then just arrived, be so good +as to come with me, I have a question to put to you, it will do you no +harm, and me good, come with me."</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger gazed in astonishment at the singular figure. "What do you +want of me? How can I, a stranger, whom you have surely never seen, +give you any tidings? perhaps, however, you do know me?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir," whispered Cobbler Abraham, standing on tiptoe so as to reach +up to the stranger's ear, "Jacob is out of his mind; ten years ago, +when he came to live at Prague, he used to put the strangest questions +to everybody that came in his way; when the small boys came out +of the school, he used to examine them in the Bible, and however +correctly they answered, would ever become furious and cry: False! +False!--grown-up people too he used to catechise, fathers, students, in +short every one; but as he has now put his questions to almost +everybody in the whole community, he has kept quite quiet for a long +while. He is only unsociable, refuses to give any information about +himself, and never answers a question; but he is a good harmless +fellow, and as the students say, must be a very great Talmudist--I +wonder that he begins again."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Don't be led astray by what that man there is whispering to you," +cried the old man in anguish; "only come with me, I pray you most +instantly to do so--you, only you can give me peace; I will believe +your answers, all the rest lie to me, a poor old man! Come home with +me, believe me, you will do a real good deed."</p> + +<p class="normal">The stranger cast a penetrating searching glance at the old man, as +though he would sound the whole depths of this troubled human soul. +Contrary to all expectation he replied after short reflection: "only +unloose my cloak; hold me not so nervously, I will verily go with you. +But to you," he turned to the cobbler, "I will soon come back, and will +then beg you to conduct me to the man who has the room to let. Accept +this in the meanwhile for your friendly sympathy"--as he spoke he drew +out of his doublet an embroidered purse full of gold and silver pieces, +and laid a large silver coin on the cobbler's bench. "That is too +much," said Abraham highly surprised and pleased, "God strengthen you, +your Honour, Reb--I don't know what's your name!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">Without answering these further questions, the stranger stepped by the +side of the old man out of the circle, which now once more began loudly +and without circumlocution to utter its conjectures.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I know what he is:--he is a fool," suggested a dealer in liver as she +arranged her stores on a board--"and what's more a big fool! gives +Abraham a piece of silver, what for? goes home with the madman, why?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"My dear Mindel," urged another huckster, "it seems to me you are very +envious of Abraham; that's why the handsome stranger student is a fool. +If you'd got the money, he would have been wise!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">Most of the hucksters, and hucksteresses, seemed fully to concur in the +opinion of the fish-monger--such was the speaker--for Mother Mindel was +in truth what one would in these days in popular parlance call a dog in +the manger. But Mother Mindel was not the sort of person in a war of +words to leave the lists in a hurry, and own herself vanquished. She +answered therefore sharply: "Say you so, Hirsch, what did you get from +him. Come now, tell the truth." These last words spoken in a somewhat +high key, can only be understood when it is explained, that Hirsch, the +fish-monger, was too often addicted to the bad habit, when he told a +story, of passing off in fullest measure the exaggerations and +embellishments of his copious imagination; of treating, on the other +hand, an actual fact in a very step-motherish fashion, a circumstance +that compelled even his best friends to admit that he was a little +given to exaggeration; while impartial persons were fond of applying to +him the well-deserved predicate of 'liar.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"If I'm to tell the truth," continued Hirsch, apparently not observing +that which was injurious in his neighbour's manner of expressing +herself, "If I'm to tell the truth I'm not so envious as some people, +who seem to have been created so by the dear God, probably as a +punishment; I should, however, have been more pleased if Pradel, the +pastry-cook, had got the money, she has five children, her husband, the +bass-singer in the Old-Synagogue, is away, lying ill at home for the +last four months--<i>she</i> would have made a better use of the money--but +if it had rained gold the good woman would not have been at the place, +and if she had, what would have been the use? would <i>she</i> have had the +impudence at once coolly to accost a stranger with gold rings on his +fingers like a prince as if he was a nobody? Why did we all hold our +tongues? I was only curious to see how far Cobbler Abrabam would +go. A very little more and he'd have asked him the name of his +great-grandfathers, how long it was since his thirteenth birthday, and +what chapter out of the prophets had at that time been read on the +Sabbath."--</p> + +<p class="normal">These words seemed to show that the brave Hirsch in addition to his +unpleasant habit of exaggeration could not be altogether absolved from +the failing of his neighbour Mindel.--In the bosom of Cobbler Abraham +who had listened to all these gibes in silence some significant idea +seemed striving for utterance. He moved uneasily on his stool and +rubbed his hands with a singular smile.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good people!" he cried at length, "I'll show you that none of you yet +know Cobbler Abraham, although for now more than twenty years he has +enjoyed the great honour in your society of mending shoes for the +scholars at the high school of Prague, and for more than twenty years +has had the privilege of listening to your lies, Hirsch, and to your +tattle, Mindel. None of you yet know Cobbler Abraham. The money I shall +consider as if it was not mine. It belongs to Pradel the pastry-cook, +or rather to her sick husband Simche, he's my bass, that is, bass of my +synagogue, has never in his life got a new year's or other present from +me. I'm a bachelor, he's a married man with five children: I'm, thank +God, in good health, he's ill. I for once will be a prince, he shall +have the money from me, at once, to-day, as a dedicatory gift, and as +to your insinuation Hirsch, that none of you had the impudence to +accost the stranger, perhaps, you would be more justified in saying +that none of you had had the sense to do it; and now, seeing that I'll +have none of the money, leave me alone, let me get on with my work, and +sell your sweet fish and roast liver." So saying he caught briskly up +the shoes that were before him, and began industriously to cobble.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, there's some sense in that, I knew you had a good heart;" even +Mother Mindel was obliged to join in the loud applause of the +neighbours, whereupon she tried to secure an honourable retreat out of +the wordy skirmish by kindling with the whole strength of her lungs +into a bright glow the fading flame of her charcoal pan; whilst, +Hirsch, after he too had in an embarrassed way recognised Abraham's +noble feeling, availed himself of that very moment as the most +favourable to recommend his fish to the passers-by, as especially +excellent.--But the three neighbours were of a very placable +disposition, and in spite of the fact that they had for the last ten +years followed the laudable custom, of jeering as opportunity offered, +yet in time of need and wretchedness they had mutually stood by one +another, and so it came to pass, that half an hour after, they had +forgotten the little dispute, but not its cause; and the three +neighbours were laying their heads together to ventilate anew their, +doubtless very interesting surmises about the stranger.</p> + +<p class="normal">He meanwhile was walking in silence by the side of his strange +companion, and though he looked about inquisitively, still found time +to observe Jacob more closely. It was difficult to fix the old man's +age. His pale countenance was sorrow-stricken, and furrowed by care. It +might once have been beautiful but was transformed into something +different, strange, scarce akin to a human face by a grizzly white +untended beard, that entangled with the disordered hair, which fell in +waves from his head, formed with it a shapeless mass; but especially by +the weird glittering of his eyes that protruded far out of their +sockets. His thin form crushed by the weight of misery, seemed once to +have been gigantic, and the scantiness of his clothing completed the +singular impression caused by his appearance. At the Hahn-alley the old +man stopped before a small house, and begged the stranger to follow him +across the court to his little room. It was poorly furnished, and +situated on the ground floor, abutting the burial-ground, so that +one could without difficulty pass through the low window into the +burial-ground. Besides an arm-chair there was only one stool in the +room. The old man pushed both up silently to the table, and signed to +the stranger to take a seat.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you wish?" the stranger now asked. The old man looked +cautiously about to see if anyone was listening, closed the door, then +the window-shutters and lit a lamp. "See," he now began, "see, as I +looked at you, it affected me so differently, impressed me so far +otherwise than when I look at any other strange student. I know you are +not so wicked as the others are, all, all of them, that despise, ill +use, unsparingly laugh to scorn a poor old man; they know no pity, have +no mercy, are not aware what it is to suffer as I suffer. They bring me +to naught, they have all sworn together against me, and whom ever I +question, he answers falsely, falsely, falsely!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">The old man spoke with frightful excitement, all the blood that flowed +through his withered body seemed to have gathered itself into his +cheeks flushed with a hectic red, the veins of his forehead swelled to +an unnatural size. "Tell me, tell me, tell me truly," he whispered, +suddenly becoming again quite humble. "Do you know the ten +commandments? but I conjure you by the God of Israel, that made heaven +and earth, by the head of your father, by your mother's salvation, by +your portion in the world to come, answer truly, without deceit."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My good old man," said the stranger quietly, "I will do all that you +desire, I will repeat to you the ten commandments, all the six hundred +and thirteen laws, provided always, I can still recollect them, I will +be entirely at your service, for I see, that you are a poor worn-out +man--you live pretty well alone here in this narrow room, you receive +no visits?" asked the student after a short pause.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since I have found out that no one will come home with me, to read me +the ten commandments out of my small Bible, I let no one in. Many too +are afraid--no one comes to me, no one, you are the first that for many +years has set foot in my hovel.--But now be so good, let me hear the +ten commandments, quickly, I implore you!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The young man passed his hand over his forehead, as though he would +call back to memory something long forgotten, and then began in a loud +powerful voice to utter by heart those ten sayings of the Lord, that +were revealed on Sinai. The old man sat resting his head which he bent +forward upon both hands--as though greedily to suck up every word that +fell from his lips--and gazed into the face of the stranger. All the +blood seemed to flow back slowly to his heart, his face became deadly +pale, his eyes seemed bursting from their wide opened lids, and the +longer the stranger spoke, the deeper blue became his thin +spasmodically quivering lips. Had not the beating of the tortured old +man's heart been audible, one must have believed that life was extinct +in that frail body. The stranger went quietly on, but as he uttered the +seventh commandment '<i>Thou shalt not commit adultery</i>' a fearfully +horrible cry, a cry that made the very bones creep, escaped from the +breast of the poor tormented creature, a cry shrill as that which, a +bird of prey sore wounded by an arrow, launches through the air in its +death struggles, a cry, such as naught but the deepest most unspeakable +grief of the soul can tear from a man's breast. The stranger stopped, +the old man sank in a heap, covering his face with both hands. There +was a moment of deepest silence, at length the old man broke forth into +loud sobbing.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"You too! I had hope of you. Oh, how I would have loved you, how I +would have honoured you, how I would have worshipped you, if you had +read differently to the others, but no, no, no! <i>he</i> read. Thou shalt +not commit adultery. "<i>Thou shalt not commit adultery</i>.' Lord of the +World, have I suffered too little, repented too little, done +insufficient penitence? And yet Thou still lettest it stand in Thy holy +scripture? Must I for ever be tormented in this world and the next? But +Thou art righteous, and I a sinner--I have sinned, I have gone astray, +I have"--then beating his breast he muttered the whole confession of +sins.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I grieve to have been the cause of pain to you, but see"--the student +at these words opened a Bible that was lying on the table at the +passage in point--"see, it is as I have read it." The characters were +quite effaced by the marks of tears, and it was clear that this +especial page had been read and reread countless times.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes, so is it written," cried the old man in a tone of the +profoundest dejection and despair. "You were right, <i>my brother</i> was +right, all were right, the students, the little boys from school, +all, all read it so--all are right, except me, except me,--I am +guilty!"--and again he began, striking both his clenched hands upon his +breast, to utter the confession.</p> + +<p class="normal">The student had risen from his seat, and paced the chamber up and down. +The old man's illimitable grief seemed to awaken a slight feeling of +sympathy in him. "Every one is not like thee, a giant in spirit and +thought," said he softly to himself, "every one cannot like thee strip +off his faith like a raiment that has become useless, and rouse a new +life from the inner fire of the soul." The man was not always mad, a +milder light must once have shone out of those weird dark eyes--<i>but he +sank through his own guilt!</i> One bold flight of his free spirit had +saved him from everlasting night, but he would not! Was he constrained +to give credence to a dead word out of the Bible? Did he stand upon +flaming Sinai, when the words were thundered down upon humanity? Could +not he free himself from the blind faith of his fathers? Must that +appear to him true and holy, that appeared true and holy to his father +and forefathers? His fathers ecstatically smiling could mount the +smoking pyres, and while flames consumed their body, sing psalms and +hymns of praise, <i>they</i> could do all this for they looked for the bliss +of Paradise in a world they hoped to come: and what is the bitterest, +saddest moment of torment compared with an eternity that never ends! +His fathers could breath out their lives with a smile under the axe of +the persecutor; with faith they had life's highest gift, Hope. But this +fool? He has sinned, good!--tear then from thy lacerated and bleeding +heart the foolish faith, that torments thee, what good does it do +thee, thou poor lost one, in this world or the next?--Yet there is a +mighty too constraining power in Faith!----"How if <i>I</i> tried yet to +believe?--the sweet fable can heal wounds too!--but I, I cannot, I +cannot--they have cast me forth, they have compelled me to it, the +Bible, men--all, all--I, indeed, <i>I</i> could not otherwise."</p> + +<p class="normal">Then he stopped again suddenly before the old man, who without paying +further attention to his guest, had lapsed into a gloomy brooding.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course, you are a Talmudist?" asked the student aloud, "you are! +Now then, know you not the sentence of the pious king Chiskia? Though a +sharp sword lyeth at the neck of man, yet may he not despair of God's +infinite mercy! Do not forget: in the same chapter in which it is +written 'Thou shalt not commit adultery' it is also written: 'The Lord, +the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering and abundant in +goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and +transgression and sin!'"--</p> + +<p class="normal">"But he visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon +the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation!" +said Jacob in continuation. "Do not despair! If the gates of prayer +have been closed since the destruction of the sanctuary in Jerusalem, +the gates of repentance have not been closed. Do not despair, poor +Jacob, consider what the Bible says: 'For man's heart is wicked even +from his youth up.' Consider the saying: 'As I live, saith the Lord +God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked +turn from his way and live'; consider that well and do not despair!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">The student broke off suddenly, as if astonished at the compassion that +had been stirred up in him, it seemed to have surprised himself. But +Jacob in the excess of his emotion clapsed the strangers' hand +convulsively and pressed it to his lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, what good you do me," he cried; "how you drop balm into my +irremediable wounds! For years no one has spoken to me thus; God bless +you for it!" "You see, Jacob," said the student preparing to depart, "I +have obeyed your request and have done you such service as I could.--It +is now my turn to ask a favour of you.--No one comes to see you, you +are often alone, suffer me occasionally to visit you and study the +Talmud here. Perhaps I may be able to banish the evil spirit that at +times seizes you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, a wicked, wicked spirit, you are right.--Yes, you with your +beautiful eyes you do me good.--Ah, once I too was as you are, tall, +handsome, strong. When I gaze on you, I call to remembrance my own +happy youth, my brother's! Yes, come to me often, often."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That I will, and now farewell."</p> + +<p class="normal">"God bless you."</p> + +<p class="normal">The student stepped out of the house; then stood lost in thought. "I +shall consider the chance a fortunate one," he softly said, "that led +to my encounter with this madman; he may be useful to me, may put me +upon the right track in my sublime chace. But it is inexplicable to me! +I thought that I had quenched all compassion, all pity in my soul, and +lo! this old man wakens feelings in me, that I would have banished for +ever from my soul. Every one rejects him, and I, I who bear so bitter, +so deadly a hatred against all those that hang on Bible texts, I let +him immediately, before I saw my advantage therefrom, gain his end and +placed myself at his disposal. Alas, in spite of the maddest hatred, +the most raging fury, there is still too much of the good old Jew left +in me. I must become very different."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>II.</h2> + +<p class="normal">Reb Schlome Sachs, superior attendant in the old synagogue, had on +Friday evening just returned home from this synagogue. In his house and +in his heart there ruled a Sabbath-peace. There is something very +pleasurable in a small room on such a winter Friday evening! A large +black stove radiated a pleasant warmth, whilst in the middle of the +room a pendant lamp of eight branches, spread abroad a subdued, ruddy, +but yet friendly light. On the oblong table lay a clean white cloth, +under it again might be seen yet another particoloured covering, from +the corners of which tassels were hanging and served as a cheerful +pastime for a lively cat. But the loveliest ornament of the room was +without a doubt the housewife Schöndel, a blooming graceful woman of +about thirty. As she, in her elegant Sabbath-attire, the rich clusters +of her dark hair becomingly covered by a richly worked cap, in her +pretty, close fitting neatly made gown, fastened high up on the neck, +stepped to meet her husband, and took off his cloak and cap, as they +both of them joyously wished one another a happy Sabbath, as in their +features a pure and childlike joyfulness of soul, a deep and blessed +peace of mind mirrored itself--then surely would neither of them have +exchanged their lot for that of kings or princes.</p> + +<p class="normal">The master sang the Psalm of the day, and as he ended, enquired, "was +Reb Gabriel not yet come home."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, he wished to go to-day to the old New-synagogue which he has not +yet seen."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, then he will return later; we in the old synagogue only repeat the +Friday-Psalm once and have no 'benediction.'--How do you like our new +tenant that Cobbler Abraham brought us?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, I like him very well, a handsome man of refined habits and +demeanour; not at all like a Talmud-student; they think of nothing but +their themes and disputations; but Reb Gabriel converses well and +gracefully. He must be of a good and wealthy family; his deportment too +is very different to that of the others, so bolt upright and so stiff, +you know, just as if he was a soldier; but he is not so devout as the +others."</p> + +<p class="normal">"He has a profound knowledge of the Talmud, as in the course of this +very day I became aware, and I'm glad of that--you know I take no rent +from our lodger, only make a point of having a god-fearing sound +Talmudist in the house; but tell me, dear wife, what makes you think +that he holds himself like a soldier?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nay, because they hold themselves straight and upright. What is there +remarkable in that."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing, nothing,--but I have not yet told you; yesterday evening, +when I came home from the midnight-prayer-meeting, just as I was going +to unlock the door of our cottage--I always take the key with me that I +may not be obliged to wake you--I heard a loud voice in our lodger's +room; I listened a moment.--It was not the way, in which one studies +the Talmud--he seemed to be addressing one or more persons, but what he +said had such a strange ring about it, I could not at first clearly +make it out, especially as according to the tenor of his words he at +one moment muttered softly, at another cried loud out--the wind +moreover whistled loud through the passage; but my ear soon grew +accustomed to the sound, and I heard him plainly say: 'Man, we are +both lost--both of us, you and I--they will betray us to the +Imperialists--they will deliver us to our deadliest enemy,' afterwards +he cried out again suddenly--'they shall not surprise us! we are armed, +march, halt! fire! storm! no quarter--they give none, level everything. +Ah, ah, blood, blood! that refreshes the soul. The victory is mine! mine +the blood stained laurel wreath, I am victor,--I victor. Ah me, it +avails nothing, I am still a ----' the last words died lightly away. +After some minutes all was again still in the room, and I heard the +measured breathing of his mighty breast. This is the first opportunity +that I have had of telling you about it, for Friday, as you know, I am +entirely occupied by my duty in the synagogue,--I might, perhaps, have +forgotten it, had not you remarked upon his military aspect."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am not at all surprised that he has such dreams," replied Schöndel, +"his mind is always full of such wonderful things.--This morning, when +I wanted to fetch for you your Sabbath clothes out of the chest, that +he lets us leave in his room, getting no answer to my knock, I lifted +up the latch, to assure myself that he was out; but the door came open +and Gabriel, his head resting on both hands, was gazing with fixed +attention--not on a folio, but a roll of coloured paper on which he was +drawing different lines with a pen. When I got nearer, I made out that +it was a map. I asked him in astonishment what that meant, and he told +me that as he travelled from Germany to Prague, he had in the course of +his journey encountered the Bohemian and Imperial armies, and that to +amuse himself he was now looking where they were--then he pointed out +to me the exact spot, where the brave Field-Marshal Mannsfield was, +where the Elector Maximilian, and Generals Tilly and Boucquoi lay with +their troops, then he showed me how badly Christian of Anhalt, +Frederick's General-in-chief, was supporting the operations of the +brave Ernest of Mannsfield, and how that the troops of the union in +spite of their bravery and gallant leader must succumb, so long as +Anhalt, incapable, or as he expressed himself, perhaps won over by the +Imperialists remained at the head of the army: all this he explained to +me so clearly, and distinctly, that even I, a foolish woman, could +quite easily see the force of it.--'How do you come to have such a +clear perception of all that,' I enquired, 'of all the students of the +present School not one would understand so much about these things as +you--you'd make a good officer.' 'Nay, who knows,' he laughingly +answered, 'if some day I do not get a good Rabbinate, I may still +become a soldier.' The whole occurrence struck me as so strange, that +it haunted me the whole day; I cannot help smiling when I think of it. +In the middle of the day, about three hours afterwards, as I crossed +over to the 'Kleinseite' to buy some wax tapers, I saw two superior +officers riding over the bridge, one I happened to know, the young +Thurn--every child here knows him; but as to the other, a captain, who +rode a perfectly black horse, he seemed to me as like our lodger +Gabriel, as one twin-brother is to the other, and as they both turned +the corner into the 'Kleinseite,' this captain caught sight of me and +gave me such a friendly unconstrained look, as if he would greet me. +But all this was a pure deception, the whole resemblance may have been +a slight and casual one, and Gabriel's strange conversation of which my +thoughts were still full, may have probably been the cause of my +exaggerating the likeness--and that officers turn round to stare at +young women, is certainly no new occurrence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Trust me," answered Schlome, "Gabriel is no captain. The students of +the School at Prague are not the stuff out of which kings, or states +would fashion heroes. I do not say that they would not make as good as +others.--The Maccabees fought as bravely as a Thurn, a Boucquoi, a +Mannsfield, and even more bravely,--but so long as the Lord of Hosts in +his lofty wisdom does not entirely turn the hearts of the princes and +peoples among whom we live, we must accept oppression, contumely, +scorn, and all else that Providence has ordained for us. Do you not +know, that for some years the fencing-masters here in Prague have +been forbidden to teach the Jews the noble art of fencing? But, dear +wife, this is no pleasant subject of conversation for a joyful +Friday-evening."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are ungrateful! Do we not now live quietly under the protection of +the laws? Look back to the dark and horrible times of yore."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"To-day let us conjure up no sad memories, let us not disturb a joyous +Sabbath peace," implored Schlome, "let us speak of something else, of +what you will. You say our lodger is not as devout as other students?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, he is not so industrious, does not often attend a lecture on the +Talmud, even in the few days that he has been here has often neglected +to attend at synagogue; besides he never kisses the scroll on the door +as he goes in and out."</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlome was about to answer, but was prevented by the hurried entrance +of Gabriel, who by an actual omission confirmed the assertion that had +just been made.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A happy Sabbath to you; excuse my late return. I was in the old +New-synagogue, an awe striking synagogue! We hear much of this +synagogue in my country. It is certainly one of the most ancient Judaic +buildings in Europe, if we except the house of God at Worms, perhaps, +the most ancient;--but tell me, good man, are all the stories, that +they tell us in the schools of Germany, especially towards midnight, +about this edifice and which have often caused me a thrill of pleasant +ghostly horror, true?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"The child-like temper of the people," replied the goodman, "delight in +the unwonted and strange, and then many stories are told, that in +reality may have happened very differently."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but there is much truth in it," interposed the good wife; "ah, +this community of Prague has in the course of time met with so much +sorrow, has suffered such endless anguish, and yet God--blessed be his +name--has so wonderfully supported it, that even now it shines forth a +brilliant example to its sisters in Germany. Whenever I pass that +ancient and reverend house of God, pictures of the days that are gone +come back upon me. Do you know the history of how our brethren in the +faith were once ruthlessly slaughtered in the old New-synagogue?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Schöndel was obliged to repeat this question; Gabriel seemed suddenly +lost in deep reflection. "No," said he, at length arousing himself from +his reveries, as though his spirit was for away;--"tell it, noble lady! +Everything sounds doubly beautiful from your rosy lips."--</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlome shook his head in thoughtful astonishment over this manner of +speaking, so different from that usual with Talmud-students.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reb Gabriel! you talk like a knight to a lady of rank. Do not forget +that you are a student of the Talmud, and my wife the wife of a +servant."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You must not talk as if you wished to mock us," said Schöndel, and a +deep flush suffused her face; "or I cannot"--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, the story, good wife! mind not my talk. I am at times absent, and +often far off in imagination."</p> + +<p class="normal">"High on horseback in the battle, is it not so?" asked Schöndel slily.</p> + +<p class="normal">The face of the student became a deep dark red. He required a moment to +recover command of himself. "What do you mean by that?" he impetuously +demanded.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Women are gossiping, as you know from the Talmud and surely from your +own experience also," said Schlome. "I was just telling my wife, as we +waited for you, that yesterday when I returned from midnight prayer, as +I passed by the door of your room, I could hear you call out loud in +your sleep, and that you appeared to be dreaming of a battle or +something of that kind.--We thought the dream a strange one for a +student."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah," said Gabriel, drawing a deep breath, and visibly relieved--"ah, +you thought so? Well, I do sometimes dream heavily of battles.--But do +you know, how that happens? I was too industrious as a student--studied +the Talmud day and night; but a man cannot endure too much work, and as +my ambition compelled me to unbroken exertion, it fell out, that my +mind became confused, I became subject to delusions and fancied myself, +a knight, a warrior--but I am now thanks to a clever physician and +rest of body and mind, perfectly well again, perfectly! Do not be +anxious!--But as on my journey here I encountered many troops of +soldiers, my mind may again in sleep have been terrified by gloomy +visions: for although I am now quite well, yet still, if I have shortly +before been excited about anything, unpleasant dreams are wont to pain +me; but they are only dreams; and it seldom happens, so I beg you to +pay no attention if I do again talk such strange stuff in my sleep."</p> + +<p class="normal">It was an age, when the study of the Talmud afforded almost the only +outlet for spiritual activity. It was no uncommon event for a student, +especially if he combined an ascetic life with hard study, to unhinge +his mind by what is called over-study. It was known too, that mental +derangements which had been caused in that way, could be healed by +sensible treatment, rest of body and mind, just as Gabriel had stated, +and the husband and wife themselves knew more than one student, who had +been affected just in the same way as their lodger, and like him too +had recovered. They had no reason, therefore, for doubting Gabriel's +open confession, and even the obvious embarrassment, that he had +evinced at the quick retort of the good-wife seemed entirely justified +by the really unpleasant and affecting confession that had been wrung +from him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Poor young man," thus Schöndel broke the long pause that intervened +and began to be uncomfortable. "Thank God,--praised be he +therefore!--that he hath helped you, and be right glad. Now I too +understand, wherefore you took such warm sympathy in the old Jacob, and +immediately granted his request."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, that was not the reason," said Gabriel earnestly, and +reflectively, as if in fact he too participated in Schöndel's wonder, +and could find within himself no sufficient explanation of his +behaviour at that time--"but please, let us leave this subject, and +talk of something else.--You were going to tell me, how once on a +time."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," cried Schöndel, glad to be able to give another direction +to the conversation; "listen: It must be now more than two hundred +years ago,--Wenceslaus the <i>Slothful</i> was ruler of the country--when it +fell out that a knight was inflamed with a hot lust for a Jewish +maiden. She rejected his shameful proposals with virtuous indignation. +Cunning and seductive arts were shattered against the maiden's +steadfast determination. The knight, therefore, resolved to attain his +warmly coveted aim by violence. The day of the feast of the atonement +seemed to him the best suited for the accomplishment of his ruthless +plan. He knew, that Judith--so the maiden was named--would on that day +stay at home alone with her blind mother, while all the rest were +detained by prayer and devout exercises in the house of God. On the +evening of that day--Judith was softly praying by the bed-side of her +slumbering mother--the door of her chamber opened, and her detested +persecutor entered with sparkling eager look. Unmoved by the prayers, +the tears of Judith, he already held her fast embraced in his powerful +arms when a lucky chance brought home her brother to enquire after the +health of his mother and sister. The terrible unutterable wrath that +took possession of him, gave the man, naturally powerful, the strength +of a giant. He wrenched his arms from the villain, who had only the +women to thank, that he did not by the forfeit of his life pay for the +attempted infamy. With kicks and grim mockery the outraged brother +expelled the dissolute fellow from the house. The knight given over to +the scorn of the people who had assembled in considerable numbers, +swore a bloody deadly revenge against the Jews. He kept his word--Reb +Gabriel! for God's sake! what is the matter with you?" suddenly the +narrator interrupted herself; "are you unwell?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel, who had listened to the housewife, with ever growing +attention, was in fact at this moment a sight to look upon, his +features had become as pale as ashes and twitched convulsively, his +large and glassy eyes were fixed immoveably on one spot, as though he +saw a ghost.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What ails you?" cried Schlome, shaking his lodger with all his force, +"recover yourself."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel's lips closed more than once with a quiver, without being able +to give forth an intelligible sound; at length he passed his hand +across his forehead that was covered with a cold sweat, and said with a +powerful effort at self-command, and as if awaking from a dream: "That +was in the days of King Wenceslaus, was it not? two hundred years +ago,--a blind mother--a beautiful daughter--and the day of +reconciliation was it?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank God, that you are well again, you must have had a sudden +giddiness."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," said Gabriel, faint and enfeebled, "I felt very unwell for a +moment, very unwell--but I am better again. Go on with your story, dear +lady, I pray you, go on with it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Complying with his urgent request, Schöndel continued: "Long ago +expelled from the ranks of the nobility on account of his worthless +behaviour, the knight had cultivated a connection with some +discontented idle burghers of the city, and these he hoped to make the +ministers of his cruel vengeance. Some short time afterward he put +himself at the head of a mob rendered fanatical under frivolous +pretexts to murder and plunder in the Jews-town. The first, who, +frightened out of their peaceful dwellings, went to meet the robbers, +were cut down. Determined men endeavoured to oppose a monstrously +superior force. Vain effort. Without arms, they saw themselves after an +heroic opposition compelled to take refuge in the old New-synagogue +already filled with old men, women, and children. Mighty blows sounded +heavily on the closed doors of the synagogue. 'Open and give yourselves +up,' yelled the knight from outside. After a short pause of +consultation answer was made, that the Jews would deliver their +property over to the mutineers, would draw up a deed of gift of it, and +only keep back for themselves absolute necessaries; they also promised +to make no complaint to king or states, in exchange for which, the +honour of their wives and daughters was to be preserved, and no one +compelled to change his religion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'It is not your business,' a voice from outside again resounded, 'it +is ours to dictate conditions.--Do you desire life and not a wretched +death, then open and at once abjure your faith. I grant but short delay +for reflection; if that fruitlessly elapses, you are one and all given +over to death!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"No answer followed. Farther resistance could not be thought of, and +hope that the king would at length put a stop to this unheard of, +unparalleled iniquity, grew every moment less. The battle in the +street--if the desperate resistance of a few unarmed men against an +armed superior force could be called by that name--had lasted so long; +that King Wenceslaus might have easily sent assistance; but none came. +They were at length constrained to admit, that he did not trouble +himself about the fate of the Jews. A silence as of death reigned in +the synagogue; only here and there a suppressed sobbing, only here and +there an infant at the breast, that reminded its mother of her sweetest +duty, was heard. Once more the voice of the knight thundered rough and +wild: 'I demand of you for the last time, whether do you choose: the +new faith or death?' There was a momentary silence, then broke a cry of +thousands 'Death' with a dull sound against the roof of the house that +was consecrated to God.--The insurgents now began to demolish the doors +with axes and hatchets. But the besieged in their deadly agony lifted +up their voice in wonderful accord, and sang in solemn chorus the +glorious verse of the Psalmist:</p> + +<div class="poem2"> +<p class="t0" style="text-indent:-6px"> +'Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death<br> +I will not fear the crafty wiliness of the evil-doer<br> +For thou art with me! Thou art in all my ways:<br> +The firm staff of faith is my confidence!'</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">"The aged Rabbi had sunk upon his knees in prayer upon the steps that +led up to the tabernacle. 'Lord,' he implored, 'I suffer infinite +sorrow, yet, oh that we might fall into the hands of the Lord, for his +mercy is boundless.--Only not into the hand of man! Ah, we know not +what to do; to Thee alone we look for succour! Call to remembrance Thy +mercy and gracious favour, that has been ever of old. In anger be +mindful of compassion! Let Thy goodness be showed unto us, as we do put +our trust in Thee!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"But God at this season did not succour his children, in his +unsearchable counsels it was otherwise ordered. The first door was +burst open, the mob pressed into the vestibule of God's house, a single +frail door separated oppressed and oppressors.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Lord,' cried the Rabbi in accents of deepest despair, 'Lord, grant +that the walls of this house in which we and our fathers with songs of +praise have glorified and blessed Thy name--that the walls of this +temple of God may fall together, and that we may find a grave under its +ruins! But let us not fall alive into the hands of the barbarians, let +not our wives and maidens become a living prey to the wicked.' 'No,' +now exclaimed a powerful voice, 'that shall they not, Rabbi!--Wives and +maidens; do you prefer death at the hand of your fathers, husbands, +brothers, death at your own hands to shame and dishonour? Would you +appear pure and innocent before the throne of the Almighty instead of +falling living victims into the hands of those blood-thirsty inhuman +men outside.--Would you? Speak, time presses,' and again resounded from +a hundred women's lips 'Rather death than dishonour!'--</p> + +<p class="normal">"His lovely blooming wife pressed up close to the side of the man who +had thus spoken, her baby at her breast: 'Let me be the first, let me +receive my death from thy loved hands,' she murmured softly. With the +deepest emotion of which a human soul is capable he clapsed her to his +breast. 'It must be done quickly,' he said with hollow trembling voice. +'The separation must be speedy, I never thought to part from you thus! +Lord, Most Merciful, forgive us, we do it for Thy holy name's sake +alone! Art thou ready?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I am,' she said, 'let me only once more, but once more, for the last +time kiss my sweet, my innocent child--God bless thee, poor orphan, God +suffer thee to find compassion in the eyes of our murderers.... God +help thee! We, dear friend, we part but for a short time, thou wilt +follow me soon, thou true-hearted!'--</p> + +<p class="normal">"With the most infinite sorrow that can thrill a human breast, the +husband pressed a fervent parting kiss, and a last touch of the hand +upon the loved infant that absolutely refused to leave its mother, and +the bared and heaving breast.--One stroke of the knife, and a jet of +blood sprinkled the child's face and spouted up against the walls of +the house of God.--The woman sank, with a cry of 'Hear, o Israel, the +Everlasting our God is God alone' and fell lifeless on her knees.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"All the other women, including Judith, followed the heroically +courageous example. Many died by their own hands, many received the +death-stroke from their husbands, fathers, brothers, but all of them +without a murmur, silent and resigned to God's will. They had to tear +away tender children, who weeping and wringing their hands climbed on +to their father's knees, and piteously implored them, not to hurt their +mother--it was a scene, horrible and heart-rending, a scene than which +the history of the Jews, the history of mankind knows none more +agonising. It was accomplished! No woman might fall alive into the +hands of the persecutors, the last death-sigh was breathed, and the few +stout men, who had desired only so long to defend the inner door, +stepped backward. A fearful blow, and the door, the last bulwark, fell +in, sending clouds of dust whirling over it. The knight, brandished +battle-axe in hand, stood on the steps that led up into the house of +prayer, his countenance disfigured by wrath, behind him crowded an +immeasurable mass of people armed with spits and clubs and iron flails. +'Yield your women and children,' he shouted in a voice of thunder, at +length betraying his real intention--'and abjure your faith!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Look at these blood-dripping steaming corpses,' said a man who stood +nearest the door, 'they are women and maidens, they have all preferred +death to dishonour.--Do you think that we men fear death at thy hands +and the hands of thy murderous associates? Murder me, monster, and be +accursed, here and hereafter, in this world and the next, for ever and +ever!'--a moment afterwards the bold speaker lay on the ground +weltering in his blood. At sight of the countless corpses of the women +the beastly rage of the populace, that saw itself cheated of the +fairest portion of its booty, mounted to absolute madness. Hyenas drunk +with blood would have behaved with greater humanity. Not a life was +spared, and even infants were slaughtered over the bodies of their +mothers. Blood flowed in streams. One boy alone was later on dragged +still living from under the heaps of dead. As they approached the +tabernacle, in order to inflict the death-stroke on the Rabbi, who +knelt on the steps before it, they found him lifeless, his head turned +upwards towards the East, a soft smile upon his death-like features. +Death had anticipated them; his pure soul had exhaled in fervent +prayer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The mob surveyed the work that had been accomplished, and now that the +thirst for blood was stilled, shrunk in terror before the bloody horror +that had been perpetrated.--The tabernacle remained untouched, the +house of God unplundered. Discharging oaths and curses at the knight, +their ringleader, the wild troop dispersed in apprehensive fright of +the divine and human judge. But King Wenceslaus left the iniquity, in +spite of the most urgent representations of the Bohemian nobility, +unvisited and unpunished. But from that day his good angel left him. +The spirit of those helpless murdered ones seemed continually to hover +about his head. His reign became unfortunate. The nobility felt itself +deeply injured by this outrage upon justice. A series of interminable +disputes sprung up between the nobles and populace, and Wenceslaus who +went on from one cruelty to another was twice imprisoned by the states, +and died at length, probably of the trouble and anxiety cause by a +bloody revolt of the Hussites that had broken out shortly before his +death. To his life's end he never recovered either happiness on +confidence.--The knight too, the author of that foul deed, who +afterwards marched through the country, burning, robbing and murdering +was overtaken by a righteous punishment. The Archbishop of Prague ten +years later, at the time of the second captivity of Wenceslaus, hanged +him up with fifty other robbers in sight of the city of Prague.--His +name was forgotten."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a wonderful narrator," thus Gabriel broke the silence that had +lasted for some time, after Schöndel had ended her story: "I could +listen to you by the hour."</p> + +<p class="normal">Indeed he had been especially struck by the impassioned elevation of +her language, and the choiceness of her expressions so little in +accordance with her position in life.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Excuse a question," he began again after a short pause. "I feel myself +for the first time really at home, when I am intimately acquainted with +those about me. A happy chance led me to your house, a house than which +I could not wish or find a better--but you will not be offended with my +frankness. I am surprised to find such remarkably easy circumstances in +the house of a servant, and still more in you, dear goodwife, such an +unusually high degree of cultivation.--Perhaps, you will explain this +to me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh yes," replied the goodman, "but at table, it is late and we will +sup."</p> + +<p class="normal">The three took their seats and an old maidservant came in. The goodman +said a blessing over a flagon of wine, they washed their hands, and +after grace had been said over two cakes of white bread that had up to +that moment been covered by a velvet cloth, the maid-servant placed the +smoking dishes on the table. The two men set too with a will.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know, Reb Gabriel," began Schlome, "where two are sitting and the +word of God is not between them so may I ask you to impart to me some +of the results of your religious researches."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Researches," said Gabriel slowly, "I will try"--and passing his hands +slowly over his forehead, and rubbing his eyes as though he would force +back all other thoughts, and conjure up recollections long left in the +background, he began a very ingenious dissertation upon the Talmud. At +first measured and thoughtful as though moving on strange and slippery +ground, he became gradually more confident and at home, and expressed +himself as he warmed with that oriental vivacity, that gives to these +studies a singular attraction. He displayed unusual knowledge. All that +he said, was so acutely considered and well-balanced, that he easily +repelled the objections that Reb Schlome here and there attempted to +interpose. He, in spite of his ripe knowledge of the Talmud and his +practised dexterity soon saw the futility of every disputation and +listened to the student in almost reverential silence to the end. "That +is a glorious dissertation," he said, when Gabriel left off speaking, +"and our assessor of the college of Rabbis, Reb. Lippman Heller will be +delighted to have got such a scholar. But you do not often attend his +lectures?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have as yet had a good deal to arrange after my journey and cannot +attend the lecture as often as I could wish; but now, dear sir, as we +have already had our discourse on the Talmud, tell me, how it happens +that you are so prosperous and yet a servant, how it comes to pass that +your wife has attained to such a high degree of culture, as one so +seldom finds in a Jew, especially a woman, on account of the oppression +that the Jews, in spite of much even if slow progress, have still to +endure. Explain this to me, unless special reasons impose silence upon +you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlome, who had already enjoyed the thought of proving to his +guest that he too had profitably devoted himself to Talmudic studies, +was obliged to put it off to another opportunity and yield to the +earnestly expressed wish of his guest. "I am now much pleased with you, +Reb Gabriel, and as I feel more and more convinced that you are a +genuine scholar, a certain feeling of distrust--I may now confess it +openly--that sometimes came over me with respect to you, is +disappearing, and I am heartily rejoiced at these your frank +expressions.--So listen: I am the son of Reb Carpel Sachs--may the +memory of the just be blessed.--My father was a very rich and pious man +and made the best use of his fortune. The Community, whose chief +overseer, and the Old-synagogue, whose ruler he was, have much to be +thankful to him for. I was his only child and was the more precious to +my father, as in me the memory of my early lost mother survived to him. +His affectionate care for me knew no bounds. I never dared to go out +alone, I never dared to leave him even for a moment, and all my tutors +were obliged to give me their lessons in his presence. As overseer of +the community frequently brought into relation with the leading men of +other religions, he saw the necessity of a Jew, devoting himself to the +assiduous study of universal sciences as well as to more strictly +religious studies, that the Jewish nation might stand worthily by the +side of the whole race of mankind as opposed to the Judaic alone. In +spite of his many occupations he was often with the worthy Löwe, and +the partner of his varied studies. I myself very early received +instruction in the learned languages and natural science, without on +that account at all neglecting the study of our holy scripture. It was +on a lovely winter morning, I, a little boy, was sitting by my father +in his study reading the Bible. The servant announced a man, who +urgently desired to see my father, and almost immediately he entered +the room carrying a little girl in his arms. I shall never forget the +scene, even this day it rises up before me clear and lifelike.--The man +was large and strongly built, but deep lines of sorrow and trouble were +stamped upon his earnest noble features. The child, that with anxious +tenderness he still held in his arms, was a lovely blooming little +girl; I need not farther describe her, picture to yourself my goodwife, +a girl of three year's old. Both were poorly clothed, the stranger wore +the dress of a needy wandering Pole, the little girl seemed +insufficiently protected from the cold by her tattered garments, and +her father--for that the stranger apparently was--warmed her tiny +frozen hands that were fast entwined round his neck with the breath of +his mouth.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I and my child,' said the stranger, 'arrive from a long and difficult +journey. I have come straight to your house, Reb Carpel, I ask that +help from you, that you both can and will afford me. Grant me an hour +of your time, I must speak with you alone.' These few words of the +stranger, and even before they had been spoken, his reverend aspect had +obviously, in spite of the meanness of his dress, made a favourable +impression upon my father. He rose from his seat, held out his hand to +his visitor in sign of welcome, and placed a chair by the stove in +which an hospitable fire was burning. My father bid me take the little +girl with me to my room, and let the servant give her some supper. +Schöndel looked at her father, and when he put her down, and told her +she might, took hold of my hand with a confiding smile and went with +me, I do not know what passed in secret between the two men, but when +two hours later my father opened the door of his apartment, I heard him +say aloud: 'Since you will neither be our counsellor nor assessor, nor +Klaus Rabbi, I consider it a special Providence, that just at this very +moment the post of upper-attendant in the Old-synagogue is vacant, that +that exactly meets your wishes, that I can have a decisive word in +arranging your appointment. I believe that I am sure of the consent of +my associates. I will see besides that that respect, Rabbi, which is +your due, is paid to you by all the servants and the congregation, with +whom in truth you will not be brought into contact. You will be able to +live in the manner you wish, unknown, cut off from all society, devoted +to your studies. I look upon it as a piece of good fortune, Rabbi, that +you have granted my request, and consent to initiate my boy in the +depths of our holy Scripture.' 'I thank thee, Reb Carpel, but call me +not Rabbi, call me Mosche as....' He saw me and stopped.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was astounded at the almost reverential behaviour of my father. The +first person in the community, he well knew how to keep up his dignity +on all occasions, and it could only be a very distinguished individual +indeed, who could be gladdened by such treatment.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Schlome, kiss the Rabbi's hand, from to-day he will undertake the +care of your education,' said my father. I lifted his hand respectfully +to my lips and from that time Reb Mosche seemed to me a being of a +superior nature. My father let him immediately into occupation of a +house close to the synagogue, the residence of the upper-attendant for +the time being, the very rooms in which we are now living, and the next +Saturday, after a long parley with the other overseers of the +synagogue, it was announced to the frequenters of the Old-synagogue, +that a stranger, for whom Reb Carpel Sachs answered in every respect, +had been appointed upper-attendant. Here then my step-father lived, +here it was that I as little boy came to make my first essay in the +study of the Talmud, here we closed his wearied eyes. Rabbi Mosche was +a wonderful man, all that, he said and did evinced the profoundest +religious feeling. He lived retired from all society and the only +visits that he received were from the high Rabbi Löwe and my father. +His expositions were clear and easy to be understood, and my rapt +attention, and firm determination to win his approbation came +excellently to the aid of my lessons. The man usually so reserved, soon +shared his love between his only child, whom he almost idolised, and +me. My father too loved with an infinite love the stranger's motherless +child. We children clung to one another with extraordinary tenderness, +a feeling, that, God be praised and thanked, has never been +extinguished in our hearts. When I received nay lessons from her +revered father, Schöndel would sit by me by the hour and listen, and +even when I was occupied by other studies, the dear little maid was my +constant companion. To this circumstance and to the remarkable industry +and talents of my wife you must ascribe the fact, that in a menial +position she surpasses in knowledge and culture many ladies of +rank.--In a word, this confined room was even in my free hours the +place where I loved best to be, I knew no higher enjoyment than to +converse with Rabbi Mosche. I was often allowed to help him in certain +business about the synagogue, and I was the more glad to do so, as it +enabled him to decline the assistance of all the inferior servants that +were under his orders. What a childish pleasure I took on every +Thursday evening at the thought of the coming morning! Friday, I was +always up betimes, no need to wake me--dressed myself and ran down to +Reb Mosche. He was already expecting me, I took his hand and we went +together to the adjoining house of God. To this day a perfectly empty +temple makes a singular, not easily to be described impression upon me, +and when the grating doors opened and our steps echoed loud in the cool +and empty space, it seemed to me as though the blissful breath of God's +peace was upon me. My teacher first opened his desk in the tribune, +then placed candles in the chandeliers, and trimmed the lamp, that ever +burneth, with fresh oil, and I was allowed to follow him carrying the +flask of oil, candles and everything that he usually wanted. All this +was done in the profoundest silence, as if we feared by a word to +dispel the stillness that reigned through the building dedicated to +God's service. When all was duly arranged I sat me down on the steps +that led up to the tabernacle and began to read out of the Bible to my +teacher the portions of Scripture appointed for the week. The earliest +frequenters of the synagogue found us ever busy with our studies in the +Bible. I passed a peaceful and contented youth. The mysterious +obscurity that enveloped my second father,--for so had Reb Mosche +become to me--was only calculated to heighten, if possible, the feeling +of reverence with which he had inspired me and I dared not even wish to +raise this veil that enshrouded him. Neither Schöndel nor I would for +worlds have asked him about his past life, which had of a surety been +fruitful of sorrow to him, and even my father, to whom his secret was +probably known, preserved the most unbroken silence with respect to it. +The mutual relation of the two men was also a singular one. Sometimes +they addressed one another, as though years and years ago they had +known one another as children, and yet my father had never left his +native town, while Reb Mosche on the contrary--Schöndel could just +remember it as in a dream--had come from a very great way off. I myself +with respect to Reb Mosche adopted that demeanour which the Talmud +enjoins in the intercourse of scholar and tutor. I fulfilled his +smallest wishes, and learned to interpret them from his look; and if I +chanced without intending it to vex him by my talk, I was inconsolable +and could have wept by the hour. This, however, seldom happened, and I +can only recollect one instance of it. As we were reading the Psalms we +had come to that passage, 'Behold how good and how pleasant it is for +brethren to dwell together in unity!' and I expressed the childish +wish, that as well as Schöndel whom I regarded as my dear little +sister, I had a brother too. 'My son,' replied Reb Mosche earnestly, +'what God doeth, that is well done! Wherefore dost thou desire a +brother? Brothers do not always love one another, there where love and +friendship should prevail, enmity and strife have often mastery. Cain +slew his brother Abel, Jacob and Esau were brothers, but Esau hated +Jacob. Joseph was sold by his brethren, and the brethren of the +greatest prophet, even the brethren of Moses spoke evil of him.' I +gazed in astonishment at the face of my respected teacher, a bitter +smile played upon his lips, a tear shone in his mild eye.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will not further weary you with the descriptions of my youth,--which +while they fill me with sad remembrances, are probably to you a matter +of indifference. My youth slipped away as happily and as untroubled as +my childhood. I ripened to manhood, Schöndel developed into a most +beautiful young woman. Our infelt mutual attachment was known to both +fathers, and Schöndel's two and twentieth birthday was fixed for our +betrothal.--Eight days before, one Saturday afternoon I was sent for to +the room of my father, where I found my father-in-law also. 'My son,' +he began, with deep emotion, 'I have joyfully consented to your +marriage, I have known you from a child, you are infinitely beloved and +dear to me, and I can now depart in peace from my own loved child +whenever the Lord calls me. But I have a request to make to you, and +your own worthy father adds his prayers to mine. See, Schlome, see, I +have early grown grey with trouble and sorrow, I have been unhappy, and +to-day I must confess it to you with deepest affliction, have learned +to know the iniquity of mankind. We both, thy father and I, are +ignorant when God will send his messenger to us.--Schlome, do not +refuse our request! <i>Remain always attendant in the synagogue</i>." I was +for a moment petrified with astonishment, I had expected anything but +this wish; but it was not for me to pry into the reasons of the strange +petition. My father fully agreed with him, I had nothing to do but +consent.--Eight days afterwards was the wedding. The poor of the +community had liberal alms, every synagogue, every charitable +institution was bountifully remembered, but the marriage-feast was +celebrated quietly and without display. When the two fathers came home +from the wedding, they fell into one another's arms with expressions of +the highest excitement, 'Reb. Carpel! could you have hoped for this +when we separated forty years ago,' asked my father-in-law, 'could we +have expected ever to meet again? and yet the gracious Lord of all +grants us the felicity of uniting our only loved children in the holy +bonds of wedlock.' 'Now, we may die in peace,' replied my father, with +the deepest emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father seemed to have spoken prophetically. In the first year of +our marriage died my never-to-be-forgotten father, shortly afterwards +my father-in-law. Their souls seemed linked to one another by the bonds +of friendship even for the next world, and they rest in adjoining +graves.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'My children,' said Rabbi Mosche, on his deathbed, 'your father, Reb. +Carpel Sachs, has left you a store of this world's goods, I am poor, I +leave you naught but my blessing, my infinite love. In this sealed +packet is the record of my life's history written in the long winter +nights for your benefit. Only after twenty years may you break the +seal, when he that wished to do me evil, is dead, and God will have +already forgiven him. That which was dark to you will then become +clear. My life was dedicated first to God, next to you, and my +boundless love will not expire with my last breath. Have God ever +before your eyes, what he doeth that he doeth well. This world is but +the vestibule of a more beauteous world beyond. Murmur not. Trust in +God! Farewell! God bless you. May the Eternal One let the light of his +countenance shine upon you. May the Everlasting turn his face upon you +and give you peace for evermore! Hear, o Israel, the Everlasting our +God is one God!' that was his last breath, his beautiful soul expired."</p> + +<p class="normal">Reb Schlome was obliged to stop, the recollection had seized him with +overpowering might, his wife too sobbed aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We had suffered two violent blows following quickly one upon the +other," he continued after a long pause with more composure. "The +unutterable grief that filled us can only be measured by one whose +bosom has felt a like affliction, who has stood at the death-bed of a +man, as highly prized and dear to him. We felt as if the whole world +had escaped our grasp, we both were now so solitary and forsaken."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Solitary and forsaken," echoed Gabriel in a heart-rending voice that +quivered with agony, "solitary and forsaken, and yet ye were two, who +hung upon one another with infinite affection."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You too have stood sorrowing, solitary and forsaken, by the bed of a +dying father, a dying mother?" asked Schöndel with infelt sympathy.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, yes," replied Gabriel vehemently, almost screaming. "Yes, yes, I +did once stand by a mother's death-bed, wringing my hands and +despairing! Oh, a very tender mother, virtuous and tender, she loved +me, her only child, with a love that conquered death.--Oh, a good, good +mother, and I was, indeed, <i>solitary and forsaken when she died</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The student spoke these words with wild and passionate bitterness, his +large and brilliant eyes rolled restlessly, a pallor as of death, and a +purple flush covered in rapid succession his face marred, but once so +beautiful.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not let the recollection obtain such mastery over you," implored +Schöndel soothingly, "consider: Perchance you have still a tender +father."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"A tender father? No--yes.--Is it not true, fathers are all tender, +more tender than mothers?--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Neither husband or wife had ever known a mother and kept silence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A father!" repeated Gabriel, with an expression of the most poignant +despair, and as though he would force back the overflowing tide of his +feelings, he pressed his hands violently against his breast; and then +after a short pause recovered himself, wiped the sweat, that had +collected in heavy drops, from his forehead and said with a visible +effort, "Excuse me, my friends, but you know, profound sorrow cannot be +restrained."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your sorrow must still be fresh," remarked Schlome.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Oh, a deep heart-wound is never healed. But enough of this, proceed," +exclaimed Gabriel; "the twenty years have not yet elapsed, and you are +still unacquainted with the affecting fortunes of your father-in-law?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, it is but nine years since he passed into a more beautiful +existence, his life-history still rests unopened in the chest that +stands in your room.--We do not even know the name of his family."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Strange!" said Gabriel; "you too never knew your mother? dear +housewife."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father never alluded to his past history," she replied, "my mother +must have died in my earliest childhood."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Well for you!" cried Gabriel, and as both gazed at him in +astonishment, he continued hurriedly, "Well for you, that you cleave to +your father with the indissoluble link of love, that he still survives +in your memory; may you some day thus survive in the heart of your--but +you have no children?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"God has not blessed our union with children," answered Schöndel, +sadly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What God doeth, is well done! cling fast to that belief," now +interposed Schlome, in quiet and earnest accents. "See, I was once sore +troubled about it; we, my wife and I, have neither brethren, nor +friends--we always lived so retired from all company--and even if we +had friends, the love of a child for its parents can be supplied by +nothing else, nothing can be weighed in the balance with it.... It made +me sad when I thought that if the Lord should call me or my wife to +himself, one of us must be left behind, desolate and forsaken in +bitterest woe.--It made me sad when I thought, that with us would be +entombed the memory of my father and father-in-law, that with me the +long web would be broken, that humanity was ever destined to weave +since the world's creation.--But consoling encouraging thoughts in time +germinated in my heart. 'Murmur not! this world is but a vestibule of +the next,' had my father said, and says not also the prophet? 'Oh, let +not the childless lament, I am as grass that withereth!--Thus saith the +Lord to them that are childless, they that observe my feast-days, and +choose that which pleaseth me and hold fast to my covenant. Even unto +them will I give in my house and within my walls a place, and a name +better than of sons and of daughters. I will give them an everlasting +name that shall not be cut off.' I bow to the decree of the Allwise, +what he doeth is well done--I live happy in the performance of my +duties, for the future, One that is above will provide--if, hereafter, +my soulless body be lowered by strangers into the vault, my spirit will +mount upwards to God!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlome spoke with honest warmth, this was no pleasant self-deception, +it was his clear, mature, and veritable intuition. When he had ended, a +pause ensued. The oil-lamps began to go out one by one, and Schöndel +remarked, that grace had not yet been said. A quarter of an hour +afterwards Gabriel took his leave and retired to his room. Here the +careful housewife even before the break of the Sabbath had lit a +well-filled lamp, that still burned clear. Gabriel shut the door +rapidly and tossing off cloak and cap, cried with gnashing teeth and +fists spasmodically clenched, "Tear pitilessly at the ever bleeding +wounds of my heart, keen was your aim and sure the blow, you could not +have rent my raging soul with a pang of greater anguish! Did you gaze +into the secrets of my breast? Is a Cain's sign imprinted on my +forehead, that every one at his will may read upon it my ignominious +past? As this woman with flashing eyes spoke to me of that day of +atonement, of that knight, of that Jewish maiden and her blind +mother--and how they cast him forth with mockery and scorn--did +it not seem as if she would have unfolded before me a detested period +of my own life? And when she looked at me and asked if I had ever +stood solitary and forsaken by the death-bed of a mother? If I had +yet a tender father? that was no chance, that cannot have been a +chance.--Chance can decide battles. Chance can let me fall alive into +the hands of the Imperialists--but that is no chance, that is a +presentiment, a dark impulse, an instinct, to hate me, to mortify me. +But you are right, I hate you too, with the most unbridled strength of +a sore, provoked tiger--revenge, to revenge myself, that is now the +only thought that keeps me alive.--I must find the woman, the <i>woman</i>, +that might have saved me as I hovered on the brink of a bottomless +abyss--and that let me be dashed to pieces--I must find her, she cannot +escape me--she is here in Prague, shut up within the gates of the +Ghetto! Oh, how I gloat upon a sweet revenge--to take sweet and fearful +vengeance, and then to perish for ever.--But what if I should die +first, if the trumpet summoned me to battle, if I perished on the +field,--if the outlaw fell alive into the hands of the Imperialists! +No, no, that cannot be or--there is in sooth a God."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel paced his chamber impetuously--visions of the past filling +him with the most torturing recollections, passed over his soul.--To +die? He said at length suddenly stopping, "I fear not death, I have +looked it in the face motionless and unconcerned in the whirl of +battle, but before I die, oh, that I might find him, whom I have sought +for ten long years, whom I might, perhaps, even yet embrace in these +arms.--Thou, whom men call all-mighty and all-merciful," he suddenly +cried, opening the window and lifting his gaze to the starry heaven, +"Thou! give me my father, give me him though it be at my life's +last breath--let him rest one moment, and may it be my last, on my +breast--and I will acknowledge Thee, and I will bend my proud spirit +even in death before Thee! But where to seek him, where to find him! I +am sure of nothing, am sure of nothing but that I hate them all with a +nameless hatred, and have good reason to hate them!"--</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>III.</h2> + +<p class="normal">On Saturday Gabriel had gone to early prayers with his landlord in the +Old-synagogue. The service had lasted till near mid-day. Reb Schlome +had then paid a visit to the chief Rabbi. At the midday meal, which was +shared by two guests, they met again.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How were you pleased with us in the old synagogue?" asked Reb Schlome.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is a beautiful building, quiet and order prevails among you. I must +express my thanks to you, I know I am only endebted to you for it, that +I, a stranger student, was called upon to expound, an honour that this +Saturday was only conceded to distinguished persons.... I obtained the +names of all who were called upon to expound, they were universally men +of weight and character, but with regard to the last, who was called +upon just before me, no one would or could give me precise information, +though all seemed to know him."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will explain that to you," said Schlome; "that man is a member of +the well-known family of Nadler, a family that, even now I scarcely +dare to say so, fifty years ago in spite of their wealth and prosperity +was shunned by everyone. People would not associate with them. No one +would marry their daughters, no one would converse with them, every one +kept away from them in the houses of prayer; they could obtain no +tenants; the very poor despised the alms which they would have lavished +in abundant measure. You can easily divine the cause,--there rested on +the grandfather of this unhappy family the weight of a suspicion which +afterwards proved to be groundless, that he was one of those who cannot +be received in the congregation of the Lord. The family suffered +fearfully under this foregone conclusion. It was that great thinker, +the high Rabbi Löw, who first devised a means of once for all +dispelling the clouds of obloquy, in that he--it is this very Saturday +exactly six-and-thirty years ago--in a lecture, with the approval of +the ten chief personages of the then community, uttered a solemn curse +against all those who should dare any longer to injure the reputation +of the family, to speak evil of the dead, or to apply the name of +Nadler as a contumelious epithet to any one in the Jewish community. +From that day no one ventured to withdraw himself from intercourse with +them, and all the more honour was shown to them that they consumed +their wealth for the benefit of the poor and afflicted, lived strictly +in accordance with the Law, and moreover people wished to make them +forget the humiliation and injustice of many a long year. On this +account people do not like to talk about them, and avoid everything +that might lead to further explanations about this family."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel had listened in silence with the deepest sympathy. "See, +Schöndel," Reb Schlome suddenly exclaimed, "I notice a very remarkable +resemblance between Reb Gabriel and you, a resemblance, about which I +yesterday by lamplight thought that I had been deceiving myself. In the +middle of his forehead too a fiery spot is wont at times to gather."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is strange," said Gabriel earnestly and thoughtfully.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Not so strange as you believe," struck in one of the guests, "it is a +not uncommon appearance I have heard of one of the Imperialist officers +who has a mark on his forehead, I think two crossed swords--probably +your mother, when she carried you under her heart, saw a sudden +conflagration, or is it an inherited family-mark; had your father also +such a mark on his forehead?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel had listened to the guest attentively, he gave no answer, but +the red stripe of flame on his forehead became more conspicuous and +clearly marked than before. "I myself," said the other guest by way of +confirmation, "some years ago when I studied at the school in Mainz, +knew a madman, named Jacob, and in his case too as soon as he became +excited just such another mark made its appearance in the centre of his +forehead; probably the concurring circumstances were the same with each +of you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Moreover," added the guest, after a short consideration, "I fancy that +I have seen that same madman in this very place."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are not mistaken," said Schöndel, "the mad Jacob is here in +Prague, and our lodger Reb Gabriel can if he likes give us some news +about him, for he has taken a great fancy to him, and often passes +whole days with him without coming home or visiting the lecture-rooms."</p> + +<p class="normal">It seemed for an instant as if Gabriel would have contradicted the +goodwife, but he quickly recovered his self-possession and remained +silent--at that moment the old maid-servant entered and announced a boy +who was enquiring after Herr Gabriel Mar, and was urgently desirous of +speaking to him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Excuse me," he said, rising quickly, "I must let the boy come to my +room and hear what he has to say."</p> + +<p class="normal">The boy must in fact have brought some important news, for Reb Gabriel +did not return to table and sent his excuses by the old maid-servant--a +soldier has arrived here from his country, such was the old Hannah's +story, and he is breathlessly hurrying to hear, how it fares with all +at home--the good student.</p> + +<p class="normal">The two guests did not seem to share the old maid's favourable opinion. +"A strange student that," opined one of them, "sits at table and speaks +no word of his Talmudic investigations, gets up and does not pray, goes +away and kisses no scroll."</p> + +<p class="normal">Reb Schlome felt that his wife was right the other evening when she +said, that Gabriel was less devout than other students, but he allowed +this with reluctance, for Gabriel's rich stores of Talmudic science had +won his estimation and good will. He requested, therefore, one of the +two students to let them have a Talmudic discourse, and after this had +been complied with recited the prayer after meat.</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel had scarcely waited till the door of his room was shut to speak +with the boy alone.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you bring me, John," he asked hastily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sir," answered the boy, "my relative begs respectfully to +announce, that Ensign Herr Smil von Michalowitz is just arrived from +Pilsen with a message to your Honour, and waits in your house."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good boy, run on, I will follow immediately."--Gabriel hastily +donned cloak and cap and went out--Although the house which he was +leaving was situated by the Old-synagogue and, therefore, outside of +the Ghetto-gate, he was obliged to pass through the Ghetto in order to +reach the Plattnergasse by the nearest route. He stopped at the back of +a house. He knocked twice at a closed door; this was quickly opened, +and he hurried up a back-staircase to a room, on the walls of which, +sabres, travelling-pistols and other arms were hanging, crossed in +varied confusion one upon the other. He threw off cloak and cap, girded +a dagger about his loins, without lingering over the choice enveloped +himself in a knight's mantle and stepped through a door in the tapestry +into a large adjoining room. Here he was already expected. A slightly +made young man in the embroidered uniform of one of Mannsfield's +cavalry-officers was pacing impatiently up and down.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Welcome to Prague, Herr von Michalowitz," said Gabriel in a friendly +way, "do you bring me good news from Mannsfield?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wish I brought better, your Grace," answered the officer with a bow. +"First of all, however, I have the honour to deliver the autograph +despatch of the General-Fieldmarshal, I partly know its contents and am +commissioned to give your Grace all further necessary explanations."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel hastily unsealed the despatch and cast a glance over its +contents. "Our troops have still no pay," he cried, stamping his +foot angrily, while the fiery mark on his forehead kindled to a deep +red--"still nothing? and they promised me everything, money, munitions, +forage, reinforcements. It's enough to drive a man mad! You would +scarcely believe, Herr von Michalowitz, what a difficult position I am +in here! Nothing can be done with this Frederick.--The Bohemians could +not have elected a worse king.--He listens to his preachers, goes out +hunting, gives banquets and tournaments--of Emperor and League he takes +no heed.--His Generals are in constant feud with one another and only +agree when it is a question of putting a slight upon or deposing Thurn +and Mannsfield.--These gentlemen let me sue for reinforcements and +plans of operation, as if they were things that concerned my own +private advantage, as if I was asking an alms for myself. Believe me, +Frederick must succumb. Who does he oppose to these experienced skilful +Generals? an Anhalt against a Tilly, an Hohenlohe against a Boucquoi. +The Bohemians are brave soldiers, but they are badly led. I can speak +openly to you, Sir Ensign, who have been the constant confidant of our +plans.--There is only one conceivable way for Frederick to get the +upper-hand--Anhalt and Hohenlohe must be dismissed, and Matthias Thurn +take the command."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is indeed melancholy," answered the Ensign bitterly, "that all our +most energetic and best-laid efforts are so badly supported at Prague. +This Anhalt gives up one strong position after another, and if things +go on so, it is to be feared that Archduke Maximilian will drive +the Prince in under the walls of Prague, and force him to accept a +battle,--unless he has been entirely won over by the Imperialists--and +a battle lost before the gates of Prague...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Would still not be decisive," interposed Gabriel. "I am well +acquainted with Prague, it is strongly situated, and could hold out a +long time.--I suppose you know the capital city of your native country? +The citizens are brave, well-trained in arms, and in the old and new +quarter at least devoted to the king's party.--Frederick's power is +still great, Mannsfield manœuvres in the enemy's rear; fresh troops +are on the march from Hungary.... Sir Ensign, say to my friend +Mannsfield, that a battle lost before the gates of Prague would not put +an end to the war;--but that Anhalt must not remain at the head of the +army. So long as he commands in-chief, everything is at stake ... and +to think that two such losers-of-armies as Anhalt and Hohenlohe should +command thirty thousand men, while the hero Mannsfield, alone, forsaken +by the Union and the weak Frederick for whom he is fighting, without +support, without money, in an unknown country, surrounded by secret and +open enemies, makes head with a small force against one three times his +superior.--How does he bear the hard blows of fickle fortune?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"With his usual calm, with unshakeable equanimity. Oh, there is but one +Mannsfield, Sir Major-General, in such a hero alone do martial fame, +and martial deeds attain so high a point. It is an event unparalleled +in the annals of history, that a Count, first legitimized by the +Emperor Rudolph, should defy the Emperor and whole Empire--should defy, +without money, land, or support, under a ban, solitary, by the force of +his sword and name alone.--What are all of us in Mannsfield's camp? are +we the troops of the Union, which concluded on the 3d of July an +ignominious peace with the league? are we the mercenaries of this Count +Palatine, who placed the crown of our Fatherland upon his head for a +merry pastime? By God and my knightly honour, no! What are we? we are +nothing but Mannsfield's children, all of us, from the meanest +artillery-driver up to you. Sir Major-General! We all cleave to him +with faith as firm as a rock, we follow his standard alone, his call +alone. We offer our lives for Mannsfield, his is our sword, our blood, +our honour, our name, our oath; for well we know that he leads us on to +naught but victory or an honourable soldier's death."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are very right. Sir Ensign," replied the General much moved, "he +is to all of us a father, brother, friend! What should I have been if I +had not fallen in with Mannsfield? Sir Ensign, you have a country, you +have a coat of arms, you have a name--I had none of all this, I had +nothing but my arm, and a revengeful, torn and bleeding heart!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, Sir Major-General, Mannsfield loves the bold, and brave, and +among them are you numbered, by God, you have given good proof of that +a thousand times! Name, rank and belief are indifferent to him; +Mannsfield asks no questions whether a man is a Reformer, Utraquist or +Lutheran, whether gentleman or knight, burgher or peasant, German or +Bohemian? Consider, your Grace, that too forces me to admire +Mannsfield.... has not this Frederick estranged the hearts of all +Bohemians from him, in that he has by the advice of his sternly +calvinistical intolerant Chaplain Abraham Schulz bitterly offended +Catholics, Utraquists and Lutherans? I am a man of war and no scholar, +I am a mere soldier, and have paid little attention to theology, but +yet I hold that in this world, everyone should be allowed to believe +what he likes, that is an affair to be settled by his own conscience; +but no one should be permitted to be a hindrance and stumbling block to +another, and throw ridicule upon that which is an object of respect and +dear to his neighbour.... Why did we violently revolt from the +illustrious House of Austria, under which we were great and powerful? +Because we wished to be free to choose our faith, and now steps in this +Frederick, whom we ourselves elected, whom we aggrandized, and we are +no better off! Your Grace! You are no Bohemian and cannot comprehend, +what a painful day the 3d of September in last year is to me, on which +thirty-six lords, ninety-one knights and almost all the municipalities +permitted themselves to be befooled by the brilliant eloquence of +Wilhelm Raupowa and elected this incapable Frederick.--I too, as well +as my uncle, the royal Burgrave, were among the voters."</p> + +<p class="normal">The General was silent. Memories slumbered in his soul like sparks in a +tinder; the lightest breath might kindle them to a clear blaze. The +Ensign misinterpreted the silence. He had said much, that might have +made an unpleasant impression upon the General. He was of low origin, +no Bohemian, perhaps a co-religionist of the Palatine. "Your Grace," he +therefore again began in an embarrassed way, after a short pause, "have +I, perhaps, offended you? Are you, perchance, one of those, who busy +themselves with religious studies, and learned ecclesiastical +disputations? Are you, Sir Major-General, may I venture to ask, +yourself a Calvinist? It's all the same to me, General, I should +respect your high rank, your gallantry even if, you will excuse the +joke, even if you were a Jew or a Heathen...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Pictures out of a time that had long vanished again passed over +Gabriel's soul, his spirit was again fast fixed on some moment of the +distant past. "I busy myself no longer with religious studies," he +answered, absently--"but at one time, at one time it was my highest +enjoyment; but then I was still a J...." he did not finish, he seemed +to awake suddenly from a heavy dream, a deep flush suffused his face, +he stroked the hair off his high forehead, in the centre of which +glowed the purple mark and added hastily in a changed voice: "then I +was still young, very young--but now I think no more of it--and +Mannsfield's faith is mine too."</p> + +<p class="normal">The way in which the General spoke, the singular expression of his +face, was not calculated to set at rest the Ensign's fears. "Your +Grace!" he went on, "you yourself said in my presence that you had no +name, when you took service in Mannsfield's corps, and yet now you are +the Mannsfieldian General Otto Bitter, known and feared far and wide. +It may be that, you have no genealogy, no past; but you have a future; +with the point of your sword you inscribe your name on the brazen +tablets of history."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no," the General now impetuously continued, "no, not so. Herr von +Michalowitz, believe me, I am not superstitious, not even a believer--I +believe in actually nothing--do you hear! in actually nothing, but +Mannsfield and mine own good sword.--I am not weak, I would not yield +to any presentiment, but one presentiment does haunt me with all the +strength of truth, as clear, as life-like as if I saw it with my own +bodily eyes, <i>my name will not live in history</i>.... Mannsfield, Thurn, +Boucquoi, Tilly, Waldstein, all the heroes that fight with us or +against us, have lived for eternity, but my name will perish, will +leave no trace behind it...."</p> + +<p class="normal">The General paced the room many times and with his hand put back the +dark locks from his high forehead, then stopped before the Ensign--"I +sometimes become very excited, Herr von Michalowitz," he said, "and say +much that would be better unsaid--therefore I pray you forget what I +have spoken...."</p> + +<p class="normal">The Ensign bowed in silence. The General threw himself into an +arm-chair, motioned the Ensign also to a seat, and after a short pause +took up Mannsfield's letter again. "You have captured another wandering +Jew? You thought he was a spy, or messenger of the Imperialists, he +carried letters in cipher with him?" asked the General, interrupting +his reading.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, your Grace, the prisoner declares, improbably enough, the +writings were Hebrew extracts from the Bible and letters to his +wife.--The Field-Marshal sends the writings to you probably in the +intention that you may prove their contents here in Prague with the +assistance of some Rabbi, or clergyman learned in the Scripture." The +Ensign with these words laid a sealed packet on the table. "We should +almost prefer that he was guilty, in Pilsen, which is imperialist in +feeling, we are quite surrounded by spies, we cannot any longer tell +who to trust: an example of severity must be made."</p> + +<p class="normal">The General involuntarily seized the packet, to unseal it, but quickly +laid it aside, as if remembering himself, and read on.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir Ensign, I must up to the castle," he said, when he had finished +and maturely considered the despatch. "Nothing can be done with +Anhalt and Hohenlohe--I must up, and once more speak with the king +himself--To-morrow early you shall have the answer for Mannsfield."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If your Grace will permit me I will accompany you to the castle."</p> + +<p class="normal">The General rang the bell, a servant, who entered, was ordered to make +the necessary preparation, and shortly afterwards the large principal +entrance of the house, that led into the Marienplatz, was thrown open, +and the General and Ensign rode out of it in the direction of the +'Kleinseite.' At a proper distance followed two mounted attendants +armed with pistols and sabres.--</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">In King Frederick's anteroom three persons were waiting for an +audience. They stood in the recess of a lofty bow-window, and were +talking in a low voice but with much animation to one another.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, gentlemen," began John de Bubna, a man of some fifty years old, +"yes, it is all Raupowa's fault. Your father--" he turned to the young +Count Schlick--"the noble Count Joachim who voted for the Elector of +Saxony was quite right--but the past is irreparable, and now we must +defend ourselves to the last extremity. Our faith, our freedom, are at +stake, is it not so, Thurn?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The person thus addressed, Count Henry Mathias of Thurn was also of +about the age of fifty. Dark eyes with all the fire of youth flashed +from his bronzed countenance, as if to give the lie to the thick grey +hair; the noble lineaments of his spiritual and thoughtful face showed +at the first glance, that a hero's soul dwelt in this powerful and +compact frame. He was indisputately the chief leader of his party, an +able commander, and the originator of the revolt against the Emperor. +It was he who brought about the well-known catastrophe of the 3d of May +1618, when the two Imperial stadtholders, Slawata and Martinitz, were +thrown out of window into the court-yard, and supposing it is in the +power of a single person, if not to evoke, at any rate to further a +crisis on which the future history of the world may depend, Count +Matthias Thurn was certainly one of those, who fanned the flames of +this outbreak into that wild conflagration which devastated Germany and +Central-Europe for thirty years.</p> + +<p class="normal">He was by birth an Italian, but held rich possessions in Bohemia. A +brave soldier, a practised courtier, a subtle diplomatist and excellent +speaker, he had won the affections of the nobles, the army, and whole +people, and the nation committed to him the weighty and influential +place of a defender, or guardian of the faith. Deprived by the Emperor +of his office, as Burgrave of Carlstein, he had later on assumed with +Mannsfield the joint command of the Bohemian troops. Frederick, +however, soon after his coronation, to the deep vexation of the +Bohemian army, transferred the command to Prince Christian of Anhalt +and Count George of Hohenlohe.</p> + +<p class="normal">Count Thurn seemed to express his views unwillingly. "Yes, gentlemen, +you know I was never the last in the field, I gladly combat for +Bohemia. Perhaps a time will again come when I may fight for the +cause--but in the meanwhile...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your Grace then is absolutely determined not to accept a command so +long as the Prince commands in-chief?" asked Henry Schlick hastily.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He is right," opined John Bubna; "it was a stupid course of the king, +to take the command from our Thurn."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is not that," continued Thurn, "at least not that alone; but the +war is badly conducted. What did I and young Anhalt, who is far +superior to his father in gallantry, and in spite of his youth in +military science too, what did we insist upon in the council of war at +Rokizan; that we should fall with our whole force upon an enemy wearied +out with painful marching. Even Hohenlohe, who is usually very +reluctant to embrace a bold project, shared our opinion--there could +not be a doubt, we must have gained a victory--then up gets Prince +Anhalt and proved to the king in a long speech--but, I cannot bear to +think of it, how my splendid plan of operations was frustrated, how +instead of fighting they allowed themselves to become involved in a +disgraceful treaty, how we, I may say, fled to Unhoscht without +striking a blow, or if it sounds better, drew back in good order; for +the slight affair at Rakoniz, where, moreover, we lost von Dohna and +Graz, cannot be counted anything."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But the rencounter at Rakoniz," observed Henry Schlick, "remained, +as I have heard, undecided. The Imperialists too lost both their +Field-Marshals Fugger and Aguaviva; and their General-in-chief Boucquoi +was so severely wounded as to have been since incapable of bearing a +campaign."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir Count," replied Thurn moodily, "you do not know Boucquoi, he is a +worthy antagonist of the very bravest. If it comes to a battle, he will +be carried though in a dying state to the field. God grant, that we may +not shortly see him before the gates of Prague. At Unhoscht," resumed +Thurn, "my patience was exhausted, and when the king, at Anhalt's +urgent request went to Prague, I offered to accompany him. I am glad to +be here and--"</p> + +<p class="normal">Thurn was interrupted, for the door of the antechamber opened, and +Gabriel, or Mannsfield's Major-General Otto Bitter entered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, welcome friend," cried John Bubna, held out his hand to him and +led him up to the two others. "Do not be put out, Count Thurn, I answer +for my friend Bitter, go on with what you were saying."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am acquainted with the Major-General," said Thurn, while Bitter made +a low obeisance.--"My friend's friend is my friend too."--Then Thurn +himself with obliging civility presented the young men to one another, +"Count Henry Schlick, son of our supreme Judge and Director, the +Lord Joachim Andrew Schlick, Count of Passau and Ellbogen, a brave +captain--Sir Otto Bitter, Major-General in Mannsfield's army and his +right hand man."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"The name of Schlick," said Otto Bitter politely, "has a genuine ring +about it, and you, Sir Captain, as I have been assured on all sides, +are worthy of bearing so celebrated a name."</p> + +<p class="normal">Henry Schlick wished to respond to the General's courteous address, but +Matthias Thurn turned to him and asked what brought him to Prague.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I make no secret of my mission," he answered, "I am come to Prague +under instructions from the Field-Marshal to demand the pay of our +troops, which is now nearly six months in arrear, and to remind them of +the promised reinforcements; I propose to stay here just long enough to +urge upon the king and his generals some decisive step which our +Mannsfield will support with all his might; but the king is too busy +with his festivities, and Field-Marshal Prince Anhalt, has, at least +for me, no time unoccupied."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hush!" said Bubna, "lupus in fabula, he comes just in...."</p> + +<p class="normal">The conversation, though it had been carried on in an undertone, +was instantly dropped. The double doors of the antechamber were +thrown hastily and noisily open, and Prince Christian of Anhalt, +Commander-in-chief of the royal army and Stadtholder of Prague, stepped +haughtily with a proud look into the anteroom. All present, with the +exception of Thurn made a low bow. Anhalt recognised it with a careless +nod of the head, and prepared as usual to enter unannounced into the +royal apartment. Otto Bitter, however, advanced hastily and said:</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am fortunate in meeting your Highness here. I am just arrived from +General-Field-Marshal the Count of Mannsfield...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have come from Count Mannsfield?" repeated the Prince with a sharp +emphasis. "Why does not he make his applications immediately to the +commander-in-chief, as every commander of a corps d'armée should do. +What is the use of a mediator and go-between? Besides, time and place +are very badly chosen for your representations, this is the king's +anteroom, and I am on my way to an audience"--so saying, Anhalt, +without allowing the General time to reply, passed into the king's +audience-chamber. Bitter returned to the other lords; his features were +disfigured by rage, and the fiery sign burnt red upon his forehead. All +were unpleasantly affected by this behaviour.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Such is the manner of princes," Henry Schlick tried to make a +conciliatory excuse; "he is imperious and hates opposition, do not be +so put out by it, Sir Major-General."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No! to receive an officer of such high desert in such a way," +exclaimed Bubna clashing his scabbard upon the floor; "and when he was +speaking of Mannsfield!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"These men of the Palatinate have always free access to the king," +observed Thurn, and out of his eyes flashed, as it were, a consuming +lightning--"and as for us, they let us wait."</p> + +<p class="normal">Andrew of Habernfeld, Frederick's favorite, in full gala-costume, +opened at the very moment the door of the king's apartment; he might +probably have heard this last observation of Thurn's, spoken in a loud +voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can audience be obtained of his Majesty," asked Thurn drawing himself +up proudly, "I mean, by us...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The king cannot be aware, that so many gentlemen of the highest +dignity wish to speak with him, or else he had surely before this +summoned you before him. I will immediately inform him of your +presence."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bubna, Schlick, and I, have been announced long since and been kept +waiting in vain up to this time," replied Thurn stiffly, "Major-General +Bitter is also apparently as desirous as we are of an interview with +the king.--Meantime it can do no harm if you once more remind him of +our presence."</p> + +<p class="normal">Habernfeld looked very much disconcerted and instantly disappeared. +Shortly afterwards he returned breathless. "His Majesty," he announced, +"implores the noble lords to spare him all government-business at +present. The king celebrates today the anniversary of his arrival in +Prague, and invites the lords to betake themselves to the banquet in +the hall of Spain."</p> + +<p class="normal">"A banquet?" replied Thurn almost sadly, and the veins on his noble +forehead swelled high; "I am sorry not to be able to accept the +gracious invitation, I am not in a humour for banqueting, my thoughts +would be ever occupied with the victorious irresistible advance of the +Imperialists, and my gloomy face would but mar the festal joy, give +this answer to the king, I pray you, do so, Herr von Habernfeld.... +that he may graciously excuse my absence...." with these words Thurn +threw his cloak over his shoulder, and would have departed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Your Grace," cried Schlick, seizing Thurn by the arm, "on every +account, pause. He is our lord and king--our self-elected lord and +king, he will take it in very bad part."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My young friend," whispered Thurn in Schlick's ear--"spare me the +hated sight of Anhalt carousing by the side of king, while our brave +army is offering itself a vain sacrifice. Meat and drink would become +poison and gall to me.--You know, I am not easily induced to change a +determination that I have once made, therefore, I pray you, Sir Count, +leave me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I will at least present your humble excuses to the king's Majesty," +answered Schlick aloud; "I pray you, Herr von Habernfeld, forget, what +the Count may have said in a moment of excitement, he is a warm +patriot, a staunch Bohemian, but still the southern blood of Italy +flows in his veins."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thurn went away, the three gentlemen followed Habernfeld to the +banqueting-hall. Twilight had in the meanwhile come on. The broad and +spacious room was illuminated, fairy-like, with a thousand waxen +torches. The rich sea of light broke into countless points of +brilliancy upon the lofty mirrors. A sumptuous circle of ladies and +gentlemen, mostly from the Palatinate and Germany, passed with merry +laughter through the gorgeously ornamented apartment. No one seemed to +think of the war--to judge from the attitude of those who were present +no one could have had a presentiment that in eight days all this +splendor would have disappeared.</p> + +<p class="normal">At the upper end of the hall was a throne-like elevation, where King +Frederick and his spouse sat on two crimson and gold-embroidered chairs +of state. They were a wonderful pair. Frederick was then in his +twenty-fifth year. Fair waving locks, mild blue eyes, and soft +rosy cheeks, gave to his features, an air of weakness, almost +effeminacy--and yet the carefully arranged blond mustachio and whiskers +became him wonderfully. The costume of the period was especially +adapted to set off the advantages of his person in the best light. He +was entirely dressed in a suit of dark violet coloured velvet. The +close fitting doublet was richly embroidered with gold, the slashed +armlets lined with white were ornamented with point-lace. Over a white +lace collar hung a gold medallion attached by a red ribbon. The +trowsers, cut short at the knee, were there adorned with gold brocade +and point-lace. In his left hand he held a black cap with red and white +feathers.</p> + +<p class="normal">Queen Elisabeth was somewhat smaller than Frederick. She was a perfect +beauty. Her face bore the stamp of her English origin. Abundant fair +golden hair, into which a diadem had been woven by a blue ribbon, +cheeks suffused with the most delicate pink, lovely soft blue eyes, +gave to the queen at first sight a remarkable resemblance to her +husband. She wore a dress of pale green satin. This, low bodied and +close fitting, brought out the wonderful fulness of her contour. The +string of pearls, that hung round her neck, seemed to flow without any +perceptible division into the snowy whiteness of her bosom.--Both, +Frederick and his consort, wore satin shoes with large silk bows, and +their feet rested upon a crimson cushion.--They gazed cheerfully and +good-naturedly at the varied throng. Musicians occupied the gallery and +at a sign from Habernfeld, on the entrance of the three officers, +struck up a clamorous flourish of trumpets, and then played lively +tunes.</p> + +<p class="normal">The three officers in their simple uniform made a striking contrast to +the rest of the company. Henry Schlick as fine a courtier, as a brave +soldier, soon made himself at home among a group of ladies, but Bubna +and Bitter felt strange amid the loud hubbub of the assembled guests, +and stared silently and gloomily straight before them. Immediately on +their arrival Habernfeld had led all three of them up to the place +where the king was sitting and Schlick had excused the absence of Count +Thurn on the score of urgent business that could not be postponed. +General Bitter dared not venture on this occasion to announce the aim +of his mission to Prague, but was fully determined in the course of the +evening to submit his business to the king. An opportunity soon +offered. The king and queen rose from their seats in order to make a +tour of the room, and those who were present--for Frederick popular and +condescending was fond of saying a word to each--ranged themselves in +two long rows. The king, whom the Prince of Anhalt followed at a short +distance, began to move down the line of gentlemen, while the queen +turned to that of the ladies. Everyone to whom the king addressed an +observation made a low obeisance. He spoke to everybody, and had a +friendly or flattering word for each. Bitter and Bubna had remained +standing together and waited in respectful silence for Frederick's +address. As he approached General Bitter, Anhalt whispered something in +the king's ear.</p> + +<p class="normal">"General Bitter, from Mannsfield's camp, is it not so?" asked +Frederick, while a shade of vexation flitted over his face--"I am +pleased to see you in Prague; but you have been some weeks here. I am +surprised that they can do so long without you in Mannsfield's +camp...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Bubna bit his lips till the blood started; and Bitter answered +undismayed but calmly:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Since your royal Majesty is so gracious as to enquire the grounds of +my long residence in Prague, I must most humbly take leave to mention +the affairs, that I have already once before had the honour of most +obediently laying before your royal Majesty...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No business, no business," said Frederick, so loud that the bystanders +could hear it, "I will for once in my life be joyous and not always +thinking of governing and commanding. For the rest," he continued with +excitement, "complaints are abroad; that Mannsfield places the district +round about Pilsen under contribution as if he were in an enemy's +country, and oppresses my own people: a stop must be put to this."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If your Majesty will only listen to me for a moment," said Bitter +hastily. "Mannsfield's corps d'armée is made up mainly of foreigners; +bound by no oath to the crown of Bohemia they fight only so long as +they receive pay. The pay is six months in arrear, the famished +soldier, who has not a whole coat to his body, resembles rather a +ragged robber than a man-at-arms, and if Mannsfield were not the adored +hero of our camp, the whole corps would long ago have freed itself from +the bands of discipline.--We are also surrounded by enemies, for Pilsen +and the circumjacent districts are Imperialist in their sympathies, and +the storming of Pilsen cost us many a bloody battle and many a +skirmish.--The peasants, who should deliver corn and forage, and have +up to this time been vainly paid by assignments upon the money that was +to come from Prague, are difficult to deal with, and stand up in arms +against us in large masses. All the necessaries of life have to be +violently procured, sword in hand, out of a hostile and almost +exhausted circle.--Your Majesty in your high wisdom cannot really +expect that Mannsfield could obtain food for four thousand men +and one thousand five hundred horses empty handed. As soon as your +Majesty shall have graciously condescended to give orders to your +commander-in-chief and paymaster, to pay over to us the sum that is +due, there will be an end of all violence, and compensation will be +made to those who have been aggrieved. To lay this and one other +petition before your royal Majesty am I come to Prague, and as I have +not yet been so fortunate as to see the object of my visit crowned with +success, I was to my sorrow obliged to determine to remain absent for a +time from the army, though every officer, every commander, should stay +with his troops."</p> + +<p class="normal">Anhalt grew pale with anger. Frederick was silent for a moment; the +frank unconstrained speech of Mannsfield's officer had surprised and +for a moment disturbed his composure.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You speak very openly and unconstrainedly, Sir General,--I love +frankness in a soldier, but you should never transgress the bounds of +due respect. I will talk over and consider what you have said to me +with my commander-in-chief.--When you return to Mannsfield's camp, do +not report to the troops the manner in which you have addressed me--it +might injure respect."</p> + +<p class="normal">Frederick pronounced these words with a sad smile in an undertone, +almost in a whisper inaudible to the rest.--He went no farther down the +line, the joy of the evening was troubled, the king and queen soon went +away, and Bubna and Bitter were the first to follow their example.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pest upon the Palatine," cried Bubna furiously, as both together rode +down the Spornergasse. "But you stood up stoutly, Bitter: answered word +for word and bravely urged your suit. That Frederick stood before thee +trembling like a school-boy! <i>He</i> talk of oppression and forced +contributions, and leaves his own brave troops to perish of hunger!--I +cannot find fault with Thurn for having broken quite loose from this +luxurious court, and shall wait till he returns again to the helm.--God +be merciful to our poor country!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Before Bubna's house the two Generals took leave of one another, and +Bitter alone, followed by his two mounted servants, galloped over the +bridge to the Altstadt. As he arrived at the Marienplatz, the clapper +of the clock in the tower struck twenty one, equivalent to nine o'clock +in the evening.--The owner of the house was waiting for him at the +great gate, an armourer, who in times past had served under him as +sergeant-major.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is already late," whispered Bitter to him, as he rode in, "open the +back-door directly, I must be quick."--Shortly thereupon Otto Bitter +stepped out of the back-door that led into the Plattnergasse; he wore +again the dress of a student and hurried quickly to the Jews-quarter. +The proprietor of the house, a man with a wooden leg, closed the door +carefully and grumbled as he went across the court: "My general is +brave, second to none as a warrior, but this passion is rather +despicable for a great lord, now if it were a count's daughter or a +lady of rank: but a Jewish wench! I cannot understand it."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel struck into the shortest way to his dwelling by the +Old-Synagogue, he found the gate of the Ghetto still open and passed +through the gate in the street called "golden" into it.--He had walked +a short distance sunk in deep thought, when suddenly some words struck +his ear: "I thank you, dear lady, I cannot accept your company, it is +here, I think, quite safe in the streets and I shall soon be at home."</p> + +<p class="normal">The melodious ringing tone of this voice made an extraordinary +impression upon Gabriel. A violent terror for a moment thrilled through +him. The strong colossal man was obliged to lean against a wall in +order to save himself from falling, his breast heaved with mighty +respirations, it seemed as if he did not dare to look about him, as if +he was afraid that the form to which that voice belonged would melt +before his eyes into nothing. But at the next moment a woman passed +quickly by him, and the moon, gliding at that moment from behind a +cloud, threw its pale trembling light upon a face that was, as it +chanced, but half concealed by a floating veil. He could recognise the +features, his ear had not deceived him.--"Found," he cried almost aloud +after a pause of speechless rapture; "Gabriel! thou hast drained the +cup of sorrow to the dregs! But thy revenge will be sweet, will be +fearful!" ... then he followed, unobserved, with hasty step, the +woman's form. She stopped for the first time breathless at the Hahnpass +before an apparently quite uninhabited dilapidated three-storied house. +She opened the house-door with a key that she drew out of a pocket in +her dress, and shortly afterwards Gabriel saw a ray of light shooting +from a garret-window. Gabriel wiped the perspiration from his forehead, +rubbed his eyes, looked about him, laid his hands upon the cold walls +of the house in order to convince himself that it was no dream, that +filled him with lying phantoms, that this moment had really and truly +an actual existence. He might have stood there for some few minutes +when again the clear accents of a woman's voice pierced his ear.--"Why +do you stand dreaming there, Reb Gabriel?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel awoke as from a heavy sleep; a group of women stood before him, +among them, his hostess Schöndel. "Why do you stand in the street like +this, what are you waiting for? Why have you been neither home nor to +service in the Old-Synagogue since mid-day?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel recovered himself quickly; he found himself in the +neighbourhood of Jacob's house; he had frequently excused his staying +away so long from Schlome's house on the plea of his visits to the +lunatic; he, unsociable as he was, never conversed with anyone, and +Gabriel could feel sure that he would not be betrayed by him at any +rate.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Cannot you see," he said, "I have just come from the poor lunatic, who +enlists my sympathies in the highest degree. One should visit those who +are afflicted with spiritual infirmities, as well as those who suffer +bodily ailment, and, perhaps, to do so is a more excellent work of +charity."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We too return from doing a good action," replied Schöndel; "I belong +to the society of 'devout women.' We have been praying at the death-bed +of a departing sister, have closed the eyes of a poor forsaken old +woman.--It is sad to die solitary and forsaken."--Schöndel dried her +beautiful eyes, which were wet with emotion.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We must make haste," said a woman, a neighbour of Schöndels', "or the +gate will be shut, we are the only people who live outside...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reb Gabriel, if you are going home too, give us your company," said +Schöndel.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel walked silently and rapt in meditation by the side of the two +women, while they, full of the recollection of the sad duty which they +had just performed, did not attempt to resume the conversation.</p> + +<p class="normal">Arrived at home Schöndel told her husband, how she had found Gabriel at +the door of the lunatic's house, with whom he had spent the afternoon +and evening.--Gabriel threw himself, as soon as he reached his room, in +a more than feverish state of excitement into a chair. The manifold +events of the day all disappeared before the extraordinary impression +that the discovery of that woman had made upon him.--He staid awake the +whole night, pacing the room backwards and forwards and only towards +morning could make up his mind to write the report which Ensign +Michalowitz was to carry back to Count Mannsfield.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>IV.</h2> + +<p class="normal">In the garret of a usually uninhabited dilapidated three-storied house +in the Hahnpass a woman was sitting at a rickety table and embroidering +by the light of an oil-lamp a curtain for the holy tabernacle. It was +already late; a rude wind howled through the walls of the poor +dwelling, a corner house, far over-topping all the others. All was dark +in the vicinity, only the windows of the distant lecture-room which was +visited by a succession of students emitted a dull light. The woman, +though no longer in the first bloom of youth, presented a perfect +picture of the most faultless oriental beauty. She might have numbered +six or eight and twenty years. Her wonderfully well-formed face, pale +as a lily, but suffused from time to time with the softest roseate +flush, contrasted superbly with the shining black hair, the rich waving +curls of which issued from under a turban-like head-dress and fell in +waves on her snowy neck. Her eyes were brighter and blacker than coal, +her eyelids fringed with long silky lashes, and her half-opened fresh +lips disclosed two rows of pearly teeth.--She worked assiduously, only +interrupting herself now and then to go to the open door of a second +chamber and listen to the breathing of her sleeping mother--or when she +lent with an expression of the deepest motherly love over a cradle, in +which a baby, the perfect image of its mother was sleeping quietly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume, my child," now cried the mother from the adjacent room, "are +you still up? Go to bed, spare your eyes, I pray you do so.--When a +person has lived as I have done for more than fifteen years in +darkness, she learns for the first time to set a right value on +eyesight, take my advice, child, go to bed!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only go thou to sleep, dear mother," answered Blume in a loud voice, +almost screaming, and leaving off her work for a few moments. "It is +not so late as you think, it wants two hours yet to midnight."</p> + +<p class="normal">"If only your husband would return from his journey," sighed the +mother, "he would surely bring money with him, and you would no longer +consider it necessary to make a sacrifice of your sweet precious +sight.--Lord of the world! that a Rottenberg should be reduced to +travel over the country as a scribe in order to earn a livelihood, that +my daughter, my graceful Blume, must work at embroidery to save herself +from beggary, that grieves me--but Lord, Thou art just, and what Thou +doest, is well done, I do not murmur! I only make my supplication +before Thee out of the profoundest depths of my heart, not for myself, +not for myself, who am tottering on the verge of the grave, but for my +children--have mercy upon them!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sleep, dear mother, sleep," cried Blume, and large tears fell like +pearls over her cheeks, "all will come right, believe me, God never +forsakes his own."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume shut the door. "Yes, if only my husband were at home again," said +she then, with a shiver; "sometimes I become so sad when I am alone +with my mother and child, alone, forsaken, in a strange and unknown +city! and my husband wanders over the country to earn bread; God +preserve him."</p> + +<p class="normal">She folded her hands almost involuntarily and began the evening prayer +with fervent devotion. The little slumberer in the cradle awoke and +cried after its mother. Without interrupting her prayer she suckled +it.--She was just saying the words, "May the Everlasting bless and +guard thee! May he let the light of His countenance shine upon thee and +be gracious unto thee, may the Everlasting turn His face to thee and +give thee peace for evermore," as she pressed the child to her bosom, +and falling tears bedewed the babe's lovely face.--Suddenly it seemed +to her as if the house-door was opened--could it be her husband +returned from his journey? that was inconceivable--a man's step sounded +upon the contiguous staircase, she heard a noise, as if some one was +groping for the latch and could not find it.... Who could be seeking +the stranger and friendless woman? a nameless pang for a moment seized +her heart,--she was at the conclusion of the evening prayer, and the +last words of the same filled her again with the confidence of faith, +she said them, perhaps unconsciously, aloud, "Into thy hands I commend +my spirit, sleeping or waking, my soul and body.... God is with me, +therefore, I cannot fear!" She kept her eyes fixed fast upon the +entrance. As a weak wooden bolt fastened the door on the inside, she +expected, that the comer would first knock; but it happened otherwise, +and a single push from a strong hand made the door come open.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gabriel," cried Blume, the colour forsaking her lips, with a +suppressed cry of the most hopeless despair; she tore the child from +her breast, which she hurriedly covered, pressed it tight in her arms, +and got up as though she feared that Gabriel would tear it away from +her.</p> + +<p class="normal">He stood speechless and as one rooted to the ground before her--his +whole body trembled, a strange and wonderful quivering passed over his +pale corpse-like face, his eyes flashed lightning, the fiery mark on +his forehead glowed, his broad breast rose and sank stormily, an +unchained passion seemed to rage within him--for some moments he vainly +strove to speak.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am he," he said at length in a hollow voice, and each word sounded +in the ear of the terrified woman like the roar of thunder; "I am +Gabriel Süss--whom ye all expelled and trampled upon.--Thou too.--Thou! +whom I had once so deeply and ardently loved."</p> + +<p class="normal">A long pause again ensued, Blume's bosom heaved impetuously, she stared +at Gabriel, as if he were some horrible spectre; she held her child +still tightly pressed to her; at length she broke the painful silence +and spoke in a soft imploring voice: "That is past and gone, +Gabriel.... What do you want of me now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thee!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The poor tortured woman sank upon her chair. Gabriel paced the chamber +several times.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do not waken my blind mother, Gabriel," prayed Blume, at length +timidly and in a voice scarce audible; "age and sickness have weakened +her sense of hearing, but you speak so loudly, so impetuously...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Shut the door closer, I must speak with thee alone, no third person +shall hear us...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume shut the door. "Gabriel," she said with trembling voice, "I am +alone with you, I am a weak woman, you are a giant in strength--but +never forget--a third person does hear us, does see us--the spirit of +the Lord is over all--he is near to them which are afflicted, he helps +the oppressed."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel did not interrupt her; but an incredulous smile so horribly +disfigured his once beautiful features, the fiery mark on his forehead +blazed out so strangely from under his dark hair that the word died +away on her lips..... she felt that an hatred nourished for years in +all its force held irresistible dominion in Gabriel's breast, and that +he was now vainly striving to find an expression for that wild +consuming ardour of vengeance that drove his hot blood to the height of +madness! The baby had again dropped fast asleep, Blume did not know +what to do, she dared not lay the child in its cradle.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is that.... thy only child?" Gabriel recommenced after a profound +silence with that singular inexplicable aberration of thoughts which +sometimes seems to come over a man at the very moment when the +overpowering sensations of the moment should in fullest measure occupy +his mental activity.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is my only dear innocent child," cried Blume in mortal terror and +bursting into tears--"let me take it to my mother that we may not awake +it."--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume!" shouted Gabriel, seizing her arm and detaining her, "there are +two words that I will never hear from your mouth 'mother' and 'innocent +child', do not utter them in my presence, or you may make me forget +resolves that have been ripening for years, and take once for all a +fearful vengeance on thee and thy child.... 'Mother'" repeated Gabriel +in a voice so sad and piercing that even Blume pitied him, "'mother' +that beautiful sweet heavenly word, which everyone utters and hears so +gladly--that word, which finds its way into the depths of the heart, +and evokes in everyone an inexpressible feeling of bliss. 'Mother' that +word, which ringing through the spheres awakes a magic harmony in the +soul--that word is to me an empty hollow meaningless sound! Every man, +as far as the blue vault of heaven overarches the earth, even though he +were the wretchedest slave, that shakes his chain in maniacal fury, +every living being, all, all, all have or have had a mother----only I +not! only I not, I alone since men have walked the earth! The woman, +the abandoned creature, the demon.... that thrust me into this +existence.... she was no mother! Fye, fye, call her not mother! apply +not the beautiful glorious name to her!--a mother--though it were the +spotted hyena that destroys in mere wantonness, a mother defends her +offspring.... a mother does not pile the whole weight of the sins which +she has committed upon her child's innocent head, while it stands +wringing its hands, in despair at her deathbed--a mother...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gabriel, hush! for God's sake, say no more.... speak no more so of thy +mother, my mother's sister. In spite of all she is thy mother, thou art +her son! she is dead, be not hard upon her--a day will come, when thou +too wilt stand before the judgment seat of the most High, when thou too +wilt implore the mercy, the grace of God. Oh, think of that! The +moments of each mortal existence are numbered.... think on the last +hours of thy life!... hadst thou in thy storm-tossed life never sinned, +hadst thou never committed a fault, never--save to speak thus of thy +mother, of thy mother that carried thee in her womb, bore thee in pain, +nourished, nursed, loved.... hadst thou committed no fault but in +speaking thus of thy mother.... Gabriel, thou must tremble at the +thought of the world to come."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume spoke these words with noble indignation, with the impulsive +enthusiasm of a prophetess, her cheeks glowed, her eyes sparkled, she +resembled a supernatural being.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Woman!" replied Gabriel, with flashing glance, "I do not tremble!... I +have looked death in the face thousands of times in the whirl of battle +and did not tremble, thousands have fallen beside me mutilated by the +enemies' cannon, their scattered brains have sprinkled my face, and I +did not tremble--I was surrounded by bands of foes, all pointed their +swords at my breast, I was wounded, seemed lost--I slew them all but +did not tremble."</p> + +<p class="normal">"But you are alive, it was not your last moment," interposed Blume +hastily,--"but by the Almighty God of Israel, who made the worlds +above, and will hereafter awaken those who slumber below," she pointed +up to the blue dome of heaven, down to the graves of the snow-covered +burial-ground seen from her window--"by his holy name--<i>when thy last +hour strikes, in the last moment of thy life thou wilt tremble, +repentance will break thy proud unbending heart</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel was silent, "let us quit the vain contention of priests, of +Rabbis," he said at length, involuntarily in a milder tone: "Thou hast +never troubled thyself about my life--leave to me the care of my hour +of death--what signifies it to thee? Wilt thou be near me in my last +hour? wilt thou close my wearied eyes? wilt thou scare the ravens from +my bloody corpse, when I lie on the field of battle trampled under the +hoofs of horses? What carest thou for me and my soul's salvation? What +carest thou for the stranger, the outcast? Long, long is it vanished, +the beautiful golden time when it would have been otherwise...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel spoke again with measureless impetuosity, but yet in his last +words a deeply agitated expression of sorrow had wonderfully mingled +itself with the wild rage, and even Blume, the noble loyal wife, was +much touched, she perceived how this stony man had once loved her, how +fruitful in misery his past life must have been!</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are alone? Your husband is absent? Do you know where he is?" asked +Gabriel after a pause, apparently calm.</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume was convulsed again with a fearful terror and answered humbly: +"He travels about as a scribe to earn us bread. I do not know where he +is, I have no news of him--have compassion upon us, Gabriel, the +Rottenbergs are no longer rich, we are poor and wretched."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel gazed awhile darkly before him, then suddenly, as if embracing +a violent resolution, stood before Blume and pressed her down on a +chair.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Woman," he said, "for ten years have I sought thee, ten years have I +panted to see thee, to speak with thee, to be avenged on thee, as the +wounded, exhausted hart for fresh water.--When I saw at a distance the +towers of Prague, where I knew that I should find thee, when I entered +the Ghetto whose gates enclosed thee--then my heart bounded with a wild +joy, I assumed the dress of a student, I visited all the houses of +prayer, the lecture-rooms, the libraries, in order to meet your +husband. I dwelt with those to whom I bear a deadly hate, all this +only--to find thee.... I despised not to associate with a mad beggar, +because I believed he would put me upon your track--when I recognised +you yesterday evening, I was so happy in my hate, so superabundantly +happy, to have found thee, to have revenge in my power--happy! as I +have never been since that fateful hour when all the hope of my life +was quenched and now, now that I stand before thee, that my hands clasp +thy beautiful rounded arm, now, at this moment words fail me to tell +thee, how fervently I hate thee, how fervently I hate ye all...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel again paced up and down in the highest excitement. "I will tell +you a story, Blume," he said at length, pushing a chair by her side, "a +very notable story, most of it you already know, but it matters not, it +is long since the history has crossed my lips, and I will once more +bring my comfortless past before my soul, perchance in so doing I +shall find the true expression for that emotion which agitates my +breast.--Once upon a time there lived in Cologne a man named Baruch +Süss. He was physician to the Archbishop, rich, powerful, and respected +at court. But he was prouder of the possession of two daughters, Miriam +and Perl, than of his wealth and influence. On the death of two hopeful +boys he had transferred to them his whole love. They were the most +beauteous maidens in Germany, and suitors soon approached them from all +corners of the world. Miriam could with difficulty make up her mind, +and only after the younger, Perl, your mother, had intermarried with a +branch of the celebrated Rottenberg family, did her father succeed in +fixing her choice upon his brother's son, his nephew, Joseph Süss, who +lived at Spires.--Their marriage was for three years a childless one, +in the fourth she announced to her enraptured husband that she was a +mother.--Miriam Süss was brought to bed of a wonderfully beautiful boy, +they named him Gabriel. The happy husband rejoiced, the poor were +bountifully endowed, a rich foundation established. Baruch of Cologne, +the grandfather, who before had feared that he would remain without +posterity, undertook the fatiguing journey to Spires for the express +purpose of seeing his first grandchild, and in the first intoxication +settled his property upon him after his death. Shortly after me, you, +Blume, were born, and the grandfather and his two sons-in-law agreed, +that the children should some day be united in the bond of wedlock. The +years of my childhood and of my youth flew happily by. Idolised by a +father whose rich love I could not, though with the best intentions, +adequately return, I clave with an infelt warm and holy love to my +mother, who guarded me as the apple of her eye. Both because I remained +an only child, and on account of my intended union with you, Blume, who +wast also the only child of thy parents, my grandfather heaped all his +tenderness upon my head. I remember but dimly my earliest childhood, +and only one circumstance presents itself to my soul, but so mistily, +so confusedly, that even to this day I am in doubt, whether it was not +a dream, a deceitful phantom, that my glowing fancy at a later period +created and then referred back to an earlier time. I was once walking +outside the gate, accompanied as usual by a maidservant, when suddenly +a tall, pale, thin man threw himself upon me, pressed me to his heart, +and dropped two large tears upon my face. My nursemaid, as surprised as +I, would have screamed, but he pressed a piece of gold into her hand +and speedily made off with a heavy sigh.--If it was not a dream, that +man was my father!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped exhausted. Blume was acquainted with her kinsman's +early history, she followed his narrative with the most strained +attention, anxiously awaiting the moment when he should come to the +most fearful catastrophe of his life.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You know," continued Gabriel, "that from my ninth year I passed one +half of the year with my grandfather, the other in my parents' house. +My education was a perfect one. In Spires I was thoroughly instructed +in religious and Talmudic knowledge; my grandfather, loved and +respected at the Court of the Archbishop of Cologne, and owing to his +situation, for a Jew a peculiar one, in constant intercourse with the +Rhenish nobility, caused me to be indoctrinated with all those +sciences, that are ordinarily less accessible to German Jews. I even +dared devote myself to knightly arts and exercises, forbidden them in +the largest portion of Germany either by law or arbitrarily. I was well +made, strong, gifted with a keen and penetrating spirit. I was nineteen +years old, and once, it was on the feast of the dedication, on my +return home from the high-school at Frankfurt, I found my grandfather +there. It had with wise foresight--not to arouse my opposition before +hand--been kept secret from me that they intended to marry me to you +whom I had never seen before, and even then when it was announced that +we were all to go and visit uncle Joel in Worms, it never in the least +occurred to me, that the journey was to be a bridal one for me. We +arrived at Worms. I saw you, Blume! resplendent with all the lustre of +your youthful beauty, and the deepest love that ever seized man's heart +blazed suddenly high in my bosom. To my mother's husband who called +himself my father I had only devoted a feeling of gratitude, not of +inclination, and it was my, your grandfather, to whom I openly declared +my ardent affection, and that I believed it to be returned. 'My +glorious, my dear child,' exclaimed the old man and tears streamed from +his eyes, 'by thee all the wishes of my heart are fulfilled; yes, +Gabriel! Blume, thy mother's sister's daughter, is the bride that was +destined for thee. God bless the union, that your fathers concluded +upon in your earliest years, and that you have sealed by the feelings +of your heart.' Holding my grandfather's hand I stood before you, and +dared to kiss your forehead white as alabaster. We were bride and +bridegroom...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel made another pause. Blume's face revealed the fearful anguish +of her soul, she knew, what would follow, and cold clear drops of +perspiration trickled down her face, which even the bitterest mental +torture could not rob of its miraculous attractiveness. Her heart beat +audibly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was the happiest man on earth," continued Gabriel in a voice, the +unsteadiness of which was a sign of the infinite sorrow that consumed +his soul, "I was filled with my faith to which I clave with all the +strength of my mind and spirit. It made me happy, it exalted me. I had +a mother, and I loved my mother with that unutterable superhuman +intenseness, for which we vainly seek an expression, which can only +exist to such a pitch in the heart of a grateful child. I had thee, and +how I loved thee, how I loved thee, Blume! That thou hast never had an +idea of, that thou couldst never have had an idea of!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped short, his voice, that in the whirl of battle could be +heard above the thunder of the cannon, sounded feeble and tremulous; +his gleaming eyes were wet. He passed his hand over his forehead, and +went on: "It was doomed to be otherwise. Ten months had elapsed since +our betrothal, I was at Worms, on a visit to you, and full of hope was +looking towards a future close at hand, in which you were to be wedded +to me; when an unexpected message arrived, that my mother had been +suddenly attacked by a mortal sickness, that I was to make haste, if I +would see her again alive. A maddening grief thrilled through my +breast. I flew along the road to Spires, like one hunted by evil +shadows; I arrived late on the evening of the new year. The servants +were waiting for me in the entrance-hall, they wished to delay me, to +prepare me; I paid no heed to their officiousness, and flew breathless +and swift as an arrow up the stairs and into my mother's sick-room. She +was still living, but lay at her last gasp. The darkness was broken: +many men had already assembled to say the prayers for a departing +soul,--the chamber was lit by a pendant lamp of eight branches in the +centre of it. Joseph Süss stood by her bed and held her hands in his. +The sorrowful consolation of finding her still alive struggled in me +with the bitterest grief 'Here am I, dear Mother,' I cried in a voice +choked by tears, throwing myself on my knees before her, and covering +her beautiful cold hand with hot kisses, 'here am I, good sweet mother! +I was sure that thou wouldst tarry for thine own true son.... I could +not believe, dear true-hearted mother, that thou wouldest soar away +from me before I arrived.... here I am, here I kneel before thee in +deep inexpressible sorrow. Why do you not speak to me?... Look at me +once again, only once again, with thy mild loved eye, speak to me I +implore you! only one word, but one, a last farewell ... lay thine hand +in blessing on the head of thy only child, whom thou forsakest, who is +dying of deep and infinite grief!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"The bye-standers, though accustomed to scenes of death, were +constrained to sob aloud at the unbounded outbreak of my childish +emotion and my vain entreaty seemed not to be ineffectual. Miriam Süss +suddenly raised herself in the bed, as if lifted by a spring, her +beautiful face, already touched by the breath of death, was a +blue-white, her eyes protruded far out of their sockets ... <i>but she +did not bless me</i>!... she folded her hands and began in a tremulous but +perfectly intelligible voice: 'Lord of the World!... Thou hast sent thy +messenger to me, and I must pass into the shadowy realms of death.... I +tremble before Thee, O Lord and Judge! for I have sore sinned, gone +sore astray!... Forgive me, O God, Thou that art gracious to all, and +pardoneth iniquity and sins; I have bitterly repented, made large +atonement.... and that all men may know, that my repentance is perfect +and sincere, I will now in the last moment of my life, openly and +loudly confess before thee my husband and these worthy men the whole +enormity of my inexpiable guilt.... <i>I broke my marriage vows to +thee</i>.... <i>and my son Gabriel is not thy son</i>....' Blume! what I felt +at that moment, poor human speech is incapable of expressing.... Grief, +passion, woe, torment--put together in one conception all the notions +that these words embrace; multiply them by thousands,--and you will +still have no idea of that which coursed quivering through my broken +heart,--With one blow, with one single, mighty, well-aimed blow, an +infinite filial love was driven out of my breast, and the blackest hate +filled me, a hate, well founded and inextinguishable. Had I lived a +thousand lives and every moment of my life committed a deadly sin, yet +<i>if there is a divine justice</i>.... all the iniquity of my life would +have been atoned for by this too woeful moment. At the very time when I +was supplicating with hot tears a blessing from my dying mother--<i>she +betrayed me</i>, cast me out of the Paradise of my life into never ending +torment.... at a time when for her I would have breathed out my life +with a smile and in silence under the cruellest tortures, when I would +have with joy delivered my soul for her salvation to the everlasting +torments of the damned, at <i>that time my mother betrayed me</i>!!! 'Mad +liar! recall the words! say that an evil spirit has spoken by thy +mouth!' I cried in a furious voice, shaking violently her almost +inanimate body. 'I cannot, Gabriel, I cannot,' she shrieked, 'pray for +me!... Lord of the world! forgive me! be gracious unto me! have pity on +me! I have sore sinned.... Oh God! accept my confession and death as +atonement! Hear Israel ...' she could say no more, her eyes grew +dim--she fell back--a light death sigh heaved her breast--she had +ceased to exist.... 'No, dead mother, No,' I cried, 'God will not have +compassion upon thee, since thou knewest no compassion for me--I curse +thee and thy memory: ...' I uttered the most fearful maledictions, the +most horrible curses--they tore me from my mother's lifeless corpse....</p> + +<p class="normal">"Joseph Süss Lad sunk speechless at the confession of his guilty wife. +When he came to himself he foamed with rage. His guilty wife was dead +and the poor deceived man turned the whole weight of his irreconcilable +wrath upon my innocent head.--The bond that should have united us to +one another was loosed, I was not his son, I was a stranger--oh! far +less than a stranger.... He took no time for reflection, and an hour +later I stood alone, forsaken, an outcast from the house, that I had +hitherto called my home! Thus had one moment, one word, robbed me of +father, mother, love, memory, past and future.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I wandered all the night about the town, I could not wait till morning +dawned, and when it came I wished that the darkness of night had +endured for ever. Early on new year's day every one went to the +synagogue, I, I alone shunned the face of men.... I would not remain in +the street, and in the despair of my heart turned my steps towards the +dwelling of my early teacher, a sick, bed-ridden old man, obliged even +on highest feast-days to perform his devout exercises at home. I found +him already sitting up in bed and reading by the light of a lamp. The +report of my humiliation had already reached even him, at sight of his +once loved scholar he uttered a cry and the bible fell from his +trembling hands. Was it chance, was it perhaps that my old teacher, +revolving my unhappy situation, had opened at the passage in scripture +that applied to it, I know not; but as I bent to pick up the book, my +glance fell upon it, the words danced in varied iridescence before my +burning eyes, I read the words: 'A bastard shall not enter into the +congregation of the Lord.' I felt anew a wild spasm at my heart. +Together with the fearful unutterable excitement that had seized me at +the shameless confession of that woman, who had carried me in her womb, +with the crushing pain of seeing myself so humiliated before the eyes +of men; there had also sprung up the melancholy self-tormenting feeling +that I owed my existence to a sin, that I had been launched into the +world against the will of the Most High, whom I at that time worshipped +with boundless reverence: ... But as I once more read those clear and +significant words, the words of that scripture which I had hitherto +looked upon as binding and sacred--as I read the sentence of the Lord, +whom I, bowed to the dust in fulness of faith, had called all-merciful, +all-good, all-just--as I read the judgment, that made me, me guiltless +of the transgression, miserable--that brought me to naught; T tore out +of my lacerated and bleeding heart that blind faith, that could never +restore me to bliss, never make me happy, that faith which might never +more seem true and sacred to me.... I tore myself free from religion, +sweet comfortress, that offered consolation to all but me...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was mid-day. The walls of the city were too confined for me. I went +out, and while my former brethren in the faith were praying in God's +house, I sat alone in the deep forest, weeping hot bitter tears, tears +more agonizing than man had ever wept before! It was a lovely fresh +autumnal day, the rays of the sun pierced with deadened heat through +the tops of the trees tinted with the yellow hues of autumn, the birds +chirped cheerful songs, a soft mild wind breathed through the withering +arbour, the deepest peace had dominion around: in me seethed the +bitterest deadliest hatred.--I may have sat there for hours plunged in +the most melancholy brooding, when I suddenly started up: It flashed +across me, like bright lightning in a clear night, that I was not yet +lost. Thy loved image, Blume! appeared all at once in liveliest colours +before my soul. I still had thee! only thee in the wide world: but +still I had thee: what more could I want?" The sentence of Scripture +had branded me, my mother had betrayed me, my brethren had rejected +me,--but still I had thee, thee, Blume! thou who couldest make up to me +for all that, all of it, all. To thee I now transferred the whole +wealth of my undivided love! a nameless ardent longing after thee burnt +like wild fire in my soul; my love to thee had reached the height of +madness. Remembrance of thee had effaced the horrible warning of the +immediate past, had averted my gaze from the dark future--to live with +thee, Blume! in some remote corner of the world, so sweet a child, my +child!... "Blume," said Gabriel, suddenly breaking off with an accent of +the most passionate grief.---"Thou mightest have been my guardian +angel.... By thee, Blume, I might have been converted again.... Thou +hast dealt injuriously with me, thou hast not acted justly.--Blume, if +there is a God--hearest thou! I will not believe it, I dare not believe +it, but if there is, Blume! at thy hands will my soul be required!... I +hurried to Worms--how thy father rejected me with contumely, how I +learnt, that as soon as they had received the quickly circulated news, +they had instantly betrothed thee to thy father's nephew, thy cousin +Aaron,--all that you know.--What I suffered, that you did not know, no! +for the honour of humanity I will believe that you did not know it--I +insisted on speaking to you alone; I trusted that your father had lied, +that you would behave differently to the others, would have compassion +upon me, would love me! I waited wistfully for the feast of atonement: +I knew, that while the rest were praying in God's temple, you would +remain at home with your blind mother. On the afternoon of the festival +I crept into your house. Breathless I hurried through the well-known +passages and opened the door that led into your mother's room. She was +asleep, you were sitting by her bed and praying. I stood on the +threshold trembling like an aspen. I thought that with a cry of joy you +would throw yourself into my arms, kiss the tears from my eyelids, dry +the cold drops of anguish that fell from my forehead. 'Blume,' I cried, +'wilt fly with me? Wilt be my wife?' you were silent. 'You too Blume!' +I cried in inexpressible sorrow, and fell at your feet.... your bosom +panted, your lips moved, as though you would speak, but you did not +speak, your look fixed itself ghostlike upon me, as if I, innocent and +unfortunate, had escaped from hell! I wished to break the dull silence, +I sought for words, to move you, to melt the hard marble of thy heart; +but I suddenly felt myself seized from behind, your father, your +betrothed had returned home to enquire after your mother's health. A +wild fury disfigured their faces.... you heard how they insulted and +laughed me to scorn, you saw how they cast me forth, mercilessly, +pitylessly, as a mangy hound is expelled with kicks; yes you saw it, +but said nothing, you did not fall into their arms, ... you did not +stand trembling and wringing your hands.... 'Blume,' yelled Gabriel +shaking her fiercely by the arm, and a mad fury flashed from his eyes, +'why did you allow that horror to be perpetrated, tell me, woman! why? +Why did you give your hand to the man, who so fearfully and +undeservedly insulted me, an innocent man,--tell me, why? speak!'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume sobbed violently, she folded her beautiful white hands, her lips +moved silently in fervent prayer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume!" said Gabriel, after a moment's pause, in a dull unsteady +voice. "If my deadly enemy, who bears an everlasting hatred to me, who +strives with hot desire to drink my heart's blood--if my deadly enemy +were to lay at my feet as I on that evening kneeled before thee, I who +am steadfast in hate, I who know no pity, should weep hot tears of +compassion--and I was not your enemy, I had loved you with a love as +infelt and holy as is permitted to a human soul, I would have given the +last drop of my heart's blood for one tear from your eyes,--and you, a +weak, mild, pitiful woman, would not weep that tear.... You stood there +dismayed, but did not keep off those furious one's.... What had I done +to you? What was my transgression? Had not I been, to my mother's last +breath, devout, noble, self-sacrificing?--Why did you solemnly inter +the guilty mother as a contrite penitent, and cast out the innocent +son? When I was cast forth from your house, Blume! when the last cable +of my hope snapped there:--then I swore in my soul, a fearful undying +vengeance: ... I love not men, I hate you Jews, but the most burning +hate that man, or perhaps hell is capable of, I bear against thy +mother, thy husband, and far beyond all in my heart against thee."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Then slay me," cried Blume hastily, "and leave my husband, my mother, +leave all in peace! let the whole weight of your anger fall on my head, +slay me, Gabriel, but spare the others...."</p> + +<p class="normal">The tiny sleeper on her arms awoke again and stretched its hands +smiling towards its mother. Blume shuddered and broke into loud +sobbing: "No, Gabriel, slay me not, let me live, see me at thy +feet,"--she cast herself upon her knees--"let me live, I supplicate not +for myself, by the Almighty God, not for my own sake;--but look at this +innocent babe, its father is far away, it has only its mother, could +you be responsible for depriving it of its mother? You do not know what +a mother feels for her child."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Hush, Blume, and stand up!" cried Gabriel, pulling the kneeling woman +up from the ground, and the veins in his forehead swelled high: "are you +mad? Do you think I shall murder a defenceless woman? be composed, I +shall not slay thee.... That is not the revenge I shall take."</p> + +<p class="normal">Both were silent. Blume opened the window, she looked whether a light +was still burning in the lecture-room, a faint glimmer shot from the +windows of the distant edifice, she felt relieved by the knowledge that +men were still awake there! A cold wind blew through the room, neither +Gabriel or Blume observed it, only the child shivered in its mother's +arms.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have suffered much," so Blume broke the long painful silence.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have fallen off from the faith of your fathers? You are ..., you +were...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume knew not what she said, but this silence of the grave was mortal +to her, she was constrained to speak, and almost involuntarily emitted +these words from her lips.</p> + +<p class="normal">"From the faith of my fathers!" re-echoed Gabriel; "you choose your +words well, each is a poisoned arrow and barbed--have I then forsaken +the faith of my fathers? Do I forsooth know my father? For ten years +have I sought him, and thee," he continued thoughtfully, "thee have I +found,--shall I ever discover him, whom perhaps--and supposing I did +find him," said Gabriel after a long silence, inwardly communing, and +rather as addressing himself, "would the voice of nature, as silly men +declare, conquer? Full of infinite love should I fling myself into my +father's arms, or should I be possessed with an unspeakable hatred +against the faithless traitor, who was perhaps wantoning in luxury, +when his child, loaded with insult and scorn, was cast out from the +threshold of that house that he had for twenty years called home! If he +proves such a man, if he has forgotten me, if he has never been mindful +of the unhappy one whom to his everlasting misery he tossed out into +the wide desolate world; if he proves like the mother, who even on her +death-bed betrayed her child, if he should prove such, and I do find +him, Blume: I shall gloriously conclude my wretched existence with a +parricide."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume shuddered. Gabriel threw himself into a chair and hid his face +with both hands.</p> + +<p class="normal">"But if it is not so, supposing it otherwise," he began again after a +long pause, in the course of which the foaming billows of his wrath had +sunk, "if the apparition in my youth was a truth and no deception, if +his tears did indeed once bedew the face of his child, if my father has +been pining in infinite sorrow for his long lost son, if his heart has +been sighing after me with the same strange emotion as sometimes in +hours of quiet rises convulsively in the depths of my soul, if racked +by repentance and the stings of conscience he has been seeking me mad +with grief.... if I should find him thus, though he were the meanest on +earth, the wretchedest beggar to whom one flings a morsel of bread--and +stood before me in that condition--Blume! I have often declared, and +now repeat, by my troth, and knightly honour! I should fold him +lovingly in my arms.... and though it were the last moment of my life, +my last breath--my last, yea dying breath should be a loud Hallelujah."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped suddenly, Blume too had for some time been listening. +Out of the bushes in a distant corner of the graveyard, on the gusts of +a favouring wind, sounds of lamentation came born to the ears of both +of them. Each for a time had accepted what was heard as a deception to +be accounted for by the fearful excitement of the moment; but the +sounds, at first dying away with a hollow echo, came nearer:</p> + +<p class="normal">"My Son, my Son;" it rung now clearer and clearer in their ears, "my +much loved only child--where art thou? Come to me, thou dear one.... +thou wert born in sin, but I love thee in spite of all! for in truth +you are my only son! Where can I find thee? could I find thee in +heaven, I would seek thee there; could I find thee far over the sea, I +would seek thee there.--Where art thou, thou that wert conceived in +sin, thou that art so near to my heart? approach me and let us crave +mercy at my father's grave, perhaps God will have compassion on me, +will pardon me!... Oh! if my son but lives and I may see him again: +then, then would I die!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">The clock on a neighbouring tower tolled midnight, a wind sprung up, +and sighed over the wide desolate space of the graveyard.... the clang +of the clock, the rustling of the wind drowned the words which again +died away in the distance. Gabriel had become deadly pale. He stepped +to the window, and gazed for a long while down: but saw nothing. "It +was an illusion," he said softly, quickly recovering himself by a +wonderful mental effort--"my sharp glance detects nothing in the wide, +and snow-covered space--and the dead have no voice."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume shivered, she did not dare announce that she too had heard the +ghostly cry from the graveyard. Gabriel stared fixedly before him, sunk +in gloomy brooding. Blume tried to read his soul. She had never seen +him since that fateful day of the feast of atonement. He, who had once +loved her, who had once clung with the perfect fresh strength of youth +to his faith, to humanity, to his people, to justice, had become a +changed man. Branded by holy scripture, which human wisdom can never +quite interpret, betrayed by his mother whom he idolized, driven from +her presence, cast forth from the society of his brethren--his soul was +filled with hate. But even his hate she was unable to fathom. When he +had entered, she feared that he would rob her of her child, that he +would slay herself--that he would not do so, was now clear--but she +dared not yet be tranquil, for he had declared that he hated her, that +he would be revenged upon her. In pitiful sorrow she gazed motionless +at his lips, at every movement of which her blood again ran cold: +though his silence seemed to her yet more horrible. Once more one of +those long and oft-recurring pauses had intervened, that seemed to +Blume to last an eternity. Her unspeakable oppression was intensified +by the profound impression caused by the singular incident that had +just occurred, by astonishment at Gabriel who seemed by force of will +to have soon banished it from his soul.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gabriel," implored Blume, "I pray thee, speak, break this weird +silence, it is awful! say what thou wilt, go on with your story."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Dost thou consider Blume! thy silence was once awful to me too.... +once thou hadest no word of pity, no look of compassion for a poor +innocent martyr, and I languished for a word of love.--Had my +grandfather then still continued to live at Cologne perhaps.... I do +not know, but perhaps he, he alone, would have taken me to his arms. +But the fearful tidings, that branded his daughter, his grandson, gave +his name a prey to the scornful, and blighted his dearest hopes, threw +the old man on a bed of death. I arrived two days after his funeral at +Cologne. Every one shunned me, my misfortune was known to all my +brethren in the faith.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I took possession, as heir, of my grandfather's immense property. I +was no longer attached by any tie to this life, all that I had loved, I +was constrained to hate, that which had once been true and holy to me, +now seemed to me lying and false, I was the unhappiest man on earth! I +broke with my whole past life, I would have none of it live on within +me, except the remembrance of my unmerited humiliation, that fanned the +hot flame of my revenge with undiminished fury.... I sought by some +overt act to prove that I had become a changed man. In the cathedral at +Aix-la-chapelle I abjured the old faith, and swore enmity in my heart +against all those that clave to it.... As I came out of the church a +crowd of people had assembled to gape at the new convert. I did not +lift my eyes; but felt that the odious looks of all were fixed upon me. +I hurried through the press, and sought to gain a side street that led +to my dwelling. The crowd that accompanied me fell off one by one, and +at last I heard the step of but one solitary person behind me, who +followed me obstinately to the door of my house. I did not look round, +but as I was about to step into the house, I felt myself seized by the +cloak. 'What do you want?' I asked of the importunate fellow, a beggar +in the dress of a poor Jew. 'Nothing,' replied he, with the wandering +gaze of madness, 'nothing, except to tell you, that you have done +wrong.... Thou hast forsaken thy Father in heaven.... and a good child +seeks his father, even though he has prepared sorrow for him.... There +is no greater grief than when father and son seek and cannot find one +another!...' The maniac ran quickly away: but his words, burnt into my +soul like kindled sparks.--I did not know my father! my mother had died +without naming his name.--The high reputation for virtue which she had +enjoyed during her lifetime, had not permitted the faintest doubt to +rest upon her, and even if I had ventured to induce my brethren to make +any revelations, my inquiries would have been vain. I had as yet been +too stunned to think of my unknown father; but now, with the wild +thirst for vengeance on you all, was associated a feeling, so singular, +so wonderful, that I can never describe it. At one moment I was +inflamed with unutterable hate against the unknown author of my days, +at another I felt myself more mildly disposed, and a profound longing +took possession of my torn heart. At one moment I believed myself +convinced that he had forgotten me, and revelled with undisturbed and +cheerful mind in earthly happiness, while his son succumbed before a +woeful affliction; at another I hoped that he, who had never betrayed +me, who had never for years enforced his paternal authority, had +omitted to do so by reason of his inextinguishable love for me. A +tormenting, frequently rapid succession of emotions took powerful hold +on my heart; but from that moment a desire was born within me to find +my father, were it to demand fearful reckoning of him, or were it to +fall reconciled into his fatherly arms!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Three days later I received intelligence that they had wedded you to +your betrothed. You were in a great hurry, and your grandfather's death +could not deter you from your hasty resolution. Thou, my ardently +beloved adored bride, gavest thy hand to him who had disgracefully +mis-used me as I lay on my knees in supplication before thee!... The +marriage was solemnized at Worms, while I in Aix was languishing in +maddest grief!--My determination to be avenged remained firm and +immovable, but I was as yet too weak, too powerless to carry it into +effect!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel ceased, pressed both hands to his burning forehead and went on, +after a long pause, passionlessly almost calmly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was restless and changeable, I knew not whither to turn my steps, +nor what to set about. War was kindled in a part of Germany, but +I did not care about it, I was indifferent to it. I wandered in wild +fury from city to city, from village to village; and found nowhere +peace and rest. I was often forced to rise in the middle of the +night and travel further: an irresistible power seemed to urge me +on. One stormy winter's night I had arrived at a small town in the +district of Juliers, and intended to pass the night there: but +sleep fled my wearied eyes, about midnight I arose and had my +horse saddled. My servant resolutely refused to go on in the fearful +storm, people dissuaded me from continuing my journey, the roads were +unsafe.--Nothing could restrain me, some impulse drove me abroad!... I +may have ridden for two hours objectless, when I suddenly heard a +report of firearms. I rode in the direction whence the noise came, and +saw by the light of the full moon, that momentarily appeared through an +opening in the wind-riven clouds, a group of horsemen engaged at a +short distance in a fierce struggle. I almost involuntarily spurred my +horse to a swifter pace, and first held rein when close to the angry +fight. This was an unequal one. Five horsemen, manifestly the +aggressors, formed a half circle round a tall and knightly form. +Enveloped in a white mantle, his head protected by an open dragoon's +helmet, the man who was attacked was obliged at the moment of my +arrival to make head alone against the superior number, for his +attendant had fallen shortly before, wounded by a pistol-shot. I +remained for a moment an inactive spectator. Two corpses and two +masterless steeds on the side of the assailants proved beyond a doubt +that the White-mantle and his companion had made good use of their +fire-arms; but now that this last had been put hors-de-combat the other +was fully occupied in parrying the thrusts of the attacking party. The +moon threw its pale light on the White-mantle, who, with lips fast +pressed, flashing eye and steady hand covered himself against every +assault, and wielded his mighty sword with almost superhuman strength. +The weapons clashed, other wise there was a profound stillness. I +approached in rear of the assailants. When he who was sore pressed saw +me, a ray of hope seemed to flit over his pale noble features; but no +sound escaped his lips. My arrival altered the position of affairs. Two +of the horsemen wheeled round and presented their pistols at me. +'Brandenburgian or Imperialist?' they cried.--'It's all the same to +me,' was my honest answer. One of my interrogators now turned about, +and aimed steady and sure at the head of the White-mantle. At that +moment my full sympathy was aroused for the man whose life was +threatened.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He was forsaken, alone against many:--without analysing my motive, +driven by some inner impulse without even knowing to what party he +belonged, I drew the pistols from my holster, and shot down the man who +had taken aim. 'Receive my thanks, Saviour in the hour of need, I will +never forget you,' cried White-mantle, raising himself, as if endued +with fresh strength, high in his saddle, and directing against one of +his surprised opponents a blow so mighty that he fell lifeless to the +ground. We were now two against three--the White-mantle was saved--with +a wonderful inimitable, caracole he placed his horse by my side. I had +not time to discharge my second pistol, for our opponents, well skilled +in arms, pressed us with redoubled impetuosity. I tore the sword from +my side and fought with that boundless untamed fury that filled my +heart. The hot fight did me good, I did not feel the blood, trickling +from my arm, but on a sudden out of the neighbouring thicket a ball +whistled by my ear, I fell wounded.... White-mantle supported me with +one arm, with the other still kept brandishing his mighty weapon. At +that instant I heard the tramp of horses, but closed my eyes and lost +consciousness. Eight days later when I recovered my senses I found +myself to my astonishment in a handsome apartment in Juliers.... I was +lying in bed--I learnt that the warrior, whose life I had saved, was +the Imperialist General, Count Ernest of Mannsfield, Margrave of +Castelnuovo and Bortigliere. Brandenburgian horsemen had laid in wait +for him, when he rashly enough, accompanied only by his lieutenant, had +set out on his way back to the city. The ball which had struck me, was +fired by some sharp-shooters from Neuberg, who had come to the aid of +the Brandenburgers: but the report of fire-arms had at the same instant +brought up some Imperial dragoons whose arrival had settled the small +skirmish in our favour. They told me that Mannsfield was ardently +desirous of offering his thanks to me for the unexpected help, and when +I declared that I now felt myself well and strong enough to receive his +visit, some moments afterwards he entered my room. Mannsfield was at +that time twenty years old. He was a tall powerful man; his +extraordinarily pale earnest face with pointed Spanish beard and +mustachios was framed with dark waving locks, his large eyes gazed +feelingly at me, he held out his hand. 'I thank thee, Brother,' he said +with emotion, and each of his words made a deep impression upon my poor +heart, void of love.--'Thou hast saved my life, I will never--may God +help me--forget thee! You were ignorant whom you succoured, you +offered--as a good soldier should--a saving hand, not to the Count +Mannsfield, not to the Imperial Marshal, no, to the man, to the hard +pressed worn-out unknown soldier! no oath bound you, what you did for +me had its source only in the free will of your noble soul....'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume! you had all rejected me, I stood alone in the wide world, my +heart, that could love so warmly, so boundlessly, was desolate and +bleeding. Each word of Mannsfield's dropped balsam upon the wounds of +my soul: an emotion, so profound, as could only be excited in me at a +time when still credulous and undeceived, I dared live for a sweet +delusion, thrilled through me; my whole heart expanded to his words, I +pressed the hand of the noble soldier, and hot tears rolled from my +eyes. 'Now if you are strong enough, and talking does not try you,' +continued Mannsfield, 'let me learn the name of my saviour. What is thy +escutcheon, where is thy home?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"Drops of agony stood on my forehead. Once more the past moved in swift +flight over my soul, all seemed to me a confused dream! I fought a hard +fight with myself; chance had led me to a powerful grateful friend, +could I venture to narrate to him frankly and unconstrainedly my life's +history? Had I not reason to fear that the renowned hero, the General, +the Emperor's favourite would turn scornfully from me? from me, a +renegade Jew, an outcast of his brethren, a man branded from his birth? +Mannsfield remarked my hesitation. 'I will not urge you,' he continued +after a pause of surprise: 'perhaps a mystery hangs over your name--I +am sorry, but be you what or who you will you will ever remain dear to +me--a thought suddenly flashed across him. Perhaps you are a +Protestant? perhaps an adherent of the Union?' he exclaimed, 'ah how +little you know Mannsfield! By God Almighty--be you who you will--you +are prized by and dear to me.... Shall I speak to you in confidence? I +am at the bottom of my heart not averse to the Protestantism, which I +now do battle against under the standard of my glorious Imperial +master:--But I am rivetted to the illustrious House of Austria by a +bond of gratitude: I was brought up at the Court of my godfather the +Archduke Ernest; I have to thank my Imperial lord and master for all +that I am, and why should I conceal from you, my preserver, that for +which I have so often been compelled to blush, and what half Germany +knows.... I was not born in lawful wedlock, and I only owe it to the +especial favour and grace of the monarch, that he permits me to enjoy +the name and rank of my father, that he has legitimised me, that he has +pledged his Imperial word as soon as the war which we are now waging is +over, to invest me with all my father's possessions. Mannsfield's words +made a tremendous impression upon me. Blind chance had wonderfully +guided me. That the birth of this man, whom I had saved, who was +soliciting my friendship and love should have been first legitimised by +the absolute command of the Emperor, that I had saved him while my +heart was overflowing with hate, that he, the brave lion-hearted hero +who had staked his life thousands of times for his Emperor, his +colours, his glory, laid such stress upon it, all this had such a +decisive influence upon me, that I broke the deep silence, which I had +firmly intended to preserve, and revealed to Mannsfield my whole past +history. Mannsfield listened to me with the warmest infelt sympathy. +'You are alone in the world,' he said, after I had ended, in the +harmonious accents of his powerful voice, 'you have saved my life.... +Your secret shall for ever be preserved in my breast--will you be my +brother?' Mannsfield gazed at me out of his deep dark eyes so +cordially, so lovingly. My heart beat as if it would burst. Mannsfield +despised me not, Mannsfield did not hold out to me only a poor common +oblation of compassion: no, he offered me all his great heart--could +I refuse the too-bountiful present? Tears, that rolled from my eyes, +were my only answer. We sealed the compact with a long fraternal +embrace.--Eight days afterwards I was entirely recovered, and was +presented to the assembled officers as a new companion in arms at a +banquet given in Mannsfield's honour. They had named me at my baptism +Gottfried. But God was no longer in my heart, peace was never in my +soul, I banished both from my name, and called myself Otto Bitter. +I took service in the Imperial army under that perfectly unknown +name.--The vast wealth that I had inherited from my grandfather +supplied the means of equipping at my own cost some troops of cavalry, +in return for which I was appointed to their command. Fortune, which +favoured my arms, in conjunction with Mannsfield's inexhaustible +affection for me, quickly promoted me from step to step and allowed me +to take conspicuous rank in the army under Arch-duke Leopold which was +detailed to operate against the Unionists in the Cleves-Juliers +district. The continuance of the war had fully occupied me, but spite +of the fact that my past history was to remain a mystery to every one +except Mannsfield, I had succeeded in obtaining tidings of thee and +thine. I was indeed far from you, but in spirit I stood ever near you, +I never lost sight of you for a moment--after a series of battles the +Protestant Union at length concluded a peace with the Emperor, in order +to oppose their whole force to the newly formed Catholic confederacy, +the League. I was free, I wished to hurry to Worms, to appear before +thee and thine, and settle accounts with you--but a new and unexpected +turn in the fortunes of my friend Mannsfield hindered me. Mannsfield +had confidently expected that the Emperor at the end of the campaign +would have invested him with the possessions of his deceased father who +had been Stadtholder in Luxembourg. The war of succession in Juliers +and Cleves was over; the complication in Alsace arranged: Mannsfield +had rendered the Emperor substantial services; he had shed his blood +upon the field of battle; he had squandered his rich maternal heritage +in warlike armaments, without demanding compensation for it: it was +only through Mannsfield's zeal, through his high military talents and +spirit of self-sacrifice that the Imperial General-in-chief the +Arch-duke Leopold had been enabled to make head successfully against a +superior force. Mannsfield now applied for the desired investment, but +was shamefully refused. His proud spirit could not brook the slight +which was inflicted on him, he retired from the Imperial service, and +devoted his zeal and victorious sword to the evangelical Union. It was +perfectly indifferent to me, for whom or what I fought.--A firm +indissoluble bond of friendship united me to Mannsfield, I could not +hesitate a moment, I ranged myself by Mannsfield's side. Victory was +tied to Mannsfield's standard. I was his truest and best companion in +arms, the fortune of war was favourable to me; loved by Mannsfield, +idolised by the troops I now became the first officer in his army.--In +the meanwhile a persecution of the Jews had broken out in Frankfurt +stirred up by Vettmilch, Gerngross and Schopp. The Jewish quarter was +plundered and wasted, the life of your brethren threatened. The rabble +at Worms wished to follow the example of Frankfurt and a pretext was +easily found. Your family, the Rottenbergs, had some, I do not doubt +well grounded claim, against a Frankfurt patrician; he died, and his +son who had been admitted to the rights and privileges of a citizen at +Worms found it most convenient to get rid of the obligation into which +his father had entered, first by disputing the demand as usurious, but +afterwards the receipt for the debt as forged. The honour, property, +safety of your family were all equally endangered. The workmen at +Worms, friendly to a hasty course as it was a question of using +violence against the Jews, looked upon the private suit as a public +concern and demanded from the Imperial Chamber at Spires the immediate +expulsion of all Jews from Worms. They were sent back and ordered to +follow the usual course of justice in reference to your affair. But the +Imperial judges were stern and just, and there was no doubt therefore, +that you would win your cause. The trades, irritated to the highest +degree by the failure of their plan, demanded that you should make a +sacrifice of your claim, and moreover in order to save the honour of +their fellow citizen should declare the proofs to be forged. You made +up your minds to lose the sum, which was a considerable one, but no one +could persuade you to make a false dishonourable confession. Vain was +the pressure of the workmen, vain the prayers of your brethren in +Worms, who were blind enough not to detect the clumsy artifice and +believed in their simplicity that the artisans of Worms would be +appeased by this declaration, and undertake no further hostilities +against the Jews. You remained firm and in the week before Easter the +wild storm broke loose. The magistrates, though with the best +intentions, too feeble to protect you, were obliged to look on +bewildered and inactive, while the Jews were expelled, their ancient +synagogues demolished their burial ground desecrated.--It was only +through the immense exertions of the Bishop, who only arrived in Worms +late in the evening of that hapless day, that the wild fury of the +populace was at length bridled. A general plunder was prevented, too +late however for you, against whom the popular hatred had first vented +itself. Your house was entirely demolished, you were plundered, your +father was roughly handled. You had only escaped a certain death by +speedy flight. Your father died from the effects of the fright and +ill-usage that he had experienced.--The Frankfurt rebels were subdued +by force of arms. An Imperial commissioner punished the guilty and the +Jews returned in triumph to the city. In Worms also the insurgents soon +surrendered to the Imperial troops, the Jews were recalled and +honourably re-instated in their ancient residences. But you never +returned. The community of Worms maintained that the calamity was +attributable to your obstinacy, that much worse might have happened, +that you should have sacrificed your honour and pride to the +common-weal. The community excluded you from the midst of them. Poor +and wretched, concealing your shame under an assumed name, you were +forced to seize the beggar's staff and start on a wide uncertain +wandering. The punishment was hard, but you had deserved it for your +behaviour to me!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume had again silently listened to Gabriel without interrupting him. +It seemed to her almost as if he took pleasure in the pleasing broad +circumstantiality of the story as he told it. As if he took a pleasure +in embodying in living sounding words his whole past, that he must for +years have kept sealed in his heart. As he spoke of that time when he +was far from her, he seemed to become more calm. A mild conciliatory +spirit seemed to come over him, when he referred to Mannsfield and the +firm bond of friendship that united their hearts to one another. When +he spoke of the persecution of the innocent Jews in Frankfurt and Worms +it seemed to her as if love for his former brethren was not yet +altogether dead in him, as if a feeling of compassion still stirred in +the depths of his almost inscrutable soul. She already yielded to the +delusive hope that Gabriel was only come to forgive her and had only +wished to give her a fright by calling up the memory of the past. The +earnest warning was to serve only to annihilate her by the full weight +of his magnanimity;--but when he once more probed with rough hand her +bleeding wounds, when he once more spoke of punishment, thought of +retaliation, she again sunk down, covering her beautiful face with both +hands. Gabriel did not notice it. "From that moment I lost all trace of +you. I had joined fortune with my friend Mannsfield, and was hurried +from one end of Germany to the other. Everywhere I looked sharply out +for thee. If I came into the neighbourhood of a Jewish community, I +often exchanged armour and helm for cloak and cap, in order to obtain +admittance into it as a travelling student that I might search thee +out. When my disguise could not be kept secret from those about me, a +silly foolish love-affair with a Jewish girl served as an excuse for +it. My inquiries were in vain, but I doubted not, I was convinced that +I must some day find you.... We were just on the point of hurrying off +to the assistance of the Duke of Savoy, a member of the Union, when +suddenly the flame of war was kindled in Bohemia. The duke no longer +required reinforcement, it was a matter of indifference to Mannsfield +in what quarter he waged war on behalf of Protestantism against the +Emperor: we marched therefore at the request of the Bohemian states, +who took us into their pay, to Bohemia. Our arrival was immediately +illustrated by a victory, we took the strong and disaffected city of +Pilsen. The Emperor was exasperated to the highest pitch by the loss of +this loyal city, and Mannsfield and I his chief officer, were put under +the ban of the Empire. Meanwhile the Bohemians had elected the Palatine +Frederick their king. The selection was an unfortunate one. Frederick +appointed Anhalt and Hohenlohe commanders-in-chief of his army and +Mannsfield remained at Pilsen at a distance from head-quarters in order +to escape serving under both of them. We found ourselves badly off. Pay +and support, as well from the Union as from the Palatine, failed. +Mannsfield was obliged to keep the army on foot without money. To fill +up the measure of our misfortunes, that portion of the country in which +we were encamped was attached to the Imperial party and we were +surrounded by spies.--We were obliged to observe the greatest +watchfulness and every one, who afforded the slightest ground for +suspecting him of being a spy, was arrested and strictly examined. A +travelling Jew was once detained; it was known that the Jews of Prague +were zealous and faithful partisans of the imperial faction, it was not +impossible, that he was a spy. He was brought before me, I recognised +him immediately. He had formerly been with me for some time at the high +school at Frankfurt, I had seen him too several times at Worms. My +altered situation made me quite irrecognisable. To his astonishment I +asked him if he knew anything of your whereabouts, and he reluctantly +confessed to me that he had caught a glimpse of the long lost woman in +Prague, but that you had timidly shunned any meeting. The poor student +had not had the remotest intention of acting as a spy and only wished +to travel to Fürth. I dismissed him, unenlightened, but with a +munificent present. It had been suggested long before that I should +undertake a journey to Prague in order to petition the king for the +arrears of pay, and to talk over a common plan of campaign with Anhalt. +I had hitherto put off the troublesome business, but when I learnt that +you were at Prague, I declared myself at once ready for the journey. I +arrived here and after three days of ineffectual exertion with king and +council, I resolved to stay here till I had discovered you.... I had +taken up my quarters in the house of an armourer who had once served as +sergeant-major in my regiment.--He had become incapable of further +service, and had joined the great swarm of foreigners who had come to +Prague with the Palatine. He had always been devoted to me and I could +reckon upon his fidelity and secrecy..... I once more pretended a +love-affair, when I exchanged the dress of a General for that of a +student. I went into the Jews-town and assumed the family name of Mar. +By a fortunate coincidence I found a lodging in the house of the +upper-attendant of the synagogue, Reb Schlome Sachs. Situated outside +of the gate of the Ghetto it was peculiarly adapted for the double +purpose of my residence here. Immediately on my entrance into the +Ghetto too I had, in a really inexplicable way, found favour in the +eyes of a usually reserved and maniacal old man, and I felt myself, +without being able to give a reason for it, stirred by an unwonted +feeling of sympathy for him--perhaps, as I was afterwards obliged to +admit, on the ground that his strange madness reminded me of the +misfortune of my own life. I was a stranger in the Jewish community of +Prague: you lived here quiet and retired under an assumed foreign name. +Every enquiry among your co-religionists gave occasion for a well +founded suspicion against me, rendered a discovery of my true relation +to them possible. It was therefore only through the intermediation of +the lunatic that I could hope to discover you: but when I sought him +for the second time in his dwelling, I found it shut up, and since the +day of my arrival I have never been able to obtain a sight of him. But +as I knew that he communicated with nobody, I could at least allege my +acquaintance with him, which was concluded in open street, as an excuse +for my frequent absence from home, and my landlord Reb Schlome Sachs +often believed me to be sympathetically seated by the madman while I +was engaged in negotiating with the king and field-marshal about pay in +arrear, or campaigns that had miscarried. I ranged through the streets +of the Jews-town assiduously, but never saw you. I was almost in +despair of finding you here, when a lucky chance led you yesterday to +meet me at the threshold of the bathhouse, exactly <i>yesterday</i>, when by +a concurrence of events I became master of your destiny. Yesterday, +after a martyrdom of ten years, I found thee; today I stand before +thee...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume had again been listening to Gabriel without uttering a word. He +had again, either in self-forgetfulness or mastering his unbridled +passion by an astonishing exercise of mental strength been addressing +her in the accents of former years. Blume gave way as before to a +consoling hope, but Gabriel's last words dispelled all her illusions.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you want of me?" she cried again, lifting herself up and +bending involuntarily over the cradle of her child. "What do you want +of me? Speak it out, Gabriel! and torture me not to death with +protracted anguish...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thou askest what I want?" shouted Gabriel with flashing glance, and +his voice sounded like the growling of a thunderstorm: "what I want? +<i>thee!</i> thou wert mine, Blume! from thy birth up thou wert destined for +me, the covenant which our parents had concluded for us, we confirmed +by the bond of love--<i>thou</i> hast loosened the beautiful bond of love, +and now Hate binds me to thee! If it is no longer the heaving of thy +voluptuous bosom, if it is no longer the waving of thy dark luxurious +tresses, if it is no more the flashing of those beautiful love-kindling +eyes, or those rosy budding lips which rapturously attract me to +thee.... Why then it is the sweet stupifying poison of revenge! you +rejected me, you trampled upon me, ... for a sin that I never +committed--if the curse of that sin bears heavily upon my wretched +tainted existence--I will at least taste the sweetness of the sin.... I +will...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume was for a moment motionless from horror, then seized her child +impetuously, opened the window and leaned far out of it, as though to +call for help--Gabriel seized her by the arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Be still, Blume," he said, "be not afraid, I shall do nothing by brute +force. Thou wilt have time for consideration, and thou wilt throw +thyself supplicatingly into my arms.... I give you a week for +consideration.... but I believe your resolution will be taken +sooner.... Eight days hence, Sunday the eighth of November--it is +exactly the anniversary of our betrothal--I shall be with you by +midnight.... Wilt thou be mine?"</p> + +<p class="normal">God-forsaken! screamed Blume beside herself with fury, with flaming +face and sparkling eyes: "dost thou desire <i>that</i> of me, of me, the +wife of another, the devout Jewess, the faithful wife, the tender +mother? Yes my resolve is quickly made...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is because you are the wife of another man," interrupted Gabriel, +"that I do desire it.--<i>Wert thou free</i>, and lying at my feet in all +the infinite beauty that neither sorrow nor wretchedness can rob you +of, wert thou imploring one glance of love--I should spurn thee from +me, as thou didst spurn me,--but the bond of wedlock enchains thee! +thou shalt sin, thy hard marble heart shall learn to know the bitter +torments of remorse,--and it is because thou art a faithful wife, +because thou lovest thy husband, because thou wouldest preserve a +father for his child that I expect the fulfilment of my wish."--He drew +a packet from his breast-pocket, it contained some small manuscript +parchment rolls and a sheet of paper; he handed them in silence to the +woman who trembled with rage and grief.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is my husband's writing!" shrieked Blume, "those are the texts +that he has copied.... God! there is one of my letters. How did you +come into possession of these writings? Where is my husband? speak!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Read," answered Gabriel, and held out to her Mannsfield's letter which +he had received the day before from the ensign. Blume devoured the +writing eagerly, but when she came to the last lines, she tottered and +was obliged to steady herself by the arm of the chair. The characters +danced before her eyes.... "I cannot read it," she said, "do thou +read!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel read:</p> + +<p class="normal">"With regard to the above mentioned Jew, whom my outposts arrested, I +think that he is innocent. I was obliged to exercise all my authority +to prevent his being torn in pieces by the exasperated soldiery, or +hanged on the nearest tree; even some of the officers voted for his +death. Seeing that the suspicious writings found upon him are according +to his own account Hebrew bible-texts and letters from his wife I have +sent them to you to be tested, and your report as to the contents of +the writings will give him death or freedom.--The whole affair however +is so insignificant that you will have no need to detain Michalowitz +respecting it. Only in the event of the Jew being a spy, and the +contents of the writings therefore of importance to us, will it be +necessary for you to send me advice by a trooper: otherwise on account +of the insecurity of the roads to Pilsen do not send me any +messenger...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Now," cried Blume, hastily, "you see, it is not a cipher, it is only +texts and my letters. Have you despatched the messenger who will solve +the inauspicious misunderstanding?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No! My answer will depend on thine.... Will you eight days hence +submit yourself to my will?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"And if I answer no, what will you do?" asked Blume with the utmost +eagerness.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That answer thou wilt never make," replied Gabriel violently, "thou +wilt not compel me to an extreme, to the greatest extremity of all.... +So, and so only will I be revenged, Blume, force me to no other, to no +bloody vengeance.--I will only repay like by like.... you suffered my +heart to break.--Come then, I will be the ever living sting of +conscience in thy existence--you let me humiliated, deeply, oh +infinitely deeply humiliated.--Come now, I will humiliate thee too. But +as for me, I had loved thee, had idolized thee, you repaid my love with +hate. I am juster than you--I give you hate for hate!... My resolve is +unshakeable!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Blume stood before Gabriel wringing her hands despairingly.--"No, I +cannot believe that you will perpetrate the horrible iniquity of +writing to Mannsfield a hellish lie that will cause my husband's death. +Consider, Gabriel," she continued almost inaudibly, clasping her +hands--"indeed I never injured you, never humiliated, never degraded +you. It could not be, I could not be your wife, a higher power placed +itself between us, could I, could any one help it? I was innocent, thou +wert innocent! Oh Gabriel, thou wouldst only terrify me, thou wilt not +write the lie to Mannsfield, is it not so."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume, I am armed against thy entreaty.... for long years have I +sought thee, for ten years have I been hatching a thought of vengeance, +and now that a wonderful chance throws the reins of your destiny into +my hands, shall I let the moment pass by unavailed? Shall thy tears +befool me? No, Blume, no, every human life must have some attainable +aim.--I had no other than revenge!--My resolve remains unalterable."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You leave me then but the choice between sin and unutterable woe? You +are silent? Gabriel," said Blume after a pause suddenly lifting her +lovely head.... "You once loved me, now every spark of that feeling, +all sympathy is extinguished in your heart, but I, I pity thee in +spite of it!... How low art thou fallen, poor Gabriel!--the proud, +high-souled Gabriel, who should have been a guiding light to his +people, a giant in intellect, contends with a weak woman, one +stricken-down with misery, that with her baby in her arms, makes her +trembling supplication before him.... and what kind of victory, what a +triumph would he win? He would destroy a poor, wornout woman, by means +of an abominable shameless lie, than which humanity can conceive +nothing more mean.--Gabriel, at this moment I am more wretched and +unhappy than any woman upon earth, but--by God Almighty!--I would not +for worlds stand before thee, as thou now standest before me!"--</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stood with folded arms before Blume. The desperate reckless +opposition of the helpless woman, especially the last sorrowful cry of +her tortured heart had caused him for a moment, but only for a moment +to waver; thoughts like lightning flashed through his soul, feelings +that he had long believed dead were stirred up in him, for a moment he +entertained a thought of foregoing his vengeance, of forgetting the +past, of being re-converted--but he had already gone too far, he had +broken with all tradition, the future as he had dreamed of it in his +youth, seemed to <i>him lost for ever</i>--he could never drawback.--His +better genius succumbed, the iniquitous passion conquered.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My resolution is firm and unshakeable," he said, rapidly preparing to +go, as if he himself feared lest he should waver again. "Eight days +hence I shall be with you by midnight.--Your husband's fate is in your +own hands, ponder upon it till then. My resolve is inflexible!"</p> + +<p class="normal">He folded himself in his mantle and departed--Blume gave way and sobbed +aloud.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>V.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The Imperial army advanced without interruption, almost without +striking a blow, while Anhalt drew back with his troops to the +White-mountain close by Prague. He had barely entrenched his camp, when +news arrived that the Duke Maximilian was approaching with his +division, and that Boucquoi was following with the remainder of the +Imperialists, Anhalt summoned a council of war. Mathias Thurn advised +that they should attack the Duke immediately on his approach, before +the wearied troops should have time to refresh themselves, and before +he could unite himself with Boucquoi. John Bubna, Schlick, Styrum and +others supported his proposal, and the Commander-in-chief Prince Anhalt +seemed already won over to this view, when Hohenlohe pronounced himself +violently against any offensive operation. "We must," he opined, "try +and avoid any open battle with a superior force under the command of +illustrious generals: the result of battles is uncertain, and a crown +is not to be lightly hazarded. We have a strong impregnable position on +the heights and the enemy will not venture to assault us." Hohenlohe's +plan was adopted, and Mathias Thurn left the council in a state of the +highest indignation.--So dawned the morning of the 8th of November, a +day destined to have a decisive influence for centuries to come.</p> + +<p class="normal">Encouraged by Frederick's example who did not allow himself to be the +least disturbed in his wonted pleasures and amusements, the people in +Prague did not give way to fear, and even in camp on the White-mountain +they believed themselves so secure and so little expected an attack, +that on that very day--it happed to be Sunday--many of the officers and +common soldiers had gone into Prague to see their families.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel had passed the eight days since his nocturnal visit to Blume in +a state of feverish excitement. He greeted the morning of this day, the +anniversary of his betrothal, with singular feelings. But one short +space of time divided him from the long looked for moment of revenge!</p> + +<p class="normal">It was forenoon, he was sitting in his room in Reb Schlome Sachs' house +sunk in deep thought, and gazing earnestly before him. Feelings most +various and violent were preying upon him. He permitted, as he was +often wont to do for his own torment, his gaze to hover over his past +life. He saw himself a boy, full of peace and faith in the house of his +grandfather, in the house of his mother. He saw himself a youth by the +side of his grandfather in the presence of his exquisitely lovely bride +all glowing with becoming modesty he called to remembrance the golden +dreams of his youth, how in blissful hope he purposed to obtain a +rapturous world to come by a life dedicated to virtue and faith.... And +then how that was all suddenly, oh how suddenly, changed--his dying +mother--that feast of atonement when he stood in despair before Blume. +And now, now, he was about to take vengeance, fearful vengeance!... He +knew that it would be impossible to inflict a more painful wound on +Blume, that chaste pure woman, that he could not more deeply degrade +her--and yet he did not doubt that the noble faithful woman would make +a sacrifice of her honour, her soul's peace to her husband. Sometimes +it seemed to him as if the minutes that separated him from midnight +were rolling on too quickly, too hurriedly, as if he would enjoy the +expectation of the near approaching moment of revenge, more than the +moment itself? Generally, however, each second seemed infinitely long, +and he could not control his impatience. The thought of his father too, +as it always did when he was violently excited, had associated itself +with all these recollections, with all these unwonted emotions. Swiftly +succeeding feelings of alternate love and hate towards him, the natural +desire to learn to know him, perhaps that too which we call the voice +of nature, all this together had constantly aroused in his heart an +indescribable strange desire. At this instant he doubted whether he +would ever find him. One thing that he had striven after for years, he +believed that he had attained: but it was impossible that Blume should +escape him, he had always been sure, though perhaps years might be +consumed in the search, that he must sooner or later discover her. But +his father? Of him he knew absolutely nothing, he had not the smallest +ground to go upon, not the faintest shadow of a conjecture dawned on +him.--Where could he seek him; where could he find <i>him</i>?</p> + +<p class="normal">The hurried opening of the door roused Gabriel suddenly out of the +confused chaos of his thoughts, he turned round. Before him stood the +boy, the ordinary messenger of the armourer in the Platnergasse.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sir!" cried the boy, "Captain Schlemmersdorf, is +waiting for you at home, he is urgently desirous to speak with you +speedily"--Gabriel hesitated.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Say, you could not find me, young one," he replied after a short +reflection: "I wish to remain undisturbed till to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sir! It must be about some most weighty matters. The captain +was beside himself at not finding you at home, he wished to follow me. +I was to tell you, that life, honour, everything was at stake."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel now rose hastily but with a dissatisfied air and obvious +reluctance. Shortly afterwards he had arrived in the manner now +well-known to us, at his house in the Marienplatz, where Schlemmersdorf +was waiting for him with terrible impatience.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where have you been staying so long General?" he cried out to him as +he entered, "quick, make haste, take your arms, to horse, to horse.--I +pray you haste!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"What has happened?" enquired Gabriel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Nothing pleasant, at least not for the present.... Early this morning +the advanced guard of the Bavarian column was seen at the further end +of the street. The Prince once again summons the few officers present +in camp, to advise whether now at any rate it would not be prudent to +receive the advancing troops with an attack: but Hohenlohe absolutely +refuses to quit the secure position upon the heights, and whilst he is +saying all he can in favour of his view, it is announced that Tilly +with his Bavarians has crossed the river by a small bridge without +hindrance.--The propitious moment for an attack is lost to us. Duke +Maximilian is deploying in the centre his whole well-formed array; +Boucquoi, who must have followed close upon the Duke, is taking up a +position on the right wing, and we have the entire main-body of the +enemy opposed to us.--The Prince, who is expecting every moment to be +attacked by the Imperialists, is endeavouring in the greatest haste to +range his troops in order of battle. He has despatched Habernfield to +the king with a request that he will adjourn the ill-timed banquet that +he gives to the English ambassadors, and come to the camp, in order to +cheer the low spirits of the troops. Styrum is looking for Mathias +Thurn and I have hastened to you--but General! don your armour at once. +Why tarry you?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The General had listened to Schlemmersdorf in silence and in spite of +his urgency without the least movement.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What should I do in camp?" he now enquired.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A strange question, Sir General," replied Schlemmersdorf excitedly, +"as far as one could hastily gather in the camp," he added hurriedly +resuming, "you were to take charge of the Hungarian cavalry on the +left, instead of Bornemissa, who is lying sick."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Never, never, Sir Captain," cried the General indignantly, "I will +never undertake the command of a detachment unaccustomed to discipline, +whose language I do not even know, to whom I could not make my orders +intelligible. I am obliged to the Prince for the honour and glory, +which might have been obtained with the command.--However, Sir Captain, +I cannot be of much use in the camp. I am unacquainted with the state +of the army that is drawn up here, I am informed neither as to the +strength of the divisions, nor the capacity of their officers; I am +entirely ignorant of the plan of proceedings.... Sir Captain, you must +yourself allow, it would be an unparalleled event in the history of +military operations, if I resolved to accept a command under such +circumstances."</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlemmersdorf could not contest the justice of these observations, he +was silent.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I can therefore render no service outside there," continued Gabriel, +"except with my sword, like any other common trooper.... but as +the Prince did not choose to invite me to the council, though all the +other superior officers here present took part in it, I think he will +do very well without an individual officer of Mannsfield's in the +battle-field.... Make then my excuses to the Prince, if I stay here, +where, precisely to-day urgent business, that admits of no +postponement, detains me."</p> + +<p class="normal">"There is no more urgent duty than honour," burst forth Schlemmersdorf. +"I know, General, that you have been badly treated," he added, in a +conciliatory tone, "badly treated in many ways, it was wrong of the +Prince.... but now you are needed, the Prince summons you, after a +victory you shall have full satisfaction...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel paced the chamber unquietly in deep emotion; a strange horror +that he had never before had a presentiment of, thrilled through +him.... that he should that very day be summoned to the battlefield! +that very day on the anniversary of his betrothal to Blume, that very +day, when he desired to take vengeance, to accomplish his long matured +plan!...</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlemmersdorf was in despair, he was willing to make any concession to +gain his object. "General," he said at length stepping close up to +Gabriel, "time presses, resolve quickly whilst we are here idly +babbling away the time, the Imperialists are perhaps assaulting our +lines. This day may decide the fate of Frederick's crown, of Bohemia. +Consider; it would be an eternal ineffaceable blot upon your name, if +you withdrew at the commencement of a battle.--What would your own age, +what would even your friend Mannsfield say?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Schlemmersdorf had touched Gabriel's weak point. His honour as a +soldier and Mannsfield's esteem were his highest possessions. Regard +for his honour, and a wild thirst for battle drew him into the field, +and yet he on the other hand felt himself chained fast to Prague by +brazen bonds.--He had looked death in the face unmoved a thousand +times, but to-day, just to-day, so near the goal.... to perish to-day +on the battle-field, perhaps to die unavenged, perhaps to die without +having retaliated the unspeakable woe that had stricken him, perhaps to +die without having achieved one single aim.... that was a thought that +filled him with fearful unutterable dismay. It seemed to him as if he +must strain every nerve to preserve his life for his revenge, for this +night--a discord full of torment rent his heart. For a moment he +remained undecided, but when Schlemmersdorf wrapped his cloak about him +and without a word of farewell turned his back contemptuously upon him +and stepped towards the door, he made a sudden resolution, "I go with +you, Schlemmersdorf!" he exclaimed, "go with you ... but I will not +fall to-day!"--Schlemmersdorf looked in Gabriel's face with surprise. +He knew that it was no expression of mere cowardice that escaped him; +but time was too precious for further enquiries, he urged him to make +all haste, and shortly afterwards the two were spurring at full speed +through the Strahower gate towards the camp. Outside the town they +encountered Styrum who had gone in vain quest for Mathias Thurn. +<i>Mathias Thurn was not to be found that day</i>.</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">The two hosts were drawn up opposite one another. The Imperial-Bavarian +army, over 30,000 strong, was in good order and eager for battle. The +Bohemian, scarcely numbering 20,000, was surprised, and in spite of the +favourable ground which it occupied was drawn up in a great hurry by +Anhalt without any fixed principle. The Prince had brought up all +the artillery that he had on to the heights that covered his right +wing.--This therefore, commanded by the young Prince Anhalt, was ranged +in the line of its own fire, the trajectory of which would pass over +its head. Hohenlohe commanded the centre under Anhalt, Bornemissa who +had had himself carried to the field in spite of his illness, the +left.--The Duke himself commanded the Imperial army in chief, under him +Lichtenstein the centre, Tilly the left, Boucquoi, who in spite of the +wound that he had received at Rakonitz was again on horse, the right +wing.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was a beautiful fresh winter's day. The Imperialists seemed for some +time to be in doubt whether they should advance. At length, between +twelve and one o'clock in the afternoon, the two lines of which the +extreme wings were made up, set themselves in motion, and pushed +forward with drums rolling and loud shouting. Anhalt at once commenced +a cannonade from all his guns, but they were pointed too high, and the +balls passed far over the heads of the Imperialists without killing +even a single man. The right wing of the Bohemians was now impetuously +attacked and thrown back: but young Anhalt, supported by Bubna and +young Thurn, broke suddenly (according to the enemies' own account) +like thunder and lightning in amongst the Imperial cavalry, and his +extraordinarily fierce onset in spite of the most obstinate, heroic +resistance forced it slowly to give ground. The Imperialists lost three +standards, and Captain Preuner was taken prisoner. Victory seemed +inclining towards Frederick's side. But at this decisive moment +reinforcements arrived for the hard pressed Imperialists. Godfrey of +Pappenheim came up with his cuirassiers just in time to prevent young +Anhalt's further advance. At sight of the youthful sparkling hero the +Imperialists again stood firm, and a terrible hand to hand contest +ensued. For a quarter of an hour the fate of the battle in this portion +of the field was in suspense.--At that moment the three young men, +Gabriel, Schlemmersdorf and Styrum reached the White-mountain. Gabriel +had only one personal friend, John Bubna, upon the field. He was on the +right wing and thither Gabriel turned his fiery steed. His discontent +vanished at sight of the battle-field. The hot fight, the blast of the +trumpets, the rattle of musketry, the thunder of cannon, all this made +him for a moment forgetful of his resolution. Thus had he often stood +at Mannsfield's side. On the battle-plain he had won for himself a new +name, respected and terrible. His lust of combat was kindled to a wild +heat, he drew his sword, spurred his horse to a mad gallop, and flew +swift as an arrow over the level ground that separated him from the +field of battle.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Ah, thou here, young friend!" cried the elder Bubna who had withdrawn +for a moment from the thickest pressure, to staunch the blood that was +flowing from a flesh-wound.--"That's right of you to come, the sight of +you has a wonderfully strengthening effect upon me. How fares it with +the other wing?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I do not know, Bubna," replied Bitter.... "I am but just +arrived.--You hold out bravely against a superior force...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We had just got the upper hand, when this Pappenheim came up with his +cuirassiers, and made the issue of the fight again doubtful.... Do you +see him there with raised visor on a grey horse how he is animating his +troopers? he seems to stamp on the ground and call up ever fresh masses +of death-defying cuirassiers--but forward, friend!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel on his black horse pressed irresistibly forward. The troop of +horsemen, that followed his waving plume, advanced deepest into the +fray. His gigantic form, overtopping all about him, and the unwearied +strength of his arm, that scattered his enemies like stubble, attracted +Pappenheim's attention. He had hitherto encouraged his Walloons by the +brandishing of his glittering sabre, and the thunder of his voice, that +was perfectly audible over the roar of battle; but at sight of the bold +onward movement of this enemy's officer he suddenly resolved, like a +Grecian hero of antiquity, once more to assay the oft-proved might of +his sword. His afterwards world-renowned youthful rashness carried him +where the throng was densest, and Mannsfield's out-lawed General was +soon confronted by Count Pappenheim, the most zealous servant of his +Emperor, the most ardent champion of his faith.--Both men were of +gigantic stature, both felt, that by one well-aimed stroke a loss might +be inflicted on the opposite party which would with difficulty be +repaired. Gabriel heeded not his fixed intention, nor Pappenheim the +duty of a leader; forgetful of every other consideration it seemed as +if each of them desired but to achieve the object immediately before +him or die.--A life and death combat ensued between the two officers, a +combat such as most rarely occurs in modern warfare. Each gazed for a +second motionlessly in the other's face. Pappenheim observed with +astonishment a bright streak of purple, like a sacrificial flame, on +the forehead of his antagonist, while Gabriel stared at the crossed +swords on Pappenheim's brow.--That was the Pappenheim, that was the +mark, of which the student, nine days ago at the dinner-table of his +landlord, Reb Schlome Sachs' had spoken, the same student who had +reminded him of his father and mother.--All the past, the immediate +future, passed with the infinite-swiftness of thought before his mental +vision. He desired to live, to live for his revenge. The mournful +presentiment, that to-day, so near the longed for goal, he must die +without having attained it, the mournful presentiment, with which he +had once before on this day been imbued, sprung up with redoubled +violence in his breast. That an adverse destiny should have led him +to-day, this very day, against the doughtiest champion of the Imperial +army!... He would gladly have retreated, but again he had gone too far, +it was no longer possible to withdraw. Pappenheim stormed against him +with all the mad audacity of youthful ardour, a terrible combat began. +Both were unusually powerful men, both were accomplished swordsmen. +Pappenheim had expected to encounter an opponent skilful as himself, +but he found his master. The foreboding of death which had passed over +Gabriel, had not dispirited but had made him cautious, he had acted for +some time on a system of defence, but suddenly spied a weak point in +his adversary's too impetuous attack and, raising himself suddenly in +saddle, planted a masterly thrust which his knightly foe could not +parry with sufficient rapidity.... Pappenheim dropped lifeless from his +horse.... Gabriel drew a deep breath, and the Bohemian cavalry pressed +bravely forward, while the cuirassiers discouraged by the presumed +death of their leader began to give ground. Suddenly, however, a rumour +flies through the ranks. That young Anhalt has been thrown from his +horse wounded, and has fallen into the hands of the Imperialists. +Gabriel heard it, and shortly afterwards orders ring out in Bubna's +sonorous voice, who had succeeded to the command in place of young +Anhalt--Still there is hope of victory: but the whole aspect of affairs +is speedily changed.</p> + +<p class="normal">Simultaneously with the attack upon the Bohemian right wing the Duke +upon his own right had made a feigned false attack of Poles and +Cossacks against the Hungarian cavalry drawn up opposite to them, an +attack however soon repelled and dissipated by the resistance it +encountered. The Hungarians, whose chief Bornemissa was unable to sit +on horseback, allowed themselves to be deceived by this stratagem; they +pursued the fugitives and looking upon themselves as already masters of +the field, broke their serried ranks to seek for plunder. Duke +Maximilian and Lichtenstein, who had been watching for this favourable +moment, advanced with fresh choice troops against the Hungarians. +Anhalt saw the danger that threatened his left, and sent reinforcements +from Hohenlohe's cavalry in the centre to the aid of the hard-pressed +troops. But Lichtenstein received them with a well-directed fire of +cannon and musketry, the front ranks fell, and Hohenlohe's cavalry took +to sudden flight without having struck a blow. A panic terror seized +the Hungarians, they followed the bad example that had been given them, +turned their backs upon the enemy and burst through the ranks of their +own infantry. Every effort to stop the flight of the Hungarians, was +vain, they threw themselves into the valley near Motol, and endeavoured +to cross the Moldau by swimming; but the river was swollen, and most of +them found their grave under its waves. The infantry, thrown into +disorder, deserted by the cavalry and without artillery, was itself +also now obliged to make up its mind for a speedy retreat.--The left +wing and centre of the Bohemian army was beaten, Lichtenstein and +Boucquoi had no longer an enemy before them. The Duke also made a sweep +round with his right wing and main-body to the left and occupied the +heights, on which Anhalt had planted the whole of his artillery, and +from which his troops had advanced too far. In a short time it was in +the hands of the Duke, and Frederick's soldiers were exposed to the +fire of their own cannon. This happened exactly at the moment when +Pappenheim had fallen, Anhalt had been taken prisoner by the +Imperialists and Bubna had succeeded to the command.--Bubna ordered a +retreat to be sounded. The troops, in rear exposed to the fire of the +artillery, in front to the terrible onset of the Imperial cavalry, +now as their services were no longer needed elsewhere united in one +body,--retired in as good order as the unfavourable circumstances would +admit of.--A bit of high ground to which they had fought their way +between two fires revealed to them the comfortless aspect of the field +of battle.... Corpses and arms that had been cast away strewed the +plain. The centre and left wing was discovered in full flight. A +determination had to be quickly taken. It was necessary to separate. +Bubna decided that he would endeavour to conduct the horse back to +Prague, so as at least to preserve the remnant of his cavalry for +Frederick. Schlick and his Moravian infantry is firmly resolved to die +rather than fly, and while Bubna accompanied by Gabriel turns in the +direction of Prague, the Moravian regiments in serried ranks press +through the victorious Imperial army, and fighting their way reach the +wood of Stern, where they again make a stand, but soon succumb +valiantly resisting to the last....</p> + +<p class="normal">The victory of the Imperialists was complete, and achieved in less than +an hour.--Four thousand Bohemians, among them one Count and several +noblemen, had fallen. Young Anhalt, young Schlick and other superior +officers were prisoners, all the artillery and camp had fallen into the +enemy's hands. The loss of the Imperial-Bavarian army had been +proportionally small. Count Meggau, Rechberg, and fourteen other +officers had remained dead on the field, Godfrey of Pappenheim was +afterwards found, alive but badly wounded, under a heap of slain.</p> + +<p class="normal">Considering the complete overthrow of the Bohemian army, the Duke had +held all pursuit of the fugitives unnecessary, and close to Prague, on +the highroad, several battalions of infantry that Schlemmersdorf was +leading back to Prague united themselves to Bubna's orderly masses of +horse.--Schlemmersdorf held out his hand sadly to Bubna and Gabriel: +all three rode in silence through the Strahower Gate. As they entered +the city they saw the Palatine. He was clad, as for a feast, in satin. +Habernfield had not succeeded in persuading him to come to the +battle-field, he would not ride out fasting, had purposed that very day +to give an entertainment, and would not betake himself to camp till the +cloth was drawn. Tidings of the complete overthrow of his troops +interrupted the ill-timed banquet, he hurried to the gates, where his +Generals, Prince Anhalt and Count Hohenlohe were already coming to meet +him. The first was without a helmet and terribly excited.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sire. You have lost the battle, and I my only son on the +field!" he cried to him with the agitated grief of an inconsolable +father: "all is lost!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Frederick was for a moment unable to answer, violent emotion deprived +him of the power of speech.--"I now know what I am," he said at length, +"there are virtues which only misfortune can teach us, and we Princes +discover in adversity alone, what manner of men we are."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sire!" now said Schlemmersdorf, who at that moment rode +through the gate, in a tone of mournful reproach. "You were sitting +joyously and cheerfully at table, while your army let itself be shot +down before the gates in your cause."</p> + +<p class="normal">"And you have made a fruitless sacrifice of yourselves," said Frederick +sorrowfully, and a tear filled his eyes: "I am undone!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"God forbid," cried Schlemmersdorf; "we are bringing the remnant of the +army about seventeen battalions to you; the fugitives at the first +blast of the trumpet will return to their standards, Mannsfield's +flying division stands ready for battle in rear of the enemy, eight +thousand fresh troops in support have arrived from Hungary and have +already reached Brandeis.... Only give orders for the gates to be shut, +and for the burghers to arm and the city can hold out against a long +siege."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do <i>you</i> think, Prince?" Frederick turned to Anhalt. He shrugged +his shoulders. "Advise me, gentlemen, advise me, what is your opinion?" +cried Frederick almost imploringly, "what should be done?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"First of all," observed Bubna with a side glance at Anhalt, "a brave +general must be nominated to conduct the defence of the city...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You have requested my advice, gracious Sire!" Anhalt now continued, +"well then, the open street is a bad place for a serious consultation: +permit me to accompany you to the castle, there we will think the +matter over...."</p> + +<p class="normal">The battle lost had not diminished Anhalt's influence over the feeble +Frederick. The Palatine turned his horse, and accompanied by Anhalt, +Hohenlohe and Schlemmersdorf, rode to the Hradschin. Bubna looked after +them in bitter wrath.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you think of doing, Bitter?" enquired Bubna after a long and +painful pause.</p> + +<p class="normal">"At all events I shall remain to-night in the city," replied Gabriel, +"to-morrow we shall hear, what sort of a plan Frederick's council has +hatched, and I shall guide myself accordingly.... It is settled that +our Mannsfield shall continue the war, even if Frederick concludes a +peace. Whatever happens, I intend to share Mannsfield's fate."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are no Bohemian, Bitter! you are free.... but I, I, ... I love +not Frederick, I esteem him not:--but the diet has elected him: if he +is obliged to leave Prague a fugitive, I must go with him, I cannot act +otherwise. Only when he has obtained a secure retreat, shall I join +Mannsfield--therefore Bitter, farewell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel pressed Bubna's hand, but suddenly the old soldier threw his +arms passionately round Gabriel's neck and kissed him repeatedly with +impetuosity. "You saved my life at the skirmish of Netolitz," he said, +"I have never thanked you for doing it. I always believed that I should +some day repay the old debt. But our paths divide--Bitter! we are +approaching a period, insecure, and prolific of disorder: ... The +immediate future may bring death to us, I do not know whether we shall +ever meet again. Bitter! I feel as if I shall never see thee more.... I +thank thee.... farewell!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Bubna tore himself away by a violent effort, his rough powerful voice +shook, large tears flowed slowly over his powder-blackened face. +Without leaving Gabriel time to reply, he spurred off in the direction +of the Hradschin. But once more he halted and making a signal with his +hand, cried, "farewell, Bitter, for ever!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel could make no answer from emotion, and was obliged almost to +cling to his horse's neck to prevent rocking in his seat.--That strange +flutter within him of a sad presentiment of death, when Schlemmersdorf +called him to the field, had disappeared in the heat of the fight, but +was again powerfully excited when he had stood in single combat against +the awful Pappenheim. For a moment he had given himself up as lost +beyond redemption. But he had conquered, he had returned without a +wound, safe and sound to Prague: it seemed to him as though he had +risen superior to destiny. A bold violent feeling of self-confidence in +his strength attained to its highest pitch, and spite of bitter +discontent for the lost battle, he still smiled within himself at the +childish terrors to which he had given way. But Bubna's leave-taking, +the gloomy presentiment, which the aged, gallant veteran steeled in +many a battle had undoubtedly given voice to, and which Gabriel had +involuntarily referred to himself, had once again violently shaken him. +In swift course, as though to leave his gloomy thoughts behind, he +spurred over the bridge into the Altstadt, and first held rein in the +Marienplatz before his residence. His devoted armourer was waiting for +him impatiently at the gate.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thank God, gracious Sir, you live; you are not wounded.... The battle +is lost, is it not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel hurried, without heeding the armourer's words up the steps and +beckoned him to follow. Gabriel threw himself into an arm chair, the +armourer stood straight as a taper before him, expecting his orders.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Martin!" began the General after a long reflection; "you have always +been faithful to me, from my heart I thank you for it--you must do me +one more service, perhaps the last. This night will decide the fate of +Prague, of the whole country. I do not doubt that Frederick will follow +the whispered suggestions of his council, will fly; ... in that case +the ensuing morning must not find me in Prague.... I dare not fall +alive into the hands of the Imperialists...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Only, gracious Sir, fly," interposed Martin, rubbing the back of his +hand across his moist eyes; "don't lose a moment!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, Martin! I must stay here to-night, I <i>must</i> Martin!" he repeated +impetuously, as if the man had contradicted him; then rapidly paced the +chamber, and said softly to himself. "How, if Frederick were cowardly +and wicked enough to open at once and instantly the gates of Prague for +the entrance of the enemy.--How if I, the outlaw, should fall alive +into the hands of the Imperialists, if I, born in ignominy, should die +ignominiously by the hand of the executioner, should die without having +avenged myself; ... No, no, I stay in Prague at all hazards, I <i>must</i> +revenge myself.... and then?... surely I have a trusty sword, I will +never fall alive into the hands of my enemy.... Martin!" he said aloud, +"in every event let two of the dragoons who accompanied me to Prague, +wait for me to-morrow morning early at the Schweinthor well armed and +with a saddled horse. If in the course of the night the city is put +into a state of defence, it will be announced to the burghers and you +will hear of it. If this is not the case, we must conclude that +Frederick gives up all idea of resistance, surrenders his crown.--The +best plan will be for you to go to the Hradschin and watch carefully +whether the Palatine takes flight. No carriage can pass out of the city +unperceived. To-morrow at daybreak you come to the gate and make your +report to me. If the city is given up, I shall go to Brandeis to meet +the Hungarian reinforcements, endeavour to form a junction between them +and Mannsfield, and the war begins anew.--If the Imperialists march in, +they will seek me; say that I escaped with the Palatine."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gracious Sir!" cried Martin, "fly at once, tarry not a moment. I will +fly with you, I will never forsake you."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What is the matter with you?" said Gabriel, moved in spite of the +disorder of his spirits by the armourer's proposal. "You are now a +domiciled citizen of Prague, no one will trouble himself about you, and +when the first storm, which will only touch lofty heads, has blown +itself out, you can go on with your business in peace. Consider, old +man! you have only one leg, you are no longer young, a soldier's life +is no longer suitable for you.... or are you afraid lest they should +pay you out for your fidelity to me? No, Martin! there is no fear of +that, they do not know of it, and even if they did know!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, it is not that, gracious Sir," replied Martin; "I only fear on +your account. Why will you pass this night in Prague?... fly at once!"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I <i>cannot</i>, Martin! I <i>cannot</i>," said Gabriel; "it will be time +enough +to fly to-morrow.... I adhere to the directions that I have given. Now +leave me alone, I have still matters to think over.--We shall see one +another to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Martin lingered yet another moment. "Gracious Sir!" he said.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Do you still wish to say anything?... Yes, I recollect, I must reward +you for your faithful service, and to-morrow in my hurry I might forget +it ..." Gabriel began to unlock a cabinet.</p> + +<p class="normal">"For God's sake. Sir! How could you misunderstand me so? that is not +what I desire, I am rich enough:--but grant me this favour--fly to-day, +fly at once...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Martin's obstinacy was striking. "What reason have you? Have you any +information? Do you think that a rising in favour of the Imperialists +will break out in the city? speak!</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, by God Almighty, I have no information, gracious Sir!... but," he +added in a low unsteady voice, "I fear, I know not why, that I shall +never see you alive again to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel gave an involuntary shudder. The words of the honest armourer +accorded so exactly with Bubna's farewell.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Martin!" he said, after he had recovered his self-possession, "your +love to me makes you take a gloomy view of everything.... I cannot set +off today, I <i>must stay here</i>--my resolution is immovable!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Martin bowed himself over the hand, which Gabriel extended to him, and +wetted it with his tears.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My resolve is unshakeable!" repeated Gabriel once more when he was +alone.... this was the last word that he had addressed to Blume.... He +paced the room with long strides. Physical exhaustion, unusual but +easily to be accounted for, increased his intense mental excitement. +His stirring life had been always full of manifold vicissitudes, but +to-day in the short space of a few hours an infinity of events had been +compressed. Once awakened and kept alive by suggestion, from many +quarters, he could not quite banish from his soul the thought that he +should die <i>to-day this very day</i>. He had often been near to death, the +enemies' balls had often whistled about him, hostile daggers had +threatened him, he might often before have fallen, and unavenged, and +without having accomplished his design:--<i>But he had never been so near +it</i>--on the faintest doubt of the success of his plan he suffered the +tortures, which legend attributes to Tantalus: only more woeful.... <i>If +he should die to-day without having revenged himself, if he should die, +behind him a desolate, empty, aimless existence, before him an unknown +future, then there must be a Providence, then he must have ruined more +than one human life, more than one existence</i>.--He struggled with the +whole strength of his powerful intellect against the thought that would +keep rising from the depths of his soul. But the thought was +intangible, irrefutable. He might assure himself thousands of times, +that there was no ground for these terrors, but for the very reason +that he found no sensible foundation for his apprehensions, this +inexplicable coincidence of his own sensations with that of his friend +Bubna, of his devoted Martin, caused him a feeling of uneasy +astonishment.--But his strong mind gradually with many a struggle +composed itself. He could not in truth annihilate the painful thought, +but he overcame it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Blume's fate, her husband's life is still in my hands," he said to +himself. "The immediate future may cause an alteration in our relative +positions.... the grey dawn of to-morrow must not find me in Prague.... +I do not know whether I shall ever see Blume again--the favourable +moment for revenge must be made use of!"</p> + +<p class="normal">One hour later Gabriel was about to step out of the back-door of his +house. He was again in the dress of a student, but he had this time +thrown a broad cloak about him.</p> + +<p class="normal">"What do you want, Martin?" he enquired in surprise, as he saw the +armourer, who caught him hurriedly by the arm.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Sir," cried he, "do not enter the Jews' quarter, fly, quit the silly +passion.... he entreated; what signify Jewish women to you?... do not +go into the Jews' town, they are well affected to the Emperor there."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Martin! you mean well ... but I cannot follow your advice--See," he +unfolded his cloak, under which flashed a scabbard and three pistols, +"I am armed, there is nothing to be afraid of. Leave me, you know me, +you are aware that my resolution is immovable.--Remember, to-morrow +early at the Schweinsthor."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stepped out and hastened to the Jews' street. Martin gazed +after him as long as he was in sight, then closed the postern and +murmured with a sigh: "surely I shall never see him again."</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">The news of Fredericks complete overthrow had soon spread over the +whole city, and the highest excitement prevailed everywhere. The +burghers of the Altstadt had sent up to the castle, to ask what they +should do, and offered themselves to enlist troops and defend the city +if Frederick would remain in Prague. Frederick's answer, which he +communicated to the burghers by Anhalt's advice: "that they should +endeavour to make terms with the enemy, for himself he would depart at +daybreak" was not as yet known. The inhabitants of the Altstadt, well +disposed to Frederick, were overwhelmed, the population of the +Kleinseite on the other hand, being for the most part devoted to the +Emperor, rejoiced at the victory which Duke Maximilian had won. Great +excitement too prevailed in the Jews' town. Numerous groups in the open +street were whispering the latest intelligence; all were of the +Imperial faction. Gabriel hurried through this throng. At the corner of +a street he happened to run against a crowd of students. He recognised +them, they were in the habit of attending the lecture room of the +Assessor Reb Lippmann Heller, the same which Gabriel, in order to keep +up at least the outward appearance of a student, had attended.</p> + +<p class="normal">"How do you do Reb Gabriel;" one of the students turned quickly +round, "How do you do? a pity you were not at lecture this morning, +it was a lecture! I tell you, you can only hear one like it in +Prague--wonderful!"</p> + +<p class="normal">The student who had addressed Gabriel was a strange figure.--He was the +Nestor of the Prague students.--He had numbered fifty years. Devoted to +the continual study of the Talmud he had found it best after a mature +deliberation of five and twenty years to renounce all ideas of +marriage. In early days these may very well have been wrecked upon his +outward appearance, which in fact offered little that was attractive. +His unusual height did not in the remotest degree harmonise with a +remarkable leanness that served as a foil to an enormous humped back. +His dress was moreover calculated to intensify the strange impression +produced by his appearance. Of a poor family, and too devoted to study +to earn a living by teaching, he was perpetually driven to make use of +his friends' cast off clothes. This he did without paying the least +attention to their physical stature, and so it came to pass, that his +threadbare silken doublet scarce covered his hump, that the much-darned +slovenly cloth-breeches turned up their ends at the knee, where they +should by right have joined on to the somewhat ragged silk stockings +and left a notable gap very imperfectly filled up by a linen band; that +the little close fitting cap, whose original black tended towards a +very significant red, rested but lightly on his head covered with thick +masses of hair, and shook about at the slightest movement of the +vivacious man. A grey beard, that hung untended down on his breast, was +continually combed out by the fingers of his right hand, and when its +bearer was engaged in any animated discussion was forced to submit to +have its end turned up artistically into his mouth, and to be bitten, +and in fact Reb Mordechai Wag's--that was the student's name--teeth had +manifestly thinned this ornamental hair appendage. Notwithstanding this +very unattractive exterior, Reb Mordechai Wag was everywhere well +received. He had a quick intelligence that readily grasped the essence +of Talmud truth, and a good heart. On account of his dialectics, he was +a terror to all itinerant teachers who wished to lecture in Prague and +a patron of all the humble students who came to the high school there. +Often, when as was the custom at that time, he was invited by some +member of the community to dinner, he sent some one else in his place, +who, less fortunate than himself had found no host that day, and while +he gave out that he was ill, chewed his small crust of dry bread at +home, and laughed at his own cunning. Study of the Talmud was the one +highest aim of his life. It seemed to him impossible that a student +could take interest in anything besides a lecture, and even to-day, +when everything was in the greatest uproar, it was perfectly +indifferent to him, whether the Palatine or the Duke Maximilian gained +the victory, and his thoughts ran only in their accustomed track.--It +was very unpleasant for Gabriel, just in his present temper, to have +fallen into the hands of the sympathetic Reb Mordechai, and yet he was +unwilling to draw the attention of the students to himself by making +off in too great a hurry. He enveloped himself therefore more closely +in the cloak that concealed his arms, and said struggling with his +impatience: "I am sorry to have missed to-day's lecture, I shall take +the earliest opportunity of asking you to impart to me what the...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why put it of? I will tell you at once: what have we got better to do +now?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I thought," replied Gabriel forcing a laugh, "a moment when every one +looks excitedly forward to see what will happen next, when it will be +decided whether the Emperor or the Palatine...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does that matter to us students?" interrupted Reb Mordechai, +provoked by Gabriel's opposition.... "The Emperor will be a mild +ruler.... the Palatine and the Bohemian nobility have also protected us +Jews, but how can that be helped, they haven risen against the +government, and you know, that is not right.--But let us leave all that +to the Holy one, praised be his name--and occupy ourselves with an +exposition of his words.... the master then...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Reb Mordechai," now interposed a young man with a dark expressive +countenance, whom the others called Reb Michoel; "leave that for the +present. It is a fine thing when learning is combined with knowledge of +the world.... The affairs of this world are also of importance even +though you cannot understand it; you come from outside," he continued +turning to Gabriel, "have you perchance heard anything more authentic +about the battle? It is reported, that the Hungarian cavalry was at +first victorious, but that the heavy artillery of the Imperialists had +silenced the fire of the small...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What does it signify to a student," asked Reb Mordechai vehemently, +"whether the cavalry fired on the infantry, or the infantry on the +cavalry, whether they first let off the small firelocks and then the +great guns, or contrariwise? What rightly constituted student troubles +him about such things? A student may become a Rabbi, or a butcher, or +peaceful father of a family, but have you ever seen a student that +became a soldier?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A third youth who had as yet taken no share in the conversation drew +nearer. "I have only been a short time in Prague," he said, "I have up +to this time been studying at Frankfurt on Main, I am not aware whether +the name of Gabriel Süss is known to you.... he was first an able +student, and then became a soldier."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel shrunk within himself; he heard himself thus named for the +first time since many years, he made no answer, but Michoel shook his +head negatively. "Gabriel Süss.... Süss"--repeated Reb Mordechai +thoughtfully, "was not he a bastard? I once heard something about +it.... but I have no memory for such trifling matters."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What happened to him?" asked Michoel inquisitively, "tell us, I pray +you."</p> + +<p class="normal">Reb Nochum--that was the name of the Frankfurt student--complied with +Reb Michoel's urgent request, and related Gabriel's history, departing +indeed here and there somewhat from the truth, but on the whole +correctly enough. His story concluded thus, that Gabriel had once since +his baptism been seen by early acquaintances on horseback with several +Imperial troopers, but might perhaps, as he had disappeared since that +time, have met his death in the Juliers and Cleves war.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, I have heard something of the kind," said Mordechai, when the +Frankfurt student had finished; "but it was not known in Prague that he +had become a soldier, it was reported that he had drowned himself; who +knows however whether it was true.... Besides you know, he might have +been declared legitimate, yes truly," added Mordechai hastily, feeling +himself once more on firm ground, "The mothers declaration is worth +nothing, Gabriel Süss ought not to be looked upon as a bastard, refer +to the Jad-ha-Chasaka cap. 15 &c." ...</p> + +<p class="normal">"That's all very well, Reb Mordechai," replied Michoel, "but you +forget, it was a dying mother, a dying mother will not part from her +child with a lie.... and moreover she had ever till then, as this story +is told, loved her son.... besides, what would be the use to him? Will +any one, will any one person doubt, that he is a bastard? If you had a +sister or daughter, would you give her to him to wife? think of that, +Reb Mordechai: <i>No power on earth could establish the legality of his +birth before our inward convictions!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">Michoel's glance chanced to rest upon Gabriel's face, he noticed the +fiery red, and deadly pallor that coursed in quick succession over +Gabriel's features.--"<i>Not before inward conviction</i>," echoed Gabriel, +feebly.--Reb Mordechai had no answer to make, and a pause ensued. +Gabriel might now have got away, but he would not, the conversation was +too interesting to him not to hear the end of it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The law: that a bastard may not enter into the congregation of the +Lord," began Reb Nochum again, "is unreasonable. Why should the +innocent be punished for the sins of his parents? Why is he cast forth +from the closest, loveliest union? Why may he never lead home a loving +woman as wife? Why may he not be happy in the circle of his family? Yet +consider, even in this law the spirit of the Lord comes to light, which +breathes upon the faithful out of every word of Holy Scripture. +Contemplate this bastard, this Gabriel Süss.... he cursed his inanimate +mother: ... only a bastard could do that, no man could perpetrate such +an iniquity, unless he were born in sin.... The transgression, that +called him into life, urges him ever farther forward, and involuntarily +he trod the paths of sin.... therefore the Lord in his wisdom may...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"You are a thinker," Michoel interrupted the speaker, "and I am glad to +have met you: such are not often found among students.... <i>A firm faith +in God is not shaken by reasonable speculations, if they are kept +properly subordinate</i>. But you are in error friend! God forbid, that +any man should be obliged to follow a path absolutely fixed beforehand, +the path of sin.--Where would his free will be? that is not so. You may +not give a daughter or sister to a bastard as wife, so the commentaries +enjoin us--but only that and nothing further is declared by the +Talmud--that is a command, like many others, a command of the Lord's, +obscure and inexplicable to man's mind.... but a bastard may be noble, +great, a shining light to his people. Are you not acquainted with the +article 'a bastard profoundly versed in scripture is superior in +dignity to a high priest who is less deserving.' Is it not true," +Michoel turned to Mordechai, "that it is so. Gabriel Süss ought not to +have despaired, ought not to have acted as he did. The Lord had blessed +him with earthly wealth, had endued him with a powerful intellect: he +might have been a benefactor of the poor, a staff to the infirm, a +teacher of his people, an example of humble submission. In the +enjoyment of the highest mental activity, the undisturbed study of +God's word, in strivings for a future state, he might have found +consolation, and peace even in this world. <i>His fate was in his own +hands.... it was his own fault that he perished</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel felt as if a blazing thunderbolt had fallen in the depths of +his soul. He pressed his hands spasmodically against his heart and was +forced to sit down upon the curb-stone. Mordechai, whose understanding +was not transcendent enough to appreciate the force of what had just +been said, observed this as little as Reb Nochum, whose attention +remained entirely fixed upon Michoel's words. It was only the sharp +glance of this latter that noticed Gabriel's emotion, which he was +incapable of controlling.--<i>The state of frightful excitement</i>, of +feverish expectation in which he found himself, <i>had still more +intensified and exaggerated the impression of those words</i>. He felt at +this moment with the whole power of his comprehension that in the most +decisive events of his life the torch of his wild hatred had been his +only light, that everything had come grinning to meet him distorted by +its gloomy dismal rays.... The words which might once have fallen like +assuaging balsam upon his bleeding heart now struck him with the whole +weight of their convincing truth. The thought, that might once have +saved him, now filled him with nameless unutterable woe. The audacious +confidence with which he had believed himself irresponsible for all +that he had done was broken--Michoel had shown him what he might have +been--how different had he become!</p> + +<p class="normal">A pause had again ensued. Mordechai now observed with horror that he +was almost too late for evening-prayer, and hurried with Reb Nochum +into the nearest synagogue. Michoel remained standing before Gabriel +who seemed nearly to have lost consciousness. At last he asked, +recovering himself, in a dull voice: "Who are you and what is your +name?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am Michoel Glogau, I was born in Silesia, and have finished here +my course of Talmudic study. I have been summoned to Breslau as +preacher--and what is your name?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I am called Gabriel Mar," he replied to the interrogation in a +trembling unsteady voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Gabriel Mar, Mar, Mar," echoed Michoel quite softly and thoughtfully, +his eyes fast fixed on Gabriel: "strange!... are you unwell, that you +sit there thus languidly on the stones?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes.... no.... rather--I shall soon be better. Why do you gaze at me +so fixedly? only go away, Reb Michoel, do not be disturbed on my +account.... I am often wont.... to suffer so. Away, I pray you, away, +away...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Michoel went off, stopping from time to time to look round after +Gabriel. He sat for some minutes as if changed to stone, but--whether +it was recovered self-possession, or whether the heavy snow which began +to fall had roused him--he got up suddenly, wiped the cold sweat from +his forehead and looked motionlessly at the spot where Michoel had +stood, as if to convince himself, that they were not fantastic dreams +which hovered over him, then hurriedly strode to his dwelling. As he +arrived at the end of the narrow lane that led out of the Jews-town to +the Old-synagogue, he suddenly heard his old name Gabriel Süss called. +Taken by surprise he involuntarily turned his head--he saw no one and +hastened with redoubled speed to his house by the Old-synagogue.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It is he!" said Michoel stepping from behind the corner of a wall that +had concealed him from Gabriel's sight, "my suspicion was correct, +Gabriel Mar--is Gabriel Süss. I must speak with him."</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel was once more in his room by the Old-synagogue. In a few +hours, since the forenoon when Schlemmersdorf had summoned him to the +battle-field, what numberless events had happened within and without +him. Frederick had lost his crown, the Emperor had won a highly +important victory. He had been present at this weighty catastrophe, had +been a witness, a participator in the hot combat, his life had been +threatened on all sides. He had stood opposed to Pappenheim, the most +accomplished knight in the Imperial army, and believed that he had +slain him--and all these occurrences of which any one would have been +sufficient to have put the most strong minded into a state of intensest +excitement disappeared and left no trace in Gabriel's soul. Michoel's +words had called forth a fresh flood of emotion in his overcharged +breast. A new sorrow never before anticipated strove with the old grief +in his breast. With the whole gigantic strength of his intellect he +endeavoured to swing himself up out of the wild chaos of thoughts which +would have indubitably thrown any one of weaker mould into the black +night of madness.--With both his mighty hands pressed against his +inflamed and glowing lofty brow, as if to force all thoughts to one +point, he sat for hours by the table in strong inward struggle.</p> + +<p class="normal">"No, no, no!" he cried out at length impetuously, "now it is too late, +too late! Gabriel, thou hast gone, too far, too far, now thou canst +never recede.--Thou art like that Acher, he that heard said of himself: +'Turn again ye stiffnecked children.... all but Acher!'--Yes Michoel. +Thou man with a beautiful voice, with mild friendly gleaming eyes! +Hadst thou stood at my mother's death-bed, hadst thou then addressed me +thus.... but they had all rejected me.... Oh, Blume! Blume! Why did you +treat me so? Had you but extended to me, <i>I will not say your hand, but +your compassion</i>.... Alas! one single word of comfort on that day of +atonement, in my fierce wrestling with the unutterable grief! Why did +you not speak like this Michoel? Oh! I should have been quite another +man, surely, surely, I should have been a changed man!... Blume! you +might have been the preserving angel of my life.... You cast me from +you, you became my demon!... Gabriel held both hands before his face: +yes, <i>you</i>, <i>you</i>," he now suddenly cried, and wild fury repressed all +gentle feelings, "<i>you</i> have forced me to take the path which I +tread.... you have poisoned my existence, annihilated my hopes!... +If I now stand between a comfortless past and a hopeless future, +I will at least turn the present to account, I will at least bring +my ruined wretched life to a consistent conclusion. I will avenge +myself, sweetly, fearfully.... This night I dedicate to revenge--and +then--myself to certain death: the next battle I will hurl myself where +the enemies' ranks are thickest, will bathe my naked breast in a warm +shower of bullets. One blade, one ball will surely find its way to my +heart broken with sorrow!--and when alone and forsaken, trampled by +horses' feet on the bloody plain, I expire: then will I raise my +failing eyes for one last defiant look, then with unbending spirit I +will once more exclaim: Where art thou whom men call, all just, all +mighty, all merciful? Dost thou behold? I die desolate forsaken +unwept,--cursed by the woman whom once I madly loved, rejected by the +father...."</p> + +<p class="normal">This thought, that had been woven like a red thread through Gabriel's +spiritual life, this thought, that had continually buoyed him with hope +or racked him with despair, according as the waves of his troubled +spirit were rising or falling, now worked upon Gabriel, only if +possible more violently, if possible, with greater tenacity. He tore +open the window in almost mad haste, and looked up to the partially +clouded starry heaven: "Give me my father, if thou art Almighty, let me +find him, find him <i>to-day</i>, <i>to-day</i>.... and I will offer up to thee +the greatest sacrifice, the woefullest sacrifice, the sacrifice of my +revenge; let me die in my father's arms ..., and I will perform my vow, +yes, yes, I will bow my stiff neck as I die, <i>I will repent, will say +that I have sinned, that thou art all merciful, all just, Almighty!</i> my +last breath shall be a 'Hear o Israel'.--I will die like a pious Jew: +but thou must give me my father, give him <i>to-day</i>! Canst thou do that. +Almighty one?"</p> + +<p class="normal">The phrensied scornful laughter with which he accompanied these last +words, echoed over the empty court, and reverberated dull and hollow +from the spacious adjacent vaults of the opposite synagogue, the lofty +windows of which chanced to be open.</p> + +<p class="normal">In the highest state of bodily and mental tension Gabriel sank back in +his chair, the warm stream of blood that had rushed to his head and +threatened to burst his forehead, flowed again slowly back to his +heart: a sudden collapse, as is often the case, followed after this +indescribable excitement; after this, but later, a calm reflective +mood. In this state his landlady Schöndel found him, when she opened +the door, and asked: "Reb Gabriel, you are sitting in the dark, do you +wish for candles?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Accepting Gabriel's silence as consent, she disappeared directly to +fetch a light.</p> + +<p class="normal">On his return home Gabriel had laid his weapons upon the table; he +wished to hide them quickly before Schöndel returned with a light. A +large old bureau, belonging to his landlord, stood near him: but the +key was not in the lock. Without stopping to reflect he opened its +bottom drawer with a strong kick and threw the arms into it. A moment +afterwards Schöndel entered with a light: Gabriel leaned heavily +against the broken bureau to conceal it from Schöndel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Where have you been all day, Reb Gabriel?" she asked, "we have not +seen you since early morning! What do you say to the news of to-day?... +We in the Jews-town are absolutely without information; perhaps by +to-morrow morning early the Imperialists will already occupy the circle +of the Altstadt."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Indeed, then I must make haste," said Gabriel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why make haste?" enquired Schöndel with an air of surprise.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is quite clear," answered Gabriel recovering himself, with a +forced laugh. "I have now been rather a long time in Prague and have to +speak the truth not studied much Talmud. I must recommence. If the city +is surrendered, everybody's attention will be diverted, I myself shall +be disturbed, and my good intentions will be again postponed for some +days. I will set to work this very day. At midnight I shall go to the +lecture room and study all night long. Then before daybreak I shall go +to prayers in the Old-synagogue. I suppose the gate will be open early +enough?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes, but you must be in the Jews-town two hours before midnight or the +gates will be shut ... Well, I am heartily rejoiced that you intend +beginning to behave like a real student.... but you will not come to +prayers to-morrow morning, I give you my word of that?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Why not?" asked Gabriel.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Early to-morrow you will be sleeping a deep sleep, out of which a +person does not easily awaken."--Schöndel heard her husband's voice +calling her and hurried away. Gabriel had misunderstood the last words. +Students, who staid awake the whole night in a lecture-room, were in +the habit of falling asleep towards morning and so being late for early +service. This was what Schöndel had meant jokingly to signify: but +Gabriel was in no mood to understand a joke, and these words sounded +gloomily and bodingly.... they accorded so strangely with the terror of +the faithful armourer, with Bubna's affecting farewell, with the +mournful presentiment that had many times in the course of the day +taken possession of him!</p> + +<p class="normal">The stroke of the clock on the Rathhaus indicated that hour which +corresponds to eight in the evening. He wished to be in the Jews-town +before the gates were shut, two hours before midnight, so that he had +still some time before him. The superhuman excitement of the day, the +delicious torment of the expectation of revenge, that kept all his +manly energy on the stretch, could not long continue in such strength. +He was afraid, that the excess of these sensations would drive him mad, +would kill him. He passed his strong hand over his lofty brow, and +firmly closed his eyes, as though to annihilate thought.... He +sought for some object adapted to occupy his mind otherwise for two +hours:--one suddenly offered itself to him. A manuscript had fallen out +of the bureau when it was violently broken open.--He now noticed this +for the first time. He picked up the sealed packet, it was written in +Hebrew, and the envelope informed him, that it was the history, the +testament of Reb Mosche, his landlady's father, which was to be first +opened twenty years after his death. He locked the door of his room, +pushed the chair to the table: unsealed the writings and read.--Its +contents were as follows:</p> + +<p class="normal">"On the 23d day of the month Tischri, that is the day which succeeds +the feast of tents, in the year 371 according to the lesser Jewish +reckoning. It will be seven and thirty years to-day since I kept my +13th birthday, and now I have reached my 50th year. On the same day too +I left the ancient, worthy community of Prague--in which I had passed +my youth, and where God willing, I will end my days--on a wide and +weary wandering."</p> + +<p class="normal">"I cannot employ this day more holily than by beginning to write the +leaves of my biography; the leaves which I intend for you my children. +When you break the seal of these writings I shall have been for years +no longer among the living; but as a father's infinite love reaches far +beyond the grave, so will your recollection of me survive, and you will +not then refuse me the fullest sympathy.--I have written down the +narrative of my life, that at least after my death there may be no +mystery between us.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father, may the memory of the just be blessed, was that most +learned Talmudist and Cabbalist Rabbi Jizchok Meduro. He was descended +from a very old family that flourished for centuries in Spain, and his +ancestors had always made themselves conspicuous from learning and +attachment to their faith.--Fearful and bloody persecutions of the Jews +had compelled his father, a little orphan boy, to a formal change of +faith. When arrived at man's estate it repented him that he had, though +but in outward profession, laid aside the faith of his father's, and +when the officers of the inquisition discovered him at a celebration of +the Passover, and led him before the tribunal, he openly confessed that +with all his soul he was a Jew. He mounted the scaffold at Seville. He +sang psalms and hymns with devout mind, while the flames with a +thousand greedy tongues licked up his bloody body, at length a jet of +flame shot up into his face and extinguished the light of his eyes. One +'Hear oh Israel' escaped in a suffocated voice from the breast of the +dying man--at the same moment a heart-rending cry, a cry that made the +bones creep, resounded from the Cathedral square, and a woman fell down +lifeless. It was the wife of the dying man; she was pregnant with my +father. Two hours afterwards he saw the light of this world in a dismal +cellar--soon after her delivery, his mother succumbed to the most +maddening grief. The day of my father's birth was the day of his +parents' death. A small red flame was observed on the forehead of the +new-born child, an effect of the frightful torture, which the horrible +sight of the scaffold had inflicted on the mother stricken with mortal +terror.--Devout Jews, themselves in want of every assistance, took care +of the helpless orphaned babe, noble mothers suckled him at their +breasts. But bigotry was not satisfied with the bloody sacrifice. +Another of those frequently recurring persecutions of the Jews had +broken out in the Spanish peninsula; there were to be no more Jews in +Spain. Whoever would not abjure the old faith was to leave the country +within four months without carrying with him silver or gold. A hundred +thousand souls forsook goods and possessions to save their relics in a +far country, to escape from a land, where their prayer to the one true +God was stamped as a crime. A number of noble men, who crossed the sea +to Barbary, carried the baby with them, in order to preserve the +offspring of so illustrious family for its faith. But the poor people, +without money and without protection, were rejected from the coast, a +portion of the fugitives succumbed to the plague, a portion fell into +the hands of pirates that carried them into captivity: some however +were so fortunate as to find a refuge in Portugal after terrible +sufferings.--Among these was my father. He had in the meanwhile grown +to be a glorious boy. He had as yet experienced nothing but sorrow. The +infinite crushing misfortunes that had marked the day of his birth had +made an indelible impression on his mind, and even on his features.--A +profound abiding melancholy rested on the boy's thoughtful face, and +the red fiery spot that sparkled on his forehead never allowed him for +a moment to forget that flaming scaffold that had consumed the body of +a loved idolised father, the sight of which had caused the death of his +mother.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The youth Jizchock Meduro soon discovered a wisdom almost equal to +Solomon's, a fervent love for the faith. He was worthy of his renowned +ancestors. Leading a solitary life, he found consolation only in +religious studies, and in investigating the powers of nature, and he +devoted himself to these pursuits with the greatest zeal. His immense +industry, added to unusual intellectual gifts, enabled him to obtain +the most beautiful results and the youthful Jizchok Meduro was soon +accounted one of the lights of the Portuguese Jewish society.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father had attained the age in which he thought it right to choose +a wife. His choice fell upon a Spanish orphan, whose father, of firm +faith and devout, had also expired upon the scaffold.--In the first +year of a happy marriage she gave birth to twins, myself and brother. +The small cosy family circle seemed to banish the spirit of melancholy +from my father, and not indeed to extinguish but soften his sorrowful +recollections. Even this domestic happiness was however soon to be +destroyed. Persecutions of the Jews broke out in Portugal also and were +soon followed by a royal edict that forced the Jews to change their +religion or to leave the country. My father fled with his wife and two +children, then in tenderest years. Hunted like wild beasts of the +forest, we crossed the Pyrenean peninsula and a part of France. No +house, no cottage would hospitably entertain us. At night we were +obliged to sleep on the open heath. A drink of water was often refused +to the perishing. And we could only attribute it to God's visible +protection that after unutterable hardships we reached German ground. +In a city on the Rhine our dear mother sunk under the unwonted +sufferings of the long journey--she lies buried in Cologne.... My +father was alone in a foreign country with two little boys. Too proud +even in the misery of exile to be a burden upon his benevolent +brethren, he wandered over the whole of Germany, and when at length he +arrived in Prague he considered it an interposition of Providence, that +the post of upper-servant was vacant in the Old-Synagogue, where the +same ritual prevails as in Portugal. He offered himself as a candidate +for this office and when he mentioned to the overseer of the synagogue +his name the fame of which had reached far into Germany, the latter +expressed much regret that my father did not prefer to accept the chair +of Rabbi in a community, or whole district. But my father had been too +sore afflicted by the strokes of adversity, he desired to live unknown +in perfect retirement, for his faith, for his religious studies, for +his sons. Nothing could be refused to a man so famous; his wishes were +entirely fulfilled by the authorities. Reb Jizchok Meduro became +upper-attendant, but it remained a secret to every one else that the +servant Reb Jizchok was the great teacher from Portugal. Here then, +where I lived as a little boy, and afterwards as man, and where God +willing, I will close these wearied eyes, here in this house, which you +my dear children now inhabit, lived and studied my deceased father.... +His immense knowledge, his wisdom, his ascetic habits, filled every one +with a profound reverence for him, which was if possible increased by +his kind though reserved manners.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It was natural that a feeling of reverential respect should also +animate myself and brother to the highest degree. Except at prayer we +met nobody. Our father never received visits, and as we children did +not go to school we had no play-fellows. Our father was all in all to +us. In our tender years he had performed for us all the troublesome and +petty services of a nurse-maid; as we grew older, he was our +instructor; were we sick, he was our physician and nurse.... The +profound gravity that rested on his features only gave way to a soft +gentle smile when we, my brother and I, sitting below there in the +synagogue at his feet, listened to his wonderful expositions, +expositions than which since that time I have never heard any so +admirable, so inspiriting; when he perceived how the fire of his mighty +eloquence found its way to our youthful hearts and kindled them.--He +loved his children infinitely, but refrained from showing it. He never +kissed us, once only when he thought that I was asleep, he pressed his +lips to my forehead, and a scalding tear rolled down on my face--a +sweet rapturous shudder crept over my limbs but I did not venture to +open my eyes."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped at this passage. The image of that pale tall man, who +had once pressed his hot lips upon his own young forehead, whose tears +had once wetted his face, now appeared vividly, more vividly than ever +before him. He now felt sure that this image of his youth had been no +dream, and believed himself convinced that if it were now to appear +before him he should recognise him, him whom he held to be his father.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel read on:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"This proof of his affection encouraged me on that day to the timid +question, what was the meaning of the purple streak upon his forehead, +a mark, that also at time showed itself on us children when we were +violently excited. I had expected a monosyllabic answer from my +taciturn father, but contrary to his wont he recounted to us with the +whole power of his mournful recollection the terrible events of his +life. These we now learnt for the first time, we learnt for the first +time, the place of our mother's grave.... 'The spot, that sparkles on +my, on your foreheads,' concluded my father, '<i>is a remembrance of the +man from whom we are descended</i>, who suffered the most painful death in +sure trust upon God.... May it be ever remind you to be worthy of your +ancestors....'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel laid down the manuscript. The fiery mark upon his own forehead +now seemed to burn him painfully.... Was he, just at the moment when he +desired to come to a violent and complete rupture with his earlier past +life, was he, just at the moment when he was giving up all hope of +finding his father, that nobler aim of his life, was he just at that +very moment to find a direction post? Might not the mark whereby to +remember, be also a mark whereby to recognise? After short reflection +he once more seized the manuscript with feverish haste and read +further:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"These confidences made an immense impression upon us children, and +often, as we sat idly by twilight before the gate of the synagogue, we +discussed our father's narrative with mournful emotion, always coming +to the conclusion, that we would do all in our power to sweeten our +father's life, and some day, when we were grown up, to wander to +Cologne to pray at our mother's grave.... I have already mentioned, +that we, I and my brother, had no playmates; but in truth we did not +care to associate with other children; the infelt brotherly love, with +which we were mutually penetrated, quite filled our young minds. +Chance, or rather God's providence, guided me however to a young +friend, a friend who became the stay of my life.... I had once gone on +a commission from my father to an artisan who had some work to deliver +for the house of the Lord. My way home led me by the banks of the +Moldau. A pack of wild schoolboys were insulting and ill-using a +delicate Jewish boy, apparently of about my own age. His cry for help +aroused my warmest sympathy. Born under a hot Southern sun, I did not +reflect that I was but ten years old and alone, but threw myself into +the thick of the throng, and came to the assistance of the poor +maltreated child at that moment when two of the worst, irritated by his +feeble resistance, would have tossed him into the river. 'Do you want +to kill the lad?' I cried with the whole force of my young voice, 'the +river is deep, he will be drowned! The first that touches him is a dead +man!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"My arrival, the decided tone of my speech, made the wild troop +hesitate for a minute; but immediately afterwards a scornful horse +laugh resounded. Naturally strong, indignation gave me double force. +With a powerful blow of the fist I compelled the biggest of them, who +had got tight hold of the poor sufferer, to let him go. I disengaged +the little pale Jew-boy who was bleeding at mouth and nose, and whilst +I encircled him with my left arm, I threatened with the right to fling +into the river whoever dared come near us with hostile intention. +Twenty strong clenched fists let fly at me. I accepted the unequal +struggle with superior numbers, and they soon perceived that they had +to do with an antagonist, at least much surpassing any single one of +them in strength.... I resisted till my call for assistance brought up +some Jews who fetched the watch. The wild troop dispersed on their +arrival with a loud shout, and I carried, though myself bleeding from +many wounds, the fainting boy to the door of his house. The boy was +your father dear Schlome; Carpel Sachs, son of the wealthy Beer +Sachs.--Arrived at home, as soon as I had told my father what had +happened, I fell down and fainted.... My father poured some drops from +a flask into my wounds, kissed the blood from my face and smiled +kindly.--I was well again, I was happy! Next Friday the wealthy Reb +Beer Sachs sent me a beautiful new Sabbath-dress and three gold-pieces, +but the present was resolutely refused. The little Carpel had, in +consequence of the fright and the ill usage he had been exposed to, +been obliged to keep his bed for a week. The first time that he was +allowed to leave the house he came to thank me. The tears in his eyes, +the profound gratitude, the beautiful words with which the dear boy +knew how to give such a true and warm expression of this feeling, won +my heart. Carpel asked if he might often visit us, and as my father had +no objection to make, Carpel came to us as often as he had time, and a +firm bond of love and friendship was knitted between us, in which my +brother, also a noble-looking handsome boy took the warmest sympathy. +Carpel looked upon me, not unjustly, as his preserver, and his to a +certain extent respectful behaviour towards me, that he kept up even to +old age, caused almost the only difference in our kindly intercourse. +On the occasion of his frequent visits he not unseldom took part in our +lessons, and on his side only regretted that we, my brother and I, +could not make up our minds to come to his house; but the present of +the wealthy Reb Beer Sachs, who had never considered it necessary to +thank me in person for the real service which I had rendered his son, +had wounded us too deeply; and so it happened, that he scarcely knew +his son's preserver by sight.</p> + +<p class="normal">"We boys spent our time monotonously and quietly, our life was now made +beautiful by the love of our little friend Carpel. But on a sudden the +hardest blow that could befall us, destroyed our calm happiness. It was +that feast of atonement when I and my brother, as we should in a few +days be thirteen years old; were fasting for the first time. The day +was declining, the departing sunbeams cast their red light, that +gradually faded before the advancing darkness, through the lofty narrow +windows of the Old-Synagogue, and the tapers were already dimly +burning. A profound silence prevailed in the vast space filled with +worshippers, when my father stepped to the desk to offer the appointed +evening prayer. I myself, though weary and excited, leant against the +marble enchased wall which incloses the steps that lead up to the +tabernacle in order to look my father in the face as I listened. He was +a wonderfully glorious man and at that moment was like an angel. Thus +had my childish spirit pictured the Prophet Elias!--His form was tall +and unbowed. The dark beard, but scantily sprinkled with grey, fell +down upon his breast and curved strikingly upwards against the long +white robe, while the locks of his hair, which forced their way from +under his turban, were already shining in the silvery glimmer. His +noble face now bore a stamp of the deepest devotion, and over his +flashing eyes, whose glance kindled enthusiasm, there glowed a dark +purple flame in the centre of his forehead. The prayers on the day of +atonement are striking, but in my father's mouth they made an +extraordinary impression. He did not look into the prayer-book that +laid open before him, but gazed heavenwards, so that it seemed as if +what he was saying came from the inspiration of the moment, as if he +was a divinely inspired seer. Every word that sounded with the full +melody of his voice from his lips penetrated victoriously and +irresistibly into the hearts of all present. As he repeated the +confession of sins with agitating expressiveness all were melted into +tears, and when on the other hand he gave utterance in prayer to a +devout trust in God's mercy, all felt exalted and strengthened. At +length he came to the end. With pious confidence in God he intoned +seven times at the top of his voice: 'The everlasting is our God' and +as the thousand voiced loud chorus of all who were present broke +magnificently against the vault of God's temple, my father sank +suddenly down:--I caught him in my arms....</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I die,' he said in a feeble but audible voice. 'Lord of this +world! my father dared to breathe his life away upon the scaffold +for the glory of Thy holy name.--Me Thou hast not accounted worthy +of this favour.... but Thou permittest me to die here, on holy +ground, reconciled to Thee, at the conclusion of the festival of +atonement.--Father of all I thank thee!'--then he signed to my brother +also to draw near him, and said in faint dying voice that grew ever +weaker and weaker: 'My children, time presses.... Your mother rests in +the grave at Cologne.... In Prague, as attendant in this consecrated +house, I have passed the loveliest most tranquil years of my life.... +Love one another.... sorrow not, despair not!... What God doeth that is +well done.... this world is but the vestibule of the next, bear this +ever in mind, and some day <i>on your own deathbeds inculcate it on your +children</i>--a benediction--a faint 'Hear oh Israel,' and the noble man +was no more!</p> + +<p class="normal">"The day but one after we stood weeping at his grave as we returned to +our now desolate house, I asked my brother: 'What shall we do now?' The +sensible boy fixed his bright eyes upon me. 'Didst thou not hear what +our father said at his decease? Your mother lies buried in Cologne ... +We have prayed to-day at our father's grave, shall we not also visit +the last resting-place of our dear forsaken mother?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Yes, yes dear, brother,' I cried, casting myself with loud sobs on +his breast, 'to Cologne, to Cologne, to our mother's grave.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"During the seven days of mourning we arranged that directly after the +feast of tents we would start on our long journey. To our single friend +the little Carpel we made known our intention to his deep and infelt +regret. Tears rose in the poor boy's eyes, but he repressed them like a +man, that he might not vex us still more. On the feast of Tabernacles +we both, my brother and I, kept our 13th birthday. It was just the day +on which expositions are made. We attended the early service and got +ourselves called upon to expound. Then we went to the burial ground, +where the rulers of the Old-synagogue had caused a handsome gravestone +to be erected to my father, on which a bunch of grapes and the symbols +of a Levite were chiselled.... and then with slender bundle on back and +staff in hand went forth from the gate. Carpel accompanied us for an +hour. He pressed a small purse into the hand of each of us, and assured +us, that it consisted entirely of his own savings and that he had said +nothing to his father about this present. Then we renewed once more our +covenant of eternal friendship....</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Forget me not, dear friends,' said Carpel as he took farewell.... +'Mosche! I thank thee once more; we are still boys, but shall some day +be men, do not forget, Mosche; that in Prague you have a friend, whose +life you have saved, who is for ever thy debtor, who is prepared every +moment of his life to pay the heavy debt.... Forget me not, as I will +never forget thee! Carpel kissed me, my brother, then flung himself +once more sobbing aloud on my breast. Exerting all the force of my soul +I at length tore myself away.... We set off, Carpel sat himself down +upon a hillock and gazed weeping after us.... He was very sorry for +us.... We were so lonely, so forsaken. Father and mother lying in +the grave, and our one faithful little friend staying behind in +despair!--Ignorant of the road we wandered over all Germany. We +experienced many a sorrow, many a pain, but were sometimes entertained +compassionately and sympathetically. After a difficult journey of many +months we at length arrived at the end of our travel, at Cologne. Our +hearts beat high as we passed through the city-gate. But the unwonted +fatigues of the long way, had exhausted my brother's strength, and +the poor boy fell down, sick and worn out, in the open street. I was +alone with him in a strange city, my burning eyes sought help +despairingly--then God sent us a preserver. An elderly gentleman +stepped out of the house on the threshold of which my brother was lying +unconscious.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'A sick child in the open street?' he enquired, 'who is the boy?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'It is my brother,' I answered shyly, 'we are orphans, we have come +from far away out of Bohemia, to visit our mother's grave....'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Carry the boy into the room upstairs,' was the gentleman's order, +'lay him in bed, let him have some broth, I will attend to him +directly....'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'We are Jew-boys, gracious Sir,' I cried quickly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I too am a Jew,' smiled the worthy man, 'I am Baruch Süss, favourite +physician to our gracious Elector, the Archbishop of Cologne.'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel shuddered but read on:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"Bustling servants carried my sick brother up the broad stairs into a +splendidly furnished room and laid him in bed. I stayed with my +brother. The noble humane Baruch Süss examined him with the greatest +attention and found that he was lying sick of an inflammatory fever, +that he probably would require nothing but complete repose, and +that it would not be possible to form a decided opinion as to the +further progress of the disorder till after a lapse of one and twenty +days.--Suddenly fresh childs' voices were heard at the door, which was +pulled open and two lovely maidens peeped into the room. The roguish +smile on their face rapidly yielded to the deepest emotion, as their +father enjoined silence by a sign, and informed them in a low voice +that they must give up their room for the present to a poor parentless +boy, who had fallen suddenly ill in the street. <i>The two maidens were +the daughters of Baruch Süss, Miriam and Perl</i>."</p> + +<p class="normal">The manuscript escaped from Gabriel's nervously trembling hand. Must +the memory of his grandfather, of his mother, just to-day, in the hour +when, obstinately advancing, he wished to cut off the last possibility +of retreat, must it just to-day be awakened in him in such a strange, +unexpected, he was obliged reluctantly to admit, in such an almost +miraculous manner? Was he perhaps to discover in this writing, that a +curious accident had played into his hands at a critical moment, a +solution of the mystery of his birth? And if he did find it, should he +account all these remarkable coincidences as chance, or rather as a +wonderful proof of that all powerful providence which he had often so +defiantly challenged? These thoughts assailed Gabriel with all the +compass of their fearful import, and worked upon him all the more +effectually, as the tide of the swiftly succeeding events of the day +was calculated to shake the strongest determination. He paced +impetuously up and down the room. "I must not read further," he +muttered to himself, "till I have embraced a resolution. If I should +find a disclosure about my father in this manuscript, if I durst hope +that he would fold me in his arms, that he would press me lovingly to +his breast, Gabriel, what in the whole past, what in the future would +matter unto you? If I could find my father, if I could find him such as +I have always pictured him to myself in the short moments of blissful +dreams, if such I could fold him in my arms--though it were but +for the most infinitesimal instant of time that the human mind can +conceive--<i>God</i>!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel's passionate excitement had attained a height that may easily +be imagined. In the most violent excess of a feeling that eagerly +sought an escape he had uttered the word, that, at least in his +self-communings, had not passed his lips for a long series of years, +and he almost shuddered, as the strange sound fell, if involuntarily, +almost believingly from his mouth....</p> + +<p class="normal">"But if he be dead, and gone," cried Gabriel, looking up suddenly +almost joyfully, "if I should learn precisely out of this manuscript, +that he is irrecoverably lost to me.... if then no other tie than +vengeance, continues to bind me to this life, <i>then</i>, <i>then</i>, ... my +purpose remains immoveable."</p> + +<p class="normal">He sat down, and his eyes could not fly over the somewhat faded +characters with sufficient swiftness. He read on:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brother was taken the best care of. Death had once ravished from +our benefactor Baruch Süss two hopeful boys in one week. These boys +must have been of about our age, and this circumstance heightened the +sympathy that his noble heart felt for us, especially for my sick +brother.--It happened just as Baruch Süss had prophesied. For three +weeks my brother lay in fever and delirium: on the twenty first day he +dropped for the first time into a profound and peaceful slumber. Süss +waited for the sick child's waking with almost fatherly compassion. At +length my poor brother to my inexpressible delight opened his beautiful +dark eyes, raised himself in bed, and looked about him in wonderment. +'Where are we? Mosche!' he asked in a feeble trembling voice. I threw +myself passionately on to his neck and my tears bedewed his pale sunken +cheeks.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Thou hast been ill, poor child,' said Süss, 'God has permitted thy +recovery, thou must be grateful to him.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I related with an overflowing feeling of gratitude, with how much +goodness our benefactor had behaved towards us, and as my brother +seized the noble man's hand in deep emotion, pressed it to his +quivering lips, and vainly struggled after words to express his +heartfelt thanks, a strange convulsive movement passed over the face of +Süss, and his eyes filled with tears.... 'You are dear good boys!' he +said, profoundly agitated.... The memory of his two early lost sons may +have combined with the warm sympathy of his own great heart. He hurried +out of the room, that he might not depress the spirits of the +convalescent by his unwonted emotion. We remained alone. At this moment +we felt ourselves infinitely calmed, we did not stand any longer so +entirely alone, so entirely forsaken! Süss allowed the convalescent to +take fresh air in the garden attached to his house, and it was there, +that we became better acquainted with his daughters. They were probably +rather younger than ourselves. Both of them, but especially Miriam the +elder, had been endowed with the most excellent natural gifts. Their +extraordinary and, especially for maidens of their age, almost +unparalleled beauty most perfectly harmonised with a subtle, +comprehensive, deeply penetrating intellect, with a disposition that +seemed formed to be a shining example to youthful womanhood. The +friendly, confiding, almost sisterly behaviour of the girls which their +good father manifestly approved of, made a profound, inerasable +impression upon us.</p> + +<p class="normal">"So long as my brother was not quite recovered, we dared not think of +accomplishing the aim of our journey, of visiting our mother's grave. +It cost me a severe struggle, not to hasten alone to the burial ground, +but it would have vexed my poor brother, and I loved him so fervently!</p> + +<p class="normal">"At last he was strong enough.... we walked out to the burial ground. +Our father had given us a sufficient description of the stone that +covered our mother's grave; we found it easily, and the long desired +aim of our journey was reached. The frame of mind in which we found +ourselves I cannot paint to you, my dear children? The most reverential +fear, the most sorrowful emotion seized powerfully hold of our young +minds.... We prayed long and softly, and when at length we were forced +to tear ourselves away in order to return home, we flung ourselves with +loud sobs into each other's arms. 'We have no father, no mother, ...' +said my brother, deeply moved. 'I have only thee, thou hast only me!--I +will love thee for ever, for ever, I will never forsake thee, never! +Brother, love me too, as I love thee!...'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could not answer from excitement. I folded him impetuously to my +loud-beating heart, and pressed my hot lips to his pale forehead, on +which at that instant a bright streak of flame was burning. The firm +bond of brotherly love was to be knitted if possible still more +closely, the beautiful covenant was anew concluded, in a sacred hour, +in a spot that was infinitely holy to us children!</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What will you do now?' asked Süss, when we returned, grave and +agitated, to his house. This question surprised us. Since our father's +death we had entertained no other thought, could not have grasped any +other thought than to pray at our mother's grave. It had so entirely +filled our young minds, had kept our spirits in such perpetual +excitement, that we had not even for a moment considered what was to +come after, that we now for the first time cast a scrutinising look +upon our future. We stood with downcast eyes for a while in silence +before Süss. My brother recovered himself first. 'What do we propose to +do?' he repeated.--'Before anything else to render thanks to you, dear +benefactor, for your inexpressible goodness, for the kindness, for the +fatherly affection that you have devoted to us poor forsaken orphans in +such abundant measure, to thank you for tending me a poor boy, and with +God's assistance healing me in a sore sickness--to thank you, ye dear +good girls for your compassion, for that ye were not proud towards the +poor stranger boys, that you weeped when I was sick and rejoiced, when +the good God let me recover,--for that you were kind to us as sisters, +you rich beautiful maidens to us poor, poor boys!' ... and next he +continued after a short pause during which he strove to overcome his +deep emotion, and swallowed with an effort his hot tears, next we shall +pursue our journey, go to some school, study God's word, and endeavour +to become worthy of our father Reb Jizchok Meduro, to become worthy of +our grandfather, who ended his life heroically upon the scaffold, in +remembrance of whom the fiery mark sparkles on our forehead in moments +of sanctification!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brother ceased; he was glorious to look upon, his eyes flashed +beaming with soul, and the fiery mark of which he spoke, even then rose +splendidly and contrasted with the pale, still somewhat sickly, child's +face, with the pure forehead white as alabaster.--I gazed with a sad +fraternal pride on my twin-brother, who seemed to draw his words in +strange wise out of his breast. The two girls sobbed softly, and Baruch +Süss required some time to collect himself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I will not let you go, you dear fine boys,' he cried, 'never, no +never God forbid that I should let you go out into the wide world, +forsaken, orphaned. Seeing that a fortunate dispensation caused you to +cross my threshold, you must now remain with me. I too had once two +beautiful good boys.... The Lord hath taken them from me. Will you +supply their place to me? Will you be my sons, will you be the brothers +of these girls?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"This unlooked for offer took us by surprise. The blissful feeling that +we had suddenly, unexpectedly, found a new home struggled with an +innate proud reluctance to accept a benefit for which we could make no +return save our boundless gratitude.--We wavered for an instant and +knew not what reply to make; but when Miriam grasping our hands with +tearful eye and trembling voice implored us not to go away, to stay +with her father--it seemed to us as if no opposition could be thought +of; we stayed.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Baruch Süss treated us ever with fatherly kindness, and we always +succeeded in preserving his favour. Our late father had already +initiated us in the study of God's word, and so it came to pass, that +in spite of our youth we had soon made rapid progress. In the house of +Süss we had now full leisure to indulge in our wonted occupations. All +our wants were cared for in the kindest manner, and we soon felt as +much at home as in the house of our parents--Baruch Süss was besides so +good as to let us be instructed in those sciences, of which our father +in the tenderest years of our boyhood had only been able to give us the +first indications. His exertions in our favour had the best +consequences. The examples of our forefathers continually hovered +before our souls, and urged us to the greatest industry, to the highest +sacrifices. We were soon proposed as a brilliant pattern to the Jewish +youth, not only in Cologne, but in the whole Rhine-country--our names +were every where mentioned with distinction, and Baruch Süss felt +himself thereby richly rewarded. We lived happily and contentedly, and +grew up.--I may now when all that is over say so--two splendid youths, +equally well developed in mind and body, while Miriam and Perl +blossomed into exquisitely lovely young women.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had arrived at the age, when the heart willingly opens to love. +Miriam's infinite attractiveness, the enrapturing grace of her +demeanour, her noble heart, her wonderfully penetrating mind, had made +a powerful, ineffaceable impression upon me, an impression that soared +to the height of love. I did not make the slightest attempt to conquer +this noble passion. Miriam's most friendly kindest sympathy did not +permit me to regard my bold hopes as unattainable, the less that +Baruch Süss too, when we became young men, made no difference in his +domestic economy, allowed us to make use of the intimate 'Thou' to +his daughters, and recognised our deserts with almost fatherly +affection.--His immense wealth, his influence, his position at the +electoral court, made it moreover possible for him in the choice of his +sons-in-law to neglect the petty considerations which so frequently +stand in the way of the dearest wishes. I rocked myself in dreams of a +happy glad future, but I avoided giving expression to these sweet +dreams and my hopes remained for months a secret even to my dear and +infinitely loved brother, to my brother whom in fact I loved more than +myself! At length it seemed to me treachery against my fraternal +affection, if I should any longer preserve silence with respect to a +feeling that struck daily deeper root in my soul. We occupied a room in +common, and in the dusk of a fading summer's day I opened my heart to +him. I held my arms twined about his neck, and leant my head on his +cheeks. It seemed to me, as if he suddenly shivered and began to +tremble; but I convinced myself that it was a delusion, and as he gazed +for a long while fixedly before him, I thought, that liveliest sympathy +for me had plunged him into a deep reverie. I sought to read his +features, but the increasing darkness made this impossible. 'Art thou +then convinced that Miriam loves thee?' he enquired at length in a dull +voice. I had often put the same question to myself, and ever given it +an answer favourable to myself, and Miriam's behaviour justified me in +doing so; but I forgot that she behaved exactly in the same way to my +brother, and it was only the later unfavourable turn, which this +connection, that at first caused me so much happiness, took, which +directed my attention to that fact, without however my being ever able +to fully make out the real state of the case: and even to this day, +when manifold experiences have increased my knowledge of human nature, +I cannot say for certain whether Miriam then loved me or my brother, or +whether her virgin heart hovered in anxious timorousness between us. At +that time I believed that I could answer my brother's question with an +honest yes. The dejected silence into which my brother sunk anew, was +equally misunderstood by me, I thought that I saw therein only an +excessive fear lest Baruch Süss should refuse me his daughter's hand. I +remained but a short time involved in this error; I was suddenly +bitterly undeceived. Some days afterwards I awoke in the night and +heard a loud and violent talking and weeping in my room. I sprung +swiftly from my couch. It was a clear starlight night, and the pale +moonlight fell just upon my brother's bed--he, as was often the case +with him, was talking in his dreams. The sorrow, that was printed on +the sleeper's face, the large tears, that welled from under his closed +lashes and rolled over his pale cheeks, filled me for a moment with a +strange pensive grief; but I soon smiled at my childish pity. I would +wake him, scare away the evil dream, that enchained his mind--but as I +was about to call him, there fell on my soul, as it were a quivering +flash of lightning, followed by a roaring thunderclap, and the words +which escaped slowly from his lips became on a sudden clear and +transparent.--I listened with restrained breath.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I love my dear brother more than life,' he said, 'and he loves +Miriam!... Hush, Hush! No one shall hear of it, but Thou, my God and +Lord; Thou that beholdest my writhing, lacerated heart.... I will be +silent, silent as the grave for ever.... not Miriam, not my brother, no +man shall hear of it.... Oh! indeed I am glad, brother! dear brother, +take Miriam for thy bride.... and, I can surely die! I will not trouble +the joy of your wedding day, I will not weep.... No! I will be glad and +laugh at your happiness, will laugh so right heartily, as on my +brother's day of rejoicing, on the wedding day of him whom I most +ardently love.... Oh, mine is no forced laugh, I laugh so truly from my +whole heart; see--ha, ha, ha!...'</p> + +<p class="normal">"But my brother did not laugh, but sobbed convulsively. My heart +contracted frightfully, an indescribable, almost physically painful +grief thrilled through me--I could not at first speak for maddening +sorrow, but then cried aloud, casting myself upon the bed of my +sleeping brother: 'no, dear one, no, thou shalt not give her up.... +Miriam shall be thine.... thine, thine, for ever.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brother awoke.--What I said, showed him clearly, that I was +acquainted with his heart's secret. I lay upon his breast sobbing +aloud.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'A woman, dear brother!' he began at length with trembling voice +vainly striving for composure--'a woman, though it were the glorious +Miriam, shall not divide our hearts. Thee only I possessed in the wide +world, thou wert my all, brother! Dost yet remember, how thou, thyself +sick and weary, didst carry me in thy arms, when on our journey to the +mother's grave I had wounded my foot? Dost yet remember, how thou didst +watch at my sick-bed for three weeks together, and didst scarcely get +any sleep? Dost yet remember, how our dying father exhorted us to love +one another? Dost yet remember, how we renewed the covenant at our +mother's grave?--And do you think that I, that I have forgotten all +that, all that? No, brother: take thou Miriam to wife.... be happy!</p> + +<p class="normal">"A noble strife arose between us. Each of us wished to give up with +bleeding heart, and neither would accept the sacrifice offered by +fraternal love.--The most curious, the strangest ideas, such as could +only be born of so desperate a situation, danced in rapid succession +before us.--Lot, Miriam herself should decide; but they were rejected +as fast as entertained. At last a manly resolution the fruit of a long +painful struggle ripened in us: <i>we would both give her up</i>. Neither of +us should possess Miriam, and our love should remain a secret for ever. +In our mutual passionate brotherly love we determined to forget the +infinite sorrow that filled us.--</p> + +<p class="normal">"We wished, we were bound to leave the house at daybreak, to which the +mightiest ties enchained us. On the next day we stood pale, confused, +with tears in our eyes before our friend Süss who had loved us as a +father, and declared to him with hesitating voice our suddenly formed +resolution of leaving his house, of proceeding farther on our journey. +Süss was alarmed, he glared at us speechlessly, our fixed purpose +seemed to have overthrown one of his favourite schemes. He vainly +endeavoured to detain us, fruitlessly enquired the reason that had +caused us to take a step so unexpected. 'Stay with me, I have good +designs for you....' repeated Süss over and over again sadly, and when +he saw how immovably we remained true to our purpose, he said at length +painfully subduing his pride: 'Stay with me, be my sons.... I have only +daughters, two lovely glorious daughters.... but I wish also to have +two sons.... Will you not be my sons? My daughters, I have good ground +for thinking so, are affectionately disposed towards you....' Süss said +no more, his parental pride struggled with his parental love.--To +us it was clear that Süss had intended to make choice of us as his +sons-in-law, and that his daughters had fully shared the wish. I and my +brother, as twins usually are, were almost exactly like one another, +for which of us would Miriam have decided? A painful torturing pause +ensued. Süss could not divine the real reason, why we who had entered +his house as poor orphan boys, despised his exquisitely graceful +daughters, the loveliest, wealthiest, noblest maidens among the German +Jews. We, my brother and I, needed all the strength of our manhood, not +to succumb to the unutterable pain of despair. One of us must of +necessity be standing close to that hotly desired aim, that we both, +each with the fullest force of his will, were striving to attain--and +now to be obliged to draw back, to be obliged to draw back in silence, +and by so doing to inflict an injury perhaps mortal on him whom we +loved beyond measure--that thought annihilated us.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Süss, wounded in the most sensitive place of his heart, in his pride +as a father, was profoundly mortified. 'I cannot and must not detain +you any longer,' he said with bitter grief.... 'Go!... may you never +repent having thus departed.' Then he stepped hastily to the door and +said with an accent that rent our hearts: 'Oh, would that you had never +crossed the threshold of my house!...'</p> + +<p class="normal">"We would not thus separate from our benefactor. We hastened after him +to his room--it was closed against us: We sent by an old servant of the +house to ask that we might as a favour be allowed to take farewell of +his daughters, it was refused us. We almost succumbed to the +unutterable grief of despair..... On the evening of that same day we +proposed to leave Cologne, the inexhaustible goodness of Süss furnished +us with an abundant outfit for our further journey--but he would never +see us again. At night-fall we got into the travelling carriage, that +waited for us at the back door of the house. We cast a sorrowful look +at the window of that room which Miriam occupied.... two maiden faces +looked forth into the gathering twilight, and the violent trembling of +one of them, who pressed her handkerchief to her eyes, showed that she +was sobbing impetuously--it was Miriam!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Our hearts beat audibly, my brother's beautiful features were +frightfully disfigured, he must have suffered as unutterable woe as I +did.--I gazed into his face, visibly convulsed with sorrow. 'Brother,' +I said, 'there is yet time.... I can renounce.... do thou return to +Miriam. If Miriam wavers between us both, or even if she loves but one +of us, thy return will be decisive in thy favour.... Thou, Miriam, our +benefactor Süss, you all will be happy....'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'And thou?' asked my brother in a tone of the woefullest reproach.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'I go far away and strive to forget....' I tried hard to answer, but +my voice shook, and tears rolled irrestrainably over my cheeks. My +brother fell sobbing into my arms.--'I will never forsake thee, +Brother!' he cried--'good brother! cast me not away from thy noble +heart.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"We went from one school to another; our name was already known far and +wide, we met with a friendly reception everywhere: but we felt nowhere +at home. We never mentioned Miriam, but the memory of this hapless love +threw a gloom over our life. We plunged with unwearied industry into +the study of God's word, we increased our stores of knowledge, but the +thorn in our bleeding hearts did not therefore pain us the less.... We +had acquired in the Talmudic world an unheard of renown for students, +we were often honoured by letters from illustrious Rabbis, who desired +our advice, our opinion upon scientific religious questions. The most +important Rabbinates were offered to us, we might have obtained the +highest aim of a Talmud-student. But neither of us could do so. Memory +still drove us unquietly from place to place.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A year had elapsed since our departure from Cologne, when in one of +our wanderings we happened to hear that the younger daughter of the +wealthy electoral physician Süss had given her hand to her cousin Joel +Rottenberg of Worms, while the elder had previously absolutely refused +to enter into the bond of matrimony. This news filled both of us with a +strange sensation of sadness. To each of us, though he dared not allow +it to himself--a ray of hope seemed to dawn:--and yet neither of us +would have been made happy without the other. Once more, for the last +time I asked my brother whether he would return to Miriam; but he saw +my soul's infinite sorrow, after a short violent struggle his fraternal +affection conquered, he stayed with me; we would never separate:</p> + +<p class="normal">"Another year elapsed, we were then living in Germersheim, a community +not far from Spires. We had in the course of our short residence there +won the approval and respect of the Rabbi, and when he died soon after +our arrival, he enjoined the community upon his death-bed to elect one +of us as his successor, and it besieged us with petitions that one of +us would accept the vacant chair of the Rabbi; and marry the daughter +of the defunct who lived with her now widowed mother. I was still in no +mood to accept these offers, however attractive and honourable they +might be; my brother also decidedly refused them. We determined +therefore to withdraw ourselves from all further discussion by a +distant journey. I was busily occupied in my little room in the house +of the Rabbi's widow packing my effects for the journey, when my +brother suddenly entered. He was pale as a corpse, his looks were +troubled.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Do you know what a foreign student has just been relating <i>in the +lecture-room</i>?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Miriam Süss has at length yielded to her father's entreaty and given +her hand to her cousin Joseph Süss of Spires.--The wedding was +solemnised magnificently at Cologne.'--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I felt a warm sympathy for my brother; at that moment I perceived for +the first time that he was of a more passionate nature than I. The +heavy blow, which I had expected for years, came upon him like a +thunderbolt out of a blue sky. He fell upon a chair, in vain he pressed +his hands to his face, the tears welled out between his fingers.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'But brother, brother,' I cried, myself struggling to keep down all +the recollections and thoughts that awoke within me, couldest thou have +expected anything else? Why troublest thou thyself? What can it now +signify to thee? be a man, brother, be strong!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"'God!' sobbed my brother, 'could I have known that!... could I have +known that Miriam would be so weak as to forget me! oh! brother, +brother, believe me, Miriam loved only me, me and none else, she could +love no one, as she loved me! oh, I made a great, an infinitely great, +sacrifice to thee, when I gave her up, <i>fruitlessly gave her up</i> to +thee!... oh! why wert thou not magnanimous, why didst thou accept this +sacrifice?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I looked into my brother's face with the deepest grief, I had never +seen him so passionate, so excited before, and yet I thought that I +knew him as well as myself, for was he not my twin-brother. It seemed +to me almost as if at that moment the dark night of madness was +shadowing his clear spirit. The fire in his eyes sparkled wildly and +weirdly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Thou hast made a fruitless sacrifice of thyself to me?' I repeated +painfully agitated: 'did I desire it, did I wish for it?--and I, I? +dost think my heart is of stone? dost think that I have suffered less +than thou, because I have said nothing? I too have often screamed in +the bitter agony of my soul, as I watched in despair through the long +melancholy night.--Consider, brother! I, I do not reproach thee.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I suffered inexpressibly: the news, which again painfully tore open my +heart's wounds, joined to the passionate unjust reproaches of my +brother, whom I loved so tenderly, by whom I believed that I was so +tenderly loved, agitated my mind with such violence that I fell +dangerously ill. For eight weeks I strove with the angel of death. In +the confused wild fever dreams of my sickness it sometimes seemed to me +as if an angel approached my couch, as if a girl's white hand touched +my burning forehead--once I thought, that a lovely woman bent over my +bed and that a tear rolled down upon my face.--God--praised be his +name--granted my recovery. He refreshed me with the springs of his +infinite grace. The sickness had had the most beneficial, the most +inexplicable influence upon my life. A new fresh stream of blood seemed +to roll through my veins. I was restored not only to bodily, but also +to mental health. My love for Miriam, now the wife of another, which I +must have violently eradicated, had died out in a miraculous manner. Oh +yes, it was a miracle! and I thanked God for that instance of his +goodness!--The noble handsome girl who had nursed me with more than a +sister's care, who had watched night after night by my bed, full of +sympathy and compassion, was thy mother, dear Schöndel.--Leah the +daughter of the Rabbi's widow.... Thy mother was lovely and good. As +long as Miriam had reigned in my heart, I had not noticed the +wonderfully beautiful maiden, but now, that I was once more free, my +earnest gratitude was easily converted into an infelt, fervent, +faithfully returned love. Half a year after my convalescence Leah +became my wife, and I took my seat in the Rabbi's chair at Germersheim.</p> + +<p class="normal">"During my sickness my brother had shown me the most self-sacrificing +love, and had attached himself again to me with the greatest +tenderness, as though to make me forget the inauspicious reproach that +had pained me so much. I had never borne ill will against him. True it +is that he had shaken with rude hand the firm bonds, that held our +hearts entwined, that the hasty word which he had uttered, had touched +me to the quick,--but, dear children! you do not know what brotherly +love is, you do not know, how one loves a brother, and above all a +twin-brother!... From our birth, from our mother's lap we had been +united to one another by the sweetest holiest bonds.--The same +pulsation had stirred our hearts, we had lain on the same mother's +breast, we had hitherto fairly and equally shared every sorrow and +every joy.--I could not help it, I was constrained to love my brother +with undiminished cordiality!</p> + +<p class="normal">"In the first year of a happy peaceful marriage thy mother presented me +with an admirably beautiful girl, with thee, dear Schöndel.... I was +happy, but my happiness endured but for a short time; eight days after +your birth thy dear never to be forgotten mother died! You may conceive +my profound grief! I formed a firm immoveable resolution never to marry +again, and following my father's lofty example to dedicate my whole +life to the study of God's word, to the religious care of my community, +to the education of my only beloved child.--In the conscientious +performance of my duties I at length found tranquillity, and when thou, +Schöndel, didst gaze at me with thy sweet child-like smile, when thou +didst extend to me thy little delicate hands, I felt myself almost +happy!</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brother was my faithful companion. He occupied a small room in my +house and studied almost the whole of the day. My heart was filled with +the sad remembrance of my deceased wife, so soon snatched from me. I +never thought of Miriam except with a sensation of friendly gratitude. +Every feeling of love for her.--I have already said so--had quite died +out in me. I could have calmly conversed with my brother about her +father and sister: but I did not dare to do so, because the profound +silence which he preserved, was an unmistakeable sign, that he had not +yet conquered his once deep felt love, that it still remained rankling +with full strength in his soul. Miriam's name therefore never again +crossed our lips. Many advantageous offers of marriage were proposed to +my brother, he was elected as Rabbi by many important German +communities: but he firmly refused everything, and paid no attention to +my well meaning advice.... We often sat all day together, plunged in +the study of the Talmud. Once we were engrossed in the solution of a +case that had been laid before me for my decision by two Rabbis, who +could not come to an agreement with respect to it. We had long remained +seated, then in the eagerness of discussion began walking round the +room, and at last, as was often the case, happened to stop before the +open window. My brother was just on the point of controverting a +proposition that I had laid down, when he cast a glance through the +window.... He instantly became dumb, his arms fell powerlessly by his +side, his lips moved convulsively, but emitted no sound.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What ails thee, brother?' I asked in terror.</p> + +<p class="normal">"He made no answer, but stretched out his arms and pointed to the +street; I saw a lady, stepping out of a travelling carriage.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'What ails thee, brother?' I repeated more earnestly 'I see nothing +that can have discomposed you to such a degree.'</p> + +<p class="normal">"My brother gazed fixedly at me, as if he thought my question an +incomprehensible one, then pointed once more at the lady and collecting +all his strength, screamed involuntarily in a loud shrill voice: +'Miriam Süss!' and trembling convulsively fell down pale as a corpse. +My brother did not come to himself till late in the evening. He was +right, it was Miriam. Joseph Süss her husband, had a lawsuit with the +magistracy of the city of Spires, and wished to wait for the issue of +it at the adjacent town of Germersheim. His wife had followed him. I +felt sorry that Joseph Süss had selected just Germersheim for his +residence, not for my own but for my brother's sake.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I did not venture to talk to my brother about Miriam's presence; the +sight of her had too much affected him. I made a slight attempt to +advise him to go a journey while her stay lasted in Germersheim; but +his eyes flashed, as he answered: 'Brother, I have no one in the wide +world save thee! I have sacrificed everything, the dearest thing on +earth, to thee, cast me not away from thy presence!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"After a time he became gradually calmer, and I was already beginning +to indulge a hope, that he had reconciled himself to his immutable +destiny, when after the expiration of some months his behaviour again +altered in a strange and striking way. My brother avoided my society, +came to me seldomer and seldomer, till at last he shut himself up in +his room, and refused either to see me or speak to me. I did not know +how to explain this to myself, and only waited a convenient +opportunity, to have a private conversation with him. This I at length +found, I was usually the first in God's house, and as a rule unlocked +its doors. One morning, it was winter. I stepped into the dark and +quite empty interior, shortly afterwards the iron gates grated again +and a form appeared on the steps that led into the inner synagogue. The +pale trembling light of the lamp that ever burneth revealed to me my +brother. He stopped irresolutely, as if he would avoid an interview +with me alone. I did not give him time to take a resolution, stepped +quickly up to him and held out my hand to him. But his hand trembled in +mine, he could not bear my steadfast gaze, his eye, that once was wont +to look me truly and honestly in the face, remained fixed on the +ground, and even his features formerly so beautiful seemed to me marred +and disfigured. The red streak of flame on his forehead burned to a +deeper hue than had ever been seen on him before, broad violet coloured +circles were stamped under his glistening eyes, his blue lips quivered +incessantly, it was clear, that my poor brother could not encounter my +looks. I gazed into his face, a profound inexpressible pang, an +incommunicable sympathy seized my heart:--but then suddenly a ray of +conviction flashed across me, brotherly love sharpened my spiritual +eyes; Miriam was in Germersheim, her husband was absent, my brother +loved her with a furious passion.... his face bore the Cains-mark of +guilt, there was no doubt, <i>my poor brother had sore sinned!</i> I let +fall his hand! I was too violently agitated, and vainly struggled a +long time for a word.... My brother broke the painful death-like +stillness that reigned in the broad space with no sound. It was a +silent confession to me of his guilt!</p> + +<p class="normal">"Pious worshippers now began to enter into the temple, and I could say +no more to him at present; in the deep silence of night, alone, I +determined that he should hear his brother's warning voice.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I passed the day in a state of most painful excitement. Had my +brother's bleeding corpse been laid torn and disfigured at my feet I +should not have so profoundly mourned him! Could I with the last drop +of my heart's blood have undone that, which I now felt myself +constrained to admit as certain,--I would have gladly shed it. It was +for me to raise again my brother, my poor fallen brother, out of the +bottomless depths to which he had sunk. It was for me to tear him from +the strong arm of sin; I knew, that it must have been a hard struggle +in which my brother was subdued....</p> + +<p class="normal">"After midnight.... all around was sunk in deep sleep--I crept to the +door of his room. I knocked at first gently, then louder, no answer +followed.--The key of my room also opened this door. It was not till +after long hesitation that I crossed the threshold with loud-beating +heart. The small lamp, that I carried with me, threw its dull light +round about; I stepped to my brother's bed, it was empty.... my brother +was not in his room--I sank down in despair; I had in truth before been +convinced of my brother's guilt; but the certainty, this horrible +certainty that robbed me of every, even the faintest shadow of a hope, +seized my heart anew with a grief as terrible as if I had up to that +time had not the least presentiment of it! At the very moment, when my +fraternal heart was crying out in the depths of its agony, at the very +moment when I was prepared to make any sacrifice to save my brother, at +that very moment <i>my brother</i>, <i>my brother</i>, 'my second I--oh no, +more, more;' I had loved him more than myself, I would have sacrificed +myself thousands of times for him--was wantoning! at that very moment +my brother was wantoning in the arms of an adulterous woman, <i>of that +woman whom I had once idolized with pure chaste fervent love</i>....</p> + +<p class="normal">"What was I to do? I must stay, I must wait for him, though my poor +heart should break. I seated myself by the table and tried to read a +bible by the lamplight: but I could not. Incapable of thought I gazed +out through the open window, and made frequent fruitless attempts to +collect myself, to ponder over the address with which I proposed to +receive my brother. Every second seemed a century, and yet, and yet I +would gladly have postponed the painful moment, and yet I trembled +sadly at the slightest sound, that the wind made in the passage. I +might have sat thus for three long hours that seemed as if they would +never end, when I heard a faint rustle, and shortly afterwards a +powerful form swung itself through the window. It was my brother.--He +remained standing stiff and motionless as a statue before me. At sight +of him all my blood flowed back so swiftly and violently to my heart, +that I thought that it must indeed burst; a cold shudder crept over my +bones, I had half got up, keeping one hand on the open bible, as if I +would draw strength and confidence from it. A long pause ensued, it +exhausted my nervous system, more than ten years of trouble would have +done!</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had reckoned with certainty that my brother would fall +broken-hearted into my arms, that the sight of me at that hour would +remind him of all that he had forgotten. I believed that he would come +to meet me; but I had deceived myself, my brother remained stiff and +motionless and never once dropped his eyes....</p> + +<p class="normal">"In spite of the immense excitement in which I found myself at this +fateful moment, the whole impression of it has continued uneffaced in +my memory, and even at this day, when I am writing this history--though +almost twenty years have since elapsed,--the image of my poor brother +stands with perfect clearness before my soul, the image of my brother, +as J saw him then for the last time. He was tall, about the same height +as myself, his eyes flashed weirdly under black bushy eyebrows, on his +forehead, the fiery sign of our family glowed in deepest purple, his +dark beard set off the frightful corpselike pallor of his face, his +quivering lips were so violently convulsed that his large moustachios +kept continually trembling, his long abundant hair fell in tangled +masses over his shoulders."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped again. From the depths of his soul confused memories +all suddenly emerged, that ever became clearer and clearer. That form, +which had once pressed its burning lips on the face of the frightened +child, stepped life-like before him--a half faded reminiscence of a +beggar, who had once followed him in Aix-la-Chapelle from the church +door to his house, again gathered life and strength. Strange to say, it +now for the first time, after a long series of years had weakened and +effaced the impression of these forms, seemed to him, that they +resembled each other--that both, Gabriel thought that he could not be +mistaken--corresponded with the description of his father. In vain he +sought to realise another embodiment of this picture, which he imagined +that he had seen only a short time back. But human memory possesses +this strange peculiarity, that it is just the impressions of the +remotest past, and especially youthful impressions, that survive with +greater vividness and clearness, than those, we have received later; +and, as the best shot in the heat of battle often misses the nearest +aim, in the same way did Gabriel, usually so strong-minded, in his +almost mad excitement vainly strive to conjure up this recollection. He +hoped perhaps to obtain from what followed more particular discoveries +about his father and read on:--</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was determined to preserve silence, and left it to my brother to +break the profound stillness, that could not be less painful to him +than to me.... My brother was silent for a long time; his breast +laboured fearfully, he breathed heavily, his face too was +extraordinarily convulsed as I had never seen it before. The veins on +his forehead swelled, as if they would burst, his underlip dropped +loosely down, foam gathered on his mouth before he had spoken a +word.--I perceived, that he was seeking a word, a thought, wherewith to +crush, to annihilate me. I was afraid of him, but nevertheless gazed at +him fixedly and steadily. At last after a hard struggle some words +escaped from his lips, but his voice sounded hollow and dead: 'What +seekest thou here in the dead of night? Why dost thou act as a spy upon +me? Art thou my keeper? What dost thou want of me?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I had not expected such a stubborn unbending defiance. I stood at +first as if turned to stone, but at the next moment my hot Spanish +blood immediately boiled over; with a wild passionate excitement, such +as one only feels at such a moment, under such circumstances, I +answered my brother.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Dost thou ask, what I want of thee? Can you dare ask? Can you look me +in the face as if you were free and innocent? Do you not sink into the +ground for shame? Look into your own breast! Look! your very face bears +signs of your wicked wicked deed.... you ask what I want of you? I +would save you, tear you from the strong arm of sin, but lo! it holds +thee fast in brazen chains!--I stopped, my words seemed ineffectual. My +brother's features bore an expression of the wildest fury, he gnashed +his teeth, but made no answer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Brother!' I began again, after a short painful pause, 'Brother! hast +thou then forgotten everything, everything? Hast thou no more memory +for the past, no regard for the future?... Oh, gaze not at me so +stonily, as if thou didst not understand me.... Brother, by that +infinite love which I have felt for thee, by the memory of our deceased +father, by the recollection of our early lost mother upon my knees I +implore thee,--think of it, <i>only think of it</i>, what a transgression +thou hast committed!... Yes! gaze at me as you will, with eyes +sparkling with rage, gnash your teeth, clench your fist, I do not +tremble, yes! thou hast fearfully sinned, yes, yes! dost hear?'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I was so immeasurably confounded by my brother's obstinate unexpected +resistance, that I could say no more. I grasped at the bible which was +lying on the table, opened at the ten commandments and pointed silently +at the seventh.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Thou shalt not commit adultery!' I recommenced after a deep pause, +during which we could hear our hearts beating.... 'Thou shalt not lust +after thy neighbour's wife.... Dost thou see, thus it is written, thus +was it declared to listening mankind on flaming Sinai!... Well then, +that word of God, that word of God, which was a pillar of fire unto thy +people illuminating them in the darkness of night, and an ever +refreshing fountain in the heat of the day, that word of God, for which +thy grandfather endured a death by fire, that word of God whose +everlasting truth, thy father, I, every pious Jew, would have sealed +with his heart's blood, that same word of God thou hast despised, cast +from thee, trampled under foot!... Art thou not acquainted with the +sentence of our wisemen. All shall be inheritors of the kingdom to +come, all save three, the adulterer, the....'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I could say no more, a fearful change came over my brother. His +features, even before marred and disfigured, now took an expression so +frightful, that they scarcely seemed to belong to an human being, all +the blood in his face seemed to have gathered into the dark-red borders +about his eyes, these protruded in an unnatural size far out of their +sockets, his mouth stood wide open, and disclosed his beautiful white +teeth--he resembled at that moment a wild blood-thirsty animal.</p> + +<p class="normal">"'Thou hast robbed me of this world, wilt thou rob me of the next too?' +he yelled, after a long pause with a loud howl and threw himself +furiously upon me. I perceived to my unutterable grief, that my well +meant but bitter word, had penetrated the inmost recesses of his soul, +that the consciousness of his guilt had awaked in him with overwhelming +force, that it had suddenly conjured up the darkness of madness over +his once so clear and luminous mind.... In vain was now my friendly +address, he attacked me with the wild fury of delirium. 'Brother! let +go, let go, force me not to exert my strength?' I cried, 'we are still +brothers, Twin-brothers, I am still thy Mosche!...' But my brother +heeded me not, he seized me in his nervous grasp by the neck. My life +was in imminent danger. I did not much value life on my own account; +but I desired to preserve thy father for thee, dear Schöndel, thou who +haddest none other in the wide world but me, and the thought of thee +gave me a giant's strength! I had at first vainly more than once +endeavoured to force away my brother, whose hand compressed my throat +violently, but could not succeed in doing so.... My breathing became +difficult, the blood rushed to my head, lights danced before my eyes. I +was giddy, I felt that some decided course must be taken, that I must +disengage myself from my terrible opponent. I collected all my +strength, and forced him with the whole weight of my body to the +ground. 'Peace, Mosche, Peace!' said my brother at last, grinding his +teeth, after a fruitless struggle to break from my arms.... let me go, +I will be quiet!'</p> + +<p class="normal">"I trusted his promise, but at the next moment he sprung upon me with +the fury and agility of a tiger, fastened his sharp teeth upon my naked +breast, and made most desperate efforts to strangle me. I screamed +aloud for excess of pain, and seized him, in obedience to a dim +instinct of self-preservation, by the throat.... a violent wrench of my +sinewy wrist--and my brother with a hollow muttering and distorted +visage sunk lifeless down! I stood for an instant in despair, +motionless, then threw myself, mad with grief, upon the ground and +endeavoured to recall him to life. My exertions were ineffectual!</p> + +<p class="normal">"I recovered my presence of mind with astonishing rapidity, and it was +again the thought of thee, my dear daughter! which drew me out of the +wild storm of despair.... I opened the window, and cried out aloud to +the star-spangled heaven: '<i>Lord of the world: Thou hast seen it, Thy +paternal eye was watching</i>.... <i>I am not guilty of his death, I am no +Cain, my hand did not shed this blood!</i>'"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel, exhausted, almost unconscious, ceased reading, and threw the +fateful writing far away from him.... The superhuman strength, with +which he had hitherto attentively and greedily devoured the faded +characters, gave way. The hope of obtaining information about his +father, of searching him out, of being able to fold him to his beating, +bursting heart, had pervaded him with the wildest, most blissful +rapture--and now, now all these hopes were scattered, annihilated; the +very name of his father, which, as if intentionally, was not once +mentioned in the manuscript, remained unknown to him.--<i>The more +beautiful nobler aim of his life continued to be unattainable by him</i>. +What mattered to him the farther contents of the manuscript? Of what +importance to him was it to learn, how Rabbi Mosche in that same night +had taken flight with his daughter, to escape the avenging hands of +human justice? Of what importance was it to him to learn, how Reb +Carpel Sachs had received the old friend of his youth with warm +affection? Of what importance was it to him to learn, how Reb Mosche, +as attendant in the Old-Synagogue had led a peaceful, contemplative +life, how he embraced the firm resolution, to give the hand of his +daughter to a man who like himself, like his deceased father, would +accept the modest office of attendant in the Old-Synagogue, where far +from the busy tumult of the world he could peacefully live for his +faith, for his duties: calm and isolated, like his father, like +himself, might quietly close a storm tossed life.... What did all this +and more signify to Gabriel? Had he not learnt that his father was +dead, lost to him for ever--did he not know, that the hot unstilled +longing of his soul must remain for ever and ever ungratified, were not +the thousand threads, with which his heart hung to the sweetest hope of +his life, suddenly painfully snapped!... Gabriel read no further. He +sat for a while motionless in his chair. Language has no power to +express the tempest of emotion, that whirled through his breast, and it +needs the boldest flight of imagination, to picture it even in faint +colour to oneself.</p> + +<p class="normal">"<i>That hope then is vanished!</i>" he said at last after long silence, +pressing his hand convulsively on his heart, "that hope is vanished!... +<i>there remains to me then but one, the only aim of my life. Vengeance</i> +... Mannsfield is still at Pilsen, Blume's destiny is yet in my +hands!... I thank thee, chance, thou hast wonderfully led me, thou hast +solved the torturing doubt in the most critical moment.... <i>vengeance +is all that is left to me--my resolution continues immoveable!</i>"</p> + +<p class="normal">The strokes of the Rathhaus clock proclaimed, that it wanted but two +hours to midnight. About this time the gates of the Jews-town were +shut. Gabriel got up hastily, armed and enveloped himself in his cloak, +then passed his hand slowly over his lofty forehead white as marble, as +though violently to compress every new risen thought, and stepped to +the door. On the threshold he paused once more plunged in the +overflowing tide of thought, and cast a glance over the room that he +was leaving for ever. It seemed, as if he could not after all tear +himself away so easily from the dwelling, in which his grandfather had +ended a life fruitful in stirring incidents, where his father had +passed the lovely period of innocent youth.--All at once he manned +himself, and hastened with flying steps to the Jews-town.--In the short +distance there he met a man, with his cloak drawn close over his face; +it was Michoel Glogau; but both were too busied with their own +thoughts, and neither remarked the other.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel arrived just in time; immediately after his entrance the gates +of the Jews' quarter were closed.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>VI.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The winter of the year 1620 had set in betimes, it was a raw cold +night. The sky was hidden by a grey veil of clouds, dissipated at one +moment by the breath of the icy north wind, at another as rapidly +re-condensed. The roofs were covered with deep snow, the ground was +frozen hard and crunched under footsteps. It had already become quiet, +the numerous vendors, who cheapened their wares in open street till a +late hour, and whose candles and small lamps gave a singularly friendly +aspect to the Jews-town, had disappeared, the streets were almost +empty, and only here and there a solitary passenger close wrapped in +his cloak was seen hastening home, or to the lecture-room.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stepped slowly, through the street, stopping almost every +minute. He had experienced in his passion-tossed life much mental +anguish. Since the day, when he had stood in despair at his mother's +dying bed, since the day when Blume had contumeliously rejected his +warm earnest and chaste young love, his whole life had been full of +pain and torment--and yet it appeared to him, as if he had never been +so unhappy, never so unutterably wretched, as now. His future +confronted him more fearful and horrible than ever. The fortune of war, +which had hitherto fastened itself to his, to his friend Mannsfield's +banners, seemed to have vanished with Frederick's overthrow on this +day.... The audacious confidence with which he had made himself +irresponsible for his abjuration of everything which he had formerly +considered dear and sacred had been dissipated by Michoel's ardent +words, which had struck him with the full overpowering force of truth +at the most critical hour.... His only hope, to discover his father, to +press him to his heart, to reconcile himself to him, to his destiny, +perhaps to God.... the audacious hope, which had often raised him from +the bottomless pit of despair; this one, sweet hope, which had ever, +even when he dared not allow it to himself, glimmered in his soul--was +dissipated, was annihilated!</p> + +<p class="normal">In truth it was the crushing intelligence of his father's early death, +which now bowed him down under a burden of infinite sorrow, and almost +effaced every earlier impression.... His father had never rejected him, +as he had so often in moments of wild excitement feared.... His father +had perhaps departed out of this life, without any presentiment that +his child would one day be dispairingly searching a trace of his +path.... And this father he had never known, and should never, never +behold, this father whom he had therefore only so madly hated, because +he would have so gladly loved him with the whole gigantic power of his +soul!</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stood pensively in the middle of the street. With the strange +bitter grief that, self-tormenting, is wont to tear open the most +painful wounds of the heart, he endeavoured once more to bring his +father's features which his uncle had so vividly described, before his +inner eye; but he strove in vain, confused images alone rose up in his +soul, pale men with purple blazing marks on their forehead: and all +these dim fancies took shape and vanished with the swiftness of +thought: all resembled one another--and yet not one of them was the +real genuine image.... And as a man is sometimes unable to remember a +word that he desires to utter, and yet it is so infinitely near him, +that he thinks, he has but to move the tongue, in order to give voice +to it, thus Gabriel peered after this image, it seemed so near, it +almost hovered over him--and yet he could not realise it.</p> + +<p class="normal">"That hope is vanished," he said at length in low tones, passing his +hand over his forehead--"fix your looks on something else.... The past +is unchangeable--the dead are dead.... The grave restores not to the +world, the dead never come to life.... <i>Thy father is dead, he is +irrecoverably lost</i>.... but my vengeance liveth within me, within my +breast with a wild hell-fire.... forget the dead, and remember +vengeance!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel once more assayed, with that admirable suppleness of character +that had enabled him to oppose an almost incredible resistance to the +bitter blows which had struck him, to withdraw himself from the +destructive influence of this vortex of thoughts, to divert his mind +from it.... again he sought, as he was often wont to do in moments of +highest excitement, some object exterior to himself, that would fix his +attention were it but for a short time, and he accounted himself +fortunate, as he recognised in a person, who was walking rapidly by +him, the Frankfurt student Nochum.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Good evening," he said, mastering his temper, and with difficulty +restraining the ill-will that he could not but feel in the bottom of +his heart towards Nochum: "Whither away?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have been with the chief overseer Reb Gadel," answered Nochum, "I +had letters of recommendation to him and am in the habit of studying at +nights with his son: but they have just been informed, that the +Palatine has come over to the Altstadt, bringing the crown and regalia +with him, and has signified to the inhabitants of the Altstadt, that he +proposes to withdraw from the city at daybreak and leave the field to +his victorious antagonists--as you can well fancy, there could be no +more talk of study."</p> + +<p class="normal">"Is this news to be depended upon?" asked Gabriel, after a long pause +of reflection.</p> + +<p class="normal">"It came to the overseer from the most reliable source, and there can +be no doubt about it.... however I must ask you to keep the matter +secret till morning: it is still unknown to every one else in the +Jews-town, and may very well remain so till to-morrow."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel observed a thoughtful silence. "I am still master of Blume's +destiny," he thought, "she still believes that her husband is in my +power.... I must make haste.... if I lose the propitious moment for +revenge, it is perhaps irrecoverably, for ever lost!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Nochum misinterpreted Gabriel's silence. He could in truth have no +suspicion of the gravity of the intelligence which he had imparted to +him, he could have no idea that he was standing by a man, the only hope +of whose life had been shortly before annihilated, who designed to take +instant vengeance with the full might of hate for the unutterable woe +of his whole tormented Past.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You seem to take a warm interest in public affairs," began Nochum at +length, "and I am very glad of it, one finds it so seldom in a student; +but here in Prague, at this renowned high-school one meets students, +such as one seldom finds elsewhere.--Yesterday for the first time I +made the acquaintance of a student, Michoel Glogau; I am only sorry +that he is leaving Prague immediately.... I assure you, never has a +young man made so deep an impression upon me as he.... We happened to +be talking about a bastard, I laid down a proposition which, I +willingly allow, I retracted, when Reb Michoel proved to me that it was +wrong.... but what an argument he gave, so clear, so eager, so +convincing--but what am I telling you this for, I recollect that you +were present during the discussion, and must have heard it too. Michoel +found the true, correct, view of the case, did he not?"</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel's heart beat high. His soul was pierced by a thousand arrows, +and the reawakened memory of Michoel's crushing words poured boiling +oil into all these open uncicatrized wounds.</p> + +<p class="normal">"I too am sorry that I fell in with Michoel Glogau so late," said +Gabriel with profound emotion.... "but it was in sooth too late, too +late!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Nochum looked enquiringly at Gabriel. The intense trouble that was +expressed by his features and words seemed to him incomprehensible. +Gabriel observed this, he was seized with a sudden terror as if he +feared that he had betrayed his most secret thoughts.... "Farewell," he +cried, after a short pause suddenly breaking off, and hurried as fast +as he could through the narrow irregular streets.--Nochum gazed after +him for a while in astonishment and then went quietly on his way.</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel did not stop till he had reached Blume's house in the Hahnpass. +He looked up to the attic windows, one of them was open in spite of the +raw wintry cold, and he thought that he perceived in the obscurity the +outline of a woman's form.... His heart beat audibly, he laid his hand +on the door-latch, but still stood lost in thought.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Thus then I stand at the goal," he began speaking to himself, at first +in low tones, then louder and louder.... "through a long life of torment +I have pined for the moment of revenge.... Now it is come, no power on +earth can now interpose between me and my revenge.... I will avenge +myself.... and then?... then solitary, forsaken, unwept and +unregretted--will die on the nearest battle-field.--It might have +been otherwise!... Had I encountered that Michoel, whom I now at the +end of my wide, wide wandering have found, had I encountered him on +that feast of atonement, had he then said those words, which have this +day so unsparingly rended my soul--had he then addressed me in such +accents--it might have been otherwise! Gabriel Süss, Gabriel Süss, the +poor, ill-used, rejected, down trodden,--Gabriel Süss, who has torn +himself from the blissful faith of his childhood, Gabriel Süss, who has +sought and never found forgetfulness of the past amid the roar of +cannon and the turmoil of battle.--Gabriel Süss <i>might have been a +support to the wavering, a teacher of his people, a lofty example of +humble resignation to the will of God</i>.... <i>His fate was in his own +hands. It was his own fault that he perished!</i>... That was what you +said, Michoel; but it was too late!... but no! no! I am not, I am not +guilty of it.... that is your invention, ye believers in God!... Naught +but a malicious, evil chance swayed me, and even at this critical +moment would embitter the sweet instant of revenge by a deceitful +image of what I might have been.... just as I am hastily setting +forth to accomplish my long-coveted revenge, it lets me meet Michoel +Glogau!--Oh! it is naught but malicious evil chance! at the moment, +when still irresolute I am for the last time imploring thee, whom men +call all-mighty, all-merciful,--in the deepest sorrow, that ever +crushed a poor human soul, to restore my father to me, a father! a +favour that is not refused to the humblest man on earth--at the moment, +when I am calling upon thee to restore my father to me, were it but for +the shortest interval of time that the human mind is capable of +conceiving--to permit me to die in his arms, were it at the penalty of +unutterable physical anguish.... <i>At that moment, I learn that he is +dead!</i>... Where is thy omnipotence? Where? Bow my stiff neck! shatter +my pride! conduct me to my father! and I, Gabriel Süss will return unto +thee--dost thou hear? to thee, to faith in thee.... I will repent, and +dying will glorify thy name!... but it will not be so--the Grave never +gives back its dead.... <i>I was only unexpressibly unfortunate.... and I +cry aloud: there is no</i>...."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel stopped short. A death-like stillness had reigned round about +over the then almost deserted Hahnpass, bounded, as it was, by the +spacious graveyard, but suddenly a voice issuing from the burial +ground, fell upon his ears, a voice which already once before had made +his blood run cold with horror, and which he had then accounted an +offspring of his heated over-excited imagination.... but this time it +sounded clearer; this time it could be no deception.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My son! my son! Thou, poor, forsaken one, thou that wert born in sin, +where art thou? Where shall I seek thee? Oh! that my voice might echo +with the power of thunder, that it might reach from one end of the +earth to the other.... perchance my poor son would hear the voice of +his father and forgive him!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Thus it rung in Gabriel's ears. A hollow cry escaped from his breast, +he let fall the latch of the house-door which he had held nervously +clutched in his hand.--He looked around, a moderately high wall divided +him from the burial ground. Suddenly he perceived a small locked door +in the wall, and the intensity of his excitement gave a giant strength +to the man naturally powerful: at one blow the boards of the door fell +in with a crash, and Gabriel found himself in the cemetery.... His +flaming eyes flew over the wide snow-covered space. It was profoundly +dark, the sky was obscured by thick clouds, the crumbling grave-stones +made a strange contrast with the glittering snow-field; the old trees +with their frosted branches like hoary sentinels over this place of +rest, floated on the grey atmosphere of the background....</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel put his whole soul in ear and eye:--but for a while saw +nothing, heard nothing, not a leaf stirred....</p> + +<p class="normal">Presently there was a movement among the trees close to him. A feverish +heat coursed through his veins: he tottered, but recovered himself with +superhuman force and with lips firm closed, and hands pressed nervously +against his overflowing bursting heart, approached the thicket.... +Tremblingly he parted the branches, nor observed, that his hands were +torn and bleeding: he advanced ever forwards, and at last broke through +the wood.... Exactly at the same instant the moon passed from behind +the black clouds that had hitherto veiled it, and cast its full light +over the tree-enclosed spot....</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel perceived three grave-stones, a large and two smaller ones. +<i>The larger had engraved upon it a hunch of grapes the symbol of a +Levi</i>.... a lofty form, an old man had sunk down before the +gravestones....</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel wished to press forward, to address the form, to look it face +to face.... though it should cost him a thousand lives:--but at that +instant the old man's trembling voice again resounded....</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel remained rooted to the ground.</p> + +<p class="normal">"My God! my Lord! all-merciful, all-gracious God!... have I not yet +made atonement for the sin of my youth?.... have I not for years done +penitence; suffered, as no other man on earth?... Here at the grave of +my dead, early lost, father--here at my twin brother's grave, who loved +me so dearly, so infinitely deeply, my brother's, who in that fateful +night awoke the inexpressibly bitter grief of remorseful despair.... oh +would that I had then died, when with strong grasp you threw from off +you the disloyal, the wicked shameless brother, would that I had then +met my death from your dear fraternal hand!--but no, thou dear one; +thou wert not destined to be a Cain, pure and blessed thou wert one day +to close thy eyes in peaceful death.... but I, I woke from what seemed +the sleep of death, to never ending nameless torment!... At the grave +of the never-to-be-forgotten sweet companion of my youth Carpel, whom I +would so gladly have once more folded in my arms ... and who peacefully +slumbered under this turf, as I returned in despair to Prague, the city +of my blissful innocent youth.... at this grave I have for years made +my supplication unto thee all-merciful!... Thou, Omniscient, thou that +seest into the depths of my soul, thou knowest, what I have +suffered!... And still the cloud of thine indignation is not yet passed +away.... Thou shalt not commit adultery stands ever written in my +bible.... and never yet has my son hastened to my arms!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel scarcely breathed. Each word made its way to his heart like a +flaming sword. In his breast raged a storm of emotion, that can neither +be represented, nor described, nor conceived. In the inmost core of his +being an infinite, all-embracing destroying change was brought to +pass.... light suddenly flashed into his soul, and as the dim eyes of +the body accustomed to profound obscurity close themselves painfully, +if they suddenly gaze into the glowing fire-streams of a mighty +volcano; so closed his spiritual eye for one instant before the +impression of this trying moment. He was standing by his unhappy +father! this form bowed low by sorrow and misery was his poor +despairing father.... the mad Jacob!... the most ardent wish of his +soul, the deepest longing of his tormented life was stilled, stilled at +the moment in which he had given himself over with wild God-denying +insolence to the profoundest despair.... <i>that was no blind chance</i>.... +Gabriel assayed to speak, but his thought found no expression, his lips +no sound.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Father of all men! forgive me at last," Jacob began again in the most +heart-rending accents of deepest despair; and his body seemed to +collapse under the weight of his sorrow--"forgive me, Father of all!... +I have sinned, I have gone astray, but I have suffered endless anguish, +and thou, Father! art all-goodness.... Let me die at length, Father of +all men.... let me rest by my dear ones.... forgive her also, the +mother of my son.... and as a sign that thou hast forgiven me, restore +my son to me, <i>my son</i>, before I die.... let me die on his heart.... <i>I +can die only on his heart</i>, I ask for nothing more!... God! grant me my +son!... Oh come to me, my son!... my son, where art thou?"</p> + +<p class="normal">A silence deep as the grave reigned for a moment; then Gabriel cried: +"Father, I am here!"</p> + +<p class="normal">Both, father and son, stared speechlessly at one another for a +space.... that was the image, that Gabriel had been vainly endeavouring +for some hours to conjure up, his father, the wandering Jew of Aix, +that form which had once imprinted its hot lips on his young forehead, +they were all one and the same....</p> + +<p class="normal">The highest pitch of madness was mirrored for a minute in Jacob's +face.... but gradually and gradually the immense overpowering force of +the joyful surprise seemed to drive away the evil spirit that hovered +over his soul. His burning eyes, out of which madness had flashed, +became wet.... a hot tear escaped from under his eyelashes and trickled +slowly down his pale cheeks....</p> + +<p class="normal">On a sudden, as if a ray of recognition had then for the first time +struck him, he exclaimed, "he bears the fiery sign on his forehead! My +God! it is my son!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">"My father!... Hear oh Israel, the Lord our God is one God."</p> + +<p class="normal">Gabriel flung himself into his father's wide opened arms.... they held +one another in close embrace.... their lips quivered as if they would +have spoken.... but they never spoke again.... the too swift +alternation of feeling had loosened the slight bond that united spirit +to body; the most terrible emotion, that has ever possessed a human +heart, killed them!</p> + +<p class="normal">They held one another still fast embraced in death--in life divided, +isolated, <i>in death they would not be parted</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">This heart-breaking scene had not remained unwitnessed. Blume had stood +at the window of her house in sad painful expectation.... What she had +seen and heard had filled her with unutterable horror.... but she was +saved.... Profoundly struck by this dispensation of Providence, she +fell with unspeakable emotion upon her knees and prayed.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>VII.</h2> + +<p class="normal">The Palatine escaped next morning in the direction of Breslau. Anhalt, +Hohenlohe, the elder Thurn, the elder Bubna, Bohuslaw Berka, Raupowa, +and others accompanied him.--The Kleinseiters always devoted to the +Emperor, as soon as Frederick had left the city sent messengers to Duke +Maximilian and begged him to make his entry into the city. At mid-day +the Duke accompanied by Boucquoi and Tilly marched through the +Strahower Gate to the Hradschin, William of Lobkowiz, and five other +Bohemian nobles came to meet him, wished him joy of the victory that he +had won, and begged, as the chronicles declare, in a long speech +interspersed with much weeping, pardon for their revolt, the +maintenance of their liberties and mercy for the city. Maximilian +answered benignantly that he would do all that he was able, and that +the city should not be injured; with regard to the other points, +he had no full powers. For himself he advised them to surrender +unconditionally to the Emperor.--The Alt- and Neu-stadters had sent at +the same time a deputation to the Duke, with a request, that he would +grant them three days to draw up the conditions, under which they were +willing to surrender. Maximilian refused this delay, and they +immediately took an oath of obedience and fidelity to the Emperor and +delivered up their arms to the duke.--The news of the duke's successful +entry had evoked the most joyous excitement in the Jews-town, which +like the Kleinseiters had ever been well disposed towards the Emperor. +The overseer invited the elders and members of the college of Rabbis to +an extraordinary conference at the Rathhaus, and it was unanimously +decided, to present a congratulating address to the Duke Maximilian, as +victor, in the name of the Jewish community at Prague. The meeting was +just at an end, when the grave-diggers accompanied by Cobbler Abraham +urgently begged to be admitted. In the morning at a funeral two dead +bodies had been found in the burial ground, that held one another close +clasped even in death. The two corpses had assumed in death an +extraordinary likeness, a likeness such as one only meets with between +father and son, both namely bore upon their forehead a similar blue +streak. The mad Jacob had been known to everyone, but with regard to +the other body only one of the persons who happened to be present at +the funeral, could give accurate information. Cobbler Abraham to wit, +declared that he had been acquainted with the young man, who had only +lately arrived at Prague, and that immediately on his arrival he had +recommended him to a lodging at Reb Schlome Sachs', the upper attendant +of the Old-Synagogue. In answer to enquiries made of the last mentioned +person later on, he had learnt that the stranger was called Gabriel +Mar, and was a clever student from upper Germany. The gravediggers +thought it their duty to make a report of this strange occurrence to +the college of Rabbis and the overseers of the community, and Cobbler +Abraham once again repeated his depositions with respect to the corpse +of the young man.</p> + +<p class="normal">The assembled authorities accounted this matter of sufficient +importance to justify their casting a look over the letters which had +been found in the clothes of the deceased. The superscription at once +excited universal surprise, the letters were addressed to Major-General +Otto Bitter and signed Ernest of Mannsfield, General and Field Marshal; +their contents referred to the operations of the war and secret +plans.... No one knew what to think about it. Some were inclined to +believe that Gabriel Mar was a messenger of Mannsfield's, others +doubted, for if so, Mannsfield would not have signed his name in full, +and held Gabriel to be a spy of the Imperialists, who had somehow or +other got possession of these letters; others again believed simply +that Gabriel Mar, and Major-General Otto Bitter were one and the same +person. They had just got into a lively discussion on this point, when +the door of the council-room was suddenly opened and Reb Schlome Sachs +and Reb Michoel Glogau entered unannounced.</p> + +<p class="normal">"You come at the right time," cried the overseer to him--"perhaps you +can give us some information about your lodger, who...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We come for that very purpose, Reb Gadel!" interposed Reb Schlome.... +"but I am too much overcome with what I have just heard. Do you tell +them, Reb Michoel, I pray you, you are more composed than I."</p> + +<p class="normal">The attention of the whole assembly was now directed to Michoel Glogau.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yesterday," he began, as concisely as possible, "I saw and conversed +for the first time with Gabriel Mar, whose body was found this morning +in the graveyard. By a chance concurrence of circumstances I was led to +suspect that Gabriel Mar might be one and the same person as Gabriel +Süss, who disappeared some years ago. This suspicion became certainty, +when I shortly afterwards, hidden behind an angle of the wall, called +out his name, and he as if from force of an old habit turned his head +and looked about as if he sought the caller; and then as though fearing +to betray himself, hurried off. His disguise, his presence in the Jews' +quarter might have one of two objects, either to inflict some injury on +his former brethren, or to rejoin them and repentantly be reconverted +to the faith of his childhood. I resolved to speak with Gabriel Mar +before my speedy departure. My words, I know not why, had made a deep +impression upon him, I determined to attempt to learn his designs; if +they were evil, to thwart them, if good as far as my weak strength +permitted, to support them....</p> + +<p class="normal">"I enquired where he lodged, and some hours afterwards found myself at +Reb Schlome Sachs'. He received my communications at first very +incredulously; but gradually remembered many peculiarities which had at +first struck him in the behaviour of his guest.... His wife some days +after his arrival had found him, sunk in deep reflection over a map; +she had on the same day seen an officer who strikingly resembled +Gabriel, riding out with the young Count Thurn! He himself had heard +him talking so strangely in his sleep, that he did not at the time know +what to make of it; his whole behaviour had been puzzling.... Reb +Schlome Sachs was extraordinarily put out, and asked me what I proposed +to do.... I requested him to accompany me to Gabriel's room; I would +speak with him at once. Without knowing why, it seemed to me as if +every minute that was lost was irrecoverably lost.... We went to his +room, it was open, but Gabriel was not in the house. By the light of a +lamp that was slowly going out, which he had left standing on the +table, we saw a bureau that had been violently broken open, and in it +arms; on the ground some old papers were scattered about. Reb Schlome +shook violently as he took them up; ... they contained the memorial of +his father-in-law, the history of his life.... We noticed the marks of +recent tears on some passages.... the manuscripts had lain for years +locked up in the bureau, there could not be the slightest doubt, that +by some curious coincidence Gabriel had got possession of them. +Gabriel, none other, could have read these manuscripts, their contents +must have moved him to tears, have made a violent impression on him, at +one point indeed he must have flung the papers far away from him: so it +seemed to both of us, and the contents of the manuscript proved that we +were not mistaken. The manuscript, which we both, Reb Schlome Sachs and +I, read throught with the most high wrought attention, revealed +astonishing events to us.... Mad Jacob was the father of Gabriel Süss, +was a brother of Rabbi Mosche's, a son of the great Rabbi Jizchok +Meduro, an uncle of Rabbi Schlome's wife.... A wonderful Providence had +conducted Gabriel Süss to the house, where he was to learn his father's +history.... a wonderful impenetrable providence brought about his death +in the same night in his father's arms, at his grandfather's grave!..."</p> + +<p class="normal">Michoel was compelled to stop from deep emotion, and handed over Rabbi +Mosche's Biography to the assembly.</p> + +<p class="normal">"This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes," said Rabbi +Lippmann Heller, who had taken part in the meeting as assessor to the +college of Rabbis, at last after a long pause....</p> + +<p class="normal">"But are you also aware that Gabriel Süss and Major-General Otto Bitter +are one and the same person?" he went on to ask....</p> + +<p class="normal">"Yes," answered Michoel: "while Reb Schlome was unable from deep +feeling to tear himself away from the handwriting of his father-in-law; +I carefully examined the room. I found several letters from Count +Mannsfield to Major-General Otto Bitter, in one of them he wrote that +he sent him, Hebrew letters to look over.... among these I found +several letters in German, but written in Hebrew characters. These +letters were written from Prague by Blume Rottenberg and directed to +her husband.... If I rightly remember, and Gabriel Süss' history was +correctly related to me, his intended bride was called Blume +Rottenberg, and she married her cousin, her father's brother's son.... +Blume Rottenberg must be residing in Prague: so please you, my wise men +and reverend teachers, she might be summoned, perhaps she will be able +to solve the mysterious obscurity that hovers over the life, and still +more remarkably over the death of Gabriel Süss, perhaps she will be +able to supply information as to the object of his presence in Prague, +and of his disguise."</p> + +<p class="normal">Michoel's proposition was received with general applause--Blume +Rottenberg had lived a retired life in Prague and under an assumed +name. Only one person, the owner of the dilapidated house which she +inhabited, knew her real name and was able to give information as to +where she resided. He happened to be present. Blume Rottenberg was +requested to betake herself to the house of the Assessor Reb Lippmann +Heller, who was to receive her depositions in the presence of the chief +overseer.</p> + +<p class="normal">Both of them returned two hours afterwards much agitated to the +meeting. The whole life of Gabriel Süss, all his past was now laid +clear before their eyes.... and Gabriel Süss had died repentant in his +father's arms!</p> + +<p class="normal">It was unanimously decided, to bury them both, father and son, close +together by the graves of their family.</p> + +<p class="normal">It was formerly a custom in Israel, to bury the dead as soon as +possible. Jacob and his son were to be immediately laid in the grave. +All present, deeply moved by the manifest Providence which had brought +about everything so wonderfully, determined to attend the funeral +obsequies, and were about to repair to the burial ground. They were +just issuing from the Rathhaus, when two horsemen on foam-covered +steeds galloped up and halted before it. It was a Captain in the +Imperial army accompanied by a younger officer.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Can I speak with the overseer of your community?" asked the Captain. +"Do not be alarmed," he went on to say in a friendly voice, seeing that +they had become pale with terror, "no harm will happen to the Jewish +community; we know that you are well affected to the Emperor and cleave +to your Imperial master with firm unchangeable fidelity, ... but +unknown to yourselves, an apostate from your faith, an outlaw, an enemy +of the Emperor and Empire, the Mannsfieldian General Otto Bitter has +been living for the last few days among you in the Jews-town. He did +not escape with the Palatine.--We have every reason for believing that +he is here in your town. He is Mannsfield's right hand-man and +acquainted with all his plans.... I beseech you, make every effort to +deliver him alive into our hands."</p> + +<p class="normal">"That is impossible," answered the chief overseer after a short pause. +"He whom ye seek, by God's wonderful dispensation died this day about +midnight full of repentance in the arms of his recovered father. We +were just about to lay him in the grave: if it pleases you, Sir +Captain! will you not go with us to the burial ground.... to convince +yourself that Otto Bitter will never again fight against his Imperial +master.... you know him by sight?"</p> + +<p class="normal">"Of course I do? was I not standing by yesterday, when the most +accomplished knight of our army. Count Pappenheim, fell badly wounded +by his sword...."</p> + +<p class="normal">On the short way to the burial ground the chief overseer recounted the +history of Gabriel's storm tossed life to the Captain, and the strange +events that had suddenly rent the mysterious veil that enveloped it....</p> + +<hr class="W20"> + +<p class="normal">The two corpses still locked in a fast embrace lay upon the same bier. +It was a most striking sight. The two officers uncovered their +heads.--The Captain cast a scrutinizing look over Gabriel's body. +"There is no doubt, it is he," he said; then drew a paper out of his +breast pocket, which he carefully read over and once more from time to +time examined the body with the greatest attention....</p> + +<p class="normal">"I have said so," he repeated, "there is no doubt, the dead man is Otto +Bitter...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"What are your orders with respect to the corpse?" asked the younger +officer, "shall it be transported to the castle that the duke...."</p> + +<p class="normal">"We fight with the living alone, the dead no more belongs to this +world," answered the Captain earnestly. "Otto Bitter was a rebel, an +enemy of the Emperor and Empire.... but he was a gallant hero.... May +God pardon his sins.... overseer! Give me the letters found upon him, +and lay your dead in the grave!"</p> + +<hr class="W20"> + +<p class="normal">At twilight on the same day two women, like kind angels, prayed +kneeling at Gabriel's grave. Both of them were equally nearly related +to the departed. The one was Blume Rottenberg, the woman that he had +once madly loved, his mother's sister's daughter, the other Schöndel +Sachs, his uncle's daughter.</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">Blume Rottenberg had suffered fearfully for eight days. She was firmly +resolved to sacrifice her life rather than her duty.... She had been +saved by a miracle. Her trust in God had been thereby still more +exalted. She had remained four months without tidings of her husband, +and yet looked forward full of trust and hope to the future.... she had +not deceived herself. On the 26th of March 1621 the Mannsfieldian +commanders surrendered the city of Pilsen to General Tilly and eight +days afterwards Aaron Rottenberg returned to the arms of his wife +happy, and uninjured.... on his arrival he was surprised by joyful +news. Important intelligence for him had come in from Worms. The +patrician, who had had that law-suit so full of evil consequences with +the Rottenberg family, was dead. Sorely tormented by the stings of +conscience he had declared upon his death bed in the presence of his +confessor and an officer of justice, that the claim of the Rottenbergs +against him was perfectly well grounded, and that the acknowledgment, +that he had declared to be forged, was genuine. He further confessed +that the heads of the trades had intended to force the Rottenbergs at +all hazards to admit that the acknowledgment was forged. This admission +was to have been the signal for a general bloody persecution and +plundering of the Jews. The reckless project had miscarried owing to +the noble firmness of the Rottenbergs. The occasion was seized for an +act of private revenge, if illegal at any rate apparently of common +advantage, and if the insurgents had succeeded in stirring up the wild +fury of a populace eager for plunder, the innocent Jews could at least +reckon upon the assistance of the Prince and the sympathy of every +right thinking person.... after the dying man had once more solemnly +declared, that all his possessions were in justice the property of +Aaron Rottenberg, he implored those who were present, with hot tears +and in the most moving terms to hunt out the traces of Aaron +Rottenberg, not only to put him in possession of his property, but also +to tell him that they had been witnesses of the deep contrition and +earnest repentance which had embittered his last hours: thus he hoped +to obtain pardon from the Rottenbergs, whom his covetousness had +plunged in unutterable misery....</p> + +<p class="normal">Those who had been present at the patrician's death-bed immediately +imparted his confession to the authorities of the Jewish community in +Worms. This event caused immense excitement there, now for the first +time they saw how falsely, how unjustly they had interpreted the noble +behaviour of the Rottenbergs, for what heavy injustice they had to ask +forgiveness of them. In a meeting of the elders it was unanimously +decided to search out Aaron Rottenberg, to ask in the name of the +community his forgiveness of the injuries it had inflicted upon him, +and urgently to beg him to return to his paternal city, and again to +accept the office of an overseer, which his father formerly, and +afterwards he himself had filled.</p> + +<p class="normal">The letter of the Worms community that put him in possession of all +these facts, made a most pleasing impression upon Rottenberg. The +profound regret, the sorrowful repentance which the community expressed +in earnest words, made it impossible for him to oppose their request. +He set out on the journey to Worms with a heart full of thankfulness. +He was received in his native city with loud rejoicing and trod its +streets with tears of emotion....</p> + +<p class="normal">A long series of happy years effaced from the memory of the Rottenberg +family the sorrows of their past life, but not the miracle which the +Lord had vouchsafed to them.</p> + +<p class="normal">Cobbler Abraham looked upon himself with no small pride as an +instrument of divine Providence. It was he who had first accosted +Gabriel Süss on his arrival in the Jews-town. It was he who had shown +him the way to Reb Schlome Sachs, where Gabriel had at last found the +solution of the mystery of his life; a solution that had affected him +so profoundly, had agitated the inmost depths of his being.--Even fifty +years later, when old as Methusalem but still vigorous, Cobbler Abraham +was always ready to recount the history of Gabriel Süss to whoever +wished it, and only regretted that he could no longer introduce +his two former neighbours, Hirsch, the fish-monger, and Mindel, the +liver-vender, who had predeceased him, as witnesses to the accuracy and +truthfulness with which he described his first meeting with Süss.</p> + +<p class="normal">Reb Schlome Sachs and his wife lived as before peaceful and contented, +and when Schöndel after ten years of childless wedlock was brought to +bed of a boy, and so the profoundest, if silent, wish of her heart was +fulfilled; nothing was wanting to her perfect happiness....</p> + +<p class="normal">Michoel Glogau went to Breslau, and taught the word of God there.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>THE END.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<hr class="W50"> +<h4 style="margin-bottom:0pt; margin-top:0pt">PRINTING OFFICE OF THE PUBLISHER.</h4> +<hr class="W50"> +<br> +<br> +<br> + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Gabriel, by Salomon Kohn + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GABRIEL *** + +***** This file should be named 36855-h.htm or 36855-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/8/5/36855/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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