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diff --git a/old/68763-0.txt b/old/68763-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index b70b979..0000000 --- a/old/68763-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9833 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A modern exodus, by Violet Guttenberg - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world 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. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A modern exodus - a novel - -Author: Violet Guttenberg - -Release Date: August 16, 2022 [eBook #68763] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MODERN EXODUS *** - - - - - - A MODERN EXODUS - - - - - _GREENING & CO.’S_ - POPULAR NOVELS. - - -=When it was Dark.= _3rd Edition._ - - By Guy Thorne. =6s.= - -=The Oven.= - - By Guy Thorne. =3s. 6d.= - -=Sharks.= - - By Guy Thorne and Leo Custance. =6s.= - -=The Steeple.= - - By Reginald Turner. =6s.= - -=The Comedy of Progress.= - - By Reginald Turner. =6s.= - -=Cynthia’s Damages.= - - By Reginald Turner. =6s.= - -=Castles in Kensington.= - - By Reginald Turner. =6s.= - -=The Danger of Innocence.= - - By Cosmo Hamilton. =6s.= - -=The Serf.= _3rd Edition._ - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =6s.= - -=Back to Lilac-Land.= _2nd Edition._ - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =6s.= - -=His Grace’s Grace.= - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =6s.= - -=The Hypocrite.= _8th Edition._ - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =2s. 6d.= - -=Miss Malevolent.= _2nd Edition._ - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =3s. 6d.= - -=Mr. Topham: Comedian.= - - By C. Ranger-Gull. =3s. 6d.= - -=Daughters of Pleasure.= - - By The Comtesse de Bremont. =6s.= - -=Mrs. Evelyn’s Husbands.= - - By The Comtesse de Bremont. =6s.= - -=The Day of Prosperity.= - - By Paul Devinne. =6s.= - -=A Dead Woman’s Wish.= - - By Emile Zola. =3s. 6d.= - -=Two in One.= - - By T. W. Speight. =3s. 6d.= - -=Mora=: One Woman’s Story. - - By T. W. Speight. =6s.= - -=Compromised.= - - By Gertrude Warden. =6s.= - -=Wolves.= - - By R. H. Sherard. =6s.= - -=Morcar.= - - By Thomas Scott. =6s.= - -=The Canon’s Butterfly.= - - By Max Baring. =6s.= - -=The Tragedy of a Pedigree.= - - By Hugo Ames. =6s.= - -=The Prettiness of Fools.= - - By Edgar Hewitt. =6s.= - -=An Act of Impulse.= - - By Helen Bayliss. =6s.= - - - - - A Modern Exodus - A Novel - - - BY - - VIOLET GUTTENBERG - - AUTHOR OF - - “NEITHER JEW NOR GREEK,” “THE POWER OF THE PALMIST,” ETC. - - - LONDON - GREENING & CO., LTD. - 20 CECIL COURT, CHARING CROSS ROAD, W.C. - - 1904 - - _All Rights Reserved._] - - - - - _Copyright - in - The United Kingdom - of - Great Britain and Ireland, - in the - Dominion of Canada - and in the - United States of America, - March, 1904._ - - - - - PREFACE - - -Not wishing my readers to be falsely impressed on perusing this novel, I -wish to inform them that this is a story of the impossible, and is -placed in the future for the sake of convenience. Were England other -than she is, however, it would not be so impossible to issue such an -edict as I have here introduced; and therefore it is a matter of -congratulation and deep thankfulness to both Jew and Gentile that the -attitude of our country towards her Jewish subjects is that of justice, -toleration, and friendliness. At the same time, the poisonous seeds of -anti-Semitism are so subtle and so easily instilled, that a warning—even -in the form of fiction—may not be out of place. - -With regard to the practical side of the story, I claim the author’s -privilege of imagination; since this is not a treatise on Zionism, but -merely a novel. - - VIOLET GUTTENBERG. - - _London, 1904._ - - - - - CONTENTS - - - BOOK I - - THE GATHERING OF THE STORM - - CHAP. PAGE - I OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE 11 - - II THE MONTELLAS 20 - - III PATRICIA 29 - - IV THE MASKED BALL 39 - - V THE STORY OF FERDINAND 50 - - VI A HOUSE OF MOURNING 59 - - VII THE UNEMPLOYED 68 - - VIII LADY CHESTERWOOD’S SECRET 80 - - IX THE ZIONISTS 90 - - X PREMIER AND PEERESS 98 - - XI THE PREMIER OUTWITTED 108 - - XII MONTELLA’S OLD NURSE 119 - - XIII A DIFFICULT ALTERNATIVE 130 - - - BOOK II - - THE LAND OF THEIR FATHERS - - I PURIM IN HAIFA 141 - - II THE TOURIST AND RAIE 152 - - III A GIRL IN LOVE 161 - - IV GOVERNOR OF HAIFA 168 - - V THE COMING OF ZILLAH 179 - - VI THE CAVE OF ELIJAH 186 - - VII EL KÛDS 197 - - VIII AMID SACRED SCENES 205 - - IX MEMORABLE MOMENTS 213 - - X THE BLOW FALLS 223 - - XI FAREWELL 237 - - XII RAIE’S DILEMMA 244 - - XIII THE EMPTY HOUSE 254 - - XIV IN THE LIGHT OF THE MOON 266 - - - BOOK III - - THE LAST OF THE EDICT - - I ENGLAND ONCE MORE 279 - - II AN ANTI-SEMITE STILL 288 - - III THE MIND OF THE PREMIER 299 - - IV LADY PATRICIA’S CONQUEST 308 - - V “THE SKIRT OF A JEW” 317 - - _Period.—The Future_ - - - - - BOOK I - “_Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word amongst - all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee._”—DEUT. xxviii. 37. - - - - - A MODERN EXODUS - - - - - CHAPTER I - OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE - - -It was the Day of Atonement—the Great White Fast. The principal -synagogue in the West End of London was crowded from the doors to the -Ark, and the heat was intense. Like a flock of frightened sheep, those -Jews—and they were many—who ignored the claims of public worship for -over eleven months at a stretch, rushed to the synagogue on this Holy -Day in order to settle their accounts with an offended Deity, and obtain -exemption from service for yet another year. This Day served as a test -to prove whether a man of Hebrew birth clung to the Jewish faith or not; -for if he retained the very smallest respect for the tenets of his -religion, he would at least put in an appearance at the synagogue, and -refrain from tasting food. However lax he might be throughout the year, -on this Day he would try to make reparation, lest he should be struck -off from the inheritance of Israel; for if he failed to observe _Yom -Kippur_, he could no longer claim—amongst his own people—to be a Jew. - -People are apt to speak of “the Jews” as though they were one nation of -one unvaried character, and in so doing they make a fatal mistake. The -fact that Jews possess in a large measure the chameleon-like faculty of -reflecting the colour—or rather the characteristics—of the country -wherein they happen to reside is entirely overlooked. No wider -divergence of opinion and character between that possessed by the -English Jew and the Polish Jew, between the educated and the ignorant, -could be imagined; yet by the easy-going Gentile the whole heterogeneous -mass of the race of Israel is summed up in one category—“The Jews.” Even -in this small gathering of modern Israelites there were many different -types. There was the old man, clad in his burial garments, and -slipperless, who swayed to and fro and smote his breast with the zeal of -a devotee; there was—up in the gallery—the equally old woman, her head -disfigured by the _scheitel_[1] (tabooed by the modern Jewish matron), -which she wore as the mark of her wifehood. There was the opulent Jew, -newly imported from South Africa, with his consort above him; the -diamond merchant from Holland; the English stockbroker; the German -commercial traveller; the Oxford under-graduate. There was the vulgar -Jewish matron, with her insufferable air of affluence and her display of -diamonds; and the refined Jewish lady, with her less conspicuous attire -and quieter manner. There were men and women of all nationalities and -classes, bound together by one common tie, yet in temperament as -opposite as the poles. And out of this crowd of more or less fervent -worshippers there is but one who claims our attention, a man of -religious views so broad as to be almost heterodox, yet still in his -conformity to the fundamental principles of his religion, a faithful -Jew. - -Footnote 1: - - Wig. - -He belonged to one of the noblest Jewish families in England. Descended -from the Sephardim, his ancestors had come over in the reign of Charles -II., and his forefathers for generations had been therefore of English -birth. The Selim Montellas were famous throughout the land for their -wealth, their munificence in disposing of it, and their devotion to -their country and its sovereign ruler. Lionel, the last of the race, -proved no less worthy a representative of the ancient house. After a -brilliant career at Oxford, where he had earned the respect of both dons -and under-graduates for his adherence to the rules of his religion, he -had entered Parliament as member for Thorpe Burstall—where his father -possessed an estate. He was one of the youngest men in the House, but -possessed a clear-sightedness beyond his age. His youth served to -intensify rather than detract from the interest he instilled into his -political duties. - -It was after he left the university that his religious views underwent a -change. From orthodoxy he drifted into reform—a reform which was -dangerously akin to Rationalism, and then putting a stern check upon -himself, he adopted a belief not unlike that of the Karaites. He tried -to reject the Talmud and the whole authority of tradition, and to adhere -only to the written Law; but finding this unsatisfactory, he was -gradually making his way back to conventional Judaism once again. That -accounted for his presence in the synagogue on this solemn occasion, for -whatever his views on the lesser details of the faith might be, on _Yom -Kippur_ he was as strict as the most orthodox of his _confrères_. - -It was about two o’clock in the afternoon, and vitality in the synagogue -was at a somewhat low ebb. Most of the children, and those of their -elders who were too delicate to sustain the rigours of an absolute fast, -had gone home to lunch, leaving their stricter co-religionists to -satisfy the cravings of hunger by naught but spiritual refreshment. It -was in the gallery where the ordeal was found most severe, for the -ladies possessed less staying power than the more hardy men; moreover, -the mere fact of having to refrain from the gossip in which they -delighted was in itself a trial of no little magnitude. Their faces -showed signs of weariness and _ennui_, and the air of smartness which -had been theirs at the beginning of the service had almost disappeared. -Two or three of them created a diversion by fainting—the majority of -them were too healthy to swoon. They sat still, and counted the hours -and minutes to nightfall; it seemed as if the Fast would never end. - -In the quietest part of the service a noise from the street was heard. A -number of boys were calling out the afternoon editions of the -newspapers, but although their voices floated in through the open -windows, the substance of their announcement was lost. Lionel Montella -almost unconsciously raised his head to listen, for he was always on the -alert for new tidings of any kind, but the peculiar enunciation of the -newspaper boys baffled even his acute ear. All he could make out was the -word “death.” Who was dead he had not the faintest idea. - -He raised his prayer-book, and applied himself with renewed diligence to -the text. They were saying the _Ameedah_, and he repeated the responses -with the rest of the congregation; but all the time the word “death” was -at the back of his mind. It worried him so much that he was unable to -give his undivided attention to the service, and when the newspaper boys -repassed the synagogue, he listened to their shouts with all the -intensity of which he was capable. He could not help feeling—perhaps it -was a premonition—that the death was an important one, that it affected -him in some way he could not define; and when at last he caught the -name, the surprise which he ought to have experienced was absent—only -the deep, inexpressible horror remained. - -“Death of Mr. Lawrence Campbell!... Sudden death of the Premier!” - -The words fell on the ears of the congregation like a knell. The reader -paused almost imperceptibly in his chanting, the majority of the people -looked at each other in horrified surprise. The name of Lawrence -Campbell was synonymous with all that was noble and good, and as a loyal -friend of the Jews, he had ever earned their respect and affection. -Although he had occupied the high office of Prime Minister for over ten -years, he was comparatively a young man, and his death came as a totally -unexpected blow. What it would mean to the community remained to be -seen, but like a sudden ray of light the possible consequence flashed -across Lionel Montella’s mind. He sank on to his seat with his brain in -a whirl, and in spite of the temporary feeling of weakness brought on by -his long hours of fasting, tried to think clearly. He alone of all his -co-religionists knew the true and perilous position of the Jews in -modern Europe at the present day. The Alien Immigration question had -reached a crisis which would have to be settled at Parliament’s next -session, and the issue practically depended on the unreliable temper of -the Government. Various expedients for colonisation had been tried -without success, for the Jews, never having been “hewers of wood and -drawers of water,” did not take kindly to the manual labour necessitated -by such colonisation. What form the next experiment would take, -therefore, was a difficult and vexed question, and one which the Premier -and his subordinate, Montella, had been threshing out together for -weeks. And now Lawrence Campbell, the chief, almost the only, -enthusiastic champion of the Jews in Great Britain was dead. No wonder -the young politician’s heart grew faint within him! - -The signal that the long day’s service was at an end—the blowing of the -ram’s horn—recalled him to himself; and folding up his talith, he made -his way with the others to the vestibule. The refreshing breeze from the -street came as a blessed relief after the close atmosphere of the -interior of the synagogue, and he leant against the balustrade for a -moment before searching for his hansom. All around him the people were -dispersing, and as he listened to their kindly greetings to each other, -he realised the close bond of unity—more evident in the Jewish than in -any other faith—which drew them together with irresistible force. A few -of the men with whom he was acquainted came up to him to shake hands. -One—the treasurer of the synagogue—lingered for a few moments’ -conversation. - -“Sudden thing this—death of the Premier,” he remarked, attacking the -subject which was uppermost in his mind. “Heart failure, Cohen says. -Struck down all in a minute. Bad thing for the Chosen, I’m afraid.” - -“Yes, very,” Montella returned seriously, with emphasis on the words. “I -saw poor Campbell only last week. I had no idea that he was subject to -heart attacks.” - -“Nor I either. I am sorry—very sorry. Campbell was the right man in the -right place, and a difficult place it is nowadays. Can you tell me who -will be likely to succeed him in the premiership?” - -A little knot of men gathered round him as he put the question, leaving -their women-folk to hasten towards home and food. Lionel Montella had -been singled out and recognised, and the opportunity of rubbing -shoulders with him and listening to his words was too valuable to be -passed by. That they were personally unacquainted with him mattered not -in the least, and he was so used to being lionised that he did not dream -of considering their curiosity impertinent. - -“Don’t you know?” he said slowly, with a slight tremor of agitation in -his voice. “The successor to Lawrence Campbell will be the very last man -we want to see in power. I mean Athelstan Moore.” - -Athelstan Moore—the avowed anti-Semite and rabid Jew-hater, a man who -possessed the dangerous power of swaying men’s minds by the force of his -rhetoric, of fascinating them by the strength of his personality, of -completely subjugating them by the influence of his invincible will. No -wonder a thrill ran through the hearts of the people as Montella -pronounced the name. - -“That rabid enemy of the Jews!” exclaimed the treasurer, in dismay. -“Why, the lives of our poorer brethren will not be worth twopence if he -is at the head of the State.” - -Montella’s face was more expressive than he knew. - -“We must not make trouble for ourselves,” he said, his words belying the -troubled expression in his eyes. “We must hope that Moore is not so -black as he’s painted. After all, he’s only a man, and even as chief -Minister of State he can’t do more than exercise powers which are -distinctly limited. Unfortunately, since the influx of Roumanian -immigrants at the beginning of the century, anti-Jewish feeling among -the masses has been increasingly strong. I’m afraid that it’s the -impolitic and regrettable behaviour of the immigrants themselves which -has brought this about. It has needed all our strength to counteract -this feeling, and I am afraid it will need more than ever now. One thing -we must make up our minds to do, and that is to stand by each other, no -matter what our social position may be. We must remember the old truism -that ‘Unity is strength.’” - -Another eager listener had joined the group. - -“Do you think it possible that Athelstan Moore may direct his spite -against the upper and middle classes of Jewish society as well as the -sweaters and aliens of the East End?” he asked, with a slightly foreign -accent. “Or shall we be, as law-abiding citizens, exempt?” - -“I cannot say,” Montella replied, with hesitation. “In so far as the -Jewish question includes the effect of Jewish influence upon the trade -and commerce of the country, it concerns all classes from the highest to -the lowest. But, friends, it is getting late; and we are most of us -faint from want of food. If the consequence of poor Campbell’s death is -in anyway serious, we must call a meeting in order to discuss the -situation. For the present, I think we should disperse.” - -He had noticed the beadle waiting to switch off the light and bolt the -doors. It was characteristic of the young member to avoid causing -inconvenience to any person; and in this case he could see that the -synagogal officer was weary from his arduous duties, and anxious to be -gone. So he shook hands with each one of his willing hearers, and bade -them all farewell. Then he signalled to his waiting hansom, and was -driven rapidly away. - -The treasurer watched the vehicle until it was out of sight. - -“Fine chap—Montella,” he said to a friend who stood near by. “One of the -good old stock, and not ashamed to own it either. He’ll give that devil -Moore a _potch_ if anyone can. He’s got plenty of brain and heart and -grit in him, or my name’s not Jacob Schlapp.” - -The friend’s enthusiasm was less effusive. - -“We will discuss Lal Montella when we’ve put something inside us,” he -rejoined, taking the treasurer’s arm. “Have you forgotten that it was -_Yom Kippur_ to-day?” - - - - - CHAPTER II - THE MONTELLAS - - -The Montellas, in spite of their being the owners of a mansion in -Portland Place, chose to occupy a flat in Knightsbridge, and to let -their house to someone who had more use for the magnificent rooms and -galleries than themselves. Ten years ago they had been renowned for -their lavish hospitality and brilliant receptions; but a paralytic -stroke having suddenly attacked Sir Julian when at the zenith of his -popularity, they had been obliged to forego the pleasures of -entertaining, and to retire into private life. The terrible affliction -which had come upon her husband seemed also to have shattered Lady -Montella’s health; and always more or less invalided, she seldom -ventured forth into the maze of society. Whenever she made an effort to -be present at some function, it was only for the sake of her son; for -Lionel, being her only surviving child, was the lodestar of her -existence. All her thoughts, hopes, and prayers were centred on him; and -that he responded so faithfully to the influence of her training was the -greatest joy she possessed. Had he proved otherwise, he would most -surely have broken her heart. - -It was twilight, the hour her ladyship loved the best. She was reclining -in an easy-chair near the window, with her hands loosely folded, and her -eyes watching the dying glory of the sunset. There was a vague something -in her attitude which indicated peace—peace and contentment. It was as -if she had been through all the storm and stress of life, and found a -haven at the end. There were traces of suffering on her forehead, -surmounted by its coronal of white hair; but the curves of her lips, and -the indefinable sweetness of their expression, showed that she was -neither embittered by sorrow nor hardened by experience. As wife and -mother, as hostess and poor man’s friend, her interests had ever been -concentrated outside herself. - -The tinkling bells of a clock in the adjoining room disturbed her -reverie, and at the same moment the door opened to admit a girl. Pausing -a moment to switch on the electric light, she advanced towards Lady -Montella’s chair. Her step, elastic yet firm, indicated the exuberance -of youth. - -“A penny for your thoughts, auntie. You look like Patience on a -monument,” she said merrily, sinking on to a little chair at her -ladyship’s side. “Are you still lamenting your sins, or have you, like -myself, put them away for another year? I am so glad Dr. Ford allowed me -to fast for half the day. My appetite is keener than it has been for -weeks.” - -Lady Montella looked at the girl and smiled. Raie Emanuel was her niece -only by adoption, but there was as deep an affection on both sides as if -a blood relationship had existed between the two. Raie, in keeping with -her name, constituted a ray of brightness in a somewhat silent -household, and to its mistress was a source of comfort and delight. The -eldest daughter of a large but impecunious family, her nature was a -combination of practicality with romance. She could cook a dinner or -compose a poem with equal facility, and although in Lady Montella’s -menage the former accomplishment was never required, it was to the -girl’s credit that the ability was there. - -“Lionel ought to be here soon,” she ran on, scarcely waiting for an -answer, “unless he calls at Grosvenor Square on the way. I wonder which -he wants most: the Lady Patricia or his breakfast?” - -“He must be tired and hungry after his long day’s fast,” her foster-aunt -returned. “I hope he will come straight home. You are joking, Raie, in -saying that. Have you any grounds for supposing that Lady Patricia is -the special object of my son’s interest?” - -“Yes.” The girl nodded vivaciously. “One has only to see them together -to be sure of it. Patricia Byrne is Lionel’s ideal woman—fair to look -upon, fair at heart. And Lionel is Lady Patricia’s hero, as indeed he -deserves to be. Haven’t you noticed the change which has come over him -lately—the change in his opinions about women, I mean? Until a few weeks -ago he was absorbed in his politics and his poor Jews. Now there is a -counter attraction.” - -Lady Montella looked distressed. - -“You are more observant than I am, Raie,” she rejoined. “I have noticed -nothing; perhaps I did not wish to notice—this.” - -She leant back in her chair, her hands interlocked. For some -unaccountable reason she had not thought that her boy would go the usual -way of youth, and entangle himself in a love-affair; he had always -seemed much too serious and reserved for anything of the kind. Of -course, she wanted him to marry some day—a girl of his own faith whom -she would choose. To allow himself to fall in love with Lady Patricia -Byrne was the height of folly, and could only bring trouble on all -concerned. - -“I hope you are mistaken, Raie,” she added, at last. “I don’t think my -son would do anything to give me pain.” - -Fond mother who, because she has made an idol of her son, thinks he is -totally devoid of the human passions which have agitated the breast of -youth ever since the world began. Raie marvelled that a man should be so -little understood by his nearest and dearest, but she said nothing; and -at that moment the subject of their conversation himself appeared. - -He came in with a number of newspapers in his hand, and having kissed -his mother and inquired how Raie had fasted, informed them of the -important news. He looked tired and worn; and Raie, to whom the death of -premiers was as nothing compared with nearer and more practical matters, -immediately hurried off to see if his breakfast were fully prepared. She -returned a few minutes later, and insisted on his going to the -dining-room forthwith. She would listen to nothing he had to say until -he had satisfied the demands of the inner man. She captured the papers, -however, and read the accounts for herself. - -“Only forty-four years of age,” she remarked, as she put the last one -down. “Well, I suppose he will have a state funeral; it will be worth -seeing. Do you think you can get us tickets of admission, Lal?” - -“Raie!” exclaimed Lady Montella, in a tone of reproof. “Is that the -first thing you think of—not the serious consequence of the Premier’s -death upon the nation, but only the excitement of watching his funeral -procession?” - -Lionel glanced at his foster-cousin with indulgence. - -“Never mind,” he said kindly. “Let Raie leave state affairs to people -who are forced to consider them. Time enough to be serious when the -necessity occurs.” - -“That’s what I think,” the girl rejoined, with a smile. “Auntie takes -things much too seriously. By-the-bye, Lionel, will Lady Chesterwood -have to put off her masked ball?” - -“Unless she is personally related to poor Campbell, no. When is it going -to be?” - -“On Thursday week. I’ve been looking forward to it for months; it will -be my first real ball, you know. Auntie has given me the loveliest dress -you can imagine; it’s a perfect dream.” - -“Not a nightmare, I hope,” he returned, and then drew back his chair. -“Well, I must away to Downing Street, I suppose.” He sighed. “I wish I -could look a year or so ahead.” - -“Do the days pass too slowly for you, then?” asked his mother, in a tone -of sympathy. “It is not like you to wish away your time.” - -“The days pass too quickly for all I mean to do in them,” he replied. -“It is only because I foresee trouble in the distance, mother dear. -However, I won’t be a prophet of evil. Let me take a leaf out of Raie’s -book, and put away dull care.” - -Lady Montella followed him out into the hall. - -“You will be back soon, I hope, dear?” she said. “I expect Miss Lorm -during the evening.” - -“I will be back as soon as I can,” he returned; “but I may be detained -at Downing Street, and—and I have promised to call at Grosvenor Square.” - -“To see Lady Patricia?” Her voice unconsciously hardened. - -“Yes; Lady Patricia and her father.” A tinge of colour came into his -cheeks. - -His mother said no more, but kissing him lightly on the forehead, went -to her room, and rang the bell for her maid. At dinner she listened to -Raie’s light chatter with her thoughts elsewhere, and when the meal was -at an end, asked the girl for music. Raie played and sang as well as -most girls of her age, and having once started, was in no hurry to -cease. She amused herself, and in a lesser degree her aunt, until the -footman announced the advent of Miss Lorm. Then she put her music away -in the rack, and rose to greet the guest. - -Zillah Lorm was a singer who owed her position in a great measure to -Lady Montella’s liberality. She had been introduced to her ladyship’s -notice some years ago as a young co-religionist who possessed an -exceptional voice, but who lacked the means to ensure an adequate -training; and as Lady Montella loved to interest herself in such cases, -the necessary money was immediately forthcoming. Zillah went to the -Royal College for three years, after which she studied in Rome and -Paris. Then, through her patroness’s influence, she secured engagements -to sing at homes and receptions. Now, at the age of five-and-twenty, she -was one of the most popular vocalists in London. - -She entered the room with the graceful self-possession which betokened -the artiste. Unusually tall, and with an inclination towards embonpoint, -her evening-gown of clinging silk concealed, yet at the same time -revealed the rounded curves of her figure. Her eyes, dark and luminous, -wandered restlessly through the room, as though in quest of someone she -desired to see; her face, as she shook hands with her patroness and Raie -Emanuel, lighted up with a winning smile. - -“My son has had to go to Downing Street on account of the Premier’s -death,” Lady Montella informed her, although there was no reason why she -should apologise for his absence. “I hope he will return before you go.” - -Raie looked questioningly at her foster-aunt, and invited Miss Lorm to -loosen her wraps. For no accountable reason a feeling of aversion -existed between the two; perhaps it was because the young girl felt -small and insignificant in the presence of Miss Lorm; and the singer -was, or had been, jealous of the position occupied by Raie. - -“I am in luck’s way, Lady Montella,” she said, settling herself on one -of the silk-covered chairs in a way which made Raie’s movements look -awkward in comparison. “I am to be commanded to sing before the -Queen-Regent early next month.” - -“Indeed?” Her ladyship’s face lit up with interest. “It is a great -honour, Zillah. I am very glad; I am always glad when a Jewess -distinguishes herself.” - -Zillah moved her position. - -“I—I don’t wish to distinguish myself _as a Jewess_,” she replied -hastily, with a spot of colour on her cheeks. “I am a singer, _pur et -simple_. The Queen-Regent doesn’t know that I’m a Jewess, nor do the -powers that be who managed the affair for me know either. The name of -Jew is in such ill-favour just now that I have thought it best to sink -my connection with the Chosen in case it should prove a hindrance to my -career. Fortunately, although I am dark, my appearance does not betray -me. Do you not think me wise, dear Lady Montella?” - -“From the worldly point of view, perhaps; but I would rather have you -cling to your precious heritage, my dear, especially just now, when -people are so ready to seize on anything which can be considered -discreditable to us. My son is doing his utmost to serve his country, -and to prove himself a worthy Jew. Even those who are the enemies of our -people are forced to honour him. I should like you, in the same way, to -prove yourself a worthy Jewess, and so raise the standard in public -opinion. What do you say, Raie?” - -Raie tossed her head. “I—oh, I haven’t the least respect for a Jew or -Jewess who is ashamed to own it! Besides, the most superficial student -of physiognomy could trace Miss Lorm’s descent in her features. It is -the most difficult thing in the world to hide one’s Hebrew origin. A -look or a word—even a gesture will show it.” - -Zillah bit her lip to repress a sarcastic rejoinder, then changed the -subject. Secretly she made up her mind to pay Raie back when opportunity -occurred. Shortly afterwards she rose to take her leave. She was very -fond of dear Lady Montella, but her ladyship’s dialectics on Judaism -bored her excessively, and the one to whom she liked to converse was not -there. - -Raie hailed her departure with relief. - -“I think I must be bad-tempered, auntie,” she remarked, as soon as the -hall door was closed. “At any rate, Zillah Lorm always rubs me up the -wrong way.” - -“Why? I have never heard her say anything to offend you, dear.” - -“No, it isn’t what she says; it’s the way she looks at me. She always -makes me say all the sharp horrid things I can think of. I am thoroughly -ashamed of myself afterwards, but I wouldn’t apologise for the world. -And I know she’s trying to set her cap at Lionel, and she knows I know -it; and—and—I would much rather Lal married Lady Patricia than Zillah -Lorm.” - -She spoke in the short, nervous way which was characteristic of herself. -Lady Montella glanced at her musingly. - -“I am afraid your imagination is running away with you, Raie,” she -returned, in a quiet voice. “First it is Lady Patricia Byrne, then -Zillah Lorm. To how many more ladies are you going to engage my son?” - -“To me, if you like!” The girl laughed merrily. “Don’t you think I would -make a good wife, auntie? But no, I am destined to be an old maid! I -took the last piece of bread-and-butter at tea; and that, you know, is a -sure sign.” - -She kissed her foster-aunt good-night, and danced along the corridor to -her bedroom. Lady Montella glanced at the clock, and noticed that it was -nearly eleven. She gave a sigh, and wondered what her son was doing. She -thought that on this night—after he had been fasting all day—he might -have stayed at home. - - - - - CHAPTER III - PATRICIA - - -Meanwhile, Lionel Montella, having left his card at Downing Street, -re-entered his hansom, and was driven to Grosvenor Square. The casket -which contained his jewel consisted of a house situated in the quietest -corner; and here the vehicle slackened speed. Having pulled the great -bell, Montella was admitted by a powdered footman, and shown into one of -the smaller rooms at the back of the hall. Allowing himself to be -divested of his overcoat, he asked to see the Earl. - -It was an extremely quiet household, in spite of its grandeur. The Earl -was a peculiar individual of misanthropical temperament, who shut -himself up in his study, and never mixed with the outer world unless -there were some urgent necessity. The death of his wife some fourteen -years ago had given him ample excuse for eschewing society; and society, -being aware of his crotchety ideas, returned the compliment by leaving -him severely alone. - -The room to which Montella was eventually conducted was a small -turret-chamber approached by a special staircase from the topmost -landing. There was no electric light here, and the flickering -candle-light cast weird shadows across the stone walls and tessellated -floor. As he entered the room two large blackbirds flew towards him, and -encircled his head. The footman waved them away; and flapping their -wings, they returned to their aviary in the embrasure formed by the -window. Then the manservant retired, to leave Montella alone with the -Earl. - -He was a man just bordering on middle age, but his bald head and -stooping figure gave him the appearance of the aged. He was bending over -a tank, with the sleeves of his little velvet jacket turned up. His -dress-coat had been carelessly slung over the back of a chair. The drip -of the water into the tank was the only sound to break the silence. -Montella for the moment remained inert. - -At last the Earl turned round. - -“Oh—ah—Montella,” he said, with his hands still in the water. “Roberts -announced you, didn’t he? I was rather—ah—preoccupied. Hope you’ll -excuse my shaking hands. Come here and look at—ah—some of my work.” - -The young man did as he was told, and advanced towards the tank, which -proved to be a toning-bath. Amateur photography was the Earl’s latest -hobby, and one which for a while absorbed all his time. The photographs -floating in the water were principally views of his country seat, but -there were also a few portraits amongst them. One, of a child of about -six years of age, his lordship picked up and laid in the palm of his -hand. - -“There!” he exclaimed, in a tone of triumph. “Can you tell me who that -is?” - -The face in the photograph had moved horribly, and the eyes were -doubled. It might have stood for any small boy in the kingdom. Montella -hesitated before replying; but at last he received a happy inspiration. - -“The King!” he exclaimed. “One can scarcely fail to recognise him. It is -the King!” - -“It _is_ the King.” Lord Torrens dipped the print lovingly in the water -once more. “I photographed him in the grounds of the palace by special -permission of his mother—ah—the Queen-Regent. He was a terrible little -rascal to take—moved all over the place; but I’ve got a splendid picture -of him, don’t you think so? Of course it wants touching up a bit; you -can understand that?” - -“Oh, certainly,” Montella replied, in good faith. Then he too dipped his -hand in the water, and turned over the prints. He knew that the Earl -liked to be humoured in his hobby, so he proceeded to ply him with -questions relating to the art. Suddenly he gave an exclamation of -pleasure. The portrait of a girl floated towards him—a girl with wavy -hair, whose tendrils strayed on to a low but intelligent forehead; with -large eyes, set somewhat far apart and full of expression; with a -well-formed nose, short upper-lip and rounded chin. She was clasping a -bunch of roses against her breast, and a garland of the same flowers -nestled in her hair. “Lady Patricia,” he said, a softened tone in his -voice. “This is the best portrait of her I have ever seen.” - -The Earl was delighted. - -“Ah, do you really think so?” he returned. “My daughter is not a good -subject for a photograph; rather too fair, and doesn’t look her best in -repose. However, I flatter myself that I have succeeded in getting a -very happy expression. You must let me give you a copy when there is one -finished.” - -“You are very kind.” He gazed at the photograph as if loath to let it -go. “There is no gift that would please me more—unless it were the -original herself.” - -He dried his hands and paced the room, overcome by an unwonted -nervousness. The Earl had apparently not noticed the latter part of his -speech, for he went on toning the prints with imperturbability. -Montella, however, intended him to notice it, and after stalking up and -down for some minutes, decided to take the bull by the horns. - -“Lord Torrens,” he began, feeling more agitated than when he had given -his maiden speech in the House, “I have come here to-night to ask you a -question on the answer to which my whole life’s happiness depends. Since -I have enjoyed the privilege of your friendship, I have learnt to know -you and your daughter better than would have been possible in ordinary -circumstances. I know that there are very few who are admitted to the -intimacy of your home life as you have so kindly admitted me, and -therefore I appreciate the privilege all the more. But to come to the -point—I wish to speak of Lady Patricia. I have seen her constantly -during the past year, and—and—” His flow of words suddenly broke down. -“My lord, you are acquainted with my family, and I hope by now that you -know something of me personally. Have I your permission to pay my -addresses to your daughter?” - -The choice little speech he had prepared forsook his memory just when it -was most needed; even in his own ears the statement of his desire -sounded lame. The Earl turned round slowly, and regarded him fixedly; -but the monosyllable “Eh?” was all he vouchsafed in reply. - -It is one of the most trying things in the world to have to repeat a -difficult request. Montella began all over again, and gaining -confidence, succeeded in giving an impassioned appeal. Lord Torrens -listened with some little show of interest, because if there existed a -tender spot in his heart, it was for his daughter Patricia; but he was -inwardly longing to get back to his beloved prints. - -“I did not think you were the man to bother yourself about women,” he -said at last, jerking out the words in his characteristic way. “If you -take my advice, as a friend, you will stick to your Parliament and your -politics; leave the women to those young fools whose chief vocation is -to become ladies’ men. The farther you keep away from frills and -furbelows, the better for yourself.” - -“You preach what you have not practised, Lord Torrens,” Lionel rejoined, -with a smile. “I suppose that you were once in love?” - -The Earl gave an expressive gesture. - -“My dear fellow, I was no less susceptible than the rest; and my -sweetheart—afterwards my wife, and Patricia’s mother—was a queen amongst -women. But I sometimes wish that I had never crossed her path; for she -managed to twine herself about my heart, became the chief delight of my -life; and then—” - -“Then?” questioned Montella, filling up the pause. - -“Then she died; and I was left with two infants to bring up, and a -dreary waste of years before me to fill up as best I could. So you see -that had I never met my wife, I might have made a career of some sort; -at least, I should have been saved a considerable amount of heartache -and pain.” - -“And love,” added the youth, secretly wondering that the prosaic and -somewhat crusty exterior of the Earl should conceal the heart-feelings -of an emotional being. “Is it not better to have loved and lost than -never to have loved at all? Tennyson says so. And there is no one who -will ever profit by another’s experience in these affairs. So to return -to my question. You will approve?” - -“Have you—ah—spoken to her yet?” - -“Not a word. I could not do so until I had obtained your consent. I—” - -He broke off abruptly at the sound of the _frou-frou_ of a woman’s -skirt. The small door at the top of the spiral staircase opened, and a -girl in a simple white dress stood on the threshold. - -“May I come in, father?” she asked; then noticed the visitor. “Mr. -Montella! I did not know you were here.” - -She advanced with outstretched hand, her face lighting up with pleasure. -The blackbirds flew down from their perch, twittering as though in -greeting. The little turret-chamber seemed transformed by her presence: -an air of constraint crept over the two men, and for the moment neither -of them had anything to say. The Earl returned to the tank, and turned -on the tap once more. The momentary emotion caused by the mention of his -dead wife was now a thing of the past. - -“I am very busy, my dear,” he said, somewhat pointedly. “Very busy -indeed. Perhaps you would like to entertain Mr. Montella below? This is -my workroom, you know.” - -“Yes. I came up here because Mrs. Lowther has gone to bed with a -headache, and I was feeling a wee bit lonesome.” She smiled. “Will you -come down with me, Mr. Montella? I would like to hear what you think of -my latest attempts at verse.” - -He rose with alacrity, and holding out his hand to the Earl, turned on -him a questioning glance. Lord Torrens rewarded him with a look and -gesture which implied approval. Then he continued washing his prints. - -Montella was foremost in descending the spiral staircase, in order to -assist Lady Patricia down the final steps. Arrived at the base, they -descended the grand staircase together, and made their way to the -library, which was Lady Patricia’s favourite room. Here she was wont to -spend many a long hour in silent communion with men and women long -passed away; for books were her counsellors and friends, and supplied -the companionship which, owing to her father’s idiosyncrasies, she was -denied. Here, too, she wrote the lyrics and sonnets in which her poetic -instinct found its outlet. From her earliest childhood she had possessed -the happy gift of composing verse. - -She went to her desk and fetched some sheets of manuscript. - -“I am glad Mrs. Lowther has gone to bed,” she remarked, as she gave them -to him. “She always laughs at what she calls my attempts to scale -Parnassus, but I know that you won’t laugh, because you understand.” - -“The good lady has not a poetic soul,” he said, as he ran his eye down -the page. “This stanza appears to be very promising, Lady Pat. May I -take the MS. home with me to study when I am quiet and undisturbed?” - -She consented readily, and rolling up the sheets, he placed them -carefully in his pocket. Then, closing the door, he began on the subject -on which all his thoughts were set. With a glad light in his eyes, and -eagerness in his voice, he told her of his love. - -It caused her no surprise; indeed, why should it? She had invested -Lionel Montella with a poetic idealism almost from the first day of -their acquaintance. She admired the race from which he sprang, and which -seemed to surround him with a halo of romance: she liked to see the -verve which leapt into his eyes when he spoke of the ancestors who had -been so cruelly wronged. More than this, she loved the man himself; -therefore his declaration seemed the most natural thing in the world. - -Nevertheless there was a mist in her eyes as she responded to his -confession. She knew that he was not a man who was easily impressed by a -woman’s personality, so that to have so greatly stirred his heart’s -emotions was to have accomplished something indeed. She listened to his -sweet nothings with her own heart beating in response, with her face -upturned, and love’s ardour in her eyes. And so the moments sped -on—moments to be remembered in eternity—until the chiming of a clock -recalled them to the prosaicism of life. - -“Half-past ten already,” he said, rising with reluctance. “I have stayed -an unconscionable time, and my mother asked me particularly to come -home.” - -“Naughty boy!” she exclaimed playfully. “You must put the blame on me. -Does Lady Montella know that—that—I mean, does she know about me?” - -“Not yet, dear.” His brow clouded. “But she shall know very soon.” - -“Do you think she will be displeased?” - -“Displeased!” He took her in his arms again. “My darling, who could be -displeased where you are concerned?” - -“But I am a Christian, Lionel, and you are a Jew.” - -“Yes, dear; but what does that matter? Are we to be separated for life -because of the difference in our birth? The sacrifice is too great—for -me, at least. Does it make any difference to you that I am a Jew?” - -“None at all,” she rejoined impetuously, “unless it makes me love you -more.” - -He pressed her hand. - -“I am glad—so glad—and yet—” A new thought came into his mind. -“Patricia, my heart’s dearest, there may be dark days coming for my -people. If Athelstan Moore becomes Premier, Heaven alone knows what new -plans he may be able to carry out. As a Member of Parliament, and a -representative of one of the oldest Jewish families in the kingdom, it -is possible I may be considered the spokesman for my co-religionists. In -that case, I shall have to defend their cause with all the enthusiasm of -which I am capable. So you see that while I am the friend of Christians, -I must, at the same time, be the still greater champion of the Jews. -Patricia, dearest, this may bring me into a most unenviable position, -one which I fear to ask you to share.” - -He let go her hands, and paced the room in thought. The girl watched -him, and a look of determination came into her eyes. - -“We must not meet trouble half way, dear,” she said seriously; “but -whatever happens, there is nothing that affects you in which I cannot -have a share. You must do your duty to the race to which you belong, and -I—I will help you to do it. I am not a Jewess, Lionel, but I know that -your cause is a just one; therefore I have made up my mind to enter into -it with all my heart.” - -“Thank Heaven for so sweet a helper!” he exclaimed fervently. “You have -taken a load off my mind.” - -There was a joyous light in his eyes as he kissed her good-bye. With her -love to nerve him, he felt able to withstand the world. At parting, she -made him promise to acquaint his parents of their engagement without -delay. She was anxious to know what they would say when they heard that -he intended to marry a Christian girl. - -“You need not fear, darling,” he assured her, with convincing ardour. “I -am certain that my father, at least, will approve of my action, and my -mother’s blessing, if it does not come at once, will soon follow suit.” - -His words, although intended to reassure his sweetheart, also served as -an assurance to himself. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - THE MASKED BALL - - -Lionel did not feel it so easy as he had imagined to acquaint his -parents of his engagement to the daughter of Earl Torrens. He tackled -his father first, deeming him the easier to mollify, and succeeded in -obtaining his consent to the betrothal. To win his mother’s approval was -a more difficult matter, and one which he knew necessitated considerable -tact. He postponed the announcement until the last possible moment, -hoping that if Sir Julian had informed her of the news, she would -herself introduce the subject; but as two days passed without a word -having been said, he was obliged to take the initiative. His sweetheart -was eagerly awaiting the news. - -Lady Montella listened to her son’s confession with compressed lips and -a cloud on her brow. She had nothing against the woman of his choice—the -Lady Patricia was well-born, and all that could be desired in looks, -manner, and disposition—but there was one great, insuperable objection: -the girl was a Christian. - -“Are there not good and sweet Jewish girls among your acquaintance that -you must seek a wife of another race?” she asked, with a touch of -reproach. “Could you not set your affections upon Raie Emanuel, for -instance, or Zillah Lorm?” - -“Mother!” He glanced at her in surprise. “I thought you would -understand. Can a man just calmly and dispassionately choose a girl -first, and _then_ pour his love upon her? I admire Miss Lorm, and I am -fond of our little Raie, but I would no more think of marrying either of -them than I would think of a journey to the moon. Don’t you see, mother, -that my feeling for Patricia is totally different. She herself is -different to all other women—whether Jewish or Christian—that I have -ever met. Her thoughts are mine, her sympathies are mine, her love is -mine. Oh, I can’t explain it properly, but surely you must know!” - -There was an eager expression, half of entreaty, in his face. His mother -regarded him earnestly, and realised the effort it was costing him to -break through his accustomed reserve. Her face relaxed a little of its -sternness, but the determination remained. - -“Lionel,” she asked quietly, “are you a true and zealous Jew?” - -“Yes.” He looked her straight in the eyes. “At least I try to be.” - -“And yet you would marry a Christian?” - -“I would marry the Lady Patricia; that she is a Christian is a mere -accident of birth.” - -“Until now the Montella stock has been entirely and purely Jewish. Do -you think the prestige of the family would gain by an infusion of -Gentile blood?” - -“If you put it that way, as long as it is ‘blue blood’ I do not think -the prestige of family would suffer.” - -Lady Montella could not resist a smile, but it quickly faded. - -“Is Patricia willing to become a Jewess or, rather, a proselyte?” she -asked. - -The young man’s face clouded. - -“I do not know,” was his rejoinder. “Patricia and I have never discussed -the subject of religion, but I believe she belongs, nominally at least, -to the Church of England. If her faith is, to her, a source of -happiness, I scarcely like to ask her to give it up.” - -Again the mother’s swift glance seemed to penetrate his being; again the -question passed her lips. - -“Lionel, are you a true Jew?” - -The colour surged into his cheeks. - -“Have you any reason to doubt my sincerity?” he said. - -“I trust not; but, my son, I am more far-seeing than you. A Christian -mother means Christian children, a Christian household. In this way the -Montella traditions will be destroyed.” - -“If I am blessed with sons, they shall be brought up as strict Jews.” -The colour still suffused his cheeks. “I promise you, and she shall -promise too, that the Montellas shall ever remain a Jewish family, and -faithful to their heritage.” - -“Unless Lady Patricia renounces her creed and embraces ours, I shall -never be satisfied. For the sake of the future generation, and for the -honour of the House, I must insist on this.” - -“Very well, I will ask her; and I now have your approval and consent?” - -“Subject to this, yes.” - -She sighed, and received his filial kiss with moisture in her eyes. She -felt that her boy was no longer her own particular idol now that he had -given his heart away. Hitherto she had been the only woman to whom he -offered his sweet tokens of affection; now there was another—and for the -moment more attractive—goddess to whom there was homage due. That this -was in the natural course of things did not mitigate the soreness in her -heart. He was her only and passionately beloved son. - -“Lionel,” she said softly. “May I tell you a little story? It is about -myself. When I was a girl, long before I met Sir Julian, I fell in love -with a young officer—a Christian. I was so much in love with him that I -thought it would break my heart to give him up. But in spite of that I -would not consent to become his wife; there was something that held me -back.” - -“And that was?” - -“Duty.” She laid an accent on the word. “My duty to my race and faith; -my duty to my parents. I sent him away, and he eventually married a girl -of his own faith. The happiness of my married life you know. So you see -that although duty clashed with my own inclinations at the time, it -brought me the truest happiness in the end.” - -Lionel paced the room with bent head. - -“I am disappointed in you, dear,” she continued slowly. “You must not -mind my telling you the truth. I had thought that with you, as with me, -duty would occupy the foremost place. I had thought that your enthusiasm -for our race and your ambitions in regard to the amelioration of our -oppressed brethren were such that you would forget all personal -inclination. Lionel, I am certain, as I look into the future, that -opportunity will be given you to prove your devotion to our cause. I am -certain that you are destined to exercise a great influence, both -politically and socially, _as a Jew_. Can you wonder, therefore, that I -see in Lady Patricia a stumbling-block to your career? Will your -co-religionists have the same opinion of you when you have married a -Christian? Will you have the same voice, the same power, when you have -married away from the race which you profess to love so deeply? Have you -considered the question from that point of view? If not, you are merely -acting on the impulse of the moment.” - -She looked into his face almost appealingly, but knew that all the -arguing in the world would not alter his determination. He was so -convinced that Patricia Byrne was his true mate, that discussion of the -pros and cons was to him beside the question. He wished with all his -heart to do his duty to his race, and to remain faithful to his -inherited religion, and in this he believed that his sweetheart would -help, not hinder him. So the result of the interview was as satisfactory -as, under the circumstances, it could be; on this one point it was not -possible that mother and son should think alike. - -Lionel could not make up his mind to tell his beloved of the conditions -of his mother’s approval at once: for a short time he wished to enjoy -her sweet companionship without the smallest cloud to mar the brightness -of their love. He brought her to see his parents, and the Earl dined -with them in state, but not a word as to their difference of religion -was said by either side. The only one who ventured to object was Mrs. -Lowther, Patricia’s companion; but as she occupied a subordinate -position, her opinion was of little consequence. Lionel sought an -interview with her in private, and won her over in less than half an -hour. What Patricia’s relatives would have to say in the matter, -however, remained to be discovered. - -The Countess of Chesterwood, at whose masked ball Raie Emanuel intended -to make her _début_, was the widow of Earl Torrens’ nephew. An American -by birth, she possessed democratic views, modified in accordance with -the exigencies of her position in society. She loved to surround herself -with clever people, no matter what their social status, and her house -was the resort of many a young literary aspirant or budding musical -genius. The Montellas admired her for her shrewd common sense and -vivacious manner, and Lionel was certain that in her he and his -sweetheart would find a firm ally. He took Patricia to call on her, but -she was not at home; and they did not see her until the night of the -ball. Her congratulations were offered in the bright way which was one -of her most charming characteristics. - -“I wish you love and luck,” she said. - -“Luck?” repeated Patricia. “My dear Mamie, you are thinking of the St. -Leger. We don’t intend to run a race.” - -“Luck” was the name of Lady Chesterwood’s one and only racer. The little -widow smiled. - -“Life is a race, and you need plenty of luck to help you steer clear of -the ditches,” she replied. “However, let me satisfy your fastidious ear -by terming it ‘Providence.’ Mr. Montella, you haven’t asked me for a -dance.” - -Lionel apologised, and took possession of her card. Then he glanced at -her costume. - -“You are an Italian lady?” he queried, in doubt. - -“I am Dante’s _Beatrice_; rather an assumption, isn’t it! But I am _so_ -tired of the conventional fancy-dress people. Besides, my mask will -conceal my face until midnight. What made you two choose to represent -the Stuarts?” - -“A lack of originality on my part, I think,” Patricia replied. “The -‘bonnie prince’ is one of my pet heroes, so I suggested him for Lionel, -and Mary Queen of Scots seemed to follow suit. By the way, Mamie, what -sort of people have you here?” - -“All sorts and conditions. Authors, actors, musicians, artists, a -sprinkling of politicians, and many mere society people. They are all -thoroughly respectable, I assure you, my dear, and as you won’t be -introduced, it doesn’t matter if you should happen to dance with someone -of whom, ordinarily, your chaperon would not approve. Here, Equality is -the watchword. In the matter of this masked ball, at least, I am a law -unto myself.” - -She bowed and swept away on the arm of a chivalrous knight. The -musicians struck up the spirited tune of a new dance which had recently -been invented, and the lovers, preferring to witness it rather than to -take part, mounted to the gallery in order to view the _mise en scène_. -The ball-room was decorated in white and gold, the clusters of electric -light arranged to form huge daffodils hanging at measured intervals from -the painted ceiling. The musicians were almost hidden by a bank of -flowers, consisting principally of orchids and the rarest ferns; a -similar bank adorned the other end of the room. The motley dresses of -the guests—some attractive, some merely grotesque—lent a brilliancy -which was somewhat bizarre in its effect. To the onlookers, the -combination of personalities was curious—perhaps not without -significance to some who were there. - -“There is Oliver Cromwell dancing with a charming little _vivandière_,” -observed Patrica, with amusement. “What must the shade of that worthy -Puritan think—if think it can?” - -“Let us hope that in the course of centuries it has gained sense,” -Lionel responded lightly. “Do you not recognise the _vivandière_? It is -our Raie.” - -“Miss Emanuel? How _petite_ she looks; and the Cromwell, who is he, I -wonder?” - -“I have no idea; but we had better avoid him, hadn’t we? Cromwell was -rather antagonistic towards the Stuarts, you know.” - -She laughed. “All the more reason why we should attempt a reconciliation -now. Don’t be surprised if you see me as his partner a little later on.” - -The lovers were obliged to separate when the music came to a close, for -both were engaged elsewhere. Patricia was taken back to Mrs. Lowther, -and Lionel went off to find “Cleopatra,” otherwise Zillah Lorm. He saw -his sweetheart, a few minutes later, dancing with a courtier of the -period of Louis XIV., and could not help remarking how sweet she looked. -Miss Lorm’s eyes gleamed through the eyelets of her mask as she made a -response; she was not one of those who care to hear any individual of -their own sex praised. - -“I must congratulate you on your engagement, Mr. Lionel,” she said, with -a slight effort. “I was somewhat surprised when Lady Montella informed -me of the news. I did not think that you—of all people—would marry -without the pale; but, of course, there is no Earl’s daughter to be -found among the Jews.” - -The latter part of her speech was spoken jestingly, but the sting was no -less keen. The young man’s face coloured beneath his mask. Had anyone -else proffered such a remark, he could only have received it as an -insult. Restraining the hasty rejoinder which rose to his lips, he kept -silence, and Zillah, seeing that her dart had struck home, immediately -changed the subject. But the pleasure of the evening was spoilt for -Montella, and a troubled expression settled on his brow. It occurred to -him that the singer had perhaps unconsciously foretold the decision of -public opinion—namely, that he was marrying the Lady Patricia Byrne on -account of her noble birth, and in order to strengthen his position as a -member of the aristocracy. He knew that public opinion was never -inclined to ascribe a man’s action to lofty and disinterested motives, -but in this case it would vex him greatly if he were misunderstood. - -His mind was busy all the time he danced, and Zillah Lorm might have -been miles away, so little was he influenced by her charms. The room was -crowded, for it was close on midnight, when the culminating point of the -evening would be reached. It needed some amount of care on the part of -the men to lead their partners gracefully through the maze of dancers, -and two or three times Zillah narrowly escaped colliding with the -others. Montella—probably because his thoughts were elsewhere—was -unusually awkward, and just as he was guiding his partner round a -difficult corner, he accidentally trod upon a lady’s dress. There -followed the sound of tearing lace and splitting seams, and an -exclamation of anger escaped from the lady at having been stopped short -in that unpleasant way. Her partner—the Oliver Cromwell whom Patricia -had noticed earlier in the evening—insisted that the offender had been -guilty of gross carelessness, and waiving the young man’s apologies, -proceeded to harangue him on the subject. There was something so -aggressive in his manner that Montella felt his temper rise, and gave -vent to a heated rejoinder, quite foreign to his general equability. The -“Cromwell” took it up, determined to give his pugnacious propensities -full sway, whilst the ladies stood by and listened uncomfortably to the -wordy war. - -“You have ruined the lady’s dress, and spoilt her evening,” he said, -glaring at the culprit as if he were a schoolboy. “And all you do in -return is to stand there and make lame apologies. I should think the -least you could do would be to make amends like a gentleman.” - -“Certainly. What can I do? If this lady will kindly tell me, I shall be -happy to do it. I have already expressed my deep regret that the -accident should have occurred.” - -The lady gathered her train over her arm. - -“I accept the apology of ‘King Charles,’” she said, her vexation already -subdued. “It is not worth while quarrelling about.” - -The clock struck twelve as she spoke, and as the last chime died away, -the order was given to unmask. The two men fronted each other, and -simultaneously uncovered their faces. Montella almost involuntarily gave -a start, for the countenance of his opponent was curiously and -unpleasantly familiar. He had seen it pictured in all the illustrated -journals in the kingdom, cartooned in _Punch_, caricatured elsewhere; he -had seen it scowling at the Opposition in the House, and at the anxious -journalists in the Lobby. It was most unfortunate that this regrettable -circumstance should be connected with his first personal introduction to -the man. - -There was a moment’s silence, during which the young politician’s eyes -fell like an abashed schoolboy. The “Cromwell” was the first to speak. - -“Your name?” he demanded curtly. - -“Selim Montella.” - -“Montella? member for Thorpe Burstall?” - -“Yes.” - -“Ah! Mine is—as you may know—Athelstan Moore.” - -He offered his arm to his partner, and without another word, turned -shortly away. Zillah Lorm looked after them with increasing interest. - -“The new Premier!” she exclaimed, as soon as they were out of earshot. -“Athelstan Moore, the Jew-hater! Was it wise to offend him, Mr. Lionel?” - -“Wise? It was the most foolish thing I ever did in my life,” he -rejoined, with a short laugh. - -It was amusing—to the singer—to witness his discomfiture. - - - - - CHAPTER V - THE STORY OF FERDINAND - - -Acting on his mother’s advice, Lionel Montella wrote a letter of apology -to the Premier, and received a short note of acknowledgment in return. -It was some time before he could overcome his vexation at the -unfortunate encounter, even though he was assured by his confrères that -the destiny of a nation is not affected by petty personal spite. He knew -that it was good policy on his part to conciliate the chief Minister of -State, instead of which he had done the direct opposite by personally -offending him. - -The new Premier’s attitude towards the Jewish community soon made itself -felt. The greater part of the press—the part which was open to bribery -and corruption—was in his favour, and did not hesitate to voice his -opinions and echo his antagonism. About this time a celebrated -Consolidated Trust, of which the principal directors were South African -Jews, went to destruction, making one of the most sensational failures -on record. Hundreds of people were ruined, but the directors managed to -emerge unharmed, and the rumours of swindling on their part were left -unrefuted. Immediately the papers expressed their sympathy for the -unfortunate Gentile victims who had been preyed upon by swindling Jews, -and long leaders declared that such things should not be. Following the -rule in such cases, the whole Hebrew community was made to suffer for -the reprehensible actions of the few. Public feeling—always ready to -rush to extremes—ranged itself conclusively on the side of the -anti-Semites; and the man in the street, as well as the music-hall -artiste, kept his sneer ready for the unfortunate Jew. - -All this did not affect the Montellas so keenly as those who were more -in touch with the masses. They read the papers, and inwardly burned with -indignation, but from the taunts which greeted the ears of their poorer -brethren they were happily exempt. Lionel went out and about, never -seeking to conceal his origin from those who despised his race; but -there was something in the influence of his personality which forbade -any remark of disparagement to fall in his hearing. Raie Emanuel was the -only member of the household who was to some extent personally -concerned. She went to see her relations in Canonbury, and found them -smarting under what they considered a cruel rebuff. Their only son—a -smart youth of nineteen—had been dismissed from the office in which he -had hoped to obtain promotion, and the two little girls had been -expelled from their ladies’ school. - -“Expelled!” Raie exclaimed, in dismay. “But why? what have they done?” - -For answer her mother handed her the note she had received from the -principal. - -“That’s all,” was her reply. - - _“Miss Perkins regrets that owing to the wishes of some of the parents - of her scholars she is obliged to ask Mrs. Emanuel to remove her two - daughters, Pearl and Charlotte, from the school. Miss Perkins ventures - to respectfully suggest that the girls would be happier if educated at - a Hebrew school, or by a Hebrew governess at home.”_ - -Raie tossed the note impatiently aside. - -“I wish people wouldn’t call us ‘Hebrews,’” she said. “It irritates me. -Well, I suppose Pearl and Lottie will be able to exist without the -advantages obtained at Miss Perkins’ seminary. But how absurd it all is. -As if Pearl and Lottie were the least bit different to the Smiths, -Jones, and Robinson girls!” - -“And I’m no different to the other chaps at the office,” Walter added, -in an aggrieved tone; “but just because old Blank has taken a dislike to -the name of Jew, I’ve got the sack. I wish I’d never been born a Jew.” - -“Oh, you must not say that,” Raie said reprovingly. “It is a great -privilege to be a Jew, and if Christians believed what they preach, they -would give us the honour which is our due.” - -This little speech was _à la_ Lady Montella, whose views the girl -unconsciously imbibed. The Emanuels regarded Raie as the oracle of the -family, and looked up to her as living on a higher plane than -themselves. Mrs. Emanuel was a widow, with six children and a small -income. It had been no easy matter to rear and educate these children, -even though the eldest had been taken off her hands at the age of -fourteen. The second girl, Harriet, had just become engaged to the son -of a wealthy stockbroker, which was a matter for congratulation to the -Emanuels and their relatives. Harriet was a bright girl of seventeen, -with what her mother called a “taking” manner. She contributed to the -family purse by teaching music at a kindergarten school, and was out -when Raie arrived. - -“We’ve been looking at houses all the week,” Mrs. Emanuel said, when the -girl inquired after her sister. “The sooner they get settled the better. -I don’t believe in long engagements; never did.” - -Raie considered a moment. - -“I wonder if Harriet will be happy with Harry Levi,” she said -thoughtfully. “He is not a man I could care for in the least.” - -“You never did like him,” her mother remarked; “but then you’ve not got -to marry him, so it doesn’t matter. He seems affable enough, I think. -Have you any reason for your dislike?” - -“Only that the Montellas do not approve of his family. Harry Levi’s -father waxed fat over the Consolidated Trust concern, and Lionel says -that Harry himself is not over-scrupulous. Lionel Montella would not say -a thing like that unless there were good reason.” - -Mrs. Emanuel regarded her contemplatively. - -“You seem to think a great deal of Lionel Montella,” she rejoined. “You -always talk about him as if he were a prophet or a prince. I shall not -be at all surprised when I hear that he has fallen in love with you and -asked you to marry him. Well, it would be a great _simcha_[2] for us, I -am sure. The _Jewish Chronicle_ would give you a notice—‘_A marriage has -been arranged between Mr. Lionel Selim Montella, M.P., only son of Sir -Julian and Lady Selim Montella, and Miss Raie Emanuel, eldest daughter -of Mrs. Joshua Emanuel, late of Liverpool._’ Wouldn’t it make the -Canonbury people sit up, eh? Instead of Mrs. Abrahams snubbing me like -she does, she would come and implore me to attend her next dinner-party; -and I would say—‘So sorry: I’ve promised to dine with dear Lady -Montella.’” - -Footnote 2: - - Joy. - -Raie put up her hand, as though to stay her mother’s garrulity. - -“Mamma!” she exclaimed, her cheeks tingling, “I wish you would not talk -like that. It’s so vul—so horrid. I would not marry Lionel Montella, -even if he asked me, because I do not consider myself fitted to become -his wife. As he will not ask me, however, I shall be saved the trouble -of declining. Have you not heard that he is engaged to Lady Patricia -Byrne?” - -“What!” Mrs. Emanuel sat bolt upright. “This is news, indeed. Who is -Lady Patricia What’s-her-name? A Jewess?” - -“No; a—Christian—the daughter of Earl Torrens—gloriously beautiful, and -with a face like a Greuze. She is far more suitable as a wife for Mr. -Montella than a plain, insignificant little creature like myself could -ever be.” - -There was nothing either of mock modesty or bitterness in her words. She -knew that she was small and slight, with ordinary features and ordinary -abilities. She did not know that when she spoke her eyes sparkled with -animation, and that the sweetness of her smile amply compensated for the -irregularity of her features. She did not know either that there was a -_naïveté_ about her manner which endeared her to those with whom she -came into contact. Perhaps, had she known, the charm would no longer -have been there. - -“Lionel Montella has no right to marry a _shicksa_,[3] even if she does -belong to the aristocracy,” was Mrs. Emanuel’s stricture. “If you are -not good enough for him, why doesn’t he marry a Rothschild? It must be a -terrible disappointment to his father, especially after the trouble he -has had with Ferdinand.” - -Footnote 3: - - Gentile. - -“Who is Ferdinand?” asked Raie, her cheeks still burning. - -“Ferdinand Montella, of course. Sir Julian’s son by his first wife, who -was a Miss Klonsberg of Birkenhead, and second cousin of your poor -papa’s step-brother’s wife. Do you mean to say, child, that you’ve lived -with the Montellas all this time without ever hearing of Ferdinand, or -that I never told you about him? It seems almost incredible.” - -Raie became interested. - -“I have never heard the name until you mentioned it just now,” she -replied. “Tell me all about him, please.” - -Mrs. Emanuel was fond of relating the personal history of anyone with -whom she happened to be acquainted. - -“Ferdinand is the skeleton in the Montellas’ cupboard,” she began, -giving her daughter time to digest the statement. “His mother died when -he was born, and until his father married again he was brought up by a -relation of the Selim Montellas. He was expelled from Eton, and ran away -from boarding-school, and was the sort of little monster who would never -be able to abstain from wickedness outside a reformatory. When he was -about eighteen, he did something shady—I don’t quite know what it was, -for the matter was hushed up, but I believe he tried to embezzle, or -something of the sort. Anyway, Sir Julian disinherited him, cut him out -of his will, and sent him off to Australia with just enough money to pay -his passage. Since then, the name of Ferdinand has been tabooed by the -Montella family, which, I suppose, accounts for your ignorance of the -matter.” - -Raie’s eyes were wide open. - -“Do they never hear from him?” she asked. - -“I don’t know; but I heard that Sir Julian once received a letter from -him, and returned it unopened. You ought to know whether they receive -letters from Australia or not.” - -“I never trouble myself about the Montellas’ correspondence; they -receive letters from all kinds of places. Besides, Ferdinand may have -left Australia. How long ago did it all happen?” - -Mrs. Emanuel thought a moment. - -“Let me see,” she replied musingly. “It was just after Pearl was born. I -remember quite well, because Lady Montella paid me a visit, and I was -wearing a pale-blue dressing-gown trimmed with Irish lace. It was the -first day I sat up in my room. It must be about eleven years ago. -Ferdinand—if he is still alive—will be about thirty.” - -“So old?” To Raie thirty seemed like middle age. “What a strange story; -it quite fascinates me, and”—there was a touch of excitement in her -voice—“why, if there is an elder son, Lionel will not succeed to the -title and estate.” - -“To the estates, yes; to the title, no. Sir Julian cannot will away the -baronetcy, much as he might like to do so. Lionel will never be a -baronet unless his step-brother dies.” - -“Poor Lal! But I do not think he has much craving for a title; he is not -that kind of man. I wonder why Lady Montella has never mentioned her -step-son to me?” - -The matter gave her food for speculation during the remainder of the -day. It seemed so strange that Sir Julian—the mild, unobtrusive Sir -Julian—should go to such lengths as to disinherit his own son. The more -she thought about the scapegrace the more her heart went out to him, -although she knew that her sympathy was probably undeserved. When she -returned to the flat she routed out an old family album, and carefully -turned over the leaves. There were photographs in abundance of Lady -Montella in different positions and dresses, chiefly dating from her -early wedded days. There were photographs of Lionel in the various -periods of infancy, as well as of the two little children who had died. -Raie was deeply interested in them all, but she glanced at them -cursorily in her eagerness to find the one she sought. At last her -attention was arrested by a carte-de-visite in platinotype of a youth in -a golf blazer, club in hand. It had evidently been taken some years ago, -and was partially discoloured. The face of the young man was somewhat -sensual in character, the mouth weak, but the eyes, on the contrary -denoted intellect, and were so like Sir Julian’s that Raie looked at -them in doubt. Flicking the dust from the album, she carried it into the -study, where Lionel was writing. - -“Lal,” she demanded, as he put down his pen, “is this your father when -he was a young man?” - -Montella glanced at the photograph, then up at the girl. - -“Where have you been rummaging, Raie?” he remarked, with curiosity. -“This photograph is not my father, but a lad who went abroad a long time -ago. I am afraid I must not tell you his name.” - -“It is Ferdinand Montella,” she returned boldly. “You see I know.” - -He regarded her with surprise. “Who told you?” he asked, in his quiet -way. - -“I guessed it; but mamma was talking to me about Ferdinand to-day. I did -not know there was such a person in existence. There seems to be quite a -mystery about him. May I not know what it is, Lal?” - -“You surely do not desire to know what my parents wish to keep secret, -do you, Raie?” - -“Oh, no—if you put it like that; but I did not think there was any harm -in asking. Perhaps Aunt Inez will not mind telling me now that I am no -longer a child.” - -“I should advise you not to mention the subject for the present, Raie,” -he answered seriously. “It isn’t worth while raking up a story of the -past which people would rather forget, is it? Perhaps, if you wait a -little while, my mother will tell you of her own accord.” - -Raie quenched her thirst for information, and acquiesced, but still -regarded the pictured face intently. There was an expression in the eyes -which took her fancy; and in spite of the weakness of the mouth, the -lips indicated good-humour. - -“I like Ferdinand Montella,” she said decidedly, with a secret wonder at -her own effusiveness. “He may not be perfect, and I suppose, from what -mamma says, he is something of a scapegrace; but he has rather a nice -face, I think. If ever he comes back I shall stand up for him.” - -She was such an impetuous child. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - A HOUSE OF MOURNING - - -Sir Julian was very ill. His physician had to be rung up in the middle -of the night, and arrived to find him in an exceedingly critical -condition. Raie, tucked up in her little white bed, awoke with a start -to hear footsteps in the corridor, and the subdued sound of voices. -Hastily attiring herself in her dressing-gown, she unlocked her door and -peered out to see what was happening. As she did so, the bald head and -gaunt figure of the physician emerged from the morning-room, followed by -Lady Montella in deshabille. Raie, not wishing to be noticed, shrank -back into her own room; but a few minutes later she put her head out -again, and espied a maid. - -“Maggie!” she called, in a whisper. “Mr. Lionel isn’t ill?” - -“No, it’s Sir Julian; had another stroke. They think it’s the end. Mr. -Lionel has gone for the rabbi.” - -“Oh!” There was a scared look on her face. She called the girl into her -room, and shut the door. “It’s frightfully sudden,” she remarked, -sinking on to a little wicker chair. “He was normal when Lady Montella -went to bed.” - -“Yes, miss, it came on all of a sudden like. Those things always do. I -remember my grandfather whom we buried a year come Christmas; he had St. -Vitus’s dance—the twitchings, you know, and—” - -“Don’t tell me,” interrupted the girl, with a shudder. “I’ve got the -creeps already. Tell me, Maggie, do you think I ought to go into Sir -Julian’s room when the minister comes? I don’t want to go, because I -feel so horribly nervous, and I’ve never been near anyone who is dying -before, but if—if Lady Montella expects it—?” - -“I should go back to bed if I were you, miss,” the servant advised. -“There is no occasion for you to go near a death-bed unless you are -obliged. You will not do Sir Julian nor my lady any good by upsetting -yourself.” - -“No, but I don’t want auntie to think me unkind. Will you ask her, -please, Maggie? Tell her I send my love, and am very sorry; and if she -wants me, I’ll come.” - -The maid rose with an air of reluctance and took the message. Two -minutes later she returned. Her ladyship sent her love, and wished her -niece to go to sleep without frightening herself. Everything that was -possible was being done for the patient, therefore her presence could -not assist. - -Raie jumped back into bed and snuggled down, with a sigh of relief; but -sleep was impossible. She was on the alert for every sound, and heard -the coming of the minister with a flutter of excitement at her heart. -The atmosphere seemed to be charged with a sense of death, and the -silence seemed more acute because occasionally broken by subdued -snatches of conversation. She buried her head beneath the counterpane, -as though in fear of beholding the King of Terrors in visible form. She -recollected all the gruesome stories she had heard of death and the -dying, and did her best to induce a nightmare. She imagined she felt the -passing of Sir Julian’s soul, and a tremor ran through her being at the -thought. Wondering if all were over, she heard the physician take his -departure. It seemed as if morning would never come, for long hours -passed without bringing light. Eventually, however, she awoke out of a -short and troubled sleep to hear the yodel of the early milkman. The -long night was over at last. - -At breakfast-time she entered the morning-room, scarcely knowing how to -frame the question which rose to her lips. Lionel Montella was reclining -in the easy-chair with his eyes closed; no doubt he was tired after his -sleepless night. He opened his eyes at her approach, and glanced at her -wearily. Then he gave her the usual matutinal greeting. - -“You look worn out,” she observed sympathetically. “If I were you I -should go and rest until lunch-time.” - -He shook his head. - -“My father is dying,” he rejoined, in a low voice. “Did you not know?” - -“Yes.” She did not tell him that she had made up her mind that Sir -Julian was already dead. “I am so sorry, Lionel. You must feel upset, -and poor auntie, too. Where is she?” - -“In the sick-room; she will not leave his side. I have begged her to -take some rest, but she is determined to stay with him until a change -occurs.” - -They sat down at the table, but neither of them could eat. Lionel left -his omelette untasted, and his letters unread; and Raie forbore to -glance through the newspaper, as was her daily custom. After breakfast, -she screwed up her courage and knocked at the door of Sir Julian’s room. -She had made up her mind that it was her duty to visit the old man; in -the daytime the ordeal did not seem so great. - -He was awake, and droning Hebrew prayers in an inaudible voice in -company with the minister. Lady Montella sat by the bedside, her -beautiful face drawn and anxious. Raie went over to her and kissed her -without a word; she did not know quite what to say. She was a sensitive -girl, and often restrained herself from mere shyness; but Lady Montella -knew her well, and understood. - -Presently Sir Julian made as if he would sit up. “Ferdinand!” he -exclaimed, and then again, “Ferdinand!” He had not mentioned the name -for ten years. Lady Montella rose from her seat with a start; Raie -remained inert, but the name attracted her attention. - -The sick man gazed at them as if he were dazed. - -“Ferdinand,” he repeated; “I thought he was here. I don’t want to see -him.” His words came with difficulty. “Send him away. Tell him he has -brought down my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave.” - -Lady Montella bent over the bed. - -“Ferdinand is not here,” she repeated, in a low voice. “We do not know -where he is; but if we can find him, will you not forgive him?” - -“No. He shall not have a penny.” His words grew fainter. “He is no more -my son. He sold—his—birthright—for—a mess of pottage.” - -Raie listened with all her ears, but the dying man did not speak again, -and soon fell into the lethargy which preceded the end. The physician -came again, but the baronet was beyond the reach of human aid. At two -o’clock in the afternoon Lady Montella was led out of the room, -half-fainting. Sir Julian was dead. - -Raie had never been in a house of death before, for her father had been -drowned at sea. She was too shy to go in to her foster-aunt at once, and -wandered in and out of the darkened reception rooms as if she were -unable to rest. The household was in a state of confusion, for it was -Friday, and therefore necessary that the preliminary burial rites should -be performed before the Sabbath fell. She heard Lionel and the minister -arrange the details, and afterwards she saw the repulsive-looking -_wachers_[4] who had come to stay with the body until Sunday, when the -funeral would take place. There were people coming and going all the -afternoon, and she was obliged to have her tea in solitude. After it was -over she was sent for to Lady Montella’s boudoir. - -Footnote 4: - - Professional watchers by the dead. - -She obeyed the summons without delay, and clung to her foster-aunt with -the tears welling up in her eyes. When the first outburst of emotion was -over, Lady Montella asked her if she would like to go home until after -the funeral; it would be so very dull for her in the house of mourning. -Raie conquered her first impulse and decided to remain. She did not feel -justified in leaving Lady Montella alone in her sorrow. - -It was indeed a dull week. In accordance with Jewish usage all the -blinds in the flat were kept down for seven days instead of being pulled -up directly after the funeral. The principal mourners, including two of -Sir Julian’s sisters, sat on low chairs to lament and receive the -condolences of their friends, whilst near by a tiny float burned in a -glass of oil as a memorial of the dead. Every evening a service was held -in the drawing-room, attended by most of the Jewish gentlemen of the -Montellas’ acquaintance, and not a few strangers. It was Lionel’s -melancholy duty to say _Kaddish_ for his father, which prayer he would -have to repeat daily until his term of mourning expired. - -One of the first visitors to offer her condolence was Lady Patricia -Byrne. Accompanied by Mrs. Lowther, she drove up in a closed carriage, -bringing a beautiful wreath composed of lilies and violets. As no -flowers were permitted to decorate the coffin, however, the wreath was -placed in the room where the _shiva_[5] was held. It was the first -opportunity Lady Montella’s relatives and friends had of observing -Lionel’s future wife, and they did not scruple to make the most of it. -Attired in complimentary mourning, with a black picture hat to set off -the fairness of her hair and complexion, and carrying herself with an -unaffected but distinguished air of grace, the girl certainly satisfied -their critical eyes. With her face lit up with honest sympathy, she -conversed with the mourners in a way which proved her tact and her -knowledge of Jewish customs. Lionel’s face glowed with pride and -gratification at the presence of his beloved. - -Footnote 5: - - Mourning. - -Mrs. Lowther was a colonel’s widow, fair, fat, and forty. She was -devoted to her charge, but she did not understand the girl in the least. -She was much too prosaic and matter-of-fact to enter into the hidden -depths of Patricia’s temperament; and although she had lived with her -for years, she knew only her exterior. Her manner towards Lionel -Montella’s relatives was decidedly distant, and sitting apart, she did -not attempt to join in the conversation. She showed unmistakably that -she had come merely for Patricia’s sake, and not for her own. Her face -expressed disapproval as they re-entered the carriage and were driven -homewards. - -“You are the most curious girl I ever came across, Pat,” she said, with -a sigh. “I wonder what your poor mother would have thought of you had -she lived.” - -“_À propos_ of what?” interrogated Patricia, with wonder. - -“Why, your foolish engagement to this young man, of course.” - -Patricia’s brow contracted. - -“I thought you liked him,” she said. - -“Yes; I’ve nothing against him personally, but I do not approve of your -becoming connected with a Jewish family.” - -“I am not going to marry the family,” the girl corrected amiably. “I -have no desire to have more than one husband.” - -Her chaperon frowned. - -“You ought not to joke on this subject, Patricia,” she rejoined. “Your -words confirm my opinion: you do not realise the gravity of the step you -intend to take.” - -“Yes, I do—to its fullest extent. That is why I have allowed Mr. -Montella to give me an engagement ring.” - -“Do you mean to say that you really have anything in common with those -people—the people we have just left?” Mrs. Lowther asked, still -unconvinced, “Cannot you see that they live in a world of their own, -cemented by their religious and national customs? You may attempt to -enter that world, but you must for ever remain an outsider. Even if you -marry a Jew, you are not, and never can be, a Jewess. There is no strain -of Oriental blood in you.” - -“Do not be so sure. I believe if I choose to look up the family tree I -shall be able to discover some remote Hebrew ancestor. But that is -nothing. Lionel is quite as British as I am. The Torrens were originally -French.” - -“What shall you do?” pursued her chaperon, unwilling to leave the -subject. “Become a Jewish proselyte, or turn Mr. Montella into a -Christian?” - -“I do not see the necessity for either,” Patricia rejoined, with a -slight flush; “but one thing is certain. Situated as he is, Lionel -cannot possibly forsake the faith of his forefathers. Were he to do so, -the whole fabric of his Jewish inheritance would be shattered.” - -“Then I suppose that if you were to find it necessary, you would become -a pervert rather than he?” - -“I cannot answer that at the moment. But why discuss the matter until we -are obliged to consider it?” - -“Why should we shirk it simply because it is disagreeable? It is one -that will have to be faced as soon as you take any definite steps -towards marriage.” - -The girl leant back against the cushions with an expression of -weariness. - -“We shall not be married until Mr. Montella’s year of mourning is at an -end, so I shall not have to decide hastily,” she answered. “I shall do -what appears to me to be the best. Religion is not meant to separate man -and wife.” - -Mrs. Lowther sighed. “What a pity you have an Agnostic for a father,” -she said. - - - - - CHAPTER VII - THE UNEMPLOYED - - -Mrs. Lowther’s remark was not without foundation. The Earl, despite the -fact that he was patron of more than one living in the country, had -severed his connection with the Established Church some years ago, and -now professed no religion, save that of Agnosticism. His son—a youth at -Sandhurst—followed in his wake, talked grandiosely of the First Cause, -and pinned his faith on Huxley. Patricia saved the reputation of the -family—in the eyes of her father’s tenants, at least—by attending the -Parish Church regularly when she was in the country; but as Patricia’s -religion had never been properly moulded, it was liable to variation. -Her first finishing governess being a Roman Catholic, her youthful mind -had been filled with the mystic saint-lore of the Roman Church, and she -fell deeply in love with St. Patrick, her patron saint. As Patricia had -always been deeply in love with somebody or other since the days of her -swaddling clothes, however, her father was not greatly concerned, and -expressed no surprise when she told him one morning that she found -Mariolatry and Saintolatry detestable, and asked to have the Roman -Catholic governess sent away. Good St. Patrick was dislodged from the -little niche she had accorded him, his image was shattered into a -hundred pieces, and Patricia was heart-whole once more. The next phase -through which she passed was that of admiration for Comte and -Swedenborg, but as the ethics of both were beyond her comprehension, she -was little influenced by either. From Positivism she found her way into -Unitarianism, and with her usual craving for some great teacher whom she -delighted to honour, she made Ralph Waldo Emerson—or rather his -writings—her oracle. It was somewhat curious that Patricia’s religion -always concentrated itself around some _person_, yet she did not seek to -render her homage to a personal God. Her only experience of Christianity -other than Romanism was the stern Evangelicism of her old nurse, and -this creed, with its narrow interpretations and material heaven, she -found equally as repellent as the former. Although not lacking in -spiritual perception, she had not yet rightly understood the divine -personality of the Incarnate Deity; she admired Christ, it is true, but -in the same way she admired Gautama—the founder of Buddhism—and -Confucius. To her, the heaven of the Christian and the Nirvana of the -Buddhist were almost synonymous terms; and the gospel of right living -the only one that was necessary. So that when her lover suggested with -much diffidence that she should become a member of his own faith, she -did not meet his proposal with the firm refusal he had anticipated. - -They were sitting under the trees in one of the quietest spots in -Kensington Gardens, glad to escape for the moment from the din and roar -of the traffic. Although late autumn, the air was mild and dry, and -Patricia allowed her sables to fall from her shoulders and to rest on -the back of the chair. She listened to her lover’s words with animation -in her face, and wonder in her eyes; she could not make an immediate -reply. - -“The idea is so curious, so difficult to grasp,” she said, when he had -finished. “Judaism seems so formidable to the uninitiated. I am afraid I -should break the laws a hundred times a day.” - -“I do not think you would. Judaism does not demand so much from a woman -as from a man. All a Jewess has to do is to see that her mènage is -ordered in accordance with Jewish law, and to bring up her children in -the Jewish faith. More will not be expected of you than that; and as we -can have a Jewish housekeeper, you need not be worried with the details -of the dietary and other laws.” - -“But what of my own personal religion?” - -“As long as you keep to Theism—the absolute Unity—you can believe what -you please,” Montella replied. “So you see your Judaism need not be so -difficult after all.” - -Patricia’s eyes waxed thoughtful. - -“You must give me a few days to think it over,” she said, after a short -pause. “You are not in a hurry, dear?” - -“Not at all. I promised the mater I would ask you. She is such an -enthusiastic Jewess.” - -“Yes; I admire her for it. It is a wonder she does not live in the Holy -Land.” - -Lionel smiled. - -“I really believe she would, if Palestine were a Jewish country,” he -replied. “She cherishes a grudge against the Sultan for shilly-shallying -over the affair all these years. She is, like myself, an ardent -Zionist.” - -They rose from their chairs, and made their way towards the Albert Gate. -Patricia was unusually vivacious, and giving a truce to serious -subjects, chatted in lighter vein. When they reached the main road, -however, they were abruptly silenced. The smile faded from the young -Member’s face, and the girl looked on with equal gravity. - -The traffic was being stopped by a procession—a procession characterised -by sordidness, for those who took part constituted the great body of the -unemployed in the metropolis. Four abreast they walked, dirty, unkempt -men, with ragged clothes and emaciated faces. They had turned out in -hundreds, organised presumably by a trade-union, in order to enlist the -sympathy of a good-natured public. Here and there banners were -displayed, bearing the legend:—“_Unemployed and starving_”; “_British -workmen thrown out by aliens_”; “_Employ British labour_”; “_Boycott -alien labour_”; “_Boycott foreign Jews_,” and other numerous -inscriptions. Along the route, which was guarded by the police, men were -collecting money from the passers-by. It was indeed a sight to move the -most phlegmatic. - -Patricia almost involuntarily tightened her grasp on her lover’s arm. A -more depraved-looking set of human beings she had never seen. Some, it -is true, were stalwart Britons, or had been before the starvation -process had set in; but the majority of them were unable to hold -themselves erect from sheer weakness, and the dogged expression of -misery was on all faces alike. The expression haunted the girl for -weeks; it suggested to her naught else but the faces of lost spirits in -Hades. She turned away with a shudder. - -“Terrible!” she exclaimed unsteadily. “It makes me feel quite ill.” - -“Do not look, dear,” Montella advised, with solicitude. “Such sights are -not for you.” - -“Oh, but I must look.” She turned back again. “One cannot shirk such a -grim reality. I knew that while we were living in luxury there existed -thousands who had not the bare necessities of life, but I have never had -the fact pressed home so forcibly before. I feel as if I had no right to -wear these expensive sables—which I could so easily do without—when -these poor creatures have nothing to eat. The look in their eyes -condemns me. Cannot we do something to help them, Lionel? Surely there -must be something terribly wrong somewhere, or else we should never see -such a degrading sight as this.” - -She unfastened the magnificent diamond brooch she wore beneath her -jacket, and impulsively cast it into the collecting-box; her tiny gold -purse with its contents followed suit. Her lover, even if he thought her -proceeding rash, did not remonstrate; he too divested himself of all the -gold in his possession. - -“The condition of these people is not exactly the fault of the -Government,” he replied thoughtfully, as they moved on towards -Knightsbridge. “It is always disastrous to trade when the supply exceeds -the demand. It makes labour so cheap that the men cannot ask more than a -starvation wage.” - -“But what is the reason?” she asked, with eagerness. “It seems almost -incredible that all these hundreds should be thrown out of employment.” - -“Have you not noticed the banners?” he returned. “‘Alien labour’—that is -at the root of their distress. It is hateful to me to have to -acknowledge it—nevertheless the fact remains that the influx of pauper -Jews from the Continent has been enormous during the past few years. -Athelstan Moore once introduced a Bill in Parliament for the suppression -of alien immigration; but there was some flaw in it, and it was thrown -out.” - -“Did you vote for or against?” - -“Against. You see, whatever my private opinion may be, I am tied down in -this matter. I cannot vote against my own people, especially when I am -told that owing to the persecution abroad they come here to try and -regain their self-respect, and to develop into worthy British subjects.” - -“And what is your private opinion?” - -“That when they do develop into worthy British subjects, the result is -satisfactory, but when they persist in being clannish and in refusing to -conform to the exigencies of modern civilisation, they are a clog on the -wheel of national progress. I do not consider it politic on the part of -our country to continue to receive them in such great numbers. The -consequence you have just seen.” - -Patricia was silent for a moment, but she was not yet satisfied. - -“Why do the employers prefer to engage foreigners to work for them?” she -asked, after a short pause. - -“Because the pauper aliens require less wages. They are so anxious to -get work of some kind that they will accept the lowest wage possible; -and they can live on next to nothing. Then when they have learnt their -respective trades, they become sweaters on their own account. The whole -system is most deplorable.” - -“And the legitimate British workman goes to the wall?” - -“Yes.” - -“It is a great shame.” Her eyes flashed with indignation. “And yet where -would the poor Jews go if they are expelled from the Continent and we -forbid them to come here? They must go somewhere.” - -“Ah, that is the great question.” He sighed. “If America closes her -doors to them as South Africa has done, there seems to be only Australia -left, and in Australia their company will be as little desired as it is -here.” - -“It reminds me of the Wandering Jew—the one who insulted the Christ when -He was on the way to His crucifixion, and was condemned to live and -wander through the ages until the Day of Judgment,” the girl said -musingly. “Only in this case the wandering Jew has been multiplied into -a whole horde of wandering Jews. Do you think there is any truth in the -legend, Lionel?” - -Her lover smiled. - -“I do not know, dear,” he replied. “I dare say it is the same as other -legends—a tenth part of truth, and nine-tenths superstition.” - -“Yes, but it is a very fascinating legend. Do you know, Lionel, the -condition of the Jews in modern days has always been to me one of the -strongest arguments in favour of Christianity. It is such an exact -fulfilment of prophecy. I wonder if they will ever fulfil the other part -of the prophecy and eventually make Palestine their home?” - -“If the Zionists have anything to do with it they will; but it is -scarcely likely to happen in our time. What an interest you take in -Jewish affairs, Patricia! You might be a Jewess yourself.” - -The girl smiled, knowing that her interest was only on her lover’s -account, and that had he not been a Jew, that interest would never have -been aroused. Truth to tell, Mrs. Lowther and Lady Chesterwood were -frightfully bored by what they termed Patricia’s Jewish hobby. The -Countess had forbidden the subject to be mentioned in her presence. - -She was there waiting for them when they arrived at Earl Torrens’ -mansion, and received them with a sigh of relief. Ten minutes of the -Earl’s society was to her an amplitude, and she had listened to his -dissertation on the triumph of colour photography for twenty minutes by -the clock. Perhaps the Earl was equally glad to be released from his -arduous duty; for he retired as soon as the lovers made their -appearance. Lionel, having an appointment elsewhere was obliged to take -his departure; so, promising to look in again later, he left the ladies -to themselves. - -“Mrs. Lowther is out,” Patricia remarked, as she took off her things, -and rang for her maid. “Will you stay to lunch?” - -“I should like to very much. I made up my mind to do so directly your -respected father informed me that the she-dragon was off duty. I really -cannot understand how you can tolerate her, Pat.” - -“Mrs. Lowther? Oh, she is a well-meaning soul; a little trying -sometimes, I must admit, but I do not see much of her just now. I go out -a great deal, you know. Lionel is a most attentive lover.” - -“But I thought you told me you were obliged to be very quiet on account -of his mourning?” - -“Yes; we do not attend any society functions unless they are political; -but we go for long walks and drives together, and we spend a good deal -of our time with Lady Montella, who is one of the sweetest women in the -world.” - -The Countess regarded her contemplatively. - -“So you are in love, and flourishing,” she observed, with a smile. -“Well, I am very glad. Long may it last. Presently I may tell you my -news; but it is such a great secret that I hardly know if I am justified -in trusting you.” - -Patricia looked up with curiosity. - -“Which means that you will tell me, nevertheless,” she rejoined. “What -is it, Mamie? Something new?” - -The little Countess nodded. - -“Something very new; but I am not going to divulge until after lunch. I -am too hungry to talk secrets.” - -Lunch was a somewhat dreary affair. The Earl seemed to consider it his -duty to lead the conversation; and as he was a peculiarly absent-minded -man, his efforts were not entirely successful. The Countess, having -started her host on the subject of one of his hobbies, confined her -attention to her favourite mayonnaise, whilst Patricia, like a dutiful -daughter, supplemented her father’s disquisitions by the most -intelligent questions she could muster. When it was over, the ladies -adjourned to Patricia’s boudoir, which was the cosiest room in the -house. It was decorated in the style of the Renaissance, and the few -pictures on the walls were of the choicest. Patricia loved to surround -herself with pretty things but she also possessed a leaning towards the -antique. There was on her little table—itself of ancient origin—a gold -snuff-box, which belonged originally to George I.; an old Roman coin, -said to be one of the thirty pieces of silver for which Judas Iscariot -sold our Lord; the quill pen with which the sentence of Lady Jane Grey -was signed; and various other articles of vertu. There was also a small -oaken prie-dieu, with the inscription which St. Paul found at Athens -displayed above it: “_To the Unknown God_”; and there was an exquisite -marble bust of the late Countess Torrens, Patricia’s mother. There were -_editions de luxe_ of the works of Patricia’s favourite poets, and as -many photographs of the said poets as could be obtained. In the bow -window, which overlooked the square, an old-fashioned harpsichord was -placed; here Lady Chesterwood seated herself, and began to play. - -The tone of the instrument was mellow, but the fingers of the Countess -were stiff. Pianoforte-playing had quite gone out of fashion, for the -mechanisms for automatic pianoforte-playing—by means of an attachment to -the instrument—were so perfect and in such general use that it was -really a waste of energy for a person to manipulate the keys in the old -way. This ancient harpsichord, however, was spared the indignity of a -mechanical addition. Patricia was too deeply imbued with the sense of -the fitness of things to have allowed it, even had it been possible. - -“Have you given up wearing a brooch, or have you lost it, Pat?” Lady -Chesterwood asked suddenly. She was watching her all the time she -played. - -Patricia involuntarily put up her hand to her collar. - -“Neither,” she answered promptly. “I have given it away.” - -“Given it away? You foolish girl!” The Countess ceased playing, whilst a -look of astonishment crossed her face. “You don’t mean to say it was the -diamond spray you always wear?” - -“Yes; the one father gave me after I was ill two years ago. I gave it to -the Unemployed.” - -“Patricia! Are you mad? Please explain yourself.” - -Patricia blushed. “There is not much to explain,” she rejoined. “Lionel -and I happened to come across the procession of the Unemployed—perhaps -you have seen it yourself? Yes? Then you know how it makes one’s blood -run cold to see the misery on their faces. I had only a little money to -put in the collecting-box, so I gave my brooch. If they can sell it, it -will do them more good than myself.” - -“Preposterous!” the Countess exclaimed. “Why, it was worth at least two -hundred pounds.” - -“So much the better; even if they get only a hundred, it will go towards -buying bread. And I shall not even miss it—I have so many trinkets.” - -Her cousin shrugged her shoulders. - -“Well, I won’t say any more,” she said. “You always were one of the most -absurdly quixotic creatures of my acquaintance. I should not be at all -surprised if you ended by beggaring yourself.” - -“In that case, I shall appeal to you for assistance,” Patricia answered, -with a smile. “But do not let us talk about myself. Tell me your great -secret, Mamie.” - -“Presently. There is plenty of time.” - -Patricia glanced at her with curiosity. - -“You are making a great mystery of it,” she remarked. “Whom does it -concern?” - -Lady Chesterwood’s fingers pressed the keys once more. There was a -peculiar expression on her face, and a new gleam seemed to come into her -eyes. She was a pretty woman, and possessed the indefinable charm which -generally associates itself with young widows. She turned round slowly -on the music-stool, and faced Patricia with a glance which almost -betrayed a touch of defiance. - -“The secret concerns myself and a man,” she replied slowly. “A great -man.” - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - LADY CHESTERWOOD’S SECRET - - -Patricia’s interest deepened. “A great man?” she repeated. “In what way -is he great?” - -The Countess rose with an air of mystery, and closed the door, which had -been left ajar. Then she established herself comfortably in one of the -beautifully carved chairs, and assumed a look of importance. - -“First of all, dear,” she said impressively, “you must promise absolute -secrecy. I must have your word of honour that you won’t tell a living -soul, not even Lionel Montella.” - -“I will readily promise not to tell any of my friends,” Patricia -answered, “but I have no secrets from Lionel. Is this necessary?” - -“Absolutely. I would not have Montella know for worlds. Perhaps I am -foolish in telling you, Pat, but I know I can trust you if you promise.” - -The girl hesitated. She was not sure that she cared to be told anything -which must be expressly kept back from her lover; but after a few -moments’ consideration she yielded. After all, it might not be of much -importance—a love-affair probably, for the Countess was still quite -young. - -“Very well, I promise,” she said. - -“On your word of honour?” - -“On my word of honour.” - -Lady Chesterwood’s expression was inscrutable. - -“Then I will tell you,” she said, after a moment’s pause. “I have -received an offer of marriage from Mr. Athelstan Moore.” - -Had she received an offer of marriage from his Satanic Majesty, her -cousin could not have looked more aghast. She started to her feet, the -colour ebbing from her cheeks. - -“From Athelstan Moore?” she repeated, in a voice of excitement. “But -surely you will not accept it? You cannot accept it!” - -The Countess clasped her hands at the back of her head, and regarded her -cousin imperturbably. - -“Why not?” she asked, with irritating calmness. “I am only twenty-six, -and tired of my widowhood. There is no earthly reason why I should not -marry again. What could be more satisfactory than a widow with one -little boy marrying a widower with one little girl? And Athelstan Moore -is one of the first men in England, and has been angled for by every -girl in society since his wife died. I should be very foolish if I did -not give his proposal very careful consideration.” - -Patricia paced the room in agitation. - -“I thought you loved my Cousin Chesterwood,” she said. “I did not think -you would be faithless to his memory so soon.” - -“You have no right to use the word ‘faithless,’” the Countess returned, -with a touch of hauteur. “I made Chesterwood a true wife while he lived; -I have nothing to reproach myself with where he is concerned. But I have -always had the desire for power. I am tired of being a mere society -puppet with a coronet. As wife of the Prime Minister I should shine in a -manner after my own heart. There is a certain fascination in helping to -pull the wires which govern the State.” - -“You would help to accomplish the downfall of Lionel Montella’s race?” -said Patricia, her face hardening. “I had thought our friendship was -tried and true, Mamie; but it seems that, like everything else, it is -only transient, seeing that you are so willing to relinquish it.” - -“Nonsense! You are too much given to high-falutin’, Pat. Be sensible. -Why should the Premier’s wife be considered unworthy of your -friendship?” - -“It is not a case of ‘unworthiness’ at all. The Premier is the enemy of -my future husband and of his co-religionists. If you marry him, it is -not possible that you can still be my greatest friend. There can be no -intercourse between your house and mine. Do you not understand? Mr. -Moore would probably forbid you to visit or receive me, and Lionel would -have to do the same.” - -“I do not quite see it,” the Countess returned obdurately. “Politics -need not interfere with a private and personal friendship. I think you -exaggerate the matter, my dear. Why, I might even influence Moore on -behalf of Montella’s cause. I might be the saviour of Judaism, and -receive the thanks of every Jew in the kingdom. Instead of becoming your -enemy, I might prove myself in very truth your friend.” - -Her eyes glistened at the picture her imagination had painted. She would -prove what a tremendous influence a woman could have over a man, and how -her feminine will, as frail as gossamer, yet as strong as iron, could -decide the destiny of a whole race. Here would be something worth -accomplishing, a feat at least worthy of the attempt. To subjugate the -invincible will of Athelstan Moore! Her face glowed with a foretaste of -the charm of such a battle. - -Patricia was doubtful, but her features relaxed. She wondered if the -Countess, whose nature she had always considered somewhat shallow, would -have the strength of purpose to fulfil her words. If she could succeed, -what a glorious victory it would be! The thought caused her heart to -leap and her eyes to deepen. She paused in front of her dead cousin’s -wife, and held out her hands. - -“Would you do this, Mamie?” she asked, in a tense voice. “Would you -really espouse our cause? Oh, it would be so grand, so blessed a thing! -Read the history of the Jews, and you will see what a long-suffering -people they are, surely more sinned against than sinning. It is we who -are to blame—we Gentiles, who, in the name of Christianity, have -persecuted them throughout the ages, who have inflicted on them the -tortures of the Inquisition, who have denied them the rights accorded to -other civilised beings. The Jews are the elder brothers of the human -race, and to hate them is to hate the God who made them. Long before -Greece and Rome held sway over the world, _they_ had their kings, -warriors, poets, and philosophers. Has there ever been in the world’s -history a greater king and philosopher than Solomon, a greater warrior -than Judas the Maccabee, a greater poet than the Psalmist, a greater -athlete than Samson, a greater Christian than Paul the Apostle?—and all -these men were Jews. Oh, if you could only make Athelstan Moore and his -followers see the uselessness and iniquity of anti-Semitism, you would -do a work which would endear you to the hearts of hundreds! But will you -do it? Have you the power to carry out your determination? Have you the -moral courage to risk incurring the disapproval of society? It is no -trivial matter. Think—think what it means!” - -Her hands unclasped and fell to her side; her face was unlifted in -appeal. She was evidently actuated by a great sincerity and earnestness; -and Lady Chesterwood’s playful rejoinder froze on her lips. - -“Sweet little enthusiast!” she exclaimed, moved in spite of herself. -“Montella is lucky in winning your love. It is your love which casts the -roseate hue over the Jewish people, dear, and you see I do not possess -the same incentive. Still, I will do my best, and if I marry Athelstan -Moore, I promise you that I shall not lack the courage to voice your -opinions. I would rather remain your friend than become your enemy, and -the idea of thwarting the Premier pleases me mightily. It is like David -with his little sling and stone attacking the formidable Goliath, or the -tiny mouse gnawing the rope which great men cannot break. The world -shall see, as it has seen before, what a beautiful woman can do. Have no -fear, my dear child, I know I shall succeed.” - -Self-assurance had ever been the keynote to the success of Mamie -Chesterwood’s family. From a mere clerk in an engineering office in -Baltimore, with little more than his pride of descent from the Pilgrim -Fathers to sustain him, her father had risen to the wealth and power of -an American copper king. As a matter of course, both his daughters had -married titles, Mamie’s elder sister, Olive, being the wife of Prince -Charles of Felsen-Schvoenig. It was no wonder, therefore, that Mamie -herself had inherited a love of overcoming difficulties, and of mounting -from one high position to another. She knew that by marrying Athelstan -Moore she would partially lose her freedom; but she felt that this would -amply be compensated for by the exciting situations which would probably -affect her as Premier’s wife. So by the time her conversation with -Patricia came to an end, she had made up her mind to accept the offer of -her would-be swain. She asked her cousin for pen and paper, and wrote -the answer then and there. - -There was always a little of her own notepaper in Patricia’s desk, so -that she did not have to use Earl Torrens’ address. Patricia watched her -as she wrote, and wondered what the ultimate result would be. Was the -Countess unconsciously making trouble for herself, or was she really -paving the way of freedom for the British Jews? Who could look into the -future, and foresee the consequence of her act? Only time would show. - -“May I not tell Lionel?” the girl asked eagerly, when the letter was -sealed. “Why should he be kept in ignorance of the matter? He may be -able to offer some advice.” - -The Countess shook her head. - -“For the present I do not wish him to know,” she rejoined. “I must hold -you to your promise, Pat. Remember, you gave me your word of honour. -Soon it will be in all the society papers. You will not have to wait -long.” - -Patricia said no more; and soon afterwards the Countess took her -departure. When she had gone, the girl remained long in her boudoir, -deep in thought. Was it Providence, or merely the irony of fate, that -caused her greatest friend to become the wife of her greatest enemy, she -wondered. If only she might talk it over with her lover when he came; -but she was bound to silence. The fire burned low, and as the shadows -gathered, a shadow seemed to oppress her heart. Presently a footman -brought her some tea, and tried to make the room more cosy by stirring -the fire and drawing the velvet curtains together. Certainly the -electric lamps, under their golden shades, conduced to cheerfulness more -than the grey twilight. But the sense of loneliness was not dispelled, -and crept closer as the hours lengthened. At six o’clock Mrs. Lowther -returned, and expounded on all the events of the day; but her -companionship was not of the kind that the girl needed, and she was glad -when it was time to dress. Her lover did not arrive until much -later—just when she had given him up, and was contemplating bed. He had -come straight from the House, and burst into the room with an -impetuosity she had never seen in him before. His face was so pale, and -his eyes so bright, that instinctively she knew that something was -wrong. Being aware of the presence of her chaperon, he said not a word, -but took both her hands in silence. - -Mrs. Lowther, with unusual tact, gathered up her belongings, and -uttering a trivial excuse, sailed majestically out of the room. Patricia -gave a sigh of relief, but she was in a flutter of suspense. - -“Your hands are as cold as ice, dear,” she said, with concern. “What has -happened?” - -“The very worst!” was his reply, in a voice which was hoarse with -emotion—“worse than anything I had anticipated even in my wildest -dreams. Athelstan Moore has declared open antagonism towards my people. -To-night a Bill came up for its first reading in Parliament—a Bill for -the banishment of all the Jews!” - -“All the Jews?” the girl repeated questioningly. “The pauper aliens, you -mean?” - -He shook his head. - -“No, _all_ the Jews, both English and foreign, rich and poor. Moore does -not intend to do things by halves.” - -Patricia drew a deep breath. - -“Preposterous!” she exclaimed—“preposterous! Surely the man must be mad. -Banish the Jews! Why, anyone can see at first sight that the idea is -totally impracticable. How was it received?” - -He sank on to a chair, looking almost exhausted. - -“I hardly know. I was so dumfounded that I could scarcely move, and the -whole place seemed to spin. The other Members regarded it with -equanimity, and evidently knew something of it before. I suppose I was -purposely kept in the dark. The House rose before the debate was -concluded, and it will be brought on again to-morrow night. But think, -Patricia, what it will mean. It is enough to make a man’s senses reel!” - -The girl poured him out a glass of wine and made him take it. If only -she had known of this before Lady Chesterwood had left! Her heart beat -like a sledge-hammer against her breast, and for the moment she could -find no words; but she knew that her lover needed comfort, and that it -was her duty to help him. - -“Your nerves are unstrung, dear,” she said, in a soothing voice. “You -must go home soon and rest. I am sure you need not be alarmed, Lionel. -The Bill will never be carried; it cannot, while there is justice in -England. What man in his senses would counsel intoleration in these -days? This is the age of freedom—of freedom in religious matters most of -all.” - -“It is not the Jewish religion that Moore objects to so much as the -Jewish race,” Montella replied, in a dull voice. “He is as rabid as it -is possible for a Jew-baiter to be, and he has, unfortunately, such a -convincing manner that there are few who can withstand him. Of course, -he made a great deal of the Consolidated Trust smash and those -processions of the Unemployed. Yet, as you say, the Bill is -impracticable. I do not see how it is possible to banish the Jews. Where -are they to go? The whole thing is monstrous—absurd!” - -“It is, and therefore you must not worry about it, Lal. You must laugh -at it instead. The good-natured British Public will laugh, I am sure, -when they read of it in the papers to-morrow. And now, dear, I am not -going to talk to you any more to-night. You must go straight home to -bed, and try to cool that burning forehead of yours.” - -He rose and drew her affectionately towards him. - -“My darling! You are brave enough to put courage into any man.” He -sighed, and squaring his shoulders, added: “Well, if it’s fighting they -want, we must fight to the death. But, Patricia, if by any horrible -chance this Bill is passed, it will mean that I also am included under -the ban. It will mean the emptying out of joy from my life—for it will -mean separation from you.” - -“Never!” she exclaimed, almost before the words had passed his lips. -“Your cause is mine, and not all the devilish designs of Athelstan Moore -and his satellites shall come between us. If you are banished, then I -shall be banished, too. Oh, Lionel, what is love worth if it fails at -such a time!” - -She hid her face on his shoulder, her form shaken with heavy sobs; but -she quickly recovered from her emotion, and regained her -self-possession. - -“Mamie Chesterwood was here to-day,” she informed him, as he went -towards the door. “She is our friend, Lionel, and has promised to stand -by us through thick and thin.” - -“Has she, dear?” There was little hope in his voice. He did not seem to -think the Countess would prove an ally of much importance. - -“There is more in her than we think,” Patricia added, more cheerfully. -“I really believe she will be of use. She is one of those who have to be -fully persuaded in their own minds before they will do anything.” - -Then she remembered that her lips were sealed. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - THE ZIONISTS - - -Montella did not go straight home in spite of Patricia’s injunction. He -turned into the park, and crossed over to the Serpentine, scarcely -knowing whither his steps were tending. A slight mist hung over the -water, and the air was chilly with the raw dampness of November. With no -sound to break the stillness, save the echo of his own tread and the -rumble of far-off traffic, he was able to steady his nerves. Moore’s -Bill had given him a blow from which he could not easily recover; but on -due consideration he came to the conclusion that he had been unwise to -have so openly displayed his agitation. What he needed were coolness and -confidence; but instead of showing either he had become as -panic-stricken as an animal driven to bay. - -He flung himself down on a seat, with his back to the water, and tried -to think out his speech for the morrow. He knew that as the only Jewish -member of any importance in the House, his co-religionists would look to -him to vindicate their claims. On him had fallen the responsibility of -voicing the appeal for justice of the whole Jewish community, and -although he was but a unit when it came to taking the majority, it was -his duty to oppose the Bill tooth and nail. - -The absurdity of the Bill would have caused him amusement had it not -affected him so nearly; for he could see that endless complications -would arise if it were passed. The banishment of the Jews was a matter -easier said than done, seeing that the yellow badge and the _rouelle_ -were things of the past. Well, it would be a fine test for separating -true Jews from false: perhaps persecution would—as it had so often done -before—kindle the smouldering fire of Judaism into a flame. - -The newspapers next morning were full of the new Bill, and despite the -fact that many of the newspaper proprietors were of Hebrew extraction, -the attitude taken up by the majority of the dailies was in favour of -the project. Instead of displaying the sense of justice and fairplay -which has ever been the Englishman’s boast, the leaders were -characterised by envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness. The -jealousy which had been kept under for so long a time now burst forth -with uncontrollable fury; to Montella, it was but the impotent howling -of a totally corrupt press. - -His speech that night had nothing of the brilliance of the Premier’s -oration, but it was manly and straight to the point. Like a second -Daniel come to judgment, he stood erect and fearless; and stated his -case with a lucidity which was bound to create a good impression. While -admitting the undesirability of pauper alien immigration, he considered -it the height of folly to desire to interfere with the peace of those -estimable Jewish citizens who kept the laws and contributed to the -welfare of the country. He asked his colleagues to look back to the -reign of Queen Victoria—the reign which brought so much emancipation to -the Jews—to note the friendliness with which she always treated them, -and the consequent prosperity of England during her reign. He begged -them not to allow the beneficent influence of Victoria the Good to be -dispelled; and appealing to their common sense as well as their -humanity, endeavoured to point out the disadvantages appertaining to -such a Bill. He certainly had logic on his side, as well as the -certainty that his cause was a just one; and his words, uttered in a low -but distinct tone, commanded respect. The calmness with which he spoke -contrasted favourably with the lashing words of the Premier, whose eyes -gleamed with a personal hatred as well as an impersonal conviction. But -despite the justice of Montella’s plea, the general feeling was against -the Jews; and as the whole of the working-classes supported the Bill, -there was little doubt as to its final issue. - -“It is madness!” Montella exclaimed, when he told his mother and Raie of -the result. “The people are all afflicted with Judaphobia; their -reasoning powers are numbed. They will not be satisfied until they have -broken up our homes and driven us away.” - -“And is there no antidote?” asked Raie wistfully. “Cannot we come to a -compromise of some sort?” - -“There is the only one which Mr. Lawson Holmes suggested in the House -this afternoon—assimilation. We are to sink our racial affinity, one -towards another; give up our Judaism for Theism; attend Theistic places -of worship, if worship in public we must; pull down our synagogues and -burn our _talithim_; abstain from clannishness; marry only Gentiles; and -forget our descent. That, says Mr. Holmes, is the rational solution of -the whole question. Assimilation is the means by which we are to wriggle -out of the difficulty. Of course, it applies only to us British Jews.” - -“No doubt there are many who will think that a very sensible course,” -said Lady Montella. “Still I am surprised that if the racial prejudice -is really so strong the Gentiles should desire the admixture with -English blood. Ah—” as a maid approached bearing a card on a silver -salver, “someone to see you, I suppose.” - -“Dr. Engelmacher!” exclaimed Lionel, with pleasure, as he took up the -card. “I had no idea that he was in London. Show him in here please, -Mary.” - -“Dr. Engelmacher!” repeated Lady Montella, her eyes brightening at the -name. “He must have come here for some special purpose.” - -Max Engelmacher was the great leader of the Zionists in Germany, a man -whose fame had spread throughout every Jewish centre. In appearance he -was a typical German, with fair hair, light blue eyes covered with -spectacles, and rugged features. No less Oriental-looking man could ever -have been found; nevertheless, he was a very Jew of the Jews—to some a -second Moses ready to lead his people to the promised land, to others -the one who should come in the power and spirit of Elijah before the -advent of the national Messiah. As a young man he—in common with -others—had seen his visions and dreamed his dreams; but experience had -hardened him into a genial cynic who was practical before everything -else. - -Lady Montella rose as his burly figure blocked the doorway, and held out -her hand with almost the first smile which had passed across her face -since her husband’s death. There was no doubt as to the sincerity of her -welcome. - -“This bad business has had one good effect, since it has brought you -here,” she said. - -“A bad business indeed, lady,” he replied, in German. “Yet if it stirs -up some of you English Jews to action, I shall not call it altogether -bad.” - -“You think we are too cold, eh, doctor?” - -“Cold? _Um Gotteswillen!_ yes. You sit at home in your fine houses, with -your maids and footmen, your electric light and your telephone, and you -will scarcely spare a _nebbich_[6] for those of your own race who are -hounded from one place to another, who are scarcely allowed to take a -free breath of God’s air because they are Jews. You metaphorically -gather your skirts together lest you should be defiled by contact with -those whom you choose to call the scum of the earth; but you do not take -the trouble to consider what has brought them so low. And you tie up -your heart-strings and your purse-strings tight, lest you should be -tempted to throw good money away. Cold! You are a nation of icebergs, so -civilised and anglicised that what feeling you ever possessed has been -refined out of you long ago. That is my opinion of the English Jews, -madam. I am bound to speak the truth.” - -Footnote 6: - - “Poor things!” - -“Dear old Engelmacher!” exclaimed Montella, _sotto voce_. “A voice of -thunder, and a heart of gold!” - -Then he turned to the mighty pioneer, and entered upon a serious -conversation concerning the present crisis. It was a relief to him to be -able to open his heart. - -The doctor, having obtained permission, lit up his old and well-beloved -briar, and puffed away in silence. He always believed that his pipe -assisted his mental digestion, and never troubling to study -conventionalities, was not deterred by the presence of the ladies. Lady -Montella was too much interested in the discussion to mind the smoke. -She considered this an opportunity which should certainly not be lost. - -“It is money we want,” the doctor said, when the whole situation had -been explained. “Another two millions, and Palestine will be ours. I -have the best authority for saying this; our colleague Karl Lierhammer -had an audience with the Sultan last week. Only one hundred thousand -pounds is needed to allow us to start operations north-west of the -Jordan at once, and I can lay my hands on fifty thousand Jewish artisans -who are ready to begin. So you see our dream is not so far from being -realised after all.” - -Lady Montella’s face glowed. - -“How splendidly you have worked while we thought the movement was at a -standstill,” she said. “You may count on us for the hundred thousand; we -will raise it among ourselves and our relations. We can safely promise -this, I think?” she added, addressing her son. - -Lionel answered in the affirmative. - -“We do not require the money as a donation,” Dr. Engelmacher explained. -“It will all go into the national debt. Palestine will be a -self-supporting country in a comparatively short time; the fertility of -the land is remarkable. Will you believe me, dear people, when I tell -you that before the Zionist movement was conceived, that country was -barren from lack of water; but that since we began our operations there -the rain has fallen in due season, and all Nature has conduced to -further our aim?[7] Is not this a testimony—if such we need—to the -righteousness of our cause?” - -Footnote 7: - - A fact attested by the Rev. Dr. Gaster. - -“Wonderful!” exclaimed Lady Montella, with glad surprise. “Yet people -say that miracles do not happen nowadays. Why, even Christians believe -that we are to be restored to our own land—the land of promise. Strange -that some of the Jews themselves should be so reluctant to act on that -belief.” - -“Strange indeed,” returned the doctor. “I believe that prosperity and -freedom have combined to dim their spiritual vision. They live only for -the present, and being happy themselves, they are incapable of feeling -for their persecuted brethren abroad. Ah, if I can only succeed in -arousing the interest of all the rich Jews in England so far as to make -them invest their money Zionwards, our cause will be won. It is for this -purpose that I have come here.” - -“If England expels the Jews, I’m afraid she will regret it before many -months are past,” said Montella thoughtfully. “I believe the Government -will not have the best side of the bargain after all.” - -“The Government will find itself in the biggest pickle it has ever -known,” was Dr. Engelmacher’s reply. “It is safe to say that when -anti-Semitism attacks a country, that country is in a state of decline. -England, the justice-loving happy queen of nations, will soon find out -her mistake. She is but passing through a phase; she will come through -the cloud strengthened and purified. I know and love the English people -well enough to be certain of this.” - -“Then you think—?” - -“I think nothing yet, my dear Montella. I prefer to wait for the course -of events. For the present I must say _Auf Wiedersehen_. I shall see you -again before I leave London, I hope.” - -He rose, and politely declining Lady Montella’s cordial invitation to -dinner, took his departure; but they saw him again at a huge Zionist -meeting on the following night. The hall was packed from door to door, -rich and poor uniting for once under the sense of common danger. Like a -drowning man catches at a straw, they clung to the new hope which was -presented to them; for with anti-Semitism brought so near home, they -could no longer afford to ignore the burning question. And what a hope -it was that, clothed though it was in foreign accents, breathed through -Engelmacher’s words! A land of their very own, where persecution would -be forgotten, where they could lift their heads in freedom, and win back -their good name. The promised land of their forefathers and of their -glorious past—the promised land of the future, where they should behold -the long-looked-for coming of the King! No wonder that their stricken -hearts were inflamed by the national hope. The voices of the prophets—to -which for so long they had turned deaf ears—were reaching them at last. - -Who could tell what new revelations they might not have to unfold? - - - - - CHAPTER X - PREMIER AND PEERESS - - -The new Grand Imperial Hotel at Brighton was very full; for it had -become the fashion once again to spend the week-end away from town, and -the Grand Imperial was the hotel temporarily favoured, not so much by -the so-called “smart set” as by those who were popularly supposed to -possess brains. Jaded barristers, glad to forget for the moment that -there existed such a place as the Inner Temple, a trio of actor-managers -who were “resting”; two or three of the most beautiful women in society, -and a sprinkling of clerics were included among the guests. -To-night—Saturday—the Right Hon. Athelstan Moore was expected, and the -hotel complement would be complete. - -It was the hour between tea and dinner—the children’s hour. Those who -were not imbibing the salubrious air along the promenade were gathered -in the lounge, whilst the children—there were not many—played -hide-and-seek around the Corinthian pillars and behind the numerous -Chesterfield couches. One of them, a tiny boy of scarcely five summers, -was playing horses with a little girl three years his senior, and racing -up and down as fast as his little legs would carry him, seemed bubbling -over with health and merriment. - -“You go too slow, Phyllis,” he piped, almost out of breath with his -mimic galloping and plunging. “Why don’t you run?” - -Phyllis Moore loosened the reins. - -“If I run I shall make myself tired,” she replied demurely. “My -governess told me to play quietly. I am going to wait up for father -to-night.” - -The air of maiden superiority jarred upon the little boy. - -“I will wait up for father, too,” he announced sturdily. “Let’s both -wait up.” - -Phyllis looked more superior than ever. - -“You are very silly, Leslie,” she returned. “How can you wait up for -your father when he is dead?” - -“What’s dead?” demanded Leslie, with wide-open eyes. - -“Dead? Oh, it’s being put down in a hole in the ground and being covered -with a lot of nasty earth, and then having a great flat stone plumped -down on top of you. That’s what your father is.” - -“He isn’t,” denied Leslie, with indignation. - -“He is, or else you would not be the Earl of Chesterwood.” - -“He isn’t!” Leslie stamped his foot. - -“He is!” - -“He isn’t. You are a horrid little girl, and I don’t like you a bit.” - -“Children, what are you quarrelling about?” said a lady’s voice from -behind one of the pillars. “It is very naughty to quarrel. Come and tell -me what is the matter.” - -Leslie dissolved into tears, and hid his face in the folds of his -mother’s skirt, whilst Phyllis stood by abashed. Lady Chesterwood, not -wishing to have her gown marred by her son’s emotion, produced a small -cambric handkerchief, and placed it between the child’s face and her -skirt. - -“Now,” she said, addressing herself to Phyllis, “why did you make Leslie -cry?” - -“I didn’t make him cry,” the Premier’s daughter answered sulkily. “I -only told him his father was dead. It is quite true. His father _is_ -dead.” - -“He isn’t,” came from Leslie, in a stifled voice. “She says my father is -in a hole in the ground, with a lot of nasty earth and a stone on top of -him; and he isn’t! My father doesn’t live in a hole.” - -The Countess maintained a calm demeanour. - -“Your father is above the bright blue sky with the angels, sonnie,” she -said soothingly. “Don’t you remember that I told you he had gone away to -heaven?” - -“Yes.” Leslie raised his head triumphantly, and glowered at Phyllis. “My -father is in heaven with the angels. I knew he wasn’t down a nasty hole -in the ground!” - -Phyllis, still unconvinced, stalked away to rejoin her governess, and -the Countess was spared the necessity of entering further into the -problem. She wondered what Leslie would have to say if she were to -provide him with a new father, and how he and Phyllis would agree. The -letter which she had dashed off in Patricia’s boudoir had never been -sent, for she had thought better of it before she reached home. She had -not yet given a definite answer to her illustrious wooer, although a -month had passed, but she knew that he was coming to Brighton expressly -to hear what she had to say. - -When the nurse came for her boy, she went to rejoin the sister with whom -she was staying—the Princess Charles von Felsen-Schvoenig. She felt -unusually nervous, and could not settle down anywhere. The bravado she -had shown in her conversation with Patricia had gradually evaporated -until there was little left. The nearer it came to meeting the Premier -the less courageous did she feel. She was not at all sure now that she -considered it worth while to become the defender of the Jews. - -The Princess was very much like her sister in appearance, but possessed -stronger features and a firmer will. She considered Mamie foolish to -wish to encumber herself with another husband, and to give up her -widowed freedom. Her own husband—with whom she was not in love—was -suffering with a disease of the spine; and as he allowed himself to be -relegated to the castle in Felsen-Schvoenig whenever his presence was -undesired by his wife, the Princess enjoyed life in her own way as a -woman of independence. She was fond of travelling, and journeyed from -one place to another as she felt inclined. Perhaps there was scarcely a -wife in the whole of Europe so little troubled by domestic affairs. - -“So the hour approaches!” she exclaimed, as her sister appeared in her -boudoir. “Whence the pale cheeks and troubled brow?” - -“Am I pale?” The Countess glanced at herself in the mirror. “I shall -have plenty of colour when the lights are lit. I feel real stupid -to-day; I don’t know why. When Moore begins rolling off his words to me -in that curious manner of his, I know I shall have nothing to say for -myself in return. I might be a girl in her first season instead of a -widow and a woman of the world. And I just wanted to be especially -brilliant to-night. It’s very annoying, isn’t it?” - -The Princess regarded her contemplatively. “I believe you are afraid of -Moore,” she said. - -“Afraid? What nonsense. As if I could be frightened of a little man -scarcely a head taller than myself!” - -“A little man certainly, but he has a great personality. It is said that -the man or woman does not exist who can oppose Moore’s iron will. It is -true enough that when he determines on a thing, that thing always comes -to pass. Therefore, my dear Mamie, you will know what to expect.” - -“_Qui vivra verra_,” returned her sister, as the dressing-bell resounded -through the hotel; and then, with a careless nod, she left the room. - -She looked much better when, an hour later, she descended to the salon. -Her gown of filmy chiffon and lace suited her to perfection, and -anticipation had lent a touch of colour to her cheeks. The Princess, who -was in black relieved and studded by gems which glittered with every ray -of light, glanced at her with satisfaction. - -“Moore is here,” she announced quietly. “He arrived about ten minutes -ago, and has gone up to see Phyllis and dress.” - -Nevertheless the Premier was absent from the dinner-table, and the -Countess was kept on tenter-hooks until the gentlemen rejoined the -ladies, when she noticed his short, thick-set figure at the entrance to -the lounge. The band in the north gallery had begun the overture to -Faust, and his coming was—by a coincidence—heralded by the martial tones -of the Soldiers’ Chorus. She put down the untasted cup of coffee on the -little table at her side, and trifled nervously with the diamond collar -on her neck. The next moment she had shaken hands and was exchanging -commonplaces with the first man in England. Her nervousness suddenly -vanished, leaving her natural and free. - -The Press had often remarked on the apparent likeness between the -Premier and Napoleon the Great. Certainly Athelstan Moore possessed -eagle-eyes, a Roman nose, and somewhat round and stooping shoulders, and -the brusqueness of his manner considerably strengthened the effect. He -jerked out his words in the tone of one accustomed to command, and was -absolutely devoid of the saving sense of humour. That was why some -people found his society somewhat trying. He never could—or -would—receive a joke. - -“You are late,” the Countess said, as she made room for him beside her. -“I expected you long ago.” - -“Yes; I was detained in town. I could have been down to dinner, however, -had not Phyllis insisted on my staying with her until she went to -sleep.” - -It was a curious fact that while the Premier never suffered himself to -be dictated to by those whose powers of thought equalled his own, he was -as wax in the hands of his child. The Countess smiled. - -“Phyllis has been quarrelling with my little Leslie,” she informed him, -with pretended gravity. “It is strange that they two can never agree.” - -“I suppose it is because the girl is older than the boy,” he returned -thoughtfully. “A boy does not like to be commanded by a girl, even if -she be older than himself. I must have a serious talk with Phyllis. I do -not wish her to quarrel with anyone, least of all your little boy.” - -He laid stress on the pronoun. The Countess knew what he meant, but she -said nothing, and turned over the pages of her book with apparent -carelessness. The lounge was filling, and the music ceased. Espying the -figure of a well-known political bore opposite, Moore leant farther back -in shadow. He knew that if he were noticed he would be called upon to -talk politics for the remainder of the evening; and although it was true -that his life was bound up in his beloved Government, he was not anxious -to enter into a controversy just now. - -“I wish to speak to you, Mamie,” he said, lowering his voice. “Will you -come out on the terrace? It is a glorious night; and if you put on a -wrap you will not feel cold.” - -The Countess rose obediently, and sent for her fur-lined cloak. It was -just like a man to think that a bare neck and arms could be sufficiently -protected by a flimsy “wrap.” The night was certainly calm, but as it -was winter it could scarcely be otherwise than chilly. The terrace was -deserted, save for a young man who was enjoying a smoke at the far end. -Moore drew the young widow to a rustic seat at the most sheltered -corner. There was no sound save the swish of the sea. - -Athelstan Moore was not the man to indulge in sentimentality. He paid no -heed to the moon and the stars and the stillness, but came to the point -at once. Lady Chesterwood had been given a month to consider his offer -of marriage, and as the time had expired, he awaited her answer now. - -Lady Chesterwood was still undecided. - -“You say you wish to marry me because you are particularly drawn towards -me,” she said evenly. “But in your position as head of the State, is it -wise to saddle yourself with a wife?” - -“‘_Amare simul et sapere ipsi jovi non datur_,’” he quoted lightly. -“Besides, I think it expedient for a Prime Minister to be married, since -his wife can perform her duty to the State socially as hostess. Mrs. -Moore, as you know, died a year after our marriage—when Phyllis was -born. Don’t you think I owe a duty also to my motherless child?” - -If there was a tender spot in the Premier’s heart, it was for his little -girl. Mamie knew it, and thought she recognised what had prompted the -man’s desire. - -“You want a mother for Phyllis?” she asked softly. “Am I not right?” - -“Yes; but I also want you for myself. It is not good for man to be -alone, especially a man so harassed and worried by the affairs of the -nation as I am. When a fellow’s brain is so severely taxed that -sometimes the whole universe seems out of joint, he longs for the -sympathy of an intelligent woman to steady his nerves. I am not a young -man, and I do not offer you the passionate devotion which a hotheaded -youth lavishes on a young girl in her teens; but I will do my best to -make you a good husband, Mamie; and as you are a sensible woman, I think -you will understand.” - -Mamie did understand, and experienced a feeling of gratification. It -seemed strange to hear Moore—the ostensibly stony-hearted, hard-headed -Prime Minister—talk in this strain. It showed that, strong as he was, he -was not too strong to be able to dispense with sympathy. It showed that, -in spite of all the logic of dry-as-dust professors, there was a force -to be reckoned with in love. - -The music had begun again, and the seductive strains of a valse floated -out towards them. The waves, as they broke at regular intervals upon the -beach, seemed to beat time to the melody, and the seething foam rushing -backwards on the pebbles added a refrain. A sense of unreality affected -the little Countess as she listened; it seemed almost as if she were -living the past over again. She had had acquaintance with the man beside -her for at least three years, but she had never liked him so well as at -this moment. Perhaps it was because she saw him in a new light, and felt -the undoubted fascination of his virile personality. She forgot the many -stories she had heard of his despotic dealings, forgot altogether his -hatred of the Jews. She remembered only that he was a great man, and -that he had come to _her_ for sympathy. Was it a wonder that her small -features glowed with pride! - -“I will marry you because you want me,” she said, in a gentle voice at -last, “and I will try and do my duty to your motherless girl, as I hope -you will to my fatherless boy. But you will be good to me, won’t you, -Athelstan?” she added, almost wistfully. “You will be our -protector—Leslie’s and mine?” - -He raised her hand to his lips. - -“It will be my first care to protect you,” he replied, well pleased, -although he had known all along that she would consent. And he decided -that the marriage should take place in six weeks’ time; there was no -occasion for a further delay. - -It was getting cold, and Mamie suggested an adjournment within. They -repassed the young man on their way, still unconcernedly smoking his -cigar. The Princess watched their return, but failed to deduce from -their manner what had happened. Before retiring to rest, however, she -presented herself in her sister’s apartment. She was curious to know the -result. - -Mamie was sitting in front of her dressing-table shedding tears—though -whether of joy or sadness she did not herself know. She felt as though -she had just come through an ordeal, which, paradoxically, had not been -an ordeal after all. She dried her eyes hastily, declaring that she was -a goose; to which statement her sister unhesitatingly agreed. - -Mamie pushed back her chair, and regarded her with an unnecessary -expression of defiance. - -“Well, it’s all settled,” she said carelessly. “I am just going to write -to Poppa. We shall be married on the 10th of February if the fates -propend.” - -The Princess gave her a sisterly kiss. - -“I suppose you know your own business best, so I will congratulate you,” -she remarked. “Did you keep your promise to Patricia and impose some -condition about the Jews?” - -Mamie shook her head. - -“It would not have been wise to ruffle Athelstan’s feelings just then by -talking about the Jews,” was her reply. “To tell you the truth, I -entirely forgot their existence. However, there is time yet. I will -introduce the subject to-morrow.” - -She was not over-anxious to show the red rag to the bull. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - THE PREMIER OUTWITTED - - -The next day Lady Chesterwood sat down and wrote the following letter to -her husband’s cousin: - - “MY DEAR PATRICIA,—I have just been up Queen’s Road to see Athelstan - off by the 6.40 to town, but he will be here again in the middle of - the week (Parliament permitting), so the parting will not be for long. - Not forgetting my promise to you, I had a long conversation with him - this afternoon on the Jewish question, and as you know his feelings on - the matter, I think I was _most courageous_ in introducing the subject - at all. He says that the affair has now passed out of his hands, and - that in speaking as he did, he merely voiced the opinion of the great - bulk of the British workmen. That the Bill will be passed is an - absolute certainty, and he thinks the Edict of Banishment will be - proclaimed in about a month from now. I then told him about your - engagement to Mr. Montella, and he said it was _absolutely suicidal_ - on your part to become the wife of a Jew. He was so angry about it - that I dared not say a word in defence. He has begged me to do my - utmost to persuade you to break off the engagement; and really, - Patricia, I think you will be _most foolish_ if you persist. Have you - not realised that, as the wife of Montella, you will either be banned - and cut in society, or else you will have to be separated from him - when the new Act comes into force? I don’t know what your father can - be about that he does not interfere. Athelstan intends to pay him a - visit during the course of the week, to acquaint him of his duty. - Don’t think me unkind for taking this view of the matter. What I - really desire is your _ultimate_ happiness.—Ever your affectionate - cousin, - - “MAMIE CHESTERWOOD.” - -The caligraphy was somewhat sprawling in effect, and much underlined. A -student of graphology would have noticed weakness, and a disposition -easily amenable to persuasion in the unconnected and carelessly formed -characters. Patricia absorbed the contents of the letter with very -little surprise. Knowing how easy it was to influence the Countess in -almost any direction, she had been certain all along that the Prime -Minister would soon persuade her to his way of thinking. That was why -she had been so horror-stricken at Mamie’s anticipated engagement to -Moore. - -The Premier did not pay his visit that week, but he came before the -month was out. The Earl received him in the state drawing-room, and -listened attentively to what he had to say. He and Moore had been at -Balliol together, and although they had never been actual friends, they -had always entertained a mutual respect for each other. Therefore he did -not think of resenting the Minister’s interference in the matter, and -went so far as to acknowledge the apparent reasonableness of his -opinions. - -Nevertheless he did not consider it necessary to be greatly concerned. -If it had been his son who wished to marry a Jewess, the case would have -been different; he seemed to think a daughter of much less consequence. - -“Patricia is of age and able to decide for herself,” he said, with an -air of nonchalance. “As she makes her bed, so must she lie upon it—that -is all.” - -“But it is such a disgrace,” persisted Moore, determined on carrying his -point. “It is a case which will excite public comment, and therefore is -not merely a personal matter. For the sake of example it ought not to be -allowed.” - -The Earl’s face was impassive. - -“What is it you object to?” he asked. “The race or the religion?” - -“Both, though if Montella dropped his Judaism it would not be so bad. -But Montella never will; the matter will be solved by your daughter -joining the Jewish Church. That is where the disgrace comes in—for a -woman in these days of grace to voluntarily go back to the religion of -the pre-Christian Era, to fling away the Christianity which has done -more than anything else to civilise the world. Why, it’s absolutely -ridiculous. She might just as well put away her modern dress, education, -and culture. I have never known such an absurd thing in my life.” - -“I am afraid my daughter is angry with Christianity just now,” said the -Earl imperturbably, “since it is used as a cloak to cover the -persecution of the Jews. She thinks the end does not justify the means.” - -“Nonsense! she does not understand anything at all about it. The rulers -of the State have to look far ahead; what we legislate now is for the -benefit of the future generations. It is surely better that these people -should be expelled than that the whole nation should suffer later on.” - -He paced up and down the room, his face crimson with indignation. He -could have shaken the noble Earl for being so dense as not to see the -enormity of the situation. He continued to harangue him for another -forty minutes, until the Earl was so weary that he promised faithfully -to insist on the dissolution of the betrothal. Then just as he was about -to conclude his remarks, the door opened to admit the happy—or -unhappy—pair. To the Premier their appearance was most opportune. - -They both bowed to the visitor, but neither attempted to shake hands. -Patricia, forgetting that he was Mamie Chesterfield’s fiancé, saw in him -only the virulent Jew-hater, and could not bring herself to give him a -friendly greeting, even though at this particular moment she felt at -peace with all the world. Montella looked unusually flushed, but the -anxious expression which had been his of late had vanished, and there -was an eager glow in his eyes. He took not the slightest notice of the -Premier’s glance of hatred, and stood by his sweetheart’s side with an -air of self-possession. He knew, without requiring to be told, that the -visit of his enemy was in some way connected with himself; but an event -had happened which caused him to view this visit with equanimity almost -amounting to unconcern. - -The day was raw and cold, but Patricia was dressed in the palest shade -of grey, the delicate appearance of which was enhanced by the choice -white flowers at her breast and attached to her ermine muff. She looked -so fair and radiant, that Athelstan Moore’s indignation increased, and -he determined yet again that this beautiful girl should not be lost to -England and the Church by becoming Montella’s bride. He asked for an -interview with her and her father, minus the presence of her lover; but -to this request the girl refused to accede. She was quite willing to -listen to whatever the Premier might wish to say, but it must be said -before Mr. Montella or not at all. - -The Premier met the steady glance from her grey eyes without flinching. - -“Very well, Lady Patricia, you give me no alternative but to speak out -my mind before one to whom my words must be extremely disagreeable,” he -said, with a glance at Montella. “I will not beat about the bush then; I -will come to the point at once. I have just had a long conversation with -your father, in which I have tried to point out to him the many -disadvantages which would accrue from your marriage with Mr. Montella. -Not to mention the many minor points which I might put forth for his -consideration and yours, I will repeat three great impedimenta to such a -marriage. Firstly, you would have to become an apostate from the -Christian religion—an action, the gravity of which it is possible you -could not realise for many years; secondly, you would be ostracised by -society, and for your father’s sake you should remember the motto -_noblesse oblige_—you are not justified in renouncing your birthright; -and thirdly, you would perform an action contrary to the spirit and -temper of the nation at the present time, by not only advocating the -Jewish cause, but by becoming the wife of a Jew. These three reasons are -surely of sufficient weight to deter you from such a course, especially -as you would give not only personal, but national offence. Of course I -take it for granted that you are not actuated purely by a motive of -selfishness. I presume that you are not unwilling to weigh the pros and -cons of the case?” - -Patricia had sunk on to one of the little Chippendale chairs, and was -looking up at him with an air of artlessness, whilst the Earl and -Montella stood inertly by. - -“You are very kind to take so much interest in me, Mr. Moore,” she said -quietly, when he had finished. “May I be so bold as to inquire the -reason?” - -“Certainly; the reason is not far to seek. Having the honour and -pleasure of your acquaintance, your contemplated marriage would grieve -me inexpressibly. And not only that; as I said before, the marriage of a -lady of high rank and noble family with a leader of insurgent Jews is a -matter of national importance. Your father has agreed with me that such -is the case.” - -At the word “insurgent” Montella started forward as though he wished to -speak, but his sweetheart, with a gesture, restrained him. - -“The Jews are not insurgents,” she corrected quietly. “It is you and -your party who are endeavouring to make them so. I think it a pity that -the nation has not enough to do to look after its own affairs without -troubling about mine. I am afraid I do not appreciate an interest of -this sort.” - -The Premier scowled, and Lord Torrens, noticing it, advanced. - -“I wish you to give Mr. Moore a proper answer, my dear child,” he said -amicably. “Since he has taken the trouble to come here expressly on your -account, it is fitting that you should make your defence.” - -“Defence?” repeated the girl, with rising colour. “Am I in a court of -law?” She gulped down her angry feelings, and added, in a quieter tone: -“Very well, Mr. Moore, my defence is simply this: If I am of noble -birth, Mr. Montella’s lineage is more ancient than my own, and there is -no member of my family who has ever done so much to promote the general -welfare of his country as did the late Sir Julian Montella for England. -Lionel himself is in every way worthy of respect; and the brilliance of -his university and parliamentary careers has proved that a more gifted -man of his age cannot be found. That he is a Jew is to me an additional -attraction, and for the senseless opinions of society at large I care -nothing whatever. In regard to the religious point of view, I feel -justified in seceding from Christianity if the circumstances necessitate -my doing so. Perhaps had I received a more careful religious training, I -might not have found it so easy to renounce, but since my mother died I -have been left to flounder about in the maze of conflicting and -contradictory doctrines; consequently I have nothing to cling to, and no -treasured sentiment to forego. Finally, I love Mr. Montella with all my -heart, and therefore I am determined to be faithful to my promise.” - -She gave a sigh of relief as her voice dropped into silence. Her -listeners could not help admiring the staunch spirit of her words. -Lionel hated to be eulogised, but his heart warmed towards his sweet and -zealous advocate. The Premier realised the futility of his intervention, -but he was not yet willing to throw up the sponge. - -“I see that to discuss the matter with you is useless,” he returned, -with equanimity. “It is seldom possible to argue with a woman, I find. -However, I now make my appeal to your father. Lord Torrens, you have -heard my opinion both as politician and friend, and I hope you now -realise the importance and truth of what I have said. It is your duty to -prohibit this marriage by every means in your power; but if you do not -feel disposed to exert your prerogative, will you accept me as deputy in -your place? Do you give me the authority to work for you in this matter? -If so, I think I shall be able to find—by means of the law—an impediment -which cannot be surmounted. If I undertake to fight out the matter, the -marriage _shall not take place_!” - -He jerked out the last words as though he were pronouncing final -judgment, and brought his fist down on the table with force. The lovers -looked at each other, and Montella made as though he would speak; but -again Patricia restrained him. - -“Father,” she said, approaching the Earl, with a look of appeal, “do you -not think this interview has lasted long enough? I have listened to Mr. -Moore with all the patience I could manage; but when he threatens to -prevent my marriage by means of the law, it is like trying to frighten a -child. We may not know much—Lionel and I—but we are wise enough to know -that the law has no power where we are concerned. Besides, you would not -give Mr. Moore permission to act for you in this matter, would you, -dear?” - -The Earl was getting impatient, and took no notice of her caress. - -“I give Mr. Moore permission to do as he likes,” he answered, a trifle -pettishly. “If the matter is of national importance, it is in his -domain, and he can take what steps he chooses. Personally, I like -Montella, and have no objection to him as a son-in-law. You must fight -it out between you; I wash my hands of the whole affair.” - -The two young people looked triumphant, but so did the Premier. - -“Then it is unnecessary to prolong this interview further,” he said, -taking up his hat and stick. “Since you give me authority, Lord Torrens, -I shall know what course to pursue.” - -Montella at last came forward. - -“One moment, Mr. Moore, before you go,” he put in, drawing his beloved -towards him. “Lady Patricia and I have no wish to maintain a personal -enmity towards you, and we should like to part as friends. It may be -that we shall never cross your path again, for when the barbarous Edict -is published, it is probable that we shall leave England for good. -Meanwhile, we may assure you that whatever steps you may take to prevent -our marriage will be absolutely useless, for the simple reason that—in -order to save further controversy on the matter—_we were married this -morning_.” - -He had no occasion to repeat his statement; his words carried conviction -with them. The Earl started in surprise, and then gave vent to a chuckle -of amusement. The Premier was quite taken aback, but in spite of the -sudden pallor which overspread his face, he managed to retain his -self-possession. - -“Since you have taken the law into your own hands, then there is no more -to be said,” he returned, in a voice from which all the bombast had -departed. “May I ask where the ceremony was performed?” - -The bridegroom produced sundry documents from his breast pocket. - -“We were married first at the registrar’s office at Knightsbridge, then -by the Chief Rabbi in my mother’s drawing-room. If you wish to see the -certificate you are welcome to do so,” he said. - -The Premier condescended to give the papers his examination. Then he -suddenly veered round, and astonished them all by offering his -congratulations. The newly-married pair were too happy to bear malice, -and accepted them with satisfaction. But they could not help remarking -on his sudden change of feeling when the Premier eventually took his -leave. - -The Earl chuckled for the remainder of the day, and in his admiration -for Montella’s smartness, forbore to be angry. He considered that the -interfering Premier had been nicely fooled, and expressed the hope that -the lesson would do him good. Montella wondered what Moore’s next move -would be; he knew that he was not the man to swallow defeat. - -“What a strange wedding-day, dearest!” he exclaimed on the drive towards -his mother’s flat—their temporary home. “We could not have been married -in a quieter manner had we been the poorest couple in England. Why, even -our footman had his wedding-breakfast, and a fortnight at Southend; but -we have had to dispense both with festivities and honeymoon.” - -Patricia smiled up at him reassuringly. - -“Never mind, Lal, we will make up for it later on,” she returned -happily. “It is Parliament’s fault, and you are still in mourning, you -know. There will be plenty of time for our honeymoon when the Edict is -proclaimed.” - -“There will be hardships for us both,” he said, with a sigh, his brow -clouding. “I quail when I think of what I have brought upon you, my -beloved.” - -She drove away his forebodings with a gentle caress. - -“I can bear all hardships and all troubles,” she answered, in an eager -voice. “I can undergo anything—so long as I have you!” - - - - - CHAPTER XII - MONTELLA’S OLD NURSE - - -The Montella-Byrne alliance evoked no little comment in society and the -Press, and it was tacitly agreed that Lady Patricia should be socially -punished for her offence. Nevertheless, friends sprang up in defence of -the newly-married pair from the most unexpected quarters, and Patricia -found that she was not to lose all her Christian acquaintance after all. -When Parliament adjourned for the Christmas recess, she and her husband -travelled to a village near Thorpe Burstall, in the vicinity of which -was situated the Montellas’ country seat. They arrived there at noon on -Christmas Eve, and to their complete surprise, received an ovation at -the railway station. The villagers, too loyal to be affected by the -anti-Jewish agitation, remembered only the never-failing kindness they -had received at the hands of the late Sir Julian Montella, and turned -out in full force to welcome his son’s bride. Between the station and -Burstall Abbey two arches of welcome had been erected, and although the -quantity of highly-coloured paper with which they were adorned conduced -to a somewhat crude effect, to the happy pair they were not lacking in -beauty. When the second was reached, four stalwart men insisted on -taking the horses out of the carriage, and themselves dragged the -vehicle to its destination. Surely there could be no greater honour than -this! - -Amidst the joyous sound of cheering they alighted and entered the house. -Montella’s heart was so full that he could scarcely find words in which -to frame his thanks. The devotion of the people, coming at a time when -he had had nothing but unfavourable criticism on all sides, could not -fail to touch him deeply. It showed him that the burning fever of -anti-Semitism had at least not been permitted to penetrate here, and -that it was still possible to show good feeling towards a Jew. He -reciprocated by inviting them to dinner in the large hall on New Year’s -Day, an invitation which, needless to say, was unanimously accepted. - -Burstall Abbey—which was built in the Gothic style—had come into the -Montellas’ possession in 1870. It was a fine old place, and Sir Julian -had taken pride in seeing that it was kept in good repair. There had -been two chapels attached, the first of which had fallen into decay many -years ago. The second had been transformed into a dining-room, and was -one of the finest apartments in the house. The altar had long since been -done away with, and its place was now occupied by a massive chiffonier; -but the oak wainscot and mullioned windows remained, as well as the -high-pointed arches and lofty roof. - -“What would the old monks say if they could see us enjoying our lunch -here?” remarked Patricia laughingly, as she sat down to the table. “They -would call us vandals and barbarians, I suppose.” - -She was so delighted with everything in the place, that Lionel was all -the more grieved that the property would so soon pass out of his hands. -It seemed such a great pity to have to give up the Abbey, where both he -and his father had been born. There were so many tender memories and -associations of his childhood connected with it, that it would be like -renouncing part of his own personality. But when the Edict was -proclaimed there would be no other alternative; and sell it he must. - -“I wish my father would take it over,” Patricia said eagerly, when they -had discussed the question several times. “We can ask him to hold it in -trust for us; some day we may be able to have it back again. Shall I -write to him about it, Lionel?” - -“If you like, dear; but there is no immediate hurry. You are more -hopeful than I am,” he added half sorrowfully. “Some day to me means no -day.” - -Patricia looked up quickly and noticed the little furrow on his brow. - -“It is not like you to be despondent, Lal,” she said, with a touch of -reproach. “You have worried too much, and eaten too little of late I -think. I want you to promise me not to give another thought to the Jews -whilst we are down here. Let us be happy as long as we can.” - -Had she been less unselfish, the girl would have been jealous of the -subject which engrossed so much of her husband’s attention; but she was -so anxious to be his helpmate as well as his wife, that she concentrated -her own interest on the same question. She knew that when the call to -action came he was the man of all men to be inspired with hope, and to -press on towards the end he had in view. It was the forced inaction—the -waiting for events—which proved such a strain to his mental system, and -it was for this reason that she sought to divert his thoughts elsewhere. -She encouraged him to go out as much as possible, and scoured the -surrounding country with him in his motor. There were also his numerous -cottages to be inspected and his favourite tenants to be visited, for -Montella was not only landlord, but friend. - -It was while they were on their peregrinations through the village that -they came across one Anne Whiteside, who had once been Lionel’s nurse. -They happened to meet her just outside her own dwelling, and she -insisted on their entering to partake of tea. The Montellas, nothing -loath, stepped into her little parlour, and settled themselves -comfortably on the stiff horse-hair sofa. It was a pleasant little room -in spite of its plainness, and everything in it was scrupulously clean. -There was an old-fashioned piano which had probably not been opened for -years, and a still more old-fashioned cabinet. The table—round in -shape—was covered by an elaborately worked cloth, upon whose surface -rested a number of books, including a huge Family Bible. - -The old dame took such evident pleasure in preparing the tea, that the -visitors felt no compunction in giving her the trouble. She toasted the -cakes in the kitchen, but popped into the parlour every few minutes, -fork in hand, to assure them that she would not be long. When all was -ready, she donned her best widow’s cap, and took her seat at the head of -the table. Then Montella inquired after Tom. - -“Oh, Tom’s well enough,” she replied, with affability. “He’s grown -mightily since you saw him last, Master Linie, only his poor brain seems -to stand still. He is sitting in his corner of the kitchen, looking at a -picture-book the lady up at the lodge has given him. He’s mighty fond of -pictures, is my Tom.” - -The “Master Linie” caused a smile to flit across Patricia’s face, and -immediately she called up the vision of her husband as a child in frocks -and pinafores. - -“Is Tom your little grandson?” she asked. - -The old nurse nodded. - -“Yes; leastways, he isn’t a little boy, for he will be fifteen next -March, and he’s an orphan, poor lad! Perhaps you would like to see him, -my lady, after tea?” - -Patricia answered in the affirmative, and proceeded to attack a somewhat -substantial toasted bun. She knew that if she did not do justice to the -tea, Mrs. Whiteside would feel aggrieved, so she strove courageously to -demolish her share of the feast. Her duty fulfilled, she followed her -kindly hostess to the kitchen, where the shining cleanliness of the -stove and culinary utensils excited her admiration. In a corner by the -window sat the afflicted boy. Patricia went over to him, and held out -her hand. - -He was small for his age, but he had a large and peculiarly-shaped head. -His abnormally developed forehead contrasted almost grotesquely with the -receding chin, and his small nose was out of proportion with both. His -eyes were large, and surmounted by heavy lids, but there was little -intelligence in their depths. They roamed shiftily from one object to -another, never concentrating their gaze on anything for more than two or -three seconds at a time. His mouth was large and weak, and he was unable -to close it with firmness. Moreover, he was afflicted by an impediment -in his speech, which added to the difficulty he experienced in making -himself understood. To strangers, it was hard to understand the purpose -of the poor lad’s existence, for to the end of his life he could be -nothing but a useless burden. But his grandmother loved him, and never -considered him a load of care. Since her husband’s death, she had saved -and pinched in order to put by enough to keep the boy when she was gone. -It was nothing to her that he could not understand and appreciate her -self-denial; all the wealth of her affection was lavished on the lad. He -took no notice of Patricia’s outstretched hand, but glanced at her out -of the corner of his eyes, whilst Mrs. Whiteside coaxed him to say “How -do you do?” to the lady. Montella’s deep voice seemed to attract his -attention more than Patricia’s gentle tones, and an expression which was -almost intelligent passed over his countenance as he gazed steadily for -a moment at the stalwart figure of the man. Montella noticed it, and -smiled back encouragingly, but he could not persuade the boy to speak. - -“Do you think he has improved at all?” he inquired of the grandmother, -whose face beamed with pride. “I suppose he is not able to go to -school?” - -“Oh, no; I couldn’t bear to trust him out of my sight, and to think that -the other boys might make game of him. Besides, he could not learn -anything, poor lamb. There will be time enough for him to learn when he -has put off this mortal flesh, and received his incorruptible -inheritance.” - -She spoke so cheerfully that Lionel was puzzled. - -“Do you mean when he has finished with this life?” he asked. - -She nodded. - -“That thought is my greatest comfort, Master Linie,” she replied. “You -see, if poor Tom cannot do any work in the world by reason of his poor -weak brain, he cannot commit sins either. I would far rather have him as -he is than see him grow up to drink and gamble like Widow Robson’s son -next door. And I know that the Lord will make up to him in the next -world for all he has missed in this; so you see that it will all come -right in the end, after all.” - -“What faith you have!” exclaimed Patricia, in admiration. “I suppose -that you would have him cured if you could, all the same?” - -“Certainly, my lady; I would travel to the other side of the earth if I -thought that I should find an infallible cure at the end of the journey; -but as the doctors have assured me over and over again that nothing can -be done for the boy, I am resigned to the inevitable. As long as the -Lord spares him to me I shall never complain.” - -“Your resignation is exemplary, nurse,” said Montella, as they returned -to the little parlour; and then Patricia having refastened her jacket, -they took their leave. - -They saw more of Mrs. Whiteside, however, before they went back to town. -She had heard something of the anticipated Edict, and desired full -information on the subject. Leaving Tom in the charge of a neighbour, -she came up to the Abbey one morning, dressed in her best. The Montellas -were in the library discussing a letter they had received from Dr. -Engelmacher. The news was good, insomuch as building operations on the -portion of land between Haifa and Akka, stretching to the Sea of -Galilee, had now commenced. - -“Haifa will be our capital for the present,” the great leader wrote, -after he had given vent to his jubilant feelings. “There is a fairly -good harbour here, except when the wind is in the north-west. The town -seems more capable of improvement and extension than any other on the -coast of Palestine, and there is already a Jewish colony near by. By the -time you and your charming wife come out, my dear Montella, your place -of residence will be ready for your occupation. Picture to yourself a -magnificent white-painted, flat-roofed house situated amidst -olive-trees, with Mount Carmel to look down upon you, and hill after -hill as far as eye can reach. Why, you will wonder how you could have -remained in prosaic London for so many months at a time. And the thought -that we are no longer on sufferance, but that this is our own -country—our own little republic—will be best of all!” - -He was not lacking in enthusiasm, this big, burly, and usually -matter-of-fact doctor. His letter brimmed over with expressions of -cheery optimism, and he refused to be disheartened by those who opposed -his schemes. What mattered the growlings of France and Russia so long as -Turkey could be conciliated by _backsheesh_? Once the Palestinian -negotiations were concluded and the treaty signed, he was certain his -people need have no fear. - -Montella put the letter away as Mrs. Whiteside was shown into the room. -To the old nurse every chair in the place was familiar, and she entered -with the air of one who knew her way about. She remained standing, -however, and refused to be seated. She did not wish to detain Master -Linie and her ladyship; she had only come to make a request. Lionel -expressed his willingness to grant it whatever it might be. He thought -she might want to change her abode, or to have some improvements made to -the cottage, or something of a like nature. He was always ready to meet -the wishes of his tenants, including this one, in spite of the fact that -she lived rent free. But Mrs. Whiteside’s desire lay in another -direction altogether; she was quite satisfied with the present condition -of her house. - -“Is it true that if Parliament persecutes the Lord’s ancient people you -will go and live in the Holy Land?” she asked, in her quaint way. “Mr. -Bell, the policeman, said you might; but I said you would never leave -Burstall Abbey for good.” - -“It will be a case of needs must, I am afraid, Anne,” Montella replied, -noticing the look of concern on her face. “If it comes to being false to -Judaism or leaving the country, Lady Patricia and I will have to go. But -I will not sell the Abbey except to some good and responsible man, and -you need have no fear that you will suffer by the change. Your house -belongs to you, nurse, and no one shall rob you of it. I will tell my -solicitor to prepare a document to that effect.” - -The dame’s eyes filled with tears. - -“Oh, I wasn’t thinking of that, Mr. Linie,” she said quickly, with a -touch of reproach. “Only it will nearly break my heart to see strangers -in the old place. It was your grandfather who first got me a situation -down here, and I’ve been here ever since. I remember every birth, -marriage, and death in the family, and I’ve just counted time by those -events.” - -“You have always been a faithful retainer, nurse,” he rejoined kindly. -“It is gratifying to know that our departure will be regretted.” - -“Ay, it will be regretted by every man, woman, and child in the place, -but by me most of all. Mr. Linie, will you do me a favour—the greatest -I’ve ever asked of you? Will you take me and my boy with you when you -go?” - -It was out at last, and the old woman’s form quivered with excitement. -If he were to refuse, it would be the greatest disappointment she had -ever received. She was so devoted to the very name of Montella that she -could not bear to be left behind. She watched Lionel’s face as she put -the question, and awaited his answer in an agony of suspense. Lady -Patricia drew forward a chair, and made her sit down. She could see that -the nurse was intensely moved. - -“We intend dismissing our staff of servants both in London and down here -if we go,” the young man replied thoughtfully. “We shall be expected to -employ Jewish labour as much as possible in the new land.” - -“But you will have to employ some Gentile servants to work for you on -your Sunday, sir,” she interposed eagerly. “I could see to that for you, -and I could do all sorts of odd jobs for your lady and Lady Montella. I -am getting old, maybe, but I can get about just as well as ever I could. -I am sure you could manage the matter, Mr. Linie, if you were to try.” - -The pleading in her manner touched Patricia. - -“Say yes, Lionel,” she said to her husband, in a quiet voice. “As Mrs. -Whiteside seems so anxious to accompany us, it would be a pity not to -take her with us if we go.” - -Lionel smiled. - -“The Queen hath spoken: so be it,” he returned lightly. “Very well, -nurse, I will promise you this. If we go, you shall go with us.” - -“And Tom, too, sir?” - -“Yes, certainly. We should not think of parting you from your boy.” - -The old nurse was not effusive in her gratitude, but her eyes shone as -she thanked them and went away. - -“I believe that woman would be faithful to the death,” Lionel said, as -the door closed behind her. He felt that it was good to be the possessor -of such loyal allegiance. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - A DIFFICULT ALTERNATIVE - - -The Jews’ Expulsion Bill had been passed through the House of Lords at -last, but the Act would not be put into full force until the April of -the next year. The fourteen months’ grace was given for charity’s sake, -in order that those Jews who came under the ban might have time to -settle up their affairs. This was certainly an improvement on the -Expulsion of 1290, when the Jews were deprived of all they possessed, -and cast adrift in such a manner that many of them succumbed before -reaching the other side of the Channel. Nevertheless, Athelstan Moore -and his party had taken care to impose certain restrictions, so that the -interim would not be entirely a respite. The immigration of aliens from -abroad, whether _en route_ for other countries or not, was immediately -stopped, no foreign Jew of whatever status being allowed to land. No Jew -was allowed to rent or purchase any new property, and the money-lending -business was brought to an abrupt standstill. Jewish marriages were -forbidden, and all Jews holding civic positions were deprived of office. -Besides all this, there were numerous rules and regulations of lesser -importance, so that the Jew would find himself hedged in on every side. -But there existed a loophole of escape available to all; it was nothing -to the Government that it would be accepted only by the few. - -This loophole consisted of a certificate of assimilation granted by -every local magistrate on certain conditions. Any Jew or Jewess over the -age of fifteen was eligible as a candidate, and children could be signed -for by their parents. In order to obtain it, certain statements had to -be declared on oath in the presence of a commissioner and three -witnesses, and once the oath was taken, the penalty for breaking it -would be extremely severe. The conditions were embodied in the following -form of declaration: - - “I ............ hereby declare that I am a Jew (or Jewess) by birth - only, and not by religion; that I totally renounce Judaism, and - everything connected therewith; that I will mix freely with Gentiles, - and do my best to dispel all clannishness and cliquism of race. - - “I further undertake to make the Christian Sunday my day of rest, and - to celebrate socially the great Christian festivals; also to partake - of ordinary Gentile food, and to cease to observe the Jewish dietary - laws; to refrain from speaking or reading Hebrew, and from the use of - Jewish idioms. I promise to abstain from every Jewish rite, to attend - either a Christian, Theistic, or Unitarian place of worship, and to - associate myself religiously and socially with either of these three - bodies. - - (If eligible for marriage.) “I undertake to marry one of Gentile birth - only, and to bring up any children of the said union in the faith of - their Gentile parent. - - (If already married.) “I undertake to teach all my children, both now - and in the future, the religion of the Church (Christian, Theistic, or - Unitarian) I intend to make my own. - - (Signed) .....................” - -Here was to follow the full name address, and description of the -candidate, with photograph attached. - -This certificate was granted only to those who were already British -subjects either by birth or by naturalisation of five years’ standing. -No “greener” was therefore eligible, and foreign labour in Whitechapel -was thereby done away with. The formula had been drawn up by Mr. Lawson -Holmes, M.P., the ardent advocate of assimilation in its most thorough -form. To him it seemed fair and just, and the only means of refining the -Jewish element of the English nation to its due proportion. He -considered that from the point of view of utilitarianism, mere sentiment -must be put aside. He was not an anti-Semite, and he disagreed on many -points with the Premier; he was undoubtedly a man of sound common sense. - -As was to be expected, however, his formula evoked a storm of -indignation in the Jewish press. Eloquent appeals to the -patriotism of the race were issued and disseminated amongst the -British Jews throughout the land, and meetings of protest were -held despite the vigilance of the police. What People—were they -ever so irresponsible—would renounce their race and religion, -together with their ancient and illustrious past, at the mere word -of command? The very thought of persecution was enough to make men -cling to their cherished traditions with a new and greater -strength. Such a result—the deepening of their peculiar unity—had -been proved in the annals of history over and over again. - -“I shall go and see Holmes to-night,” Montella said to his wife, as soon -as he had received notice of the formula. “I cannot rest until I have -made him see the absurdity of the whole thing. He used to be a friend of -mine.” - -“Ask him what would be his answer if he were commanded to give up his -birthright as a freeborn English Christian,” advised his mother, with -heat. - -“But don’t make matters worse by quarrelling with him, dear,” added -Patricia gently. - -Montella promised to use his discretion; he was not of a fiery -temperament. He met Mr. Lawson Holmes in the lobby of the House of -Commons, and adjourned with him to his club. His friend insisted on -dining first before entering on the subject, and Lionel consented to -partake of a vegetarian repast. It was when they lingered over their -wine that the Cabinet Minister began his defence. He could not help -being impressed in spite of himself by Lionel’s reproachful mien. - -“Now, my dear fellow, let us survey the question from an economic -standpoint,” he began, as he puffed away at a cigar. “I shall proceed to -dissect you metaphorically, if you have no objection?” - -“None at all, so long as you leave the ego—that which is my real -self—intact,” Lionel replied. - -“Very well, then, let us begin.” The Minister removed his cigar from his -lips, and placed it between his fingers. “First of all, I take it that -you are one of the units of which the English nation is composed: that -you are by birth and education an Englishman, and a subject of the -King?” - -Montella acquiesced. - -“That being so, then, your tastes are naturally British, and your -interest is to a great degree monopolised by the country of your birth. -This is proved by the mere fact of your being an ex-member of -Parliament, in which capacity I know you desired to exercise your -influence for the national good.” - -“Certainly.” - -“Yet when you are told that a certain legislation concerning the -question of the Jews is for the national good, you steadfastly set your -face against it, and resent its introduction. Being hemmed in by the -narrowness of your creed, you are unable to get outside yourself, so to -speak, and look at the matter from a rational and utilitarian point of -view. That is the great difference between you and your parliamentary -colleagues.” - -“Exactly,” put in Montella eagerly. “I am a Jew.” - -“A Jew, yes; but I wish to discover how much of the Jew there is in -you—the real Jew, according to the Oriental sense of the term. That -there is an element of Hebraism in your moral and intellectual nature I -do not dispute; but there are other and Occidental elements which you -have inherited to a greater degree. Do you think your forefathers, when -they left Palestine and lived in the West, were not affected by the -influences of Hellenism, of Chivalry, of the Renaissance, of the -Reformation, and of the Christian ethics in general, with which they -came into contact? My dear fellow, the Occidental Jew—such as -yourself—is no more like the Hebrew of old than I am! Do you think that -if you were forced to live in strict accordance with the Talmudic law, -you would feel that you were fulfilling the obligations of your race? I -assure you that you would feel nothing of the kind; you would know that -you were returning to darkness, shutting out civilisation and light.” - -“Perhaps so,” replied the young man thoughtfully, “but for all that, I -am a Jew, and not all the Occidental influences in the world have been -able to break the bond which unites me to my forefathers. Blood is -thicker than water, Mr. Holmes; and when once the blood of an Israelite -flows in a man’s veins, it is impossible for him to forget his heritage. -He may renounce it as he likes, but by his looks, his temperament, his -associations, his very tricks of gesture, he betrays it. That I have -nothing in common with the typical Jew of tradition, and that I am a -thorough Englishman at heart I am glad to admit; nevertheless there is a -difference between myself and you, for instance. Small and indefinable -though it may be, you know that it is there.” - -He had drawn his chair back from the table in his ardour, and leant back -with a flush on his brow. His dark eyes glowed with the intensity of -feeling, and about the youthful, clean-shaven face, with its splendid -forehead, sensitive nostrils, and firm, yet gentle mouth, there was a -nobility which it was hard to resist. Holmes secretly considered -Montella a perfect specimen of his race, but he was loath to believe -that he had inherited a single good quality from his Hebrew ancestors. - -“As long as you remain an idealist, my dear boy, you will never be able -to take a dispassionate view of the matter,” he returned, with -deliberation. “It is that sentimental clinging to tradition which is -your people’s bane. My standpoint, however, is simply this: A Jewish -element in a nation is a desirable and almost an essential thing to -have, but as soon as that element preponderates—as now—it becomes a -danger to the State. Therefore it must be kept within bounds, and those -Jews who refuse to conform to the customs of this country must be weeded -out. The only way out of the present crisis, it seems to me, is -absorption, for as long as you Jews remain separatists you have no right -to the full privileges of the land of your adoption. Therefore the -Government has thought fit to take stringent measures to bring about -this result; and although I admit that those measures seem unnecessarily -harsh, I know that they are for the benefit of the nation at large. Let -those Jews who cherish the scriptural tradition and maintain their -clannishness return to the land of their fathers. There must be either -assimilation or a separate Jewish state.” - -“And you think this justifies the persecution of two hundred and seventy -thousand people, the majority of whom are loyal subjects of the King?” - -The Minister frowned. - -“I do not call it persecution when the alternative is such a reasonable -one,” he replied. “It is not as if we were compelling you to become -Christians. You can retain your religious belief in the Absolute Unity -by declaring yourselves Theists or Monotheists instead of Jews; the -change is only in the name.” - -“But we are to give up our customs and our Sabbath, our fasts and our -feasts, and everything which throughout the centuries has made Judaism -the bond of union twixt Jew and Jew!” He sighed, knowing that they might -argue till Doomsday, and yet remain as far asunder as the poles. Mr. -Lawson Holmes was well informed concerning the Jews, and indeed -possessed more knowledge than the average Gentile; but he was not -capable of putting himself in the position of a Jew; he could not -understand the racial claim. - -In spite of all Jewish obligations and the condemnation of the press, -however, the assimilation plan was not unanimously rejected by the Jews. -Some were too deaf to the claims of race and faith to care to retain -them; others were less insensible, but could not bear the thought of -suffering; others, again, were prepared to sacrifice their personal -feelings for the sake of the public good. It was one thing to cherish -one’s old traditions, and look kindly on all things Jewish for old -association’s sake; it was quite another thing to have to pay for the -privilege of doing so by expulsion, physical discomfort, money, and loss -of pride. It was found that the majority of those Jews who had long -mixed with the _élite_ of English society, including some of the princes -of finance, were quite willing to take the oath; but the number of -faithful Jews increased as one descended the social scale. It is ever so -when a religious or moral upheaval affects the heart of a people; for a -passionate and public adherence to a religious or moral belief one has -to look amongst the poor. - -The Montellas were a notable exception amongst their prosperous -_confrères_. The loyal faith and inherent sense of duty possessed by -Lady Montella were shared by her son, and to him the rest of their -co-religionists looked for help. Young as he was, he possessed all the -characteristics which conduce to the making of a good leader, and in his -devotion to the cause he made a worthy protector of his people’s -interests. It was good to know that amidst the trouble and confusion of -this terrible crisis there was a man in Israel on whom one could -depend—a man who possessed the power of wealth and influence as well as -that of intellectual attainments, whose very personality inspired -confidence in the souls of the depressed, whose heart was in truth a -heart of gold. Encouraged by the resolute faith of his mother, and -influenced by the beautiful disposition of his wife, his character -expanded in breadth without losing its manliness. Difficulties which -would have filled others with alarm, were to him as so many easily -surmounted obstacles to be overcome. With a clearness of vision, granted -only to the few, he was able to look onward in the future, seeing not -the immediate distress of present circumstances, but only the coming -glory of that Eastern Land. - - - - - BOOK II - THE LAND OF THEIR FATHERS -“_And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the -outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the - four corners of the earth._”—ISAIAH xi. 12. - - - - - CHAPTER I - PURIM IN HAIFA - - -Haifa, the most modern city in Palestine, lay at the southern point of -the Bay of Acre, about fifty miles north of Jaffa. Situated amid -palm-trees, it retained its Eastern character whilst bearing witness to -the innovations of the West. During the two years which had elapsed -since the English Edict of Expulsion, the great army of Jewish artisans -had laboured well. Rows upon rows of white bungalows had sprung up -almost, as it seemed, in a night; and although they could not boast of -the substantiality of their construction, they could be improved by -degrees. The greater part of the population consisted of British -refugees, who, linked together by the same home ties, concentrated -themselves as much as possible in one quarter, leaving their brethren of -other nationalities to settle in different parts of the country. -Therefore, although it was an accepted rule that Hebrew was to be learnt -and spoken, they instinctively clung to their native tongue. - -They were very aristocratic, these exiled English Jews. Like many -English people who travel abroad, they considered themselves vastly -superior to all the foreigners with whom they came into contact. They -looked down on their poor Polish and Roumanian brethren, who in their -turn considered the English as irreligious moderns, scarcely worthy of -the name of Jews. The brotherly feeling of equality which their leaders -endeavoured to instil within them was as yet entirely lacking. Although -of identical race and religion, and gathered together under one banner, -the distinctions of class and nationality held them aloof. - -It was the eve of Purim, the Feast of Lots. By decree of the council, a -public holiday had been proclaimed; for it was intended that this day -should annually be observed, and that the rejoicings should be akin to -the nature of a carnival. It was not until dusk, however, that the -festivities began. The day had been unusually hot, even for Syria, and -the majority of the inhabitants had chosen to spend the holiday indoors. -At sunset came the breeze, and the heat of the day was replaced by a -refreshing and welcome coolness. No matter how hot the day in Haifa, the -nights were always cool. - -In a sequestered corner of a city roof-garden were Lionel Montella and -his wife. Above them the moon shone with dazzling splendour, making the -numberless hills stand out as sentinels on guard, and causing the waters -of the bay to sparkle like myriads of jewels. Patricia reclined against -the cushions of her chair, and inhaled the fragrance of the breeze with -keen enjoyment. She found the Syrian climate so trying that she was -thankful for every breath of air. - -The two years in Palestine had changed her little, and she was still a -delicately fair and beautiful girl. Devotedly attached to her husband -and baby boy, she found no occasion to pine for her friends in the West. -She had always possessed the power of adapting herself to her -surroundings, and she soon became accustomed to the strangeness of her -new life. Recently the Princess Charles von Felsen-Schvoenig had arrived -to “do” Palestine, and was at present in Haifa, so that she was not -entirely destitute of friends. - -“The Princess is late,” she remarked, as Lionel took a seat at her side. -“She said she would come here to see the fun.” - -“Perhaps her carriage has some difficulty in getting through the crowd,” -Montella replied. “I am just wondering if this carnival idea of -Engelmacher’s is a wise one. It means practically setting the people -loose.” - -“I rather like the idea,” Patricia said thoughtfully. “The people have -had such a serious time of it that it will do them good to relax for -once. I do not see why they should not behave as well as the people at -Nice or Cannes. The soldiers will keep them within bounds.” - -“I can scarcely reconcile myself to the thought of vociferous Jewish -rejoicing,” he rejoined. “We have sung in the minor key for so many -years. Do you know, dearest, these last two years seem to have passed -like a dream. I have difficulty in convincing myself sometimes that I am -awake.” - -“A dream of hard work, then,” was her reply. “To be governor of a city -so cosmopolitan as Haifa, and where the inhabitants have scarcely -settled down, is no sinecure, Lal, dear. I know of no man, not excepting -Dr. Engelmacher himself, who could have done so much in so short a time. -It is no wonder that there is already a streak of grey in your hair.” - -He bent down and kissed her with eyes full of tenderness. His life in -Palestine would have been almost unbearable without Patricia’s sweet -sympathy and encouragement; for there was much in the city and the -people over whom he was placed that vexed him sometimes beyond -endurance. Her love was the sustaining power which made the rough places -smooth, and she possessed so winning a manner that she could exert a -greater influence over the people by a single sentence than he could by -a long and forcible address. Political administration could do much to -improve the conditions of the city, but it could not instil a high moral -tone. - -The rustle of silken garments announced the approach of ladies, and -Montella rose from his chair. The Princess, clad in a gown of filmy -white, was accompanied by Lady Montella and Raie. Just at that moment -the sound of cheering came up to them from below. - -“My little car has met with the approval of the people,” the Princess -said, smiling. “It is the one I had in Rome.” - -Montella went over to the parapet and looked down. A small white -swan-shaped car, drawn by four Arabian ponies, was being driven slowly -away. It was decorated with choice flowers, and illuminated with tiny -lamps, resulting in a fairy-like effect. In the procession which would -presently set out for the mock hanging of Haman’s effigy, it would serve -as Queen Esther’s triumphal car. - -“Lady Montella took me over your new house this afternoon,” the Princess -informed Patricia, as she settled herself at her side. “It will be the -show-place of Haifa. I like your Roman atrium immensely. Who designed -it?” - -“Lionel. He is so determined that I should have an artistic home that he -has spared no pains to make it beautiful for me. That is why the -builders have taken so much time over it. For myself, I am quite happy -in this little place, in spite of its plainness. It was a sort of -hospice before we came, you know.” - -She smiled as she thought of her husband’s enthusiasm over the house he -was having built. That house was his hobby, and he took the same pride -in it as an artist over his picture. And she knew the motive of his -interest was concentrated in herself; in his eyes there was no home -which could be beautiful enough for his wife. - -“You must invite me to come and stay with you when it is finished,” said -the Princess lightly. “Meanwhile I must be content with my exalted -position on the top of Mount Carmel. It is something, is it not, to stay -in the very place where Elijah conquered the prophets of Baal? I love -Mount Carmel!” - -“You seem quite enamoured of Palestine altogether,” said Montella, -joining the group. “I did not think you would stay so long, Princess—you -who have seen so much of other countries.” - -“I do like Palestine,” she admitted readily. “I like the Oriental -colouring, and it amuses me to note the curious blending of types and -nationalities to be found here. Besides, Palestine possesses an interest -all its own. I am not religiously inclined myself; but it is, after all, -the _Holy Land_.” - -“The Holy Land!” repeated Patricia musingly. “Do you know of what the -phrase puts me in remembrance? Why, of the dreaded Scripture lessons I -had in the days of my childhood. My governess used to make me learn the -exact position of every place mentioned in the Bible, until I could -almost find them, blindfolded, on the map. I am afraid I used to hate -the Holy Land in those days. I never dreamt that I should go there -myself.” - -“And do you like it better now that you are here?” - -“Yes; but I should like any place for so long as my husband were with -me.” - -She glanced affectionately at Lionel. The Princess sighed. Perhaps a -pang of compunction smote her for having left her own husband to lead a -solitary life in the castle at Felsen-Schvoenig. Hers was a curious -blending of character which the German Prince could not understand. She -was alternately defiant and yielding; unfortunately, whenever she came -into contact with her husband, the defiance predominated. - -“To-day’s mail brought me a letter from Mamie,” she said, after a -moment’s silence. “She seems to be getting on very well with her new -husband, considering Moore’s temper. She says that he is more -interesting than Chesterwood, because she never knows what sort of a -mood he will be in next. There is something in that, you know.” - -Patricia smiled. - -“How does she like being the Prime Minister’s wife?” she asked. - -“Oh, Athelstan is horrid in that way,” the Princess replied vaguely. “He -doesn’t believe in women meddling with politics; and won’t tell her any -State secrets.” - -“Sensible man!” remarked Montella, with a playful glance at his wife; -and then the cheering having begun anew, he returned to the parapet. - -“The procession is coming,” announced Raie, who was looking down on the -crowd. “Look: ‘_What shall be done to the man whom the King delighteth -to honour?_’ There is the Scroll of Esther. I suppose they are going to -the synagogue to read it.” - -The procession was headed by the students of the new Haifa Jews’ College -in full dress, and was unenlivened by the strains of any brass band. -Instead, the weird chanting of Psalms in Hebrew smote the air, the -voices sounding clear, but somewhat harsh. Men of all sorts and -conditions followed on: the swarthy Pole walked side by side with the -ruddy Saxon, the fair and slender Jerusalemite with the wiry Roumanian. -Coming from a source so heterogeneous, they were yet able to sink their -national differences on one common meeting-ground; and Hebrew, that -sacred tongue of their fathers, served as a language for them all. - -Lady Montella, with her arm within her son’s, watched them with swelling -heart. To her, there was a deeper significance than the mere joy of -Purim in the procession of rejoicing Jews. The chord of racial -nationalism which lay so far down in her nature responded as to an -harmonious touch, and quivered with an emotion which could scarcely be -expressed in words. Years ago she had dreamt of a free gathering under -the sign of the Shield of David. It seemed as if her dream had at last -come true. - -“Can I go down amongst the crowd, Aunt Inez?” asked Raie, breaking in -upon her reverie. “I want to have a look at all the funny things the men -are selling.” - -“It would not be safe, dear,” Lady Montella replied. “You would need a -stronger escort than Anne.” - -“You can come with me presently, Raie,” volunteered the Princess, -noticing the girl’s air of disappointment “If Lady Montella has no -objection, you shall spend the night with me at the Mount Carmel Hotel.” - -Raie was delighted, and having obtained permission, went to get ready -forthwith. An hour later they were being driven through the densely -thronged streets. The festivities had taken a more hilarious turn, but -there was nothing riotous in the behaviour of any of the people. When -the Jew rejoices as a religious duty, he does it with his whole heart; -but as he is not addicted to drink, he is able to keep his merriment -within bounds. The throwing of the modern confetti and the trampling -underfoot of Haman’s effigies constituted the chief source of amusement. -Indoors the better-class families were celebrating the occasion by a -grand Purim feast. - -Arrived at the summit of the mount, they found the hotel in a state of -confusion. A tourist—arrived only that day—had been attacked by an Arab -in one of the caves, and—it was said—lay in a critical condition. It was -the first time for many years that an outrage had been committed so near -the town. - -The Princess was much concerned, for she had made the acquaintance of -the tourist in question immediately after his arrival. - -“His name is Frank Merryweather, and he comes from Australia,” she said -to Raie, who was always anxious for information. “He is one of the -finest men I have ever seen.” - -“He is not a Jew?” affirmed the girl, with interrogation. - -“I am not sure. He is the sort of man one can’t easily place; but as he -spoke of going on to England shortly, I suppose he is not.” - -Later in the evening, the physician, who happened to be staying in the -hotel, informed them that his patient’s wound was not so serious as had -been feared. The next morning the patient himself was brought up to the -roof-garden to enjoy the air before the heat of the day. - -The Princess and her friend were up early, and found him propped up on a -couch beneath a shady palm. The air was fragrant with the breath of -tropical flowers, and was made melodious by the sweet carolling of the -birds. The sick man lay with his eyes closed, but he opened them as he -heard the rustling of a woman’s dress. His glance first fell on the -stately figure of the Princess, and his features relaxed in greeting. -Then he looked at Raie, who, in a simple linen gown which suited her -well, might have stood for a picture of perfect girlhood. - -“Miss Emanuel, Mr. Merryweather,” said the Princess; and Raie shook -hands with a new tinge of colour in her cheeks. Then an almost -involuntary look passed between them—the intuitive sign when Jew meets -Jew. - -“We were distressed to hear of your accident last night,” the Princess -said, as they took their seats beside him. “Do tell us about it. Do you -feel better this morning?” - -“Oh, yes, thank you,” he replied, in a genial voice. “It was a mere -scratch, which the people chose to magnify into a serious wound. I shall -be as right as ninepence pretty soon. It was my own fault for prying -where I wasn’t wanted. I got into one of the caves on the other side of -the mount, not knowing that it was the parlour of an Arab gentleman -until he set on me and whipped out a knife. I wouldn’t have intruded if -I had known it was his den. I guess I’ll keep to the township for the -future, anyway.” - -“Have you been long in Syria?” asked the Princess, when they had both -commented on the adventure. “I suppose you have visited Jerusalem and -the neighbourhood?” - -He answered in the negative. - -“I came from Port Said to Jaffa, and from Jaffa to here,” he explained. -“I am really _en route_ from Australia to England.” - -Raie wondered what business had brought him to Haifa, but she was too -well-bred to ask. - -“I suppose England is your home?” she said gently, thinking that there -was no harm in questioning so far. - -“I have no home, Miss Emanuel,” was his prompt reply. “The world is my -home.” - -There was a touch of sadness in his words, as well as in his voice. The -girl glanced up suddenly, and meeting the gaze from his deep eyes looked -as suddenly away. She felt instinctively that this was a man who had -been brought into contact with the rough side of life, but who yet -retained his natural refinement of birth. He interested her strangely, -and so strongly that she longed to find out more about him. If he were a -Jew, how was it that he intended to go to England? Surely he must be -aware of the expulsion of the Jews? - -She was so impressed by his personality that she could not help thinking -of him, even after her departure from the hotel. She visited her -people—who lived in one of the white houses in the suburbs—later in the -day, and could scarcely refrain from mentioning him to them. She was -glad, however, that she was able to check herself in time, for Mrs. -Emanuel’s badinage was the last thing that she desired. In talking to -her mother, however, a half-forgotten chord of remembrance was stirred -in her brain—a psychological connection between Mr. Merryweather and a -former conversation. She tried to fathom it out, but the solution -escaped her. One thing she was certain about: she had seen something of -the tourist before. - - - - - CHAPTER II - RAIE AND THE TOURIST - - -The Princess had taken a fancy to Raie. She admired the girl’s winsome -face, with its coronal of curly hair, and the animation which shone in -her dark eyes. She liked, too, her naïve manner and natural freshness, -for, in spite of her thoughtfulness, Raie was a child of Nature. In -England the two had scarcely spoken, although they had met several -times; but in Haifa the conditions of life were different, and the -friendship, once begun, soon ripened. Thus it happened that Raie spent a -great part of her time at the Mount Carmel Hotel, either lunching or -dining with her friend. - -The air of mystery which pervaded the Australian tourist still -prevailed. He would give a certain amount of information about himself, -but no more; and concerning his own life he was extremely reticent. He -seldom ventured far into the town, and had not troubled to call at the -Government House. What attracted him to Haifa, therefore, no one exactly -knew; he had evidently come for a private purpose of his own. - -Now the Princess possessed acute powers of perception. She soon saw that -Mr. Merryweather took pleasure in Raie’s society, and that Raie -reciprocated in like manner. So she set the seal of her approval on the -acquaintance by giving them opportunities for its further cultivation; -and in spite of her worldly wisdom she did not pause to consider whether -such a friendship were desirable. The tourist was much older than Raie, -and of his connections nothing was known. Yet she encouraged the girl to -form a liking for him which gradually deepened into love. - -He had travelled so much that conversation never languished for want of -subject matter. Raie was profoundly interested in his graphic accounts -of life in the bush, but she would have preferred to hear him talk about -himself. She did not even know if her instinctive belief that he -belonged to her own race was correct; for although they had often -approached the subject, he had not yet confessed himself a Jew. She -thought so much of him that she was determined to find out. It would -make all the difference in the world if he were not a Jew. - -He was fond of taking excursions in the surrounding country on -horseback, and often remained away over night. He invited the Princess -and Raie to picnic with him near the ruins of the Castellum Peregrinorum -of the Crusaders one day, and seemed so bent upon their going, that they -did not like to refuse. They set out at dawn, accompanied by two other -gentlemen who were staying at the hotel, and three Arab servants. Their -way lay along a cultivated plain between the mountains and the sea, with -villages nestling on the slopes above them, and rocks and ruins below. -The gaudily-dressed peasants gazed at them with distrust, evidently -regarding them as intruders. Arrived at Athlit, they put up their horses -at a neighbouring khan, and prepared to partake of a light repast. Their -appetites had been sharpened by the ride. - -Raie felt like a schoolgirl out for a holiday. She had come out with the -express intention of enjoying herself, and she meant to fulfil it to the -letter. Outside the khan lay a solemn-looking camel; immediately she -made up her mind that she must have a ride. - -The Arab in charge was a gentle-looking individual, with somewhat -melancholy eyes. He wore both a tarbûsh and keffiyeh on his head, and -his abbâ—or shawl—fell from his shoulders in graceful folds. He shrugged -his shoulders when Mr. Merryweather’s servant proffered Raie’s request, -and in consideration of _backsheesh_ allowed her to mount. This was -easier said than done, for when the camel began to rise from the ground -she was nearly thrown over his head. She clung on, however, with all the -tenacity of which she was capable, and felt as if she had attained a -victory when the animal set off at a jog-trot. - -Mr. Merryweather walked alongside in order to keep her company, and -endeavoured to sustain a conversation with the Arab on the way. When the -girl declared that the motion gave her a peculiar sensation, he -suggested a halt, and the animal was brought to a sudden standstill. -Raie was not sorry to dismount, and gave a sigh of relief when her feet -touched the ground. She had no desire to repeat the experience which had -been hers on the sea. - -Her companion paid the Arab, and sent the camel back to the khan. Then -he drew Raie towards one of the fine carob-trees which abound in that -district, and bade her rest beneath its shade. She settled herself -comfortably on a boulder, and he flung himself down at her side. The -opportunity for which he had sought had come. - -“Miss Emanuel,” he said suddenly, “are you fond of Heine?” - -The question was so unexpected that Raie glanced at him in surprise. - -“Do you mean the German poet?” she asked. - -“Yes.” - -The girl waxed thoughtful. - -“I admire his genius,” she replied, at length, “but some of his poems -irritate me. He is so apt to descend from the sublime to the ridiculous, -and to him absolutely nothing is sacred. He has the poet’s mind without -the poet’s soul. What makes you think of Heine, though, just now?” - -“I was thinking of a little poem I read of his a long time ago—‘Life’s -Salutations.’ It was about meeting each other on the highway of life, -but having little time to greet before the postillion gives the starting -signal, and we have to be off again. - - “‘In passing each other we nod and we greet - With our handkerchiefs waved from the coaches, - We fain would embrace, but our horses are fleet, - And speed on, despite all reproaches.’ - -That seems to apply to our case, does it not? We have had time to greet -each other, but that is all. The signal has been given for my coach to -start.” - -“Do you mean that you are going away?” Raie asked, with a sinking at her -heart. - -He nodded his head. - -“Yes,” was his reply. “I have stayed here much longer than I intended, -already. I must be in London at the beginning of next month.” - -“You are going to England!” she exclaimed, with disappointment in her -voice. If he were going to England, he could not be a Jew; and if he -were not a Jew, he could be nothing to her. She glanced at him with an -unspoken question in her eyes, whilst across her bright face flitted an -expression of pain. - -He captured one of her little sunburnt hands, and held it between his -own. - -“You are sorry—Raie?” he said, in a quiet voice. “Tell me the truth.” - -“Yes, I am sorry.” She glanced away, and refused to meet his gaze. “I -can’t help being sorry. You have been so kind to me.” - -She had never felt so near crying in her life, and yet she could have -laughed at her own foolishness. A mist rose before her eyes, and the -mountains in the distance seemed blurred. She released her hand, and -fumbled for her tiny lace handkerchief. Mr. Merryweather’s features -relaxed into an expression of gentleness. - -“Raie,” he said, with a tender accent on the name, “I am going to -England, but I am not bound to stay there. In three months’ time I can -be back in Haifa—that is, if you will give me permission to come.” - -“I?” she exclaimed evasively. “What has it to do with me?” - -“Everything. If I return to Haifa it will only be for you. Perhaps I -have no right to speak to you like this, dear, but I could not go away -without declaring myself. Raie, look me in the face and tell me the -truth. Do you love me?” - -He raised her chin gently with his two hands, and brought her face on a -level with his own. The girl’s cheeks grew crimson as she looked back -into the depths of his eyes. She answered not a word, but he was -satisfied. - -“You do love me,” he said, with conviction. “I can read the answer in -your eyes.” - -There was a moment of silence as he relaxed his hold. The girl was -undergoing an inward struggle, and her heart beat fast. She was -wondering what the Montellas would think of her secret lover, and what -her mother would say. Would they be angry with her, and consider her -conduct underhand? Would they approve of one who was presumably a -Christian and a wanderer? Would it not be wiser to send him away before -it was too late? In less than a minute these suggestions crowded in upon -her mind. - -Mr. Merryweather seemed to guess her thoughts. - -“I wonder if you love me enough to trust me, dear,” he said slowly. “You -have a right to want to know something about the man you intend to -marry, but I cannot tell you all about myself just yet. I can assure -you, though, that I come of a good family—my father is a baronet; and -although I am over thirty, I am a bachelor, and have never had a -love-affair. More than this I cannot tell you now, but you shall know -everything some day. Until then, will you be content to take me on -trust? Will you promise to become my wife?” - -He spoke in the sharp, disjointed sentences which were—with him—a sign -of deep feeling. Raie looked up at him almost piteously, and for the -moment knew not how to reply. He was so much older and stronger than -herself that she instinctively felt that resistance would be useless; -besides, she did not want to resist. But something within urged her not -to be rash, and she felt compelled to listen to her conscience. - -“I do trust you,” she answered, almost inaudibly, “but I cannot promise -to become your wife. I owe so much to Lady Montella that I could not—I -dare not—engage myself without her consent. You see I believe in you -because—because I know that you are good; but in her case it would be so -different. I am sure she would not give her consent to our engagement -unless she were satisfied that you—that you—oh, I can’t explain, but you -know what I mean. And she is so particular that I am afraid she would -never allow me to marry away from my religion. I suppose you are—not a -Jew?” - -She studied his features as though their contour would reveal what she -sought. He was neither fair nor dark, and his life in the open had lent -a ruggedness to his countenance which baffled her completely. -Fortunately she was not kept long in suspense. - -“That objection can be easily dispelled,” he answered, with a slight -touch of colour. “I have the right to call myself a Jew.” - -She gave a sigh of relief. - -“And yet you are going to England?” she questioned, not yet satisfied. -“And—and—Merryweather is not a Jewish name?” - -He bent down and regarded her steadfastly once more. - -“Did you not say you would trust me, Raie?” he rejoined, with a touch of -reproach. “What if, for a certain grave reason, I have been obliged to -change my name? Listen, child,”—his voice became almost stern—“I am a -Jew; but for many years past I have made mankind my brethren, the world -my country, and God in Nature my religion. When I was a youth I was -expelled from home and people for a crime which I never committed, since -when I have lived alone. Recently I have had reason to believe that by -returning to England I may be able to prove my innocence, and as I have -made my fortune out on the goldfields, I shall have the power that money -can give. I can tell you no more, perhaps I have told you too much -already; but I have made you a most serious confidence. Surely you can -trust me in return?” - -Her face was full of trouble. - -“I do trust you!” she repeated, with a catch in her breath; “but what -you have told me makes it harder still. Unless she knows the whole -truth, I know Lady Montella will not consent.” - -“She must know nothing for the present. Not a word of what I have told -you must pass your lips. Raie, my darling, I must insist on this for the -sake of us both. Promise me you will not say anything of this.” - -She promised—but with reluctance, because she hated to have a secret -from her foster-aunt. - -“Won’t you tell me your real name?” she asked half wistfully. “I do not -want to think of you as ‘Frank Merryweather’ if that is only a -pseudonym.” - -But he shook his head. - -“You must have patience a little longer, dear,” he rejoined. “I dare not -tell you yet.” - -She glanced at him with reproach in her eyes, but forbore to put it into -words. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead, and then assisted -her to rise. They were both silent on the way back to the khan, and -Raie, at least, was deep in thought. Suddenly a flash of light as -dazzling as a revelation burst in upon her mind. She knew now why her -lover’s personality had always seemed so familiar to her. The son of a -Jewish baronet—expelled from home—fortune made in Australia. It was -impossible that there could exist two such men. - -She stopped short in her walk, and faced him with excitement. - -“It is not necessary for you to tell me your name,” she said hurriedly. -“I know it already. I first heard of you from my mother some months ago, -and I have seen your photograph. You are the son whom Sir Julian so -cruelly disinherited. You are Lionel’s half-brother—Ferdinand Montella!” - - - - - CHAPTER III - A GIRL IN LOVE - - -He met her gaze of astonishment with a curious expression on his face. - -“Ferdinand Montella is dead,” he returned slowly, “or at least he is -sleeping. For the present Frank Merryweather remains to take his place. -You are a clever child, Raie. I did not think you would find me out so -easily.” - -“I seemed, somehow, to know you from the first,” she said gladly, as -they continued their walk. “There was something about your personality -which gave me the impression of having met you before. I suppose I never -have met you before; but your ways of looking and speaking are very like -your poor father’s, and of course I knew him well.” - -The adjective arrested his attention. - -“You do not mean to say that my father is—” He broke off shortly. “Why -did you say ‘poor’?” - -“Because he is dead.” Then realising her abruptness, she was filled with -compunction. “Oh, I am so sorry,” she added respectfully. “I ought not -to have told you like that. I made sure that you knew; it was in all the -papers. He died over three years ago.” - -The tourist’s face grew grave, and unconsciously hardened. - -“I have lived practically away from civilisation for some time, where no -news could reach me,” he rejoined, “but I do not suppose I should have -been sent for, even had it been possible. Sir Julian treated me very -unjustly, Raie, and I find it hard to forget. Still, he was my father, -and loved me when I was a child. I am sorry he has died believing me -guilty.” - -Raie was silent for a few moments, and left him to his own reflections; -but before they rejoined their party, she spoke again. - -“Why did you come to Haifa without making yourself known to your people, -Ferdinand?” she asked, eager for information. - -“Frank, dear, not Ferdinand—for the present,” he corrected, starting -slightly at the name. “My coming to Haifa was a mere chance, and it was -not until I arrived here that I learnt that my brother Lionel was -Governor. I suppose Burstall Abbey has been sold? Who lives there now?” - -“It belongs to Earl Torrens, Lionel’s father-in-law; but it is standing -empty for the present. Do you remember the nurse—Anne—from Thorpe -Burstall? She came with us to Palestine, and is with us now.” - -“Anne Whiteside? Yes, I remember her well. I must be careful, or she -will recognise me. She was always very shrewd.” - -Raie glanced up at him thoughtfully. - -“I wish you would go and see Lady Montella and Lionel before you go -away,” she said, with a touch of entreaty. “I am sure they would receive -you well.” - -He shook his head. - -“I intend to have nothing to do with the Montellas until my innocence -has been proved,” he rejoined firmly. “I do not desire pity or -forgiveness; I want only justice.” - -“But you will claim your title, surely? Even if it is not of much value -away from England, it is your right. Some day we may all return.” - -He shrugged his shoulders. - -“For myself I care nothing; I have roughed it too long to wish for -anything of the sort. If I claim it, dearest, it will be for you.” - -The colour came into her cheeks, and she made no reply. Of all the -strange coincidences she had met with during her short life, this seemed -the strangest. Her eyes shone with a new light when, a few minutes -later, she rejoined the Princess; and on the homeward journey she was -unusually silent. As they passed through the outskirts of Haifa, she -found herself with her lover at the head of the little cavalcade a few -paces in advance, and begged him to allow her to confide in her friend. -She was so anxious to tell someone that she was afraid she would not be -able to refrain from introducing the subject; so Ferdinand, knowing that -the Princess could be trusted, consented. The occasion was celebrated by -a dainty supper in the hotel, and Raie’s eyes shone as they had never -done before. And even when her lover took his departure a few days -later, the love-light in her eyes remained, so that the Montellas -wondered what had come to her, and why she was so unusually joyous. -Perhaps the girl wondered at herself, for it seemed almost incredible -that the mere fact of knowing Ferdinand should make so great a -difference. But the fact remained, and she had no power to prevent -it—indeed, she had no wish that it should be otherwise. Gazing into her -mirror one morning, she was astonished to find how well she looked—how -her eyes sparkled, and how vivacious was the expression on her face. - -“I shall be quite pretty by the time Ferdie comes back,” she said softly -to herself, exhibiting for the first time a sense of vanity. “I want to -be pretty for him. For myself, I do not care at all; but for him—” - -And then she leant her elbows on the dressing-table and lost herself in -a delicious reverie; but presently a cloud passed over her brow. -Supposing Ferdinand were unable to prove his innocence, what would she -do? Had she the courage to marry him with a stain upon his name and -character; and even if she had the courage, would it be right for her so -to do? Besides, she could not marry him whilst he retained his -pseudonym, and neither in Palestine nor England could they be united -under the name of Montella. Looking into the future, she foresaw -difficulties so immense as to be almost insuperable, but she could not -bear the thought of ever having to give up the man she loved. No -sacrifice would be too great so far as she personally was concerned; but -she hated the thought of grieving the one to whom she owed more than she -could ever repay. It was not in her nature to act clandestinely or to -rebel against authority, especially when she knew that that authority -was worthy of esteem. So that if it came to breaking with either Lady -Montella or her lover, the struggle would be keen and bitter; for -whichever way it went she would lose a friend. She could only hope that -what she dreaded might never come to pass, and that her lover would -return with his honour unimpeached. Once he were able to reclaim his -forfeited rights, all impedimenta to their marriage would be removed. -Her foster-aunt would not withhold her consent without due cause. - -“Haifa seems to agree with you better than it does with us,” her mother -remarked, when in the cool of early morning she betook herself to the -little white bungalow which the Emanuels inhabited. “You are looking -splendid, Raie—different to our pasty-looking, freckled Harriet.” - -Raie was sorry for her sister, who, since the dissolution of her -engagement with the young man who had cruelly jilted her some months -before they left England, had come in for an unpalatable number of -home-truths. - -“Harriet cannot help her freckles, mother,” she rejoined, taking up the -cudgels in her defence. “I think she finds the climate trying, and I -know she does not like the food.” - -Mrs. Emanuel tossed her head in impatience. - -“Nonsense!” she exclaimed, with anger. “She doesn’t give the food a -chance; it is all I can do to get her to eat at all. Ever since her -engagement was broken off, she has done nothing but mope and pine for -Harry Levi. She has lost all her good looks, and she takes no trouble -over her appearance; and I’m sure the fellow isn’t worth a thought. I’m -ashamed of her, and that’s the truth; I never thought she would develop -into a crotchety old maid.” - -The girl was silent, scarcely knowing what to say. Thinking of her own -lover, she felt more sympathy for her unfortunate sister than she dare -own. But when Harriet made her appearance a little while later, she -could not help experiencing a shock. Was it really love—or the lack of -it—that could make such a change? - -“She does look ill,” she admitted, when the girl had left the room, “I -wonder if it would do her good to stay at Government House for a few -days? I am sure Lady Montella would allow me to invite her. What has -become of Harry Levi, I wonder. He is not in Palestine?” - -“No, of course not. He is one of the ‘assimilated’ Jews. I suppose he -will marry a _shicksa_,[8] and bring up his children as Christians. He -doesn’t deserve to get on, spoiling a girl’s life as he did. I’d like to -‘assimilate’ him, the scoundrel! There wouldn’t be much of him left by -the time I had finished. I hope you’ll be more careful when you get a -young man, Raie.” - -Footnote 8: - - Gentile (fem.). - -Raie blushed to the roots of her hair. “My young man would not throw me -over,” she said playfully, and quickly changed the subject. With a -somewhat forced carelessness she inquired if her mother were getting -more used to the place. - -“Getting used to the place?” repeated Mrs. Emanuel, in her usual -high-pitched voice. “I shall never get used to Haifa if I live to be a -hundred. When I want to be in bed, I’ve got to get up because it’s cool, -and when I want to be up and about, I’ve got to go to bed because it’s -hot. And as soon as I move out of doors I’m pestered with a lot of -Moslem beggars, until I come home without a farthing in my pocket. What -with the difference in the food, and the water that isn’t fit to drink, -and the funny people with their silly jargon, and the stupid currency, -which gives me a headache every time I have to buy anything, and the -peculiar mode of living, it’s enough to turn one’s hair grey. Besides, -the place is overcrowded. Palestine is too small for all the people who -want to settle down here.” - -Raie could not resist a smile. - -“There is bound to be a little overcrowding until the people are more -dispersed,” she returned convincingly. “When the other towns are ready -to receive them they will leave the larger cities. There are building -operations going on all over the country, and in a few years Palestine -will be extended to double its present area. So you see there will be -room for everybody, mother.” - -“Give me Canonbury,” continued Mrs. Emanuel, following her own train of -thought. “I would rather live in the Petherton Road than anywhere else -in the world;” and no amount of persuasion or argument would make her -think otherwise. She was too old to bear transplanting successfully, -Raie thought. - -She found her foster-aunt and Lionel in the morning-room when she -returned to the Government House an hour later. They were engaged in a -desultory conversation, for Lady Montella was writing, but a few words -reached her as she passed down the corridor. Her heart seemed to leap, -and she paused irresolute at the door; for they made mention of her -lover’s name. - -“Anne declares she has seen Ferdinand in the town,” Lionel was saying, -as he put down the newspaper he was reading; “but why should Ferdinand -come to Haifa? And if he did come, would he not seek us out?” - -Then seeing Raie’s figure framed in the doorway, he spoke of something -else, but not before the girl had had time to hear. - -“Ferdie will have to be careful when he comes back, or he will be -discovered,” she thought, as she advanced farther into the room. - -It was a very difficult matter to elude the lynx-like eye of the old -nurse, Anne. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - GOVERNOR OF HAIFA - - -Montella was alone in his study, with books and papers scattered on the -table before him; but although he was apparently reading, very little of -the printed matter penetrated so far as his brain. Deep in thought, his -brow was furrowed with lines which should not have appeared on the -forehead of so young a man; indeed, his whole appearance bore evidence -to the fact that he had been severely tried. It was possible that the -responsibility of governing the English portion of Palestine weighed too -heavily upon his shoulders, or that he took upon himself more than was -absolutely necessary for the welfare of his people. Certain it was that -his energies were boundless, and that nothing was too great for him to -achieve; but he could not spend himself without losing some of his -inherent vitality, and while he was indefatigable in his efforts for the -public good, his own health suffered from lack of care. - -There is nothing which ages a human being so quickly as worry; and of -this Montella had his share. The race for wealth among the Europeans in -Palestine was keener even than it had been in the West, and the -unscrupulous greed of the people, who, in the ardour of competition -would financially cut each other’s throats, grieved him more than he -cared to own. Not satisfied with comfort and peace in the new land, -their one desire was to attain to wealth, the means to which entailed -the cost of suffering to hundreds less fortunate than themselves. To -Montella it was like a disease, sapping the moral strength of the people -at the very root; but neither he nor his colleagues were able to conquer -it; all they could do was to deprecate the evil. - -And now there was a new difficulty with which to contend. Montella had -seen it coming almost from the first, but he had ever done his best to -drive it back. It arose from the relations twixt civil and religious -Judaism, and threatened to cause a serious split in the camp. The Chief -Rabbi of Palestine, Ben Yetzel, desired to exercise supreme authority in -imitation of the papal power, whereas Montella and his party opposed -despotism in religious matters, and favoured freedom of thought. To -those who wished for progress and the civilising influences of the West, -rigid orthodoxy was well-nigh impossible, and they chafed beneath its -yoke; but the sacerdotal dignitaries declared that the loosening of the -ceremonial ties would eventually mean the downfall of Judaism, and -insisted on the strict enforcement of the letter of the law. It was the -old well-known quarrel between Church and State, each striving for the -mastery, and neither prepared to grant the concessions which would make -for peace. And the Jews, although lacking nothing in astuteness, were -unable to profit by the experience of other countries once similarly -placed. They were obliged to learn their hard lesson alone. - -The Chief Rabbi’s recent visit to Haifa had been an inauspicious event. -Although famed for his piety and scholarship, the great man’s views were -of necessity cramped by his narrow surroundings. He might have been a -Hillel or a Gamaliel had he lived in Hillel’s day; but he could not -realise the doctrine of evolution with regard to the moral nature of -man; and to him the world continued in the same stage of development as -it existed two thousand years ago. Therefore there were many customs of -the English Jews in Haifa of which he keenly disapproved; and that the -Governor’s wife should be of Gentile birth but added to his ire. -Montella, ardent upholder of Judaism though he ever remained, was at the -same time clear-headed and rational, and had no patience with the -Talmudic narrowness which converted a thoughtful man into a mere -automaton. His principles of sincerity and truth abolished all the -ceremonial observances which had degenerated into empty forms; and he -hated anything approaching priest-craft, even though it were Jewish. His -opinions, happily for himself, were shared by the most intelligent of -his colleagues, who openly showed their resentment towards the -interference of Ben Yetzel; but the majority agreed that every religious -body should have its head, and respected the Chief Rabbi’s position too -much to presume to criticise his views. - -A Hebrew letter from Ben Yetzel lay on the young man’s desk, and it was -this which caused his present thoughtful mood. Taking up a pen, he began -to translate his reply, but with a sudden gesture of impatience he -tossed it aside. At the same moment the door opened slowly to admit a -small boy in a white frock, and accepting this as a welcome interruption -to his work, he drew back his chair. The little lad ran up to him with a -chuckle of delight, and clambered on to his knee. - -“Daddy, I’se tum!” he exclaimed, giving voice to an obvious fact. “I’se -here, daddy, wif oo!” - -Montella’s face brightened. - -“What a naughty little boy to run away,” he answered lovingly. “What -have you done with nurse?” - -“Nanna up’tairs in garden wif mammy,” was his prompt reply. “Me ’tay -here.” - -Then he rested his golden head against his father’s coat, and gave vent -to a sigh of satisfaction. A few minutes later he was fast asleep. - -He was a beautiful boy, and his pink cheeks glowed with health. In spite -of the fairness of his hair and complexion, his eyes were dark, and -fringed with long lashes of dusky brown. To his parents he was an -endless source of pleasure and amusement, and nothing delighted them -more than to notice his comical little ways. Montella carried him up to -the roof-garden, and gave him over to the nurse. It was his usual hour -of sleep. - -“I think he has been running about too much,” his mother said, as the -maid bore him away. “It is easy to get over-tired in this heat. And you, -darling, you look fagged. Can’t you take a little rest?” - -He threw himself down in the deck-chair at her side, and having asked -permission, prepared to smoke. Patricia applied the match to his cigar, -and then leant back with an expression of content. - -“It is good to have you with me, Lal,” she said softly. “You have had so -little time to spare lately for baby and me.” - -He glanced into her clear blue eyes with compunction. - -“Never mind, sweet, I will make up for it later on,” he replied -cheerfully. “When I get my full staff of assistants I shall not have so -much to do. What with Ben Yetzel pulling one way and Engelmacher -another, it takes me all my time to steer clear between the two. -However, I don’t want to worry you with those affairs; let us throw dull -care to the winds.” - -“The Chief Rabbi does not like me,” Patricia said thoughtfully. “I felt, -all the time he was here, that he disapproved of everything I did. I -wonder why?” - -“Because he is a confounded idiot,” rejoined her husband, with heat. “If -you had been an old Polish woman with a _scheitel_[9] he would have -taken you to his heart. It’s jealousy, my dearest, nothing else. He -doesn’t like the idea of my having such a sweet and beautiful woman for -a wife. I suppose, too, he considers you a sort of heathen because you -are not of Jewish birth.” - -Footnote 9: - - Wig. - -“I think I am a sort of heathen,” the girl repeated slowly, with -thoughtful eyes. “I am no more a Jewess at heart than our baby is a Jew. -I have tried to love the Jewish religion for your sake, Lal, but I can’t -succeed. It seems so full of ceremonies which are beyond my -comprehension, and which puzzle me dreadfully. I am afraid you must be -very disappointed in me, dear.” - -“Not at all. I never expected you to follow in my mother’s steps. _She_ -has all the claims of ancestry and old association to make her love her -faith; you have nothing except your love for me.” - -“It is of our child I am thinking,” she continued quietly. “How can I -teach him his faith as a mother ought to do?” - -“Leave it to his grandmother,” Montella advised carelessly. “It will be -a task after her own heart. There is no need to worry yourself about -that, dear; I assure you little Julian will grow up a strict enough -Jew.” - -Patricia sighed. - -“I am glad you are not dissatisfied with me, Lionel,” she said, placing -her hand within his own. “Sometimes I have thought—and Lady Montella has -hinted—that you would have been happier with a Jewish wife.” - -Lionel sat bolt upright and pressed her hand to his lips. “Stuff and -nonsense,” he returned, with indignation. “You will make me very angry -if you have such foolish thoughts. I would not exchange you for all the -Jewesses in the world.” Then he laughed at the idea conjured up by his -last sentence, but added seriously, “Has my mother said anything to make -you unhappy, dear?” - -“Oh, no, nothing at all. It is not what she says—” She broke off -abruptly, and was silent for a moment, whilst the colour rushed into her -cheeks. “I love you so passionately, Lionel, that I cannot bear to think -there is any flaw in your love for me,” she continued hurriedly. “And -when these Jewish ceremonies crop up, they seem like barriers to drive -us away from each other. And I thought when Ben Yetzel was here that you -were a little bit ashamed of my ignorance of the Jewish laws. And that -is why—because I love you—I have been so anxious to learn.” - -She nestled her head against his shoulder, and a tear fell with a splash -on to his coat. Montella was startled beyond measure, for she was a -woman who seldom wept. Either she was suffering from debility, or there -must be some serious cause for her emotion. Hastily he jumped to the -former conclusion—his beloved could not be well. - -“My darling!” he exclaimed, in dismay, tenderly stroking her hair. -“Whatever has happened to give you such ideas? I’m afraid I have left -you too much to yourself of late; I am such a selfish creature when I -get wrapped up in my work. Why, Patricia, don’t you know what people -think of you in Haifa? You are the most admired woman in the town, and -the most respected. And you have endeared yourself to the heart of -everyone by going so much amongst the poor. Do you want me to tell you -that you are my queen, and that with you at my side, I am the most -fortunate man in the world? Because that is the truth, and you ought to -know it without needing to be told!” - -He could not say more; and his words were uttered with heartfelt -sincerity. Patricia, duly comforted, dried her eyes, and a smile like a -burst of sunshine after rain illumined her face. Feeling that he could -not settle down to work again, her husband fetched her hat and gloves, -and together they sauntered through the white streets and across the -market square. Their destination, as usual, proved to be the new house, -the inevitable magnet which drew him towards itself whenever he had a -little time to spare. The builders and decorators were still hard at -work, and the sound of the hammers as they fell rhythmically upon the -stone greeted them as they approached. A sloping avenue of palm-trees -led up to the principal entrance, and the house, situated on a slight -eminence, commanded a fine view. From the observatory, which was nearly -completed, the mountain ranges of Galilee and Phœnicia, stretching away -to Lebanon and Hermon in the distance, could be seen, as well as the Bay -of Acre and Mediterranean Sea. The position was the best that could -possibly have been obtained; for if there were but a breath of air -stirring it would be obliged to find its way here. Patricia already felt -the difference as she seated herself on the one chair of which the roof -boasted, and drew a deep breath of relief. Montella left her for a few -minutes while he went to give a few directions in various languages to -the cosmopolitan band of workmen; but in a very few minutes he was back -again. - -“Your boudoir is nearly finished, dear,” he said, with jubilance in his -tone. “Would you like to come down and see it? You might make some -further suggestions before it is too late.” - -She rose with alacrity, and they descended the handsome staircase -arm-in-arm. All the rooms were situated on the ground floor, most of -them abutting on the atrium, in the centre of which was to be erected a -fountain in a colossal marble basin. The boudoir adjoined the -night-nursery, and was octagonal in shape. It was decorated in white and -gold, but the hangings were of old rose, Patricia’s favourite hue. The -furniture had just arrived, and some of the pictures already adorned the -walls. One, a small oil-painting of the Thames near Chertsey, had hung -in her old boudoir in Grosvenor Square, and called up a flood of old and -half-forgotten memories. She sank on to the silken covered settee, -whilst her husband went on a tour of inspection, and gave herself up to -a dreamy recollection of the past. How dull and prosy it had been in her -father’s house, and how depressing the magnificence of the silent rooms. -It seemed almost impossible to believe that she had existed for so long -with only the companionship of the phlegmatic Mrs. Lowther, except for -the occasional visits of the Countess of Chesterwood to break the dreary -monotony. What a change the advent of Lionel had been! He had -transformed her life, had given a zest and interest of which she had -never dreamed, had flooded her heart with the sunshine of his love. How -noble he was, and brave, and good! She glanced up at his stalwart figure -with shining eyes. She at least had no cause to long for the past. - -“Well, what do you think of it, Patricia?” he said playfully, returning -to her side. “Does it meet with your little ladyship’s approval? Are you -satisfied?” - -“More than satisfied!” she exclaimed, with ardour. “The house will be a -perfect paradise. But, do you know, Lal, it all seems unreal.” - -“Unreal?” he repeated, in perplexity. “How? It is substantial -enough—built of stone throughout.” - -“Yes, I know. I didn’t mean that. I cannot realise, somehow, that this -is to be our own house. It is more like a fairy palace than Grosvenor -Square.” - -Lionel laughed, well pleased. - -“If this is a fairy palace, you are the fairy queen,” he replied -gallantly. “You shall hold your court in the atrium, and all Haifa will -come and do you homage. Ah, you do not know what pleasant things are in -store for you when we have established ourselves here!” - -Patricia answered him with a smile, but a sigh soon took its place. This -peculiar air of unreality always affected her when she went over this -new house. She could not imagine herself domestically settled in the -place, and although the arrival of the furniture introduced a more -home-like appearance, this feeling still remained. It was almost like a -premonition—a presentiment that although the house was being built -especially for her, although everything in it had been chosen in -accordance with her own taste, all the care and thought had been in -vain, for the simple reason that fate ordained that she should never -live in it. It was so unaccountable and inexplicable that she would not -mar her husband’s satisfaction in the place by worrying him with this -foolish fancy. But the fancy, foolish or not, remained; and the oftener -they visited the house the more certain she became that the magnificent -edifice would never be her home. - -Having completed their inspections, they walked leisurely back to the -Government House, where a surprise in the shape of Dr. Engelmacher -awaited them. The good doctor was passing through Haifa _en route_ for -Beyrout, and intended to stay for two or three days. Knowing that the -two men were anxious to talk over communal matters, Patricia left them -to themselves. In the library she found Lady Montella and Raie. - -Her mother-in-law looked up with a smile. - -“I want to ask you something, Patricia,” she said, making room for her -on the couch. “Do you remember Miss Lorm?” - -“Zillah Lorm,” put in Raie, desiring to be more explicit. “A dark girl, -with nice eyes, splendid figure, and stand-offish manner. You know her, -Patricia; she sings.” - -“Yes, I know her,” Patricia answered readily. “She is in England, is she -not?” - -Lady Montella referred to the letter she held in her hand. - -“She was; but she will be in Haifa very soon,” was her reply. -“Assimilation does not seem to have agreed with her very well, and she -is evidently hankering after the Jews in spite of her former desire to -forget her origin. She writes that on account of a disappointment—of -which she gives no particulars—she is very unhappy, and wishes to join -us here for a time. As I have known her for many years, I should like to -invite her to stay with us for two or three months; but I would not do -so without first consulting you.” - -Raie made a little grimace. - -“I am sure you do not want her, do you, Patricia?” she interrupted, with -a comically defiant look at her aunt. “She used to be sweet on Lionel -before he married you, and I know she’s fearfully jealous of you even -now. I don’t like her a bit, and I don’t know what Aunt Inez can see in -her. I am sure she will come and upset us all if you invite her here.” - -“Hush, Raie!” said Lady Montella reprovingly. “You allow your tongue to -run away with you. Miss Lorm is a very bright and nice woman, in spite -of your opinion. Whether she shall be invited here or not is for -Patricia to decide. What do you say, my daughter? Shall she come?” - -“Certainly, if you wish it,” Patricia answered promptly, but without -enthusiasm. She was not anxious to play hostess to Zillah Lorm, but she -was too certain of her husband’s love to listen to Raie’s warning. It -was not in her nature to entertain that kind of fear. - - - - - CHAPTER V - THE COMING OF ZILLAH - - -So Miss Lorm came, and took up her abode at the Government House as if -it were the most natural thing in the world, and immediately aroused -Raie’s anger by making great friends with the Princess; for Raie looked -upon the Princess as her own especial property, and resented the -addition of a third to share their walks and drives. She anticipated -worse to follow, however, for the Princess, prior to her departure from -Palestine, intended to visit Jerusalem, accompanied by Lionel and -Patricia, so that she would be left to help Lady Montella entertain the -guest. She sincerely hoped that Ferdinand would not come back until it -were a thing of the past; she did not desire him to meet Zillah Lorm. - -There was no denying that Zillah possessed an attractive personality, as -well as a magnificent voice. She seemed to be able to draw people -towards her with an almost magnetic power, and there were few who -refused to be fascinated by her charms. Nevertheless, she did not -improve on acquaintance, for there was a hardness in her nature which -soon made itself felt. She had no sympathy with the poor and -down-trodden, or with anyone whose sole aim was not success. Her one -desire was to advance in the world, and her friends were chosen in -accordance with this end. And this ambition sometimes manifested itself -unpleasantly in her words, for she did not seek to disguise the trait. - -Strangely enough, Raie was not the only one who regarded her with -dislike. Little Julian manifested a distinct animosity from the very -first day of her arrival, nor was he to be propitiated by caresses and -presents. He began to cry directly she spoke to him, and screamed -lustily for her to go away. His parents and nurses tried every means in -their power to win him over, but in vain. He would not kiss Miss Lorm, -neither would he allow her to touch him; all he could do was to look a -picture of misery while she remained in the room. - -He was only a baby, and his goodwill of no value at all; but he was -Montella’s child, and Zillah felt piqued. - -“Let me sing to him,” she suggested, as the boy hid his face on his -mother’s shoulder. She was certain of conquering him by the dulcet tones -of her voice. - -But even the soothing notes of a lullaby were powerless to move the -stubborn little heart. Julian fixed his round eyes on the singer for a -moment, but soon looked away. Seeing that he was still obdurate, Zillah -ceased in disgust; after all, it mattered little whether he condescended -to kiss her or not. - -“I have never seen baby behave like that before,” Patricia said, when -the others had left the nursery. “I felt quite ashamed of him before -Miss Lorm. How can you account for it, nurse?” - -The nurse was at a loss for a reply, but Anne Whiteside came to the -rescue. - -“Oh, there’s no accounting for the likes and dislikes of children, my -lady,” she replied easily. “I believe they can see further into a -person’s character than we grown-ups can; it’s a sort of second sight, I -think. Now, my Tom, he’s just the same. He took a dislike to the Arab -boy who minds him when I’m up here, and no amount of coaxing would make -him alter his mind. So all I could do was to send the boy away and get -another; it wasn’t worth while making the lad ill on that account.” - -“Certainly not,” was Patricia’s comment. “It is not the least use to try -and force affection. How is your grandson, by the way? I have scarcely -seen him since we came to Haifa.” - -Nothing delighted Anne more than to discuss her boy. - -“He’s doing fairly well, thank you, my lady,” she replied, with -alacrity. “Of course, he found the heat trying at first, but he’s -getting used to it now.” - -“And is his brain more active than it was?” - -“I’m afraid not, my lady; he’ll never be no better than a poor imbecile. -Not that I’m complaining, though; there’s worse things than that.” - -“You ought to let him sleep in the Cave of Elijah, Mrs. Whiteside,” -advised Raie, suddenly appearing at the door. “Wouldn’t it make a -sensation if he were to be cured!” - -“Eh, miss!” The poor woman looked bewildered. “Is it a doctor’s -treatment you mean?” - -“No; the Cave of Elijah.” She smiled good-humouredly, not in the least -realising the serious import of her words. “They say that all who are -mentally diseased are cured by sleeping there over night. I suppose it’s -after the style of Lourdes.” - -“Oh! but it isn’t true, surely, miss?” Her form trembled like a leaf. -“It can’t be true!” - -“I can’t swear to it, but that is what tradition says. I think it is -supposed to have to do with the influence of Elijah’s spirit on Mount -Carmel. Mustaph, our guide at the hotel, said he actually knew someone -who was cured.” - -“How came you to hear of it, Raie?” asked Patricia, with surprise. She -was sorry the girl had mentioned it to Anne, thereby raising false -hopes. - -“I heard of it when I was staying with the Princess: the cave is not far -from the Mount Carmel Hotel.” - -“And does the Princess believe in it?” - -“She neither believes nor disbelieves, because it’s a sort of -faith-cure. When I asked her, she answered by quoting Shakespeare: -‘_There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of -in your philosophy._’ But the Carmelites evidently accept it as a fact.” - -“It is not well to believe too much in such superstitions,” said -Patricia thoughtfully. “I should advise you not to think about it, -Anne.” - -The nurse looked from the one to the other in a tremor of excitement. -“Oh, but, my lady, if it should be true! If it should be true!” she -cried, scarcely able to contain herself. “Think what it would mean to me -to see my Tom growing in mind and body like other boys! Think what a -comfort he would be to me in my old age. Surely if the cave is so near -by it would be sinful not to try it. Maybe the Lord has brought me out -to the Holy Land for this very purpose, else why should it happen that I -should come to this very place?” - -“If faith is wanted, you will not be found lacking,” her mistress said, -with a sigh, as she handed her pet back to the under-nurse. “But if you -are disappointed, Anne, remember that I warned you. Every countryside -has its legends and superstitions. At Burstall Abbey we had a magic -well.” - -“I am sorry I have put the poor creature in such a state of excitement,” -Raie said, as they left the nursery. “Surely, though, she would not be -so foolhardy as to take her little boy to the cave? I would not spend a -night there for all the gold of Ophir.” - -“Anne will do anything if she thinks it is of God,” rejoined her friend, -as she turned into her own room. “She seems to see the working of -Providence in every event.” - -Dinner that evening was considerably enlivened by the presence of Zillah -Lorm, for coming direct from England, she had much to tell. Owing to her -connection with influential Christian people she had evaded the -Assimilation Act until a few weeks ago; but her origin having been -eventually discovered, she had been given the option of taking the oath -or leaving the country. Indeed, it was only by the prompt action on her -behalf by a friendly peer that she had escaped the penalty meted out to -such defaulters. Instead of viewing her position with anything -approaching repentance, however, she seemed to regard it as a good joke. -She was genuinely elated at having had the cleverness to defy the -authorities for so long a time. - -“It was Mrs. Athelstan Moore—the Countess of Chesterwood, I mean—who -found me out,” she informed Lionel cheerfully. “You see, she had met me -at your house and knew something about me; the others never dreamt that -I was a Jewess. Of course, I took care to avoid all those who already -knew.” - -“I thought you had already taken the oath,” said Lady Montella, from the -other side of the table. “Did you not give me to understand that such -was the case?” - -“Did I? I have forgotten.” Zillah looked up with an air of frankness. -“To tell you the truth, I was very near taking it, but when it actually -came to it, I couldn’t find it in my heart to give up all connection -with things Jewish. Not that I care much for _Yiddishkeit_—I generally -try to avoid it as much as I can; but as long as I was born a Jewess, I -suppose I’d better die one too.” - -“Was that your only reason for refusing to secede?” asked Lionel, with a -curious smile. “That you might die a Jewess? Why not that you might live -a Jewess too?” - -Zillah gave a gesture of insouciance. - -“To live is always more difficult than to die,” she returned lightly. -“Besides, I could not make a _Brocha_[10] over the Sabbath candles to -save my life. It is not in my nature to conform to that sort of thing.” - -Footnote 10: - - Blessing. - -“But living in Israel, you will do as the Israelites do?” - -“Certainly, as long as no great effort is expected of me. I should -certainly not go out of my way to offend.” - -“Your candour is refreshing,” said Lady Montella, scarcely knowing -whether to be shocked or to admire, “and, unfortunately, your position -is a common one amongst the Jews of to-day. So long as you do not -actually renounce the faith, you, and those who adopt your standpoint, -think you are fulfilling your whole duty to it. Why do you cling so -ardently to the thought of dying a Jewess? Is it not because you cannot -bear the thought of being separated from your own people at the last?” - -“I suppose so,” Miss Lorm admitted. “It is just a sentiment, or else a -prick of conscience. I am not sure which.” - -“But our religion claims more of you than that,” the elder lady -returned, with a touch of reproach. “People would not have to talk of -the decadence of Judaism were it not for the neglect and lack of -enthusiasm shown by many Jews. How I long for a grand revival—a -rekindling of Judaism as it was in the days of old! Surely it ought to -take place in this sacred land of our fathers. And when so opportune a -time as now!” - -Her eyes deepened with an intensity of feeling, and she became lost in -thought. Zillah diverted the conversation into another channel, and -began to speak of English affairs. She wished her ladyship were not -quite so ardent a Jewess; she could not understand it at all. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - THE CAVE OF ELIJAH - - -Anne Whiteside was sitting in her own room, absorbed in thought, whilst -near by, in his little white bed, lay her sleeping boy. Raie’s words had -sunk deep into her mind—so deep that she could think of nothing else. -Had she been told of such a cave in England she would probably have -considered it unworthy her attention, but here in Palestine the -conditions were entirely of another kind. She remembered the story of -the pool of Bethesda, where the great multitude of impotent folk waited -for the moving of the water; and to her it seemed quite as likely for a -miracle to happen in a cave as in a pool. Moreover, the very soil of -Palestine was sacred, and more associated with divine interposition than -any country in the world, so that it seemed to lend itself to the -miraculous as a matter of course. - -“With God all things are possible,” she said to herself. “The arm of the -Lord is not shortened.” The physicians were unable to cure the lad, and -had pronounced his case hopeless; but surely no case was beyond the -power of the Great Physician? She was determined to have faith. - -The boy awoke, and blinking sleepily at the light, glanced at his -grandmother, but no ray of intelligence crossed his face. He knew her, -of course—he would take his food at the hands of no one else; but he -showed no sign of recognition, and gazed vacantly into space. Anne moved -the lamp in order to prevent the glare from hurting his eyes, then -fetched him a glass of fresh cocoanut milk. He drank it greedily, and -asked for more, but the old nurse thought he had had sufficient, and -coaxed him to try and sleep. - -Sitting by the bed, she sang a crooning little melody, such as might be -used to lull a baby in a cradle, whilst her fingers busily plied a pair -of woollen socks. There was no sound to break the stillness but that of -her own voice, yet she was quite oblivious of the gentle lifting of the -latch. A sudden shadow on the opposite wall, however, caused her to look -up suddenly, and without any sense of surprise she discovered a swarthy -Arab at her side. - -“Mustaph!” she exclaimed, putting down her needles in haste. “You have -come from the Princess? What does her Highness say?” - -For answer he produced a note from the folds of his inner garment and -handed it with a bow. The nurse took it with trembling fingers and broke -the seal. Then she adjusted her spectacles and turned towards the light. -Mustaph complacently squatted on the floor. - - “_I think your project considerably fraught with risk both to the boy - and yourself_,” it ran; “_but if you are determined to venture, I will - not deter you. To-morrow will be a good opportunity on account of the - full moon, and my carriage will be at your disposal. Be ready an hour - and a half before sunset, when one of my servants shall call. Please - inform Mustaph if this arrangement is satisfactory, or if you have - changed your mind. Personally, I should advise you to leave well alone - rather than be guided by a Mohammedan superstition._ - - _O. von Felsen-Schvoenig._” - -To read and digest the note took some little time; but the Arabs are -never in a hurry, and Mustaph waited with calm patience. Anne sank on to -a chair, with her back to the man and her elbows resting on the pillows -of the bed. ‘To be, or not to be?’ that was the question which sent a -thrill of agitation through her being. Whether it were better for Tom to -remain as he was—a helpless imbecile—or to undergo the chance of being -cured. Cured! The very word set all her pulses throbbing, and made the -blood course rapidly through her veins. To have his intellect restored, -to be clothed and in his right mind, like the demoniac of old, to be a -help and a comfort instead of the burden he ever remained! For she knew -he was a burden, in spite of the assurances she always gave herself to -the contrary. His condition necessitated more attention than she was -ever able to give him, even though he was watched by some obliging -friend when she was away. Cured! As in a vision she saw him growing up -beside her, his form no longer delicate and shrunken, but strong and -stalwart with the vigour of youth; his face glowing with intelligence -instead of that vacant expression which seemed to cleave her heart in -twain. If he were but healthy like other boys, her life would be a very -paradise on earth, for it but needed this to complete her happiness. A -mist rose before her eyes as she gazed at the poor old-young face, the -large forehead which betokened not intellect but idiocy, the heavy -eyelids closed in sleep. - -“Oh, Christ, dear Lord, help me!” she whispered, clasping her hands in -an agony of indecision. She knew not what to do for the best. - -Mustaph, noticing her agitation, rose from the floor and approached with -wonder. - -“_Malaish!_” he exclaimed, using the Arab term of condolence. “What -matter? _Mafîsh._ There is nothing.” - -“The cave,” she said, raising her head. “The Cave of Elijah. You have -been there. Is it true that people are cured?” - -He stared at her interrogatively, scarcely understanding her words. - -“_Fen_—where? The cave? Boy go? _Haiwa._ Yes, varry good.” - -Then he nodded vigorously, meaning to say that he knew all about it now. - -“Tell her Highness I have made up my mind to try with Tom,” Anne said, -deciding suddenly. “I will be ready at the time she says—before sunset. -But I suppose I had better write it.” - -And finding a pencil, she scribbled the message on the reverse side of -the Princess’s note. She felt as if she had cast the die. - -Nodding and smiling, the Arab departed, and she was left to herself -again. The boy was still asleep, with a look almost of babyhood on his -face. If he suffered in any way by his visit to the cave she was certain -she would never forgive herself; but the temptation to make the trial -was too great to be passed by. - -“You will be cured, Tom!” she exclaimed softly, as she bent down and -kissed him on the forehead. “I know you will; I can feel it in my heart. -No more weary hours, no more pain, dearest. Oh, to see you no longer -suffering! ’Tis worth the trial of faith!” - -She paced the room, scarcely able to contain her deeply-stirred -emotions, and without the least inclination for rest. And when she did -go to bed, sleep refused to come, so that she tossed the whole night -through, and longed for daylight. But she was up again at the usual -early hour, and fulfilled her duties with no lack of energy. Fearing to -receive discouragement, she did not inform the Montellas of her -intention to put the matter to the test that night, and only the -Princess, to whom she had rendered some service in Haifa, was in the -secret. Punctual to the appointed time the car appeared before her door, -with two servants in attendance, and fortunately there were few people -about to wonder at its coming. Anne’s heart beat fast as she placed the -lad in the most comfortable seat, and took up her position beside him. -The cee-spring and thick rubber tires on the wheels of the vehicle -minimised the jolting, which would otherwise have rendered the drive -more or less unpleasant, and the white awning served to protect the -occupants from the glare of the sun. Occasionally a string of -soft-treading camels passed them, their sweetly-sounding bells -announcing their approach; or the peasant-women in their picturesque -blue robes would stand and stare at them, perhaps in the hope of selling -some of the milk which they carried in pans on their heads. The road on -the mountain side lay between rich and beautiful vineyards, and as they -ascended a glorious view expanded before their gaze. Northwards sparkled -the waters of the bay, across which, at a distance of about twelve -miles, lay Akka, once in the coasts of the Gentiles, but now a Jewish -town. Eastwards rose the hills of Galilee, whose undulating ranges -overlooked Nazareth, Cana, and the Sacred Lake; and far away in the -distance towered the snowy cap of Hermon, like the only cloud in a clear -sky. Around them was spread the rich flora of the Carmel ridge, with -occasional Druze villages nestling on its slopes; and close at hand the -happy twittering of the birds fell on the fragrant air. Anne drew a deep -breath of enjoyment, feeling that here—so close to the scene of Elijah’s -victory over the prophets of Baal—nothing was impossible. The very -atmosphere seemed charged with the miraculous, the Oriental colouring -bridged over the distance from that time of old. It was the first time -she had been any distance from the town, the first time that she was -able to realise that this was in truth the land of the Bible; and the -fascination of it all crept over her spirit—that peculiar spell of the -Holy Land. - -The Princess was waiting for them when they arrived at the hotel. It was -characteristic of her to treat her inferiors with as much deference as -her equals, and since the nurse had obtained the promise of this favour, -she would not stint the measure of her goodwill. A substantial repast -had been prepared for them in her private sitting-room; and with her own -hands she ministered to their wants. Yet if at home in Felsen-Schvoenig -her husband had asked for such an attention, she would have replied that -she was not a serving-maid. She was indeed a mixture of perversity, but -a sweet woman withal. - -“Tom does not look so well to-day,” she observed, as she coaxed him to -eat. “Do you think the journey has been too much for him, Anne?” - -Anne was not sure, but she thought he must have benefited by the lovely -drive. - -“If your Highness will allow me to feed him, I think he will get on -better,” she suggested cheerfully, and held the spoon to his lips as -though he had been a child. - -The meal over, they re-entered the little carriage, and prepared to -start for the wonderful cave. Standing under the stone portico, the -Princess wished them farewell. - -“I shall think of you to-night,” she said, with a smile of -encouragement. “I hope the cure will work.” - -“If God will,” was the nurse’s rejoinder. “I thank your Highness for the -great help you have given me.” - -But the Princess would not receive her gratitude. - -“I will send the carriage for you at dawn,” she called out, as the -coachman took up the reins; and then again wishing luck to the venture, -she disappeared from view. - -The cave, which was formed out of the limestone of which the mountain -was composed, was reached shortly after leaving the hotel. A chapel had -been built there to commemorate the place, but it had been done away -with when the Jews came into possession, and now there existed nothing -to distinguish it from other caves. Coming into it from the open air, it -seemed to exhale an atmosphere of warm humidity, and the walls, when -Anne felt them, were quite damp. Mustaph had brought with him a lamp, -some warm blankets, and a small folding-chair, but in spite of these -commodities, the place scarcely promised to be a comfortable one in -which to spend the night. The shadows gathered as they made their -preparations, and the nurse shivered, though scarcely with cold. Even -Tom, who scarcely ever displayed an emotion of any kind, seemed -frightened, and at first refused to lie down in the strange floor-bed -allotted to him. At sunset Mustaph took off his shoes, spread his mat, -and said his prayers in approved Mohammedan fashion, after which he took -up his position on guard at the mouth of the cave. The lighted lamp -brought with it a homely ray of comfort, but it was too small to -adequately illumine the cavern, and the corners were dark and black. -Amidst such eerie surroundings, Anne would not have been surprised at -any apparition or supernatural manifestation, and as the time wore on, -she worked herself up to an intense pitch of excitement. Tom lay awake -for several hours with wide-open, frightened eyes, his hands clutching -tightly at the counterpane, whilst in his own way he expressed his -disapproval and fear. At last, however, his hands unclosed and his -features relaxed, and closing his eyes wearily, he dropped off to sleep. - -Anne heaved a trembling sigh as she sank on to her knees at his side. -Who could tell what would have happened by the time he awoke again? -Crossing her hands on her breast to still the rapid beating of her -heart, she sent up a passionate entreaty to Heaven to grant her prayers -for the boy. What would she not do to show her gratitude if only he were -cured of his disease! How devoted her life would be to the Most High -henceforth! She was not the first soul who has presumed to bribe the -Almighty when in distress: it is a common human instinct to think that -we can gain a divine benefaction by promising to do something great and -magnanimous in return. - -The silence was intense, but suddenly it was broken by a weird and -melancholy sound. The nurse started in affright, wondering from whence -it came, and listened with distended eyes. Moving towards the entrance, -she called to Mustaph, who was endeavouring to rouse himself from sleep, -whilst the sound continued, just like a cry of woe. - -“A jackal,” the Arab replied imperturbably. “_Malaish_—never mind. I -tell him _imshi_—be off! _La!_ no. He not come here. Ma’am not be -afraid. He only howl.” - -Anne was thankful to hear the sound of a human voice. - -“I wish the night were over,” she said, with a sigh. “Tom is fast -asleep. Are you sure we have done everything properly? I am so anxious. -I cannot sleep.” - -Mustaph suppressed a yawn. - -“Allah is good!” he exclaimed wearily. “Ma’am must sleep, or else Elijah -not come. To stay awake is _harâm_—forbidden. I tell jackal _imshi_. -Ma’am sleep.” - -So Anne returned to the interior of the cave, and wrapping herself in a -blanket, tried to fulfil the command. The howling and whimpering of the -jackals continued for some time, but she covered her ears, and did her -best to shut out the sound. She was, indeed, very tired, and since it -was necessary that she should sleep, she was determined not to keep -awake. Gradually she lost consciousness, until the cheerless cave -entirely disappeared, to be replaced by a phantomatic but more happy -slumberland. The night wore on, but nothing happened to disturb her -dreams, and she slept right on until a strip of light in the east -heralded the dawn. Then she awoke with a start to find her two -companions still asleep, the Arab in his place at the mouth of the cave. -Pulling herself together, she rose and stretched wearily, and then bent -over her beloved grandchild. He was lying in the same position, but so -still that he might have been a waxen figure instead of a human boy. -With an indefinable sense of alarm she knelt down beside him, and -scarcely knowing what she was doing, felt his heart and his wrist. Then -a low cry of anguish echoed and re-echoed through the silence of the -cavern—the cry of a broken-hearted woman. - -For the light of her life had been extinguished—the boy was quite dead! - -She remained in her kneeling position, totally stunned. It was possible -that lying on the floor the damp vapours had poisoned him, but it did -not occur to her yet to seek the cause; it mattered not how he died, -since there was no hope of his instantaneous resurrection. But while she -knelt, her eyes blinded with tears, there appeared before her mind’s eye -something which was almost akin to a vision. The cave in which she had -slept for so many hours became the rock-hewn sepulchre of Mary and -Martha’s brother, and in fancy she heard the sweet but authoritative -Voice: “_Lazarus, come forth!_” Oh, that that same Voice might utter the -command over the inanimate figure of her boy! But no, that Voice spake -no longer, save in the souls of men. Of a different nature, though no -less potent, were the miracles of to-day. - -“_‘He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him, even length of days -for ever and ever’!_” she quoted, in a whisper, as her lips touched the -ice-cold forehead of the lad. She had prayed that he might be cured, -that he might spend no more weary hours, and have no more pain. Ought -she not to be happy since God in His own way had cured the child? -Certain it was that for him there would be no more suffering and -weariness. “_‘Even length of days for ever and ever’!_” she repeated, as -she went to inform the Arab. - -She was no longer sorrowful. The boy was cured at last! - - - - - CHAPTER VII - EL KÛDS - - -Jerusalem—that much-coveted city of quarrels—was still under Moslem -rule. The Jews—to whom it was as the golden heart of their country—had -done all in their power to possess it, but the Sultan was obdurate, and -had only bartered Palestine on the condition that El Kûds—the -Holy—should be extra-territorialised. So the rivalry between the Greeks, -Latins, Protestants, Armenians, Copts and Mohammedans continued. But the -Jews stood on a firmer footing than heretofore; and if secretly they -looked upon the _Harâm_ with covetous eyes, seeing behind the Mosque of -Omar the dome of their own Temple, they kept their secret well. The -Zionist leaders had impressed upon their minds the need of maintaining -friendly relations with their rivals; and they were urged to treat the -Christian sacred places with due respect, in order to show that they -were as capable as the Mohammedans of guarding them intact, if ever -opportunity should occur. That the opportunity would occur some day, was -to them a foregone conclusion; for however long and weary the waiting, -they were certain that Jerusalem would eventually be theirs. - -Dr. Engelmacher’s house was situated in the south-eastern suburb of the -town, adjoining the Jewish quarter. Montella and his wife and child—who -were to be the doctor’s guests—arrived late on a Friday afternoon, just -before the falling of the Sabbath. They had travelled from Haifa to -Jaffa by boat, and then on to Jerusalem by train, for the new railway -between the two capitals was not yet completed. Engelmacher received -them with a breezy cordiality which immediately put them at their ease; -and his wife, a typical German frau, busied herself greatly concerning -their comfort. Little Julian, who had come in the care of the faithful -Anne, was installed in a pretty room transformed into a nursery for the -occasion. Mrs. Engelmacher had no children of her own, her only little -one having died in infancy. Perhaps that was why she had begged Lady -Patricia to bring hers: she longed for the sound of a childish voice. - -To the true Jew there is no happier hour than that of a calm Sabbath -eve. Having rid himself of the turmoil of his daily labour, he dons his -best garb to meet the Bride of the Sabbath. The Friday night supper is -in itself an institution; and the ceremonial candles, the sweet wine and -cloth-covered bread, serve as links to unite him to his brethren -throughout the world. So felt Dr. Engelmacher, as with his velvet cap -well set on his head, he intoned the Hebrew grace. To him the Sabbath -had but one disadvantage: he could not smoke, for as to touch fire is -forbidden, his well-beloved briar had to be laid aside until on the -following evening three stars appeared in the sky. But he made the -sacrifice cheerfully, even if he sometimes grumbled about it to his -wife. His motto with regard to his religion was “_Noblesse oblige._” The -more was it to be appreciated in that it cost something to be a Jew. - -“Your wife is a picture!” he exclaimed to his guest, when a little while -later Patricia, on the plea of fatigue, excused herself and retired to -rest. “Himmel! what eyes! One can look right through them to her soul. -But she is a thorough Englishwoman. How likes she the foreign life?” - -“Very well, I think,” Montella replied, with a contented smile. “She -would make herself happy anywhere with me; she is only unhappy when she -thinks she disappoints me in not doing the proper thing in accordance -with Jewish law.” - -“Then she is conscientious?” - -“Yes, very; it is her nature. She is the sort of girl who would be happy -in any country and under any conditions so long as she thought she was -doing the right thing. She is the dearest little woman in the world!” - -“Little, do you call her?” said Mrs. Engelmacher, who was short and -plump. “_Um Gotteswillen_, if she is little, I must be a pigmy. She is -tall and graceful, such as one reads of. If I were a man I should be -proud of such a wife—eh, Max?” - -“Ach well, perhaps.” The good doctor pinched her cheek affectionately, -knowing what she desired. “For myself I prefer a small wife, because she -takes up less room in a house, and you can put her in your pocket if -there is nowhere else for her to go. Besides, I like to see a dear -Yiddishë _ponim_[11] at my side. It would not do for us all to fall in -love with fair and beautiful Christians. Where would Judaism be?” - -Footnote 11: - - Countenance. - -He laughed heartily, and so did Montella, who was too sensible to take -offence. And so the evening passed, enlivened by anecdotes and jokes, -until Mrs. Engelmacher also said good-night. Left to themselves, the two -men entered upon a more serious conversation, for in connection with the -Rabbinical faction there was much to be discussed. Ben Yetzel had openly -declared antagonism towards any kind of reform, and in doing so had -practically thrown down the glove. - -“He came back from Haifa with his hands raised in holy horror,” -Engelmacher said, in his short, dry accents. “According to him the city -is a veritable hot-bed of heresy. He saw with his very own eyes a Jewish -man carrying a walking-stick on the Sabbath; and the strange thing about -it was that the heavens did not fall!” - -“Ridiculous!” exclaimed the young man, with contempt. “It is a wonder he -will consent to carry his clothes.” - -“Well, you know he wears his pocket-handkerchief tied round his knee as -a garter because it would be a sin to carry it in his pocket on the -Sabbath. But there is worse to follow. He went to your house to dinner -in spite of his misgiving as to the orthodoxy of your menage, and your -wife actually offered him milk in his coffee thirty minutes after he had -partaken of meat! After that he has given you all up as hopeless; and -really, my dear Montella, I think you might have exercised greater -care!” - -“My wife offered him milk in his coffee!” repeated Lionel incredulously. -“I can scarcely believe it. My mother was in the room, and would surely -have noticed it; she is quite as particular in that way as Ben Yetzel -himself.” - -“But how is it there was milk on the tray at all so soon after dinner?” - -“Because my wife and Miss Emanuel seldom eat meat. They find that light -food agrees with them better in this climate. Of course, Patricia, who -finds it difficult to realise the importance of the dietary laws, -_might_ unthinkingly have passed him the milk. It is a great pity, -especially as Ben Yetzel is such a fanatic. But I dare not say anything -to her about it; she would be very grieved at her mistake.” - -“Oh, it isn’t worth while to rake up the matter now,” said the doctor, -relapsing into his native tongue. “The question is, are we to bow down -to Ben Yetzel or not? Years ago, when I was threshing out the Zionist -question, I thought what a glorious thing national Judaism would be, but -I left the narrowness of Rabbinical Judaism quite out of account. In -this new State, it seems to me, as to my contemporaries, that we should -let every man find salvation in his own particular way.[12] How can we, -who have suffered so much on account of religious persecution, afford to -deny toleration to our own brethren? Let every man do that which seems -right according to his own conscience, thereby abolishing the secret -hypocrisy which is so detestable to an honest soul. To enforce orthodoxy -as Ben Yetzel would do is absolute madness; it will simply mean the -cramping and narrowing down of all the best that is in us; it will mean -the practical ruin of the State.” - -Footnote 12: - - Dr. Herzl’s principle. - -“And yet you are an orthodox Jew yourself?” - -“I am. Use is second nature, you know, and I am willing to try and set a -good example. But I am a broad-minded man of the world, and I know that -that world does not end at my own horizon. People of different -temperaments need various forms, even of the same religion. It is -impossible for an Englishman like yourself, for instance, to beat your -breast like the Polish Jew.” - -Montella nodded. “You are a sensible man, doctor,” he said, with -enthusiasm. “But what do you advise?” - -“I hardly know. The bulk of the people in Palestine are with Ben Yetzel -to a man. It is only the few emancipated, deep-thinking men like -ourselves who have any thought of rebellion. For the present we must -just watch and wait to see how things go. You will see Ben Yetzel, of -course, while you are here?” - -“My people in Haifa expect it of me. I suppose I must.” - -“Then be careful what you say to him. He is an adept at catching one in -one’s words. He loves to condemn people out of their own mouths; it is a -form of amusement in which he delights.” - -“You may rely on me to be discreet,” returned Montella, with a smile. “I -can be as stolid as the Sphinx when I please.” - -They parted for the night, and the young man went to his room with a -light step. To his surprise he found Patricia still half dressed, her -willowy figure enveloped in a loose silken wrapper. Sitting with her -elbows resting on the ledge of the open casement, she looked like some -frail sprite in the light of the moon. Montella went up to her, and -tenderly touched the loosened tendrils of her hair. - -“I thought you were in bed long ago, sweet,” he said. - -She turned towards him with an affectionate gesture. “I have been -talking to Anne,” was her reply. “It is just a month since her -grandchild died. She seemed very much upset about it, poor woman, and I -think it has done her good to tell me. I have been trying to console -her.” - -“At the expense of your beauty sleep?” - -“I do not feel inclined for sleep; I am not so tired as I was an hour -ago.” - -“But you must sleep, or you will be fit for nothing to-morrow,” he urged -gently. “What were you gazing at so intently out of the window?” - -“Jerusalem!” she replied, and the words fell almost musically from her -lips. “I look through this casement window, and I see the city stretched -out before me, with its white domes and flat roofs, and a kind of spell -comes over me as I gaze. See how solitary it looks, surrounded by those -savage hills, and yet it is the centre of the three great religions of -the world, and the goal of pilgrims from the uttermost ends of the -earth. Even I, who am neither a Jewess by birth nor scarcely a Christian -by faith, cannot help feeling thrilled. Eight times destroyed, it has -come through fire and blood, and still remains; even Rome cannot boast -of such a record as this.” - -Montella smiled. - -“What a fascinating goddess Jerusalem is!” he exclaimed softly. “She -intoxicates us all when we first come within her walls; but you will -find that the charm will wear off when you have been here a few days. A -bird’s-eye view of the city is more satisfactory, I think, than a closer -inspection. She doesn’t improve on acquaintance, for beneath her -apparently peaceful exterior, there rises the humbug of her -ecclesiastical show-places, the wrangle of creeds. When you have seen -all the sights of the place, you will find that your pleasing sensations -have gradually evaporated. At least, that was my experience on my first -visit here.” - -“You are more matter-of-fact than I am,” she rejoined, almost -reproachfully. “I am sure that to me Jerusalem will always remain the -same.” - -She closed the casement and turned away, a thoughtful expression in her -eyes. She could not imagine why the sight of the city should raise such -emotions in her, since she was not bound to it by ties either of race or -faith. She was always moved by places of historic interest, it was true, -and she remembered how greatly she had been stirred by her first view of -the seven hills of Rome; but Jerusalem impressed her in an entirely -different way, and one which she could not so easily explain. She had -looked forward with no especial pleasure to her sojourn in the Holy -City, and had come merely because her husband wished it. Now, however, -her feeling was one of inexplicable delight. She would not have missed -the visit for the world. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII - AMID THE SACRED SCENES - - -The Princess Charles von Felsen-Schvoenig was also in Jerusalem, but she -stayed at a hospice in the Christian quarter, where a friendly bishop -and two or three other English Christians were included among the -guests. In a fortnight’s time she would be _en route_ for the Rhenish -principality where her husband was patiently awaiting her return, but at -the present moment her one desire was to “do” Jerusalem thoroughly, and -in this she succeeded fairly well. Armed with Baedeker’s guide, she -called at Dr. Engelmacher’s house for Lady Patricia, and chartering a -light _arabiyeh_, drove wherever the streets would permit. The influence -of the British Consul and Turkish Governor, combined with an unlimited -amount of _backsheesh_, gained admittance to the innermost courts of the -_Harâm_, and most effectually paved the way to the various places of -interest. But the enjoyment of the Princess was somewhat marred by her -inherent scepticism. She refused to believe in many cases that certain -events happened on the exact spots to which they were ascribed, and -therefore the great fascination of them was lost. For the city itself -she possessed the deepest reverence; indeed it was this very reverence -which made the morbid hallowing of certain rocks and stones so repugnant -to her mind. Descended from a strictly Puritanical race, she found it -impossible to manifest enthusiasm for relics—so many of them -spurious—and the numerous mementoes sold by avaricious Moslems. The -fanaticism of some of the Latins and Greeks was to her as -incomprehensible as it was revolting. - -She was obliged to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by herself; -for Patricia, being nominally a Jewess, was not permitted to enter the -sacred precincts. So she left her friend in the little _arabiyeh_ to -meditate on the ambiguity of her position, and descended to the paved -quadrangle alone. After what seemed a very long time she returned, -thankful to be out again in the fresh air. - -“Well?” said Patricia, with a smile, as she made room for her in the -carriage. “Did it come up to your expectations?” - -“Yes—and no,” the Princess replied, sitting down with relief. “To me the -chapels are tawdry in the extreme, and the building enclosing the Holy -Sepulchre is a miracle of bad taste. But to see the adoration of the -pilgrims is wonderful; what a pity that the place has been desecrated by -so much bloodshed! I wish you could come with me next time I go.” - -“Impossible,” returned her friend, as the vehicle pursued its way. “I -should be drawn and quartered by the mob. You forget that I am to all -intents and purposes a Jewess.” - -“Ridiculous!” - -“But I am,” the girl insisted, as though trying to convince herself; -“otherwise I could not be Lionel’s wife.” - -“And you are happy?” - -“As Lionel’s wife, yes. As a Jewess, no. Fortunately, my husband’s love -is more than compensation for the difficulty I find in his religion.” - -“Then, by your experience, mixed marriages are a success?” - -“Yes, where there is such love as ours. Of course I cannot help wishing -sometimes that we were one in our faith, especially for the sake of the -child.” - -“But you are one in your faith!” exclaimed the Princess, with surprise. -“Have you not become a Jewess? By your own confession you had no -cherished belief to renounce at the time of your apostasy—excuse the -word.” - -Patricia sighed, but was silent, scarcely liking to give voice to her -thoughts. They had just passed through the Jaffa gate on the road to -Bethlehem, and the magnificent view attracted their attention. Wild -mountains stretched above them, varied by occasional vineyards and olive -plantations; and a bend in the road disclosed that which was said to be -Rachel’s tomb. - -The stone streets of Bethlehem were so narrow that the carriage occupied -almost all the available space. Their destination was, of course, the -Church of the Nativity, which stands at the upper end of the -market-place. Passing through the low and narrow doorway, they descended -to the sacred crypt, where about fifty exquisite lamps hung from the -roof. On the pavement below one of the altars a metal star had been let -into the rock; it indicated the exact spot where the Holy Babe was born. - -“This, I believe, is authentic,” said the Princess, as she bent down to -read the Latin inscription on the star: “‘_Hic de Virgine Maria Jesus -Christus natus est._’ Can you realise that this is the very cave—the -outhouse of the khân—in which the greatest event recorded in history -occurred? Is it not wonderful! The thought almost takes my breath away!” - -Had she been a pilgrim and emotional, she would have knelt and kissed -the star. As it was, she stood by the altar with reverently bent head, -her thoughts concentrated on the stupendous miracle which had been -enacted there. In the adjoining church of the Latins the choir were -singing vespers; and their voices, subdued by distance, rose and fell in -pleasant rhythm; but within the cave itself there was silence, and the -solemnity of the moment was undisturbed. - -A deep sigh from her friend recalled her to the present, and with a last -look at the star she turned away. To Patricia the sight of Bethlehem was -like a silent reproach. It recalled with almost vivid clearness the many -Christmas Days of her childhood, and how thoroughly she had entered into -the spirit of the Festival; for she had been a Christian then. She was -silent as they re-entered their little carriage and were driven onwards -towards the village of Bêt Sahûr; and the Princess also seemed to have -little to say. Their destination this time was the field “where -shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground”; and -arrived there they alighted to stroll among the olive groves. Near by, -the Field of Boaz brought to their minds the charming idyll of Ruth the -gleaner, and they could almost imagine the sweet Hebrew maiden gathering -the ears of corn. Gazing down the slopes, they could see far away in the -distance the brilliant waters of the Dead Sea; above them was the still -deeper blue of the Syrian sky. - -“This is heavenly!” exclaimed the Princess, as she flung herself down on -the dry turf. “It only needs the music of Handel’s Pastoral Symphony to -complete the scene. The very atmosphere seems to breathe peace.” - -“I did not think you could be so enthusiastic,” said Patricia, with a -smile. “I thought you were one of the _nil admirari_ kind.” - -“So I am—sometimes; it’s just how I feel. Nature appeals to me much more -than the showy buildings wrought by the hand of man. Do you know, I made -a splendid resolution when we were in the little crypt of the Nativity. -I believe Palestine is making me good. I suppose you think I can do with -it, Pat?” she added, with a naïve smile. - -Patricia glanced at her curiously. - -“I don’t know,” she returned honestly. “I believe your heart is in the -right place, and I know you wouldn’t hurt a fly if you could help it. -But you might be kinder to a certain person, you know.” - -“My husband? Yes. It is concerning him that I have made the resolution. -Of course he is rather stupid, but I suppose he can’t help it, and I’m -afraid I did treat him rather badly. You see he always let me squash -him; and he is so delicate that it made me feel mean—as if I had thrown -a stone at a child. If he had placed himself on the defensive, I should -not have minded in the least. But if I smote him on one cheek, he would -turn the other to me also; and no woman could stand that.” - -“Why smite him at all?” asked Patricia pertinently. “Is it not better to -live in peace?” - -“Ye—es; but if you were shut up in that grim old castle at -Felsen-Schvoenig with an invalid husband, I believe even your sweet -temper would be tried. However, I promised God in that little cave of -the Nativity that I would go home and try and make Karl a better wife. I -haven’t the least idea what made me think of Karl just then; his figure -seemed to rise up and reproach me when I was looking at the star.” - -“It is an excellent resolution,” said her friend, as she gazed -thoughtfully over the Shepherds’ Field to the distant hills. “Strange -that you should have to come all the way to Palestine to make it. I -believe there is something in this atmosphere which stirs us up to -spiritual action; I felt it directly we came to Jerusalem. You would not -think it to look at me, would you?—but I am as worried as I can possibly -be.” - -The Princess looked up sharply, with an expression of surprise. - -“Worried?” she repeated. “Why?” - -Patricia pulled up the grass with nervous energy. - -“I don’t know if I am wise to talk about it,” she rejoined slowly; “but -I think I can trust you, Olive. I said a little while ago that I was a -Jewess. The statement was false; I am not a Jewess.” - -“No? Well, I never thought you were. What need is there to worry -yourself about that?” - -“Ah, you do not understand.” She threw away the blade of grass, and -pressed her hands together. “I am living, spiritually, a double life, -deceiving others as well as myself. I thought at the time of my marriage -that it was quite easy to renounce Christianity; and indeed it was -then—my soul must have been in a comatose condition. But since I have -come to Jerusalem, all is changed. These sacred scenes have revived -within me the faith of my childhood; almost every stone reminds me of -the Master I have denied. It is impossible for one who has ever been a -Christian to gaze on the Holy City unmoved. Even you have come under the -influence of this wonderful place.” - -“Yes, that is true. In London and New York one does not seem to have -time or the inclination to trouble oneself about religion, but here -Christianity is so very real. I understand your frame of mind exactly. -It was absurd to ever expect you to conform to Jewish law.” - -“Lady Montella does expect me to conform to the Jewish law,” Patricia -continued seriously. “She is always impressing upon me that I have -become a Jewess, and until now I have constantly reminded myself of the -fact. Situated as he is, Lionel _must_ have a Jewish wife. That is why I -am so greatly troubled. I can no longer pretend to be what I am not.” - -“But you must!” exclaimed the Princess forcibly. “Since you have married -a Jew, you must abide by the consequence. I believe I know your people -better than you know them yourself. It will never do for them to find -out that you have relapsed—that there is a heretic within the fold. You -must exercise tact and discretion: learn to be a diplomatist.” - -“Learn to be a hypocrite, you mean. It will be a hard lesson! I am -afraid I shall never master it. After all, what does it matter to the -Montellas what I privately believe so long as I respect their Judaism? -Will it not be better to make a clean breast of it, and tell them at -once?” - -“Tell them if you like, but do not say that I failed to warn you. I am -older than you, Patricia, and have seen more of the world. Religion was -never meant to disturb domestic happiness, and break up a home. Openly -declare your faith, and you can no longer remain in Palestine. You -yourself said that Lionel must have a Jewish wife.” - -The coachman was growing impatient, and seeing that he wished to return, -they bade good-bye to the Shepherds’ Field. The homeward drive was made -almost in silence, for Patricia was too much disturbed to speak. She -knew that her friend’s view was a correct one, and that to confess her -newly-recovered faith would cause an open breach. And to leave Palestine -would mean separation from the two dear ones to whom she was bound by -the most sacred ties. The thought was too terrible to be borne. - -“I must keep silence!” she said to herself. “I must!” But she knew that -at any time her secret might escape, and she would be lost. - -She went back with the Princess to supper, in accordance with the -arrangement they had made before they started on their expedition; but -she was poor company that night. The conversation of the guests in the -hospice rolled past her like a distant echo; and even the epigrams of -the Bishop (who was noted for his wit) failed to dispel her troubled -thoughts. She was glad when Lionel came for her and took her -home—although “home” at present was Dr. Engelmacher’s house. She nestled -her head against his shoulder in the little _arabiyeh_, and closed her -eyes in dreamy satisfaction. His very presence imbued her with a sense -of protection, and drove away the worry—at least temporarily—from her -mind. - -“Don’t let me be away from you for a whole day again, darling,” she -said, in what he always called the “baby” voice. “Olive is the dearest -woman I know, but I want you. I seem to have been parted from you for -ages—positively _ages_!” And then she laughed in order to drive away a -tear. - - - - - CHAPTER IX - MEMORABLE MOMENTS - - -Montella and the Rabbi Ben Yetzel had quarrelled, in spite of Dr. -Engelmacher’s warning. It was a great pity, because Ben Yetzel was a -dangerous man to offend; but his decision on certain matters had been so -arbitrary that Montella could not help protesting, and the discussion -had led to hot words on either side. Engelmacher, knowing that to -overthrow the Rabbinical authority altogether was bad policy on Lionel’s -part, endeavoured to make peace between them, but in vain. The young -Governor of Haifa declared that he would sell his conscience in bondage -to no man, were he priest or peasant; and determined to use his own -judgment in matters pertaining to the people. So the incensed Chief -Rabbi literally shook off the dust of Engelmacher’s courtyard from his -feet, and departed in great wrath, calling down in the choicest Hebrew -the vengeance of Heaven on all concerned. - -“You have done wrong, my boy,” said the doctor to Lionel in the calm -which followed the storm. “It is never wise to make an enemy, especially -such a man as Ben Yetzel. ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ is -his motto. I am afraid he will make you suffer for what you have said -to-day. He holds the majority of the Palestinian Jews in the hollow of -his hand.” - -“Even if it is so, I could not have spoken otherwise,” rejoined the -young man, his eyes still flashing with the intensity of his outraged -feelings. “Ben Yetzel must do his worst. One generally has to suffer for -right and truth in this world, I find.” - -“H’m, perhaps so.” The doctor applied a match to his pipe. “But as ‘this -world’—as you so contemptuously call it—is the only one with which we -have to do, I think we ought to jog along with as few jars as possible. -However, what’s done is done, and you will have to make the best of it. -Be on your guard against Ben Yetzel—that’s all. He will never forget -that he owes you a grudge.” - -“He is welcome to pay me back whensoever he pleases,” Montella said -carelessly. - -He was too young and too strong to cherish the smallest fear. - -Nevertheless he knew that the quarrel was to be regretted. He had come -to Jerusalem, hoping to improve matters by the aid of diplomacy, and had -failed. It was perhaps that the English method of handling such affairs -did not work in Palestine; but he could not help that—he was British to -the backbone. What he said he meant with his whole heart, and the -foreign system of prevarication and petty quibbling was to him as -distasteful as it was unintelligible. Therefore it was impossible for -him to tolerate the slippery dealings of Ben Yetzel and his clan; a -breach had been inevitable from the first. - -“We may as well return to Haifa as soon as the Princess leaves,” he said -to his wife, when he had given vent to his indignation. “I can do no -good here, I am afraid.” - -Patricia looked up at him with her blue eyes full of sympathy. - -“Poor boy!” she exclaimed softly. “You always seem to be in hot water -with these rabbis. They remind me of the Pharisees of old.” - -“They are Pharisees—and hypocrites,” he returned, with a touch of -bitterness. “However, I am not going to trouble about them; they are not -worth it. I shall try to take a leaf out of Engelmacher’s book: instead -of getting angry with them he simply laughs.” - -“That is the most sensible way. How many quarrels would be averted if we -could only laugh!” She sighed, and added regretfully: “I shall be sorry -to leave Jerusalem. It is the most wonderful little city in the world.” - -She would not tell him how much she dreaded the return to Haifa, but the -fact remained. Here, in Mrs. Engelmacher’s house, she had been -comparatively free from the obligations of the Jewish ceremonial, but -when she took up the domestic reins once more, the responsibility would -again devolve upon her shoulders. Lady Montella had been careful to -train her in the right way, and hitherto she had responded with a -certain degree of enthusiasm; indeed, she had been so anxious to do the -correct thing that she had sometimes done more than was absolutely -necessary. Now all was changed. She felt that she could no longer show -spontaneity in the duties of a Jewish housewife, even though she meant -to perform them conscientiously for her husband’s sake; and she feared -the keenly perceptive powers of her mother-in-law, who almost seemed -able to read one’s thoughts. The Premier’s words to her on her -wedding-day recurred with new and added force. She had thought so -lightly of her apostasy at the time; she could see the reprehensibility -and gravity of her action now. - -It was Sunday afternoon—their last Sunday in Jerusalem—and she had -promised to go to the hospice for tea. The Engelmachers were expecting -friends in the evening, and she was not sorry to obtain leave of -absence; but her husband, on whose account the company had been invited, -was obliged to remain. She found the Princess in the pretty hospice -drawing-room surrounded by a little group of admirers, whilst a -good-looking curate from Devonshire obligingly handed round the tea. - -The scene was in marked contrast to the glaring Orientalism without. -Patricia felt as if she had been suddenly transported to a homely -English vicarage, and experienced an indefinable sense of comfort at the -thought. The Bishop was in the midst of one of his innumerable -anecdotes, and was dilating on the humorous vagaries of a certain Scotch -gillie; but he paused at the most interesting point of the story in -order to fetch the new-comer a chair. - -“Sit down here, Lady Patricia,” he said genially. “You will be able to -get a breath of air from the window.” - -And then he resumed his account of the golf-loving Tammas, to the -amusement, if not the edification of his friendly audience. - -“We are all going to St. George’s this evening,” the Princess informed -her, when a momentary lull in the conversation occurred. “You don’t mind -coming, do you, Pat? The Bishop has been asked to preach.” - -“I shall be very glad,” the girl answered promptly. “It is such a long, -long time since I went to church; I have almost forgotten what the -service is like. But I wonder if Lionel would object? I hardly like to -go without his knowledge.” - -The Princess looked dubious. - -“I should think he is too broad-minded to object,” she said -thoughtfully. “However, you must do just as you like; I don’t want -Lionel to tell me that I have led you astray.” - -“Oh, he wouldn’t do that,” returned Patricia quickly, wondering how she -should decide. There was an uneasy sensation at the back of her mind, -that in her present position she ought not to attend a Christian church; -but the desire to form one of the party conquered. After all, she was -acquainted with so few people in Jerusalem that it was very improbable -that she would meet anyone she knew. But she made up her mind to tell -her husband that same night; she had no wish to act clandestinely. - -They set out just as the bells began to ring, the Devonian curate in -attendance. Passing through the Damascus Gate, they paused at El -Hieremîyeh—the “green hill far away, without a city wall,” which some -believed, with General Gordon, to be the true Calvary, in preference to -the site within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Certain it was that -the caves on the southern side gave it the appearance of “the place -which is called the place of a skull”; and it was the Jews’ traditional -place of execution. Below was a garden, containing a rock-hewn -sepulchre, which might well have been the “new tomb” belonging to Joseph -of Arimathea; but by some it was said to be fifth-century work, and its -authenticity was open to question. To the Princess it seemed well that -the exact locality of the Great Redemption should never be decided; for -the place was surely too sacred to be desecrated by the wrangling of the -various Christian denominations for its possession, which had so often -led to bloodshed; by gaudy altars, the bartering of candles, the gross -irreverence of the Mohammedan guardians. Better far that the exact spot -where Divine Love was crucified should remain unknown, since that -knowledge, instead of making for reverent peace, would only serve to -engender strife. - -They had just examined the cave called Jeremiah’s grotto, at the foot of -the hill, when Patricia became conscious of a man in the attire of a -Jerusalemite Christian, who seemed to be watching her with special -intent. Every time she looked in his direction she encountered the -dog-like expression of his melancholy eyes, and as he did not attempt to -ask for _backsheesh_, she wondered why he favoured her with his regard. -When they left the grotto, he walked, or rather glided away in an -opposite direction, but no sooner had they arrived at the Tombs of the -Kings than he suddenly reappeared, although it was impossible to tell -which way he had come. - -Patricia felt vaguely alarmed, but she scarcely liked to communicate her -nervousness to the others. The last bell of St. George’s opposite had -almost ceased, and there was no time to look at the tombs, so they -crossed over and entered the church without delay. The man also crossed, -peered into the vestibule, and then withdrew; but, unobserved by -Patricia, re-entered when the service began, and remained until the -beginning of the sermon. - -To no one in the sacred building did Evensong sound more solemn and -sweet than to the girl who for so long had been alienated from her -Church. The General Confession, Psalms, Magnificat, and Nunc Dimittis -brought back a host of recollections to her mind, even though she had -lapsed into indifference for some time before her marriage. She could -almost imagine herself back in the little parish church of Newlingham -Heath—her father’s village—with her mother’s memorial tablet and window -just above her head, and the memorial chancel rails a few paces to the -front. Ah, if that mother had lived, what a different training she would -have received! For the Countess Torrens had been known for her gentle -piety, and it was only since her death that the Earl had drifted into -Agnosticism. Thoroughly repentant and subdued, she determined to -reconsecrate her life to the Highest, and to do all in her power to -atone for her temporary aberration. The difficulties of the situation -vanished away as she meditated upon the marvellous compelling power of -the Divine. She was so certain that if she were but true to the highest -instincts of her spiritual nature, all things would work together for -good. The pettiness of the Jewish ceremonial should trouble her not at -all; she would look through and above it to the Great Majesty beyond. - -There was a new impress of spirituality upon her face when, the service -over, she left the church. The Princess guessed the nature of her -thoughts, and instead of criticising—as she usually did—the sermon, the -music, and the congregation, she remained silent for awhile. The -Devonian curate suggested a walk to the Mount of Olives, for the night -was fine, and the moon brilliantly full. So they betook themselves -through the north-eastern suburb of the city, and past St. Stephen’s -Gate, near where a belated beggar afflicted with the terrible disease of -leprosy called out his melancholy warning “Lebbra!” and solicited alms. -Then down they went into the Kidron Valley, and past the venerable olive -trees of Gethsemane, where they paused awhile. Bathed in moonlight, the -Sacred Garden seemed enwrapt by a solemn peace, and as lonely as in the -time of old, save for the little chapel tended by Franciscan monks. -Whether this were the authentic spot or not, it could not have been far -away where the Agony of the Divine Sufferer had taken place; for the -Mount of Olives was close at hand, and though all the ecclesiastical -localities were spurious, this sacred mount remained unchanged. - -The ascent was steep and difficult, but they climbed high enough to -obtain a splendid view. They could look right down into the Temple area -on one side, and towards Bethany and the Dead Sea on the other. The air -was cool and balmy, and so still that they scarcely cared to disturb the -silence by conversation, but the Princess could not resist the -temptation to quote some verses of a poem she remembered, which so -beautifully described the scene: - - “The full moon rose o’er Anathoth, - And gleamed upon the lone Dead Sea, - Threw silver spears o’er Olivet - And touched each hoary rock and tree. - - In solemn darkness Kedron lay; - But all the wealth of light was poured - Fondly upon Jerusalem, - The ancient city of the Lord. - - As ivory her houses gleamed - Against the blue of hill and sky, - And all her slender towers arose, - Like shafts of silver thrown on high. - - No sound profaned the holy scene, - Save the sad jackal’s plaintive wail; - No light of lamp, no ray of star, - Disturbed the shadows blue and pale. - - And just so looked Jerusalem - To Him, who, on the self-same spot, - Would long ago have sheltered her - Beneath His wing, but she would not. - - So she remains unchanged and lone, - Till He shall come again and fold - In the vast pity of His love - Creeds, nations, empires, worlds untold.”[13] - -Footnote 13: - - “Jerusalem by Moonlight” (Margaret Thomas). - -“I like that,” said Patricia, with a sigh of enjoyment, when she had -finished. “And oh, how glorious it is up here! No wonder our Saviour -loved to come here when He wished to be alone. I like this better than -all the other historic places we have seen, because it is the work of -Nature, and there is no chance of its having been artificially -disturbed. The same blue sky overhead, the same rocks and stones and -flowers as were here over nineteen hundred years ago, when He walked and -taught on these slopes. This is grander than all the churches which have -been erected in His name; it is an everlasting witness—Heaven’s own -natural church!” - -Surprised at her own effusiveness, she turned away and walked a few -paces to the rear, alone. It was something to be remembered, this -moonlight night on the Mount of Olives, with the sleeping city below; -and the emotions of her newly-quickened soul—they were to be remembered -too. How good was God; how fair was the earth; how sweet was life! Could -she not say with Browning, - - “God’s in His Heaven, - All’s right with the world”? - -for at this height the troublous details of human existence sank into -insignificance compared with the grandeur of eternity which knows not -time. With a strange feeling of exaltation she stooped down, and -plucking a tiny flower from the rocky soil, pinned it gently to her -breast. Then with a sigh of perfect contentment she rejoined her -friends. No matter what sorrow there might be for her in the future, she -was strong—she had braced herself to endure. - - - - - CHAPTER X - THE BLOW FALLS - - -It was quite late (for Jerusalem) when Patricia drove home in her -friend’s little _arabiyeh_, but the Engelmacher household was still -astir. In the drawing-room she found her husband playing cards with the -doctor and two other gentlemen, and smoking a Turkish nargileh. The -fumes were not unpleasant, so she would not allow him to put it away on -her account. Taking the little chair he placed for her, she sat down at -his side. She had no desire to watch the play—indeed the very sight of -cards was distasteful to her just then; but she liked to be near her -husband, and to talk to him between the deals. - -“There is a letter from your father,” he said, when she had been -introduced to Dr. Engelmacher’s friends. “He has been staying at -Burstall Abbey, but thinks of coming over here on a visit for a change. -He has photographed almost every place of interest in Europe, and would -like to add a few Oriental scenes to his collection. You would be -pleased to see him, would you not, dear?” - -“Yes, of course, dear.” - -She took the letter out of his pocket-book and read it for herself. Lord -Torrens did not write often, and his epistles were generally brief and -to the point, but this one extended over four pages of closely-written -notepaper, and had evidently taken him some time to indite. He said he -was longing for a sight of his daughter’s bonnie face; and as he usually -concealed his feelings by a mask of cold austerity, Patricia was -somewhat surprised. Wrapped up in his books and hobbies, she had always -left him severely alone unless he particularly asked for her society. -She had never given him credit for the human sympathy which, in spite of -his crusty exterior, he undoubtedly possessed. - -She put the letter back into the envelope as the men threw down the -cards in order to partake of the refreshments which Mrs. Engelmacher had -thoughtfully provided; for although they had had supper scarcely an hour -before, they were already thirsty again. Montella rose and stretched -himself with an air of relief. At the same moment there came a violent -ringing at the courtyard bell. - -“_Donner und Blitz!_” exclaimed Dr. Engelmacher, with resentment. “Is -the house on fire? Who has the impudence to pull the bell so that it can -be heard all over Jerusalem? _Dummkopp!_ Stupidhead! I will tell him so -to his face.” - -He continued to demolish a huge slice of cake, however, with -imperturbability, and carefully filled his friends’ glasses with wine. A -moment later the door was thrown open with a flourish, and after a brief -altercation without, three men appeared on the threshold. The foremost -was Ben Yetzel, the Chief Rabbi, in all the glory of his official robes. - -His visit at that hour, and after his quarrel with Montella, was so -totally unexpected that the occupants of the room were all taken aback. -Dr. Engelmacher swallowed the remaining portion of his cake in one -mouthful, after which he was obliged to hastily gulp down a glass of -wine to save himself from choking. His friends stared at the new-comers -with curiosity, and Lionel grasped the back of the chair with an air of -defiance. But the most agitated of all was Patricia, who had recognised -in one of Ben Yetzel’s companions the man she had met by Jeremiah’s -Grotto, and again at the Tombs of the Kings. No wonder he had watched -her so carefully; he was evidently in the Chief Rabbi’s service as a -spy. - -Judging by the pomposity with which Ben Yetzel advanced into the room, -his errand was aggressive in intent. Taking not the slightest notice of -Montella, he began to talk to Dr. Engelmacher in Hebrew, his voice -raised in excitement, and his features glowing with a fanatical light. -For a while Lionel took no part in the colloquy, and listened in -silence, with lowering brow; but at last he could restrain himself no -longer, and spoke in the deep and peculiarly resonant voice which -betrayed his agitation. Then there ensued a veritable babel of noise and -confusion of tongues; for the simultaneous combination of Hebrew, -German, and English, and all spoken in anger, did not conduce to the -clear understanding of either side. - -Patricia had never felt so uncomfortable in her life. Although she could -not understand exactly what they were saying, she knew that the -dissension was in some way connected with herself. Her one desire was to -escape from the room, but she dare not attract attention by rising from -her seat. So she remained, until hearing her little boy crying in the -room above, she took courage and moved towards the door. But the Rabbi’s -lynx eyes caught the action, and just as she reached the threshold, she -was asked by Dr. Engelmacher to remain. - -“I am very sorry, Lady Patricia,” he said, in a more gentle voice than -he had used to the men, “but the Chief Rabbi is labouring under a -misapprehension, and we had better set him right. He declares, on the -authority of his employee here, that you joined in the service at the -Church of St. George this evening. I have told him that the employee -must have made a mistake, and perhaps confused you with your friend, the -Princess; but he will not be satisfied until he hears the denial from -your own lips. He wishes you to tell him yourself that you did not enter -the church while service was proceeding.” - -There was a breathless pause. Patricia remained standing, her fair face -proudly raised. - -“I cannot tell him that,” she said, addressing the doctor, but looking -straight at the Rabbi. “I went to the church with the Princess—the first -time for many years. I saw no harm in it, or I would not have gone. I -did not think I was being watched.” - -Montella beat an impatient tattoo on the table at his side. - -“Absurd!” he exclaimed, with irritation. “Ben Yetzel has no right to -send out spies. Besides, what harm has my wife done? Surely she can -accompany her friend to church without all this fuss being made? She -went simply on account of the Princess; she could scarcely have done -otherwise, since she was on a visit to the hospice. Dr. and Mrs. -Engelmacher know that Lady Patricia is a faithful Jewess and observes -the Law.” - -The Chief Rabbi understood English, although he seldom cared to speak -it. - -“A faithful Jewess bends not the knee in a Christian church,” he said. -“Yussuf here sat just opposite her and saw her join in the prayers and -hymns. The lady is not a Jewess, even though she does profess to keep -the Holy Law. She is a Christian; and for the wife of the Governor of -Haifa to be a Christian is a scandalous thing.” - -“She is not a Christian!” denied Montella, with heat. “She renounced her -Christianity before she became my wife. Ask her, and she will tell you; -she does not believe in Christ.” - -Again the appeal was made to the girl herself. Patricia felt the eyes of -the room upon her, and the colour rushed to her cheeks. With beating -heart she gazed almost piteously at her inexorable accusers. Oh, Lionel, -most devoted of husbands, most foolish of men! Why had he put the -question direct, with so much confidence in her unbelief? Neither -sophistry nor prevarication would avail now; she must speak the truth, -even though to utter the words might ruin her life’s happiness. But -then—quick as a lightning flash the thought came—why give these people -the satisfaction of victory? Why play into their hands, and witness the -chagrin of her husband? Why not say no in public and yes in private. Ah, -but she could not do that; she dare not again deny her faith. - -“My husband does not know,” she said, in a stifled voice. “I did -renounce Christianity before my marriage, and I have tried to keep the -Jewish Law until this day, and intend still to do so as long as it is -necessary. But while I have been in Jerusalem my religious views have -undergone a change. The Chief Rabbi is unnecessarily harsh, but he is -correct in his statement. I do believe in Christ. I believe in Him with -all my heart and soul!” - -Had a thunderbolt fallen, the silence which succeeded her avowal could -not have been more pregnant with surprise. The Chief Rabbi’s expression -lightened into one of triumph, and his satellites, taking their cue from -him, looked about them with calm contempt. Dr. Engelmacher spread his -hands deprecatingly, and gave vent to a shrug of the shoulders which was -eloquent with meaning, whilst Montella—almost stunned by the -unexpectedness of the dénouement—started to his feet in sorrow and -amazement. - -“Patricia!” he exclaimed, in a voice of poignant grief. “You don’t mean -it—you, who have been so staunch and true ever since you became a -Jewess. Oh, you don’t realise what you are saying, dearest. You have -been carried away by the emotions called up by these historic scenes!” - -She shook her head. “I must speak the truth, dear,” she answered, -softly, “or I should despise myself for a coward.” - -Then she sank on to a chair, almost overcome with the heat and the -excitement. The blow had fallen; she dared not think what the -consequence would be. - -“For the wife of the Governor of Haifa to be a Christian is a scandalous -thing,” repeated Ben Yetzel quietly, in Hebrew. “Either Mr. Montella -must resign his post, or there must be a divorce.” - -Dr. Engelmacher was the only one near enough to hear his dictum. - -“Gently, my dear sir,” he returned, in a tone of reproof. “If we live, -we shall see; there is plenty of time.” - -But he knew that his friend Montella was in a most difficult -predicament, and that it would need all his astuteness to extract him -from the same. - -He rose, in order to show that he considered the interview at an end; -and the Chief Rabbi, well satisfied with the work he had accomplished, -took his departure with due ceremony. There was an awkward pause when -the door had closed behind him, and Patricia seized the opportunity to -escape from the room. Scarcely knowing whither she went, she rushed up -the shallow staircase to the apartment which served as her boudoir. Her -one desire was to be alone for a few minutes—anywhere away from the -people she had offended. Opening the door which led into the -night-nursery, she peeped timidly into the room, and seeing that her -baby was alone, advanced gently towards his little cot. Although he -seemed so still, he was not asleep, but lay staring up at the pattern on -the wall with wide-open eyes. Hearing the rustle of her dress, however, -he sat up in eager anticipation. - -“Nanna just gone down’tairs,” he informed her, even before she asked -him. “Baby hot.” - -“Too hot to sleep?” she asked gently, and lifting him up into her arms, -pushed the curls away from his forehead. - -It was a relief to feel his loving little caress, to have the golden -head nestling against her shoulder, to hear the piping notes of the baby -voice. His very presence soothed her as no other earthly thing could -have done; he seemed just like a little cherub of peace. - -“Mammy not go ’way,” he said contentedly, his tiny hands grasping her -wrist. “Mammy ’tay wiv baby always?” - -He looked up confidingly into her face, but the expected answer was not -forthcoming. A hot tear splashed on to his hair; and although but a -baby, he knew instinctively that something was wrong. He did not know -that his words had caused a dread possibility to flash across his -mother’s mind—for the result of that evening’s confession might mean -separation, not only from her husband, but from her child. Seeing her -distress, he began to sob in sympathy, and clung to her with almost -convulsive force. - -“Mammy not go ’way!” he wailed, over and over again. “Mammy ’tay with -baby!” and he refused to be consoled, until Patricia declared -unceasingly that she would never forsake him. - -She stayed until he was asleep again, and then, leaving him in the -charge of Anne, returned to her own room. Too much perturbed to -methodically disrobe, she took her favourite seat by the casement -window, and rested her elbows lightly on the ledge. The moon still shone -with brilliant splendour, illumining the whole city with its silvery -radiance; and away to the east she could see the Sacred Mount upon whose -slopes she had so recently stood. The view recalled her lofty -aspirations, and endued her with courage. She was surely not so weak as -to quail at the first attack! - -But the sound of her husband’s footsteps caused her heart to beat fast -again with apprehension. What would he say, she wondered, and how -display his anger? She had never seen him angry—at least, never with -her; for in all the four years of their married life they had not -quarrelled once. She glanced up from beneath her long lashes as he -entered the room, and noticed with a pang of compunction that he looked -haggard and pale. But although she longed to say something, the words -froze on her lips. Always reserved by nature, she became suddenly -self-conscious, and instead of showing sympathy, as she longed to do, -the result was a stony silence. - -But Montella understood. Locking the door with his usual care, he -advanced towards the dressing-table and turned up the light. Then taking -a little chair at her side, he grasped both her hands. - -“Patricia, how could you?” he said, so quietly that she could scarcely -catch his voice. “How could you, dearest? You do not realise what you -have done!” - -He gazed into the depths of her eyes, as though he would read her very -soul. She looked back, and saw that there was no anger, but only deep, -impenetrable sorrow reflected there. And then he explained. He was not -so shocked that she had returned to her former religion—indeed, he had -always known that she had found Judaism difficult; but that she should -have publicly confessed her relapse, and in the very presence of the -Chief Rabbi—that was where she had done irreparable harm. - -“Under those circumstances prevarication was justifiable,” he said, when -she had protested her inability to answer otherwise. “You could have -said something—anything—only to defy Ben Yetzel and put him off the -track.” - -“I could not tell a deliberate falsehood,” she answered, in a voice as -low as his own. “I am sure no good ever comes of telling a lie.” - -“Ah, but you do not understand!” he said, in agitation. “To Ben Yetzel -your admission is the peg on which to hang his revenge. He has hated me -ever since I opposed his priestly tyranny, and now he has the power to -ruin me. Shall I tell you the ultimatum he has given to Engelmacher -concerning us? Believe me, dearest, it is as hard for me to say as it is -for you to hear; but it is this: either I must resign my post—which -means leaving Palestine in disgrace—or—or there must be a—divorce.” - -He brought out the last word as though he could hardly get it to pass -his lips. Patricia pressed her hands to her face in an agony of feeling. - -“Oh, no! no! _no!_” she cried, in a passionate voice. “Not divorce! It -is too dreadful! Anything but that! I will go away, to Germany, to -England, anywhere in Europe; but you must remain my husband, and I your -wife. Surely if we are separated for ever the Rabbi will be satisfied; -surely he, a minister of God, is not so utterly wicked as to wish to -break the most sacred bonds of our marriage. Let him part us so that we -shall never meet again. In the sight of Heaven I shall always be your -wife!” - -Her self-control collapsed completely, and she gave vent to such sobs as -seemed to come from the depths of her being. Montella took her in his -arms, and endeavoured to comfort her with the assurance that the hated -contingency should never occur. But he felt no less miserable in his way -than she did in hers. He knew that their separation was inevitable, and -that it might be indefinitely prolonged. He knew also that life in -Palestine would be almost unendurable without Patricia at his side. - -“Oh, darling, darling, what grief you have brought down upon us both!” -he exclaimed, in anguish. “Truly did your Christ say, ‘_I came not to -send peace, but a sword!_’ Is not that sword piercing your heart and -mine? Cursed be all creeds which bring dissension and sorrow in their -wake, which separate a husband from his wife, a mother from her child! -How can I send you away—you whom I have sworn to protect and cherish? To -know that you are lonely, and that I cannot comfort you; that you are -ill, and I cannot sit beside you; that you want me, and I cannot come. -Oh, Patricia, they have laid their finger on the weak spot in my -manhood’s armour! I cannot bear to let you go away!” - -She had never seen him so intensely moved. She dried her eyes with a -feeling almost of awe, and in her desire to comfort him, recovered her -own self-possession. - -“We must both be brave, dearest,” she said, in a broken voice. “If it is -necessary for us to part for a time, it will not last for ever—nothing -lasts for ever. Don’t let us make it harder for each other than we can -help. Let us try to think of the—the—happy reunion in the future.” - -“The future? But when? So far as I know, I am settled in Haifa for life. -If we part, it may be for years, for we do not know when we shall see -each other again.” He paused, evidently struck by a new idea, and -continued impulsively: “Patricia, why should we give up our happiness -for the sake of people who do not care two straws whether we live or -die? Why should I slave and toil and worry, only to be rewarded by base -ingratitude? Resign my post! Well, why not? What is the governorship -worth in comparison with you!” - -He rose and paced the room with bent head and folded arms. It was his -moment of weakness, and the girl knew it; but she could not help -considering the alternative he suggested. If he left Palestine, they -could go and live quietly somewhere on the Continent; he might even -obtain permission to return to England. At least, it would be better -than an indefinite separation; she did not care where she lived, so long -as she were with him. But she knew that by so doing he would be guilty -of forsaking his people and losing his honour, and that she would never -forgive herself for having blighted his career. - -“No, dearest; you must not abandon your post just when you are most -needed,” she said, with a heavy sigh. “An Englishman must do his duty at -the cost of life itself. I know you better than you think, Lionel. Life -would not be worth living to you without your honour. Besides, it would -break your mother’s heart; in her eyes, you are ever the dauntless -champion of the Jews.” - -“The dauntless champion of the Jews!” he repeated bitterly. “I wonder -sometimes if the Jews are worth championing. Where is the grand spirit -of unity and discipline which held together the nation of old? -Quarrellings, bickerings, murmurings, grumbling at every semblance of -authority, one striving to out-do the other; that is what one has to -contend with in these days. Oh, how I long to throw it all up, to let -them go their own way, and end the struggle by the survival of the -fittest! How I long to escape with you to some quiet little spot, where -we might live in peace and quiet happiness with our child. Since all -these people are selfish, why should not I be selfish too? The -temptation is so great—so great! I have not the power to withstand it!” - -“But you must!” she cried, in a tense voice. “Lionel, this is unworthy -of you! When the children of Israel complained and murmured in the -wilderness, did Moses forsake them in disgust? Ah, no; a leader must -expect to suffer by and for his people. Having put your hand to the -plough, you must not look back. You have been so brave and so noble -until this very day. Do not spoil your record by turning coward at the -last.” - -“Coward!” The word stung him like a lash. “Good God, no! But, Patricia—” -He turned towards her with a gesture of appeal. “You love me? Ah, I know -you do! And yet you can urge me to stick to my guns whilst you go away -to live in loneliness, perhaps for the remainder of your life? I cannot -understand it.... Is this love?” - -“Yes, of the truest kind,” she answered, her deep eyes glistening with -tears. “‘_I could not love thee, dear, so much, loved I not honour -more._’ Do you think I’m not longing to say, ‘Come with me to the other -end of the world, and leave these people to look after themselves’? But -I must not, I dare not! Your duty lies in Palestine, and here you must -stay. I know that when you are your old self again, you will say that I -was right.” - -“Of course you are right; but I am not of the self-sacrificing sort. I -wouldn’t mind going under fire and having a bullet put through my head -for my country’s sake—that’s soon over; but I don’t like having the -agony prolonged.” He flung himself on to a chair, and added, in a -different voice: “What of the child? My mother will never free you from -your promise to have him brought up as a Jew. She will do her utmost to -retain him in her custody. You must not let him go back to Haifa if you -wish to keep him with you. Possession is nine points of the law.” - -She shuddered. “It is terrible to have to use force in the matter. -Surely Lady Montella will not object to my having him with me while he -is so young? I am his mother, and his place is with me. Afterwards, when -he is grown up, it will be a different matter; but now—” - -She covered her face with her hands, unable to finish the sentence. She -knew even while she spoke that she would have to drink her cup of -bitterness to the dregs. To part with her husband was terrible enough; -yet they would both have the consciousness of having done their duty to -sustain them. But in the case of her child it was different, since there -was no such urgent necessity. She knew that if Lady Montella succeeded -in keeping him from her, her last ray of comfort would be gone. - - - - - CHAPTER XI - FAREWELL! - - -Ben Yetzel was not slow to act on his discovery. The news of Lady -Patricia’s secession spread with lightning rapidity, and in two days -every one in Palestine who had the slightest connection with Lionel -Montella was aware of it. In these days of liberty it is difficult to -understand the importance of such an event, but in the eyes of the -Palestinian Jews it was of the greatest consequence. That the Governor’s -wife was not of Jewish birth had always been a drawback in their eyes, -but that she should openly profess the Christian Faith was unendurable. -Her return to Haifa, therefore, was practically out of the question, and -she decided to leave with the Princess at the end of the week. - -And then came the dispute about the child. Lady Montella was up in arms -at the suggestion that he should accompany his mother to Europe; and -arrived in Jerusalem in hot haste, or at least as soon as the boat and -train would bring her. She said very little to her daughter-in-law, and -maintained a distinctly cold demeanour; but she spoke her mind freely to -her son, whose filial respect was sadly tried. - -“This is the happy result of a mixed marriage!” she exclaimed, with -angry sarcasm. “Did I not tell you that the pride of the Montellas would -depart? Little Julian is practically the last descendant of the -house—for we do not know whether Ferdinand is alive or dead—and that he -should grow up a Christian would be a disgrace I should never survive. -Your poor father trusted to me to do all in my power to keep up the -honour of the family; to keep it—as it has ever been till now—purely -Jewish. Do you think that if Patricia takes the boy she will not educate -him in her faith? Of course she will; she cannot do otherwise, whatever -promises she may make.” - -“But he is so young,” urged Montella, with reproach. “You forget that he -is only a baby. Why not let Patricia have the comfort of him until he is -old enough to be taught? It will be several years before he is able to -understand anything of religious matters. Heaven knows I should miss the -little chap if he left me too, but I think it cruel to part mother and -child.” - -“It is cruel only to be kind,” she rejoined vigorously. “Julian must be -nurtured in Judaism, must breathe the atmosphere from babyhood if he is -to grow up a true Jew. The earliest years of a child’s life are the most -important, for it is then he imbibes the ideas which cling to him till -he becomes a man. Soon he will be old enough to notice the Sabbath -candles, and we shall be able to teach him the beginnings of our faith. -But remove him from all Jewish influence, let Patricia teach him the -Christian Catechism, and whatever else he may be, he will never grow up -a Jew. No, there is no alternative in the matter; no compromise is -possible. Julian must stay with us to be properly trained for the -responsibilities he will have to fulfil. Patricia ought never to have -married you if she did not mean to remain a Jewess. If she suffers, she -has no one to blame but herself. With us religions are not lightly -received to be afterwards cast away.” - -By which it will be seen that Lady Montella was obdurate, and did not -mean to be gainsayed. If Patricia intended to take her baby away, it -would have to be by violence, and she was of much too gentle a nature to -think of forcible measures. Moreover, she knew that Lady Montella was -right, and that if she had the training of the child she could not help -bringing him up as a Christian—thereby breaking the promise she had made -before his birth. She knew also that, tended by his grandmother and the -faithful Anne, he would be in safe hands; but this did not compensate -her for the grief of the parting. The wrench was terrible, and on the -morning of her departure she felt that she must set all at defiance and -take him bodily away. The child seemed to understand what was happening, -and clung to her with the tenacity of fear; and thus, clasped in each -other’s arms, they awaited the dread signal which should warn them that -the hour was come. - -Lady Montella, away from her religious principles, was as warm-hearted -as it was possible for woman to be, and could not witness the separation -unmoved. She knew that both husband and wife were suffering keenly, and -that Patricia’s heart was bleeding for her child. But the sternness of -her decision was not relaxed, and the carriage drove up relentlessly to -take the young mother away. Not caring to see the final farewell, she -joined Mrs. Engelmacher in the room above; and a few minutes later she -knew by the sound of wheels that all was over, and Patricia had gone. - -The Princess was already at the little station when the unhappy pair -arrived. She had never seen either of them look so ill, but was too wise -to express her concern. Instead, she tried to make light of the whole -matter, and drew their attention to the peculiar mixture of -nationalities and personalities which composed the motley crowd on the -platform. And there was the luggage to be seen to, and the red tape of -Oriental officialism to be overcome, as well as the numerous necessities -for the journey to the West. When all was accomplished, however, there -still remained a little time before the train was due to start; and to -the Montellas these few minutes were the hardest of all. - -Lionel stood with his arm around his wife, and gazed piteously at the -Princess. - -“You will take care of my darling, won’t you, Olive?” he said, with a -pathetic air of appeal. “In letting her go, I am parting with half of my -life, and I know she feels it as much as I do, and perhaps more, because -she is leaving the one little ray of sunshine she might have retained. -But don’t let her fret, will you? Fretting doesn’t do a bit of good, and -it will make her ill. Perhaps I shall be able to come over to -Felsen-Schvoenig for a holiday next winter, or—or— Oh, we must look -forward to meeting again soon, however it’s managed or whatever we do. -So you’ll cheer her up, won’t you? Don’t let her get depressed. And I’ll -write every mail, and—and—” - -But his flow of language gave way; he could not bring himself to say -another word. - -“Oh, I’ll cheer her up,” the Princess returned confidently. “You may -rely on me. You both look as mournful as if you were parting for ever; -but that’s quite absurd. After I’ve seen my poor old Karl, I shall go to -England and get my sister to work round that wooden-headed Moore. I -fancy from what Mamie writes that the Expulsion Act is not working so -well as he anticipated. Anyway, coming straight from the Holy Land, I -shall be able to give them both a piece of my mind. Oh, there’s no -knowing what may happen in another year. You must both keep up your -spirits and hope for the best. It’s a long lane that has no turning, and -I guess yours will turn pretty soon.” - -She was so anxious to comfort them that the words seemed to fall over -each other at express speed. Lionel thanked her from the bottom of his -heart, and did his best to conjure up a wan smile. Then the signal for -starting was given, and the final leavetakings had to be exchanged. A -last fond embrace, a cordial hand-shake with the Princess, and Montella -assisted the two travellers to mount their somewhat ungainly carriage. -Then a vista of waving handkerchiefs, of straining eyes, as the train -puffed and snorted on its way; and a few minutes later he was left -standing on the platform surrounded by people—but alone. Turning -resolutely, he made his way through the crowd and back to Dr. -Engelmacher’s house, his shoulders thrown back, his head bravely raised. -His mother, anxious and suddenly diffident, awaited him in the -drawing-room, and as he approached the door, gently called his name. But -either he did not hear, or he was not inclined to respond, for he passed -by quickly, and ascended to the nursery. - -“He has gone to his boy for consolation,” said Dr. Engelmacher, as the -baby’s joyful “Daddy!” reached their ears. “Poor chap! he seems very -much—what do you call it—cut down? No, I meant to say cut up. Ach, the -women! Nine-tenths sorrow to a man, and one-tenth joy. Poor Montella! I -am full of regrets. He loves his wife.” - -“Yes, but he must love duty more,” Lady Montella rejoined, feeling a -trifle hurt that he had not come straight back to her. “It will do him -no harm to suffer a little; he is a man, and men are made strong through -suffering. Ah, if I were only a man, what would I not do for my people, -what would I not undergo for them! Years ago I determined that what I -could not do should be accomplished by my son; and all my thoughts, my -prayers have been centred on him for that purpose. He must show the -world what can be done by a Jew who has had all the advantages of -Western culture that wealth and influence can procure; it is his -vocation, and he must not shirk it. That is why I am hard as adamant -when any hindrance occurs. He ought never to have taken a Christian -wife.” - -“Of course not,” assented the doctor complacently. “Your sentiments are -most admirable, dear lady; but Montella, though a man, is human, and has -a heart. It is impossible to expect him to be a mere patriotic machine; -and even the greatest patriots in history have had a feminine angel -somewhere in the background. Ach, the women! But Ben Yetzel was a beast; -it ought never to have been necessary to send Lady Patricia away. -However, whats done is done. Montella must make the best of a bad -business, and live it down.” - -And upstairs the young Governor was already trying to carry out this -very injunction. He was sitting near the open window with the child on -his knee, and battling with the sore and angry feelings which threatened -to rise and overwhelm him. Anne, busying herself about the room, saw -that his face was white and set, and likened the expression in his eyes -to that of a gazelle who had been cruelly wounded. But although her kind -old heart was overflowing with sympathy, she had too much tact to speak, -and knew that her respectful silence was perhaps more eloquent than -words. Afterwards he joined the others below, and entered into their -conversation with such zest that they were almost astonished. Lady -Montella glanced at him with pride, and congratulated herself upon the -fact that he had borne the separation well. - -But from that day forth he was a changed man. The iron had entered into -his soul. - - - - - CHAPTER XII - RAIE’S DILEMMA - - -Zillah Lorm was suffering from _ennui_. Haifa, even with Lady Montella -and Lionel close at hand, was monotonous enough, but Haifa without them -was simply unbearable. She had never liked Raie Emanuel at the best of -times, and to have to be entertained by her was a hardship to which she -could scarcely submit. But until the Montellas returned there was no -alternative, and she was obliged to resign herself to the inevitable. -She managed to spend most of her time with some people whom she had -known in England, thus saving her little deputy-hostess a considerable -amount of trouble. For several days they scarcely met, except at meals, -and even then Zillah did not always choose to remain at home. - -The news of Patricia’s departure, however, created a sensation, which -both felt too keenly to ignore. Raie’s tender little heart was sincerely -grieved, for she possessed a deep affection both for Lionel and his -wife. Miss Lorm, on the other hand, seemed almost to exult over the -affair, and affected an air of superior wisdom which jarred upon the -younger girl. - -“What a muddle Lionel has made of his life!” she exclaimed, with unusual -complacency. “I always said the marriage would not turn out well—mixed -marriages seldom do. I believe in her heart of hearts Patricia hates -everything Jewish. I suppose she thought she had had about enough of it -here; it _is_ dull in Palestine for a society girl, I must admit. Still, -she might have managed to make a more graceful exit; she could have -pleaded ill-health as an excuse for returning to Europe. Anything would -have been better than this: to be publicly expelled like a naughty -schoolgirl!” - -Raie gave the cushions on her wicker chair an unnecessary thump. - -“I don’t understand what you mean,” she returned coldly. “Lady Patricia -has been obliged to sacrifice her home and happiness for the sake of her -religion. It all seems very quixotic, very unnecessary; but—there it -is!” - -“Fiddlesticks! Who, in these enlightened days, sacrifices anything for -religion? Neither Christians nor Jews; we are all materialists. What we -can see and understand we believe—for the rest, it is all in the clouds; -let it remain there! No, my dear, you will never get me to believe that. -Patricia has evidently been sighing for the fleshpots of Egypt, -otherwise the social amenities of English life. She is well-born, -beautiful in her way, and has had the _entrée_ to the most exclusive -circles of society. Her ladyship felt cramped and bored in this -insanitary hole of a place, and surrounded by Jews—always Jews. She -longed to get back to her own sphere, to entertain in the parental -mansion in Grosvenor Square, to drive in the park, to shop in Regent -Street, to feel civilised once more. The desire was perfectly natural; I -can even sympathise with her. But religion—no! This is not the age of -martyrdom.” - -“All the same, you are wrong—quite wrong,” returned Raie, with heat. -“Patricia was devoted to her husband and her baby. Do you think she -would have given them up for all the Londons in the world? You may be a -materialist, but she is an idealist, and with her spiritual things are -of vital importance. You do not understand her, but I do; and I am -certain that away from her husband she will not go near society or take -any part in the London season. She will probably bury herself in Thorpe -Burstall for the remainder of her life. I am certain she would never -have left Lionel of her own accord; but she was obliged to speak the -truth, and the Chief Rabbi sent her away.” - -Miss Lorm shrugged her shoulders, still unconvinced, but did not trouble -to argue the matter further, and at that moment a masculine figure -appeared in the doorway. Possessing fine features, and presumably -English, Zillah wondered where he could have come from. Raie had walked -to the other end of the garden, and was standing beneath a shady palm. - -The stranger advanced with hesitation. - -“I beg your pardon,” he said, doffing his white cap. “They told me I -should find Miss Emanuel here. I am sorry—” - -Zillah favoured him with a quick scrutiny, and decided that he was the -handsomest man she had yet met in Palestine. - -“Oh, it’s all right,” she answered readily. “Miss Emanuel is here. If -you will sit down I will call her.” And making room for him beside her -on the settle, she let her musical voice enunciate the name—“Raie!” - -Raie turned quickly and came towards them, her simple garden-hat pushed -carelessly back, and allowing the dark curls to escape their usual -bonds. At sight of the visitor a warm colour leapt into her cheeks, and -her eyes unconsciously brightened; but she suppressed the words which -rose to her lips, and formally held out her hand. - -It was very wrong of him to come in that manner, even if he did know -that the Montellas were away. She managed to convey this opinion to him, -although she did not put it into actual words. She was embarrassed and -shy, and seemed scarcely to know what to say; and when she introduced -him—as “Mr. Merryweather”—to Miss Lorm, she did it with a hesitancy -which was distinctly noticeable. She wished Zillah would leave them to -themselves; but Zillah meant to stop, and to find out as much as ever -she could about the stranger, and to see if she could put two and two -together to make four. So there was a sense of restraint between them -which was uncomfortable in the extreme, and Raie worked herself up -almost to the verge of tears. But it was worse still when Zillah, with -almost impertinent curiosity, began to cross-question him with regard to -his sojourn in the Holy Land. She was not satisfied until she had -mentally “placed” him in the order of globe-trotters to which he -belonged; and proceeded with such insistence that it needed all Mr. -Merryweather’s skill to parry her questions. Raie found herself left out -in the cold, and sat, the personification of silent reproach. She was -almost glad when he rose to take his leave, and saw him downstairs with -an air of dejection. Away from Miss Lorm, however, her spirits soon -revived; and seeing that the library was unoccupied, she drew him -inside. - -He bent down, and raising her face gently with his two hands, looked -into her eyes with kindly scrutiny. - -“Well?” he interrogated, almost quizzingly. “I have come back. Is not my -little Raie pleased?” - -“Yes,” she answered, returning his gaze without a smile; “but—” - -“‘But me no buts,’” he rejoined lightly. “I have displeased you, little -girl. Is not that so? What have I done?” - -“You should have let me know that you were coming,” she said, in an -aggrieved tone. “You have put me in a difficult position. Miss Lorm is -very inquisitive; she will want to know all about you—and our -acquaintance—when I go back to her. I would have had her out of the way -if I had known. I have been in torture during the last half-hour.” - -“Poor child!” He bent still further and kissed her on the forehead. “I -ought not to have come at all; but I was told that the Montellas and -Anne were in Jerusalem, so I thought the coast was clear. I wanted to -give you a pleasant surprise—but there! I always bungle everything I -do.” - -“Oh, no!” The grasp on his arm tightened. “It _was_ a pleasant surprise, -and of course you did not know Miss Lorm was here.” The smile which had -been delayed began to play about her mouth and eyes. “Tell me what you -have been doing, Ferdinand,” she added eagerly, as he pushed forward a -chair. “I am longing to know. Was your mission to England successful?” - -“Almost—but not quite. A man I particularly want to consult—he is a -solicitor—is at present in New York; but he will be back in about six -weeks’ time, when I shall have to go to England again.” - -“In six weeks? Then why did you come all this way for so short a time? -What trouble and expense—just to see me!” - -He smiled affectionately. - -“You are worth any amount of trouble and expense,” he rejoined -gallantly. “But I must be honest. I have come to Haifa this time for a -special purpose; and I believe you can help me, Raie.” - -“Yes?” She became serious. “What is it? Of course I will help you if I -can.” - -He rose from his chair, and closing the door, looked stealthily round -the room. - -“There are some papers in connection with—the forgery,” he said, in a -low but clear voice. “They must be in Lionel’s keeping; unless they have -been destroyed, which is unlikely. I want them—I must have them—in order -to verify a certain piece of evidence in connection with the case. And -as I cannot ask for them without disclosing my identity, I want you to -get them for me, dear.” - -“I? But how can I?” She looked up with a startled expression on her -face. “Lionel keeps most of his documents at the solicitors’—at least he -used to do in England. I have not the slightest idea where to look for -them. Where do you think they will be?” - -For answer, he walked to the iron safe which stood in the opposite -corner, and tapped it with his stick. - -“This is where they will be—docketed all together with the date 19— and -probably labelled ‘Ferdinand.’” He turned towards her with a gesture of -appeal, and held out his hands. “Raie, you will manage this for me, -dear, won’t you? Oh, you must, you must! It is of such great -importance—it will finally vindicate my character—it will mean happiness -for us both. Look, this is a patent lock. I don’t know how it works, but -you must seize an opportunity of watching Lionel open it; and then by -hook or crook you must get hold of the keys. The papers are of no use to -him—he will never miss them; but they are of the greatest consequence in -the world to me, and it is of no use for me to return to England without -them. Afterwards, when the whole thing is cleared up, we will tell him -all about it; and I know he will say our action was justified. -Raie—don’t look so strange—it’s nothing; and you have pluck. Put -yourself in my position—an innocent man falsely accused. Oh, you will do -it for me—for _me_! I know you will!” - -She stood quite still, and for a moment made no response. Her face was -white, and her brown eyes looked preternaturally large and troubled. And -when she spoke her voice sounded strangely hoarse. - -“You want me to—steal some papers out of Lionel’s safe,” she said, with -difficulty. “Oh, but, Ferdinand, I—I can’t; it would not be right. Why -do you not take him into your confidence instead, and ask him for them -yourself? He is such a good man; he would never betray your trust.” - -“I do not ask you to _steal_,” he answered, with the faintest touch of -irritation. “I merely ask you to borrow the documents for me. When I -have done with them—when my counsel have seen them—you can put them -back. My dear child, why will you not understand? To approach Lionel at -this crisis would be to spoil everything. He may be the best-meaning -fellow in the world, but his course of procedure would be the very -opposite of mine. Oh, I can’t explain it all; it would take days—weeks! -But surely you can trust me—if you love me, dear?” - -She took a step forward, and looked at him with doubt in her eyes. - -“I do—love you,” she faltered, the colour returning to her cheeks; -“but—but I hate anything that is not straightforward—that is underhand. -Lady Montella and Lionel have been my best friends ever since I was a -tiny girl; I could not bear to think I was perhaps acting as a traitor -to them in their own house.” - -Loyal little soul! Ferdinand could not help casting her a glance of -admiration, even though he was vexed by her dalliance. - -“There is nothing traitorous about the action; you exaggerate the -importance,” he said; and then approaching nearer, he made her look -straight into his eyes. “How can I make you believe in me?” he asked, in -a voice which was almost stern, yet sad. “Raie, I swear to you that I am -an honourable man, that I too would despise this means were the cause -not so vitally urgent. Look!”—he held up the locket on his watch-chain, -and opened it to disclose a minute but faithful portrait—“here is a -picture of Sir Julian. Remember—I am my father’s son.” - -She glanced down at the well-remembered features of the late baronet, -and up again at the strong face of the new one, with an indefinable -feeling of compunction; and her will gave way. After all, he was right; -she ought to trust him—she would trust him, even with her very life. A -wave of emotion swept right through her being, and found expression in -the depths of her brown eyes. He saw it, and knew that he had conquered, -knew too that the struggle had been keen. - -“Dear little girl!” he exclaimed softly. “You would never forsake a man -in distress. Think of the future; it will mean so much for us both.” - -“Very well, I will try to do what you want,” she said, with an effort; -“but you must never blame me if any evil comes of it. I cannot pretend -to like the commission, even though I am doing it for your sake. But I -believe in you—I do believe that you have been cruelly wronged in the -past, although you will not tell me all. How much time can you give me? -Lionel does not return until next Monday.” - -“You can have a whole month, dear,” he returned eagerly, “a few days -longer if necessary. I know I can rely on you to use your discretion.” - -She nodded. - -“Yes; I think I know of a way. Lionel has some letters of mine locked up -in that safe. If I ask him, he will give me the keys. I shall do it in -less than a month, if I can do it at all. But oh, I wish there were some -other means!” - -She sighed, and seeing the cloud on her usually bright face, he did his -best to drive it away. Then promising to meet her at Lionel’s new house -the following day at sunset, he took his departure, and she was left to -meditate on the subject of his request. After all, it was not so very -dreadful: only to take a few papers out of the safe if she could find -them, and to put them back after they had been read. But it was the idea -of secrecy that she did not like; of performing an action of which she -feared Lionel Montella would not approve. Since she had promised, -however, there was no retraction possible, and she reminded herself of -the fact with firmly-set lips. - -Zillah Lorm could talk of nothing else but “Mr. Merryweather” that -night. She considered him distinctly handsome, and although his manners -were somewhat colonial, he was evidently cultured and well-read. Raie -listened to her eulogy with a feeling akin to jealousy, and refused to -state how she had become acquainted with the young man. Whereupon her -interlocutor stormed the citadel by making certain suppositions, to be -contradicted by Raie if she chose to do so. - -“A secret love-affair!” she said, when she had almost exhausted her -remarks. “I should not have thought it of you, Raie. And with a man so -much older than yourself! Do you know anything of his family?” - -“Yes, I know his people very well,” answered the girl, almost -petulantly; and then she excused herself and went to bed. She was -determined not to discuss Ferdinand with Zillah Lorm. - -“Little chit!” exclaimed Zillah to herself, as she left the room. “I -shall soon stop her game when Lady Montella comes back. I don’t believe -she knows much more about him than I do. And as if a man of his calibre -could really be in love with a silly little thing like her! Absurd! He -would be much more likely to fancy a beautiful woman—like myself. I -wonder—” - -And resting her finely chiselled face on her hand, she gave herself up -to cogitations which were vague, but pleasant. She was of too -unscrupulous a nature to consider the claims of Raie. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII - THE EMPTY HOUSE - - -The Montellas were back in Haifa. They arrived late in the afternoon, -after a stormy passage from Jaffa, and received a hearty welcome from -the two girls. But of course the absence of Patricia made itself felt, -even though they were careful not to mention it. It was as if a shadow -had fallen on the house which made them speak softly, as though there -had been a death. Lionel spent the greater part of his time in his -study, and seemed always anxious to get away from his family. His most -constant companion was his little boy; otherwise he preferred to be -alone. - -He had dreaded the return to Haifa, and had postponed it as long as -possible, knowing that his worthy citizens were all agog on the matter -of his wife’s departure. His eyes were open to the mingled glances of -scorn and sympathy which were cast upon him when he walked through the -streets of the town; and he refused to give the explanation which was -expected, yet could not very well be sought. He took his part in -communal matters with the same energy as of old; but apart from his -official duties he was as immovable as the Sphinx. Declining all the -invitations which poured in upon him from the wealthier members of the -corporation, he seemed to wish to lead the life of a recluse. His mother -knew not whether to be displeased or grieved, but remonstrated with him -vigorously on the subject one day. - -“This will never do,” she said, when for the third time he had absented -himself from her weekly receptions. “You will make yourself unpopular if -you persist in holding yourself aloof socially from the people. Besides, -it isn’t manly, Lionel; you are wearing your heart on your sleeve.” - -So he promised to amend his ways; and the study saw less of him again; -and joining more in the social life of the town, a little of his old -buoyancy returned. But there always remained a sore place in his heart, -only to be temporarily relieved by the balm of her precious letters. -They arrived with every mail—those dear messages from his beloved. - -He had been back a full week before he could bring himself to visit his -new house. The operations of the builders and decorators had been -suspended during his stay in Jerusalem, and he had not yet given the -order for them to resume their work. Making a sudden decision one -morning, however, he walked quietly up the avenue of palm-trees, and -unlocked the great oaken doors at the entrance to the hall. The house -was, as he had anticipated, totally deserted, and his steps echoed and -re-echoed drearily on the stone floor. Passing through the wonderful -atrium, whose fame had already reached from one end of Syria to the -other, he entered the boudoir, and removing the holland covering, sat -down on one of the dainty chairs. What a hideous, ghastly mockery the -whole place appeared! how it seemed to rise up and taunt him with its -emptiness, with its bright but hollow splendour! He glanced about him -with a shudder, and rested his head wearily on his hand. The -decorations, to which he had given so much thought—for Patricia; the -exquisite frescoes painted by an eminent Jewish artist—for Patricia; the -beautifully carved bureau with its cunning design—for Patricia; the -hangings of vieux rose—Patricia’s favourite hue; the little oil-painting -of the Thames—Patricia’s own picture. All for Patricia, the one woman in -the world to whom it was a joy to render homage; and she had been -snatched from him by the crass stupidity of his people, by the ignorant -prejudice of a stubborn race! Oh, the foolishness of men, to bow down to -the fanatical ceremonialism of dogma and creed, and turn away from the -purest of all passions—conjugal love! Rising, he threw open the windows, -and with bent head, paced the room; then espying the flutter of a white -gown amid the myrtle bushes in the avenue, paused in silent wonder. How -came a woman in the grounds—his grounds—not knowing that he was there? - -He closed the window, and went forth to investigate, almost inclined to -believe that he was the victim of an illusion. But no; for as he -appeared beneath the portico, the figure approached and sauntered -leisurely towards him. For one moment his heart stood still, a wild -hypothesis taking possession of his brain. Patricia in some mysterious -way had come back to him, either in the flesh, or by the projection of -her astral body—he had heard and read of such things. Thought telepathy, -spiritualism—he had never believed in either, yet he knew by hearsay -that the most wonderful phenomena had actually occurred; and if to other -people, why not to himself? But the fantastic idea born of his ardent -longing was suddenly doomed to disappointment; the figure proved to be -not Patricia, but merely that of Zillah Lorm. - -“I wondered if you were here,” she said sweetly, as he advanced to meet -her. “Do you know, I come here every day, just for a walk—the little -side gate is always open. But I have never been inside the house, -although I have heard so much about it. Would you not like to show it to -me? We have a good opportunity now.” - -He had never felt more disinclined to play the part of showman, but -knowing that she was really eager to go over the place, he could not -well refuse. Admitting her by the principal entrance, he allowed her to -wander through the rooms at her own sweet will, and listened to her -enthusiastic observations with no pleasure, and perhaps a little pain. -Yielding to a feeling he could not describe, he passed over the door of -the boudoir; but Zillah was quick enough to notice his hesitation, and -inexorably demanded a view. - -“What is it, Lionel?” she asked playfully. “Bluebeard’s chamber, or the -_sanctum sanctorum_?” - -He threw open the door, and stood back for her to enter. - -“Neither,” he answered quietly. “It is the room which was to have been -my wife’s boudoir.” - -“Oh!” She threw him a glance of somewhat steely commiseration, and -proceeded to look about her with cold criticism. Montella went to the -window, his eyes dreamily scanning the distant mountain ranges of -Galilee. He wanted to be blind and deaf for a few minutes, until his -visitor had concluded her examination of the room. He did not want to -hear her careless remarks; they affected him like so many knife thrusts. - -But Miss Lorm was not the woman to spare him one small thrust. She sat -down at the little piano—Patricia’s own piano—and playing a short -prelude, glided into that song of Goring Thomas’s “A Summer Night.” Then -her rich voice, subdued to a low tone of sweetness, sent forth its full -notes to thrill her listener and fill the house with music: - - “‘_Have you forgotten, love, so soon - That night, that lovely night in June?_’” - -She sang without effort, and almost as if her thoughts were elsewhere, -but as the song proceeded, her voice gained in intensity. Lionel stood -immovable, hating the sound of music in that house and under those -conditions. The empty corridor beyond caught the echo and threw it back -with a hollow and depressing sound. But she could sing—Heavens, how she -could sing! Whatever soul she possessed seemed to be concentrated in her -voice. - -“You are not in the humour for music, my friend?” she said, veering -round on the music-stool when she had finished, to see no gaze of -admiration, but only an unappreciative back. “It does sound strange in -this great unfinished house, I admit. By the way, when will the workmen -have finished? When will you come into residence here?” - -“Never.” He turned away from the window and faced her, with a set look -in his eyes, then added, in explanation: “The house is a wilderness, an -empty barn. It can never be a home—to me.” - -“No?” She glanced at him questioningly from under her thick lashes. “But -I thought you took such pride in it. Lady Montella told me long ago that -it was your hobby. And the expense—why, it must have cost a fortune. -What will you do with it if you do not intend to live in it? Oh, it -seems such a shame—such a magnificent house—!” - -“I shall sell it if I can,” he said, meeting the reproach in her eyes -steadily. “I had hoped to spend many happy years here, but now— It is a -mere white elephant to me. They can call it ‘Montella’s Disappointment’ -if they like; I don’t care. I shall have this furniture removed as soon -as I can; and I shall never come here again.” - -“But if she should come back?” - -“She will never come back; it is not possible for her ever to live in -Palestine again. That dream is over, but of course the awakening is -hard: and this”—he touched the silken hangings behind their cover—“this -all seems part of it. I can’t realise....” - -He broke off suddenly, fearing he said too much. He had spoken -incoherently, and with a sharpness which betokened deep feeling. -Zillah’s features relaxed into a forced expression of sympathy. - -“Poor fellow!” she exclaimed softly. “You have suffered, and you are -lonely. I can sympathise with you; for—although you would not think it—I -am lonely too.” - -“Yes?” He looked up quickly, to encounter the radiance of her eyes. - -“I left England because I was unhappy,” she went on, in a confidential -tone. “I was engaged to Lord St. Maur; but he was much younger than -myself, and when his people found out, they persuaded him to break it -off; and he was weak, and consented. Of course I wasn’t in love with -him—he was a mere boy; but I would have married him if I could, since -the man I did love—once—was beyond my reach.” She looked at him -steadily, and added, in a different voice: “It is the loneliness I -dread, and now I seem to have no aim in life. What is the use of my -voice in Palestine? The greatest of singers is not wanted here.” - -“Not yet, perhaps,” he added, in his usual voice, “but the time will -come. At present all our energies are directed on the things necessary -to the welfare of our citizens, the introduction of hygiene, the -prevention of drought and famine, and so on. Afterwards we shall be able -to turn our thoughts to lighter matters—the recreation of the people; -and then you may be sure music will not be left out of account.” - -“And meanwhile I must wait as patiently as I can?” She sighed. “Oh, -dear, how I hate life—hate it! The inconsistencies, the mistakes, the -waste of suffering—all one long series of disappointments.” - -“And yet there do occur moments, sometimes, which make it worth while to -have lived!” - -“To you, perhaps, because you have experienced the joy of requited love, -but not to me. Why, even that shallow-minded little Raie is happier than -I am. She has a lover—she meets him every day, and that gives her a zest -and joy in life which are like the condiments in food. But I am boring -you—” She paused abruptly, and rose from her chair. “Let us go, or we -shall have the full glare of the sun upon us. This intolerable heat is -another of the evils which has fallen to our lot to bear.” - -Lionel rose with alacrity, and replacing the coverings, relocked the -door. He could not help wondering what had made Miss Lorm so unusually -serious, and why she had chosen to favour him with her confidence. He -was silent as they passed through the atrium, and Zillah, on her part, -had little to say. She was thinking how much better it would be if -Montella would and could get a divorce, so that he might be free to -marry again. She knew that she was liked by his mother; and that if it -were possible, she would have a good chance of becoming his second wife. -To be mistress of this mansion! She caught her breath at the thought, -albeit a foolish one. She knew that Patricia would be his wife as long -as she lived, even though they never saw each other again. - -“Did you not say Raie had a lover?” asked her companion, as he closed -the great doors. “I did not know it.” - -Zillah opened her sunshade, and held it daintily at the back of her -head. - -“Perhaps I ought not to have mentioned it,” she responded carelessly, -“but I think you and Lady Montella ought to know. Raie has not told me -much, but it is evidently a secret love-affair. They meet clandestinely -every day somewhere in this direction.” - -“And the man?” - -“Is a Mr. Merryweather, presumably a tourist. He came to the Government -House one evening, and I was rather favourably impressed. But he is too -old and too worldly-wise for Raie. He must be over thirty, and has -evidently been about a good deal.” - -“Merryweather?” repeated Lionel thoughtfully. “Is he a Jew?” - -“Yes; at least Raie says he is, although he has not the appearance of -one.” - -“And they made each other’s acquaintance while we were in Jerusalem, I -suppose?” There was a note of vexation in his voice. “I am surprised at -Raie. My mother will be very displeased. But perhaps Mrs. Emanuel—Raie’s -mother—knows something about it?” - -Miss Lorm gave vent to a little shrug. “Perhaps,” she replied -carelessly. “I do not know. Don’t say I told you anything about it, will -you, Lionel? Raie would be so cross, and— Good gracious, there they -are!” - -She stopped suddenly in her walk, and placed her hand detainingly on his -arm. Montella’s eyes followed the direction of her glance with -astonishment, and he could not resist an exclamation of surprise. The -two delinquents were seated in a shady arbour, almost concealed by -deeply-hanging evergreens. Their faces were in shadow, but Miss Lorm -recognised the girl’s light hat. - -“What are you going to do?” she asked, with a touch of excitement. -“Catch them red-handed, or pretend not to see them?” - -“I don’t know.” Montella paused irresolute. It was very wrong of Raie to -meet a young man in this unconventional manner, especially as she had -been brought up so strictly; but not being aware of all the -circumstances, he was at a loss to know how to proceed. He had half a -mind to pass by quietly, and speak to the girl afterwards; but -approaching the arbour he caught the sound of his own name, and could -not help standing still. - -“Lionel is wiser than I thought,” the man was saying, in a tone of -dissatisfaction. “So he will not trust you with the keys? But are you -sure you went the right way to work, Raie, dear? You see if you looked -at all agitated when you asked him, you probably made him suspicious.” - -His accents were strong and well-bred. Montella started as at a familiar -sound, but was almost too dumfounded to move. - -“My cheeks did burn,” the girl acknowledged, almost tearfully. “You see -Lionel gave me one of his straight looks—as if he were reading me -through and through, and I felt so guilty that I dared not say a word. -He gave me my letters out of the safe, and I just took them and went, -thankful to get away. I did my best really, but it is such a difficult -task, dear. I am sure I shall never be able to succeed.” - -“Oh, yes, you will,” he returned encouragingly. “You can ask for the -keys to return the letters, and have another try. Or if it comes to the -worst, we must resort to stratagem; all’s fair in love and war.” - -“Is it?” thought Lionel, who could remain hidden no longer. Motioning to -Miss Lorm to keep in the background, he suddenly presented himself -before the apparent conspirators. Raie gave a scream, and turned as pale -as her dress; Ferdinand rose to his feet in an attitude of defence, his -large sun-hat well over his face. For a moment there was a breathless -silence, whilst Zillah looked on with enjoyment. Then Lionel spoke, -although he scarcely knew what to say. - -“I am the son of Miss Emanuel’s foster-aunt, and these are my grounds,” -he said stiffly. “Hearing my name mentioned as I passed, I could not -help listening to a scrap of your conversation. I cannot quite -understand what you have to do with this young lady, who is very young, -and has no right to form any attachment without the consent of her -guardians. From what I can gather from your words, however, I understand -that you pose as her lover merely to win her as a confederate. I shall -be glad of some explanation, if you please. I can scarcely believe that -Miss Emanuel—of whom I hold a very high opinion—would deliberately help -you to burgle my safe!” - -He addressed the tourist alone, and vouchsafed not a glance at Raie. The -girl looked appealingly at her lover, who seemed to be rapidly summing -up the situation. His decision was evidently a desperate one, for he -threw back his shoulders with a gesture of courage. - -“I am not a burglar,” he replied, carefully choosing his words, “and I -need not explain unless I choose. But I know that if I keep silence I -shall be putting Miss Emanuel in a false position, and I would not do -that for the world. It was my intention to keep my incognito until my -innocence was absolutely proved; but I suppose that is impossible since -you have found me out. Look at me, old fellow. Don’t you know who I am?” - -He pulled off his hat, and stood bare-headed in the sunlight—a veritable -picture of manly strength. Lionel scanned the rugged face—the deep-set -eyes so like his own—and recognised it even as he had partially known -the voice. - -“Ferdinand!” he exclaimed in a startled tone. “What does this mean? How -in Heaven’s name have you come here? Where have you come from?” and -suppressing the hundred and one questions which rose to his lips, he -regarded his step-brother in bewildered astonishment, whilst Zillah Lorm -advanced, an eager glow in her eyes. - -Ferdinand assisted his sweetheart to rise, and bowed to Miss Lorm. - -“I will tell you everything presently, Lionel—when we are alone,” he -answered complacently. “I should not like to tire the ladies with an -account of my adventures.” - -Zillah swept past Raie and held out her hand. - -“I congratulate you on your return, _Sir_ Ferdinand,” she said, with -stress on the title, and a curious smile on her face. - -“Frank Merryweather” had risen considerably in her estimation during the -last ten minutes. No matter what crime he had committed, he was a -baronet, and evidently not in captivity. She was determined to enter the -lists with Raie. - - - - - CHAPTER XIV - IN THE LIGHT OF THE MOON - - -To Raie the recognition of Ferdinand was the best thing that could have -happened, and a load was thereby lifted from her mind. The task he had -set her to perform had been most repugnant to her taste, and she was -thankful in the extreme that the difficulty had been obviated in a more -open-handed way. As it happened, the necessary documents were not in the -safe at all, but in a private bureau in Montella’s bedroom; so that all -her trouble and heart-burning would have been in vain. Lionel readily -forgave the intended ruse, and produced the papers without delay. His -greatest desire was to help his step-brother to regain his honour and -good name. - -But Lady Montella was not so easily won. The circumstances of the -forgery had been very black against Ferdinand, even if he had been, as -was supposed, the mere tool of another and older man. She knew that her -husband until his dying day had believed him guilty, had wrested him -from his affection, had deprived him of all his privileges of sonship to -bestow them on her own—the younger—son. If, therefore, Ferdinand had -been wrongfully accused, he was a much-injured man; but his personality -did not impress her in that way. At least, he bore no malice towards any -of his accusers, and seemed to desire to forget the actors in the -unpleasant drama of the past. But, on the other hand, he appeared -anxious to claim his title—valueless though it was in Palestine—to -reinstate himself as a member of his fathers House, and to win back his -reputation as an honourable man. Until his innocence had been -established, therefore, she preferred to remain on neutral terms. But -she allowed him to come to the Government House as often as he pleased, -even though she would not yet receive him as a son. - -He informed her of his desire to marry Raie on the very first evening of -his reconciliation; and begged that if Mrs. Emanuel gave her consent she -would not withhold hers. Lady Montella knew not whether to be displeased -or glad, and held her answer in abeyance until Ferdinand should have -paid his intended visit to England; but she sent for Raie’s mother in -order to discuss the affair. - -Raie was not in the room when the consultation took place, but waited on -tenter-hooks in the roof-garden above. Occasionally sentences in her -mother’s high-pitched voice reached her through the open window, but she -riveted her attention on the book she was supposed to be reading, and -resolutely determined not to hear. After what seemed an unconscionable -time, she was sent for to express her views. Lady Montella was, as -usual, calm and placid; Mrs. Emanuel beamed with delight. - -“We have come to the conclusion that if Sir Ferdinand is able to -establish his innocence in England, your engagement will receive our -consent,” her foster-aunt said, in answer to her glance of -interrogation; “but are you sure you love him well enough to marry him, -dear? Remember the difference in your ages. He is nearly eleven years -older than yourself.” - -“Oh, that’s nothing,” put in Mrs. Emanuel quickly, before her daughter -had time to reply. “It’s much better than if it were the other way -about. Besides, I should not care for Raie to marry a much younger man; -and if she loves him—” - -“I do love him,” said the girl, with fervour. “I should love him if he -were a hundred. If I can’t marry him, mamma, I shall be an old maid.” - -“God forbid!” ejaculated Mrs. Emanuel piously, under her breath. “Not if -I know it.” She had not yet recovered from the rupture of Harriet’s -betrothal. - -“I should advise you not to place too much confidence in Ferdinand’s -success, dear,” advised Lady Montella thoughtfully. “It is always -difficult to reopen an old case, and two of the witnesses in connection -with it are dead. And you see if he fails to prove his innocence, the -slur on his name remains.” - -“Oh, but he will succeed, Aunt Inez—he must!” rejoined Raie, with -youthful optimism. She did not add that she meant to be true to him -under any circumstances, nevertheless such was the case. As long as she -was morally convinced of his innocence, the opinion of the world -mattered little. She knew, however, that she could not marry him for -some time to come unless the proof were found. - -So the matter was settled, pending the decision of the judicial court; -and Ferdinand was tacitly acknowledged as Raie’s _fiancé_. There was now -no need for any clandestine trysts, but they still met constantly in the -grounds of the empty house. Zillah often passed their arbour in her -daily walk, and observing that they seemed absorbed in mutual -admiration, experienced a pang of envy at her jealous heart. She had -scarcely spoken to Raie since the recognition of her lover, but she -always seemed to have a good deal to say to Sir Ferdinand whenever she -came across him. Secretly she longed to display her superior charms; to -fascinate him by the power of her voice and smile. Realising that Lionel -was for ever beyond her reach, she desired to transfer her attention to -his step-brother. That he was already engaged seemed to trouble her not -at all; for until he were actually married she considered him free. - -But as the day of his departure approached, and she had made no -progress, she grew desperate; and on the last evening a crisis came. -Raie, as it happened, was confined to her bed with a cold, and her lover -was obliged to say his farewell by proxy. Lady Montella conveyed all the -tender messages, after which she drove off to a reception with her son. -Zillah, therefore, was left to entertain Sir Ferdinand for an hour -alone, an opportunity of which she was determined to make the most. - -As usual, she tried the effect of music first, and sang her sweetest -songs. She knew, of course, that he was watching her through a thin haze -of smoke; and felt almost magnetically the power of his eyes on her -face. Then, rising suddenly, she suggested an adjournment to the roof. -She felt, somehow, that they would both feel less restraint in the open -air and under the light of the moon. - -He helped her to place the filmy lace mantilla, with its red roses, on -her head, and in doing so his fingers touched hers. She looked up, -thrilled and eager, the colour slowly spreading over her cheeks; and -struck by her expression, he returned her gaze with surprise. But they -exchanged not a word, and ascended to the garden in silence; and with -scarcely a remark he settled her comfortably in a deck-chair. Then he -lighted a fresh cigar, and puffed away in contentment, whilst the soft -breeze dispersed the smoke and gently caressed their hair. - -“I have often wondered what the exact pleasure is that you men find in -the weed,” Zillah observed, thinking he had gazed long enough at the -deep blue of the sky. “I suppose it soothes you in a way we women cannot -understand.” - -“I really don’t know.” He held the cigar between his fingers and -surveyed it contemplatively. “It’s all habit, I suppose; but I do think -a good cigar aids one’s mental digestion. And I know that if I am in a -bad temper, a quiet smoke will always pull me round.” - -“‘Open confession is good for the soul,’” she quoted, with a smile. “I -hope that does not often occur.” - -“What—the bad temper?” - -“Yes; but _I_ ought not to say anything.” She sighed. “People in glass -houses should not throw stones. I am in a bad temper with everybody and -everything, most of all with myself.” - -She spoke impulsively, and with such force that the young man glanced -towards her with wonder. - -“Indeed,” he responded courteously. “That sounds rather depressing. May -I ask for what reason you have quarrelled with yourself?” - -Zillah turned her face away, so that the moonlight caught her classic -profile. - -“The reason—oh, simply that I am unhappy.” - -“And why?” - -“Because I hate Palestine and everything connected with it!” she -answered, a defiant ring in her voice. “I came here because I could not -help myself—because—as a Jewess—I could no longer stay in the old -country. I thought from Lady Montella’s letters that Haifa was a _beau -ideal_ of a place; but she sees everything Jewish from behind -rose-coloured spectacles. To me it is a desert with scarcely an oasis to -break the monotony, with a climate as sultry as that of the Inferno, and -an atmosphere of brick-dust and tar. Building to right of us, building -to left of us—scaffoldings, ladders, and paint-pots; what is so -depressing as a half-built town? And as for society—why, there isn’t any -worth speaking of, because the people here will not recognise -distinctions of class. Yesterday a poverty-stricken woman—an odious, -unkempt individual—had the audacity to approach me in a most familiar -manner, in order to tell me that she lived next door to my grandfather -in Poland, and as my father was no better than hers, she thought she -might claim me as a friend. That is the result of liberty and equality; -we are all children of Abraham, and education counts for nothing. Oh, -it’s disgusting! I hate it! Until Palestine gets a king and an -aristocracy the country will not be worth living in to cultured Jews.” - -She raised herself on her arm, her eyes flaming with the emotion caused -by her outburst. Ferdinand remarked the passion in her voice, and felt -vaguely stirred. But she did not give him time to speak, and continued -hurriedly: - -“I want to escape—to get away from Palestine, even at the risk of -offending your step-mother. If I stay here while the country is in its -present condition, I shall only droop and die. Sir Ferdinand, you are -the only man in the world who can help me; but will you? I have no -right—except that of old friendship with the Montellas—to ask you; and -yet—” - -“I will help you with pleasure if I can,” he put in, unable to resist -the pathetic look of appeal. “What is it you want me to do?” - -“You are going to England,” she said abruptly. “But England does not -admit a Jew. Tell me: how do you intend to evade the authorities?” - -He flashed her a quick glance. “I have a special permit from a member of -the Cabinet—Mr. Lawson Holmes,” he replied promptly. “I shall be allowed -to stay until my case is concluded without being forced to take the -Assimilation Oath.” - -“Then you will go as Sir Ferdinand Montella?” - -“No; I shall retain my old pseudonym _pro tem_. We have all come to the -conclusion that that will be best.” - -Zillah drew a deep breath. “Then my scheme is practicable,” she said, -with clasped hands. “I too cannot enter the country in my own name; but -disguised and under an alias—it is my only chance. Sir Ferdinand, will -you take me with you? It will only be for the journey; at Charing Cross -Station we can part. Once in England, I have friends to whom I can go.” - -“Take you with me?” he repeated, starting with a feeling of uneasiness. -“But, Miss Lorm! I don’t see how I can.” - -“Why not? I can go as Miss Merryweather, your sister—a lady missionary, -if you like.” Her eyes shone naïvely. “Oh, there’s not a shadow of harm -in it. I merely want your protection politically; and when I arrive -there I will write to the Montellas and explain. I dare not tell them -before I go. They would want to keep me here.” - -“And meanwhile?” He flung away his cigar, and rising, paced the garden -in agitation. Then he came back and stood at her side. “You don’t -understand,” he said, in a voice which sounded almost stern. “What would -my people say; what would Raie’s feelings be? They might place a wrong -construction—might think.... Oh, no, it wouldn’t do—wouldn’t do at all. -It would place us both in an utterly false position. You must see that -yourself.” - -Zillah’s mouth grew stubborn. - -“I don’t see it at all,” she returned, looking straight before her. -“‘_Honi soit qui mal y pense._’ If Raie cannot trust you, she is not -worthy of your affection. Besides, it’s so ridiculous. Surely a P. & O. -steamer is large enough to hold us both. In my part of official sister I -need only speak to you at meals.” - -Ferdinand shook his head. - -“Whether you speak to me much or little has nothing to do with the -question,” he said imperturbably. “Miss Lorm, do be reasonable. If you -were engaged to a man, and that man went on a three weeks’ journey with -another lady—and that lady an inmate of your house—without telling you, -how would _you_ take it? Excuse my putting it so plainly, but you give -me no alternative. Raie is the most trusting little soul in the world, -but she would not be human if she did not have her doubts. Were I to -accede to your request, I should be landed in a most unpleasant -situation. Besides, it can’t be done; my permit is available only for -myself.” - -His decision was evidently final, and Zillah knew that it was not to be -shaken. Once on a P. & O. steamer, she had hoped to win him through the -social amenities of life on board ship; and if the Montellas—as -Ferdinand feared—should place a wrong construction on her departure, so -much the better for the success of her plan. But seeing that she could -not enlist his aid, her dream gradually and regretfully melted away, -until, overcome by disappointment and mortification, she threw away her -self-control and burst into tears. - -“I did not think you would refuse,” she sobbed, using her handkerchief -with great ostentation. “I had packed my things and made all -arrangements; I could have got off without telling a soul.” - -Ferdinand hated to see a woman cry, and felt suddenly mean and -despicable. But he could not bring himself to give way to her desire; -something within him seemed to rise up and say, “_Thou shalt not!_” It -was his love for Raie, his fear of doing her a seeming injustice. For -himself he cared not at all—he was too well-seasoned a man of the world. - -Zillah dried her eyes, feeling that she had betrayed herself for nought, -and shivering, asked to return to the drawing-room. As they entered -through the somewhat narrow doorway, a slender, white-clad figure rose -from the embrasure formed by the window. Coming from without into the -glare of the artificial light, Ferdinand could scarcely believe his -eyes; but he was not deceived—it was indeed Raie. - -“I was so hot that I could not stay in bed, Ferdie,” she explained, -putting her arm confidingly in his. “Besides, I could not let you go -without saying good-bye properly, dearest, if I had fifty colds.” - -And clinging to him like a child, she drew him into the library, whilst -Zillah was left to nurse her anger alone. Watching them depart, her -heart burned with impotent rage, as she realised how miserably she had -been defeated. It seemed to her that failure was written right across -her life, that she was pursued by a hard and inexorable fate. Gifted -with a good voice and personal charms of no mean order, she had been -ambitious—over ambitious to do well. Consequently she had frequently -overreached herself when just at the point of success. She was at enmity -with God, the world, and herself; and she was obliged to acknowledge -it—she had only herself to blame. Nevertheless, her courage revived when -her first feelings of depression had dissolved. - -“He goes to England to-morrow without me,” she said to herself, in a -whisper. “Never mind, I shall soon follow him up. In England I shall at -least be happier than here. Assimilation is the way—I ought to have done -it long ago. Fool that I was to consider the Montellas! They are -intoxicated with their Judaism—but I—I—am a total abstainer from -Judaism.” - -And then she laughed hysterically at her feeble joke. She was clearly -much overwrought. - - - - - BOOK III - THE LAST OF THE EDICT -“_And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out, I will - return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again, every - man to his heritage, and every man to his land._”—JEREMIAH xii. 15. - - - - - CHAPTER I - ENGLAND ONCE MORE - - -Patricia left the Princess with her husband at Felsen-Schvoenig, and -journeyed back to London with Lord Torrens, whom she had met at Port -Said. The Earl was somewhat annoyed at having been baulked of his -Eastern tour; but as he did not care to visit the Holy Land in his -daughter’s absence, his only alternative was to turn back. Secretly, he -considered Patricia’s action absurdly quixotic, for he could not in the -least understand her point of view. To him all creeds were but -variations of one fundamental principle, and to quarrel over individual -shades of opinion seemed unnecessary in the extreme. As for sentiment in -religion, he refused to recognise that at all, since it could be -analysed and physically accounted for by the materialistic exponents of -modern thought. Nevertheless he was considerate enough not to add to the -girl’s suffering by vain reproaches; he knew that, for the present, it -was best to leave her alone. - -The home-coming seemed so strange that Patricia felt as if she were in a -dream. Coming from the brilliant sunshine of the East, London looked -cold and grey, and the dresses of the people curiously prosaic after the -gay colours of the Orient. It was about six o’clock in the evening, and -the lamps were already lit. Clerks and business people generally were -travelling homewards, newspaper boys were calling out the special -editions of the evening papers, and the traffic rushed bewilderingly -through the crowded streets. Leaning back in the brougham, Patricia’s -head seemed to swim, for the roads and shops and people had apparently -magnified themselves tenfold, and loomed large and vast through the -gloom of the evening twilight. She was thankful when the carriage -slackened pace, and pulled up before the familiar door. But even -Grosvenor Square seemed to have extended in area. She could not imagine -why everything looked so immense. - -The house was still in a state of metaphorical curl-papers and overalls, -for they intended to stay there only for one night. By Patricia’s -orders, Mrs. Lowther—her old companion—had taken a small villa near -Richmond, where the girl intended to live out her days. She established -herself there the very next morning, thankful to have some occupation to -distract her thoughts. The villa, which rejoiced in the romantic name of -“Ivydene,” was light and pretty, and more attractive in its way than the -solemn magnificence of the parental mansion. Mrs. Lowther, too, had done -all in her power to make it home-like: there were bright fires in the -grates and flowers in the vases, and the hundred and one little things -which contribute to domestic comfort. The girl could not help feeling -touched by the thoughtfulness which had evidently been expended on her -account, and as she went over the small but prettily-decorated rooms, -her eyes grew misty with no far-distant tears. There was one room in -particular which held her spellbound, for the wall-paper depicted -well-known nursery rhymes, such as “Jack and Jill,” “Little Miss -Muffit,” and “Red Ridinghood”; and in one corner stood a brand-new -rocking-horse. - -“I am so sorry,” Mrs. Lowther said, half-apologetically. “I had -thought—had made sure—that you would bring your little boy.” And she -wished she had had the tact not to allow the young mother to enter the -room just then, for the sight of the childish appurtenances evidently -called up an emotion of pain. - -But Patricia begged her not to be concerned. - -“It was very kind of you to take so much trouble,” she said, going to -the window and looking at the tiny lawn without. “Oh, how I wish we -could have Julian here! He is such a lovely boy, Lowthy, and so -wonderfully intelligent. It nearly broke my heart to have to leave him -behind.” - -“I don’t know how you could,” her companion returned, almost severely. -“It seems unnatural to part a mother from her child. If I had been you—” - -Patricia put up her hands as though to ward off a blow. “Yes, I know,” -she put in hastily. “Don’t hurt me, dear. If you had been in my place -you would have acted just the same. You don’t understand what Judaism -is—how it used to rise up between the Montellas and myself like a wall. -They would not let me bring baby away for fear I should make a Christian -of him, which of course I should do; for I could not help wanting to -consecrate his little life to Christ. Oh, I don’t wish to go over the -whole story again; it is too painful. The Montellas are quite right from -their point of view, and I am quite right from mine. We must all do what -seems to be our duty according to our own conscience, even if it seems -hard at the time.” - -Mrs. Lowther regarded her contemplatively. - -“How you have changed, Patricia,” she observed, placing her hand on the -rough mane of the horse. “At the time of your marriage none of these -considerations seemed to trouble you. Did I not warn you during your -engagement that although you might attempt to enter their Jewish world, -you must for ever remain an outsider? I don’t want to be cruel, but I -can’t help telling you how I regret that you did not listen to me. For -look at your present position: a wife, and yet practically without a -husband—a mother, and yet without a child. Oh, you poor dear girl, if -you had only taken my advice you would never have made such a shipwreck -of your life!” - -Had she not been sincerely sympathetic, Patricia would have been -irritated by her comments. - -“Oh, I don’t regret the past,” she responded quickly, “not one little -bit; and if I had it to live over again I would marry Lionel just the -same. It is not his fault that things have turned out like this; it is -the fault of a fanatical Chief Rabbi and a narrow creed. But Lowthy, if -you don’t mind, I would rather not talk about it any more. You see it -hurts; and—and—I shall have to get used to being alone.” She held up the -locket containing the portraits of her husband and baby, and looking at -it thoughtfully, added sadly: “Not that I want to forget these two dear -ones. The remembrance of them will remain with me day and night. I can’t -yet realise that they are all those hundreds of miles away; I want to -consult my husband at every turn.” - -And then dashing away the tears which in spite of her will would come, -she left the intended nursery, and descended to the hall. - -It took her some time to settle down to her new life in Richmond. Lord -Torrens, scarcely caring for the menage of a suburban residence, left -after a few days, but the faithful Mrs. Lowther remained. Of callers -there were none; for Patricia’s object in coming to live so far out was -to avoid those who would have visited her in Grosvenor Square. She was -in no mood for any kind of social pleasure, nor for the sympathy of kind -but curious friends. So she kept her arrival a secret from those who -would have been glad to know, and preferred to spend the greater part of -her time in solitude. - -But Montella had given her a task to perform. He wanted to know her -version of the condition of English affairs; and in order to form an -opinion, she was obliged to go out and about. So far as she could see, -the assimilation process seemed, socially, to be working well enough. -The names of Cohen, Jacobs, and Levy no longer existed; but those of -Cowan, Jackson, and Leigh were on the increase, and perhaps sounded more -euphonious in English ears. In spite of the exodus of the alien -immigrants whose presence had been so greatly deplored, however, there -were still a great number of the unemployed. Trade was bad—so bad that -the prosperity of many families of the middle class was seriously -threatened, and complaints were heard on all sides. Several well-known -shops in the West End were shut up, and the bankruptcy of a celebrated -mercantile house had ruined hundreds. Affairs on the Stock Exchange were -quieter than ever they had been before, and finance, in the absence of -two or three of the greatest Jewish capitalists, was at a low ebb. -Moreover, people began to attribute the decline in commerce to the -removal of Jewish influence by the Expulsion. Many said that the Jews -who had gone to Palestine had taken the prosperity of England with them; -many more heartily wished for their return. Certain it was that a wave -of adversity had spread over the country; the nation seemed to be under -a cloud. - -“I have not come across many Jews so far,” she wrote, “although there -must still be a great many here. I went on an exploration expedition to -Canonbury and Highbury last week, and found most of the houses there to -let. The shops there—or, rather, those that remain—seem to be undergoing -a hard struggle, and I was told on inquiry that it was because their -principal customers in the past had been those of the Jewish race. The -synagogues have, of course, all been swept away; but, judging by -statistics, there appears to be very little increase in the attendance -at the various churches. The theatres also are not doing so well as of -old, as a considerable amount of both talent and patronage has by the -Expulsion been sent away. So the practical side of the Bill does not -answer so well as it did in theory, and by the man in the street the -Government is roundly blamed.” - -She experienced a peculiar sense of gratification in having to give so -unsatisfactory a report. Perhaps she thought it would comfort her -husband to know that England missed the Jews, and was not flourishing so -well without them; yet she knew that his love for his native country was -such that he could not help feeling sincerely grieved. - -She had just returned from her peregrination westwards one day, and was -walking through the High Street on her way home, when she came face to -face with a lady who was preparing to re-enter her carriage. Patricia, -full of her own thoughts, would have passed on; but the lady, with an -exclamation of surprise, barred the way. - -“So I have found you at last, you truant!” she said, in a voice full of -satisfaction. - -It was Lady Chesterwood, the wife of Athelstan Moore. - -Patricia looked up, half abashed, and held out her hand, scarcely -knowing how to greet her old friend under the changed circumstances. But -Mamie had heard the whole story of the Montellas’ separation from the -Princess, and had the good grace not to refer to the affair. She -insisted on taking the girl into a neighbouring tea-shop in order to -have a chat, and gossiped away to her heart’s content. Then she suddenly -remembered the purpose for which she had come out, and broke off in the -middle of her conversation to ask Patricia’s advice. - -“I meant to call and ask the doctor to come and look at -Phyllis—Athelstan’s child, you know; but I have not made up my mind -whether to do so or not,” she said, with an expression of doubt. -“Athelstan slept in town last night, but I expect him home to dinner; -and if he hears that the doctor has been, he will be so frightfully -alarmed. He absolutely worships that girl; and if her little finger -aches, he immediately makes up his mind that she is going to die. So I -never send for the doctor unless it is really necessary; it doesn’t seem -worth while to have a fuss for nothing.” - -“What is the matter with her?” asked Patricia equably. “Nothing serious, -I suppose?” - -“No, only a sore throat; a cold probably. I dare say she will be better -to-morrow.” - -“A sore throat,” repeated Patricia meditatively. “I don’t like anything -the matter with the throat. I should send for the doctor if I were you.” - -“You would? Well then, I think you ought to help me to bear the brunt of -Athelstan’s alarm. Come to dinner, and bring your she-dragon with you if -you like. You know where we live: the other side of Richmond -Park—Ravenscroft Hall. We dine at seven o’clock, but I shall expect you -at half-past six. Now”—as Patricia prepared to remonstrate—“I know you -are going to put all sorts of objections in the way, but I shall not -accept one of them. I will take absolutely no refusal; you _must_ come.” - -“But, my dear Mamie, how can I?” The girl looked almost bewildered. “To -meet the Premier in his own house at dinner, after he has been the means -of sending my husband to the Antipodes! Oh, it’s impossible! Can’t you -see the irony of it? There can be no friendship between a Montella and -Athelstan Moore.” - -“Nonsense!” exclaimed the Countess, unconvinced. “Richmond is not -Downing Street. In our own house we have nothing to do with politics; -besides, Athelstan may not put in an appearance after all. Don’t be so -absurdly sensitive, Pat; I want you to come.” - -But Patricia still hesitated. The thought of being a guest at Mr. -Moore’s table was so repugnant that it could scarcely be tolerated; yet -she felt a secret curiosity to meet the great anti-Semite again. She -would, at least, have something of interest to report to Lionel; and -although she could not introduce the subject of the Expulsion, she might -indirectly glean an inkling of the Premier’s views. So—not without -misgivings—she yielded, and promised to be there by the appointed time. -Whether good or evil would come of the visit, however, remained to be -seen; and as she left her friend, she felt as if she were about to -trifle with edged tools. - - - - - CHAPTER II - AN ANTI-SEMITE STILL - - -The “she-dragon,” as Mamie unkindly dubbed Mrs. Lowther, did not care -to accept the invitation to Ravenscroft Hall, and asked to be excused; -so Patricia dressed herself in a simple evening-gown and drove off -alone. Excitement had lent a touch of colour to her cheeks, and as the -carriage swept up the avenue she trifled nervously with her long -neck-chain of pearls. Arrived at the house, however, she soon regained -her self-possession, and followed the footman up the stone staircase -with her usual equanimity. The Countess received her with cordiality; -but seemed curiously diffident. She glanced at the door every now and -then with marked uneasiness; her mind was evidently—on some -account—disturbed. - -“The doctor has not been yet,” she said, in answer to Patricia’s -enquiry. “I am expecting him every minute. I don’t quite like the look -of Phyllis; she has been shivering so terribly. I do hope she isn’t -going to be ill.” - -“Has Mr. Moore seen her?” - -“No, he has not arrived yet, but he will be here soon. He wired that he -is bringing Mr. Lawson Holmes back with him.” Her brow grew troubled. “I -want to keep him away from Phyllis until after dinner, when I hope the -doctor will have been. The children always come in to dessert, you -know.” - -The words had scarcely passed her lips when the scrunch of carriage -wheels on the gravel approached them, and the hall door closed with a -heavy sound. A moment later the men’s voices were heard on the stairs, -as they parted to go to their respective rooms. The Countess, excusing -herself to her guest, went dutifully to greet her husband; but she -returned before Patricia had time to notice her absence, and together -they descended to the rooms below. - -“I think you will find a great change in Athelstan,” she said, as -Patricia glanced at the large portrait of the Premier which adorned the -wall. “He has aged terribly during the last three years, and suffers -from periodical fits of depression which seem to take all the life out -of him. The doctors cannot account for it, and put it down to overwork. -But I believe I know what it is: there is something preying on his -mind.” - -“Yes?” Patricia looked up half wonderingly. “I suppose he is troubled -about State affairs?” - -The Countess waxed confidential. - -“It’s the Jews,” she said impressively, forgetting, perhaps, the -political position of her friend. “I believe they’ve affected his brain. -He thinks about them all day, dreams about them at night, and talks -about them in his sleep. It’s Jews, Jews, Jews—always Jews! The fact of -the matter is, that in pushing the Expulsion Bill he made a tremendous -mistake; and he knows it, and is suffering from remorse. But in spite of -this he maintains his ground, and won’t budge an inch from his original -standpoint. He is as hard and as obstinate as a piece of flint.” - -Patricia turned over the leaves of a magazine with agitation. “Mamie, -ought you to tell me this?” she asked, feeling that she had received a -confidence which should have been withheld. “Do you think your husband -would care for me to know that he is attacked by remorse? Remember, I am -the wife of an exiled Jew.” - -“I don’t care anyway,” the little woman returned recklessly. “If you can -act on that knowledge, so much the better. Oh, Patricia! you do not know -what I have suffered during the past two years. You do not know what it -is to have a husband so morose that he will scarcely speak, except to -say something unkind. For the first few months of our married life, -Athelstan was as genial and happy as a boy; but now—now—his only smile -is for Phyllis—never for me.” - -She sank on to a chair, a look of wounded pride in her eyes. Patricia -was genuinely sorry, but she scarcely knew what to say. She remembered -the boasted power, the desire to rule which had animated the Countess at -the time of Moore’s proposal. Where was that conquering influence of her -feminine personality which was to have decided not only the affairs of -her husband, but also of the State? Gone—all gone; nay, it had never -been there. For Mamie’s will was far too frail to have ever run counter -to that of the Premier; and now, after repeated storms, only a crushed -and broken spirit remained. - -The girl sympathised as best she could, and skilfully drew the -conversation to matters of lighter trend. She did not want to hear such -secrets, and shrank from prying into the private life of her husband’s -enemy. But Mamie was naturally loquacious, and her thoughts expressed -themselves in words almost as soon as they entered her mind. It was -probably this very garrulity which had sent Moore back into his shell; -for knowing that his wife could not be trusted with a secret, he -naturally became more reserved. - -They were both glad of the presence of Mr. Lawson Holmes at the -dinner-table that night. He was a man who could converse well on almost -any subject, and possessed a good many interests besides that of -politics. Moore was, as usual, preoccupied and gloomy, and had shaken -hands with Patricia as though she had been a complete stranger. The -Countess, who had quietly been called away to see the doctor before the -commencement of the meal, was pale and silent, so the two guests had the -conversation principally to themselves. When the dessert was reached, -however, the Premier suddenly awoke as from a sleep, and fixing his -steely eyes on his wife’s face, inquired solemnly for the children. - -Lady Chesterwood’s eyes fell. - -“Leslie was a naughty boy this afternoon, and I was obliged to punish -him,” she returned quietly. “And Phyllis—Phyllis is not well.” - -“Not well?” Moore became visibly alarmed. “What is the matter with her? -Has the doctor been?” - -“Yes; he says she has a bad sore throat, and must stay in bed. He -suggested moving her to the south wing of the house, because it is -warmer there and the aspect sunnier, so we have done so. And he doesn’t -think much of Leslie’s old nurse, so he is going to send a trained nurse -from the hospital, and perhaps an assistant as well.” She paused, out of -breath. “He is coming again to-morrow morning,” she added rapidly, “so -you can see him then.” - -Moore tossed off a glass of wine, and excusing himself, rose from the -table. - -“I shall not wait until to-morrow morning,” he said, in a rough voice. -“I shall see him to-night. But I must have a look at the child first. -Poor little girl! A sore throat—” and without finishing the sentence he -left the room. - -There was a moment’s silence, and then the Countess also rose. - -“I suppose I shall have to tell him,” she said, with an interrogative -look at her two guests. “The child has a touch of diphtheria; that is -why we have thought it best to isolate her at once. It is not serious at -present, but of course there is no knowing how it may turn out. I think -I had better go up to them, if you will not think me very rude. I am so -sorry this should have happened just now; it is so unpleasant. But, of -course, one cannot help these things.” - -“Don’t apologise, dear,” said Patricia kindly. “I will amuse myself in -the library until Mr. Holmes has finished his wine. Go to your husband -now. I am sure you ought to be with him. It is very unfortunate -altogether; I do hope Phyllis will soon be well.” - -“I should advise you to tell Moore exactly what it is,” advised Holmes, -as the ladies passed across the threshold. He knew that to keep the -Premier in ignorance of the true nature of the illness would only serve -to make matters worse, since he must inevitably find out in the course -of two or three hours. - -He smoked his cigar in solitude, a thoughtful expression on his face. -The presence of Lady Patricia Montella in that household had caused him -a deep sensation of astonishment, for he had not been aware of her -arrival in England. He knew, of course, that Lady Chesterwood was a -connection of hers by marriage; but even so, he was surprised that she -should be friendly with Moore. Thirsting for information, he threw down -his cigar half smoked, and rejoined her without delay. Without appearing -unduly curious, he elicited the whole story of her pathetic separation. -Then he inquired after his old friend, Montella, in almost affectionate -terms, and expressed his regret that Parliament should have lost such a -gifted and true young statesman. - -“I always liked Montella,” he said, when he had related more than one -reminiscence of past years; “but he had one weakness: he allowed himself -to be ruled by his mother. Now, I have the greatest respect for Lady -Montella, but I do not believe in petticoat interference. Montella was -quite capable of riding his political horse without the aid of feminine -spurs.” - -“You are quite right, Mr. Holmes,” assented the girl, almost surprised -at his perception; “but Lady Montella is a strange woman; she has the -spirit of a Joan of Arc, and the self-discipline of a nun. I have often -wished myself that Lionel were left more to act on his own initiative. -His ideas are on a broader plane than his mother’s, although he may be -less of a Jew.” - -“Quite so. Dear me, but how the poor fellow did scold me for introducing -the Assimilation Bill! And, by Jove! I think he was right. We’ve made a -ghastly mistake over the whole business, Lady Patricia. You can tell him -so if you like.” - -Patricia was all attention. - -“You mean that the result of the Expulsion is unsatisfactory,” she -interrupted eagerly. “I thought so, judging by all the reports I had -heard.” - -The Cabinet Minister bent forward confidentially. - -“Shall I tell you something?” he answered impressively. “England can -_not_ get along without Jewish money and Jewish brains; and she’s -shipped all the best of it away—sent it to Palestine to enrich the Holy -Land. That’s the plain truth—and a truth which is going to be expressed -pretty forcibly by the people in Hyde Park next Saturday. Of course, -Moore pooh-poohs it, and means to hold out to the end; but it strikes me -that there will be a fairly sharp ministerial struggle before long.” - -“And the result?” - -“Ah, who can tell? I don’t think we have ever had such a feeble -Government as there is now. There’s scarcely a man among them worth his -salt. Moore still wields that sort of one-man power which is -occasionally beneficial, and at times so dangerous; and I believe -Moore’s mind on the Jewish question is warped. We’ve got to try and drag -that rabid anti-Semitic feeling out of him: it’s no easy task.” - -Patricia remembered what Mamie had told her concerning the Premier’s -inmost feelings, and grew thoughtful. - -“I wonder if I could do anything to change Mr. Moore’s opinions,” she -said slowly. “I have seen so much of both sides that I ought to be able -to speak with authority. At present he distrusts me; he has scarcely -spoken a word to me this evening, but of course he may have just felt in -a taciturn mood. If I can win him over from anti-Semitism to common -sense, will you excuse the petticoat interference for once, Mr. Holmes?” - -He smiled good-humouredly at her naïve use of his own expression, but -quickly regained his gravity as the door opened to admit the Countess. -The unfortunate little lady seemed full of trouble, and sank on to the -settee with an expression of despair. Athelstan was behaving in a most -ridiculous manner, and declared he would have no trained nurses creeping -about the house. - -“He wants me to nurse her myself, with the assistance of an old and -trusted servant of his first wife’s,” she said, in a voice which was -almost tearful. “He says Phyllis has a horror of strangers. But, -Patricia, how can I? I know I’m not strong, and I should be sure to -catch it. My throat feels quite sore already at the mere thought.” - -She looked the picture of misery, with her pale face and troubled eyes. -Patricia wondered that she could so easily collapse, but taking pity on -her, made a sudden resolve. - -“Would Mr. Moore be satisfied if I undertook to nurse her in your -place?” she said impulsively, without giving herself time to consider -the consequence. “Phyllis will probably remember me; I am not quite a -stranger. And I am a good nurse—I like it. So if you will have me, I am -quite willing to stay.” - -Mr. Lawson Holmes cast her a glance of admiration. It seemed to him that -her beautiful eyes shone with the light of heroism; and he recognised -that hers was the material of which soldiers are made. But the Countess -could not conceal her astonishment. - -“You!” she exclaimed, starting to her feet. “Oh, Patricia, you _can’t_ -mean it? Why should you do it for the child of Athelstan Moore? And -think of the responsibility and the risk. Diphtheria is so infectious. -Are you not afraid?” - -“Afraid? No.” The girl met her gaze bravely. “I shall not neglect the -necessary precautions, you may be sure; but even if I do take the -disease, it won’t matter—much. Away from my husband, I don’t care what -happens to me, and that is the very reason why I shall be immune. -Besides, this would be what Lionel calls a _Mitzvah_—a good deed which -brings a blessing. Oh, I should like to do it; it would give me -something to occupy my thoughts!” - -Her words unconsciously betrayed the unhappiness of her present -position. Her recklessness with regard to the danger amounted almost to -desperation; and she seemed to have fully made up her mind. So the -Countess, with a feeling almost of awe, went to acquaint the Premier of -her unselfish offer; she could not understand her cousin’s frame of mind -in the least. - -The Premier manifested not a flicker of surprise. He returned with his -wife to accept the offer with formal gratitude, but Patricia could see -that in reality he was much stirred. Moreover, it pleased her to know -that he had confidence in her ability, that he could bring himself to -trust her with his precious child. Realising the tremendous -responsibility she had taken upon herself, she sat down with trembling -hand to write to Mrs. Lowther for what she required. She could imagine -what that good lady would say when she read the note, and the flutter -there would ensue at Ivydene. Truly the situation was a curious one, -though not so outrageous as Mrs. Lowther would make out. But she had -long ago made up her mind that life was full of the strangest -inconsistencies, and had therefore no compunction in adding one more to -the list. - -“I have ordered my _chauffeur_ to get the car ready,” said the Premier, -when she had finished the note. “Will you come with me, Holmes?” - -“With pleasure.” The Cabinet Minister rose with alacrity. “You are going -to the doctor, I suppose.” - -“Yes; but I haven’t any faith in him—he is only a local practitioner. I -want him to get hold of that specialist, though—I’ve forgotten the man’s -name, but you know whom I mean. He cured the Crown-Princess of Germany -from the same complaint, and it was stated at the time that he was the -only doctor in the world who could have pulled her through. I am certain -my little girl will be all right if she is in his hands, and it will be -a great comfort for me to have him. But I can’t for the life of me think -of his name. It was something beginning with a K.” - -“I know!” exclaimed the Countess, glad to be able to come to the rescue. -“It was Dr. Kesten.” - -Moore gave a sigh of relief. - -“That’s right,” he replied, almost cheerfully. “Kesten. He’s a splendid -doctor, and a really good and conscientious man. I believe he lives in -Portland Place.” - -“Dr. Kesten?” repeated Mr. Lawson Holmes, in astonishment. “Good -gracious, Moore, you can’t have him. He’s in Palestine—one of the -victims of the Expulsion. Have you forgotten that Kesten is a Jew?” - -Patricia looked up with a startled expression on her face, and exchanged -a glance with Mr. Holmes. Here indeed was a curious dénouement: Moore -was personally feeling the dire result of his own Bill. - -And the Premier in his rage and emotion forgot himself for once. - -“Hang the Jews!” was his uncivil, but forcible remark. - - - - - CHAPTER III - THE MIND OF THE PREMIER - - -Patricia found her post no sinecure. The first thing she did was to send -Lady Chesterwood and her little boy to Ivydene; for Mamie’s fear of -infection was so great that she would most certainly have caught the -disease had she remained, even though the south wing in which the child -lay was quite apart from the rest of the house. Moore’s foolish aversion -to professional nurses entailed greater vigilance on the part of the two -physicians who were attending the case, and they were obliged to visit -the Hall three or four times in the course of the day. In reality the -little girl was suffering from a peculiarly mild form of the disease, -but her father was so nervous that the very pronouncement of the word -“diphtheria” had frightened him beyond measure. For himself he -entertained no fear—his was too strong a nature to admit of cowardice; -but his love for his child was passionate almost to excess. Patricia had -never seen anything like it in her life. - -His time was divided between Downing Street, the House of Commons, and -Ravenscroft Hall. At the Foreign Office he was dictatorial and shrewd; -in the House his speeches lacked nothing of their usual brilliance; but -as soon as he returned to the Hall he became a different man. The -pomposity departed from him, his step became light, his voice subdued; -and ascending the staircase on tiptoe, the usual question, “How is she?” -fell almost pathetically from his lips. If she were a little better his -happiness knew no bounds, but if worse, his spirits sank to zero; and -one night, when the child was really in danger, there ensued a scene -which the Hall servants remembered for months. The doctors would not -allow him to remain in the room, so he paced the corridor, almost -distraught; and as no one dared say a word to comfort him without the -fear of instant dismissal, he was left to drink his cup of bitterness -alone. - -But Patricia, coming off duty an hour later, brought him the welcome -news that Phyllis was asleep and the crisis almost past; and inducing -him to accompany her to the adjoining housekeeper’s room, talked to him -quietly for a little while. She looked pale from lack of sleep, and her -eyes were heavy; but in his stress of mind and self-absorption he -scarcely spared her a thought. - -“Do you really think she will get better—on your word of honour?” he -asked, for the hundredth time; “or are you only saying it to comfort me? -I don’t want to be buoyed up by false hopes; I would rather know the -worst. I— Oh dear, how my head seems to spin! Or is it the room that is -going round like a top?” - -The girl helped him to a chair, and forced him to take a little brandy. - -“No wonder you are exhausted,” she said, when he was somewhat revived. -“You are wearing yourself out; your nerves are constantly on the rack. I -don’t understand you at all, Mr. Moore. In public life you have the -courage and strength of a giant—I have been reading about you only this -morning in the _Post_; but in private life—here—you behave just like a -nervous woman. I really feel quite ashamed of you before the doctors. If -you do not take care, they will form a very poor opinion of the Prime -Minister’s fortitude.” - -She spoke boldly, knowing that the rebuke was just what he needed, and -that it would have a salutary effect. The Premier regarded her with -astonishment, and a sharp rejoinder rose to his lips; but he repressed -it, and the momentary gleam of anger died out of his eyes. - -“You are right,” he returned, his hands falling dejectedly to his side; -“but I have had so much worry lately; I think my nerves are unstrung. -And you don’t know—what it is to love a child—as I love my Phyllis.” - -Her eyes deepened with feeling. “Ah, but I do!” she said, with a sudden -catch in her voice. “I too have a child—a little darling whom I may -never see again, although he is as dear to me as your little girl is to -you. But I am brave, or at least I try to be.... And Phyllis will get -better. My case is more hopeless than yours.” - -“Phyllis will get better?” He grasped at the words as a drowning man -clutches a straw. “I pray God she may! I pray God she may!” Then he -leant his head against his hands, and continued, as though speaking to -himself: “I am not superstitious—a sensible man has no right to give way -to such folly; but I thought the judgment of Heaven had fallen when -Phyllis was taken ill. The Jews.... They are the bane of my life ... -they would pay me out if they could. Pharaoh oppressed them, and was -smitten with the ten plagues.... But I won’t be beaten; I _won’t_.... -Not if fifty plagues come on my people—not if Phyllis dies. _If Phyllis -dies...._ Good God, what am I saying? She must not die.... Any judgment -from Heaven—but not that ... my one little ewe lamb. Eh?” he added -thickly, as Patricia made a movement. “What was I talking about? The -brandy has got into my head, I think. Let me go—into the garden; I must -have air.” - -He stumbled up to the French window, which, by means of a flight of -steps, gave access to the lawn. Patricia assisted him to descend, and -rang hastily for his valet. Then she returned to the sick-room, thereby -incurring the displeasure of the doctor; for in the hours that she was -not on duty it was necessary that she should rest. - -“I am on my way to bed now,” she whispered, glancing tenderly at the -unconscious child; “but I wanted to tell you something, doctor. Mr. -Moore seems very much unstrung, and I should like you to prescribe for -him before you go. He has to preside at a Cabinet Meeting to-morrow, and -unless he sleeps to-night, I am sure he will be unable to attend.” - -The physician nodded. - -“Very well, I will, as soon as I have given my instructions for the -night to nurse,” he whispered back. “And now, Lady Patricia, I must -insist on you going to bed; otherwise, we shall be having you on the -sick-list too.” - -The girl smiled, and quietly withdrew; but although she was tired, she -felt little inclination for sleep. The stray glimpse into the secret -chambers of the Premier’s mind had filled her with all sorts of curious -cogitations, and she could not help pondering on the strange character -of the man. He was evidently suffering either from distorted mental -vision or—as Mamie had said—from remorse; and his recently-grey hair and -haggard features testified that his health was being injured in -consequence. But if that was the case—if his part in connection with the -Expulsion was weighing so heavily on his mind, why did he not seek to -atone for his action by advocating retractive measures? If he were a -brave man—and his brilliant Parliamentary career proved him to be a -morally strong one—why did he shrink from owning himself to have been in -the wrong? Was it cowardice or sheer obstinacy which made him hold on -grimly to his original views in spite of his inmost convictions? And how -long would he be able to maintain that line of conduct—how long before -the great mind would over-balance itself, and travel along the course -which led to insanity? Could it be possible that they should ever see -“_that noble and most sovereign reason, like sweet bells jangled, out of -tune and harsh_?” - -But the next morning she found him as abrupt and self-possessed as -usual. All traces of his recent emotion had disappeared, and he had -evidently regained complete command over himself. The child had passed a -better night, and his matutinal visit to the sick-room caused him such -satisfaction that he was able to leave for London almost as soon as the -doctor had been. And that day his dialectics at the Foreign Office were -more irresistible than ever; he was once more his old self, now that the -danger to his child was past. - -Patricia found the period of the little girl’s convalescence more trying -than the actual illness, for there seemed more to do, and Phyllis was -often peevish and cross. Lady Chesterwood and Mrs. Lowther called every -day, and sometimes twice a day; but unless she changed all her clothes, -for fear the germs of infection should—according to the Countess—lurk in -the folds of her nursing costume, she could not see them, and often she -was obliged to let them go away: so that all communication with the -outer world had practically ceased for the present, and of the daily -inquirers who drove up to the Hall she saw not one. She looked over the -visitors’ book sometimes, and collected the numerous visiting-cards for -Phyllis to play with; but although some of the names were so familiar -that they called up vivid remembrances of the days of her early -girlhood, she felt no desire to see any of these quondam friends. -Whether they knew of her presence in the Premier’s mansion she knew not; -but it was likely that Mamie had spread the news. - -One afternoon, however, a card was brought up to her which dispelled her -usual indifference, and caused the colour to mount to her cheeks. It -bore the inscription “Sir Ferdinand Montella,” and on the reverse side -the intimation of his immediate return to Haifa. Scarcely pausing to -smooth her fair hair, Patricia rushed down to receive him; for although -she had never seen him before, she looked upon him as a link from the -East. - -His visit was the best tonic she could have taken, for his breezy manner -had an exhilarating effect. He brought good news of her beloved ones in -Palestine, inasmuch as they were both well, and the baby bonnier than -ever. He expressed himself willing to take back any messages she cared -to send, and apologised deeply for not having come before. - -“I was so busy with my affair,” he said, with the light of satisfaction -in his eyes. “Thank goodness it’s all settled, and I’ve won the case. I -was the cat’s-paw of another fellow, you know; and I could not have come -forward before without betraying him. But now he is dead, and I have -been able to prove my innocence; and now that I am a free and honourable -man in the sight of the world, I am going back to marry my little Raie.” - -Patricia held out her hands. - -“I am very glad,” she said sincerely. “I congratulate you from the -bottom of my heart. And I hope you and Raie will be very happy; she is a -sweet girl, and will make you an admirable wife.” - -“So I think,” he returned, with a glad smile, as his grasp on her -fingers relaxed. “I believe we were cut out for each other; it was love -at first sight, anyway. But I don’t want to talk about myself, Patricia; -I want to know something about you. Lionel will be full of questions -when I get back. I was astonished when Mrs. Lowther informed me that you -were here. Whatever made you walk direct into the lion’s mouth?” - -“Providence, or a combination of circumstances,” she answered slowly. -“When I advised Mrs. Lowther to rent Ivydene for a year, I had quite -forgotten that Ravenscroft Hall was so near; and you see, Lady -Chesterwood was in such trouble that I was bound to offer to help. I do -hope Lionel will not be angry; I would never have become an inmate of -the Premier’s household under any other circumstances, and I shall leave -as soon as I can. They have treated me very courteously here; I cannot -complain.” - -“It seems so strange—so unnecessary,” he said, with a puzzled -expression, “that you, a Montella by marriage, should go out of your way -to nurse the child of an anti-Semite. It is heaping coals of fire on his -head with a vengeance. I cannot understand how the man could accept your -services if he has any pride about him at all.” - -“You do not know him, Ferdinand. He has pride, but he would not let it -stand in the way where the welfare of his child was concerned. Besides, -I did it for Mamie’s sake; her husband was my first-cousin. And, do you -know, I am glad I came. I believe I shall be able to convert the Premier -before I leave.” - -“Convert the Premier,” he repeated, with an ironical smile. “What -to?—Judaism?” - -She laughed. - -“Not quite; but you are not far wrong. I want to cure him of his -anti-Semitic mania, and so far I have progressed well. At first I dare -not mention the Jewish question to him; but now that I have nursed his -child through a serious illness, he is beginning to trust me, and to -listen to what I choose to say.” - -“But do you really think that you, a mere woman—I had almost said -child—can influence Athelstan Moore?” he asked incredulously. “Why, I -know of no one in England who is able to do that.” - -Patricia was too sensible to be piqued by his scepticism. - -“I do think so,” she returned, with enthusiasm. “Mr. Moore is a man who -can be led, but not driven. You know what Shakespeare says: - - ‘What thou wilt - Thou rather shalt enforce it with thy smile, - Than hew to’t with thy sword.’ - -Mr. Lawson Holmes and his colleagues might talk to him till Doomsday -without the slightest effect, because he is strenuously determined to -oppose them; but I have the opportunity of approaching him in his -tenderest moments—when he is with his child. There are some cases in -which a ‘mere woman’ can do more than the strongest man.” - -He glanced at her with admiration, not unmixed with wonder. - -“And if you do cure him of his anti-Semitic mania, as you call it,” he -said slowly, “what will be the practical result?” - -“I cannot say; but it will be a victory worth achieving. Everyone knows -how the Premier dominates the Government, both collectively and -individually—how they have not the courage to move a step without his -approval, how they follow him just like a flock of sheep. Cure him of -his anti-Semitism, and there is no knowing what may happen. Do not -discourage me, Ferdinand, I mean to try very hard.” - -The clock struck four, and warned her that she was due in the sick-room; -but she had so many messages to send that she could scarcely bear to -tear herself away. If she had only known of his coming, she would have -loaded him with presents for her dear ones, but he intended to start on -the morrow, and it was too late to get anything now. So she was obliged -to be content with sending her love—so much of it that Ferdinand -laughingly declared he would never be able to carry it; and she wept a -little in spite of his cheerful words. Then she said good-bye, and went -to her own room for a few minutes to finish her cry. - -It might be a long time before she saw a Montella again. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - LADY PATRICIA’S CONQUEST - - -Slowly, but surely, Phyllis Moore crept back to health, and as the -danger of infection was over, Lady Chesterwood and Leslie returned to -the Hall. The child had been ordered to Bournemouth to recuperate her -lost strength, but the weather was so unfavourable that her father -thought it advisable to wait for a possible improvement. He himself -would not be able to leave London until the Christmas recess, and was -rather glad than otherwise of the enforced delay. - -Patricia was asked to accompany them, in order that her health might -also benefit by the change; but as her services were no longer required, -she politely but firmly declined. She acknowledged to Mamie that her -stay at Ravenscroft Hall had been somewhat of a strain; and although she -was glad to have been of use at so urgent a time, she did not care to -remain as the Premier’s guest. - -Athelstan Moore had shown very little appreciation of her magnanimity -during the child’s illness, but as her stay drew to a close he gradually -unbent, and on the last night he made an effort to express his gratitude -for her kindness. Perhaps he felt more demonstrative than usual, for all -Richmond was rejoicing at his little daughter’s happy recovery; and they -had just returned from a crowded thanksgiving service at the parish -church. He took her into the library after dinner on the pretext of -showing her a particular _edition de luxe_, but in reality it was -because he had something to say. He fidgeted uneasily with his diamond -stud, and launched forth into a long explanation concerning the merits -of his various editions of Shakespeare, whilst Patricia, knowing that he -had not brought her there to discuss bibliography, waited as patiently -as she could. - -She sat down in front of the blazing log-fire, and watched him from the -depths of a heavy arm-chair. He looked almost handsome that night, in -spite of the lines on his forehead, and seemed to have regained a little -of his former sprightliness. Yet, recollecting his visit to her father -on the day of her marriage, she recognised a great difference. She -remembered how his short, thick-set figure had bristled with -indignation, and how the steely grey eyes had gleamed. She remembered -his gestures—sharp, stern, commanding, just as the political -caricaturists had pictured him in their cartoons—but there was little of -that fiery alertness in his bearing now. He looked like a man who had in -some peculiar way lost all verve: the features, the form, and the voice -remained, but the animation which had given life to the whole -personality was gone. - -Abruptly finishing his superfluous dissertation, he took up his position -on the hearthrug, with his back to the fire, and gazed moodily down at -the parquet floor. Then glancing up suddenly his eye caught Patricia’s, -and his face lit up with the faintest glimmer of a smile. - -“I want to ask you something,” he said, leaning his arm against the -oaken mantel-shelf. “In reviewing the events of the last three weeks, it -has struck me as curious that you, of all persons, should have nursed my -little girl, since neither she nor I had the slightest claim on you. -Tell me, Lady Patricia, and do not be offended at my question—why did -you do it?” - -“Why?” She hesitated. “Oh, because I thought it was a case in which I -could assist. I am always ready to help _anyone_ in trouble, if I can.” - -“I see. You did it for charity’s sake. If it had been my lodge-keeper’s -child you would have nursed her with equal willingness and care?” - -“Certainly.” - -“Ah!” His exclamation was sharp and gruff. “Then you did not do it as a -personal favour to me?” - -“No.” She met his gaze steadily. “I did not do it for you.” - -There was an uncomfortable pause. He turned round and gave the fire a -vigorous poke, which sent the flames roaring up the chimney. The light -caught the diamond star at her breast, and set it scintillating with -prismatic rays. Then with his eyes almost involuntarily set on the -jewel, he addressed her again. - -“It is as well to know the truth,” he said, with feigned nonchalance. -“Otherwise I might have flattered myself that you nursed Phyllis for my -sake. I suppose, in reality, you consider me more of an enemy than a -friend?” - -“I think I have reason to do so,” she returned, with a sigh. - -“On account of the Jewish question?” he asked slowly. - -“Yes.” - -“I am sorry.” He spread his hands deprecatingly. “But you see it is not -my fault that you happened to marry a Jew. You know I have no love for -that race.” - -“I do know, to my sorrow,” she answered quietly. “But I cannot -understand it at all. Mr. Moore, why are you an anti-Semite?” - -The question was given with such direct simplicity that for a moment he -was at a loss for a reply. This was carrying the war into the enemy’s -country. - -“Why am I an anti-Semite?” he repeated, with hesitation. “Well, that is -too large a matter to be entered into now. My motives are both political -and personal; but they can be summed up in one sentence: I hate the -Jews.” - -“And yet you call yourself a Christian!” she said, with contempt. - -His cheeks flushed. “Lady Patricia!” he exclaimed, half angrily; but she -was undismayed. - -“You do call yourself a Christian,” she continued calmly. “You are -publicly known as one of the staunchest of churchmen, and you are -president of several church societies. Mr. Moore, did Christ hate the -Jews?” - -There was silence, but she scarcely waited for a response. “You know He -did not,” she went on quickly. “He healed them of their diseases, toiled -for them, suffered for them, died for them, loved them to the end. To be -at the same time a Christian and an anti-Semite is absolutely -impossible. More: if England is anti-Semitic, she cannot be Christian, -and (I quote from one of your own speeches now)—the day England ceases -to be Christian she ceases to be great. Oh, cannot you see the -inconsistency of your position? How could you reconcile it with your -conscience to persecute the Jews?” - -She raised her sweet face in passionate appeal. The words seemed to come -direct from her heart, and her ardour expressed itself in the depths of -her blue eyes. Moore stared at her with unconcealed astonishment. No -one—not even his friend Lawson Holmes—had dared to be so outspoken; but -this gentle girl evidently was not afraid. And her words struck home: -they pierced the outer shield of his obstinacy, and penetrated to the -true self within; they touched the inmost chords of his troubled -emotions, and set them quivering like the strings of a lyre. Yet he -displayed no resentment, rather was he abashed: for his usual flow of -language deserted him; he could, for once, find no counter-reply. - -“Persecution is an accommodating term,” he said, at last. “Place the -smallest restriction on the liberty of a sect, and immediately they -proclaim themselves martyrs. We have no desire to ‘persecute’ the Jews; -we have used neither the knout nor the rack. For myself, all I desire is -to eliminate everything Jewish from our English life; nothing more.” - -“To eliminate everything Jewish?” she repeated, unable to conceal a -touch of scorn. “Why, it cannot be done; the Jews have left too great an -impress on the world. Religion, history, science, the fine arts, -commerce, is there anything in which they have never had a place? We -went to church this evening: was your enjoyment of the anthem marred -because the music was composed by Mendelssohn, a Jew? And has it ever -occurred to you that our Liturgy is almost entirely of Jewish origin? -The _Magnificat_—what is it but the joy-song of a Jewish maiden?—the -_Nunc Dimittis_, that of Simeon the Jew? Why, the whole Bible belongs to -the Jews—is Jewish literature from Genesis to Revelations. And yet you -would eliminate everything Jewish from your thoughts. As well try to -wipe out the past and re-create the world!” - -She paused as the door opened to admit the Countess, who was tired of -her own society, and wondered what the two could be talking about. Mamie -considered it selfish of her husband to monopolise the girl’s company on -the last night of her stay; but noticing the gravity of his expression, -she conquered her desire to tell him so. - -“I hope you have thanked Patricia nicely for her kindness to Phyllis,” -she said, with complacence, as she settled herself in the opposite -arm-chair. “Have you decided what form the memento is to take?” - -Her husband looked almost disconcerted. “Not yet,” he returned dryly. -“When I led up to the subject we both went off at a tangent; however, -the evening is yet young.” - -“We want to give you a little souvenir of your visit,” Mamie explained -eagerly; “but we could not decide as to what it should be, so we thought -we had better ask you. I suggested a crescent brooch to replace the one -you gave to the Unemployed. Do you remember that day, Patricia? What a -tender-hearted goose you were!” - -Patricia’s colour rose. - -“You are very good,” she said, addressing them both, and inwardly -determining not to accept any reward for her services, however -delicately it might be offered. “But I really have more jewellery than I -can wear already. I would rather not have a present, if you don’t mind; -indeed, I haven’t the faintest idea what to choose. I have all I want.” - -The Premier seemed to be turning over something in his mind. - -“All you want?” he repeated slowly; “except—your husband.” - -Mamie cast him a sharp glance of interrogation, but he took no notice, -and advanced towards his guest. - -“Lady Patricia,” he said impressively, “you do want your husband?” - -“Want him?” She choked down a sob. “Yes, I do want him; I long for him -night and day! But you are unkind: don’t tease me, Mr. Moore!” - -The tears welled up in her eyes, and gathered slowly on her beautiful -lashes. She felt as if he were playing with her as a cat plays with a -mouse, and her whole being rose in revolt at such a lack of generous -feeling. But the Premier’s features showed no sign of intended satire; -he had evidently spoken in perfect faith. - -“I am not teasing you,” he said, in a peculiarly quiet voice. “Patricia, -I have to make an important decision before ten o’clock to-morrow -morning. A month ago I should have given my answer without the slightest -hesitation, but now—now I see that things are different to what they -appeared a little while ago. Supposing the Edict of Expulsion were -cancelled, would your husband return?” - -“The Edict cancelled!” She could scarcely believe her ears. “Do you mean -that England will open her doors to the Jews again?” she asked, in a -tone of excitement. “Oh, it seems too good to be true; I can scarcely -believe it.” She took a deep breath. “Of course Lionel would come back; -Haifa would soon empty itself of its English population. But, Mr. Moore, -is it true? Do you really—_really_ mean it?” - -“It is a possibility,” he returned, as though with an effort. -“Statistics show that trade and commerce have deteriorated since the -Expulsion; and the people are clamouring for the Jews’ return. To-morrow -the question comes up in Parliament, and I shall make a speech either -for or against. My colleagues, knowing my views, anticipate my -opposition; but—” - -“But you will surprise them all by supporting the resolution,” she -interpolated quickly. “Mr. Moore, you know the Expulsion Act has been a -weight on your mind ever since it was put into force; you know that it -was all a gross miscarriage of justice. If the Jews have suffered -through it, so has England, so have you. Here is a Heaven-sent -opportunity to retrieve your mistake!” - -The Premier winced, scarcely relishing such frank condemnation. If he -were obliged to drink the cup of defeat he shrank from having it offered -in that way. But Patricia had conquered; and the long arguments in which -she had so patiently engaged with him all through his child’s -convalescence were about to bear fruit. She had known all along that her -insistent pleading was making some little impression on his stubborn -heart; but she had never dared to think that he would so easily -surrender. Her questions fell thick and fast as she considered the -details of the proposed repeal, and she volunteered more than one -pertinent remark. The Premier sighed as he noticed her flushed cheeks -and sparkling eyes; for what was to her a cause of profound joyfulness, -meant to him a great renunciation. Perhaps the girl never knew what the -abandonment of his principles really cost him; it was like an upheaval -of his whole political life. - -It was nearly twelve o’clock before they parted for the night, and even -then Patricia seemed inclined to linger. Hope had sprung up anew within -her breast, and the thought of her husband’s probable return invested -her with fresh life and energy. She listened to Mamie’s cheerful -prognostication of the future with a happy smile, never thinking that -her elation perhaps jarred upon her host. But when the clock struck the -hour she approached him to say good-night, and the gladness on her face -grew more subdued. - -“Good-night, Mr. Moore,” she said, holding out her hand. “I am sorry if -I hurt you by what I said before, and if—if you will have me as a -friend—?” - -He bent over the hand and raised it to his lips. - -“Certainly we are friends, Patricia,” he answered quietly, with an -involuntary sigh. “Moore—the anti-Semite—is dead.” - -“And Mr. Moore the Christian statesman lives!” She glanced into his face -with shining eyes. “Oh, I am so glad—so glad! I feel as if I could sing -a _Te Deum_ of praise!” - - - - - THE LAST CHAPTER - THE SKIRT OF A JEW - - -So the English nation decided that it was more to their advantage to -“take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew” than to avoid him -altogether; and the Expulsion Act was eventually repealed. But -Parliament was too wary to fall into the old error of allowing -unrestricted immigration, and determined to keep the pauper alien away -from English shores. Fortunately this class was rapidly becoming -extinct, for in the Holy Land there was work and a welcome for all, and -the term “pauper alien” would soon be as worn out as the dodo. Moreover, -the establishment of the Jews in Palestine meant an end to the -atrocities to which they had been subjected from time to time in Eastern -Europe: for in their own land they were at least free. And even though -the English population flowed steadily back to the dearly-loved native -country, there were still enough Jews in Palestine to promote the -general welfare of the Jewish State. Indeed, the return of the Jews to -England proved a beneficial check to the threatened overcrowding of the -towns. - -Haifa—as Patricia had predicted—soon lost its English citizens, and -Lionel Montella found it easy to resign his post. His mother, preferring -to remain in the Holy Land, went to live with Dr. and Mrs. Engelmacher -in Jerusalem, but intended to visit England once a year. The others made -preparations to leave in the ensuing April; perhaps they were less -susceptible to the claims of ancestry. - -Patricia’s joy knew no bounds, and she was so busy preparing for their -return that the intermediate months seemed to have taken wings. With -generous magnanimity her husband renounced the ownership of Burstall -Abbey in favour of his step-brother; and she had been commissioned to -see that the place was prepared for the reception of Sir Ferdinand and -his bride. Lionel himself intended to stay at Ivydene, prior to -purchasing a new and suitable town-house near Piccadilly, for Patricia -had refused her father’s offer of his mansion for the whole of the -forthcoming season. So she occupied herself in beautifying the villa so -far as its dimensions would allow, and spared no pains to make it as -attractive as possible. She called Mrs. Lowther into the nursery one day -to see the alterations she had made, and leaning against the dappled -back of the rocking-horse, gave vent to the rapture which burned within -her breast. - -“To think that in a week’s time my little Julian will be here!” she -exclaimed, with joy. “And I thought when I left him that I should not -see him for years!” - -And then she proceeded to relate a pretty little anecdote of his -infancy; for nothing gave her greater pleasure than to talk about her -boy. - -She looked so fair and radiant that Mrs. Lowther could not help -congratulating her on her improved appearance. She went singing about -the house as blithely as a lark, and the careworn expression on her face -had entirely disappeared. The greater part of her time was spent in the -company of the Princess, who, with her husband, had just arrived on a -visit to Ravenscroft Hall. Her Highness was delighted at the turn -affairs had taken, and expressed keen satisfaction that her prophecy had -been fulfilled. - -“I told you I guessed the separation would not be for long, didn’t I?” -she said, when they first met; “but tell me, Pat, how are you going to -arrange matters about Lionel’s Judaism now?” - -“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” the girl rejoined, a ring of defiance -in her voice; “there will be time enough to worry about that later on. -Besides, Lady Montella means to stay in Jerusalem, so I shall feel -comparatively free.” - -“You always speak of your respected mother-in-law as if she were a kind -of policeman,” said Lady Chesterwood, smiling. “Was her interference -really so terrible as all that?” - -Patricia nodded. - -“Yes. You see Lady Montella is very nice, and one of the kindest and -most religious women in the world, but her rigid Judaism is very -difficult to get on with. To be honest, I am glad that she is making her -home in Jerusalem; it is the best place for her under the -circumstances.” - -“I wish I could send my mother-in-law to Jerusalem!” remarked the -Princess feelingly. “She is always doing her utmost to upset my poor -Karl. We have decided to stay away from Felsen-Schvoenig as long as we -possibly can; but if we could ship her off to the Holy Land we might be -able to go back.” - -Whereupon they agreed that there ought to be a special place for -unwanted mothers-in-law; and talked a great deal of nonsense to that -effect. - -And so the time went on, until the long-looked-for day of the Montellas’ -return dawned at last. Patricia was up with the birds, thankful for the -spring sunshine which streamed through the windows, and seemed to typify -to her the brightness of her coming future. Directly after breakfast her -friends from Ravenscroft Hall brought her some of the choicest flowers -out of the Premier’s conservatories, and gaily helped her to fill the -rooms. But they considerately refused the invitation to accompany her to -the station, thinking she would prefer to meet her people alone. They -remained until the hour of departure, and then drove back to the Hall, -the Countess making Patricia promise to bring her husband to see the -Premier at the first opportunity. - -In spite of her careful calculations, the expectant wife arrived at the -station only just in time. The continental train came steaming into the -terminus just as her brougham drew up alongside the platform, and the -usual bustle and shouting of porters immediately ensued. Patricia looked -about her in bewilderment, but in another moment she was surrounded by -the party she sought. Sir Ferdinand and his happy young bride; Mrs. -Emanuel—elated at the thought of returning to her beloved Canonbury—with -her little brood; baby Julian fast asleep in the arms of the faithful -Anne; and last but not least, Lionel Montella, looking pale and somewhat -thin, but happy withal. Patricia received her husband’s embrace in -silence, unable to say a word; but he knew that her heart was full with -a joy too deep for utterance, and her hand-clasp meant more to him than -the choicest of flowery speeches. - -It was not until they had parted from the others, and were driving back -to Richmond, that she remembered a non-arrival amongst the party. - -“I thought Zillah Lorm intended to come, too,” she said half -wonderingly. “Did she leave you on the way?” - -Montella exchanged a glance with Anne. - -“Yes, darling, she left us on the way,” he returned, with a sigh. “Poor -Zillah! It is very sad.” - -Something in his tone arrested the girl’s attention. - -“What do you mean, dear?” she asked, with hesitation. “Is anything -wrong?” - -“The poor unfortunate woman threw herself overboard soon after we left -Port Said, my lady,” said Anne, as her master did not reply. “She was -drowned almost before anyone knew, and the Lascars tried in vain to -recover her body. Oh, dear, what excitement there was on the boat! We -were all that upset we could talk of nothing else for days, she being -such a comely young person and all!” - -“So I should think. But how dreadful! Poor girl!” Her eyes filled. “What -made her put such a terrible end to her life? Was she unhappy?” - -“I am afraid so, dear,” replied Montella quietly. “She seemed to have no -aim in life, and to find everything as Dead Sea fruit. She was always -pessimistic and despondent. I believe she wanted to return to England -some months ago, and only remained for my mother’s sake; yet when we -eventually started, she expressed no pleasure at the thought of going -home. On board the vessel she became engaged to an English officer, but -quarrelled with him the night before her death. Whether that had -anything to do with her suicide, however, we shall never know. It is -unspeakably sad.” - -It was indeed sad, and Patricia could not help thinking about it for -days. It seemed such a potent example of the consequence of a life -unsustained by faith. She knew that poor Zillah Lorm had believed -neither in God nor her fellow-creatures, and that to her the world had -been naught but a great charnelhouse of crushed and moribund desires. -But she was unable to imagine the agony of mind which had caused the -unhappy girl to throw herself into the sea. The tragedy scarce bore -contemplation; its secret reason would remain a mystery to the end. - -Not wishing to mar her husband’s home-coming by the expression of gloomy -sentiments, she avoided the subject after she had learnt the news. -Arrived at Ivydene, little Julian awoke from his sleep just in time for -tea, and delighted the mother’s heart by his display of recognition and -affection. Full of happiness, she assisted Anne to put him to bed, -lingering by his little cot until he visited slumberland once more. Then -she descended to spend a quiet evening with her husband _tête-à-tête_; -for Mrs. Lowther considerately went to dine out with a friend. - -It was not cold, but they had a fire lit for comfort’s sake, and watched -the cheerfully blazing embers as they talked. They had so much to say -that they scarcely knew where to begin, and enjoyed each other’s -presence in silence for a little while. Patricia felt like a child who, -after long waiting, had found its lost protector, and sat with her head -nestled contentedly against Lionel’s shoulder. Presently, however, her -curiosity got the better of her; there were so many things she wanted to -know. - -He answered her questions concerning his doings in Palestine with gentle -patience. Their enemy, Ben Yetzel, had conquered, in so far as rigid -orthodoxy throughout the Holy Land was to prevail, and he had had more -than one skirmish with the Rabbi since she had taken her departure. Dr. -Engelmacher, good-humoured and pliant as usual, had accepted the dictum -with cheerful resignation, deeming it wiser to sacrifice his own view of -the matter for the sake of peace. Most of the English people who availed -themselves of the repealing of the Act retained a financial interest in -Palestine, which would result in a constant communication between the -two countries. The outlook on Jewish affairs, therefore, was of the -brightest, and more promising than it had been since the time of the -First Dispersion. - -“And Lady Montella?” asked Patricia, when he had finished. “Did she -approve of your returning to England and me, or would she have been -better pleased if you had remained out there in spite of the cancelling -of the Edict?” - -“I am not sure, dear,” was her husband’s reply. “My mother is so fond of -the Holy Land that she would have been delighted had I chosen to stay; -but I should have been more than human had I remained under those -circumstances. When the path which led to you became easy, how could I -refrain from taking it? Only an exaggerated sense of duty would have -made me act otherwise. Besides I wanted you so much, my darling. Those -eight months of our separation were the hardest of my life.” - -“And of mine,” she added softly, with a fervent pressure of his hand. -“But, Lionel, I am surprised that your mother allowed you to bring baby -Julian back to me. She seemed to think that I had no further right to -him since I could not teach him orthodox Judaism.” - -“I took the law into my hands in this instance, dear,” he answered, -dispelling the pucker on her brow with a kiss. “I told her that Julian -was your child as well as mine, and that I was determined you should -educate him in accordance with your conscience until he grew old enough -to choose for himself. Besides, there’s Ferdinand now to keep up the old -traditions of the House; and as he has married a Jewess, we can -reasonably hope for a Jewish heir.” - -“And you will not expect me to feign Judaism any more?” she asked -wistfully. - -“Certainly not. We shall settle the question by introducing a Jewish -housekeeper to do all that is necessary. I have thoroughly made up my -mind that the difference-in-creed bogey shall never come between us -again. I am a Jew, and you are a Christian, and so long as we do our -duty according to our respective convictions, no one has a right to -expect any more. Thank God, there is now neither a fanatical Chief Rabbi -nor a foolish Assimilation Act to interfere. We are free at last, and in -such freedom there is happiness for us both. Set your mind at rest, my -dear one; the troubles of the past can never return.” - -And Patricia gave a sigh of relief as she gazed into the heart of the -fire. How broad-minded he was, and noble, and true! - -“Dear boy!” she exclaimed softly. “I am the happiest creature in the -world!” - -The heaviness which endured for a night had been replaced by the joy of -the morning. She felt that the suffering of the past months was as -nothing compared with the happiness which had dawned at last. - - * * * * * - -They went to Ravenscroft Hall before the end of the week to pay their -respects to the Premier and his wife. It was quite a summer’s day—one -which had wedged itself into April by a meteorological mistake—and they -found their friends enjoying tea on the lawn. Lady Chesterwood presided, -assisted by her sister, whilst Prince Karl pretended to be a waiter, to -the intense delight of Phyllis and Leslie. The new-comers were provided -with tea, and urged by the children to tip the waiter for his attention; -after which they suddenly discovered Raie behind a neighbouring tree. - -“I wanted to give you a surprise,” she said laughingly, as she came -forward and joined the group. “Ferdinand is indoors talking to Mr. -Moore. We came over to Richmond this morning.” - -“But you did not find time to visit us?” said Patricia, aggrieved. - -“Oh, we went with mamma and Harriet to the Isaacson’s to lunch,” was her -apologetic reply. “Mamma insists on taking us to see all her friends; it -is such a novelty for her to possess a married daughter.” - -She did not add that Mrs. Emanuel was so proud of “my daughter Lady -Ferdinand” that she was anxious to exhibit her to all and sundry. She -was so happy that what might have jarred upon her in other circumstances -simply caused her amusement now. - -“What do you intend to do with the she-dragon, Pat?” asked Mamie, when -the conversation turned on domestic affairs. “I suppose her services as -lady-companion will no longer be required.” - -Patricia smiled. “I have two dear companions of my own now,” she -answered happily. “I shall have to find Mrs. Lowther another berth.” - -“Send her to Jerusalem,” suggested the Princess naïvely; and Raie, -unable to see the point of the remark, wondered why they laughed. - -Lionel left them to finish their tea without him, and strolled through -the grounds towards the house. The French windows at the north side -stood invitingly open, and ascending the short flight of steps, he -entered the room. It happened to be the Premier’s library, and the -shelves which lined the four walls were filled with books. In one corner -stood a large writing-table, littered with documents of various -descriptions; and above it hung a beautifully painted panel mounted in -oak, and inscribed with a lengthy quotation from Shakespeare. Not caring -to linger near the open bureau, Montella would have passed on; but the -old English letters with their illuminated points attracted his -attention, and half wondering what would be the substance of the -Premier’s motto, he paused a moment to read: - - “SALARINO—Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; - what’s that good for? - - “SHYLOCK—To bait fish withal; if it will feed nothing else, it will - feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me half a million; - laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted - my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies; and what’s his - reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, - dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt - with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the - same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a - Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do - we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, - shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble - you in that. If a Jew wrong a Christian, what is his humility? - revenge; if a Christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by - Christian example? why, revenge. The villainy you teach me, I will - execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.” - -So this was the lesson which Athelstan Moore had set himself to learn! -Lionel could scarcely repress an exclamation of surprise as his eye ran -over the inscription. As in a flash, the revelation of what Moore’s -inward struggle must have meant burst in upon him; and he recognised the -courage the great man had shown even in his defeat. Full of thought, the -young champion of the Jews turned thoughtfully away, to be met by the -Premier himself before he reached the door. - -There was a moment of embarrassing silence as the two men confronted one -another. The thoughts of both went back to the time of their antagonism, -when hot and bitter words had been spoken on either side. But the Prime -Minister was not long before he recovered himself, and with a softened -light in his usually brilliant eyes, he held out his hand. - -“Welcome back to England, Montella,” he said, in a quiet but hearty -voice. “We parted as enemies, but I trust we meet as friends?” - -Lionel gripped his hand like a true Briton. - -“I trust so,” he returned, noticing almost with a pang of compunction -how grey and old he looked. “It was never my wish to quarrel with you, -Mr. Moore, but I could not help being a Jew.” - -“Of course you couldn’t.” He glanced towards the panel with a sigh. “And -I know you are proud of it, too. We’ve been taught a hard lesson during -your absence, Montella. Anti-Semitism doesn’t answer in England, and it -never will; for it’s a savage and retrograde movement, incompatible both -with our Christianity and our advanced state of civilisation. Strange -that we had to have an Expulsion in order to find that out! The simplest -truths are the most difficult to learn, it seems to me.” - -“They are, sometimes,” acquiesced the young man, with respect; “but we -had better forget the past, Mr. Moore. The Jew—in spite of popular -tradition—does not bear malice, and now that our beloved England has -returned our freedom to us, I am sure we shall be greater friends than -ever before.” - -“God grant we may!” was the Premier’s fervent reply. - -He was no longer an enemy of the Jews. He had become their staunch ally. - - - THE END - - - _Printed by Cowan & Co., Limited, Perth._ - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. Silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in - spelling. - 2. Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed. - 3. Re-indexed footnotes using numbers. - 4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_. - 5. 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