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| committer | pgww <pgww@lists.pglaf.org> | 2025-10-06 20:22:02 -0700 |
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diff --git a/76998-h/76998-h.htm b/76998-h/76998-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..cb23a5e --- /dev/null +++ b/76998-h/76998-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5642 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Jonah | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} + +.bbox {border: 2px solid; padding: 1em;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} +.ph2 {text-align: center; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;} + +div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} +div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 2em;} + +.xxlarge {font-size: 175%;} +.xlarge {font-size: 150%;} +.large {font-size: 125%;} + +.x-ebookmaker .hide {display: none; visibility: hidden;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {display: inline-block; text-align: left;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -2.5em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .first {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} +@media print { .poetry {display: block;} } +.x-ebookmaker .poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} + +p.drop-cap { + text-indent: -0.35em; +} +p.drop-cap2 { + text-indent: -0.75em; +} +p.drop-cap:first-letter, p.drop-cap2:first-letter +{ + float: left; + margin: 0em 0.15em 0em 0em; + font-size: 250%; + line-height:0.85em; + text-indent: 0em; +} +.x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap, .x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap2 { + text-indent: 0em; +} +.x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap:first-letter, .x-ebookmaker p.drop-cap2:first-letter +{ + float: none; + margin: 0; + font-size: 100%; +} + +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76998 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1><i>JONAH</i></h1> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="bbox"> +<p><i>Books by<br> +ROBERT NATHAN</i></p> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_ii.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Autumn</span>: <i>A novel</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">The Puppet +Master</span>: <i>A novel</i></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Youth Grows +Old</span>: <i>A book of verse</i></p> +</div></div></div></div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="title page"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="titlepage"> +<p><span class="xxlarge">JONAH  ::  ::  <i>by</i></span><br> +<span class="xlarge">ROBERT NATHAN</span></p> + +<p><span class="large">ROBERT M. McBRIDE & COMPANY</span><br> + NEW YORK   ::   ::   ::   ::   ::   1925</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center">JONAH BY ROBERT NATHAN WAS FIRST<br> +PRINTED AND PUBLISHED IN NINETEEN HUNDRED<br> +AND TWENTY-FIVE IN THE UNITED<br> +STATES OF AMERICA AND IS COPYRIGHTED<br> +NINETEEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE BY<br> +ROBERT M. MC BRIDE AND COMPANY</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center"><i>To</i><br> + <span class="smcap large">Alice and Arthur Carns</span></p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph2">JONAH</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> +<h2 class="nobreak">I</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">IN those days there were prophets in Israel. +They lived in the desert, beyond +the Jordan, in caves and in rude huts +made of clay and mats. There were many +holy men among them, whose ears had been +pierced by the sweetness of God’s voice and +whose eyes had been dazzled by the fiery appearance +of His angels. They were like the +saints to whom in later times the Virgin +Mary used to come with eyes melting with +tenderness, and who used to perform such +astonishing miracles in the desert near +Thebes. Theirs was an holy and severe life, +made anxious by the sins of the Jews, whose +punishment they prophesied in tones of great +bitterness and haunting sadness.</p> + +<p>Surrounded by gloomy rocks, they beheld +visions, and conversed with angels. They +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span>shared their meals with the lions of the desert, +with such birds and beasts as foxes, gazelles, +snakes, mice, and ravens. Many of +these were holy beings; more than human, +but less than divine, they were obliged to eat, +and devoured with shy and reverent looks +the food set apart for Jehovah.</p> + +<p>It was a life of poverty, of danger, and +of glory. In the silence of the desert the +prophets drew together in an austere community. +Those returning from lands across +the Jordan brought back news to the Schools. +It was said that Amos of Tekoa had spoken +at Bethel; standing in the presence of King +Jeroboam, surrounded by the proudest nobles, +he had prophesied the doom of Israel. +Two angels attended him while he spoke, +and collected the drops of moisture which +fell from his brow.</p> + +<p>Thereafter an earthquake, followed by a +drought, destroyed the crops of Israel and +Judah.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span>When Jonah, the prophet, heard this news, +he left his hut in Golan, and taking his stick +and a gourd filled with water, set his face +southward toward the Land of Tob. He +walked from dawn to dusk; his thoughts +were grave, and his expression serious. As +evening fell he found himself beside a little +pool in the desert; here he sat down to rest. +The sky was green with early night; the evening +star, smaller than the moon and silver +as a distant sea, sailed above Sharon. Before +him lay the desert, heavy with silence, +drenched with the cold dew of evening. +Jonah shivered, and drew his cloak closer +about him.</p> + +<p>As he sat there, his head bowed upon his +hand, a fox came out of a hole and, seeing +Jonah, exclaimed,</p> + +<p>“There is the man of God.”</p> + +<p>Touched and astonished at this mark of +recognition, Jonah offered the little animal +some meal with which he had expected to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span>make his own supper. Then the fox lay +down beside Jonah and remarked,</p> + +<p>“I am not a theologian. So I do not understand +the wars of Judah and the other +tribes. However, I would like to ask you +something. When I go down into my hole, +God goes down after me. What I want to +know is this: is He a Jew, or a fox?”</p> + +<p>Jonah answered as he had been taught in +the Schools: “God has the appearance of a +man. From His beard, which extends to +His feet and is divided into thirteen portions, +fall drops of gracious balm; and from +His mouth proceed the names of all things. +His angels also appear as men, with long +white wings, and faces shining with light.” +And he gazed at the little animal in a kindly +manner.</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the fox, “a beard or a tail, +that is merely a matter of direction.” So +saying, he put his head down between his +paws, and fell asleep. Jonah also slept, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span>watched by the stars, and by an angel, who +said to him just before dawn:</p> + +<p>“Arise, Jonah, and hasten to Bethel. Say +to King Jeroboam, ‘Against the insolence of +Hamath, Israel shall prevail once again.’”</p> + +<p>Jonah immediately awoke, and gave +thanks to God. Then he took leave of the +fox, who said to him, “I dreamed that God +was a raven, and was giving me some sharp +pecks with His beak.”</p> + +<p>In the gray light of dawn Jonah started +toward the hills which guard the Jordan. +He breathed the pure air of the desert, sweet +with desert flowers, fresh and cold as water; +he lifted his face to the western sky, into +which night was retreating like a storm; and +his heart sang.</p> + +<p>“God will redeem Israel through me,” he +thought.</p> + +<p>At noon he entered the valley of Jezreel, +on the other side of the Jordan. There the +fig trees were in blossom, and their scent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span>mingled with almonds in the air. At every +village he saw roadside altars above which +were erected rude copies of the golden bulls +of Tyre. The afternoon sun cast sinister +shadows behind them, and Jonah averted his +face as he went by.</p> + +<p>He stayed that night near Joseph’s Well, +in the cottage of a poor herdsman. A faint +and holy glow illuminated one corner of the +kitchen where the prophet lay, while the +wide wings of seraphim, like slow birds, beat +overhead through the darkness. In the +morning the herdsman, who had not slept all +night, hurried out to purify himself in the +river from such close contact with divinity.</p> + +<p>When Jonah arrived at Bethel, he went +at once to the house of the High Priest Amaziah. +A servant admitted the prophet, dusty +with travel, into the presence of his master. +And Jonah gazed proudly and without fear +at the priest.</p> + +<p>Amaziah, High Priest of Israel, was a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span>churchman; therefore he disliked confusion. +For that reason also he detested the prophets +who he felt were unable to understand +the problems of administration. Seated +upon a bench of ivory, he gazed wearily at +Jonah before addressing him in these terms:</p> + +<p>“I do not know your name, but from your +gloomy countenance covered with hair, I +can see that you are a prophet from Golan, +or the Land of Tob. And I suppose that +you have come, like all the others, to tell me +that God admires Judah more than Israel. +In that case I must say to you what I said +to Amos: ‘Go south, to Jerusalem, and +prophesy in Judah, because what you have +to say does not amuse me.’”</p> + +<p>Jonah replied simply, “I must speak at +Bethel, because that is what God told me to +do.”</p> + +<p>But he added that he did not intend to +prophesy another earthquake, as Amos had +done. “What I have to say,” he declared, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span>“concerns Israel, and Hamath in the north.”</p> + +<p>At this the High Priest looked pleased. +“So,” he said; “well, that is better.” And +he regarded Jonah with a kindlier expression.</p> + +<p>But presently he burst out again in an exasperated +voice: “You prophets do not understand +the difficulties of my position. You +imagine that because I am High Priest, I +should be able to control the forms in which +the people of Israel worship the Divinity. +Nothing is more improbable, seeing that +every one has his own idea of what is truly +noble.”</p> + +<p>To this outburst Jonah replied, with dignity: +“Still, the God of the Jews does not +look like a bull, or a little dove. It is a sin +to worship such things.”</p> + +<p>Amaziah gave utterance to a long sigh. +“My son,” he said gently, “I see that you +are like all prophets, which is to say that you +are impractical. Otherwise you would know +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span>that it is impossible not to worship the Divinity +in some form or other. And since +He refuses to reveal Himself in His proper +form, one is left to imagine Him in any form +one pleases. That is a great mistake, in my +opinion; but it is God’s mistake, not mine. +I cannot help it if the inhabitants of Dan, +who are mostly farmers, admire the dignified +mien of a bull, or if the villagers of Asher, +who are lazy and uxorious, choose to worship +the Divine Power in the form of a dove.”</p> + +<p>“The dove and the bull,” declared Jonah, +who remembered what he had studied in the +Schools, “belong to the moon and to the sun. +God, having created man in His Own image, +necessarily has the form of a man. He is +bearded; and His face shines with wisdom +and benevolence. He also created the animals, +but He created them in the image of +animals. That is the important thing to remember +in dealing with such matters.”</p> + +<p>But Amaziah replied that Jonah was an +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span>idealist. “You will understand,” he said, +“when I tell you that idealism is something +to which close attention to the disputes and +duties of the Temple does not dispose me. +We churchmen are obliged to be practical. +The important thing is that there should be +uniformity. And that is impossible where +one person must be right, and the other +wrong. I am not here to help men argue, +but to help them agree. Many trees bear +fruit upon this earth, my friend; the leaf is +different, but a tree is a tree. So let us all +be right, or at least as many of us as possible.”</p> + +<p>Jonah remained silent and gloomy; he respected +the Law, and did not know how to +reply to Amaziah. The old priest regarded +him in a more genial manner, and continued:</p> + +<p>“However, these pastoral matters need not +concern you. You are a prophet, not a +priest, a messenger, not an interpreter. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>That is something you prophets could learn +to your advantage.</p> + +<p>“Tell me what tidings you bear the King. +You speak of Hamath, and the Aramæans; +is it possible that you know of some conspiracy +in the north of which your rulers are +ignorant?”</p> + +<p>Jonah replied that as far as he knew, the +Aramæans were peaceful, and their army +was unprepared. “An angel appeared to +me in a dream,” he declared. “This angel +was more beautiful than I can say, and had +long white wings which kept up a slow movement +in the air. I could wish that the +women of Israel had such wings, which lend +to the figure a charm that cannot be described. +The beauty of that angel caused +my heart to overflow with grief and longing.”</p> + +<p>And he remained silent, lost in painful +memories. He resumed:</p> + +<p>“In a voice of heavenly sweetness I was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span>told to arise, and bidden to say to King +Jeroboam, ‘Against the insolence of Hamath, +Israel shall prevail once again.’ +When I awoke I found on the ground a +white feather which shone like snow. I +picked it up, and put it beneath my cloak.” +And he held out to Amaziah a white feather +about a foot long.</p> + +<p>“Here is the proof,” he said, “of what I +have told you.”</p> + +<p>Amaziah reverently received the angelic +token, which he put to his nose and carefully +tasted with his tongue, before remarking, +“It does not surprise me, seeing the +marvelous economy of Heaven, that the +wings which support the angels should be +not unlike those on which the snowy herons +sail so majestically above the hills. However, +as the king and his nobles might consider +this feather a trifle too light to support +so august a body as an angel through the +air, let me place this sacred relic in the Tabernacle, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span>and give you, instead, the feather +of an eagle, which has a more important +look. Do not draw back in dismay, my +son; in dealing with simple minds, a certain +amount of ingenuity is needed. It is a characteristic +which has distinguished the Jews +in the past even more than their valor. I +have only to remind you of David’s treaties +with the Philistines, and the manner in which +the heroic Jael divorced the head of Sisera +from his Canaanite body. It is upon such +stratagems as these, added to the irresistible +power of the Lord, that the glory of Israel +depends.”</p> + +<p>He sat for a brief space, his head sunk +forward upon his breast in meditation. +Presently he said thoughtfully:</p> + +<p>“After all, there is nothing like a war to +draw together a nation’s diverse elements. +The trouble with Israel is that her wars have +been so often civil wars. Civil wars are of +no value, since they destroy uniformity; they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span>are, besides, inclined to be a little half-hearted, +seeing that the vanquished do not +expect to be plundered, raped, and murdered +with the same methodical energy by +their own people as by strangers.”</p> + +<p>And he added humbly, “Is it likely that +God in His infinite wisdom should see this +any less clearly than I do?”</p> + +<p>When Jonah had supped on lettuce, olives, +and wine, he left his host and went out to +walk in the city. The night was cold, and +the odor of the streets mingled with the sweet +aroma of earth. He filled his lungs with +the clear air of the hills, stained by the smoke +of fires and the sour smell of wine; he heard +about him in the gloom the lazy hum of the +city, the faint, sharp chime of voices, far-off +cries, the crowing of a cock, the creak of a +water-wheel.</p> + +<p>He thought, “Here is thy home, O Israel, +in the land of thy God.”</p> + +<p>And he gazed in silence and with a heart +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span>overflowing with reverence at the sky, blue +with night, above the roofs of Bethel.</p> + +<p>In the morning, pale but confident, he +presented himself before the king.</p> + +<p>Seated upon a golden throne in his palace +of broadstone, his hair and beard glistening +with oil, and surrounded by proud and +bearded nobles, Jeroboam listened with attention +to what the prophet had to say.</p> + +<p>Then he asked for the opinion of Amaziah, +who stood at the side of the throne. +The old priest hesitated a moment, before +replying in a grave voice:</p> + +<p>“Who am I to question the will of the Almighty? +A war against Aram is a holy war, +since God Himself desires it. This prophet +speaks in a voice of heavenly wisdom. I +foresee that your soldiers will rush with impetuous +enthusiasm upon a foe by no means +prepared to defend himself. I shudder to +think of such carnage. However, your commands +are mine, O King.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span>So saying, he withdrew. Jeroboam then +passed around a large feather given him by +Jonah as proof of his prophetic mission. A +noble who looked after the royal falcons remarked,</p> + +<p>“This indeed must be the feather of an +angel, for it is larger than that of an eagle, +which it favors in color, although it is more +divine in appearance.”</p> + +<p>The king next asked for the opinion of +Ahab, who owned a great deal of land bordering +on the country of Aram. This prince, +whose beard curled like an Assyrian’s, spoke +without hesitation in favor of war. In a +dry voice he declared,</p> + +<p>“It stands to reason that God would prefer +His own people to have the pasture lands +which obviously belong to them, according +to geography, history, and the opinion of +every right-minded person. I only wonder +that He did not think of it before.”</p> + +<p>The young prince Absalom, who had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span>more than fifty wives, exclaimed in ringing +tones,</p> + +<p>“I am in favor of war, to teach these barbarians +to know and worship the God of +the Jews.” And he held up his sword, the +handle of which was carved to represent the +Adonis of Sidon, to whose inexhaustible +vigor the prince sacrificed, every spring, a +ram and a cock.</p> + +<p>This speech of Absalom’s was received +with acclaim by the nobles. The next day +the armies of Israel, led by the king, and +accompanied by more than a thousand +priests of Adonis, Astarte, Kemosh, Melcarth, +the local Baalim, and the Holy Ark, +set out for the frontiers of Aram.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">II</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">NIGHT came gently down over +Israel. The darkness of earth slid +like a shadow across the rocks +stained by the sunset. Calm and deep the +sea of Cinnereth reflected the stars whose +lights gleamed upon the trans-Jordanic +hills. There the desert slept; while in the +north the lights of Tyre shone upon the sea.</p> + +<p>The village herds returned from their pastures. +Then the roads of Zebulon resounded +with the tonk of bells, as the cows with +sweet-smelling breath wound down from the +hills. The day was over, and their stalls +awaited them. Melancholy and austere, +they parted from each other without regret.</p> + +<p>Aaron, the brother of Jonah, walked behind +them. In his hand he carried a rod with +which he beat now and then upon the flanks +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span>of the animals nearest him. Then they +rushed forward, clumsily, to avoid the blows +which fell upon them without force.</p> + +<p>The young man enjoyed this hour of the +day, when he strode home through the village, +driving the herds before him. He was +proud to be in charge of the village cows. +His mother also was proud of him; she foresaw +an important future for him. “Always +do your best,” she said. “However,” she +added, “do not tire yourself out. And in +case of robbers, or a lion, please come home; +and do not make a fool of yourself.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” the young man would say, twirling +his stick, “we’ll see about that.”</p> + +<p>Aaron did not think that his brother led a +very sensible life. To live all alone in the +desert seemed to him a nonsensical thing to +do, and he felt sure that his mother agreed +with him. Else why did she shake her head +so sadly, and heave such a sigh, when she +spoke of her eldest son? As a matter of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span>fact, she relived in Jonah, but very faintly, +the dreamy, mild, religious ecstasy of her +maidenhood. That was all over for her now; +life had long ago got down to being practical. +Besides, one did not hear so much +about God as when she was a girl. Still, she +remembered the beauty of those times, when +her heart beat with joy and love, when a +sweet unrest brought her to her knees, and +she felt through her prayers the breath of +holiness upon her cheek.</p> + +<p>No, one did not hear nowadays so much +about God. Take Aaron, for example: as +he came home from the pastures at evening, +he bent his head before the golden bull which +adorned the wayside shrine. In the spring +he enjoyed the feasts of the Passover; and +he also enjoyed the celebrations in honor of +Astarte and Adonis, in company with the +other young men of the village. The problems +of theology did not concern him; he +simply wished to enjoy himself, and to get +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span>on in the world. To do that, one did something +about it; one began by taking care of +the village herds. Then one could look confidently +to the future, and leave God to dispute +with other people about what He +looked like.</p> + +<p>When the last of the cattle was safely +housed, Aaron turned back to his own home, +and entering the yard gate, walked toward +the kitchen from whose open door a rosy +glow spread over the yard. Jonah was at +home; and Aaron stood a moment in the +doorway, gazing with a smile at his mother, +who was preparing supper. Deborah kept +one eye on the oven, and the other on her +elder son, who, with a small cake of bread in +his hand, was relating to her some incidents +of the Aramæan campaign. She wished to +know if Hamath was as large as Salem, or +Bethel.</p> + +<p>“It is larger than Bethel,” replied Jonah, +“but not as large as Jerusalem.” Deborah +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span>sighed happily; it was something to have +traveled as much as that.</p> + +<p>“The armies of Aram,” said Jonah, biting +into the coarse bread, “were drawn up +in a truly terrifying array. I saw a number +of men seated upon ostriches, so I knew that +we were obliged to battle against demons. +Not in the least frightened, our men rushed +at the foe in an irresistible manner. Nevertheless, +they would have been beaten, and +were already in flight, when the High +Priest Amaziah appeared upon a nearby +hill, and announced that the King of Aram +with all his generals had been consumed by +a thunderbolt. At this our men decided to +turn once more upon the foe, who retreated +in confusion, and we rushed triumphantly +forward into the enemy’s camp, where we +surprised and killed a number of generals, +including the King of Aram, and his High +Priest.</p> + +<p>“When our victorious armies arrived at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span>the gates of Hamath, Prince Absalom came +out to greet us, accompanied by the women +of the town bearing flowers and bowls of +wine for our thirsty soldiers. This noble +prince, disguised as a Syrian, had left the +battle-field before the armies had begun to +fight, and had gone quietly off to prepare +our welcome in the city, where he knew a +number of prominent people. It is faith +joined to foresight of this nature that has +made Israel great.”</p> + +<p>He was silent; the light from the oven +glowed upon his face, which shone with enthusiasm +and love. He thought to himself, +“All Israel resounds with my glory. There +is a new prophet; and his name is Jonah.”</p> + +<p>And he added, humbling himself before +God,</p> + +<p>“I understand that this is Your doing.”</p> + +<p>Anxious that Deborah should know of his +part in his country’s history, he mumbled +shyly, with his mouth full,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span>“The King considers me a greater prophet +even than Amos of Tekoa.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Deborah sensibly, “why +not?” Coming up to Jonah, she smoothed +his hair with her hand, and gazed at him +anxiously. “What a trouble you are to me,” +she said gently; “making wars and such mischief. +Well....”</p> + +<p>Seeing her younger son standing in the +doorway, she called to him: “Come in, +Aaron, here is your brother Jonah. He has +just made a war. Tschk ... you would +think there was nothing but fighting in the +world.”</p> + +<p>Aaron came into the room, and went up +to Jonah with frank curiosity. He wished +to know all about it, and he asked innumerable +questions. When he learned that Jonah +had not brought home any gold ornaments, +or rich shawls, he was disappointed.</p> + +<p>“No, really,” he exclaimed, “what is the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span>good of a war like that?” And he sat sulkily +down in a corner.</p> + +<p>But Deborah took Jonah’s part. “No, +Aaron,” she said, “that would be all right +for you; if you made a war, I should expect +you to come home with something, a +colored shawl for me, or some gold bracelets. +But Jonah is different; and living in +the desert, the way he does, gives him ideas. +Better a war far away, like this one, than +like what we used to have in your father’s +time, right under my nose, killing and fighting +all day long.”</p> + +<p>She turned to Jonah with a sigh. “Why,” +she exclaimed, “did you choose the Aramæans +to make a war with? Such wild people.” +She shook her head ruefully. “Always trouble,” +she decided; “never what would be +sensible.</p> + +<p>“At any rate,” she wound up, “perhaps +you’ll settle down now for a while and let +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span>your mother look after you, instead of living +all alone in a desert with foxes.</p> + +<p>“Ak, what an old coat you have.”</p> + +<p>She went back to her oven with a smile; +cheerful and loving, she found in everything +some cause for satisfaction, or at least hope, +if she was given time enough. And she sang +now, under her breath, as she always did +when she was disturbed or happy—for happiness +or sorrow, either one, disturbed only +a little her amiable, confused spirit:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“<i>Men dead long ago</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>Have set me like a tree.</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>Let the wind blow,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>What is that to me?</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>My roots are in their dust,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>My roots are deep, I trust.</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>My son is at my knee.</i>”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Jonah looked at her with a gloomy but +tender expression. “Mother,” he said, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span>“what is the matter with my coat? Because +it is old? It does me very well. Must I +also be a beauty, to suit you?”</p> + +<p>After supper Deborah’s brother David +came in to see Jonah. He also wished to +know about the war, concerning which he +had heard rumors.</p> + +<p>“Well,” he said to his sister, “so we have +actually a prophet in our family. I congratulate +you. We could afford to give a +little party in honor of this.”</p> + +<p>And he looked around him with pride.</p> + +<p>“No, really,” cried Jonah; “what an idea.” +He blushed to think of it. But his uncle +peered angrily at him from under his shaggy +eyebrows.</p> + +<p>“So,” he said slowly, “that is the kind of +prophet you are, then. You think only of +yourself, but what about your family? Do +you imagine we have so many opportunities +to give feasts, and call in the neighbors? Or +have you done something to be ashamed of? +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span>When an honor comes to us, that is the time +to talk about it.”</p> + +<p>Aaron agreed with his uncle, although he +did not see what they had to be proud of. +“We are no better off than before,” he complained, +“seeing that Jonah brought home +nothing with him from the war.”</p> + +<p>“What?” exclaimed Uncle David. “What +a pity.” He wagged his old head meditatively. +“There it is,” he said; “times change, +whether you like it or not. When I was a +young man it was entirely different. Feasts, +festivals.... I can tell you, we knew how +to enjoy ourselves. And what is more, we +were religious; it was not like to-day. At +any rate, children were respectful, and considered +their parents; when they went to a +war, they brought something home.”</p> + +<p>And he lamented the decay of Israel’s +greatness.</p> + +<p>But Deborah put in a good word for her +son. “If he brought me nothing,” she said, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span>“it was because he knows that really I am +satisfied with what I have, and besides there +was nothing there which caught his fancy.”</p> + +<p>“The old days are no more,” said David, +and relapsed into gloomy silence.</p> + +<p>Aaron, who had been growing restless in +his corner, got to his feet. “Mother,” he +said, “I am going out for a while, to see +some of my friends.”</p> + +<p>“Again,” cried Deborah, “so soon, when +your brother has just come home, and Uncle +David is here? Aaron, no....”</p> + +<p>“I will go with him,” said Jonah quietly; +“I should like to visit old Naaman, who lives +at the edge of the village. Do you remember, +Mother, how I used to go there when I +was young; and I have not seen him in many +years.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Deborah with a smile, “it is +true; I remember, you were always there; +whenever I could not find you, I had only +to look for you in Naaman’s house, and there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span>you were. Go along, but do not be late; +and”—she added in a whisper—“when you +come home I will have some food set out for +you.”</p> + +<p>She turned sternly to her younger son. +“Aaron,” she said, “please do not get into +any fresh mischief with your friends. Perhaps +you would do better to go with your +brother; it would do you good for a change +instead of running up and down the village +with nobody knows who.”</p> + +<p>Her gaze followed her sons with tender +anxiety across the threshold.</p> + +<p>“So thin he looks,” she murmured; “and +his cloak is so tattered; really, I am +ashamed. But what can I do; I have nothing; +and he is so proud, besides.”</p> + +<p>And she smiled at her brother, with a tear +shining in her eye.</p> + +<p>Jonah and Aaron walked along in silence, +under the dark boughs of trees. At last +Aaron remarked: “Well ... you see ... +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>you have made a start now with things. The +desert is all very well for old men. But +what sort of life is that, after all?”</p> + +<p>And in an embarrassed manner he took his +leave of Jonah, and went off to join his companions, +whose voices could be heard raised +in youthful laughter among the shadows.</p> + +<p>Jonah stood leaning upon his staff in the +darkness. A few lights gleamed among the +trees, whose branches bent above him as +though to envelope him in their quiet embrace. +The odors of night crept around him; +he remembered his youth, spent in this village, +and he felt in his heart a longing for +that lonely boy whose only friends had been +an old man and his own dreams. So much +of life had gone by, yet here he was again, +wearier, wiser, still led by hopes, of what he +did not know, hurt by memories, but why he +could not tell. He heard the voices of Aaron +and his friends fading in the distance; he +knew that in the shadows young lovers whispered +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span>together, although he could not see +them. All about him trembled the happy +laughter of youth, the peace of age, the +quietness of rest after labor. The sky of +heaven, shining with stars, bent upon his +home a regard of kindness; and the wind, +moving through the sycamores, spoke to him +in the accents of the past.</p> + +<p>Bowing his head upon his breast, he +thought, “Jonah, Jonah, what have you done +with your youth?”</p> + +<p>Slowly, and with halting steps, he approached +the house of Naaman, at the village +edge.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">III</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">HE found his old teacher seated beneath +an acacia tree whose +branches perfumed the air. A +beam of light from the house, falling among +the leaves, touched Naaman’s white hair and +his long, snowy beard with a gentle gleam. +That was how his pupil had remembered +him, the picture of wisdom and peace. He +greeted Jonah with affection, but without +surprise.</p> + +<p>“It is you, my son,” he said. “I am glad +to see you again. Your fame has spread, +for I heard of you, no later than to-day, as +the young prophet who had inspired the +king at Bethel.”</p> + +<p>And he added gayly, “Come, sit here beside +me, and tell me about yourself. As +you see, my tree is blossoming again. Thus, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span>at the end of my life, it is vouchsafed me to +behold each year the return of spring and +the marriage of earth with the Eternal +One.”</p> + +<p>“I do not know what you mean by the +Eternal One,” said Jonah; “for all the gods +are immortal and eternal. It is only you +and I, Naaman, who grow older each year. +But I am glad to see that you are well, and +to know that your tree is blossoming.”</p> + +<p>Naaman replied gently, “My son, you +have traveled, and you have learned something. +Have you not learned that there is +only one God? Did you not learn that in +the desert, Jonah?”</p> + +<p>“No, Naaman,” said Jonah gravely, “I +have not learned it. I have been in the +desert, where God is. And I have also been +in Tyre in the month before our Passover, +when the quail return in great numbers to +mourn the death of a god. I will tell you +something about Tyre: there, before they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span>are married, the maidens sacrifice their hair +to Astarte. You should travel, Naaman, +and hear of other gods.”</p> + +<p>“I do not need to travel,” replied Naaman; +“here in this quiet garden the sun sets +and the moon rises; the breeze of evening +whispers through the leaves of my acacia +tree, and I see through the branches the +stars which have not changed; I hear the +voices of cicada, shrill and sad, as when I +was a boy, I hear the herds winding down +from the hills. All is as it was and as it will +be; and my heart overflows with love and +peace.”</p> + +<p>Jonah shrugged his shoulders. “That is +all very well for you,” he repeated, “but +when one goes about, as I do, one sees many +strange things. In Aram, for instance, +there are gods which look like snakes. But +it is possible to charm them with a flute. +What has that to do with the God of the +Jews?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span>“Were you not also in Aram?” asked +Naaman quietly. “Yet you are a Jew.”</p> + +<p>“I was with the army ...” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>But Naaman broke in, continuing: “Do +you imagine that God would be content with +a few tribes and a strip of sea-coast on this +earth, which He created with so much trouble? +Such an idea is highly improbable. +Moreover, there is a regularity about the +seasons which would be impossible in the +case of a number of gods.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah shook his head. “That is all +nonsense, Naaman,” he said. “I cannot understand +it. Why should God send the Jews +to take the country and the flocks of the +Aramæans, if they already belong to Him? +And if there is no other God but Israel’s +God, then who created the other people of +the earth? You see into what difficulties an +idea of this sort inevitably leads you. There +is no doubt that our God is the true God, +but to say that He is the only God does not +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span>seem to be justified, in the light of history.”</p> + +<p>“What do we learn from history?” asked +Naaman. “Little enough and nothing to +our credit. The golden calf of Og has +grown to be a bull. Well, so much for history.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah replied discontentedly, “That +is all very well theologically speaking, but +you lose sight of the problems of administration.” +And he repeated to Naaman what +Amaziah, the High Priest, had told him.</p> + +<p>“After all,” he said, “men must worship +God in some form or other.”</p> + +<p>But Naaman replied with grave anxiety:</p> + +<p>“That is not the voice of Jonah that I +hear. My son, do not let yourself be persuaded +by those to whose ears the divine +speech has never penetrated. God does not +speak in the Temple, but in the silence of +the heart. The hearts of His prophets are +His tabernacles. There, in the quiet, in the +hush of lonely piety, He speaks to Israel in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span>tones of sorrow and command. Let us keep +His tabernacles holy and austere. Go back +to the desert, Jonah; and do not meddle with +the affairs of this world.</p> + +<p>“Go back to the desert, my son.”</p> + +<p>Jonah remained silent for a moment, gazing +out at the soft spring night with its +faint shine and shadow of leaves. At last he +said slowly, “Well, of course, after a +while....” But he thought to himself, +“Must I hurry? A little holiday will not do +me any harm.</p> + +<p>“I thought,” he said doubtfully to Naaman, +“that I might stay a few days with my +mother, who is growing old, and who after +all does not see so much of me.”</p> + +<p>But Naaman shook his head. “My son,” +he said, “you cannot have both heaven and +earth. If you are so fortunate as to count +angels among your friends, it is because you +have no mother and no brother. Be lonely, +and content; and do not turn back to this life +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span>so full of passion and injustice. Grief and +joy are not for you, Jonah; they are nothing +for a prophet. The desert is your home; do +not go too far away from it.”</p> + +<p>“You are right, Naaman,” said Jonah, +after a while; “one must not get too far +away from the desert.” He rose to go, helping +himself to his feet with his staff. “Good-by,” +he said, “my teacher and my friend. +Once again you convince me, a little against +my will. As of old, I leave you, filled with +a peace which is not entirely happy.”</p> + +<p>And embracing his old teacher, he set off +for his mother’s house through the night.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">IV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">PRINCE AHAB lived in a palace +of stone and fragrant cedarwood, on +a hill above the village of Gath-Hepher, +and almost within sight of the little +cottage occupied by Jonah’s mother. +The prince, whose large holdings in the +North had increased in value due to the success +of the war in Syria, surrounded himself +with every luxury. Nevertheless, in the +midst of jewels, silks, slaves, and the richest +perfumes, he himself remained simple and +straightforward. Of a martial, almost to +say gloomy appearance, he affected the stern +manners of the Assyrians, with whose thick +gold fringes he decorated his cloak and his +girdle. He was heavy, but he was vigorous +and active; like the nobles of Assur, he took +endless pleasure in hunting, for which he imported +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span>blooded falcons and swift horses +from Iran. He lived in the saddle; and he +complained of the degeneracy of Israel. +“Effeminate people,” he exclaimed, “you do +not exercise enough.” And the sleepy citizens +of Bethel would be awakened by the +trampling of horses and the sound of horns, +as Ahab rode out at dawn to hunt boar in the +forests of Baal Hazor.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon, while the king deliberated +with his nobles upon affairs of +state, Ahab dozed. Upon being reminded +of the presence before the council of important +matters, he remarked that he had +been out riding. And he exclaimed with enthusiasm:</p> + +<p>“Exercise is the thing.”</p> + +<p>An old woman by the name of Sarah kept +house for him in his palace of cedarwood and +broadstone. She was sharp and severe, but +she knew her own value. By noticing the +faults of other people, she kept her self-respect. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>She managed the house and the +slaves, and acted as nurse to Ahab’s niece, +his sister’s child, Judith.</p> + +<p>Judith at sixteen possessed a voluptuous +body, a pious spirit, and an inexperienced +mind. Her gentle soul united in itself the +gay ardors of a child with the cloudy desires +of a woman. Everything surprised her, and +everything pleased her; she was anxious to +know everything, and she knew nothing. +Eager and trusting, her brown eyes explored +with sympathy but without understanding +the life she saw all about her. She was +happy and dreamy by turns; but sometimes +at night her pillow was wet with tears. She +would have said that something beautiful +had made her cry, perhaps a thought, perhaps +a feeling. But she could not have explained +what it was, not even to Sarah, to +whom she told everything. Perhaps it was +the moonlight in the courtyard, and the scent +of jasmine or lotus from the garden. But +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>that was lovely; why should it make her cry? +Such things perplexed her.</p> + +<p>Sometimes she wished she were a boy, so +that she might go hunting with her uncle. +Then she saw herself seated on a white horse, +with her green cape blowing in the wind, +galloping and shouting. But at the thought +of piercing an animal with her spear, she +turned away with quick displeasure. “No,” +she thought, “I should not like to go hunting.”</p> + +<p>And she told her uncle that she was glad +she was a girl. “So am I,” he replied, “because +if you were a boy, I should be disgusted +with you.” He loved his niece, but +he liked people to be active and hardy. “The +women of to-day,” he often said, “do not +amount to much.</p> + +<p>“They have no enthusiasm.”</p> + +<p>Now Judith sat before her bronze mirror, +twisting her long brown hair into plaits. +As she sat, she sang:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span></p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“<i>My love is a shepherd in Sharon,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>By rivers he waters his sheep,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>Blue are the waters of Sharon,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>Rivers of Sharon are deep.</i>”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>She knew no one in Sharon. Nevertheless +her nurse said to her angrily, “Now tell +me, what sort of song is that for a young +girl to sing?”</p> + +<p>Judith replied that it was just a song. +She added with a smile, “You are vexed +because you do not know any shepherds, and +because you have no lover.”</p> + +<p>“That is my own business,” said Sarah, +drawing herself up with dignity. “However, +I must say that it does not become you +to speak of things like that. What do you +know about love? Nothing, I sincerely +hope. You should be thinking of marriage, +with respectful modesty.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Judith, “as a matter of fact, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span>I think love is silly. It does not interest +me, really. Were you ever in love? Tell me +honestly, Sarah; I cannot imagine such a +thing.”</p> + +<p>Sarah gazed gloomily at her mistress. +Presently a blush overspread her sallow +countenance. “In love?” she exclaimed; +“certainly not. With what, if I may ask? +The trouble with you is that your head is full +of nonsense. When I was your age I had +more decorum. I was prettier than I am to-day, +and I attracted the attention of a very +handsome man, a camel driver, but such a +wild one. He was not good enough for me, +and I sent him about his business. I knew +my own worth.”</p> + +<p>So saying she tossed her head, with an air. +But Judith clapped her hands. “A camel +driver,” she exclaimed, “why, Sarah, you +never told me. Did he take you up on his +camel? Just think, how delightful. That’s +really life, isn’t it, Sarah?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span>“Ak,” cried the nurse, “where do you get +such ideas?”</p> + +<p>And turning to Prince Ahab, who was +entering the room at that moment, she exclaimed,</p> + +<p>“God knows who puts such things into +her head.”</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab replied, with a discouraged +gesture, “Do not ask me, Sarah, for I do not +know who puts anything into people’s heads +nowadays. I assure you, the entire world is +mad. Do you know what the king is doing, +now that the war is over? You would think +he would be getting ready for the next one. +Not at all; he prefers to discuss the marriage +laws with Prince Absalom. What a +state of affairs. Do not expect me to know +what makes a young girl foolish besides.”</p> + +<p>“I am not foolish, Uncle,” said Judith; +“when I am older, I shall be just as wise as +you or Sarah.”</p> + +<p>“Be respectful to your uncle,” said Sarah.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span>Ahab shrugged his shoulders. “No one +is respectful any more,” he said; “I simply +wonder that people do not go around with +their fingers actually to their noses. But, +then, with so many prophets filling the air +with groans and complaints.... Amos, +Joel, Hosea, they are enough to fill the mind +of anybody with disrespect.”</p> + +<p>“And Jonah?” asked Judith.</p> + +<p>Ahab replied gravely: “Jonah is not like +the others. He comes of a worthy family of +Zebulon; as a matter of fact, his home is +here in this village. So, you can see, there is +something to him. His brother is the village +herdsman. Yes, Jonah is quite a different +thing altogether.”</p> + +<p>Judith looked lazily at her face in the +mirror. “Tell me what he is like,” she said.</p> + +<p>“What’s that to you?” asked Sarah. She +added that she supposed he was old and had +a long white beard.</p> + +<p>“No,” replied Ahab, “he is not old. He is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span>young, and enthusiastic. His eyes seem to +burn. He is a little thin, but one can understand +that, living in the desert, and probably +starving most of the time. It is not a healthy +life. I came upon him during the battle +against the Aramæans; the fighting had +made him sick. He is not what I would call +a very robust individual.”</p> + +<p>“And did he really see an angel,” asked +Judith, “as they say he did?”</p> + +<p>“Why not?” said Ahab. “Is there any +reason why a man from my own village +should not see an angel? He has certainly +as much right to see one as Amos of Tekoa; +or do you imagine that angels only appear +to the men of Judah?”</p> + +<p>“What an idea,” cried Sarah.</p> + +<p>And she added with conviction, “For myself, +I would sooner take the word of a man +from Zebulon.”</p> + +<p>But when Prince Ahab had gone, she said, +sniffing the air with vexation, “Men ought +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span>to stay out of the women’s apartments, +where they have no business, whether they +are uncles or not.” Seizing a vial of +sweet-smelling oil, she began to sprinkle its +contents in the room. This consoled her +nose, which had been outraged by the prince, +who, as usual, had come from the stables.</p> + +<p>Judith went out into the warm spring +morning. The bees were humming in the +blossoms, the birds sang quietly and gaily +in the trees, and trees and blossoms stretched +themselves luxuriously in the bright sunshine. +Judith took a deep breath of the hot, +sweet air; it was like eating flowers, she +thought. Underfoot, in the grass, beetles +moved gravely to and fro on their mysterious +business; the world of stones and twigs +was being explored by little eager ants; +wasps hung and buzzed. The earth exhaled +the beneficent fragrance of spring; everywhere +was drowsy joy, tranquil activity. +A tanager flew overhead with scarlet wings, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span>turned, shone, and fled among the trees. +The girl paused, and looked up at the sky, +blue as a robin’s egg. “I should like to +dance,” she thought.</p> + +<p>A moment later she added doubtfully, +“But perhaps it would be wrong.”</p> + +<p>At her feet a beetle with a bright green +coat which reflected the light was walking +soberly toward his house. Presently an ant +approached him and gave him a bite on the +leg. The beetle turned an anxious look on +his tiny assailant, whose head barely came +up to his knee, “Come, come,” he exclaimed, +“have you no respect for beauty? Do you +think God enjoys having you bite me? He +would be very much upset if anything happened +to me.”</p> + +<p>Disdaining to reply, the ant went away to +find his friends and discuss the situation. “I +gave it to him,” he said; “I gave him a bite +he won’t forget in a hurry. Now he knows +who I am.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span>Left to himself, the beetle hurried home +in an agitated manner. And Judith, remarking +his awkward gait, cried,</p> + +<p>“There, you are dancing, you strange +creature, with your lovely green coat. But +that is quite another matter, because you are +a beetle, and not a Jew.”</p> + +<p>She had a sudden thought. “Perhaps,” +she said, “that is why you are dancing. Perhaps +you are a little god, with such a fine +green coat. Well, go in peace, I will not +step on you. I will make a wish, instead. +Little beetle, tell me what love is. It does +not interest me, really; I would simply like +to know....”</p> + +<p>She broke off with a start. A shadow had +fallen on the grass at her feet, and she +looked up with surprise. There, behind her +and to one side, stood a young man. He +was not good-looking, but his expression was +gentle and kind. He had on an old, tattered +cloak, and he leaned thoughtfully upon a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span>rough staff which easily supported his +weight. Judith looked at him with wide-open +eyes.</p> + +<p>“Oh, my,” she said.</p> + +<p>And she added faintly, but in accents of +hope, “Are you also a camel driver?”</p> + +<p>The young man shook his head. “No,” +he said, “I am not a camel driver.”</p> + +<p>Seeing that his reply had disappointed the +young woman, he added simply,</p> + +<p>“I am Jonah, the prophet.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">V</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">JONAH and Judith sat on a bank of +ferns and moss beneath the shade of +a giant sycamore tree. Already they +were friends; they talked earnestly together, +and twisted in their fingers the ferns with +their tough stalks and cool leaves.</p> + +<p>“Well, but tell me,” said Judith, “did you +really see an angel? Just imagine, how exciting +that must be. What was this angel +like? Very beautiful, I suppose.” And she +looked down with a frown.</p> + +<p>“Such beauty,” said Jonah gravely, “I +cannot describe to you. Because, actually, +one does not see beauty, one feels it. One +looks at something, and suddenly one feels +a pain in one’s heart. Then one thinks ‘what +a beautiful thing.’”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span>“Yes,” said Judith. “Well, tell me, did +this angel have dark hair too, like mine?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know,” replied Jonah candidly. +“I did not exactly see any hair. But I remember +the wide, white, folded wings, and +the glow which entered my heart at the sight +of that serene face.”</p> + +<p>Judith pouted. “Didn’t you notice anything +at all?” she enquired. “For instance, +what did she wear. And was she young or +old? What a strange fellow you are; you +saw almost nothing, or at any rate, nothing +of any consequence.”</p> + +<p>“Why do you speak always of ‘her’?” +asked Jonah. “This angel was not a woman. +At least, I did not think so.”</p> + +<p>“Then he was a man,” cried Judith.</p> + +<p>“No,” said Jonah slowly, “he was not a +man, either.”</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Judith, “I was right; she +was a woman. And besides, if she was so +beautiful, naturally she was a woman.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span>“I confess,” admitted Jonah, “that had +not occurred to me.”</p> + +<p>“Of course not,” said Judith. “But it occurred +to me, because I am a woman.”</p> + +<p>And she added with a smile,</p> + +<p>“Even if I am not as beautiful as an +angel.”</p> + +<p>“You are very pretty,” said Jonah shyly. +“But it is not the same thing.” And he dug +in the moss with his staff.</p> + +<p>“Do you really think I am pretty?” asked +Judith. “Sarah, my nurse, says that to be +pretty is nothing, because any one can be +pretty. She would rather I were virtuous, +because virtue is woman’s richest jewel. Of +course I mean to be virtuous, and to do what +is expected of me.”</p> + +<p>She began to weave some ferns into a +chaplet. “Sometimes,” she said in a low +voice, “I look at myself in my mirror, and I +give myself a little kiss. Do you think it is +wrong? Nobody sees me.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span>Jonah moved uncomfortably in the moss. +“God...?” he said.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” said Judith. “Well, God ... old +God.</p> + +<p>“Anyway,” she added, “I don’t think He +sees me.”</p> + +<p>She looked at the garden from which an +overpowering fragrance arose, at the flowers +languidly lifting their bright-colored faces +to the sun, drinking in the warmth and the +light. “I have a little dove,” she said, +“made all of silver. It is a copy of the doves +of Eryx, and it is sacred to Astarte. My +uncle brought it to me from Tyre. It is +pretty, because it is of silver, with eyes of +rubies. I put it on the window-sill of my +room. It brought the birds; they came and +sang on my window-sill.</p> + +<p>“My little dove sees me kiss myself in my +mirror.</p> + +<p>“Is it wrong, Jonah?”</p> + +<p>When Jonah did not reply, she said, “Tell +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>me what it is like in the desert. Just imagine, +to live all alone in a little hut or a cave, +how exciting that is.”</p> + +<p>Jonah began to tell her of his life in the +desert. Seated in the shade on the moss, +while the bees hummed outside in the sun, he +described the way in which the prophets +came together for study and meditation. “I +have a little cell,” he said, “in Golan, near a +tiny stream which rises in the hills. It is +clear and cold, and many prophets live beside +its banks among the rushes. In the +morning, after we have prayed, we gather in +the shade to listen to some learned man, or +eminent saint. Our midday meal is simple, +a few dates, some maize, a little oil or wine, +perhaps a fish from the deep waters of Cinnereth +across the hills. And in the afternoon +we meditate upon the Law, and the history +of our people.</p> + +<p>“Evening comes suddenly in the wilderness. +The shadows lengthen, and night approaches +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span>across the desert. The wind of +night blows upon the east, which turns dark +and blue with cold. In the west the sun +goes down into the sea; the sky turns yellow, +then green, and shines like a lamp. The +stars appear, the dews descend, and the +wings of angels begin to sweep through the +skies. It is cold, and the desert is silent, save +for the prayers of the hermits, which rise in +a soft sigh from the earth. As it grows +darker the voices of animals begin to mingle +with our psalms, and we hear, far off, the +roaring of lions on their way to drink. Then +our fires are lighted, to guide the Hosts of +Heaven to our homes.</p> + +<p>“The animals are our friends. The little +divinities of the rocks and streams know and +reverence us. They bring us food, and they +tell us of the approach of demons in the +form of ostriches and jackals. Against such +beings as these our holiness is sufficient protection +while we are on God’s land.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span>“Well, that is all, really. It is a simple +life, but it has its beauty. In the quiet of +the desert our hearts expand like flowers in +warm weather, and in our minds blossom +lovely and tranquil thoughts.”</p> + +<p>Moved by a sweet emotion, Judith replied, +“How delightful it must be to live in +the desert.”</p> + +<p>She continued in a low tone, “When you +speak of God, I seem to feel Him in my +heart. It is such a strange feeling, so peaceful +and yet a little painful.”</p> + +<p>And she looked at him with surprised and +shining eyes.</p> + +<p>Suddenly she looked down; the dark +lashes rested softly against her cheeks warm +as sunny roses. “I must go home now,” she +murmured. “Good-by.”</p> + +<p>She got swiftly to her feet. “I will not +look in my mirror any more,” she said, “if +you think it is wrong.”</p> + +<p>And she ran away without once looking +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span>behind her. When she got home she hid her +mirror in a box of ivory and sandalwood. +Then she went to put her silver dove away +also. But all at once, instead of hiding it, +she gave it a kiss on its ruby eyes.</p> + +<p>“Little dove,” she said, “tell me what love +is.”</p> + +<p>Going to her box, she took out her mirror +again, and gazed for a long time, and with +a smile, at her own reflection.</p> + +<p>Jonah went thoughtfully home. There he +found his Uncle David, who had stopped in +for a moment to see if anything was being +cooked. Deborah was filling the lamps for +the Sabbath. When she saw Jonah she +straightened her bent back, and remarked +anxiously, “Where have you been all morning?”</p> + +<p>“I have been out walking,” replied Jonah +evasively. And he sat gloomily down in a +corner of the room, as far as possible from +his uncle. Then all at once he burst out +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span>laughing. When his mother asked him what +he was laughing at, he answered,</p> + +<p>“I was thinking of a green beetle.”</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Uncle David, nodding his +head, “he is not all there.”</p> + +<p>Deborah arose, and went to fetch more +oil for the lamps. As she passed her son, +she touched his forehead with her hand. +“What is there so peculiar about that?” she +demanded of her brother. “Or perhaps you +have never seen a green beetle? Well, I +have been amused by them myself.”</p> + +<p>“Sit still for a little,” she said anxiously +to Jonah; “after walking so much in the +sun.”</p> + +<p>Uncle David settled himself comfortably +in his seat. “To-day,” he said, “who should +I meet but Bildad, the water carrier. He +said to me, ‘This is fine news about your +nephew, Jonah. I suppose that we shall +hear from you soon,’ and with that he gave +me a look full of meaning.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>“I did not reply; naturally, because I had +nothing to say. Could I tell him the truth? +We should be the laughing-stock of the entire +village. I simply wrinkled my forehead +and looked as grave as possible. At any +rate, my expression struck him as peculiar, +because he said as he went away, ‘Excuse me +for intruding in your affairs.’”</p> + +<p>“I have been thinking of something,” said +Deborah. “It has occurred to me that if we +do not give a feast, people might begin to +think that we wished to give ourselves airs.”</p> + +<p>“There you are,” said David; “that is the +way I feel about it, word for word. Speak +up, and people believe you. Otherwise what +is the good of all this?”</p> + +<p>Jonah stirred uneasily in his corner. +“Mother,” he said, “do you really insist +upon giving a feast for me? I think it is +foolish. Still, if it would give you pleasure +... but who would come? The whole village, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span>I suppose. Would you actually ask +the prince, and his niece?”</p> + +<p>“What?” cried David; “what? I shall ask +him myself, because I am acquainted with +him in a humble way.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Jonah, hesitating.... +“But what would you wear, Mother?” he +asked with sudden anxiety. “These old +rags.... And who would pay for it? No, +it is impossible.”</p> + +<p>“Do not worry about what I would wear,” +returned Deborah sharply. “You will not +be ashamed of me. As for who is to pay for +it ... you need not worry about that, +either, because it will not be you, at all +events.”</p> + +<p>Jonah sat for a long time without speaking. +At last he sighed. “Very well,” he +said, “if you like....</p> + +<p>“I will stay a few days longer.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">SO Jonah did not at once return to the +desert. Instead, he said shyly to his +mother the next morning: “My cloak +is torn almost in two. Is there nothing else +for me to wear?”</p> + +<p>“There is an old coat which belonged to +your father,” said Deborah. “But it is +brightly colored, and it is too heavy for this +mild weather.”</p> + +<p>“It cannot be helped,” replied Jonah; “if +people are going to notice me.”</p> + +<p>When it was brought to him, he regarded +it with a timid expression. Nevertheless, he +put it on, giving Deborah his old coat to +mend.</p> + +<p>“You will be overheated,” said Deborah. +She added, “Must you go out on such a hot +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span>day? You will come home all wet, like a +river.”</p> + +<p>“Mother,” said Jonah earnestly, “I am +not a child any longer.”</p> + +<p>“Was I interfering in your affairs?” cried +Deborah. “I simply said it was such a hot +day.”</p> + +<p>Clasping her hands anxiously, she asked, +“Shall I put some oil upon your hair before +you go out?”</p> + +<p>For she thought, “Then his head will be +cool, at all events.”</p> + +<p>Without waiting for an answer, she ran to +get the oil. Then she combed her son’s beard +and poured oil upon his hair. “There,” she +said, stepping back to admire him, “now you +look like somebody.”</p> + +<p>As Jonah stalked gloomily out of the +house, she called after him tenderly, “Keep +out of the sun.”</p> + +<p>In the village Jonah met Bildad, the +water carrier. Balancing his heavy gourds +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>upon his shoulder by means of a wooden +yoke and some leather thongs, the old man +was going slowly from house to house with +his wares. When he saw Jonah, he stopped +and said with surprise,</p> + +<p>“I see that you have a new coat.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>Bildad scratched his head. “I am glad to +see that you are doing so well in your profession,” +he said.</p> + +<p>And he passed by, carrying his water +gourds.</p> + +<p>Walking hastily through the village, +Jonah climbed the hill toward Ahab’s house. +The moment he entered the garden he saw +Judith. She was seated in the same spot as +the day before, and she was twining a wreath +of flowers in her hair.</p> + +<p>“What a surprise,” she exclaimed, “to see +you again.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Jonah. “I was passing by; +it occurred to me to stop ... that is, I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span>thought you might be interested to hear that +I am going back to the desert again.”</p> + +<p>Judith’s face remained drowsy and content. +“Are you going soon?” she asked, and +held up her wreath to admire it. The wide +golden sleeves of her robe fell back from her +round brown arms; and she smiled dreamily +at nothing.</p> + +<p>Jonah replied that he had decided to wait +a few days in order to satisfy his mother, +who wished to give a feast in his honor. +“Just imagine,” he said, with a laugh. +“Nevertheless, her heart is set on it.”</p> + +<p>Judith sighed. “I wish I were a man,” +she said, “and could go to feasts.”</p> + +<p>Jonah told her that the whole village was +to be asked. “Your uncle, the great prince,” +he said, “has also been invited. He might +even,” he added timidly, “bring his family.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, how exciting that would be,” she +cried.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span>And they looked at each other with happy +smiles.</p> + +<p>“Why are you going back to the desert?” +she asked at length. “But I suppose it is +necessary for a prophet. Well, I hope you +will be a great man.”</p> + +<p>Something suddenly occurred to her, for +she added, “My goodness, you are really a +great man already, aren’t you?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no,” he said; “it was nothing; God +simply wished to speak to me.”</p> + +<p>“You are modest,” said Judith; “that is +nice.”</p> + +<p>Smiling, she looked at the flowers in her +hand. Suddenly she frowned, and said seriously,</p> + +<p>“One finds so few modest people nowadays. +All the prophets have so much to say, +but I do not like what they say; they talk +about such gloomy things. Jonah, tell me—what +is there to be so sad about in Israel?”</p> + +<p>Jonah replied gravely, “We are sad because +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span>life is not simple, the way it used to +be. We imitate other nations and so we are +not certain about ourselves any more. We +are not even sure of God; we begin to wonder +if He is not a bull, or a dove, and if He +is not also the god of Aram and Babylon. +That is why we are unhappy. When the +things we believe in are questioned, it makes +us restless and sad. Patriots are the only +happy people, for they believe in themselves; +and if other people disagree with them, they +do not forgive them for it.”</p> + +<p>Judith gazed at the young prophet with +admiration. His black eyes glowed, his +head was lifted, and he continued bitterly:</p> + +<p>“However, that is not all, by any means. +One expects a certain amount of ignorance +among the poor. But the rich ought to be an +example to the rest of the people. Well, the +rich have only one desire, to forget that they +are Jews. With their beards curled like +Assyrians, they vex and oppress the poor, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span>who cry out to the gods of other lands for +deliverance.”</p> + +<p>“That is not true,” cried Judith angrily. +“And I will not let you speak of my uncle +like that.”</p> + +<p>“Your uncle,” stammered Jonah; “yes +... well ....”</p> + +<p>He sat staring at the grass, with burning +cheeks. Presently Judith remarked timidly,</p> + +<p>“Forgive me.”</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Jonah in a low voice, “you +do not know what it is to be poor.”</p> + +<p>“I am sorry,” said Judith sweetly. And +she added, “What is the good of talking +about it?”</p> + +<p>“Do you think that I mind being poor?” +cried Jonah. “I do not wish to be anything +else. Since I am poor, I am free, my heart +is at peace. Remember that I live in the +desert, where all your uncle’s wealth would +not do him the least good. It is you, not I, +for whom you ought to reserve your sympathy. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span>I do not need anything; I am +happy, my heart is full of beauty, like the +wilderness, quiet, fragrant, and bare.”</p> + +<p>Judith bowed her head, “My heart is bare, +too,” she thought. But something moved in +it, and she sighed.</p> + +<p>“No,” she told herself, “my heart is quite +bare.”</p> + +<p>Jonah continued: “You have never seen +the dawn come up across the desert. The +night rolls away into the west like the last +clouds of a storm, dark and terrifying. The +east grows brighter and brighter, shining +like a lamp, so clear and quiet; and the sky +seems to be full of angels going out into the +world. There is no sound, for the birds do +not sing yet. All is peace, all is holiness and +beauty. No, you do not know anything +about such things.”</p> + +<p>Judith sat silent, her hands clasped in her +lap, her brown eyes cloudy. At last she +murmured sighing,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span>“I should like to be poor, like you.”</p> + +<p>And they sat dreaming, hearing their +thoughts knock like echoes on the walls of +their hearts.</p> + +<p>At noon Jonah returned home through +the field where his brother Aaron was grazing +the village cattle. Bright-colored insects +buzzed and hummed about him as he +walked; lazy lizards sunned themselves on +stones; in the noonday heat earth spoke with +faint but audible voices. The trees drank in +the light; the wild bees hurried to and fro +among the flowers which opened their petals +with voluptuous joy to the south wind.</p> + +<p>The prophet found his brother asleep beneath +a locust tree. “So,” he said, rousing +him with his staff, “that is the way you make +a success, by going to sleep. I could do that +too, without any trouble.”</p> + +<p>Aaron sat up and rubbed his eyes. “I +have my hands full,” he said. “Remember +that I am up at daybreak. And then there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span>are all these cows. If I doze now and then, +it is what any one would do in my place.”</p> + +<p>Seeing Jonah’s coat, he cried out angrily, +“That is the coat mother promised me.”</p> + +<p>Jonah paid no attention to this outburst. +“Tell me,” he said seriously, “how does one +make a living? I am interested, and should +like to know a few things.”</p> + +<p>An appeal of this nature made Aaron feel +pleased. “To make a living,” he said +thoughtfully, “is, to begin with, a very difficult +thing. Then there are other questions +to consider: such as, what sort of a living +do you wish to make? Any one can live. +Look at Uncle David.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Jonah; “by a living I mean a +family and children.”</p> + +<p>But Aaron shook his head. “There +again,” he replied, “it depends on what kind +of wife will do. Must she be expensive? +Then you need a good living, naturally. But +what could you do, Jonah? Could you sell +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span>cloth, or gold? Or perhaps you might build +roads.”</p> + +<p>And he burst out laughing.</p> + +<p>“Ha, ha, ha.”</p> + +<p>“There is always the cattle business,” he +said finally, pointing to the cows.</p> + +<p>“I am not joking, Aaron,” cried Jonah +impatiently.</p> + +<p>His tone caused his younger brother to sit +up, and to regard him with a curious expression. +“Are you in earnest, Jonah?” he +asked. “Do you really mean to settle +down? I thought you would never leave the +desert. Are you going to be married? +Good Heavens....”</p> + +<p>Jonah replied carefully, with his eyes on +the ground, “No ... what an idea. I may +leave the desert for a while, but only to be +with our mother. As for marriage ... +well, to tell the truth, I had heard it said of +you....”</p> + +<p>“Of me?” cried Aaron with wide-open +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span>eyes. “You are dreaming, Jonah, the heat +has touched you. A wife, for me? Why, I +could only afford a poor girl from the village. +No, when I marry I mean to take a +wife from town. But that will cost a good +deal. One pays for a wife in Israel; perhaps +you have forgotten that.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” said Jonah; “I had forgotten +it.” And he turned home again. His +thoughts were grave, and he walked slowly, +with a serious air. At the entrance to the +village he passed the statue of a winged bull, +before which lay the remains of a sacrifice of +cereal, which was being enjoyed by some +birds. Jonah looked for a long time at the +idol which seemed to gaze back at him with +an ironic expression.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps,” he said sadly at last, “it is I, +not you, who am a stranger here in Israel.”</p> + +<p>And he felt a coldness lay itself upon his +heart.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">MOONLIGHT covered the earth, +the trees showered down their +perfume of blossom and cedar, +the fragrance of lilies rose through the +night. Voices sang softly in the shadows, +teased, laughed, whispered in the moonlight; +lamps shone, light fell upon trees. In +Deborah’s kitchen Uncle David passed +around cakes, fruits, and bitter almonds, +and helped the guests to wine, milk, and +honey. He was a genial host; his eyes shone, +he urged every one to enjoy himself.</p> + +<p>Deborah moved among her friends, anxious +and happy. She kept one eye on Uncle +David, and had something to say to everybody.</p> + +<p>“Well, this is like old times. This is what +peace does for a country.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span>“What a lovely night.”</p> + +<p>“We should have such a war every year.”</p> + +<p>“A son to be proud of.”</p> + +<p>Under a tree in the garden two old men +were discussing religion. They pulled at +their long beards and gazed at each other +with indignation. “God belongs to Israel,” +said one; “do not lend Him around.”</p> + +<p>The other replied: “Does the earth belong +to the tree? Does the air belong to the wind? +Can I lend the sky? How many gods are +there, then?”</p> + +<p>First old man: “Maybe a hundred, maybe +two hundred. There is nothing in the Laws +of Moses which says how many. Do you +wish to dispute with the Holy One Himself?”</p> + +<p>Second old man: “As for that, I am not +the disputer. I simply say of God, ‘He is +everywhere, and He does not look like anything.’ +But you say, ‘No. He is here, and +He looks like a Jew.’”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span>First old man: “All the gods look like +something. There is a tribe in the south +whose god is only two feet high, and entirely +covered with short black hair. His people +are naturally pygmies. What have you to +say to that? or would you like me to believe +that our God is also the father of pygmies?”</p> + +<p>Second old man: “Pygmies are not human +beings, but monsters. It does not surprise +me to find monsters in the world. I +say it does not surprise me because I can see +a little beyond the front of my face. On the +other hand you cannot see anything but +what is right under your nose. You are not +a philosopher; you are a patriot. You would +like to keep God all to yourself.”</p> + +<p>First old man: “Exactly, I am a patriot. +And what are you? I hesitate even to say +it.”</p> + +<p>The two old men glared angrily at each +other.</p> + +<p>“Look,” said the first old man to Bildad, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span>the water carrier, who was passing by, “he +wishes to give God away to the Gentiles.”</p> + +<p>Bildad shook his head. “No,” he said accusingly: +“Oh, my.” And he hurried away +to join a group of villagers about Prince +Ahab, who was standing by the side of a +table on which was set out a large bowl of +wine.</p> + +<p>The prince was in the best of humor. +“My friends,” he exclaimed, “what we need +is more exercise. That is what makes a nation +healthy. Talk is all very well, but there +is too much of it.”</p> + +<p>He paused to take a long drink of wine. +Several farmers who worked in the fields +from dawn until dark applauded his remarks. +It was easy to see that they respected +his opinions, and that they did not +know what he was talking about.</p> + +<p>“Just imagine,” said Bildad, “there is a +man outside who wishes to give our God +away to the gentiles.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span>“He is an ignoramus,” said Ahab. He +continued,</p> + +<p>“Every one will agree with me that a +good horse is the most beautiful thing in the +world. Next to a horse, the best thing in +the world is to be active, and to take a lot +of exercise.”</p> + +<p>Uncle David nodded his head vigorously. +“Exactly,” he said; “those are my opinions, +almost word for word. A good active life +is what I say.”</p> + +<p>The Prince turned upon Uncle David a +face flushed with wine. “What,” he exclaimed, +“here is an honest man.” And he +embraced Uncle David, who said proudly to +those standing near by,</p> + +<p>“We agree with each other. After all, he +is a noble fellow.”</p> + +<p>Then he quietly asked Bildad to point out +to him the old man who wished to give God +away. When he found him, he went up to +him and said,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span>“Go away; please get out of this, as we +do not want an ignoramus here.”</p> + +<p>Returning to the kitchen, he looked +around him with an important air, and after +blowing his nose, exclaimed,</p> + +<p>“Unhealthy people.”</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab was still talking. Clutching +his beard, stained with grape, he concluded +morosely,</p> + +<p>“Nobody rides any more.”</p> + +<p>It was time to divide the roasted ox +among the guests. But first it was necessary +to find Jonah, who was expected to perform +the sacrifice to the god, in the absence +of a priest. So Uncle David went to look for +him; but he did not find him at once. For +Jonah was in a corner of the garden with +Judith, Ahab’s niece.</p> + +<p>The moonlight fell down upon them +through the leaves like a shower of milky +petals and blossoms without weight and +without fragrance. The faint cheep of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span>frogs, the shrill screech of the cicada, rose +from the ground and answered from the +branches through the air laden with sweetness. +A single bird, cheated by the moon, +sang far away; his song tumbled through +the air like water falling.</p> + +<p>They leaned against the trunk of a tree, +shadows making pools of darkness over their +eyes, moonlight in their hair and on their +hands. And their hearts, cheated, too, by +the night, sang in confusion a song of joy +which seemed to them like pain.</p> + +<p>They had little to say to each other. They +discussed the weather.</p> + +<p>“What a beautiful night,” said Jonah. +“It is like the nights on the desert, so still, +so calm, and yet it makes me sad.”</p> + +<p>“It makes me sad, too,” whispered Judith. +“Why does it make me sad, Jonah?”</p> + +<p>He shook his head. “I do not know,” he +said. “Beauty often makes people sad. It +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span>is something they would like in their hearts, +and their sadness is their longing.”</p> + +<p>She looked at him in the darkness. “Yes,” +she said, “that’s it; that is what I feel sometimes +when I look in my little mirror.”</p> + +<p>Jonah did not answer. The fragrance, +the rapture of the night, moved through his +heart. It seemed to flow from the young +girl at his side and return to her again, +lovely, obscure, a sweet sorrow, a longing +filled with grief. He raised his head to the +little dapple of moonlight among the leaves.</p> + +<p>“I’ve never felt anything like this before,” +he thought. “It is like having God speak to +me.</p> + +<p>“How beautiful she is. And she would +like to be poor, like me. Of course, that is +nonsense. Still....”</p> + +<p>He thought that she swayed a little closer +to him. Intoxicated by an imperceptible +warmth, he touched her hand. “Judith,” he +whispered.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span>“Yes?”</p> + +<p>“No—nothing. How lovely it is out +here.” He trembled; his hand, twined with +hers, was moist and warm, but he shivered +as though with cold.</p> + +<p>She stood beside him, breathless, drowsy +with sweetness, waiting.... “This is love,” +she thought. “He loves me, and I love him. +How exciting it is.</p> + +<p>“I am a young girl, and already I am in +love with a prophet.”</p> + +<p>She gave his hand a faint squeeze. Jonah +sighed deeply. Was there anything else so +lovely in the whole world, he thought.</p> + +<p>Judith raised her head. “Listen,” she +said, “there’s a bird singing. Just think, in +the moonlight; isn’t it sweet, Jonah? This is +beauty, isn’t it? I could stay here forever.”</p> + +<p>No—there was nothing else in the whole +world....</p> + +<p>From the garden arose the sound of +voices; shadows moved among the trees. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span>Aaron went by with a village girl, his hands +stuffed with cakes. He offered them to her +to nibble at, and kissed her mouth full of +crumbs. She accepted his caresses with +pleasure, but without passion. “What a +thing you are,” she cried. “There’s your +brother; he behaves himself, at least.”</p> + +<p>“He is a noodle,” said Aaron; “most of +him is still in the desert. Who is that with +him? My goodness....”</p> + +<p>They ran away, linked in laughter. Jonah +looked after them, but he did not see them. +The desert was in his heart, wide, starry, +still; all the beauty in the world trembled +at the moment’s edge. If it made itself +known ... would the heart break with +it?</p> + +<p>“This is too beautiful,” he wanted to cry; +“wait, you are hurting me.”</p> + +<p>In another part of the garden Deborah +said to Sarah, Judith’s nurse,</p> + +<p>“How charming your Judith is. She is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>not spoilt like so many of the young girls +to-day. And when you consider her wealth, +that makes it all the more remarkable.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Sarah with satisfaction, “she +knows nothing of life. She is a pure lily.”</p> + +<p>She added, “I have brought her up myself.”</p> + +<p>Deborah nodded her head. “Children +cannot be brought up too strictly,” she said. +“That is what is responsible for the success +of my son Jonah.”</p> + +<p>And she moved away, smiling at her +guests. Sarah gazed after her with pursed +lips. “Indeed,” she said to herself. “Well, +that is one thing to call it, of course.”</p> + +<p>Jonah was not thinking about being a +prophet. His heart beat heavily; he felt as +though he were all eyes, staring blindly into +the night. The sweet, heavy scent of lilies +struck him like a wind. He felt terrified of +what he was about to say, of what he felt +obliged to ask. But there was no help for it; +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span>the very shadows would begin to murmur if +he were silent longer.</p> + +<p>“Judith, do you love me?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Jonah.”</p> + +<p>Astonished, they gazed at each other +without speaking.</p> + +<p>Then, slowly, their dark heads bent together.</p> + +<p>At that moment Uncle David, hurrying +through the garden, caught sight of them +under the tree. “Well,” he cried briskly, +“there you are. Come, my son; the ox is +about to be divided.”</p> + +<p>Jonah had only time to whisper, “Wait +here for me, Judith.” Then he went, in a +daze, to make the sacrifice. He heard but +little of what was going on around him, the +gay shouts, the pious wailing, but the sudden +hush as he consigned the holy portions +to the flames broke on him like a light.</p> + +<p>“Wait,” he said to himself; “something has +happened.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span>And suddenly he began to feel very gay.</p> + +<p>“Why,” he thought, looking around at the +familiar faces, “what are all these people so +happy about? They do not know what has +happened. They have no reason to be +happy, as I have.</p> + +<p>“I ought at least to be happier than they +are.”</p> + +<p>Seizing a cup of wine, he threw the contents +on the blazing altar. “For You, too, +God,” he cried recklessly; “enjoy Yourself.”</p> + +<p>At once murmurs of protest arose. The +old man who had caused the philosopher to +be sent home expressed the opinion that such +an act was not customary. “What does he +mean, ‘Enjoy yourself,’” he exclaimed. “Is +that a way to speak to God? Or does he +think that the Eternal One and he are such +good friends already?”</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab shrugged his shoulders. +“What do you expect of young people to-day?” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span>he inquired. “It only surprises me +that he did not call God something even +more irreverent.”</p> + +<p>Uncle David went anxiously about among +the guests with apologies. “He is a little +wild,” he said to several people; “you must +excuse it ... the life he leads, in the +sun....” He tapped his head significantly. +“He is not all there.”</p> + +<p>Deborah, on the other hand, did not seem +at all disturbed. In a calm manner she explained +that very likely there were different +ways of making a sacrifice. “After all,” she +said, “my son is a prophet, and therefore +closer to God than any of us here. Did you +see the feather he brought home, actually +from an angel? Besides, if you ask me, why +shouldn’t God enjoy Himself, if He likes?”</p> + +<p>But she gave Jonah a look, when no one +was watching, which said plainly, “What a +trouble you always make for yourself and +for me.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span>When the sacrifice was over, Jonah hurried +back to the tree where he had left +Judith. But she was gone; Sarah had come +to take her home.</p> + +<p>As if in a dream he wandered off in the +moonlight, down the road and through the +fields. Behind him the lights and the hum +of the feast faded out; he was alone, in the +silence of night. About him the pastures, +bathed in dew, shone like silver under the +moon which covered the earth with delicate +mist. Everything was peaceful, everything +breathed a quiet and resigned joy. Only +in the heart of the man, filled with bliss, +there was no peace.</p> + +<p>He spread out his arms, “I am happy,” +he cried, “I am happy.”</p> + +<p>He thought of the Deity to whom he had +so often prayed. “Thank You,” he whispered.</p> + +<p>And he gazed with love at the heavens, +pale, and shining with stars.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span>He began to imagine the future. “What +does it matter if we are poor?” he thought. +“One cannot buy beauty. We will live in a +little house, and I will do great things, like +Nathan, or Elisha.”</p> + +<p>But that mood did not suit his spirit for +long. “No,” he exclaimed, “I will never +allow her to be poor. I will make a large +fortune, to keep her comfortably.”</p> + +<p>But how? He did not trouble to find out. +Already he was living in his palaces, surrounded +by slaves.</p> + +<p>All night he walked through the fields +soaked with dew, through the woods, silent +and dark. The moon floated on to the west, +and went down over seas and lands unknown, +undreamed. The world slept; even +the frogs were still. But there was no sleep +for Jonah that night; his joy kept him +awake. Accustomed to sorrow and indignation, +he could not bear his own happiness.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span>“Judith,” he cried over and over, in a sort +of amazement. “Judith.”</p> + +<p>Dawn broke in the east, and hunger +turned him homeward. On the road near +the village he passed a golden litter, also +bound for Gath-Hepher, on whose curtains +were woven in silver the little doves of +Eryx. The litter was followed by several +donkeys, laden with merchandise, and a +number of servants in the livery of the Phœnicians. +“There goes a rich man,” thought +Jonah, “but I am happier than he. I will +buy his litter and give it to Judith, because +of the little silver doves on the curtains.”</p> + +<p>It was Hiram, a merchant of Tyre, on his +way to visit Prince Ahab, with dyed silks +from Sidon, sandalwood, and cloves. Jonah +had no forebodings. Cold, wet, weary, but +overborne by happiness, he went on home to +his mother’s house for breakfast.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">VIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">THAT morning Jonah said to his +mother, “Mother, I am going to be +married.”</p> + +<p>Deborah did not stop singing to herself as +she sat mixing curds. But she looked at +Jonah as though to say, “Are you preparing +some new trouble for us both?”</p> + +<p>At last, since Jonah did not offer any further +information, she remarked quietly:</p> + +<p>“What of your career?”</p> + +<p>“What of it?” replied Jonah. “I have +been alone a long while; now I am going to +take a wife.”</p> + +<p>Deborah went on stirring her curds. But +she stopped singing. Presently she put +down her wooden spoon and sat still, staring +at her son.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span>“You know,” she said gravely, “that I +want you to be happy. But what are you +doing? Your father also had a great deal +of talent. He might have been a priest, but +he preferred to marry me; and he died by +being gored by a bull. Marriage is a serious +thing, and nothing for a prophet.”</p> + +<p>“Do you think prophets are made of wood +or stone?” cried Jonah irritably. “They +also have feelings, like any one else.”</p> + +<p>Deborah nodded her head. “I suppose +so,” she said. “Still, how much better it +would be if you could find something else to +do with those feelings.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I can’t,” said Jonah. And he relapsed +into gloomy silence.</p> + +<p>His mother began to stir her curds again. +“If that is the case,” she said at last, “you +had better tell me all about it, and we will +see what can be done.”</p> + +<p>Since Jonah did not reply, she added, “I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span>suppose it is some woman of Bethel, or perhaps +a girl from the desert.”</p> + +<p>“It is Judith,” said Jonah simply, +“Ahab’s niece.”</p> + +<p>The spoon fell with a clatter into the bowl. +“Ak,” cried Deborah. And she gazed at +her son in consternation.</p> + +<p>“Have you gone out of your mind?” she +exclaimed at last. “Do you imagine for a +single moment such a thing would be allowed? +Who are you, Jonah, the grandson +of King David? Or are you perhaps a +nephew of King Hiram of Tyre? You must +be mad, my son.”</p> + +<p>And she added, shaking her head, “It is +always something difficult or impossible with +you.”</p> + +<p>Jonah raised his eyes, burning with enthusiasm, +to his mother. “After all,” he said +with dignity, “it was I who led the Jews +against Aram. Is that nothing? Is it nothing +that I have spoken with God? Or is a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span>noble a greater person in Israel than the +God of the Jews? Let him order the angels, +then.”</p> + +<p>“What does a noble know about God?” +cried Deborah. “I am poor, and your +mother; I know what it means to be a +prophet. But a noble—no, my son, you +have taken leave of your senses. All he +knows is what he can buy, which is nearly +everything.”</p> + +<p>“Can he buy love?” asked Jonah scornfully.</p> + +<p>Deborah thought to herself, “Yes, love, +too”; but she did not say so. Putting aside +her bowl, she asked more gently,</p> + +<p>“Do you love her so much?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, mother.”</p> + +<p>“And does she love you, my son?”</p> + +<p>When Jonah nodded his head, she arose +and, coming over to him, put her hand a moment +on his hair.</p> + +<p>“Poor Jonah,” she whispered.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span>“Well,” she said, after a silence, sighing, +“well ... I will see what I can do.”</p> + +<p>Taking down her best shawl, she went to +find Uncle David, to discuss the matter.</p> + +<p>At first Uncle David was frightened. +“He is crazy,” he exclaimed. But after a +while, when he had listened to Deborah, he +began to take a more hopeful point of view. +“Who knows,” he said, “perhaps God is with +him.”</p> + +<p>He thought: “It is not as though our family +were just a common one.”</p> + +<p>And he began to feel that he was already +connected with nobility. But he had no +scented oil for his hair, and he wished to +make a good impression when he went to +call. Therefore, as there was a little oil of +olives left over from the feast, he put this on +his hair, and, taking also his me’il, or over-garment, +which he kept for special occasions, +he exclaimed hopefully to his sister,</p> + +<p>“Now, leave all this to me, because I know +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span>Prince Ahab very well, and we understand +each other, he and I.”</p> + +<p>And he began to rehearse what he would +say to the Prince. “Of course,” he declared, +with a wave of his hand, “the difference in +wealth.... But you are a man of the +world. You know that a prophet is not born +every day.”</p> + +<p>“And such a good son,” said Deborah.</p> + +<p>“And such a good son,” added Uncle +David.</p> + +<p>“Also, I say to you as one father to another, +or, at least, an uncle, what is there in +the world like youth? Can we old ones tell +the young how to behave?”</p> + +<p>“Come,” said Deborah; “you are only +wasting time.”</p> + +<p>Gravely, with slow steps and thoughtful +expressions, they went up through the village +to the palace. Uncle David helped +Deborah over the rough places, and she +leaned upon his arm.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span>Prince Ahab came to meet them in his +hall in which a single fountain sang. There +a peacock led his long tail across the floor +set in triangles of marble and ebony. Rich +silks adorned the walls, which exhaled an +odor of musk and cedar.</p> + +<p>After greeting them cordially, the Prince +offered his guests cakes in which cinnamon, +spices, and poppy-seeds were happily mingled. +Then he said in a hearty voice,</p> + +<p>“What a splendid feast you gave us last +night. I wish to thank you in the name of +my household, all of whom enjoyed themselves.”</p> + +<p>“Thank you,” said Deborah shyly. She +was timid and ill at ease, yet she managed +to appear calm and smiling. “It was nothing, +or at least for such an occasion, nothing....”</p> + +<p>And she gave Uncle David a nudge with +her elbow. But now that Uncle David +found himself called upon to say something, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span>confusion rendered him speechless. “Yes,” +he said feebly, “an occasion....”</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab broke in, with a smile: “A +feast in honor to a prophet. Do you think +I have forgotten what is due your son for +his help against Aram? A feast like that is +not too good for him.”</p> + +<p>Warmed by his tone, Deborah said +eagerly: “If you only knew him; such kindness, +with all that talent besides. He has +made a great success, and he is still a very +young man.”</p> + +<p>“I do not doubt it,” replied Prince +Ahab.</p> + +<p>“He speaks to angels,” continued Deborah +proudly, “but he is like a lamb with his +own mother.”</p> + +<p>“Say something,” she whispered to Uncle +David; “make an effort.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Uncle David.</p> + +<p>“I congratulate you upon your son,” said +Prince Ahab heartily; “there are too few in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span>Israel like him. I am proud to have him in +my village. I was saying as much the other +day to my niece, the Lady Judith.”</p> + +<p>And he added hopefully, “Does he speak +of another war?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Deborah, “he is not thinking +of wars just now.” She hung her head, and +gazed at the floor. Presently she lifted her +head again, and looked, full of blushes, at +the Prince. “He has something else on his +mind,” she said.</p> + +<p>“Are you dumb?” she whispered in Uncle +David’s ear.</p> + +<p>Uncle David gave a start. “As a matter +of fact,” he said huskily, “it is this way: +Jonah is thinking of settling down.”</p> + +<p>“Ah,” said Prince Ahab, and curled his +beard idly in his fingers. “Well, that would +be too bad. Such men as he have work to +do in the world. We cannot afford to lose +such optimistic voices. To whom is Israel +to look for her glory if not to such prophets +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>as your son, my good Deborah? No, no, I +hope he will not settle down.”</p> + +<p>“He has made up his mind,” said Deborah; +“I cannot argue with him.” And she +added in a voice too low for Ahab’s ears, +“He is like a goat.”</p> + +<p>“As a matter of fact,” said Uncle David +suddenly, “he has made up his mind to +marry.”</p> + +<p>“To marry?” exclaimed Prince Ahab. +“What?” And he stood frowning with disappointment.</p> + +<p>“Then there will be no more wars,” he declared +gloomily.</p> + +<p>But Deborah replied with conviction: +“One can marry and still be a prophet. And +my son is particularly suited to be a husband. +He is gentle and pure.”</p> + +<p>“That must please you,” said Ahab, “although +I do not know if it is the best thing +in a husband.</p> + +<p>“Well,” he said, with a sigh, “I dare say +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span>there is no help for it. So tell me what I +can do for you, my good Deborah.”</p> + +<p>And he gazed amiably at the two who +stood before him shifting on their feet with +embarrassment.</p> + +<p>It was Deborah at last who spoke.</p> + +<p>“My brother should by rights speak for +me,” she said, looking indignantly at Uncle +David, “but as he is so dumb, I shall have +to speak for myself.”</p> + +<p>She took a deep breath. “Prince Ahab,” +she said, “my son Jonah, the prophet, wishes +to marry your niece, the Lady Judith.”</p> + +<p>“That’s it,” said Uncle David; “that’s +what we came to say.”</p> + +<p>The smile died upon Prince Ahab’s face, +and he stared at them in amazement. +“What?” he exclaimed; “did I hear you +aright?”</p> + +<p>Deborah repeated in a firmer tone what +she had said; then, raising her eyes to his, +looked at him with a candid and satisfied +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span>expression. Now that the declaration was +out, she felt entirely different.</p> + +<p>But Prince Ahab began to laugh.</p> + +<p>“My good woman,” he cried, “are you +mad? Such a thing is impossible.”</p> + +<p>“Why is it impossible?” asked Deborah +calmly. “I do not see anything impossible +about it. Do you, David?”</p> + +<p>“No,” said David hurriedly, “no. Of +course it seems impossible; I said at once +that it looked absurd. Still ... there you +are.</p> + +<p>“Ha ha.”</p> + +<p>And he also essayed a laugh like a croak.</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab controlled himself with an +effort. “Madam,” he said, “what does this +extraordinary son of yours offer as price for +my niece, if I may be so bold as to inquire?”</p> + +<p>Deborah at least had the grace to blush. +“Nothing,” she said in a low tone. “But +he thought, being a prophet ... and what +is wealth to you, who have so much?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span>Prince Ahab let out a sudden roar of +anger. The joke no longer amused him. +“Nothing,” he cried.</p> + +<p>“He wishes to give me nothing for the +Lady Judith.</p> + +<p>“What impudence.”</p> + +<p>“What did I tell you?” said David, trembling, +turning to his sister. “He has insulted +her. O my God.”</p> + +<p>Prince Ahab spread his legs apart, +and clutched his beard with both hands. +“Woman,” he cried in thunderous tones, +“let me tell you that my sister’s daughter +will not marry a pauper, prophet or no +prophet. A fig for your prophets. They +are dirty, unhealthy, meddlesome creatures. +Tell your son to go back to the desert where +he belongs. And as for my niece, she has +been given too much liberty. I shall see that +she is properly guarded hereafter.</p> + +<p>“What ideas. I tell you there is no respect +in this unhappy country.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span>Summoning his slaves, he bade them hustle +Deborah from his sight. Then he went +off in a violent mood to find his niece. Fortunately +for Judith she was not in the garden; +instead he came upon Hiram, the Phœnician, +strolling among the flowers. Prince +Ahab took the wealthy merchant by the arm. +“Come,” he said, “I am in a rage. Let me +show you my horses. I have some things to +talk over with you. I have had a shock this +morning, and I do not know what the world +is coming to. What ideas. What impudence. +Let us go riding for a while; it will +do me good.”</p> + +<p>And he hurried to the stables.</p> + +<p>Deborah walked home with her head in +the air, the color bright on her face. In the +village she stopped to speak a few words to +the gossips, who greeted her with curiosity +and interest.</p> + +<p>“Well,” she said, “Jonah is going back to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span>the desert soon. God will need him again +shortly.</p> + +<p>“Such excitement last night; I couldn’t +sleep after it. So I still have on my shawl, +taking some air in the morning.”</p> + +<p>She passed on, humming a little tune to +herself.</p> + +<p>Uncle David hurried home before her. +Dripping with perspiration, and with a +white face, he burst into the house, and sank +dejectedly upon a bench.</p> + +<p>“All is lost,” he cried.</p> + +<p>“Woe is me.”</p> + +<p>He could say no more. Deborah, when +she came home, told Jonah the story.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">IX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">WHEN Prince Ahab told his +niece that she was not to be +allowed to marry Jonah, she +wept bitterly. For an entire day she refused +to eat or speak; for she thought her heart +was broken. In the evening she went to the +tree in the garden where she had sat with +Jonah; and, as she leaned her cheek against +its bark, she saw again in her mind the dark, +thin face of her lover, the brown eyes speaking +to her in silence. She heard his voice:</p> + +<p>“Beauty often makes people sad. It is +something they would like to have in their +hearts, and their sadness is their longing.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Jonah, Jonah....”</p> + +<p>And her tears fell unchecked.</p> + +<p>When she returned to the house, Sarah +said to her indignantly,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span>“Do you know that your young man +wished to marry you for nothing? What an +impertinence.”</p> + +<p>Judith replied tearfully, “He has nothing, +the poor fellow.”</p> + +<p>“That is what makes the insult all the +harder to bear,” said Sarah. “If he has +nothing, he should keep quiet, for your sake. +What would people think of you if you were +to marry for nothing? You would be ruined +socially.”</p> + +<p>Judith sat up straight, with red cheeks. +“Why,” she exclaimed, “what an idea.”</p> + +<p>But she remained thoughtful for the rest +of the evening. The next morning she said +to Sarah, “He is so gentle and sweet. I love +him.” And she added,</p> + +<p>“Men are so thoughtless.”</p> + +<p>At once Sarah, who knew what she was +doing, exclaimed, “My poor lamb, you have +been badly treated.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span>Judith’s eyes filled with tears again. “I +am a young girl,” she thought, “and already +my heart has been broken.”</p> + +<p>All day she was pale, and said nothing. +Occasionally she wept, but without violence. +In the evening she walked among her flowers, +composed and quiet, her brown eyes sad +and wondering, like a child’s. And as the +sky faded from the color of roses to the color +of leaves, she breathed a name sadly, but so +faintly, into the air.</p> + +<p>“Jonah....”</p> + +<p>No one answered, and her heart vibrated +with sadness and with peace. “I have lived,” +she thought, “I have loved, I have been unhappy.</p> + +<p>“That is life, isn’t it....”</p> + +<p>And coming upon Hiram the Phœnician +among the roses, she gave him a dignified +bow.</p> + +<p>In the morning, in the bright sunshine, +she said to herself, “Men are so selfish. Just +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span>imagine, if I were married for nothing, what +would people think of me?”</p> + +<p>And she said seriously to Sarah, “I feel +so old, Sarah. I feel as old as Methuselah.”</p> + +<p>“You are a little pale,” said Sarah, “but +that does not do any harm.”</p> + +<p>“Do I look well?” asked Judith in surprise. +“No.”</p> + +<p>“You are like a lily,” said Sarah.</p> + +<p>But Judith insisted that she looked, at +least, a little thin. “And my eyes are all +red from crying,” she added.</p> + +<p>She did not walk in her rose garden that +night. In the morning Sarah said to her, +“You are yellow as a dead leaf.” And she +brought the little mirror for her mistress to +look into.</p> + +<p>Judith looked at her reflection for a long +time. She seemed a little proud and a little +vexed at what she saw. “It is because I +have suffered so much,” she said at last to +Sarah. And she added,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span>“Men are so cruel.”</p> + +<p>In the afternoon she dressed in white, with +a girdle of silver about her hips. And +Hiram, meeting Sarah in the court, cool +with its fountain, said to the nurse,</p> + +<p>“The Lady Judith has a very spiritual +face. Is she unhappy about something?”</p> + +<p>But Sarah threw up her hands at the mere +thought of such a thing. “‘Unhappy’?” +she cried; “what an idea. She knows nothing +of life. She is like a lily. If she looks +a little sad, it is because of her gentle nature.”</p> + +<p>That night Judith dined with her uncle +and his guest. Her cheeks were pink as the +youngest roses in her garden, her lips red +again, like poppies. Ahab, seeing her +blooming so, was satisfied. And Hiram also +watched her carefully, with his shrewd dark +eyes.</p> + +<p>In Judith’s apartments Sarah put away +the pots of red and pink paste, the myrrh +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span>and cassia buds, and the little silver mirror. +Then with a sigh she sat down to await the +return of her mistress. She was content; +she felt that the worst was over.</p> + +<p>“A woman should know her own worth,” +she said to herself; “in that way she saves +every one a lot of trouble.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">X</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">JONAH stood again before Amaziah, +the High Priest. On his face, dark +with woe, were drawn lines of determination. +He held out his hands, empty, +and brown as the earth.</p> + +<p>“I have not brought you anything this +time,” he said, “not even an eagle’s feather.”</p> + +<p>Amaziah chose to ignore this greeting. +“What now, Jonah,” he exclaimed cheerfully; +“do you not bring me another war? +The presence of my favorite prophet fills +me with the liveliest hopes.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah shook his head. “I am weary +of being a prophet,” he said simply; “I have +come to ask you to make me a priest.”</p> + +<p>Without losing the serenity of his expression, +Amaziah looked thoughtfully at the +young man whose weary face expressed dissatisfaction +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span>and bitterness. The old High +Priest seemed to be reaching back into his +own past, to the time when he, too, had had +a choice to make. And his face, as he gazed +at Jonah, softened; an expression almost of +pity crossed his features, sharp and cruel as +a hawk’s.</p> + +<p>“This is bad news, Jonah,” he said gently. +And he was silent, waiting for an answer.</p> + +<p>But Jonah had nothing further to say.</p> + +<p>Amaziah stroked his chin. “Tell me,” he +said at last, “what has caused you to look +with dissatisfaction on your career at the +very moment when all Israel speaks of you +with admiration?”</p> + +<p>“What is the good of admiration?” asked +Jonah sadly. “I have a living to make.”</p> + +<p>“Ah,” said Amaziah, and his face clouded, +“so that is it. What a nuisance.”</p> + +<p>And he sat looking before him with a +frown.</p> + +<p>“You do not really wish to be a priest,” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span>he said at last; “for one thing the duties +would soon prove irksome to one of your +temperament.”</p> + +<p>Jonah threw out his hands. “What is +there for me to do?” he cried. “Shall I keep +cattle, like my brother Aaron? Or am I to +beg, with a bowl?”</p> + +<p>“There are worse things than begging,” +said Amaziah. “In the desert every one is a +beggar.”</p> + +<p>“I am tired of the desert,” said Jonah; “I +am not going to live there any longer.”</p> + +<p>But Amaziah held up his hand reprovingly. +“My son,” he said gravely, “one does +not change the course of one’s life with impunity, +or for no reason.”</p> + +<p>“There is a reason,” said Jonah. He +looked down at his feet; then he looked +boldly up again. “I wish to marry,” he said.</p> + +<p>The High Priest made a gesture of discouragement. +“I might have guessed,” he +murmured. And he gazed sadly at the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span>prophet, on whom he had been counting to +help further his own plans. Presently he +said with a sigh,</p> + +<p>“I can see that this maiden’s father does +not wish to give her away for nothing.”</p> + +<p>“He is wealthy,” said Jonah gloomily. +“For that reason he cannot abide a poor +man for a son-in-law.”</p> + +<p>Amaziah nodded his head. “Naturally,” +he agreed; “if he is wealthy, he feels obliged +to add to his fortune. It is only those without +anything who can give away what they +have, without suffering an overbearing sense +of loss. For one thing they do not lose as +much, and for another, having nothing, they +are not required to succeed in the world, and +so they can afford to be generous.”</p> + +<p>As Jonah did not reply to this observation, +he continued in a grave voice:</p> + +<p>“Are you really determined upon this +thing, my son? Think well. Marriage in +your case may well be a calamity. You have +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span>a name already famous in Israel. You are +at the outset of a career like that of Samuel. +It is safe to predict that you will go far. +And you wish to give this up in order to be +married? Such a thing is incredible. Farewell +to glory, Jonah.”</p> + +<p>Jonah folded his arms, and regarded the +High Priest with a gloomy and obstinate +look. “Nevertheless,” he said firmly, “that +is my decision.”</p> + +<p>“It is not even your loss,” continued +Amaziah earnestly, “wholly; it is Israel’s. +It is you who shine like a lamp in her darkness; +yours is the voice of hope in her night. +If you were Amos, or Hosea, I should say +that Israel could get along without you. +But you are different; you are the messenger +of God’s geniality. Israel cannot afford +to lose you, Jonah, my son.”</p> + +<p>However, Jonah was proof against arguments +of this kind. Seeing which, Amaziah +exclaimed,</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span>“What will God think of His prophet, +who no longer listens to His voice?”</p> + +<p>Jonah replied with an effort: “Is God +only audible in the desert? And must He +be silent in the Temple? I tell you, He will +speak to me wherever I am.”</p> + +<p>Almost at once he astonished Amaziah by +crying out in a muffled voice, full of pain, +“Do you think this is easy for me?”</p> + +<p>Amaziah seized what he took to be his advantage. +“You are confident,” he remarked +in quiet tones, “but I have noticed that God +does not speak to my priests with the same +enthusiasm with which He addresses Himself +to the wild and savage hermits who live +in the desert of Tob and Golan. And it is +my experience that His angels do not enter +the cottages of married men with the same +boldness with which they visit the huts of +bachelors. If it is true that prophets have +sometimes been married, it is also true that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span>they have often left their wives and gone out +alone to live in the wilderness.”</p> + +<p>“That,” said Jonah stubbornly, “is a +personal matter, which need not concern us.”</p> + +<p>And he added, “You cannot shake me in +my resolve.”</p> + +<p>Amaziah looked at him sadly. But suddenly +his brow cleared, and he struck his +palms together. “Wait,” he cried; “if the +father of this young woman did not object +to your poverty, then there would be no +reason for you to become a priest.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Jonah sourly, “he does object.”</p> + +<p>“Then,” exclaimed Amaziah, “for the +glory of his country he shall be prevailed +upon to change his mind.”</p> + +<p>And he waited with a smile for the name +of the unreasonable man whose opinions +were making a successful war with Nineveh +highly improbable.</p> + +<p>“It is Prince Ahab,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span>At once the smile left Amaziah’s face, to +be replaced by a look of consternation. The +High Priest sank back in his seat, and stared +at Jonah with brows which slowly drew together +into a frown. His fingers caressed +his chin; he sat for a long time without +speaking. At last he said:</p> + +<p>“My son, the more I think of things, the +more convinced I am that you would not +make a good priest. It is the duty of a +priest to serve men, and the Temple. You +cannot be a good priest, and at the same +time be given to divine illumination, because +God deals only in generalities, and does not +bother Himself about the details of administration.</p> + +<p>“A priest must conform; he must not have +ideas of his own. He is a soldier with certain +duties to perform: he must obey his +superiors, and must serve the interests of +the men and women who worship the god.</p> + +<p>“That would never do for you; your spirit +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span>is too lively. You would try to change +everything.</p> + +<p>“Moreover, since you are not a Levite, I +cannot make you a priest of Adonai. I +cannot believe that you would be willing to +become a priest of a baal such as Melcarth +or Kemosh.</p> + +<p>“Besides, can you read or write? No? +Well....</p> + +<p>“I can do nothing for you.”</p> + +<p>So saying, he clapped his hands, to show +that the interview was at an end.</p> + +<p>“Will you speak to Prince Ahab?” cried +Jonah wildly.</p> + +<p>Amaziah did not reply. Instead, two +Nubian slaves came forward, and hustled +Jonah out of the house.</p> + +<p>A number of people, hearing that the +prophet Jonah was in town, had gathered in +the street, to gaze at the man who had won +a victory over the Aramæans. When they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span>saw Jonah they waved their sticks and +shawls, and cried,</p> + +<p>“Hurrah for the prophet.”</p> + +<p>“God bless Jonah.”</p> + +<p>“There is a great man; just look at him.”</p> + +<p>One old woman came hobbling forward, +to touch the hem of his cloak. Jonah did +not even see her. His eyes, hot with anger, +were on the ground; he saw the dust, and +the tip of his own beard. Finding an old +woman in his path, he gave her a shove; +whereat she fell with a bump to the ground.</p> + +<p>“Oh my,” she said, when she had got her +breath. “Oh my. Well, there’s a great man +for you. Tst; I feel better already.”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">HIRAM, the Phœnician, was short, +dark, and compactly built. His +hair was curled and oily; his body, +dressed in richest silks, and in linens forbidden +to the Jews, exhaled an arresting fragrance. +He walked in the garden with Judith +and her nurse, Sarah, as evening was +falling.</p> + +<p>“Redder roses than these,” he said, “bloom +in the gardens of Tyre. The serpent priestesses +of Astarte, the Kedeshoth, wear them +in their hair at the festival of their goddess, +who reigns in Sidon as the deity of cows, +but in Tyre as the goddess of doves.”</p> + +<p>He had about him an air of the world, of +cities by the shores of seas, of mountains far +away. As he stood on the terrace at Gath-Hepher, +his dark, shrewd eyes seemed to behold +in the distance the white domes of Tyre, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span>shining above the deep blue waters of the +Mediterranean.</p> + +<p>“He reminds me of a man I knew long +ago,” said Sarah to Judith in a low voice; +“he was a camel driver, and he had been +everywhere.”</p> + +<p>The Phœnician went on to describe the +wonders of his country; the mighty trees of +Lebanon, from which Solomon’s Temple +had been built, the markets of Acre, with +their silks, fruits, and ivory, the Temple of +Melcarth, Baal of Tyre, with its two great +pillars of marble and gold. He told them of +the spacious Temple of Atareatis at Ascalon, +with its pool in which floated sacred fish +adorned with ornaments of gold.</p> + +<p>“At Aphaca,” he said, “there is a temple +dedicated to Astarte, with a pool into which +gifts are thrown by her worshippers. Once +a year this pool is visited by the goddess in +the form of a falling star. It is a marvelous +sight and makes one very thoughtful.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span>“How strange,” said Judith. “And how +I should love to see such a thing.”</p> + +<p>Hiram looked at her proudly. “You can +understand,” he said, “that your temples do +not compare with ours. In the first place, +ours is a very old country. And then, our +religion is not like yours. Our gods have +faces you can look at, and love.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Judith, thinking of her little +silver dove.</p> + +<p>“What is more,” continued Hiram, “you +who live inland cannot imagine the wonders +of the great sea-coast cities. This is all very +well; you have a pleasant garden here. But +it is nothing compared to the terraces above +the harbor at Tyre, looking out over the sea. +There is magnificence for you. Well, you +see, ships have come from all over the world +to decorate them.”</p> + +<p>Sarah sighed. “I’d have seen them,” she +said, “if I had gone as I was bid.”</p> + +<p>The Phœnician gave Sarah a wise look. +“Perhaps you will see them after all,” he +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span>said. And he glanced for a moment at Judith +as he turned away.</p> + +<p>“Oh,” said Sarah.</p> + +<p>Overhead the sky had grown dull with +evening, green in the west, where the evening +star, planet of love, hung silver over +the hills. Shadows drew down about the +garden, the wind rose and moved among the +trees, the scent of flowers in the slow-falling +dew ascended from the earth and mingled +with the fragrance of pines.</p> + +<p>“How you would love the markets,” said +Hiram, “with their bales of silk and rich +stuffs, the strange fruits from the West and +South, the gold and ivory. And such an enchanting +odor of spices in the air.”</p> + +<p>“Just imagine,” said Judith.</p> + +<p>Hiram continued: “All the nations of the +earth trade with my city. The masts of our +ships rise like a forest along the sea wall, +and their sails in the harbor are like orange +and yellow moons. Ophir and Egypt, the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span>colonies of Carthage, the isles of the barbaric +Greeks with golden hair, all send their +produce to us, in exchange for our linens, +cedarwood, and dyes. It is a wonderful +sight to see the ships come in, loaded with so +much wealth.”</p> + +<p>Judith sighed. “How I should love +that,” she said. And she looked around her +at her uncle’s simple garden.</p> + +<p>“That is life, isn’t it?” she said; “to live +in the world, in a great city with ships, and +strange things to wear, and interesting +sights to see.”</p> + +<p>“It is the life of a Phœnician,” said +Hiram simply.</p> + +<p>And he added, “This sort of thing is all +very well, but where does it lead to? You +spend your life in a rose garden, between +some low hills, among ignorant people.”</p> + +<p>“You would never believe how ignorant +some of these people are,” said Sarah, nodding +her head.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span>“The life of a merchant,” said Hiram, “is +another thing entirely. Take myself, for +example; I travel a great deal. And it is +really amazing how much information one is +able to pick up here and there. I have been +to Crete, where I went to look at the sewers. +They are made out of stone, and very interesting. +But perhaps sewers do not appeal +to you?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” said Judith, “they appeal to +me very much. But tell me something about +your own city. What do the women wear? +I suppose they are very beautiful.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Hiram slowly, with his eyes +on Judith, “they are beautiful. But to tell +you the truth, I have never bothered much +with women. How do they dress? With +jewels, of course, and silks.... I hardly +know. I am too busy most of the time to +notice such things.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Sarah firmly, “I am sure +you’ve seen no one in your city, or in any +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span>other city, for that matter, to compare with +our young lady.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Hiram, with a smile, “that is +true.”</p> + +<p>Judith blushed a fiery red. “Why,” she +cried, “I am not even pretty.”</p> + +<p>“You see,” said Sarah in Hiram’s ear, +“she is not at all spoiled. What a jewel.”</p> + +<p>“The life of a merchant,” said Hiram +thoughtfully, “is the most interesting life in +the world. There is nothing like commerce +to give one a liberal education. For one +thing, the merchant has to travel a great +deal, because naturally he has to see what he +is buying; he has to visit other countries, in +order to know what to sell. As you can +imagine, it is a delightful way to occupy +oneself.”</p> + +<p>“It’s quite another thing from living in a +stable,” said Sarah.</p> + +<p>“Why, Sarah,” exclaimed Judith indignantly, +“we don’t live in a stable.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span>“Maybe not,” the nurse admitted. “But +we might just as well.”</p> + +<p>“In the morning,” said Hiram, “I go +down to the docks, to see what ships are in. +Several of the captains are known to me, +and we discuss some matters of importance. +Then I visit the markets, to see for myself +what people are buying, because that is the +only way to make a success of business. It +is very interesting, all of it. One has to be +perspicacious, to be a merchant. For instance, +if people wish to buy silk in Damascus, +it is useless to send them sandalwood, +or betel-nut, even though I, personally, +might prefer such things.</p> + +<p>“In the evening one goes for a stroll on +the terraces above the water, to drink syrups, +and watch the sun go down in the sea.</p> + +<p>“On festival occasions the streets are +gayly decorated with flowers and rugs, and +processions carrying the god pass among the +houses, and meet at the Temple. Then there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span>is music in the evening on the terraces, and +bands of priests and worshippers perform +the dances in honor of the deity.”</p> + +<p>Judith heaved a deep sigh. “How exciting +that must be,” she said. And she gazed +before her with parted lips and dreamy eyes. +But the breeze, cold with dew, soon made her +shiver.</p> + +<p>“Let me bring you a shawl,” said Hiram. +And he returned to the house for a shawl +of heavy silk, dyed in Tyrian purple, with a +holy fringe, which he had brought along +with him as a gift to Judith. When he was +gone, Sarah remarked,</p> + +<p>“That is the sort of man I like; one who +has made a success in the world and who says +right out what he means.</p> + +<p>“What a wonderful life he leads. You +can see that he knows how to live. A merchant—yes; +that’s the life for a person.”</p> + +<p>Judith did not answer. When the Phœnician +returned with the shawl, and drew it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span>around her shoulders, she thanked him +faintly; she would not even have noticed how +beautiful it was, if it had not been for Sarah. +The last birds were singing before night; +the sky shone with the blue of evening. Far +off beyond the hills lay the great ocean, wide +as the world, with its sails, like orange +moons, blowing home from barbarous lands. +And over it, terrace on terrace, the queenly +city with its laughing festivals, its temples, +its sacred pools.... She closed her eyes ... +such beauty, such dignity to life, so +much to see and hear of; her young heart, +dry with curiosity, filled like a pool with +longing and despair; her pure and ignorant +mind gave itself up in abandon to excitement, +to happiness, to festivals with music, +to syrup on the terraces as the sun went +down ... to ships and wonder....</p> + +<p>“Oh, how I should like to be a merchant,” +she cried.</p> + +<p>Hiram of Tyre bent his dark head humbly +upon her hand.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">WITH a heavy heart Jonah +climbed the hill to the garden. +He wore his old coat, and his +face was weary and gloomy. He had come +to say to Judith, “We cannot be married because +I am poor, and cannot get anything +to do.” But as he drew near the garden, he +forgot what he had come to say, and thought +only of seeing her again.</p> + +<p>When he came to the tree under which he +had sat with her, Hiram, who was walking +with a satisfied air among the flowers, said to +him,</p> + +<p>“You, there, are you one of the servants?</p> + +<p>“Well, just be so good as to bring me a +bowl for these roses.”</p> + +<p>“I am not a servant,” said Jonah proudly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span>“No?” said Hiram. “Then what are you? +Are you interested in horses?”</p> + +<p>“I am a prophet,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>Hiram made a small bow. “Forgive me,” +he said. “In my country the prophets are +dressed a little differently, because they +have priestly connections. However, it is +interesting to meet other kinds of prophets. +It is an interesting profession. Well ... what +a pleasant day it is. Perhaps you +would do me the favor to prophesy me something.”</p> + +<p>Jonah stared at him angrily. “I have +some business with the Lady Judith,” he declared.</p> + +<p>“She is in the house,” said Hiram. And +the two men stood looking at each other with +surprise and alarm.</p> + +<p>Hiram went to fetch her. She came +slowly, with downcast eyes, and cheeks as +white as her own lilies. “How do you do, +Jonah,” she said.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span>At the sight of her, Jonah felt his heart +beating through his body, and a strange +sweet sorrow rose up in his eyes. He wanted +to say to her, “This is like coming home. I +have been so unhappy, but you will comfort +me. Because you love me, you will feel my +sorrow. How sweet it is to have such a secret +together.”</p> + +<p>“How do you do, Judith,” he said; “I +have been away.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” she said. And they stood without +speaking, and without looking at each other.</p> + +<p>“Well, did you have a good time?” she +asked finally.</p> + +<p>It troubled Jonah that she would not look +at him. “I did not go away to amuse myself,” +he said simply. And he added in a +lower voice,</p> + +<p>“Did you miss me?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I suppose so. At least ... I have +been so busy. What hot days these have +been.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span>“I went to Bethel,” said Jonah. He wondered +how to go on; he was puzzled and depressed. +This was not as he had thought it +would be.</p> + +<p>“Didn’t you know?”</p> + +<p>“No.... Did you prophesy again? +What is going to happen now? My goodness, +you prophets, you are always going +about.</p> + +<p>“I suppose you will be going back to the +desert soon.”</p> + +<p>Jonah stared at her. She kept her head +down, and her hands twisted together. He +began to feel as he did sometimes before +God spoke to him, still and empty inside, +with a terrible stillness, waiting for something.</p> + +<p>“Judith,” he half whispered.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Jonah,” she said, looking up at him, +for only a moment, and then looking away +again.</p> + +<p>“All the time I was gone, I thought of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span>only one thing. I remembered only one +thing.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Jonah?”—ever so faintly.</p> + +<p>“That night in the garden, and the white +moon in the trees like a bird in the +branches....</p> + +<p>“Do you remember?”</p> + +<p>Judith looked away. “That seems like +so long ago, doesn’t it?” she answered.</p> + +<p>“‘Long ago’?” cried Jonah, and his heart +sank. “Why, it is no more than seven +days ... Judith, have you forgotten?”</p> + +<p>“No,” murmured Judith unhappily; “but +I do not exactly remember....”</p> + +<p>“You said you loved me,” he cried, in a +voice which sounded like a croak.</p> + +<p>She put the backs of her hands to her two +cheeks, and whispered with bent head, +“What must you think of me?”</p> + +<p>“But,” stammered Jonah. Words would +not come; he stood staring at her, eyes wide +with unbelief.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span>“Forgive me,” she said calmly. “You can +understand ... I hardly knew what I was +doing. Do not think too badly of me.”</p> + +<p>Jonah did not move or speak. But within +him there were voices enough, too many. +“What? I do not believe it. It is impossible. +No, it is not impossible. Well, it has +happened. But such things cannot happen ... to +you, Jonah, to you....”</p> + +<p>He was still, waiting for the clamor to +subside, for the voices to reduce themselves +to one voice. He was afraid to move even; +bewildered, horrified, he was like a man +clinging with his finger-tips to the edge of +a precipice. If he moved ... if even a little +earth slid from under his fingers....</p> + +<p>No, he must keep very still; not a word, +not a motion ... then it would all turn out +right again....</p> + +<p>It was Judith who moved, and spoke. +Coming forward a step, she laid her hand +timidly on his arm. “You will forgive me,” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span>she said. “You have work to do in the +world. You must go on, you must be a +great prophet for my sake. I am going to +be married. I shall be so proud of you.”</p> + +<p>And turning, she ran back to meet Sarah, +who was hurrying out of the house after her.</p> + +<p>Jonah went home. His feet led him back +down the hill to his mother’s house, but he +did not notice where he was going. He felt +strangely light-headed, almost as if he had +been drinking. His set face, with wide +amazed eyes, was lifted to the sky. And he +kept thinking:</p> + +<p>“Something has happened, something has +happened....”</p> + +<p>But what was it? Could he tell? Something +had happened out of all reason, as +though a tree had moved, and stood upright +on its head. How could one believe such a +thing? But there it was—on its head.</p> + +<p>What was God about? And what had he, +Jonah, done to deserve such a thing?</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span>He passed the field where Aaron kept his +cows. And suddenly, as he saw his brother +in the distance, his shoulders sagged, his face +broke into creases, his body seemed to fall together; +and he stood weakly wringing his +hands, while a wave of physical sickness +stormed through his body ... remembering, +remembering....</p> + +<p>Then he went on again, with clumsy steps, +and bent head.</p> + +<p>If only it were something he could understand. +But how could he understand it; +how could he ever understand? How could +one love, he wondered, and then not love? +Love did something to one’s whole being; it +made one gentle, and tender....</p> + +<p>How could she have hurt him so, if she +loved him?</p> + +<p>And where was God all this time? What +did He think about such a thing? “You, +up there—God—what have You to say?”</p> + +<p>Nothing.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span>He came slowly into the house, and sat +down with his hands clasped between his +knees. One look at him was enough for +Deborah; she knew. But then, she had expected +it. And keeping her glance busily +upon her sewing, she began to sing softly to +herself.</p> + +<p>But her eyes were full of pain.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“<i>Men dead long ago.</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>Have set me like a tree....</i></div> +</div></div> + +<p>“You are tired, my son.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Mother.”</p> + +<p>“It has been hot. The poor always feel +the extremes of weather most. If I had a +daughter, I would never let her marry a +poor man.”</p> + +<p>And she glanced swiftly at her son, sunk +in despair upon his stool.</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“<i>Let the wind blow,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>What is that to me?</i></div> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span>“Everywhere I go,” she continued calmly, +“they speak of you with such admiration. +He is a real prophet, they say. Everybody +expects great things of you. It makes me +so happy.”</p> + +<p>Still Jonah did not answer. And Deborah +said, sighing,</p> + +<p>“Is it time you were going back to the +desert, Jonah?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Mother.”</p> + +<p>“Well, I suppose you are right. It will +be a rest for you, after all this. We shall +miss you. It will be peaceful in the desert.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Mother.”</p> + +<p>“I will send Aaron to you soon, with +news, and some little comforts for you. +Even if you have to live with the foxes, you +can at least be comfortable.”</p> + +<p>Slowly, putting her sewing away, she rose, +and came over to him. “Jonah,” she said +gently, and laid her hand ever so lightly +upon his hair, “my boy....</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span>“People are not very kind to one another.”</p> + +<p>“No ... Mother....”</p> + +<p>She began to sing again, softly, taking his +head in her hands, drawing him gently to +her:</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first">“<i>My roots are in their dust,</i></div> +<div class="verse"><i>My roots are deep, I trust....</i>”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>And Jonah wept, with his head against his +mother’s breast.</p> + +<p class="center">“<i>My son is at my knee.</i>”</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">NAAMAN sat beneath his acacia +tree. Gentle and austere, his +thoughts usually concerned themselves +with the universe and with God, who +he did not believe belonged exclusively to the +Jews. However, he no longer felt called +upon to say so, unless he was asked; then he +stated his opinions with dignity but without +the least hope of convincing any one. When +any one wished to know why he, who loved +peace, clung to such disturbing ideas, he replied, +“I am an old man, and I like to have +in my mind only what is comfortable there.”</p> + +<p>Now, however, his brows were drawn in a +frown, and he looked gloomily at Jonah, +who sat with bent head at his feet. And his +hands, as he caressed his long white beard, +trembled with age, with pity, and with indignation.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span>“So, my son,” he said, “you have hurt +yourself. When you were a child you used +to come running to me with eyes full of tears, +to show me some bruise you had received. I +can still remember what I used to tell you: +if you did not fall you would not get a bump. +The one followed the other, almost as to +make one believe that they were the same +thing. And so I used to ask you: Jonah, +are you crying because of the fall or the +bump? Well, my son?”</p> + +<p>Jonah smiled sadly. “Yes,” he replied. +“And then you went on to say that I was +not a philosopher. How that used to wound +me, for I wished above all things to be a +philosopher.</p> + +<p>“Well, now it is the bump that has made +me cry, Naaman.”</p> + +<p>Naaman nodded his head. “Exactly,” he +said. “But do you think perhaps you are +any more of a philosopher than you were +then? I doubt it, my son. For you bring +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span>me your bruise with the same astonishment +as of old, not seeing that, having fallen, you +can expect nothing else.”</p> + +<p>Jonah spread out his hands in a gesture +of discouragement. “How is one to stand +upright in this world then, Naaman,” he +said, “being but a man, and less than a god.”</p> + +<p>The old hermit regarded him gravely. +“You are not a man, Jonah,” he said finally; +“although,” he added quickly, “you are not +a god, either. But you are not a man in +the sense that your brother Aaron is a man. +Nor do you live in the world he lives in. +You belong to another world altogether, as +different from that one as Thebes from +Nineveh.</p> + +<p>“And that world, my son, where you belong, +is not here, among the tribes, among +the towns and villages. It is in the desert; +it is in the wilderness, where there is quiet +for God to speak, where there is room for +His angels to move about. When you left +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span>Golan, your heart was like the desert, spacious +and calm. But now it is like a crowded +village, full of tumult and pain.”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Jonah in a low voice, “it is +full of pain.”</p> + +<p>“I hoped you would not stay here,” continued +Naaman; “I implored you to return +to Golan, to your home. Yet you stayed; +with the result it was impossible not to foresee.”</p> + +<p>“I did not foresee it,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>“That is because you are ignorant,” said +Naaman severely. “You do not know the +world, yet you wish to live in it.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Jonah, “that is not true. For +such things do not happen to everybody, or +to other people. Why, love is holy, Naaman. +It is as though God had told a lie.”</p> + +<p>“Be silent,” exclaimed Naaman harshly, +“and do not blaspheme. Love is not holy; +and God does not lie. That alone is holy +which concerns itself with holy things. But +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span>love ... no, my son; it is pain and impurity, +it is violence and sorrow. The world of +desire is the world of demons, of concealment, +of Sathariel which hides the face of +mercy.”</p> + +<p>Jonah regarded the old man with astonishment. +“You are so bitter,” he exclaimed; +“I have never heard you speak in that tone +before.”</p> + +<p>Naaman peered off beneath his shaggy +white eyebrows to the distant hillside, swimming +in the haze of summer heat. For a moment +he did not speak, but presently he said, +sighing,</p> + +<p>“You know but little of my life, my son. +I, too, loved in my youth. Does that surprise +you? Yes, it is hard to imagine that +old men have ever been in love, swept by the +flames of passion and of sorrow. And sometimes +it is hard for the old to remember how +it goes with the young men, with their joy, +and their pain.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span>“I, too, was young like you, Jonah. Do +you think your heart is the first to break? +Other hearts have broken before; and other +men have wept, as you are weeping. I +know; for I, too, wept, Jonah, my son.”</p> + +<p>He was silent. Jonah took the old man’s +trembling hand between his two brown +palms. “I am sorry,” he said. And he remained +respectfully silent.</p> + +<p>“But, Naaman,” he broke out at last, +“what then is holy here on earth?”</p> + +<p>Naaman replied gently and inexorably, +“My son, the love of earth is holy, the love +that God bears the least of His creatures, +without desire, without envy, and without +malice. That mercy and generosity with +which the sun warms and the soil nourishes +its flowers and trees, is holy; all that gives of +itself, without reason, without measure, and +without return. For that is the way of God; +it is the way of the One, from which all +things spring, to which all things return. Go +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span>back to the desert, Jonah; go back to the +desert, and learn that God is One, and that +His love is holy.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah did not understand him. +“Yes,” he said. “I shall go back to the desert, +because that is all I can do. But I shall +have no happiness, Naaman; my heart will +never be at peace again. There is no beauty +in the world for me now, ever. Oh, Naaman,” +he cried suddenly, clasping his hands +together, “if God loves His creatures, how +can He make them suffer so?”</p> + +<p>Naaman looked sadly at the young +prophet whose face was hidden from him. +“Must you have beauty, too, Jonah?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>Rising to his feet, he added, “You do not +know what it is to love and to be unhappy.”</p> + +<p>And he went home again. As he entered +his yard, a green beetle crossed his path. He +went a few steps out of his way in order to +tread upon it.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XIV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap2">AND so Jonah returned to the desert, +to his hut among the rushes in +Golan. As he stood waiting for the +ferry to take him across the Jordan, a party +of soldiers coming from Hamath passed +him on their way home. “There is Jonah,” +they said, “the prophet. Now we shall have +another war.”</p> + +<p>“That is the sort of prophet to have.”</p> + +<p>“Hurrah for Jonah.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah paid no attention to them. He +was thin and deathly tired, and his eyes, +which burned with a deep and weary fire, +were fixed on the distant hills beyond the +river. There, Naaman had said, he would +have peace again.</p> + +<p>He walked northward through Tob, +climbing from the river valley toward the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span>table-land behind the hills. His heart was +heavy, so heavy it seemed to weigh him +down; and he walked slowly. At dusk he +found himself still far from Golan, with a +river yet to cross, and near the little pool at +which he had halted on his way to Bethel, +months before. How different life had +seemed to him then. Why, it was not the +same thing at all any longer; now it seemed +like a dream, without reality, without anything +about it that he could feel.</p> + +<p>He sank down and looked around him.</p> + +<p>The night came on. The shrill frogs sang +together; and the little fox came out of his +hole, and lay down beside Jonah, whom he +recognized.</p> + +<p>“Ah,” he remarked, as he settled himself +comfortably at his side, “here is the man of +God again.”</p> + +<p>Jonah let his hand stroke the fox’s soft +fur. His face was turned to the west, and +he peered back through the darkness over +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span>the way he had come, as though trying to see +again the home he had left. Uncle David, +Aaron—his mother....</p> + +<p>He remembered how she had pressed him +to her breast as he departed. “Go, my son,” +she had said, “go back to God. He misses +you. Here is a little cake for the journey, +and a few silver pieces. They are all I have. +Buy yourself a coat on the way.”</p> + +<p>She had sold her shawl to give him a coat. +But he left the silver pieces in a pot before +the oven. He wanted nothing, only to forget +the sickness of his heart, the heaviness +like a weight of lead in his breast.</p> + +<p>“Cheer up,” she had said at the last; “see, +you will forget all this after a while. There +is the storm, and then the sun shines. Do +not stay away too long. Who knows, maybe +God will send you home again soon.”</p> + +<p>And she had kissed him. No, he would +not forget all this soon. Would he ever forget +it? that was what he wondered. And +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span>Judith, with her brown eyes, and the scent +of lilies and jasmine in the moonlight....</p> + +<p>“O Judith, Judith, how could you do such +a thing to me?”</p> + +<p>His eyes filled with tears, and he bowed +his head.</p> + +<p>The fox stirred beneath his hand. “Well, +Jonah,” he said sadly, “God is a raven. I +believe that now, since a jackal ate my wife. +He could not very well be a fox, and allow +such things; or even an old man with a +beard.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you are right,” said Jonah in a +low tone; “perhaps He is a raven.”</p> + +<p>Hearing this, the Devil, who was going by +in the form of a scorpion, stopped, and said +to himself,</p> + +<p>“I shall tempt this holy man a little.”</p> + +<p>And remembering how Jonah’s quiet and +pious spirit had vexed him in the past, Satan +considered how best to be revenged on the +prophet.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span>“There is nothing like an odor,” he +thought, “to hurt the memory.”</p> + +<p>And he changed himself into a jasmine +vine. The unwilling night wind, trembling +and sighing, carried the fragrance of its +blossoms toward Jonah, who shivered as +though with cold.</p> + +<p>“Ak,” he thought, “I can never forget.”</p> + +<p>And staring with wide eyes at the west, +he saw again the garden, with the moonlight +falling through the leaves like honey; heard +the voices of the old men under the trees, the +whispers of lovers, and laughter, like a sound +of flutes; felt on his hand the touch of her +fingers.... Judith’s....</p> + +<p>“What a beautiful night.... It makes +me sad. Why does it make me sad, Jonah?</p> + +<p>“Listen ... there’s a bird singing. Just +think, in the moonlight; isn’t it sweet, +Jonah? This is beauty, isn’t it.</p> + +<p>“I could stay here forever.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, Judith, Judith....”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span>“There is a smell of sulphur here,” said +the fox, wrinkling up his nose.</p> + +<p>But Jonah did not hear him. Something +was hurting in his throat. He sprang to his +feet, and took a deep breath. “Look,” he +cried out to God, “look; it is I, Jonah.”</p> + +<p>And he stood there, with bowed head, in +the silence.</p> + +<p>“This is very good,” said Satan to himself.</p> + +<p>After thinking for a moment, the Arch-Demon +decided to become a woman with +brown eyes and brown hair. She came up +to Jonah out of the darkness, timidly, +draped in her shawls. “Well, Jonah,” she +said, “here is the desert. See how quiet it is; +what peace, what beauty. How happy we +shall be here.”</p> + +<p>“Go away,” cried Jonah, throwing out his +hands in front of his face, “go away.”</p> + +<p>“Why do you want me to go away?” +asked the woman quietly. “Have I not +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span>come all this long way with you, as you +wished? Am I not your love, tender and +gentle and kind? Come, let me make you +happy.”</p> + +<p>And as Jonah stood trembling, unable to +reply, she continued in her soft voice,</p> + +<p>“Are you not young, Jonah, and lonely? +The young ought not to be lonely. See how +beautiful the night is with its stars, its +clouds, half seen, half guessed, how the +music of the wind rises over the desert and +sings in the hills, softly, softly. It is a night +for love, Jonah, for young hearts beating +each to each in the silence, in the darkness. +That is what life is for, Jonah, for lips to +kiss, for hands to fondle.... There is no +beauty like mine, Jonah, no voice like mine +to hurt your heart so, no hands like mine to +hold your face tenderly, to kiss your mouth, +Jonah, and your tired eyes, your mouth and +your eyes....</p> + +<p>“And you in your little hut, all alone +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[161]</span>among the rushes, all alone, Jonah, all +alone....</p> + +<p>“You will always be alone now, summer +and winter, winter and summer, your pillow +the earth, harder and colder than my arms; +only the song of birds and the sound of rain +in your ears.... And you will never see +me again, Jonah, never hold my young white +beauty close to your breast, never feel, as +other men, love singing in your heart, and +peace folding down upon your eyes. You +will be all alone, Jonah, with no one to tell +the secret things in your heart to at the set +of sun, at the rise of moon ... until at last, +old and sleepy, you take my single kiss with +you into the darkness ... alone in the +darkness too, Jonah ... alone in the darkness....”</p> + +<p>“O God,” cried Jonah, sobbing, “help me, +help me.”</p> + +<p>“God will not help you now,” said the +woman.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span>The drowsy fragrance of her body spread +through the night. “Come,” she said, holding +out her arms to him.</p> + +<p>“God cannot help you now, my poor +Jonah.”</p> + +<p>Jonah took a step forward, and fell upon +his knees. And then, one by one far off and +near, the demons of the desert broke into +laughter, wild peals of laughter, bitter and +full of pain, cruel and without pity.</p> + +<p>“Ha, ha, ha.”</p> + +<p>“Alone, alone....”</p> + +<p>“God cannot help you now.”</p> + +<p>Under that mocking clamor, Jonah +swayed like a reed, beaten to the earth, his +face hidden in his hands. And then, at last, +when it seemed to him as though he could +bear no more, the terrible laughter stopped. +There was a cry, and then silence.</p> + +<p>Jonah got up and looked around him. +Nothing was to be seen; the woman had vanished.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span>The little fox had run forward, and seized +the demon by the leg. Once again the desert +was filled with a holy peace, as though +brooding beneath the wings of angels.</p> + +<p>“One can at least always help oneself,” +remarked the fox.</p> + +<p>He lay down next to Jonah with a contented +sigh. And presently the man and +the fox fell asleep together.</p> + +<p>In her kitchen at home, Deborah sat praying +for her son. She prayed that God would +be kind to him. “He is only a boy,” she +said; “do not ask him to behave like a man. +Watch over him a little. I do not ask for +anything for myself. I am an old woman, +and my heart was broken long ago. But he +is so young ... leave a little of his heart +unbroken.”</p> + +<p>She lifted up her eyes full of tears. +“Leave me my son,” she said.</p> + +<p>And Judith, at her window in Tyre, knelt +with a pale and weary face, peering out +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[164]</span>across the plains and hills of Phœnicia, +across the wide waters of Meram, far off and +unseen, toward the desert, where the night +had already rolled up its cold blue clouds. +And she, too, thought of Jonah; she, too, +saw in the moonlight, in the little garden, the +thin, worn face with its grave, dark eyes. +They seemed to follow her, without reproach, +but with infinite tenderness, pitying and forgiving. +And suddenly she thought, “Yes, +there in the desert there is peace; it is gentle +out there, where Jonah is. O my dear, my +dear, do you forgive me? Have you forgotten? +It would have been different, Jonah, +it would have been so different....”</p> + +<p>Wearily she went to her little gold box, +and drew out her silver dove. Holding it in +her hands like a tiny live bird, she kissed its +ruby eyes and its silver beak. “Little dove,” +she said sadly, “tell me what love is.”</p> + +<p>But the dove said nothing. And all at +once she let it fall to the ground.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span>“Ak,” she cried, “you don’t know anything +about it.”</p> + +<p>And as she wept, Hiram’s steps mounted +through the house to her room.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XV</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">GOD was worried about Jonah. +Watched by reverent cherubim, +whose wings fanned the air all +about Him, the Lord of Hosts walked up +and down in the sky, and said to Moses, who +was accompanying Him,</p> + +<p>“I must find something for this young +man to do.”</p> + +<p>Moses looked down at Jonah with an expression +of contempt. “He is hardly worth +the effort,” he declared gloomily. “He +seems to me to lack character.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” said God. “Still, he expects +something from Me.”</p> + +<p>And He added, smiling gently, “Perhaps +that is why I am fond of him. He has not +your strong and resourceful mind, Moses, +nor Noah’s faithful heart; but he has suffered. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[167]</span>He is simply a man, like anybody.”</p> + +<p>“What?” cried Noah, hurrying up, “are +you talking about me?”</p> + +<p>God replied: “I was saying that Jonah +did not trust Me as you did, My friend.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Noah; “but then, what do you +expect? There are so many different ideas +now in the world. I do not recognize my +posterity in these warring nations. Let us +have another flood, Lord.”</p> + +<p>Moses looked sadly down at Jerusalem, +where golden idols were being sold in the +streets. “You are right, Noah,” he said, +“but I do not like the idea of a flood. A +flood does not teach people how to live. +Sometimes I wonder if anything can teach +people what they are unwilling to learn.”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense,” said Noah. “A flood is the +most sanitary thing. Wait and see; even +you could learn something about sewers +from a good flood.”</p> + +<p>God checked the old patriarch with a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[168]</span>kindly hand. “Things are not the same as +they used to be in the early days,” He said. +“I cannot drown the world to-day without +drowning My wife, Israel. She is young, +and a nuisance, but she has yet to bear Me +a son. I foresee that He will give His +mother a great deal of pain, but that cannot +be helped.</p> + +<p>“Let us not think of Israel now, but of +the prophet Jonah. Moses is of the opinion +that he is not a first-class prophet, and I am +inclined to agree with him. He is a poet; +and for that reason I feel warmly inclined +toward him. After all, you, Noah, and you, +Moses, see only one side of My nature. You +try to look upon the Greater Countenance, +but what you see is the Lesser Countenance. +It is different with a poet. He does not see +Hod, or Chesed, the thrones of Glory and +Mercy. He looks through Beauty to the +Crown itself. Whereas you, Moses, have +never seen beyond Knowledge; and you, my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[169]</span>good Noah, have seen My face only in +Severity.”</p> + +<p>Moses and Noah bowed their heads. “It +is true, Lord,” said Noah humbly.</p> + +<p>God continued:</p> + +<p>“At this moment Jonah does not see Me +at all. In the first place, he is unhappy, and +he no longer looks toward beauty. He believes +that there is no more beauty in the +world because his heart is broken. He is +mistaken; and after a while his sorrow will +sharpen his eyes. Then he will see more +than before.”</p> + +<p>“In that case,” said Moses, “why do You +bother Yourself?”</p> + +<p>The Lord considered a moment before replying. +It was obvious that He wished to +express Himself in terms intelligible to His +hearers.</p> + +<p>“The trouble, My friends,” He said at +last, “is this: our young prophet is a patriot. +He is convinced that I am God of Israel +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[170]</span>alone. I do not mind that point of view in +a prophet, but it will not do in a poet. Severity, +glory, knowledge, belong to the nations, +if you like. But beauty belongs to the +world. It is the portion of all mankind in +its God.</p> + +<p>“I have covered the heavens with beauty, +the green spaces of the earth, the cloudy +waters, the tall and snowy peaks. These are +for all to see, these are for all to love. Shall +any one take beauty from another, and say, +‘This is mine’?”</p> + +<p>“Now He is beginning to talk,” said +Moses in an undertone to Noah; “this is +like old times.”</p> + +<p>But God grew silent again. Presently he +continued wearily,</p> + +<p>“It is your fault, Moses, that the Jews believe +I belong to them entirely. Well, I do +not blame you, for you could not have +brought them safely through the desert otherwise. +But you did not tell them that I was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[171]</span>a bull. I foresee that for a long time yet +men will be irresistibly led to worship Me in +the form of an animal.”</p> + +<p>“Well, then,” said Noah, “if You foresee +so much....”</p> + +<p>“Be silent,” said God, in a voice of thunder +which made the wings of angels tremble. +He continued more gently, “Actually, at the +moment, I am not interested in theology. I +am thinking of Jonah.”</p> + +<p>And He walked quietly up and down in +the sky, thinking. The cherubim, moving +all about Him, beat with their snowy wings +the air perfumed with frankincense; and the +clouds rolled under His feet.</p> + +<p>Left to themselves, Moses and Noah regarded +each other in an unfriendly manner. +At last Moses shrugged his shoulders. He +was vexed to think that he did not know +everything.</p> + +<p>“Well, old man,” he said to Noah, “have +you nothing to talk about except the flood? +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span>You do not understand conditions in the +world to-day.”</p> + +<p>“I understand this much,” replied Noah +calmly, “that faith is more important than +knowledge. Where would you be, with all +your wisdom, if it had not been for me and +my ark? You would be a fish, swimming in +the sea.”</p> + +<p>“Do you take credit for saving your own +skin?” cried Moses. “Wonderful. I, on the +other hand, was very comfortable in Egypt. +What I did was from the highest motives. +I am not even sure that I am a Jew.”</p> + +<p>“I believed in God,” said Noah stoutly, +“and I did as He told me.”</p> + +<p>“So did I,” said Moses angrily, “but I +also used my wits a little. Faith is nothing; +any animal can have faith. You and your +faith had to get inside a wooden ark, in +order to keep dry. But when I wished to +take an entire nation across the sea, I simply +parted the waters. I shall not tell you +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[173]</span>how I did it, because it would be lost on you. +It takes a first-rate intelligence to understand +such a thing.”</p> + +<p>Noah replied excitedly, “Please remember +that I am your ancestor, and treat me +with more respect.”</p> + +<p>“You are an old drunkard,” said Moses.</p> + +<p>But at this point God joined them again, +and they were silent, to hear what the Holy +One had to say.</p> + +<p>“This young man,” said God, “does not +believe in Me any more. How then shall I +convince him of Myself?”</p> + +<p>Desirous of showing his knowledge, +Moses began to quote from the Book of +Wisdom: “Infidelity, violence, envy, deceit, +extreme avariciousness, a total want of +qualities, with impurity, are the innate faults +of womankind.”</p> + +<p>“Nevertheless,” said God, “they are also +My creations. In My larger aspects I am as +impure as I am pure; otherwise there would +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span>not be a balance. However, as I have said, +we are not concerned with My larger aspects.”</p> + +<p>Noah broke in at this point. “Send him +to sea, Lord,” he begged. “There is nothing +like a long trip at sea to quiet the mind. +It is very peaceful on the water. One forgets +one’s disappointments.”</p> + +<p>“You are right,” said God; “we need the +sea; it will give him peace. But as a matter +of fact, I do not care whether he finds peace +or not. As I have told you, I simply wish +this poet to understand that I am God, and +not Baal of Canaan. The attempt to confuse +Me with a sun-myth, with the fertility +of earth as symbolized by the figure of a bull, +or a dove, vexes Me. Increase is man’s affair, +not God’s. Besides, where will all this +increase end? I regret the days of Adam +and Eve and the Garden of Eden. Already +there are more people on earth than +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span>I have any use for, socially speaking. Now +I could wish there were more beauty in the +world. I should like some poet to speak of +Me in words other than those of a patriot. +Yet if I try to explain Myself, who will understand +Me? Not even you, Moses, with +all your wisdom. And so I, in turn, must +forget My wisdom, in order to explain Myself. +I must act as the not-too-wise God of +an ignorant people. That this is possible is +due to the fact that along with infinite wisdom, +I include within Myself an equal +amount of ignorance.”</p> + +<p>He sighed deeply. “I shall send Jonah +to Nineveh,” he concluded. “The subjects +of King Shalmaneser the Third are honest, +hard-working men and women. I enjoy, in +some of My aspects, their vigorous and spectacular +festivals. Nevertheless, repentance +will not do them any harm, since for one +thing they will not know exactly what it is +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span>they are asked to repent of, and for another, +they will soon go back to their old +ways again.</p> + +<p>“Thus I shall convince Jonah of Myself +where he least expects to find Me. He shall +hear from Me at sea, and again within the +walls of Nineveh. It will surprise him. +And perhaps the rude beauty of that city +will speak to his heart, dreamy with woe.”</p> + +<p>“I do not doubt that it will surprise him,” +said Moses, “but will he be convinced?”</p> + +<p>God did not answer. Already He was on +his way to earth. And Noah, looking after +Him, shook his hoary head with regret.</p> + +<p>“A flood would have been the better way,” +he said.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XVI</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">GOD went down to the water. He +stood on the shores of the sea and +called; like the voice of the storm a +name rolled forth from those august lips +across the deep. And the deeps trembled. +Presently a commotion took place in the +waters; wet and black the huge form of +Leviathan rose gleaming from the sea, and +floated obediently before its God.</p> + +<p>The Lord spoke, and the whale listened. +After He had explained the situation, God +said:</p> + +<p>“I foresee that Jonah will not go to +Nineveh as I command. He will attempt +to flee from Me, and he will choose the sea +as the best means of escape. It will not help +him. I shall raise a storm upon the waters, +and the ignorant sailors will cast him overboard +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span>as a sacrifice to the gods of the storm. +That is where you can be of assistance to +Me, My old friend. As he sinks through +the water, I wish you to advance upon him, +and swallow him.”</p> + +<p>“Ak,” said the whale; “O my.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said God impatiently, “what is +the matter?”</p> + +<p>The great fish blew a misty spray of water +into the air. “It is impossible,” he declared; +“in the first place, I should choke to death.”</p> + +<p>“You are an ignorant creature,” said +God; “you have neither faith, nor science. +Let Me tell you a few things about yourself +in the light of future exegesis. Know then, +that you are a cetacean, or whalebone type +of whale. Such animals obtain their food +by swimming on or near the surface of the +water, with their jaws open.”</p> + +<p>“That is true,” said the whale, reverent +and amazed.</p> + +<p>“The screen of whalebone,” continued the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span>Lord, “opens inward, and admits solid objects +to the animal’s mouth. This screen +does not allow the egress of any solid matter, +only of water. As the gullet is very +small, only the smallest objects can pass +down it.</p> + +<p>“Jonah will therefore be imprisoned in +your mouth. You cannot swallow him; and +he cannot get out, because of the screen of +whalebone.”</p> + +<p>“Then he will suffocate,” said the whale.</p> + +<p>“Nonsense,” said God. “Remember that +you are an air-breathing, warm-blooded animal, +and can only dive because of the reservoir +of air in your mouth. When this air +becomes unfit to breathe, you must rise to +the surface for a fresh supply.</p> + +<p>“While you have air to breathe, Jonah +will have it also.</p> + +<p>“So do not hesitate any longer, but do as +you are told.”</p> + +<p>The whale heaved a deep sigh; his breath +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[180]</span>groaned through the ocean, causing many +smaller fish, terrified, to flee with trembling +fins.</p> + +<p>“How horrid for me,” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>God replied soothingly, “It will assure +you a place in history.”</p> + +<p>So saying, the Lord blessed Leviathan, +who sank sadly back to the depths of the sea; +and, turning from the shore, the Light of +Israel rolled like thunder across the valleys +toward Golan.</p> + +<p>The night came to meet Him from the +east, pouring down over the hills like smoke. +In the cold night air God went to look for +Jonah.</p> + +<p>Poor Jonah, he had not found peace after +all. The lonely desert, so calm and quiet in +the past, had given no rest to his thoughts. +His mind went back over and over again to +those days at home; he felt the wonder of the +love-night, his heart shrank again with sickness +for what followed. And he asked himself +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[181]</span>for the thousandth time how such things +could be. Then he cried out against Judith +for her cruelty; yet the next moment he forgave +her.</p> + +<p>And these thoughts, climbing and falling +wearily up and down through his head, kept +him awake until long after the desert was +asleep. In the morning, when he awoke, it +was with regret; he tried to sleep a little +longer, to keep his eyes closed, to keep from +thinking again ... why wake at all? he +wondered. There was nothing to wake to. +Only the hot sun over the desert, only his +heavy heart, which grew no lighter as the +days went by.</p> + +<p>Why wake at all?</p> + +<p>God found him sitting wearily upon a +rock, his head bowed between his hands. +The Lord spoke, and the desert was silent.</p> + +<p>“Jonah,” said God in a voice like a great +wave breaking, slowly, and with the peace of +the sea, “Jonah, you have wept enough.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span>Jonah replied simply, “I have been waiting +for You a long while, and I am very +tired.”</p> + +<p>“I had not forgotten you,” said God; “I +have been thinking.”</p> + +<p>And He added, “Now I have something +for you to do.”</p> + +<p>Jonah remained seated without looking +up. He seemed no longer to care what God +had for him to do.</p> + +<p>“Arise, Jonah,” said God, “and go to +Nineveh. Cry out against that great city +for its sins.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah looked more dejected than +ever. “What have I to do with Nineveh?” +he asked. “Am I prophet to the Assyrians? +I am a Jew. Do not mock me, Lord.”</p> + +<p>“I do not mock you,” said God gravely. +“Go, then, and do My bidding.”</p> + +<p>And as Jonah did not reply, he added +sadly, “Do you still doubt Me?”</p> + +<p>Jonah rose slowly to his feet. His eyes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[183]</span>blazed, and his hands were tightly clenched. +“Oh,” he cried bitterly, all the passion in his +heart storming out at last in a torrent of despair, +“You ... what are You God of? +Were You God of Israel when a Tyrian +stole my love? Was I Your prophet then? +Have You power over Tyre, that You let +Your servant suffer such anguish? Or are +You God of the desert, where the demons +mock me night and day, where the very +stones cry out against me, and the whole +night is noisy with laughter? Nineveh ... +Nineveh ... in whose name shall I cry out +against Nineveh? Do the gods of Assur +visit their wrath upon Jerusalem? What +power have You in Nineveh? For my youth +which I gave You, what have You given +me? How have You returned my love, with +what sorrow? What have You done to me, +Lord? I stand in the darkness, weary, and +with a heavy heart. What are You God of? +Answer: what are You God of?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span>And God answered gently, “I am your +God, Jonah, and where you go, there you +will find Me.”</p> + +<p>Jonah sank down upon the rock again. +His passion had exhausted him; but he was +not convinced. “Well,” he said in a whisper, +“You are not God in Nineveh, and I +will not go.”</p> + +<p>Then the wrath of the Lord, slow to start, +flamed for a moment over the desert, and +Jonah cowered to earth while the heavens +groaned and the ground shook with fright. +And in his hole by the pool in the Land of +Tob, the little fox said to himself, “Jonah +is talking to God.”</p> + +<p>But God’s anger passed, leaving Him sad +and holy.</p> + +<p>“Peace unto you, Jonah,” He said in +tones of divine sweetness; “take up your +task, and doubt Me no more.”</p> + +<p>And He returned to heaven in a cloud. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[185]</span>Overcome with weariness, empty of passion, +Jonah fell asleep upon the ground.</p> + +<p>No jackals laughed that night. Silence +brooded over the desert. The stars kept +watch without a sound, and Jonah slept with +a quiet heart.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[186]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XVII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">BUT in the morning his doubts returned +more strongly than ever. +“They will mock me in Nineveh,” +he told himself. “I shall be made a laughing-stock. +What power has the Light of +Israel in the land of Marduk, of Dagon, of +Istar, of the warrior Ashur? I should count +myself lucky if I escaped being stoned to death.</p> + +<p>“For how can God destroy Nineveh? I +might as well preach to the fish in the sea.”</p> + +<p>But now he had something to do, at least. +He determined to flee from God. “I shall +go to Tarshish,” he thought, “and begin life +over again. There is nothing for me here +any longer. The desert will be glad to be +rid of me.”</p> + +<p>And without bothering even to return to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span>his hut, he started south, toward Joppa, +where he expected to find a ship bound west +for Tarshish.</p> + +<p>He traveled swiftly, on other roads from +those he had come. Late on the afternoon +of the second day he crossed the Brook +Kanah, and saw in the distance the white +domed roofs of Joppa shining above the sea.</p> + +<p>As he came down from the low hills, the +sight of ocean rounded like a bowl under the +wide arch of the sky, the distant and titanic +clouds piled above the unseen shores of +Africa, filled his heart for a moment with +beauty. But then he thought:</p> + +<p>“This is like Tyre. It is by the shore of +this same sea that Judith has gone to live.”</p> + +<p>And he cursed the beauty that hurt him.</p> + +<p>It was late when he came to the shore, and +night was already moving upon the deep. +In profound silence he leaned above the harbor +wall and regarded the shadowless water +which with the sound of immemorial tides +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[188]</span>passed under him in the darkness. It was +the season when the mists from the ocean +blow landward in the evening. In the gray +night fog the masts of the vessels at anchor +rocked toward one another on the long, low +waves; and the mist, salty with sea air, mingled +along the quays with the odors of the +city.</p> + +<p>It was the dark of the moon in the month +of Nisan. The moon was gone, and his +youth with it. Other moons would rise, fall +through the branches of a tree, and cheat a +bird to sing. But where would Jonah be? +And Judith, in her great house over the terraces +of Tyre; she would grow old, soon she +would be like Deborah, looking backward +over her life.... What happened to +youth, to beauty? Where did they go? +They hardly lasted at all.</p> + +<p>Night hung black and silent over the sea. +The wings of angels leaned upon the +wind which moved dark and vast between +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span>the earth and sky. The stars paled, and the +sun rose like a ball of fire in the east. Then +the ocean mist, cold as frost, melted away. +The tide turned, and the waves, breaking +far out, spoke with their murmur like the +sound of wind to the sleeping city on the +shore.</p> + +<p>In the morning Jonah found a ship bound +for Tarshish. The cargo was already +loaded; and when he had made his bargain, +he went aboard. Bearded and singing, the +seamen hoisted the sails, yellow as a slice of +moon; with a sly, tranquil motion the ship +moved out of the harbor, over the blue sea, +sparkling in the sun, past sails stained blue +as the sky, or brown as the sands. The +white roofs of Joppa faded behind them +in the east, lost in the gradual fog; the seagulls +cried above them; and Jonah sat silent, +dreaming, gazing at the sea.</p> + +<p>He was tired, and listless. “Now,” he +said to himself, “God has lost me.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[190]</span>And he thought of Deborah with sadness +and peace. He remembered what she had +said to him, as she had held him, weeping +bitterly, in her arms, on her breast.</p> + +<p>“Jonah,” she had said, “when you are dead, +or perhaps very old and ready to die, people +will say of you, ‘There, he was a great +prophet.’ And they will feel honored because +they knew you, because their names +will be spoken of with yours. But now ...” +she sighed; she wanted to say, “now +you are only a nuisance.”</p> + +<p>What she finally said was, “Well, people +are like that.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah knew what she wanted to say. +And as he sat quietly on the deck of the ship +under the yellow, curved sail, he thought,</p> + +<p>“I shall not bother anybody now.”</p> + +<p>The warmth of the sun, reflected from the +sea, entered his mind and lulled his limbs. +Sea-quiet took hold of him; the peace of +ocean bathed his spirit. He grew drowsier +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[191]</span>and drowsier; he began to doze. And as he +fell asleep, his last thought was that he had +got away from God.</p> + +<p>All day the sails sang in the wind, under +the sun. Jonah slept; his dreams swept out +like homing birds over the calm waters; and +in his sleep he wept.</p> + +<p>But in the afternoon the wind died away; +an ominous haze enveloped the sky; and the +sea grew oily. The sails were hastily drawn +in; and the oars were made ready. Huddled +together on the deck, the seamen spoke in +low, anxious voices. All eyes were turned +toward the east, which grew darker and +darker. All was still; the air did not stir. +Moved by fear, the men trembled; and as +though herself frightened, the ship started +to creak in all her timbers. All at once the +sky uttered a moan; high above them the air +began to sing; and the sea rolled in slow, +unwilling swells. And then it seemed as if +the sky fell down upon the sea, for the water +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span>rose like the hills, and the dark came down +upon it. Unable to move, the ship trembled +from bow to stern, lifted dizzily upon the +waves, tilted in the wind, and dropped like a +stone into the trough. The gulls were flattened +to the sea, and the air was filled with +the shout of the gale, and the crash of water +falling upon itself. It was God’s storm, but +Satan also was enjoying it.</p> + +<p>Pale with fear, the sailors rushed to +lighten the ship by throwing the cargo overboard. +Then, as the tiny vessel dashed +about in the water like a cork, they fell upon +their knees and prayed to their gods, to +Ramman, the thunderer, to Dagon, to Enlil, +the old god of storms.</p> + +<p>Seeing that Jonah still slept, sheltered by +the deck which curved above him, the captain +ran to awaken him. “Here,” he said, +“this is a storm. Well, see for yourself. +You should be more anxious, my friend. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[193]</span>Have you a god? Then pray to him, for +we need all the help we can get.”</p> + +<p>Dazed by the tumult, still half asleep, +Jonah gazed in confusion at the heaving +waters. The wind lashed him to the deck; +he stared in dismay at the mighty waves rising +above him on every side like mountains. +“I will not pray,” he said. And the captain +shrank back at the sight of his face.</p> + +<p>But the seamen, clinging to the deck, +looked anxiously at Jonah, and at the great +seas which broke over them without ceasing. +“This is no common storm,” they told each +other; “some great god is angry.”</p> + +<p>They were good and simple men. Had +one of them sinned, to draw down upon them +all such wrath? No, it was Jonah, the +stranger whose face was like a demon’s, dark +as the storm itself. They looked at him with +terror.</p> + +<p>And Jonah looked back at them as frightened +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</span>as they were. His mind reeled; had +he not got away from God after all? Had +God come after him—out there on the sea? +Was there no way to flee from God?</p> + +<p>Why had he tried to run away? What a +fool.... God would never forgive him for +it.</p> + +<p>And then, in the crash of wind and water, +a feeling of disdain came over Jonah, a bitter +strength, a final pride. Well, here was +the storm ... here was God still. God had +taken everything away from him. What +was his life worth to him now? Oh, be done +with it, once and for all. “Look ... if +You want it, God ... it is of no value to +me any more....”</p> + +<p>“It is my fault,” he said to the sailors +proudly. “I alone am to blame. I am a +Jew who has denied his God. It is my life +that is wanted. Throw me overboard.”</p> + +<p>But the sailors were frightened, and they +would not touch him. “No,” they said, “we +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span>will row back to Joppa again. Then your +god can do as he likes. If we throw you +overboard, you will drown. Then we shall +have blood upon our hands.”</p> + +<p>They tried with all their strength to row +against the storm. But the black sea, breaking, +splintered their oars, and the wind +pressed them backwards.</p> + +<p>Then they said humbly, in fear, “This sea +belongs to Iaveh, the god of the Jews. We +cannot prevail against him any longer.”</p> + +<p>And seizing Jonah, they cast him overboard, +with a prayer. “Do not lay innocent +blood upon us,” they said, “O god of the +Jews. This is your doing, not ours.”</p> + +<p>So saying they waited, trembling.</p> + +<p>At once the sea grew calm, the wind died +away, and the sun sank tranquilly down in +the clear west. The peace of evening +brooded again upon the water. And the +ship, with all her sails set for Joppa, fled to +the east.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</span>Jonah sank through the waters without +complaint. It was the end, and he had no +desire to live. But as his breath failed, so +his mind brought back to him the blue and +shining sky, the sweet odors of the desert, +the happy dreams of his youth, of glory, of +peace. He began to struggle; his body +fought against the sea, his mind shouted +against death. “No,” he cried to himself, +“no, I must live; I must live.”</p> + +<p>With a groan Leviathan hurled himself +through the waves and took the prophet into +his mouth.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XVIII</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">IN the darkness the whale spoke to +Jonah. “What a lot of trouble you +have made for yourself,” he said. And +he told Jonah how God had made arrangements.</p> + +<p>Jonah was not unhappy. In the whale’s +mouth he was uncomfortable, but he had a +great deal to think about. His mind was +filled with wonder.</p> + +<p>So it turned out that God was at home +everywhere; that He commanded the fish +of the sea, as well as the hosts of the air, +and the creatures of the land. That was an +extraordinary thing.</p> + +<p>What an upset to theology.</p> + +<p>Jonah asked the whale many questions. +And the whale, who had often thought about +such things as he rested among the weeds at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span>the bottom of the sea, answered him as best +he could.</p> + +<p>“Do you deny,” said Jonah, “that God +created man in His own image?”</p> + +<p>“No,” replied the whale, “but on the other +hand, do you suppose God has only one +image? And then it depends, besides, on +who is looking; because people do not see +things all alike. Well, do you suppose a +whale does not also look like God?”</p> + +<p>“A whale does not look like God at all,” +replied Jonah firmly.</p> + +<p>“Still,” said the whale thoughtfully, “the +most beautiful sight in the world, in my +opinion, is a female whale. And you must +admit I have seen as much of God as you +have. So you see what difficulties you +make for yourself.”</p> + +<p>But Jonah would not believe that God +looked like a whale. And they discussed +other aspects of theology.</p> + +<p>The whale swam through the waters green +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</span>with daylight, or black with night, rising to +the surface now and then to breathe. Out of +respect for the sanctity of the prophet, he +did not attempt to eat any of the small fish +which fled in terror from his path. “We +will fast together,” he said kindly to Jonah.</p> + +<p>In his warm, black prison, Jonah slept, +and woke, and thought about God. His +spirit lifted; he felt peaceful, resigned, and +almost happy. Gone was the bitter sense of +defeat, the shame of betrayal. What if his +heart ached still? he had God again. And +what a God, now that he saw Him: the thunder +of sea-surges, the holy calm of the desert, +all peace, all beauty, were His ... one +need not seek it, it was there, it was everywhere. +Jerusalem was His—Tarshish and +Tyre....</p> + +<p>“I am your God, Jonah, and where you +go, there you will find Me.”</p> + +<p>Tyre was His, too. The Master strode +through the streets of the city with thunder +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[200]</span>on His brow, with love and sorrow in His +hands. And His prophet walked beside +Him, wrapped in glory, like a king.</p> + +<p>When they came to Judith’s house it was +Jonah who blessed it with gently outstretched +arms.</p> + +<p>“My sister,” he said; “my poor, faithless +love.”</p> + +<p>The whale asked Jonah what he was doing. +“I was dreaming,” said Jonah.</p> + +<p>“I think you had better pray,” said the +whale. So Jonah prayed.</p> + +<p>“Lord, I have sinned,” he said humbly. +“I was unhappy; and I ran away. And for +that reason You cast me into the sea; the +waves passed over me.</p> + +<p>“The waves passed over my soul, Lord.</p> + +<p>“I went down to the bottom of the hills; +the bars of the earth were about me. But I +did not perish. You heard my cry, and You +remembered me. I thank You, Lord.</p> + +<p>“Look, I am not vain any longer; I do +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span>not wish anything for myself. Let me do +Your bidding again, with a quiet heart.”</p> + +<p>And he added with a cry, “Give me peace, +Lord.”</p> + +<p>The whale swam on, past schools of appetizing +fish, down through the dim flower-branches +of the sea’s deep bed, up through +sunny foam. Hungry, weary, but hopeful, +the great fish waited patiently for God to +speak.</p> + +<p>On the third day, God spoke. And the +whale, lashing the waters with his tail, sped +like an eager minnow to the shore, and +vomited Jonah forth upon the sand.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span> + +<h2 class="nobreak">XIX</h2> +</div> + +<p class="drop-cap">JONAH was let out of the whale in the +North, near Arvad, and not far from +Kadesh as a crow might fly, which is +to say, over the coastal hills and then in a +straight line across the jungles and the desert. +This was the route he took as being the +shortest way to Nineveh. He was in a +hurry; he was impatient to begin his mission. +He was filled with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>How different from his flight to sea, this +vigorous return across the land dry with the +sun of midsummer. Now he marched with +a firm and hurried step, his face darkly radiant +with divine purpose, with pious anger. +Yes, he would speak; Nineveh would hear +him. Let them stone him if they liked, God +would amply repay them for it. What +glory.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span>And this was all his, not hers, not for her +sake; let her be proud of him if she liked; +what did it matter any more? She would +hear enough of it in Tyre; Jonah here, and +Jonah there....</p> + +<p>Yes, they would speak of it in Tyre.</p> + +<p>As he passed the wayside altars of the +baalim with their pillars surmounted by +horns of sacrifices, he smiled at them in derision.</p> + +<p>“You,” he said scornfully, “you ... +what are you gods of, anyway?”</p> + +<p>At Kadesh he saw statues of the river +deities, Chrysonhoa and Pegai. He spat in +the dust before them; fortunately, no one +was looking. In the sun of late afternoon +their shadows pointed like great spears toward +Nineveh.</p> + +<p>“Israel will hear my name again,” he +thought proudly.</p> + +<p>The evergreen oaks of the hills gave way +to the tamarisks of the Syrian jungles, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[204]</span>the palms and scrub of the desert. He slept +the first night in the wilderness between Kadesh +and Rehoboth. The jackals were silent, +awed by the presence of lions among +the rocks. Padding to and fro, the great +beasts watched Jonah from afar, with eyes +like flames. And Jonah dreamed of Deborah; +when he awoke, he remembered her +gentle smile.</p> + +<p>In the fresh light of early morning a +mother goat divided her milk between the +prophet and her ewe. “These are stirring +times, Jonah,” she said; “angels are abroad +in great numbers.” Recognizing a minor +deity, Jonah blessed her and resumed his +journey.</p> + +<p>At the end of the second day he began to +pass the boundary stones of Assyria, set up +to warn trespassers upon private property. +Thinking them altars, Jonah cursed each +one as he went by. The next day he passed +kilns in which colored bricks were being +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[205]</span>baked. As far as he could see, the blue, +green, and yellow bricks stood in rows on +the red earth.</p> + +<p>That night he slept outside the gates of +Nineveh. The city rose above him in the +dark; he heard the sentries challenge on the +walls.</p> + +<p>In the morning he entered the city with +some farmers on their way to the markets. +The sun was rising, gleaming upon the great +winged bulls before the temples, the green +and yellow lions upon the walls. Under the +clear upland sky the city shone with color +like a fair. The markets opened; the +streets filled with men and women in their +colored shawls and clashing ornaments. +And Jonah, looking and looking, was astonished. +“Why,” he thought, “this is strange; +there is something bright and bold about +all this. This is fine, after all.” And he +felt a gayety of heart take hold of him. How +vigorous these mountain people looked with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[206]</span>their insolent faces and their swaggering +air. There was nothing old or sad in +Nineveh. He forgot why he had come; he +was excited, and happy. It was not at all +what he had expected; and he forgot himself.</p> + +<p>But not for long. As the hours passed, +he grew weary; and as the brightness wore +off, and he began to think of his own life +again, he began to hate Nineveh, to hate the +bold colors all around him, the youth that +carried itself so proudly and carelessly in +the streets. “Yes,” he thought, “that is all +very well for you; but you know nothing +about life.” And, lifting his arms, he cried +aloud with gloomy satisfaction, “Yet forty +days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.”</p> + +<p>The success of this remark astonished him. +Without waiting to find out any more about +it, the Assyrians hurried home and put ashes +on their heads. Nineveh repented like a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span>child of its sins; in an orgy of humility the +city gave up its business, and dressed itself +in sackcloth. The king, even, left his throne, +and sat down in some ashes.</p> + +<p>Jonah was vexed. This, also, was not +what he had expected. He had looked for +a wind of fury, for stones, and curses, and +a final effect of glory. And when he learned +that because of its repentance Nineveh was +to be spared, his courage gave way in a flood +of disappointment.</p> + +<p>“I knew it,” he said bitterly to God; “I +knew You’d never do it.”</p> + +<p>And with an angry countenance he retired +to an open field on the east side of the +city, to see what would happen. His heart +was very sore.</p> + +<p>“Where is my glory now?” he thought.</p> + +<p>Then God, who was anxiously watching, +spoke to Jonah from the sky. “Why are +you angry?” said the Holy One. “Have I +done you a wrong?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[208]</span>Jonah replied, sighing, “Who will ever believe +me now, Lord?”</p> + +<p>And for the rest of the day he maintained +a silence, full of reproach.</p> + +<p>Then because the sun was very hot, and +because where Jonah was sitting there was +no shade of any sort, God made a vine grow +up, overnight, to shelter Jonah.</p> + +<p>“There,” said God, “there is a vine for +you. Rest awhile and see.”</p> + +<p>That day Jonah sat in comfort beneath his +shelter. The wind was in the west, full of +agreeable odors; at noon a farmer brought +him meal, salt, and oil; he ate, was refreshed, +and dozed beneath his vine. The sun went +down over the desert; and the evening star +grew brighter in the sky, which shone with +a peaceful light. The dews descended; and +Jonah, wrapped in his cloak, dreamed of +home.</p> + +<p>But in the morning worms had eaten the +leaves of the vine; gorged and comfortable, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span>they regarded Jonah from the ground with +pious looks. As the day progressed, the sun +beat down upon him without pity, a +strong wind blew up from the east, out of +the desert, and the prophet grew faint with +misery. Too hot even to sweat, he nevertheless +refused to move.</p> + +<p>“No,” he said, “I shall sit here.”</p> + +<p>An obstinate rage kept him out in the +sun, although he half expected to die of it. +“Well,” he said to himself, “what if I do?”</p> + +<p>It seemed to him that he had nothing more +to live for.</p> + +<p>Then God said to Jonah, “Do you do well +to be angry, My son?”</p> + +<p>Jonah did not wish to reply. But he was +sure of one thing: that he had every right +to be angry. “Why did You wither my vine, +Lord?” he asked bitterly. “Was that also +necessary?”</p> + +<p>God, looking down on His prophet, smiled +sadly. “What is a vine?” He said gently. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span>“Was it your vine, Jonah? You neither +planted it nor cared for it. It came up in a +night, and it perished in a night. And now +you think I should have spared the vine for +your sake. Yes ... but what of Nineveh, +that great city, where there are so many people +who cannot discern between their right +hand and their left hand? Shall I not spare +them, too, for My sake, Jonah?”</p> + +<p>Jonah rose wearily to his feet. “Well,” +he said, “I may as well go home again.”</p> + +<p>And with bowed head he passed through +the city, and out of the western gate. In the +streets the citizens made way for him with +pious murmurs and anxious looks, but +Jonah did not notice them. All his courage +was gone, his pride, his hope of glory, all +gone down in the dust of God’s mercy to +others, to all but him. To him alone God +had been merciless and exacting. One by +one the warm hopes of the youth, the ardors +of the man, had been denied him; peace, love, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span>pride, everything had been taken from him. +What was there left? Only the desert, +stony as life itself ... only the empty +heart, the deliberate mind, the bare and patient +spirit. Well, Jonah ... what a fool +to think of anything else. Glory ... yes, +but the glory is God’s, not yours.</p> + +<p>But he had not learned even that. He +was not a good prophet. The flowers of his +hope, the bitter blossoms of his grief, sprang +up everywhere, where there should have +been only waste brown earth. No, he was +not a prophet; he was a man, like anybody +else, whose love had been false, whose God +had been unkind....</p> + +<p>And as he trudged dejectedly along, his +heart, bare now of pride, filled with loneliness +and longing. He thought of Judith, +of the happiness that would never be his; +and he wept.</p> + +<p>High among the clouds, God turned sadly +to Moses. “You Jews,” He said wearily, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[212]</span>“you do not understand beauty. With you +it is either glory or despair.”</p> + +<p>And with a sigh He looked westward to +the blue Ægean. Warm and gold the sunlight +lay over Greece.</p> + +<p class="center">THE END</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> + +<p>Perceived typographical errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p> + +<p>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.</p> +</div></div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76998 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/76998-h/images/cover.jpg b/76998-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f011eef --- /dev/null +++ b/76998-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/76998-h/images/coversmall.jpg b/76998-h/images/coversmall.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..09922a7 --- /dev/null +++ b/76998-h/images/coversmall.jpg diff --git a/76998-h/images/i_ii.jpg b/76998-h/images/i_ii.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1adeee2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76998-h/images/i_ii.jpg diff --git a/76998-h/images/i_title.jpg b/76998-h/images/i_title.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..662a027 --- /dev/null +++ b/76998-h/images/i_title.jpg |
