over the teacups-第37节

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lie。'〃



What　could　the　Hebrew　expect　when　a　Christian　preacher　could　use　such

language　about　a　petition　breathing　the　very　soul　of　humanity？

Happily；　the　true　human　spirit　is　encroaching　on　that　arrogant　and

narrow…minded　form　of　selfishness　which　called　itself　Christianity。



The　golden　rule　should　govern　us　in　dealing　with　those　whom　we　call

unbelievers；　with　heathen；　and　with　all　who　do　not　accept　our

religious　views。　　The　Jews　are　with　us　as　a　perpetual　lesson　to　teach

us　modesty　and　civility。　　The　religion　we　profess　is　not　self…

evident。　　It　did　not　convince　the　people　to　whom　it　was　sent。　　We

have　no　claim　to　take　it　for　granted　that　we　are　all　right；　and　they

are　all　wrong。　　And；　therefore；　in　the　midst　of　all　the　triumphs　of

Christianity；　it　is　well　that　the　stately　synagogue　should　lift　its

walls　by　the　side　of　the　aspiring　cathedral；　a　perpetual　reminder

that　there　are　many　mansions　in　the　Father's　earthly　house　as　well　as

in　the　heavenly　one；　that　civilized　humanity；　longer　in　time　and

broader　in　space　than　any　historical　form　of　belief；　is　mightier　than

any　one　institution　or　organization　it　includes。



Many　years　ago　I　argued　with　myself　the　proposition　which　my　Hebrew

correspondent　has　suggested。　　Recognizing　the　fact　that　I　was　born　to

a　birthright　of　national　and　social　prejudices　against　〃the　chosen

people；〃chosen　as　the　object　of　contumely　and　abuse　by　the　rest　of

the　world；I　pictured　my　own　inherited　feelings　of　aversion　in　all

their　intensity；　and　the　strain　of　thought　under　the　influence　of

which　those　prejudices　gave　way　to　a　more　human；　a　more　truly

Christian　feeling　of　brotherhood。　　I　must　ask　your　indulgence　while　I

quote　a　few　verses　from　a　poem　of　my　own；　printed　long　ago　under　the

title　〃At　the　Pantomime。〃



I　was　crowded　between　two　children　of　Israel；　and　gave　free　inward

expression　to　my　feelings。　　All　at　once　I　happened　to　look　more

closely　at　one　of　my　neighbors；　and　saw　that　the　youth　was　the　very

ideal　of　the　Son　of　Mary。



　　　　　A　fresh　young　cheek　whose　olive　hue

　　　　　The　mantling　blood　shows　faintly　through；

　　　　　Locks　dark　as　midnight；　that　divide

　　　　　And　shade　the　neck　on　either　side；

　　　　　Soft；　gentle；　loving　eyes　that　gleam

　　　　　Clear　as　a　starlit　mountain　stream；

　　　　　So　looked　that　other　child　of　Shem；

　　　　　The　Maiden's　Boy　of　Bethlehem！



　　　　　And　thou　couldst　scorn　the　peerless　blood

　　　　　That　flows　unmingled　from　the　Flood；

　　　　　Thy　scutcheon　spotted　with　the　stains

　　　　　Of　Norman　thieves　and　pirate　Danes！

　　　　　The　New　World's　foundling；　in　thy　pride

　　　　　Scowl　on　the　Hebrew　at　thy　side；

　　　　　And　lo！　　the　very　semblance　there

　　　　　The　Lord　of　Glory　deigned　to　wear！



　　　　　I　see　that　radiant　image　rise；

　　　　　The　flowing　hair；　the　pitying　eyes；

　　　　　The　faintly　crimsoned　cheek　that　shows

　　　　　The　blush　of　Sharon's　opening　rose；

　　　　　Thy　hands　would　clasp　his　hallowed　feet

　　　　　Whose　brethren　soil　thy　Christian　seat；

　　　　　Thy　lips　would　press　his　garment's　hem

　　　　　That　curl　in　wrathful　scorn　for　them！



　　　　　A　sudden　mist；　a　watery　screen；

　　　　　Dropped　like　a　veil　before　the　scene；

　　　　　The　shadow　floated　from　my　soul；

　　　　　And　to　my　lips　a　whisper　stole：

　　　　　Thy　prophets　caught　the　Spirit's　flame；

　　　　　From　thee　the　Son　of　Mary　came；

　　　　　With　thee　the　Father　deigned　to　dwell；

　　　　　Peace　be　upon　thee；　Israel！〃





It　is　not　to　be　expected　that　intimate　relations　will　be　established

between　Jewish　and　Christian　communities　until　both　become　so　far

rationalized　and　humanized　that　their　differences　are　comparatively

unimportant。　　But　already　there　is　an　evident　approximation　in　the

extreme　left　of　what　is　called　liberal　Christianity　and　the

representatives　of　modern　Judaism。　　The　life　of　a　man　like　the　late

Sir　Moses　Montefiore　reads　a　lesson　from　the　Old　Testament　which

might　well　have　been　inspired　by　the　noblest　teachings　of　the

Christian　Gospels。





　　　　　　　　　　Delilah；　and　how　she　got　her　name。



Est…elle　bien　gentille；　cette　petite？　　I　said　one　day　to　Number　Five；

as　our　pretty　Delilah　put　her　arm　between　us　with　a　bunch　of　those

tender　early　radishes　that　so　recall　the　rosy…fingered　morning　of

Homer。　　The　little　hand　which　held　the　radishes　would　not　have　shamed

Aurora。　　That　hand　has　never　known　drudgery；　I　feel　sure。



When　I　spoke　those　French　words　our　little　Delilah　gave　a　slight；


seemingly　involuntary　start；　and　her　cheeks　grew　of　as　bright　a　red

as　her　radishes。　　Ah；　said　I　to　myself；　does　that　young　girl

understand　French？　　It　may　be　worth　while　to　be　careful　what　one　says

before　her。



There　is　a　mystery　about　this　girl。　　She　seems　to　know　her　place

perfectly；except；　perhaps；　when　she　burst　out　crying；　the　other

day；　which　was　against　all　the　rules　of　table…maiden's　etiquette；

and　yet　she　looks　as　if　she　had　been　born　to　be　waited　on；　and　not　to

perform　that　humble　service　for　others。　　We　know　that　once　in　a　while

girls　with　education　and　well　connected　take　it　into　their　heads　to

go　into　service　for　a　few　weeks　or　months。　　Sometimes　it　is　from

economic　motives；to　procure　means　for　their　education；　or　to　help

members　of　their　families　who　need　assistance。　　At　any　rate；　they

undertake　the　lighter　menial　duties　of　some　household　where　they　are

not　known；　and；　having　stoopedif　stooping　it　is　to　be　considered

to　lowly　offices；　no　born　and　bred　servants　are　more　faithful　to　all

their　obligations。　　You　must　not　suppose　she　was　christened　Delilah。

Any　of　our　ministers　would　hesitate　to　give　such　a　heathen　name　to　a

Christian　child。



The　way　she　came　to　get　it　was　this：　The　Professor　was　going　to　give

a　lecture　before　an　occasional　audience；　one　evening。　　When　he　took

his　seat　with　the　other　Teacups；　the　American　Annex　whispered　to　the

other　Annex；　〃His　hair　wants　cutting；it　looks　like　fury。〃　　〃Quite

so；〃　said　the　English　Annex。　　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　him　so；　　I　do；

awfully。〃　　〃I'll　fix　it；〃　said　the　American　girl。　　So；　after　the

teacups　were　emptied　and　the　company　had　left　the　table；　she　went　up

to　the　Professor。　　〃You　read　this　lecture；　don't　you；　Professor？〃　she

said。　　〃I　do；〃　he　answered。　　〃I　should　think　that　lock　of　hair　which

falls　down　over　your　forehead　would　trouble　you；〃　she　said。　　〃It　does

sometimes；〃　replied　the　Professor。　　〃Let　our　little　maid　trim　it　for

you。　　You're　equal　to　that；　aren't　you？〃　turning　to　the　handmaiden。

〃I　always　used　to　cut　my　father's　hair；〃　she　answered。　　She　brought　a

pair　of　glittering　shears；　and　before　she　would　let　the　Professor　go

she　had　trimmed　his　hair　and　beard　as　they　had　not　been　dealt　with

for　many　a　day。　　Everybody　said　the　Professor　looked　ten　years

younger。　　After　that　our　little　handmaiden　was　always　called　Delilah；

among　the　talking　Teacups。



The　Mistress　keeps　a　watchful　eye　on　this　young　girl。　　I　should　not

be　surprised　to　find　that　she　was　carrying　out　some　ideal；　some　fancy

or　whim；possibly　nothing　more；　but　springing　from　some　generous；

youthful　impulse。　　Perhaps　she　is　working　for　that　little　sister　at

the　Blind　Asylum。　　Where　did　she　learn　French？　　She　did　certainly

blush；　and　betrayed　every　sign　of　understanding　the　words　spoken

about　her　in　that　language。　　Sometimes　she　sings　while　at　her　work；

and　we　have　all　been　struck　with　the　pure；　musical　character　of　her

voice。　　It　is　just　such　a　voice　as　ought　to　come　from　that　round

white　throat。　　We　made　a　discovery　about　it　the　other　evening。



The　Mistress　keeps　a　piano　in　her　room；　and　we　have　sometimes　had

music　in　the　evening。　　One　of　The　Teacups；　to　whom　I　have　slightly

referred；　is　an　accomplished　pianist；　and　the　two　Annexes　sing　very

sweetly　together；the　American　girl　having　a　clear　soprano　voice；

the　English　girl　a　mellow　contralto。　　They　had　sung　several　tunes；

when　the　Mistress　rang　for　Avis；for　that　is　our　Delilah's　real

name。　　She　whispered　to　the　young　girl；　who　blushed　and　trembled。

〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　said　the　Mistress　encouragingly。　　〃I　have

heard　you　singing　'Too　Young　for　Love；'　and　I　will　get　our　pianist　to

play　it。　　The　young　ladies　both　know　it；　and　you　must　join　in。〃



The　two　voices；　with　the　accompaniment；　had　hardly　finished　the　first

line　when　a　pure；　ringing；　almost　childlike　voice　joined　the　vocal

duet。　　The　sound　of　her　own　voice　seemed　to　make　her　forget　her

fears；　and　she　warbled　as　naturally　and　freely　as　any　young　bird　of　a

May　morning。　　Number　Five　came　in　while　she　was　singing；　and　when　she

got　through　caught　her　in　her　arms　and　kissed　her；　as　if　she　were　her

sister；　and　not　Delilah；　our　table…maid。　　Number　Five　is　apt　to

forget　herself　and　those　social　differences　to　which　some　of　us

attach　so　much　importance。　　This　is　the　song　in　which　the　little　maid

took　part：





　　　　　　　　　　TOO　YOUNG　FOR　LOVE。



　　　　　　　　　　Too　young　for　love？

　　　　　　　　　　Ah；　say　not　so！

　　　　　Tell　reddening　rose…buds　not　to　blow！

　　　　　Wait　not　for　spring　to　pass　away；

　　　　　Love