the notch on the ax and on being found out-第33节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


residing　in　Venice。　　I　had；　through　the　aid　of　my　father's
connections　in　Austria；　been　appointed　in　the　imperial　service；　and
held　a　high　commission　for　my　age。　　But；　on　my　father's　marching
northward　with　the　French　army；　I　had　been　recalled　as　an
indispensable　support　to　my　mother。　　Not　that　my　years　could　have
made　me　such；　for　I　had　barely　accomplished　my　twelfth　year；　but　my
premature　growth；　and　my　military　station；　had　given　me
considerable　knowledge　of　the　world　and　presence　of　mind。

〃Our　journey　I　pass　over；　but　as　I　approach　your　city；　that
sepulcher　of　honor　and　happiness　to　my　poor　family；　my　heart　beats
with　frantic　emotions。　　Never　do　I　see　that　venerable　dome　of　your
minster　from　the　forest；　but　I　curse　its　form；　which　reminds　me　of
what　we　then　surveyed　for　many　a　mile　as　we　traversed　the　forest。
For　leagues　before　we　approached　the　city；　this　object　lay　before
us　in　relief　upon　the　frosty　blue　sky；　and　still　it　seemed　never　to
increase。　　Such　was　the　complaint　of　my　little　sister　Mariamne。
Most　innocent　child！　would　that　it　never　had　increased　for　thy
eyes；　but　remained　forever　at　a　distance！　　That　same　hour　began　the
series　of　monstrous　indignities　which　terminated　the　career　of　my
ill…fated　family。　　As　we　drew　up　to　the　city　gates；　the　officer　who
inspected　the　passports；　finding　my　mother　and　sisters　described　as
Jewesses；　which　in　my　mother's　ears　（reared　in　a　region　where　Jews
are　not　dishonored）　always　sounded　a　title　of　distinction；　summoned
a　subordinate　agent；　who　in　coarse　terms　demanded　his　toll。　　We
presumed　this　to　be　a　road　tax　for　the　carriage　and　horses；　but　we
were　quickly　undeceived；　a　small　sum　was　demanded　for　each　of　my
sisters　and　my　mother；　as　for　so　many　head　of　cattle。　　I；　fancying
some　mistake；　spoke　to　the　man　temperately；　and；　to　do　him　justice；
he　did　not　seem　desirous　of　insulting　us；　but　he　produced　a　printed
board；　on　which；　along　with　the　vilest　animals；　Jews　and　Jewesses
were　rated　at　so　much　a　head。　　While　we　were　debating　the　point；
the　officers　of　the　gate　wore　a　sneering　smile　upon　their　faces
the　postilions　were　laughing　together；　and　this；　too；　in　the
presence　of　three　creatures　whose　exquisite　beauty；　in　different
styles；　agreeably　to　their　different　ages；　would　have　caused
noblemen　to　have　fallen　down　and　worshiped。　　My　mother；　who　had
never　yet　met　with　any　flagrant　insult　on　account　of　her　national
distinctions；　was　too　much　shocked　to　be　capable　of　speaking。　　I
whispered　to　her　a　few　words；　recalling　her　to　her　native　dignity
of　mind；　paid　the　money；　and　we　drove　to　the　prison。　　But　the　hour
was　past　at　which　we　could　be　admitted；　and；　as　Jewesses；　my　mother
and　sisters　could　not　be　allowed　to　stay　in　the　city；　they　were　to
go　into　the　Jewish　quarter；　a　part　of　the　suburb　set　apart　for
Jews；　in　which　it　was　scarcely　possible　to　obtain　a　lodging
tolerably　clean。　　My　father；　on　the　next　day；　we　found；　to　our
horror；　at　the　point　of　death。　　To　my　mother　he　did　not　tell　the
worst　of　what　he　had　endured。　　To　me　he　told　that；　driven　to
madness　by　the　insults　offered　to　him；　he　had　upbraided　the　court…
martial　with　their　corrupt　propensities；　and　had　even　mentioned
that　overtures　had　been　made　to　him　for　quashing　the　proceedings　in
return　for　a　sum　of　two　millions　of　francs；　and　that　his　sole
reason　for　not　entertaining　the　proposal　was　his　distrust　of　those
who　made　it。　　'They　would　have　taken　my　money；'　said　he；　'and　then
found　a　pretext　for　putting　me　to　death；　that　I　might　tell　no
secrets。'　　This　was　too　near　the　truth　to　be　tolerated；　in　concert
with　the　local　authorities；　the　military　enemies　of　my　father
conspired　against　himwitnesses　were　suborned；　and；　finally；　under
some　antiquated　law　of　the　place；　he　was　subjected；　in　secret；　to　a
mode　of　torture　which　still　lingers　in　the　east　of　Europe。

〃He　sank　under　the　torture　and　the　degradation。　　I；　too；
thoughtlessly；　but　by　a　natural　movement　of　filial　indignation；
suffered　the　truth　to　escape　me　in　conversing　with　my　mother。　　And
she；but　I　will　preserve　the　regular　succession　of　things。　　My
father　died；　but　he　had　taken　such　measures；　in　concert　with　me；
that　his　enemies　should　never　benefit　by　his　property。　　Meantime　my
mother　and　sisters　had　closed　my　father's　eyes；　had　attended　his
remains　to　the　grave；　and　in　every　act　connected　with　this　last　sad
rite　had　met　with　insults　and　degradations　too　mighty　for　human
patience。　　My　mother；　now　become　incapable　of　self…command；　in　the
fury　of　her　righteous　grief；　publicly　and　in　court　denounced　the
conduct　of　the　magistracytaxed　some　of　them　with　the　vilest
proposals　to　herselftaxed　them　as　a　body　with　having　used
instruments　of　torture　upon　my　father；　and；　finally；　accused　them
of　collusion　with　the　French　military　oppressors　of　the　district。
This　last　was　a　charge　under　which　they　quailed；　for　by　that　time
the　French　had　made　themselves　odious　to　all　who　retained　a　spark
of　patriotic　feeling。　　My　heart　sank　within　me　when　I　looked　up　at
the　bench；　this　tribunal　of　tyrants；　all　purple　or　livid　with　rage；
when　I　looked　at　them　alternately　and　at　my　noble　mother　with　her
weeping　daughtersthese　so　powerless；　those　so　basely　vindictive；
and　locally　so　omnipotent。　　Willingly　I　would　have　sacrificed　all
my　wealth　for　a　simple　permission　to　quit　this　infernal　city　with
my　poor　female　relations　safe　and　undishonored。　　But　far　other　were
the　intentions　of　that　incensed　magistracy。　　My　mother　was
arrested；　charged　with　some　offense　equal　to　petty　treason；　or
scandalum　magnatum；　or　the　sowing　of　sedition；　and；　though　what　she
said　was　true；　where；　alas！　was　she　to　look　for　evidence？　　Here　was
seen　the　want　of　gentlemen。　　Gentlemen；　had　they　been　even　equally
tyrannical；　would　have　recoiled　with　shame　from　taking　vengeance　on
a　woman。　　And　what　a　vengeance！　　O　heavenly　powers！　that　I　should
live　to　mention　such　a　thing！　　Man　that　is　born　of　woman；　to
inflict　upon　woman　personal　scourging　on　the　bare　back；　and　through
the　streets　at　noonday！　　Even　for　Christian　women　the　punishment
was　severe　which　the　laws　assigned　to　the　offense　in　question。　　But
for　Jewesses；　by　one　of　the　ancient　laws　against　that　persecuted
people；　far　heavier　and　more　degrading　punishments　were　annexed　to
almost　every　offense。　　What　else　could　be　looked　for　in　a　city
which　welcomed　its　Jewish　guests　by　valuing　them　at　its　gates　as
brute　beasts？　　Sentence　was　passed；　and　the　punishment　was　to　be
inflicted　on　two　separate　days；　with　an　interval　between　each
doubtless　to　prolong　the　tortures　of　mind；　but　under　a　vile
pretense　of　alleviating　the　physical　torture。　　Three　days　after
would　come　the　first　day　of　punishment。　　My　mother　spent　the　time
in　reading　her　native　Scriptures；　she　spent　it　in　prayer　and　in
musing；　while　her　daughters　clung　and　wept　around　her　day　and
nightgroveling　on　the　ground　at　the　feet　of　any　people　in
authority　that　entered　their　mother's　cell。　　That　same　interval
how　was　it　passed　by　me？　　Now　mark；　my　friend。　　Every　man　in
office；　or　that　could　be　presumed　to　bear　the　slightest　influence；
every　wife；　mother；　sister；　daughter　of　such　men；　I　besieged
morning；　noon；　and　night。　　I　wearied　them　with　my　supplications。　　I
humbled　myself　to　the　dust；　I；　the　haughtiest　of　God's　creatures；
knelt　and　prayed　to　them　for　the　sake　of　my　mother。　　I　besought
them　that　I　might　undergo　the　punishment　ten　times　over　in　her
stead。　　And　once　or　twice　I　DID　obtain　the　encouragement　of　a　few
natural　tearsgiven　more；　however；　as　I　was　told；　to　my　piety　than
to　my　mother's　deserts。　　But　rarely　was　I　heard　out　with　patience；
and　from　some　houses　repelled　with　personal　indignities。　　The　day
came：　I　saw　my　mother　half　undressed　by　the　base　officials；　I　heard
the　prison　gates　expand；　I　heard　the　trumpets　of　the　magistracy
sound。　　She　had　warned　me　what　to　do；　I　had　warned　myself。　　Would　I
sacrifice　a　retribution　sacred　and　comprehensive；　for　the　momentary
triumph　over　an　individual？　　If　not；　let　me　forbear　to　look　out　of
doors；　for　I　felt　that　in　the　selfsame　moment　in　which　I　saw　the
dog　of　an　executioner　raise　his　accursed　hand　against　my　mother；
swifter　than　the　lightning　would　my　dagger　search　his　heart。　　When
I　heard　the　roar　of　the　cruel　mob；　I　pausedenduredforbore。　　I
stole　out　by　by…lanes　of　the　city　from　my　poor　exhausted　sisters；
whom　I　left　sleeping　in　each　other's　innocent　arms；　into　the
forest。　　There　I　listened　to　the　shouting　populace；　there　even　I
fancied　that　I　could　trace　my　poor　mother's　route　by　the　course　of
the　triumphant　cries。　　There；　even　then；　even　then；　I　madeO
silent　forest！　thou　heardst　me　when　I　madea　vow　that　I　have　kept
too　faithfully。　　Mother；　thou　art　avenged：　sleep；　daughter　of
Jerusalem！　for　at　length　the　oppressor　sleeps　with　thee。　　And　thy
poor　son　has　paid；　in　discharge　of　his　vow；　the　forfeit　of　his　own
happiness；　of　a　paradise　opening　upon　earth；　of　a　heart　as　innocent
as　thine；　and　a　face　as　fair。

〃I　returned；　and　found　my　mother　returned。　　She　slept　by　starts；
but　she　was　feverish　and　agitated；　and　when　she　awoke　and　first　saw
me；　she　blushed；　as　if　I　could　think　that　real　degradation　had
settled　upon　her。　　Then　it　was　that　I　told　her　of　my　vo