Pearl-Maiden: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem Page 7

  CHAPTER VII

  MARCUS

  That night those of the curators who were engaged in prayer and fastingwere disturbed by the return of an officer of those Jews that hadrobbed them, who complained violently that a man of his company had beenmurdered by one of the Essenes. They asked how and when, and were toldthat the man had been shot down with an arrow, in a gully upon the roadto Jericho, by a person unknown. They replied that robbers sometimes metwith robbers, and asked to see the arrow, which proved to be of a Romanmake, such as these men carried in their own quivers. This the Essenespointed out, and at length, growing angry at the unreasonableness ofa complaint made by persons of the worst character, drove him and hisescort from their doors, bidding them take their story to the highpriest Ananos, with the goods which they had stolen, or, if theypreferred it, to that still greater thief, the Roman procurator,Albinus.

  This they did not neglect to do, with the result that presently theEssenes were commanded to send some of their head men to appear beforeAlbinus to answer the charges laid against them. Accordingly theydispatched Ithiel and two others, who were kept waiting three months atJerusalem before they could even obtain a hearing. At length the causecame on, and after some few minutes of talk was adjourned, being but apetty matter. That same evening Ithiel was informed by an intermediarythat if his Order would pay a certain large sum of money to Albinus,nothing more would be heard of the question. This the Essenes refusedto do, as it was against their principles, saying that they demandednothing but justice, which they were not prepared to buy. So they spoke,being ignorant that one of their neophytes, Caleb, had in fact aimed thefatal arrow.

  Then Albinus, wearying of the business and finding that there was noprofit to be made out of the Essenes, commanded them to be gone, sayingthat he would send an officer to make inquiry on the spot.

  Another two months went by, and at length this officer arrived, attendedby an escort of twenty soldiers.

  As it chanced, on a certain morning in the winter season, Miriamwith Nehushta was walking on the Jericho road, when suddenly they sawapproaching towards them this little body of armed men. Perceiving thatthey were Romans, they turned out of the path to hide themselves amongthe thorns of the desert. Thereon he who seemed to be the officerspurred his horse forward to intercept them.

  "Do not run--stand still," said Nehushta to Miriam, "and show no sign offear."

  So Miriam halted and began to gather a few autumn flowers that stillbloomed among the bushes, till the shadow of the officer fell uponher--that shadow in which she was destined to walk all her life-days.

  "Lady," said a pleasant voice in Greek, spoken with a somewhat foreignaccent--"lady, pardon, and I pray you, do not be alarmed. I am astranger to this part of the country, which I visit on officialbusiness. Will you of your kindness direct me to the village of a peoplecalled Essenes, who live somewhere in this desert?"

  "Oh, sir!" answered Miriam, "do you, who come with Roman soldiers, meanthem any harm?"

  "Not I. But why do you ask?"

  "Because, sir, I am of their community."

  The officer stared at her--this beautiful, blue-eyed, white-skinned,delicate-featured girl, whose high blood proclaimed itself in every toneand gesture.

  "You, lady, of the community of the Essenes! Surely then those priestsin Jerusalem lie more deeply than I thought. They told me that theEssenes were old ascetics who worship Apollo, and could not bear somuch as the sight of a woman. And now you say you are an Essene--you, byBacchus! you!" and he looked at her with an admiration which,although there was nothing brutal or even rude about it, was amusinglyundisguised.

  "I am their guest," she said.

  "Their guest? Why, this is stranger still. If these spiritualoutlaws--the word is that old high priest's, not mine--share their breadand water with such guests, my sojourn among them will be happier than Ithought."

  "They brought me up, I am their ward," Miriam explained again.

  "In truth, my opinion of the Essenes rises, and I am convinced thatthose priests slandered them. If they can shape so sweet a lady, surelythey must themselves be good and gentle"; and he bowed gravely, perhapsto mark the compliment.

  "Sir, they are both good and gentle," answered Miriam; "but of this youwill be able to judge for yourself very shortly, seeing that they livenear at hand. If you will follow us over yonder rise we will show youtheir village, whither we go."

  "By your leave, I will accompany you," he said, dismounting before shecould answer; then added, "Pardon me for one moment--I must give someorders," and he called to a soldier, who, with his companions, hadhalted at a little distance.

  The man advanced saluting, and, turning aside, his captain began to talkwith him, so that now, for the first time, Miriam could study his face.He was young--not more than five or six and twenty years of age--ofmiddle height, and somewhat slender, but active in movement and athleticin build. Upon his head, which was round and not large, in place of thehelmet that hung at his saddle-bow, he wore a little cap, steel linedand padded as a protection against the sun, and beneath it she could seethat his short, dark brown hair curled closely. Under the tan caused byexposure to the heat, his skin was fair, and his grey eyes, set ratherwide apart, were quick and observant. For the rest, his mouth waswell-shaped, though somewhat large, and the chin clean-shaved, prominentand determined. His air was that of a soldier accustomed to command, butvery genial, and, when he smiled, showing his regular white teeth, evenmerry--the air of one with a kind and generous heart.

  Miriam looked at him, and in an instant was aware that she liked himbetter than any man--that is any young man--she had ever seen. This,however, was no great or exclusive compliment to the Roman, since ofsuch acquaintances she had but few, if, indeed, Caleb was not the onlyone. However, of this she was sure, she liked him better than Caleb,because, even then and there, comparing them in her thoughts, thistruth came home to her; with it, too, a certain sense of shame that thenewcomer should be preferred to the friend of her childhood, although oflate that friend had displeased her by showing too warm a friendship.

  Having given his instructions, the captain dismissed the orderly,commanding him to follow at a distance with the men. Then saying, "Lady,I am ready," he began to walk forward, leading his horse by the bridle.

  "You will forgive me," he added, "if I introduce myself more formally.I am called Marcus, the son of Emilius--a name which was known in itsday," and he sighed, "as I hope before I have done with it, mine willbe. At present I cannot boast that this is so, who, unless it shouldplease my uncle Caius to decease and leave me the great fortune hesqueezes out of the Spaniards--neither of which things he shows anypresent intention of doing--am but a soldier of fortune: an officerunder the command of the excellent and most noble procurator Albinus,"he added sarcastically. "For the rest," he went on, "I have spent ayear in this interesting and turbulent but somewhat arid land ofyours, coming here from Egypt, and am now honoured with a commissionto investigate and make report on a charge laid at the door of yourvirtuous guardians, the Essenes, of having murdered, or been privy tothe murder of, a certain rascally Jew, who, as I understand, was sentwith others to steal their goods. That, lady, is my style and history.By way of exchange, will you be pleased to tell me yours?"

  Miriam hesitated, not being sure whether she should enter on suchconfidences at so short a notice. Thereon, Nehushta, who was untroubledby doubts, and thought it politic to be quite open with this Roman, aman in authority, answered for her.

  "Lord, this maiden, whose servant I am, as I was that of her grandmotherand mother before her----"

  "Surely you cannot be so old," interrupted Marcus. He made it a rule tobe polite to all women, whatever their colour, having noticed that lifewent more easily with those who were courteous to the sex.

  Nehushta smiled a little as she answered--for at what age does a womanlearn to despise a compliment?--"Lord, they both died young"; thenrepeated, "This maiden is the only child of the high-born Graeco-Syrianof Tyre, Demas, and
his noble wife, Rachel----"

  "I know Tyre," he interrupted. "I was quartered there till two monthsago"; adding in a different tone, "I understand that this pair no longerlive."

  "They died," said Nehushta sadly, "the father in the amphitheatre atBerytus by command of the first Agrippa, and the mother when her childwas born."

  "In the amphitheatre at Berytus? Was he then a malefactor?"

  "No, sir," broke in Miriam proudly; "he was a Christian."

  "Oh! I understand. Well, they are ill-spoken of as enemies of the humanrace, but for my part I have had to do with several Christians and foundthem very good people, though visionary in their views." Here a doubtstruck him and he said, "But, lady, I understand that you are anEssene."

  "Nay, sir," she replied in the same steady voice, "I also am aChristian, who have been protected by the Essenes."

  He looked at her with pity and replied, "It is a dangerous professionfor one so young and fair."

  "Dangerous let it be," she said; "at least it is mine from the beginningto the end."

  Marcus bowed, perceiving that the subject was not to be pursued, andsaid to Nehushta, "Continue the story, my friend."

  "Lord, the father of my lady's mother is a very wealthy Jewish merchantof Tyre, named Benoni."

  "Benoni," he said, "I know him well, too well for a poor man!--a Jew ofthe Jews, a Zealot, they say. At least he hates us Romans enough to beone, although many is the dinner that I have eaten at his palace. He isthe most successful trader in all Tyre, unless it be his rival Amram,the Phoenician, but a hard man, and as able as he is hard. Now I thinkof it, he has no living children, so why does not your lady, hisgrandchild, dwell with him rather than in this desert?"

  "Lord, you have answered your own question. Benoni is a Jew of theJews; his granddaughter is a Christian, as I am also. Therefore when hermother died, I brought her here to be taken care of by her uncle Ithielthe Essene, and I do not think Benoni knows even that she lives. Lord,perhaps I have said too much; but you must soon have heard the storyfrom the Essenes, and we trust to you, who chance to be Benoni's friend,to keep our secret from him."

  "You do not trust in vain; yet it seems sad that all the wealth andstation which are hers by right should thus be wasted."

  "Lord, rank and station are not everything; freedom of faith and personare more than these. My lady lacks for nothing, and--this is all herstory."

  "Not quite, friend; you have not told me her name."

  "Lord, it is Miriam."

  "Miriam, Miriam," he repeated, his slightly foreign accent dwellingsoftly on the syllables. "It is a very pretty name, befitting sucha----" and he checked himself.

  By now they were on the crest of the rise, and, stopping between twoclumps of thorn trees, Miriam broke in hastily:

  "See, sir, there below lies the village of the Essenes; those greentrees to the left mark the banks of Jordan, whence we irrigate ourfields, while that grey stretch of water to the right, surrounded by awall of mountain, is the Dead Sea."

  "Is it so? Well, the green is pleasant in this desert, and those fieldslook well cultivated. I hope to visit them some day, for I was broughtup in the country, and, although I am a soldier, still understand afarm. As for the Dead Sea, it is even more dreary than I expected. Tellme, lady, what is that large building yonder?"

  "That," she answered, "is the gathering hall of the Essenes."

  "And that?" he asked, pointing to a house which stood by itself.

  "That is my home, where Nehushta and I dwell."

  "I guessed as much by the pretty garden." Then he asked her otherquestions, which she answered freely enough, for Miriam, although shewas half Jewish, had been brought up among men, and felt neither fearnor shame in talking with them in a friendly and open fashion, as anEgyptian or a Roman or a Grecian lady might have done.

  While they were still conversing thus, of a sudden the bushes on theirpath were pushed aside, and from between them emerged Caleb, of whom shehad seen but little of late. He halted and looked at them.

  "Friend Caleb," said Miriam, "this is the Roman captain Marcus, whocomes to visit the curators of the Order. Will you lead him and hissoldiers to the council hall and advise my uncle Ithiel and the othersof his coming, since it is time for us to go home?"

  Caleb glared at her, or rather at the stranger, with sullen fury; thenhe answered:

  "Romans always make their own road; they do not need a Jew to guidethem," and once more he vanished into the scrub on the further side ofthe path.

  "Your friend is not civil," said Marcus, as he watched him go. "Indeed,he has an inhospitable air. Now, if an Essene could do such a thing,I should think that here is a man who might have drawn an arrow upon aJewish tax-gatherer," and he looked inquiringly at Miriam.

  "That lad!" put in Nehushta. "Why, he never shot anything larger than abird of prey."

  "Caleb," added Miriam in excuse, "does not like strangers."

  "So I see," answered Marcus; "and to be frank, lady, I do not likeCaleb. He has an eye like a knife-point."

  "Come, Nehushta," said Miriam, "this is our road, and there runs thatof the captain and his company. Sir, farewell, and thank you for yourescort."

  "Lady, for this while farewell, and thank you for your guidance."

  Thus for that day they parted.

  The dwelling which many years before had been built by the Essenesfor the use of their ward and her nurse, stood next to the largeguest-house. Indeed, it occupied a portion of the ground whichoriginally belonged to it, although now the plot was divided into twogardens by an irrigation ditch and a live pomegranate fence, covered atthis season of the year with its golden globes of fruit. That evening,as Miriam and Nehushta walked in the garden, they heard the familiarvoice of Ithiel calling to them from the other side of this fence, andpresently above it saw his kindly face and venerable white head.

  "What is it, my uncle?" asked Miriam running to him.

  "Only this, child; the noble Roman captain, Marcus, is to stay in theguest-house during his visit to us, so do not be frightened if you hearor see men moving about in this garden--If, indeed, Romans care to walkin gardens. I am to bide here also, to play host to him and see that helacks nothing. Also I do not think that he will give you any trouble,since, for a Roman, he seems both courteous and kindly."

  "I am not afraid, my uncle," said Miriam; "indeed," she added, blushinga little in spite of herself, "Nehushta and I have already becomeacquainted with this captain"; and she told him of their meeting beyondthe village.

  "Nehushta, Nehushta," said Ithiel reprovingly, "have I not said to youthat you should not walk so far afield without some of the brethren asan escort? You might, perchance, have met thieves, or drunken men."

  "My lady wished to gather some flowers she sought," answered Nehushta,"as she has done without harm for many a year; and being armed, I didnot fear thieves, if such men are to be found where all are poor."

  "Well, well, as it chances, no harm has happened; but do not go outunattended again, lest the soldiers should not be so courteous as theircaptain. They will not trouble you by the way, since, with the exceptionof a single guard, they camp yonder by the streamlet. Farewell for thisnight, my child; we will meet to-morrow."

  Then Miriam went to rest and dreamed of the Roman captain, and thathe, she, and Nehushta made a journey together and met with many greatadventures, wherein Caleb played some strange part. In that dream thecaptain Marcus protected them from all these dangers, till at lengththey came to a calm sea, on which floated a single white ship whereinthey must embark, having the sign of the Cross woven in its sails. Thenshe awoke and found that it was morning.

  Of all the arts she had been taught, Miriam was fondest of that ofmodelling in clay, for which she had a natural gift. Indeed, so greathad her skill become, that these models which she made, after they hadbeen baked with fire, were, at her wish, sold by the Essenes to any whotook a fancy to them. As to the money which they fetched, it was paidinto a fund to be distributed among the po
or.

  This art Miriam carried on in a reed-thatched shed in the garden, where,by an earthen pipe, water was delivered into a stone basin, which sheused to damp her clay and cloths. Sometimes also, with the help ofmasons and the master who had taught her, now a very old man, she copiedthese models in marble, which the Essenes brought to her from the ruinsof a palace near Jericho. At the time that the Romans came she wasfinishing a work more ambitious than any which she had undertaken asyet; namely, a life-sized bust cut from the fragment of an ancientcolumn to the likeness of her great-uncle, Ithiel. On the afternoonfollowing the day that she met Marcus, clad in her white working-robe,she was occupied in polishing this bust, with the assistance ofNehushta, who handed her the cloths and grinding-powder. Suddenlyshadows fell upon her, and turning, she beheld Ithiel and the Roman.

  "Daughter," said Ithiel, smiling at her confusion, "I have brought thecaptain Marcus to see your work."

  "Oh, my uncle!" she replied indignantly, "am I in a state to receiveany captain?" and she held out her wet hands and pointed to her garmentsbegrimed with clay and powder. "Look at me."

  "I look," said Ithiel innocently, "and see naught amiss."

  "And I look, lady," added Marcus in his merry voice, "and see much toadmire. Would that more of your sex could be found thus delightfullyemployed."

  "Alas, sir," she replied, adroitly misunderstanding him, for Miriam didnot lack readiness, "in this poor work there is little to admire. I amashamed that you should look on the rude fashionings of a half-trainedgirl, you who must have seen all those splendid statues of which I havebeen told."

  "By the throne of Caesar, lady," he exclaimed in a voice that carried aconviction of his earnestness, staring hard at the bust of Ithiel beforehim, "as it chances, although I am not an artist, I do know something ofsculpture, since I have a friend who is held to be the best of ourday, and often for my sins have sat as model to him. Well, I tell youthis--never did the great Glaucus produce a bust like that."

  "I daresay not," said Miriam smiling. "I daresay the great Glaucus wouldgo mad if he saw it."

  "He would--with envy. He would say that it was the work of one of theglorious Greeks, and of no modern."

  "Sir," said Ithiel reprovingly, "do not make a jest of the maid, whodoes the best she can; it pains her and--is not fitting."

  "Friend Ithiel," replied Marcus, turning quite crimson, "you must indeedthink that I lack manners who would come to the home of any artist tomock his work. I say what I mean, neither more nor less. If this bustwere shown in Rome, together with yourself who sat for it, the ladyMiriam would find herself famous within a week. Yes," and he ran his eyequickly over various statuettes, some of them baked and some in the rawclay, models, for the most part, of camels or other animals or birds,"yes, and it is the same with all the rest: these are the works ofgenius, no less."

  At this praise, to them so exaggerated, Miriam, pleased as she could nothelp feeling, broke into clear laugher, which both Ithiel and Nehushtaechoed. Now, so wroth was he, the face of Marcus grew quite pale andstern.

  "It seems," he said severely, "that it is not I who mock. Tell me, lady,what do you with these things?" and he pointed to the statuettes.

  "I, sir? I sell them; or at least my uncles do."

  "The money is given to the poor," interposed Ithiel.

  "Would it be rude to ask at what price?"

  "Sometimes," replied Ithiel with pride, "travellers have given me asmuch as a silver shekel.[*] Once indeed, for a group of camels withtheir Arabian drivers, I received four shekels; but that took my niecethree months to do."

  [*] About 2s. 6d. of English money.

  "A shekel! Four shekels!" said Marcus in a voice of despair; "I will buythem all--no, I will not, it would be robbery. And this bust?"

  "That, sir, is not for sale; it is a gift to my uncle, or rather to myuncles, to be set up in their court-room."

  An idea struck Marcus. "I am here for a few weeks," he said. "Tellme, lady, if your uncle Ithiel will permit it, at what price will youexecute a bust of myself of the same size and quality?"

  "It would be dear," said Miriam, smiling at the notion, "for the marblecosts something, and the tools, which wear out. Oh, it would be verydear!" This she repeated, wondering what she could ask in her charitableavarice. "It would be----" yes, she would venture it--"fifty shekels!"

  "I am poor enough," replied Marcus quietly, "but I will give you twohundred."

  "Two hundred!" gasped Miriam. "It is absurd. I could never accept twohundred shekels for a piece of stonework. Then indeed you might say thatyou had fallen among thieves on the banks of Jordan. No. If myuncles will permit it and there is time, I will do my poor best forfifty--only, sir, I advise you against it, since to win that badlikeness you must sit for many weary hours."

  "So be it," said Marcus. "As soon as I get to any civilised place I willsend you enough commissions to make the beggars in these parts rich forlife, and at a very different figure. Let us begin at once."

  "Sir, I have no leave."

  "The matter," explained Ithiel, "must be laid before the Court ofCurators, which will decide upon it to-morrow. Meanwhile, as we aretalking here, I see no harm if my niece chooses to work a lump of clay,which can be broken up later should the Court in its wisdom refuse yourrequest."

  "I hope for its own sake that the Court in its wisdom will not be sucha fool," muttered Marcus to himself; adding aloud, "Lady, where shall Iplace myself? You will find me the best of sitters. Have I not the greatGlaucus for a friend--until I show him this work of yours?"

  "If you will, sir, be seated on that stool and be pleased to looktowards me."

  "I am your servant," said Marcus, in a cheerful voice; and the sittingbegan.