Hebrew Heroes: A Tale Founded on Jewish History
Page 12
CHAPTER XII.
TRIALS OF THE HEART.
For the first time in the course of her life, Zarah dreaded a meetingwith Hadassah. Though the season was now so far advanced that the heatof the sun was great, the maiden lingered on the shadeless housetop,leaning her brow against the parapet, listlessly gazing towardsJerusalem, but with her mind scarcely taking in the objects upon whichher eyes were fixed. Was it a foreboding of coming sorrow, or afeeling of self-reproach, that brooded over the maiden's soul? Zarahwas afraid to analyze her own feelings: she only knew that her heartwas very heavy.
Nearly two hours thus passed. The sun had now approached the horizon,and the heat was less oppressive. Zarah heard the slow step ofHadassah ascending the stair, and rose to meet her, but with asensation of fear. The remembrance of that look of sad displeasure,such as had never been turned upon her before, had haunted the mind ofthe conscious girl. Was Hadassah angry with her daughter? Would shecome to probe a heart which had never from childhood kept a secret fromone so tenderly loved? Zarah was afraid to raise her eyes toHadassah's when they met, lest she should encounter that stern lookagain; but never had the aged lady's face worn an expression of greatertenderness than it did when, on the housetop, she rejoined the child ofher love.
"Have you been here in the heat of the sun, my dove, letting the fiercerays beat on your unveiled face?" said Hadassah, after printing a kisson the maiden's brow. "Nay, I must chide you, my Zarah. Seat yourselfwhere yon tall palm now throws its shadow, and I will sit beside you.We will talk of the glorious tidings which Abishai brought to usto-day."
It was a great relief to Zarah to hear that such was to be the subjectof the coming conversation. She glanced timidly up into the face ofHadassah; and, quite reassured by what she saw there, took herfavourite place at her grandmother's feet.
"Is it not evident," pursued Hadassah, "that the arm of the Lord isstretched out to fight for Judah---that His blessing goes with JudasMaccabeus? Do you not rejoice, Zarah, in the victory which has beenwon by our Hebrew heroes?"
"I do rejoice; I thank God for it," replied the maiden. "I hope that atime is coming when we shall go forth, like the women of Israel inolden time, who went singing and dancing to meet Saul and David, afterthe triumph over the Philistines."
"David, when he slew Goliath and won the hand of a king's daughter,deserved not more of his country than does Maccabeus," observedHadassah. "Are you not proud of your kinsman, my child?"
"All Judaea is proud of her hero," said Zarah.
"Happy the woman whom he shall choose as his bride!" cried Hadassah.
The maiden gave no reply.
"Zarah, why should I longer conceal from you what has so long been inmy thoughts?" said the aged lady, after a pause of some minutes'duration. "Why should you not know of the high honour awaiting mydaughter? From your early childhood both Mattathias, our reveredkinsman--on whose grave be peace!--and myself have looked forward tothe future espousals of my loved Zarah and Judas."
"Judas! Oh, no, no!" exclaimed Zarah, suddenly withdrawing hertrembling hand from that of her grandmother, in which it had beenclasped. "He is wedded to his country; he will never think of taking awife." She spoke rapidly, and with some emotion.
"His toils and triumphs may, and I trust will, lead to future peace,"said Hadassah. "Then may he enjoy the happiness which he has earned sowell. Will you not give it to him, Zarah--you, whose very namesignifies 'brightness'?"
"I honour Maccabeus as a hero; I could reverence him as my prince; Iwould kneel and wash the dust from his feet, or cut off my long hair tostring his bow; but I cannot be his bride," exclaimed Zarah. "I am soweak, so unworthy! It would be like mating the eagle with the sparrowthat sits on the housetops. Maccabeus is the noblest of men."
"Blessed the wife who can so honour her lord!" said Hadassah.
"I do honour Maccabeus from the depths of my soul; but--but I fearhim," faltered Zarah.
"Were you a Syrian you might say so," observed Hadassah, with a faintapproach to a smile; "but not as a daughter of Judah. Terrible as heis to his country's foes, to armed oppressors, no maiden had ever causeto dread Maccabeus. The sharp thorns of the cactus make it animpenetrable fence which the strongest intruder cannot break through;yet bears it brilliant flowers and refreshing fruit. The strongwar-horse tramples down the enemy in battle; but in peace the littlechild unharmed may play with his mane. The bravest are the mostgentle. Judas is no exception to this rule. Pure-hearted and true, heis one to make a woman happy."
Zarah sighed, and drooped her head.
"Was it not a proud moment for Achsah, when Othniel, after the conquestof Kirjathsepher, claimed her hand as the victor's prize?" askedHadassah.
"But Achsah was the daughter of a Caleb," said Zarah. Then, raisingher head, she suddenly inquired--"Did my father also destine me to bethe bride of my kinsman?"
Hadassah winced at the question, as if a painful wound had been touched.
"Oh, my child, have pity on me," she faintly murmured, "and speak notof him!"
Zarah had for long known that there was one subject which she darednever approach. Her grandmother had, as it were, one locked chamber inher heart, which no one might venture to open. Whether Zarah's fatherwere dead or not, the maiden knew not. She faintly remembered a tall,handsome man, who had played with her tresses and danced her in hisarms when she was a child, in her early home at Bethsura; but since shehad left that home in company with her grandmother, she had never seenhim nor heard his name. The slightest allusion to her father by Zarahhad caused such distress to Hadassah, that the child had soon learnedto be silent, though not to forget. Hadassah often spoke of Miriam,her only daughter, and of Zarah's own gentle mother--twin-roses, as shewould call them, both early gathered for heaven in the first year oftheir wedded lives--but of her son she never would speak. A mysteryhung round the fate of Abner--such was his name--which his daughtervainly longed to penetrate. Her heart reproached her now for theunguarded question into which she had been surprised.
"Oh, forgive me, mother," said Zarah, kissing the hand of Hadassah,which was tremulous and cold; "your word, your will, shall be enoughfor me in all things, except--oh, ask me not to wed my kinsman."
"Is it, can it be because another has a nearer place in your heart?"said Hadassah. The fair countenance of Zarah became suddenly rosy asthe sunlit cloud, then pale as Lebanon snow, at the question.
"Oh, then, my fears are too true!" exclaimed Hadassah, in a tone not ofwrath but of anguish. "Must the sins of the father be visited upon theinnocent child! A Gentile--a heathen--an idolater! Would I had diedere this day!"
"Be not angry with me, mother," faltered Zarah, wetting Hadassah's handwith her tears.
"I am not angry, my poor dove," cried the widow. "Woe is me that Ihave been, as it were, constrained to expose you to this cruel snare.But you will break through it," she added, with more animation, "mybird will rise above earth with her silver wings unsullied and bright!Various are the temptations which the soul's enemy employs to draw awayGod's servants from their allegiance; some he would sway through theirfears; others he would win by the love of the world, its wealth and itspleasures; others he would chain by their hearts' strong affections.But the Lord gives strength to his people, to resist and to conquer,whether the temptation be from fear or from love. You are the worthykinsman of Solomona, who gave life itself for the faith."
"Perhaps the sacrifice of life is not the hardest to make," Zarahdreamily replied.
"Solomona gave her seven sons," said Hadassah.
"Oh, what a mercy-stroke to her was that which let her follow them!"exclaimed Zarah. "Had she been left to survive all whom she loved,Solomona had been the most wretched woman on earth!"
"No; not the most wretched," said Hadassah, with deep feeling, "forthey all died in the faith. Better, all, far better to lose seven bydeath, than one by--by treason against God!" And in an almostinaudible voice the aged lady added, closing her eyes, "Must I
knowthat misery twice?"
"No, mother, mine own dear mother, you shall never know that miserythrough me!" exclaimed Zarah with animation. "I will pray, I willstrive, I will try to put away, even from my thoughts, all that wouldcome between me and the faith of a daughter of Abraham, only guide me,help me, tell your child what she should do," and the maidenpassionately kissed again and again the hand of Hadassah, and thenpillowed her aching head on her parent's bosom. Hadassah folded herthere in a long and tender embrace.
"I would send you to Bethsura, to my aged cousin, Rachel," said thewidow, "only"--
"Oh, send me not away; let me stay beside you; your health is failing;I should never know peace afar from you!" sobbed Zarah, in a tone ofentreaty.
"I dare not send my child to Idumea, with no safe escort, and theSyrians, men of Belial, holding the land," said Hadassah. "Better keepher here under my wing, in the quiet seclusion of my home. But, oh, mychild, attend to the voice of your mother; you must avoid meeting theGentile stranger; you must be little in the lower apartments, Zarah,and never save when I am there also. Your trial will not last long;the Athenian's wounds are healing; after the Passover-feast, Abishaiwill leave Jerusalem to join the patriot band. When he is once safebeyond reach of the enemy, I will no longer for one hour harbourLycidas under my roof; he has been here far too long already. Yourpainful struggle will now last but a short time, my Zarah."
Zarah thought, though she did not say so, that the heart struggle wouldlast as long as her earthly existence.
"You will obey me, my daughter?" asked the widow; "you will shun thetoo attractive society of the stranger?"
The maiden bowed her head in assent, and murmured, "Pray for me,mother; I am so weak."
"My life shall be one prayer," said Hadassah.
"Mine--one sacrifice," thought the poor maiden. "Oh, may thatsacrifice be accepted!"