classic mystery and detective stories-第31部分

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！



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　vow。　　Her　eyes

were　lambent　with　fierce　light　for　a　moment；　but；　when　I　went　on

more　eagerly　to　speak　of　my　hopes　and　projects；　she　called　me　to

herkissed　me；　and　whispered：　'Oh；　not　so；　my　son！　think　not　of

methink　not　of　vengeancethink　only　of　poor　Berenice　and

Mariamne。'　　Aye；　that　thought　WAS　startling。　　Yet　this　magnanimous

and　forbearing　mother；　as　I　knew　by　the　report　of　our　one　faithful

female　servant；　had；　in　the　morning；　during　her　bitter　trial；

behaved　as　might　have　become　a　daughter　of　Judas　Maccabaeus：　she

had　looked　serenely　upon　the　vile　mob；　and　awed　even　them　by　her

serenity；　she　had　disdained　to　utter　a　shriek　when　the　cruel　lash

fell　upon　her　fair　skin。　　There　is　a　point　that　makes　the　triumph

over　natural　feelings　of　pain　easy　or　not　easythe　degree　in　which

we　count　upon　the　sympathy　of　the　bystanders。　　My　mother　had　it　not

in　the　beginning；　but；　long　before　the　end；　her　celestial　beauty；

the　divinity　of　injured　innocence；　the　pleading　of　common　womanhood

in　the　minds　of　the　lowest　class；　and　the　reaction　of　manly　feeling

in　the　men；　had　worked　a　great　change　in　the　mob。　　Some　began　now

to　threaten　those　who　had　been　active　in　insulting　her。　　The

silence　of　awe　and　respect　succeeded　to　noise　and　uproar；　and

feelings　which　they　scarcely　understood；　mastered　the　rude　rabble

as　they　witnessed　more　and　more　the　patient　fortitude　of　the

sufferer。　　Menaces　began　to　rise　toward　the　executioner。　　Things

wore　such　an　aspect　that　the　magistrates　put　a　sudden　end　to　the

scene。



〃That　day　we　received　permission　to　go　home　to　our　poor　house　in

the　Jewish　quarter。　　I　know　not　whether　you　are　learned　enough　in

Jewish　usages　to　be　aware　that　in　every　Jewish　house；　where　old

traditions　are　kept　up；　there　is　one　room　consecrated　to　confusion；

a　room　always　locked　up　and　sequestered　from　vulgar　use；　except　on

occasions　of　memorable　affliction；　where　everything　is　purposely　in

disorderbrokenshatteredmutilated：　to　typify；　by　symbols

appalling　to　the　eye；　that　desolation　which　has　so　long　trampled　on

Jerusalem；　and　the　rava