Hebrew Heroes: A Tale Founded on Jewish History Read online

  CHAPTER III.

  LIFE OR DEATH.

  "A spy! a traitor! cut him down--hew him to pieces!" such were thecries, not loud but terrible, that, as thunder on flash, followed thatexclamation from Zarah. Cold steel gleamed in the moonlight; Lycidas,who had scarcely before thought of his own personal danger, foundhimself in a moment surrounded by a furious band with weapons upraisedto take his life. With the instinct of self-preservation the youngAthenian sprang forwards, clasped the knees of the leader, andexclaimed, "No spy--no Syrian--no foe! as ye would find mercy in thehour of death, only hear me!" Then, ashamed at having been betrayedinto showing what might look like cowardly fear, the Greek stood erect,but gasping, expecting that ere he could draw another breath he shouldfeel the dagger in his side, or the sword at his throat.

  "Hold--let him speak ere he die!" cried the leader; and, at his gestureof command, uplifted blades were arrested in air, and like leopardscrouching in act to spring, the Hebrews surrounded their prisoner, toprevent the possibility of his making his escape.

  "What would you say in your defence, young man?" asked the leader, intones calm and stern. "Can you deny that you have been present as aspy at a scene to have witnessed which places the lives of all hereassembled in your hands?"

  "I am a Greek, an Athenian," said Lycidas, who had recovered hisself-possession, and who intuitively felt that he was at the mercy ofone who might be sternly just, but who would not be wantonly cruel. "Iam here, but not as a spy--not to look with prying eyes upon yoursolemn and sacred rites. Led by chance to this spot, sleep overtook meunder this tree. I would forfeit my right hand, nay, my life, ratherthan betray one engaged in the noble act which I have accidentallywitnessed tonight."

  "Will you hear him, the heathen dog, the son of Belial, the lyingGentile!" yelled out Abishai, his gleaming white teeth and flashingeyes giving to him an almost wolf-like ferocity of aspect, that wellaccorded with his cry for blood. "He was present--I know it--when ourmartyred brethren were slain; ay, he looked on their dying pangs!--tearhim to pieces--set your heel on his neck--he has rejoiced at theslaughter of the just."

  "No!" cried Lycidas with vehemence; "I call to witness the--"

  "Stop his blaspheming tongue with the steel!" exclaimed Abishaifuriously; "let him not profane our ears with the names of the demonswhom he worships. Cut him off from the face of the earth--that gravewill hold one body more--the blood of our brethren cries out forvengeance!"

  Several voices echoed the fierce appeal, but amongst the wild cries forrevenge, the ear of Lycidas, and the ear of the leader also, caught themaiden's faint exclamation, "Oh, Judas, have mercy! spare him!"

  Still the extended hand of the chief alone kept back the fierce bandwho would have cut down their defenceless victim. But there waspainful doubt on the brow of the leader; not that he was influenced bythe demand for blood from Abishai and his fierce companions, but thathe was aware of the extreme risk of setting the captive free. Lycidasfelt that his fate hung on the lips of that calm princely man, and wasalmost satisfied that so it should be; a thought rose in the mind ofthe Greek, "If I must die, let it be by his hand."

  "Stranger," began the son of Mattathias, and at the sound of his voicethe tumult was hushed, and all stood silent to listen; "I doubt notyour word, I thirst not for your blood--were my own life only at stake,not a hair of your head should be harmed. But on your silence as towhat you have seen this night depends the safety of all here assembled,even of these daughters of Zion, for the tyrant spares not our women.We have no power to detain in captivity--we have but one way ofensuring silence; would you yourself--with the grave of those martyrsbefore you--be able to reproach us with cruelty should we decide ontaking that way?"

  Lycidas met without blenching the calm sad eyes of the speaker, but hecould not answer the question. He knew that under like circumstancesneither Syrian nor Greek would feel hesitation before, or remorseafter, what would be deemed a stern deed of necessity. The eloquentlips of the poet had no power to plead now for life.

  "Why waste words!" exclaimed fierce Abishai; "why do you hesitate,Judas? One would scarce deem you to be the descendant of that Phineaswho won deathless fame by smiting Zimri and Cosbi through with a dart.'Thine eye shall not pity, nor thine hand spare.' Guilt lies on yourhead if you let Agag go. Was not the Canaanite to be rooted out of theland? Who dare bid us draw back when the Lord hath delivered the preyto our swords?"

  "I dare--I do," cried Hadassah, advancing with dignity to the edge ofthe grove which separated her and her grand-daughter Zarah from theHebrew men and their captive. "Shame on you, Abishai, man of blood.Yea, though you be the husband of my dead daughter, I repeat, shame onyou to bring the name of the Lord to sanction your own thirst forvengeance! Hear me, son of Mattathias; ye men of Judah, hear me. TheMerciful bids me speak, and I cannot refrain from speaking the wordswhich He puts into my mouth."

  The matron was evidently regarded with reverence by those who werepresent. Judas was related to her by blood, Abishai by marriage; twoof the other five Hebrews had been her servants in her more prosperousdays. But it was chiefly the dignity of Hadassah's character that gaveweight to her speech; the widowed lady was regarded in Jerusalem almostas a prophetess, as one endued with wisdom from on high. Her pleadingmight not be effectual, but would at least be listened to with respect.

  "The Canaanite was swept from the land," said Hadassah; "Zeba andZalmunna were slain; Cosbi and Zimri were smitten through with a dart;but these were sinners whose cup of iniquity was full, and the swordsof Israel executed God's righteous vengeance upon them, even as thewaves of the sea overwhelmed Pharaoh, or the flood a world oftransgressors. But the God of justice is the God also of mercy, slowto anger and plenteous in goodness. He calleth vengeance--though Hiswork--His _strange work_ (Isa. xxviii. 21). He hath given command, byHis servant the Preacher, _If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread toeat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink_ (Prov. xxv. 21)._Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth; and let not thine heart be gladwhen he stumbleth_" (Prov. xxiv. 17).

  "An enemy born of the house of Israel, not a vile Gentile," mutteredone of the men who were present.

  "Is the Lord the Maker only of the Jew; made He not the Gentile also?"cried Hadassah. "_Thou shalt not oppress a stranger_, saith the Lord,_seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt_ (Ex. xxiii. 9). Didnot Hobab the Midianite dwell among the people of Israel; was notAchior the Ammonite welcomed by the elders of Bethura; was not theblood of the Hittite required at the hand of David, and Ittai theGittite found faithful when Israelites fell away from their king? Godsaid of Cyrus the Persian, _He is my shepherd_ (Isa. xliv. 28), andAlexander of Macedon was suffered to offer sacrifices to the Lord Godof Jacob. Yea, hath not Isaiah the prophet declared that He, the HolyOne, the Messiah, for whose coming we look, _shall bring forth judgmentto the Gentiles_ (Isa. xlii. 1), shall be _a light of the Gentiles_(Isa. xlii. 6), that He will lift up His hand to the Gentiles (Isa.xlix. 22), so that their kings shall be nursing-fathers, and theirqueens nursing-mothers to His people (Isa. xlix. 23)? Ay, a time iscoming--may it speedily come!--when the _idols He shall utterlyabolish_ (Isa. ii. 18), when the Lord's house shall be established, andall nations shall flow unto it (Isa. ii. 2), when _the earth shall befilled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters coverthe sea_" (Hab. ii. 14).

  The noble features of the aged matron kindled as with inspiration, andas she raised her hand towards heaven, she seemed to call the Deity toconfirm His glorious promises of mercy to the people yet walking indarkness.

  A confused murmur rose amongst the listeners; if Hadassah's appeal hadimpressed some, it had stirred up in others the fierce jealousy whichmade so many Jews unwilling that the Gentiles should ever share theprivileges of Abraham's race. The captive's life hung upon a slenderthread, and he knew it.

  "Hadassah," said the chief, addressing the widow with respect, "do youthen require that we should trust this stranger, when--if he provefalse--so many Hebre
w lives will be the forfeit of confidencemisplaced?"

  "I require that you should trust Him who hath said, _Thou shalt do nomurder_; who hath ordained that _whoso sheddeth man's blood, by manshall his blood be shed_. We show little faith when we think to findsafety in transgressing the law of our God."

  Again rose a fierce, angry murmur. Lycidas heard the words, "folly,madness, tempting Providence," mingled with imprecations on "dogs ofheathen," "idolaters," "the polluted, the worshippers of graven images."

  Judas laid hold on his javelin, which he had placed against the trunkof the olive when he had exchanged the weapon for the spade. The heartof Lycidas throbbed faster, he read his own death-warrant in themovement, but he braced his spirit to fall bravely, as became afellow-citizen of Miltiades. Again there was profound silence, allawaiting what should follow that simple action of the leader.

  "Time passes, every minute that we linger here is fraught with peril,our decision must be prompt," said Judas, and he motioned to Hadassahand Zarah to join the company of men on the side of the grave nearestto the stem of the tree. When they had done so, the son of Mattathiascast his javelin down on the ground. "Let those who would let thecaptive go free, those who would trust his gratitude and honour, passover my javelin," cried Judas. "If the greater number cross it, wespare; if they remain here, we slay. Are you content?" he inquired.

  There was a murmured "Content" from most of those present. The chiefthen turned his glance on Lycidas, and with stern courtesy repeated hisquestion to the Greek. The young captive bowed his head, folded hisarms, and answered "Content."

  "The women shall not vote!" exclaimed Abishai. "They shall vote," saidthe chief, with decision; "their peril is equal to ours, and so shalltheir privilege be."

  It was with strangely mingled emotions that Lycidas beheld, as it were,the balance raised, one of the scales of which was weighted with hisfreedom and life! Fear was scarcely the predominating feeling. Acloud for a few moments darkened the face of the moon, but through theshadow he could see the stately dark figure of Hadassah as she crossedover the javelin, and the flutter of Zarah's white veil. As the silverorb emerged from the cloud, the women were followed by the two Hebrewswho had once been servants to Hadassah.

  "Four on that side--five on this--he dies!" cried Abishai eagerly; buteven as the exclamation was on his lips, Judas with a bound sprang overthe javelin, and stood at the side of Zarah.

  "He lives--the Merciful be praised!" cried Hadassah. Abishai, with amuttered curse, thrust back his thirsty blade into its sheath.

  "Captive, depart in peace," said the son of Mattathias; "but ere youquit this spot, solemnly vow silence as to what you have witnessedhere."

  Lycidas instantly obeyed. "May I share the torments of those whosegrave--but for your mercy--I should have shared, if I ever prove falseto my oath," cried the Greek.

  The chief waved his hand to bid him depart, and leave the Hebrews tocomplete the solemn work which his appearance had interrupted.

  Lycidas, however, showed no haste to escape. He glanced towardsHadassah and Zarah. "May I not speak my gratitude," he began,advancing one step towards them; but the widow by a gesture forbade hisnearer approach.

  "Live your gratitude, speak it not, stranger," said she. "If ever yousee son or daughter of Abraham in peril, remember this night; if everyour enemy stand defenceless before you, remember this night. And whennext you would bow down before an idol, and pray--as your peoplepray--to the deaf wood and the senseless stone, pause and reflect firstupon what you have learned on this sacred spot of the faith of theHebrews," Hadassah pointed to the open grave as she spoke, "how it cannerve the weak to suffer, and induce the strong to spare!"