It was an idea that called for no change in what I had already done. For I had worked mainly upon the head, and now that I purposed to clothe the figure in its native gaberdine, there would be little to re-draw. And so I fell to work with renewed intensity6, feeling even safer now that I was painting and interpreting [26]a real thing than when I was trying to reconstruct retrospectively the sacred figure that had walked in Galilee.
And no sooner had I fallen to work on this new conception than I found everywhere how old it was. It appeared even to have Scriptural warrant, for from a brief report of a historical-theological lecture by a Protestant German Professor I gleaned7 that many of the passages in the Prophets which had been interpreted as pointing to a coming Messiah, really applied8 to Israel, the people. Israel it was whom Isaiah, in that famous fifty-third chapter, had described as 'despised and rejected of men: a man of sorrows.' Israel it was who bore the sins of the world. 'He was oppressed and he was afflicted9, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter10.' Yes, Israel was the Man of Sorrows. And in this view the German Professor, I found, was only re-echoing Rabbinic opinion. My model proved a mine of lore11 upon this as upon so many other points. Even the Jewish expectation of the Messiah, he had never shared, he said—that the Messhiach would come riding upon a white ass5. Israel would be redeemed13 by itself, though his neighbours would have called the sentiment 'epicurean.'
'Whoever saves me is my Messhiach,' he declared suddenly, and plucked at my hand to kiss it.
'Now, you shock me,' I said, pushing him away.
'No, no,' he said; 'I agree with the word of the moujik: "the good people are God."'
'Then I suppose you are what is called a Zionist,' I said.
'Yes,' he replied; 'now that you have saved me, I [27]see that God works only through men. As for the Messhiach on the white ass, they do not really believe it, but they won't let another believe otherwise. For my own part, when I say the prayer, "Blessed be Thou who restorest the dead to life," I always mean it of you.'
Such Oriental hyperbolic gratitude14 would have satisfied the greediest benefactor15, and was infinitely16 in excess of what he owed me. He seemed unconscious that he was doing work, journeying punctually long miles to my studio in any and every weather. It is true that I early helped him to redeem12 his household gods, but could I do less for a man who had still no bed to sleep in?
My recovery of the Rotterdam bundle served to unveil further complications. The agents at the East End charged him three shillings and sixpence per letter, and conducted the business with a fine legal delay. But it was not till Kazelia was eulogized by one of these gentry17 as a very fine man that both the model and I grew suspicious that the long chain of roguery reached even unto London, and that the confederates on this side were playing for time, so that the option should expire, and the railway sell the unredeemed luggage, which they would doubtless buy in cheap, making another profit.
Ultimately Quarriar told me his second daughter—for the eldest18 was blind of one eye—was prepared to journey alone to Rotterdam, as the safest way of redeeming19 the goods. Admiring her pluck, I added her fare to the expenses.
One fine morning Israel appeared, transfigured with happiness.
[28]'When does man rejoice most?' he cried. 'When he loses and finds again.'
'Ah, then you have got your bedding at last,' I cried, now accustomed to his methods of expression. 'I hope you slept well.'
'We could not sleep for blessing20 you,' he replied unexpectedly. 'As the Psalmist says, "All my bones praise the Lord!"'
Not that the matter had gone smoothly21 even now. The Kazelia gang at Rotterdam denied all knowledge of the luggage, sent the girl to the railway, where the dues had now mounted to ￡10 6s. Again the cup was dashed from her lips, for I had only given her ￡9. But she went to the Rabbi, and offered if he supplied the balance to repledge the Sabbath silver candlesticks that were the one family heirloom in the bundle, and therewith repay him instantly. While she was pleading with him, in came a noble Jew, paid the balance, lodged22 her and fed her, and saw her safely on board with the long-lost treasures.
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1
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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2
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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3
sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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4
incarnated
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| v.赋予（思想、精神等）以人的形体( incarnate的过去式和过去分词 )；使人格化；体现；使具体化 | |
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ass
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| n.驴；傻瓜，蠢笨的人 | |
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6
intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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7
gleaned
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| v.一点点地收集（资料、事实）( glean的过去式和过去分词 )；（收割后）拾穗 | |
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8
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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11
lore
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| n.传说；学问，经验，知识 | |
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12
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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13
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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14
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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15
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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16
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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gentry
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| n.绅士阶级，上层阶级 | |
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18
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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19
redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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20
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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21
smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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22
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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