Tossed backwards1 and forwards on a wild sea of doubt--a vessel2 without ballast, compass, or rudder--was the mind of the miserable3 Pollux. The courtier paced for hours up and down a verandah where the cool breeze of heaven could fan him, and where he would be secure from interruption. Ever and anon Pollux tore his beard, or smote4 his breast; unconsciously giving expression by outward gesture to the inward torture which he felt. Was he to give up all at once--all for which he had bartered5 his soul, rank, wealth, position--to begin life again on the lowest round of the ladder, with the brand of disgrace, the burden of shame upon him? Could he endure to appear in the presence of Maccabeus, to sue from him the place of hewer of wood and drawer of water; to exchange the pride of power and pomp of wealth for hardship and want, poverty and peril6? Pollux felt that he could not bring his pride to submit to the degradation7, or his worldliness to the loss. The leap to be taken was from such a height, and into such an abyss, that it seemed as if he must be dashed in pieces by the fall.
But what was the alternative, if the dreaded8 leap were not taken? If Zarah remained firm in the faith, she must die;--could the father endure to witness the martyrdom of his beautiful child? And his own life--was it not in danger? Was not instant flight from court the only means of affording a chance of safety either to parent or daughter? was it not the only means of delivering an apostate9 from the execrations of his countrymen, the curse of his mother, the impending10 vengeance11 of the Most High! Conscience would no longer be silenced--Zarah had aroused the sleeper12; beside the faith and purity of his own child, Pollux had regarded himself almost as a demon13!
And Zarah had awakened14 not only conscience, but hope. She had clung to the apostate with tenderness, not shrunk back from him with horror. She had not, then, been taught to regard her parent as one who had forfeited16 all claim to her affection. Zarah had spoken of the possibility of his yet giving joy to the lofty-souled mother whom Pollux, in the midst of his guilt17, had not ceased to reverence18 and love. For many years the apostate had tried to drive from his mind all thought of Hadassah; now her image came vividly19 before him, not in the attitude of uttering a malediction20, but as holding out her arms to receive back her prodigal21 son.
While Pollux was deliberating, and Zarah praying, Lysimachus was carousing22 amidst boon23 companions in the city. The ruin and approaching execution of his rival gave unwonted zest24 to the revels25 of the profligate26 Syrian.
"Here's to our friend the magnificent Pollux!" exclaimed Lysimachus, raising on high a huge goblet27 of wine. "He is going on a long journey to-morrow; here's to his quick passage over Styx, and welcome at the shadowy court of King Pluto28!"
And those who listened were not ashamed to laugh at the jest, or to drink the toast, though they had mixed in familiar intercourse29 with Pollux, flattered and followed him, when he had basked30 in the sunshine of royal favour. One of the guests was calculating how he should now get possession of some coveted31 gem32 which he had seen sparkling on the girdle of the man to whom he had once sworn unalterable friendship; another fixed33 on the Arab steed of the ruined courtier as his share of the spoils. There was not one of the sycophants34 met together at that night-revel who had a word of warning or a thought of pity to give to him who had been the most admired, envied, and flattered of all the nobles who composed the brilliant court of Antiochus Epiphanes!
Stars were paling, the night was waning35, the door of safety was slowly, imperceptibly closing--soon, soon the decision of Pollux, if made, would be made too late! When once the course of duty is clear to the mind, perilous36 is every minute of delay: while we hesitate, the enemy steals on; while we doubt, we may find ourselves under his fangs37!
"Zarah shall decide for me!" exclaimed the unhappy waverer at last. "If I find her resolution immovable, come what may, I will give my child one chance of escape from the horrible fate with which she is threatened."
In a few minutes, pale and haggard from his contending emotions, Pollux re-entered the apartment in which he had left his daughter.
"Zarah!" he cried, in a hollow tone, as he grasped the maiden38 by the wrist, and scanned her countenance39 with an almost despairing gaze, "I come to ask what is your final decision. Are you still insane enough to choose tortures and death?"
Zarah looked her father full in the face; she pale, but she blenched40 not. In a calm, unhesitating voice she replied, "I will never deny my faith."
"Then the die is cast!" exclaimed Pollux, almost relieved by being at least freed from the misery41 of indecision. "We live or perish together!--we will make our escape before daybreak."
There was little time left for words--none to express the thankful joy which swelled42 the heart of Zarah. She was rescuing her father from dishonour43 and guilt; she was giving him back to his country.
"Put on this dress of a Syrian slave-girl, which I have brought for you," said Pollux. "Take up yon empty water-jar; it must appear as if you went to fill it at the tank. We cannot keep close together; that would awaken15 suspicion. We shall have guards to pass, and possibly other persons besides, though at this very early hour even slaves will scarcely have commenced their morning toils44."
"How shall I find my way, father?" inquired Zarah; "this vast palace is as a labyrinth45 to me."
"You must never quite lose sight of me," Pollux replied; "though following at a sufficient distance to prevent its appearing that your movements are guided by mine. But no, that plan will not answer," he continued, pressing his forehead with his hand; "I should not then have you in view, and, should you be challenged, I should be unable to come to your help. You, my child, must go first."
"Oh, my father, my presence will fearfully increase your danger!" cried Zarah. "Leave me here, I implore46, and make your escape alone. No one will challenge you."
Pollux silenced his daughter's expostulation with an impatient gesture of the hand. "Attend to my directions," he said; "we have wasted too much time already. You will follow me through the first court, and then you will precede me. Keep to the right till you pass the first sentries47; then you will find yourself in a garden, in the centre of which is a tank. Fill, or make show of filling, your jar. Then the long dark passage which, you will see on the left will conduct you to a postern gate of the palace; there will be a guard at that also."
"How shall I pass them?" asked Zarah, who began to realize the difficulties and perils48 of the undertaking49 before her.
"I know not; but God, whom you serve, will help you, my brave and innocent child! I will be following at no great distance--every soldier or slave will know me--call me, and I will come to your aid."
"Father, give me your blessing50," faltered51 Zarah.
"My blessing!" ejaculated Pollux, drawing back; "does any one ask a blessing from a wretch52 from whom it would sear and blast more than a curse from the lips of another!"
"Oh, never say so!" cried Zarah. "You doing now what is generous--noble--right! You are casting in your lot with the people of God; like Lot, you are turning your back upon Sodom."
"And you are the angel leading me thence," exclaimed Pollux. "Oh, Zarah, Zarah, sainted child of a sainted woman, you who have been the first to cast a gleam of hope on the darkness of guilt and despair, if ever I find mercy from man or from God, if ever I look again on the face of my mother, if ever I escape the righteous doom53 of an apostate, it is owing to you! Whatever be the result of our perilous enterprise to-night, remember that I thank you, I bless you--and you shall be blessed, O my daughter!" Pollux laid both his trembling hands on the head of his kneeling child, and uttered for her the first prayer to the true God which the apostate had dared to utter for many guilty, miserable years.
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1
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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bartered
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| v.作物物交换，以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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degradation
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| n.降级；低落；退化；陵削；降解；衰变 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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apostate
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| n.背叛者，变节者 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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malediction
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| n.诅咒 | |
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prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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carousing
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| v.痛饮，闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
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boon
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| n.恩赐，恩物，恩惠 | |
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zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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revels
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| n.作乐( revel的名词复数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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profligate
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| adj.行为不检的；n.放荡的人，浪子，肆意挥霍者 | |
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goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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Pluto
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| n.冥王星 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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basked
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的过去式和过去分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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sycophants
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| n.谄媚者，拍马屁者( sycophant的名词复数 ) | |
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waning
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| adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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blenched
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| v.（因惊吓而）退缩，惊悸( blench的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）变白，（使）变苍白 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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43
dishonour
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| n./vt.拒付（支票、汇票、票据等）；vt.凌辱，使丢脸；n.不名誉，耻辱，不光彩 | |
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44
toils
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| 网 | |
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labyrinth
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| n.迷宫；难解的事物；迷路 | |
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implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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47
sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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48
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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49
undertaking
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| n.保证，许诺，事业 | |
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50
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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51
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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52
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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