It was with a strange sense of happiness mingling1 with fear that Zarah followed her father out of the apartment which had been her place of confinement2. The blessing3 of Abner lay so warm at the heart of his daughter! Zarah was no longer like one peering into depths of darkness to catch a glimpse of some terrible object below; she had discovered what she had sought, and by the cords of love was, as it were, drawing up a perishing parent into security and light. It was rapture4 to Zarah to reflect on what would be the joy of Hadassah on the restoration of her son. The maiden5 could rejoice in past perils6, and, with a courage which surprised herself, confront those before her; so clearly could she now perceive that her sufferings had been made a means of blessing to those whom she loved.
With a light, noiseless step, Zarah, obeying the directions of her newly-found parent, and keeping his form in sight, crossed the first court which they had to traverse. It was paved, surrounded by pillars, and open to the sky, of which the deep azure8 was paling into morning. The place was perfectly9 silent. Zarah observed that her father glanced up anxiously towards the building which formed the south side of the court, where marble pillars, with wreathed columns and richly carved capitals, supported a magnificent frieze11. Antiochus himself occupied that part of the palace. But no eye peered forth12 at that early hour on the forms that glided13 over the marble-paved court below.
Under the shadow of the colonnade14 now reached, Pollux awaited his daughter;--the first point of danger was happily passed. Pollux now pointed15 to a broad, covered passage to the right, lighted by lamps, of which some had already burnt out, and others were flickering16. Zarah saw at the further end forms of men dimly visible. The guards, weary with the long night-watch, were apparently17 sleeping; for they appeared to be half sitting, half reclining on the pavement, and perfectly still.
Zarah had now to go first, and with a throbbing18 heart the maiden approached the soldiers, breathing an inaudible prayer, for she felt the peril7 to be very great. The passage at the end of which the guards kept ward10 opened into one of the small gardens which adorned19 the interior of the extensive edifice20, with a tank in the centre, from which a graceful21 fountain usually rose from a statuary group of marble, representing Niobe and her children. The fountain was not playing at this hour, and there was not light sufficient to throw the shadow of the statues upon the still water below.
It was impossible to reach the garden without passing between the two guards. Zarah could not tell whether they were indeed sleeping, and the space left between them was scarcely sufficiently22 wide to admit of her traversing it. Frightened, yet clinging to hope, Zarah, with her jar on her head walked slowly and cautiously on. Just as she was gliding23 by the guards, one of them started and caught hold of her dress.
"Ha! slave, what mischief24 are you after at such an hour as this?"
"My lord has bidden me dip my jar in yon tank," said Zarah, in as calm a tone as she could command.
"I trow your lord has heated himself with a stronger kind of drink, or he would not need water to cool him now," said the Syrian, releasing Zarah, who, wondering at her own success, rapidly hurried into the garden. She almost forgot, in her haste to escape, that it was needful to dip her jar into water, as she was still within view of the Syrian. The maiden had to turn back one or two steps, and bend over the brink25 of the tank. Its cool waters refreshed her, as she dipped her slender fingers therein.
"Now," thought Zarah, "there is a long dark passage to traverse--is it on the right or the left? I scarce can remember my father's directions; and a mistake now might be fatal both to him and to me. Oh, may Heaven direct me!"
As Zarah glanced anxiously on either side, she perceived to the left a narrow opening in the mass of buildings which enclosed the garden. The opening was so utterly26 dark, that it looked to the trembling girl like the mouth of a sepulchre, and she feared to enter into it. As Zarah stood hesitating, she could hear Pollux behind her giving the password to the sentries27. His voice strengthened the courage of his daughter; it was a comfort to know that he was near. Quitting the garden, Zarah entered the gloomy passage. It was not quite so dark within as it had appeared from without. The maiden could dimly distinguish a niche28 in the wall, in which she deposited her jar, which could now only burden her in her flight.
The passage along which Zarah was groping her way was one merely intended as a back-way, along which slaves carrying viands29 or other burdens might pass, though it was not unfrequently used by courtiers bound on secret errands. It conducted to a much wider passage or corridor, which crossed it at right angles, and which led direct to a postern-door of the palace, by which four guards kept watch night and day. When Zarah reached the point where the smaller passage opened into the larger, she became aware of the most formidable obstacle which she had yet had to encounter--the presence of these guards; and to the young fugitive30 the obstacle seemed insuperable. The door was strongly bolted, and the soldiers were wide awake; there appeared to the mind of Zarah not the smallest chance that they would unbar the door for her, or suffer her to pass.
The heart of the young fugitive sank within her. It was terrible to be so near to liberty, and yet have that impassable barrier between her and freedom! How formidable looked the deadly weapons of the soldiers as they gleamed in the waning31 torch-light; how stern the weather-beaten countenances32 of that warriors34 of Antiochus Epiphanes!
Zarah leaned against the wall of the dark narrow passage, and listened for the footsteps of her father behind her. She dared not venture out of the shadow into the lighted corridor. Presently Pollux was at her side; she felt his hand gently laid on her shoulder.
"All will be lost if you attempt to save me, father," murmured the trembling girl. "Oh, go on without me--leave me to God's care; I can never pass those guards."
"When I raise my hand, come forward and go forth," whispered Pollux. Not like a prisoner escaping, but with the firm tread of a man who doubts not his right and power to go where he will, the courtier of Antiochus strode into the corridor and advanced towards the guards, who saluted35, in Oriental fashion, a noble of high distinction, whose person was familiar to them all.
"The word is 'The sword of Antiochus.' Unbar that door, and quickly; I am on business of importance which brooks36 no delay," said Pollux to the guards in a tone of command.
The order was instantly obeyed. Zarah joyfully37 heard bolt after bolt withdrawn39, and then the creaking of the door upon its hinges; and felt the freshness of outer air admitted through the opening.
Pollux seemed to be about to pass out, when he suddenly raised his hand, as his appointed signal to his daughter. Zarah, gasping40 with breathless anxiety, obeyed the sign, and glided forward to go forth from the palace. One of the soldiers, however, instantly barred her passage with his weapon.
"Let the slave pass," said Pollux sternly.
The point of the guard's weapon was lowered; but another of the soldiers was about to remonstrate41. "It is against orders," he began, when Pollux interrupted him.
"Methinks you are one who served under me in the force of Giorgias," observed the courtier, with presence of mind.
"Ay, my lord," answered the soldier.
"When we next see Maccabeus, we must come to closer quarters with him," observed the noble. "Here, my brave men,"--he drew forth a purse heavy with gold--"share this among you, and drink success to the brave."
The soldiers could scarcely repress a shout at the unexpected liberality of Pollux. Not one of them so much as looked at Zarah as she glided forth into the open air.
Oh, transporting sense of liberty! How delicious was the breath of early morn on the fugitive's cheek; how glorious the open vault42 spread above her, blushing in the first light of dawn! Pollux experienced, though in a very inferior degree, some of the pleasure felt by his daughter, as he joined her on the broad marble steps which led down from the Grecian-built palace of Antiochus to the platform on which it erected43.
"This way, my child," whispered Pollux, as drew Zarah in the direction of one of the high narrow streets of Jerusalem. "We must put as much space as possible between us and pursuers before sunrise. Would that we had started hours ago! Many dangers yet are before us."
One was nearer than the speaker was aware of. Scarcely had the fugitives44 entered the nearest street when they encountered a Syrian courtier, splendidly attired45, whose unsteady gait betrayed in what manner he had been passing the night. More than half intoxicated46 as he was, Lysimachus instantly recognized Pollux.
"Ha! whither bound?" exclaimed Lysimachus, standing47, or rather staggering, in the narrow path directly in front of the fugitives.
"I give an account of my movements only to such as have a right to demand it," said Pollux haughtily48, attempting to pass his rival, while Zarah kept close behind her father.
"The fox has caught sight of the trap--Pollux has found out that I hold his death-warrant," cried Lysimachus; "and that his head must fall at sunrise!"
Pollux started at the words of his enemy.
"He is making his escape!" continued Lysimachus, in a louder voice; "he's falling off to the Hebrews! but this shall stop him!" and with a quick, unexpected movement, the Syrian plunged49 a dagger50 into the breast of Pollux, then himself fell heavily rolling over into the dust! Lysimachus had been struck down by a blow from the hand of Lycidas, who had been but a few paces behind him!
Zarah had caught sight of the Greek, and of the venerated51 form of Hadassah at that momentous52 crisis; her eyes riveted53 on them, she had not seen the blow inflicted54 on her father, who, though mortally wounded, did not instantly fall. For Pollux also beheld55 his mother, and the sudden, unexpected vision of her from whom he had so long been divided, seemed to have power to arrest even the hand of death. Parent and son met--they clasped--they locked each other in a first--a last embrace!
"Oh, mother," exclaimed Zarah, "he has saved me; he is your own son again, devoted56 to his country--to his God!"
Did Hadassah hear the joyful38 exclamation57? If she did not, it mattered but little, for she had already grasped with ecstasy58 all that its meaning could convey; for the last sentence uttered by Lysimachus ere he fell had reached her ear. Her son--her beloved--was "falling away to the Hebrews," or rather was returning to the faith which he once had abjured59; he was given back--he was saved from perdition--he was rescuing his child from death and his mother from despair! Hadassah's mind had received all this, conveyed as it were in a lightning flash of joy. She needed to know no more;--her son was folded in her arms!
Pollux and Hadassah sank together on the paved way. The sight of a few drops of blood on the stones first startled Zarah into a knowledge that Lysimachus had inflicted an injury on her father.
"Oh, he is wounded!" she exclaimed, throwing herself on her knees beside him.
"Dead!" ejaculated Anna, who was vainly attempting to raise the head of Pollux.
"No--no--not dead! Oh, Lycidas!--Lycidas!" exclaimed Zarah in horror, intuitively appealing to the Athenian to relieve her from the terrible fear which Anna had raised.
"It is too true," said Lycidas sadly; for he could not look upon the countenance33 of Pollux and doubt that life was extinct. "We must gently separate the son from the arms of his mother."
But they who had been so long separated in life could not be separated in death; man had now no power to divide them. Often had Hadassah thought that her heart would break with grief;--it had burst with joy! Her day of sorrow was over; her long Sabbath rest had begun. The happy smile which had lately played on her lips in sleep, now rested upon them in that last peaceful slumber60 from which she should never again awake to weep. She had been given her heart's desire, and so had departed in peace. Blessed death; most joyful departure!
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1
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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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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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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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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frieze
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| n.(墙上的)横饰带，雕带 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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colonnade
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| n.柱廊 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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gliding
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| v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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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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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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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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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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joyful
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| adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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vault
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| n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室 | |
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ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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attired
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| adj.穿着整齐的v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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intoxicated
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| 喝醉的，极其兴奋的 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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49
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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venerated
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| 敬重（某人或某事物），崇敬( venerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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53
riveted
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| 铆接( rivet的过去式和过去分词 )； 把…固定住； 吸引； 引起某人的注意 | |
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54
inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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57
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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58
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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59
abjured
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| v.发誓放弃( abjure的过去式和过去分词 )；郑重放弃（意见）；宣布撤回（声明等）；避免 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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