"Ignorant donkey-heads!" cried Pinchas next Friday morning. "Him they make a Rabbi and give him the right of answering questions, and he know no more of Judaism," the patriotic1 poet paused to take a bite out of his ham-sandwich, "than a cow of Sunday. I lof his daughter and I tell him so and he tells me she lof another. But I haf held him up on the point of my pen to the contempt of posterity2. I haf written an acrostic on him; it is terrible. Her vill I shoot."
"Ah, they are a bad lot, these Rabbis," said Simon Wolf, sipping3 his sherry. The conversation took place in English and the two men were seated in a small private room in a public-house, awaiting the advent5 of the Strike Committee.
"Dey are like de rest of de Community. I vash my hands of dem," said the poet, waving his cigar in a fiery7 crescent.
"I have long since washed my hands of them," said Simon Wolf, though the fact was not obvious. "We can trust neither our Rabbis nor our philanthropists. The Rabbis engrossed9 in the hypocritical endeavor to galvanize the corpse10 of Judaism into a vitality11 that shall last at least their own lifetime, have neither time nor thought for the great labor12 question. Our philanthropists do but scratch the surface. They give the working-man with their right hand what they have stolen from him with the left."
Simon Wolf was the great Jewish labor leader. Most of his cronies were rampant13 atheists, disgusted with the commercialism of the believers. They were clever young artisans from Russia and Poland with a smattering of education, a feverish14 receptiveness for all the iconoclastic15 ideas that were in the London air, a hatred16 of capitalism17 and strong social sympathies. They wrote vigorous jargon19 for the _Friend of Labor_ and compassed the extreme proverbial limits of impiety20 by "eating pork on the Day of Atonement." This was done partly to vindicate22 their religious opinions whose correctness was demonstrated by the non-appearance of thunderbolts, partly to show that nothing one way or the other was to be expected from Providence23 or its professors.
"The only way for our poor brethren to be saved from their slavery," went on Simon Wolf, "is for them to combine against the sweaters and to let the West-End Jews go and hang themselves."
"Ah, dat is mine policee," said Pinchas, "dat was mine policee ven I founded de Holy Land League. Help yourselves and Pinchas vill help you. You muz combine, and den24 I vill be de Moses to lead you out of de land of bondage25. _Nein_, I vill be more dan Moses, for he had not de gift of eloquence26."
"Yes, he was a fool-man," said Pinchas imperturbably28. "I agree with Goethe--_nur Lumpen sind bescheiden_, only clods are modaist. I am not modaist. Is the Almighty29 modaist? I know, I feel vat4 I am, vat I can do."
"Look here, Pinchas, you're a very clever fellow, I know, and I'm very glad to have you with us--but remember I have organized this movement for years, planned it out as I sat toiling31 in Belcovitch's machine-room, written on it till I've got the cramp32, spoken on it till I was hoarse34, given evidence before innumerable Commissions. It is I who have stirred up the East-End Jews and sent the echo of their cry into Parliament, and I will not be interfered35 with. Do you hear?"
"Yes, I hear. Vy you not listen to me? You no understand vat I mean!"
"Me? Me?" repeated the poet in an injured and astonished tone. "Vy midout you de movement vould crumble37 like a mummy in de air; be not such a fool-man. To everybody I haf said--ah, dat Simon Wolf he is a great man, a vair great man; he is de only man among de English Jews who can save de East-End; it is he that should be member for Vitechapel--not that fool-man Gideon. Be not such a fool-man! Haf anoder glaz sherry and some more ham-sandwiches." The poet had a simple child-like delight in occasionally assuming the host.
"Very well, so long as I have your assurance," said the mollified labor-leader, mumbling38 the conclusion of the sentence into his wine-glass. "But you know how it is! After I have worked the thing for years, I don't want to see a drone come in and take the credit."
"Yes, _sic vos non vobis_, as the Talmud says. Do you know I haf proved that Virgil stole all his ideas from the Talmud?"
"First there was Black and then there was Cohen--now Gideon, M.P., sees he can get some advertisement out of it in the press, he wants to preside at the meetings. Members of Parliament are a bad lot!"
"Yes--but dey shall not take de credit from you. I will write and expose dem--the world shall know what humbugs39 dey are, how de whole wealthy West-End stood idly by with her hands in de working-men's pockets while you vere building up de great organization. You know all de jargon-papers jump at vat I write, dey sign my name in vair large type--Melchitsedek Pinchas--under every ting, and I am so pleased with deir homage41, I do not ask for payment, for dey are vair poor. By dis time I am famous everywhere, my name has been in de evening papers, and ven I write about you to de _Times_, you vill become as famous as me. And den you vill write about me--ve vill put up for Vitechapel at de elections, ve vill both become membairs of Parliament, I and you, eh?"
"I'm afraid there's not much chance of that," sighed Simon Wolf.
"Vy not? Dere are two seats. Vy should you not haf de Oder?"
"Ain't you forgetting about election expenses, Pinchas?"
"_Nein_!" repeated the poet emphatically. "I forgets noding. Ve vill start a fund."
"We can't start funds for ourselves."
"Be not a fool-man; of course not. You for me, I for you."
"You won't get much," said Simon, laughing ruefully at the idea.
"Tink not? Praps not. But _you_ vill for me. Ven I am in Parliament, de load vill be easier for us both. Besides I vill go to de Continent soon to give avay de rest of de copies of my book. I expect to make dousands of pounds by it--for dey know how to honor scholars and poets abroad. Dere dey haf not stupid-head stockbrokers42 like Gideon, M.P., ministers like the Reverend Elkan Benjamin who keep four mistresses, and Rabbis like Reb Shemuel vid long white beards outside and emptiness vidin who sell deir daughters."
"I don't want to look so far ahead," said Simon Wolf. "At present, what we have to do is to carry this strike through. Once we get our demands from the masters a powerful blow will have been struck for the emancipation43 of ten thousand working-men. They will have more money and more leisure, a little less of hell and a little more of heaven. The coming Passover would, indeed, be an appropriate festival even for the most heterodox among them if we could strike oft their chains in the interim44. But it seems impossible to get unity6 among them--a large section appears to mistrust me, though I swear to you, Pinchas, I am actuated by nothing but an unselfish desire for their good. May this morsel45 of sandwich choke me if I have ever been swayed by anything but sympathy with their wrongs. And yet you saw that malicious46 pamphlet that was circulated against me in Yiddish--silly, illiterate47 scribble48."
"Oh, no!" said Pinchas. "It was vair beautiful; sharp as de sting of de hornet. But vat can you expect? Christ suffered. All great benefactors49 suffer. Am _I_ happy? But it is only your own foolishness that you must tank if dere is dissension in de camp. De _Gomorah_ says ve muz be vize, _chocham_, ve muz haf tact50. See vat you haf done. You haf frighten avay de ortodox fool-men. Dey are oppressed, dey sweat--but dey tink deir God make dem sweat. Why you tell dem, no? Vat mattairs? Free dem from hunger and tirst first, den freedom from deir fool-superstitions vill come of itself. Jeshurun vax fat and kick? Hey? You go de wrong vay."
"Do you mean I'm to pretend to be _froom_," said Simon Wolf.
"And ven? Vat mattairs? You are a fool, man. To get to de goal one muz go crooked52 vays. Ah, you have no stadesmanship. You frighten dem. You lead processions vid bands and banners on _Shabbos_ to de _Shools_. Many who vould be glad to be delivered by you tremble for de heavenly lightning. Dey go not in de procession. Many go when deir head is on fire--afterwards, dey take fright and beat deir breasts. Vat vill happen? De ortodox are de majority; in time dere vill come a leader who vill be, or pretend to be, ortodox as veil as socialist53. Den vat become of you? You are left vid von, two, tree ateists--not enough to make _Minyan_. No, ve muz be _chocham_, ve muz take de men as ve find dem. God has made two classes of men--vise-men and fool-men. Dere! is one vise-man to a million fool-men--and he sits on deir head and dey support him. If dese fool-men vant to go to _Shool_ and to fast on _Yom Kippur_, vat for you make a feast of pig and shock dem, so dey not believe in your socialism? Ven you vant to eat pig, you do it here, like ve do now, in private. In public, ve spit out ven ve see pig. Ah, you are a fool-man. I am a stadesman, a politician. I vill be de Machiavelli of de movement."
"Ah, Pinchas, you are a devil of a chap," said Wolf, laughing. "And yet you say you are the poet of patriotism55 and Palestine."
"Vy not? Vy should we lif here in captivity56? Vy we shall not have our own state--and our own President, a man who combine deep politic54 vid knowledge of Hebrew literature and de pen of a poet. No, let us fight to get back our country--ve vill not hang our harps57 on the villows of Babylon and veep--ve vill take our swords vid Ezra and Judas Maccabaeus, and--"
"One thing at a time, Pinchas," said Simon Wolf. "At present, we have to consider how to distribute these food-tickets. The committee-men are late; I wonder if there has been any fighting at the centres, where they have been addressing meetings."
"Ah, dat is anoder point," said Pinchas. "Vy you no let me address meetings--not de little ones in de street, but de great ones in de hall of de Club? Dere my vords vould rush like de moundain dorrents, sveeping avay de corruptions58. But you let all dese fool-men talk. You know, Simon, I and you are de only two persons in de East-End who speak Ainglish properly."
"I know. But these speeches must be in Yiddish."
"_Gewiss_. But who speak her like me and you? You muz gif me a speech to-night."
"I can't; really not," said Simon. "The programme's arranged. You know they're all jealous of me already. I dare not leave one out."
"Ah, no; do not say dat!" said Pinchas, laying his finger pleadingly on the side of his nose.
"I must."
"You tear my heart in two. I lof you like a brother--almost like a voman. Just von!" There was an appealing smile in his eye.
"I cannot. I shall have a hornet's nest about my ears."
"Von leedle von, Simon Wolf!" Again his finger was on his nose.
"It is impossible."
"You haf not considair how my Yiddish shall make kindle59 every heart, strike tears from every eye, as Moses did from de rock."
"I have. I know. But what am I to do?"
"Jus dis leedle favor; and I vill be gradeful to you all mine life."
"You know I would if I could."
Pinchas's finger was laid more insistently60 on his nose.
"Just dis vonce. Grant me dis, and I vill nevair ask anyding of you in all my life."
"No, no. Don't bother, Pinchas. Go away now," said Wolf, getting annoyed. "I have lots to do."
"I vill never gif you mine ideas again!" said the poet, flashing up, and he went out and banged the door.
The labor-leader settled to his papers with a sigh of relief.
The relief was transient. A moment afterwards the door was slightly opened, and Pinchas's head was protruded61 through the aperture62. The poet wore his most endearing smile, the finger was laid coaxingly63 against the nose.
"Just von leedle speech, Simon. Tink how I lof you."
"Oh, you be a great man!" he said. Then he walked out, closing the door gently. A moment afterwards, a vision of the dusky head, with the carneying smile and the finger on the nose, reappeared.
"You von't forget your promise," said the head.
"No, no. Go to the devil. I won't forget."
Pinchas walked home through streets thronged65 with excited strikers, discussing the situation with oriental exuberance66 of gesture, with any one who would listen. The demands of these poor slop-hands (who could only count upon six hours out of the twenty-four for themselves, and who, by the help of their wives and little ones in finishing, might earn a pound a week) were moderate enough--hours from eight to eight, with an hour for dinner and half an hour for tea, two shillings from the government contractors67 for making a policeman's great-coat instead of one and ninepence halfpenny, and so on and so on. Their intentions were strictly68 peaceful. Every face was stamped with the marks of intellect and ill-health--the hue69 of a muddy pallor relieved by the flash of eyes and teeth. Their shoulders stooped, their chests were narrow, their arms flabby. They came in their hundreds to the hall at night. It was square-shaped with a stage and galleries, for a jargon-company sometimes thrilled the Ghetto70 with tragedy and tickled71 it with farce72. Both species were playing to-night, and in jargon to boot. In real life you always get your drama mixed, and the sock of comedy galls73 the buskin of tragedy. It was an episode in the pitiful tussle74 of hunger and greed, yet its humors were grotesque75 enough.
Full as the Hall was, it was not crowded, for it was Friday night and a large contingent76 of strikers refused to desecrate77 the Sabbath by attending the meeting. But these were the zealots--Moses Ansell among them, for he, too, had struck. Having been out of work already he had nothing to lose by augmenting78 the numerical importance of the agitation79. The moderately pious80 argued that there was no financial business to transact81 and attendance could hardly come under the denomination82 of work. It was rather analogous83 to attendance at a lecture--they would simply have to listen to speeches. Besides it would be but a black Sabbath at home with a barren larder84, and they had already been to synagogue. Thus degenerates85 ancient piety21 in the stress of modern social problems. Some of the men had not even changed their everyday face for their Sabbath countenance86 by washing it. Some wore collars, and shiny threadbare garments of dignified87 origin, others were unaffectedly poverty-stricken with dingy88 shirt-cuffs peeping out of frayed89 sleeve edges and unhealthily colored scarfs folded complexly round their necks. A minority belonged to the Free-thinking party, but the majority only availed themselves of Wolf's services because they were indispensable. For the moment he was the only possible leader, and they were sufficiently90 Jesuitic to use the Devil himself for good ends.
Though Wolf would not give up a Friday-night meeting--especially valuable, as permitting of the attendance of tailors who had not yet struck--Pinchas's politic advice had not failed to make an impression. Like so many reformers who have started with blatant91 atheism92, he was beginning to see the insignificance93 of irreligious dissent94 as compared with the solution of the social problem, and Pinchas's seed had fallen on ready soil. As a labor-leader, pure and simple, he could count upon a far larger following than as a preacher of militant95 impiety. He resolved to keep his atheism in the background for the future and devote himself to the enfranchisement96 of the body before tampering97 with the soul. He was too proud ever to acknowledge his indebtedness to the poet's suggestion, but he felt grateful to him all the same.
"My brothers," he said in Yiddish, when his turn came to speak. "It pains me much to note how disunited we are. The capitalists, the Belcovitches, would rejoice if they but knew all that is going on. Have we not enemies enough that we must quarrel and split up into little factions98 among ourselves? (Hear, hear.) How can we hope to succeed unless we are thoroughly99 organized? It has come to my ears that there are men who insinuate100 things even about me and before I go on further to-night I wish to put this question to you." He paused and there was a breathless silence. The orator101 threw his chest forwards and gazing fearlessly at the assembly cried in a stentorian102 voice:
_"Sind sie zufrieden mit ihrer Chairman?"_ (Are you satisfied with your chairman?)
"_Yes_," rolled back from the assembly, proud of its English monosyllables.
Instantly the assembly was on its legs, eyeing the dissentient angrily. "Get down! Go on the platform!" mingled106 with cries of "order" from the Chairman, who in vain summoned him on to the stage. The dissentient waved a roll of paper violently and refused to modify his standpoint. He was evidently speaking, for his jaws107 were making movements, which in the din40 and uproar108 could not rise above grimaces109. There was a battered110 high hat on the back of his head, and his hair was uncombed, and his face unwashed. At last silence was restored and the tirade111 became audible.
"Cursed sweaters--capitalists--stealing men's brains--leaving us to rot and starve in darkness and filth112. Curse them! Curse them!" The speaker's voice rose to a hysterical113 scream, as he rambled114 on.
Some of the men knew him and soon there flew from lip to lip, "Oh, it's only _Meshuggene David_."
Mad Davy was a gifted Russian university student, who had been mixed up with nihilistic conspiracies115 and had fled to England where the struggle to find employ for his clerical talents had addled116 his brain. He had a gift for chess and mechanical invention, and in the early days had saved himself from starvation by the sale of some ingenious patents to a swaggering co-religionist who owned race-horses and a music-hall, but he sank into squaring the circle and inventing perpetual motion. He lived now on the casual crumbs117 of indigent118 neighbors, for the charitable organizations had marked him "dangerous." He was a man of infinite loquacity119, with an intense jealousy120 of Simon Wolf or any such uninstructed person who assumed to lead the populace, but when the assembly accorded him his hearing he forgot the occasion of his rising in a burst of passionate121 invective122 against society.
When the irrelevancy123 of his remarks became apparent, he was rudely howled down and his neighbors pulled him into his seat, where he gibbered and mowed124 inaudibly.
Wolf continued his address.
"_Sind sie zufrieden mit ihrer Secretary_?"
This time there was no dissent. The _"Yes"_ came like thunder.
"_Sind sie zufrieden mit ihrer Treasurer_?"
_Yeas_ and _nays_ mingled. The question of the retention125, of the functionary126 was put to the vote. But there was much confusion, for the East-End Jew is only slowly becoming a political animal. The ayes had it, but Wolf was not yet satisfied with the satisfaction of the gathering127. He repeated the entire batch128 of questions in a new formula so as to drive them home.
"_Hot aner etwas zu sagen gegen mir_?" Which is Yiddish for "has any one anything to say against me?"
"_Hot aner etwas zu sagen gegen dem secretary_?"
"_No_!"
"_Hot aner etwas zu sagen gegen dem treasurer_?"
"_No!"_
Having thus shown his grasp of logical exhaustiveness in a manner unduly130 exhausting to the more intelligent, Wolf consented to resume his oration131. He had scored a victory, and triumph lent him added eloquence. When he ceased he left his audience in a frenzy132 of resolution and loyalty133. In the flush of conscious power and freshly added influence, he found a niche134 for Pinchas's oratory135.
"Brethren in exile," said the poet in his best Yiddish.
Pinchas spoke33 German which is an outlandish form of Yiddish and scarce understanded of the people, so that to be intelligible136 he had to divest137 himself of sundry138 inflections, and to throw gender139 to the winds and to say "wet" for "wird" and mix hybrid140 Hebrew and ill-pronounced English with his vocabulary. There was some cheering as Pinchas tossed his dishevelled locks and addressed the gathering, for everybody to whom he had ever spoken knew that he was a wise and learned man and a great singer in Israel.
"Brethren in exile," said the poet. "The hour has come for laying the sweaters low. Singly we are sand-grains, together we are the simoom. Our great teacher, Moses, was the first Socialist. The legislation of the Old Testament--the land laws, the jubilee141 regulations, the tender care for the poor, the subordination of the rights of property to the interests of the working-men--all this is pure Socialism!"
The poet paused for the cheers which came in a mighty30 volume. Few of those present knew what Socialism was, but all knew the word as a shibboleth142 of salvation143 from sweaters. Socialism meant shorter hours and higher wages and was obtainable by marching with banners and brass144 bands--what need to inquire further?
"In short," pursued the poet, "Socialism is Judaism and Judaism is Socialism, and Karl Marx and Lassalle, the founders145 of Socialism, were Jews. Judaism does not bother with the next world. It says, 'Eat, drink and be satisfied and thank the Lord, thy God, who brought thee out of Egypt from the land of bondage.' But we have nothing to eat, we have nothing to drink, we have nothing to be satisfied with, we are still in the land of bondage." (Cheers.) "My brothers, how can we keep Judaism in a land where there is no Socialism? We must become better Jews, we must bring on Socialism, for the period of Socialism on earth and of peace and plenty and brotherly love is what all our prophets and great teachers meant by Messiah-times."
"When Hillel the Great summed up the law to the would-be proselyte while standing147 on one leg, how did he express it? 'Do not unto others what you would not have others do unto you.' This is Socialism in a nut-shell. Do not keep your riches for yourself, spread them abroad. Do not fatten148 on the labor of the poor, but share it. Do not eat the food others have earned, but earn your own. Yes, brothers, the only true Jews in England are the Socialists149. Phylacteries, praying-shawls--all nonsense. Work for Socialism--that pleases the Almighty. The Messiah will be a Socialist."
There were mingled sounds, men asking each other dubiously150, "What says he?" They began to sniff151 brimstone. Wolf, shifting uneasily on his chair, kicked the poet's leg in reminder152 of his own warning. But Pinchas's head was touching153 the stars again. Mundane154 considerations were left behind somewhere in the depths of space below his feet.
"But how is the Messiah to redeem155 his people?" he asked. "Not now-a-days by the sword but by the tongue. He will plead the cause of Judaism, the cause of Socialism, in Parliament. He will not come with mock miracle like Bar Cochba or Zevi. At the general election, brothers, I will stand as the candidate for Whitechapel. I, a poor man, one of yourselves, will take my stand in that mighty assembly and touch the hearts of the legislators. They shall bend before my oratory as the bulrushes of the Nile when the wind passes. They will make me Prime Minister like Lord Beaconsfield, only he was no true lover of his people, he was not the Messiah. To hell with the rich bankers and the stockbrokers--we want them not. We will free ourselves."
The extraordinary vigor18 of the poet's language and gestures told. Only half comprehending, the majority stamped and huzzahed. Pinchas swelled156 visibly. His slim, lithe157 form, five and a quarter feet high, towered over the assembly. His complexion158 was as burnished159 copper160, his eyes flashed flame.
"Yes, brethren," he resumed. "These Anglo-Jewish swine trample161 unheeding on the pearls of poetry and scholarship, they choose for Ministers men with four mistresses, for Chief Rabbis hypocrites who cannot even write the holy tongue grammatically, for _Dayanim_ men who sell their daughters to the rich, for Members of Parliament stockbrokers who cannot speak English, for philanthropists greengrocers who embezzle162 funds. Let us have nothing to do with these swine--Moses our teacher forbade it. (Laughter.) I will be the Member for Whitechapel. See, my name Melchitsedek Pinchas already makes M.P.--it was foreordained. If every letter of the _Torah_ has its special meaning, and none was put by chance, why should the finger of heaven not have written my name thus: M.P.--Melchitsedek Pinchas. Ah, our brother Wolf speaks truth--wisdom issues from his lips. Put aside your petty quarrels and unite in working for my election to Parliament. Thus and thus only shall you be redeemed163 from bondage, made from beasts of burden into men, from slaves to citizens, from false Jews to true Jews. Thus and thus only shall you eat, drink and be satisfied, and thank me for bringing you out of the land of bondage. Thus and thus only shall Judaism cover the world as the waters cover the sea."
The fervid164 peroration165 overbalanced the audience, and from all sides except the platform applause warmed the poet's ears. He resumed his seat, and as he did so he automatically drew out a match and a cigar, and lit the one with the other. Instantly the applause dwindled166, died; there was a moment of astonished silence, then a roar of execration167. The bulk of the audience, as Pinchas, sober, had been shrewd enough to see, was still orthodox. This public desecration168 of the Sabbath by smoking was intolerable. How should the God of Israel aid the spread of Socialism and the shorter hours movement and the rise of prices a penny on a coat, if such devil's incense169 were borne to His nostrils170? Their vague admiration171 of Pinchas changed into definite distrust. "_Epikouros, Epikouros, Meshumad_" resounded172 from all sides. The poet looked wonderingly about him, failing to grasp the situation. Simon Wolf saw his opportunity. With an angry jerk he knocked the glowing cigar from between the poet's teeth. There was a yell of delight and approbation173.
Wolf jumped to his feet. "Brothers," he roared, "you know I am not _froom_, but I will not have anybody else's feelings trampled174 upon." So saying, he ground the cigar under his heel.
Immediately an abortive175 blow from the poet's puny176 arm swished the air. Pinchas was roused, the veins177 on his forehead swelled, his heart thumped178 rapidly in his bosom179. Wolf shook his knobby fist laughingly at the poet, who made no further effort to use any other weapon of offence but his tongue.
"Hypocrite!" he shrieked180. "Liar181! Machiavelli! Child of the separation! A black year on thee! An evil spirit in thy bones and in the bones of thy father and mother. Thy father was a proselyte and thy mother an abomination. The curses of Deuteronomy light on thee. Mayest thou become covered with boils like Job! And you," he added, turning on the audience, "pack of Men-of-the-earth! Stupid animals! How much longer will you bend your neck to the yoke182 of superstition51 while your bellies183 are empty? Who says I shall not smoke? Was tobacco known to Moses our Teacher? If so he would have enjoyed it on the _Shabbos_. He was a wise man like me. Did the Rabbis know of it? No, fortunately, else they were so stupid they would have forbidden it. You are all so ignorant that you think not of these things. Can any one show me where it stands that we must not smoke on _Shabbos_? Is not _Shabbos_ a day of rest, and how can we rest if we smoke not? I believe with the Baal-Shem that God is more pleased when I smoke my cigar than at the prayers of all the stupid Rabbis. How dare you rob me of my cigar--is that keeping _Shabbos_?" He turned back to Wolf, and tried to push his foot from off the cigar. There was a brief struggle. A dozen men leaped on the platform and dragged the poet away from his convulsive clasp of the labor-leader's leg. A few opponents of Wolf on the platform cried, "Let the man alone, give him his cigar," and thrust themselves amongst the invaders184. The hall was in tumult185. From the gallery the voice of Mad Davy resounded again:
"Cursed sweaters--stealing men's brains--darkness and filth--curse them! Blow them up I as we blew up Alexander. Curse them!"
Pinchas was carried, shrieking186 hysterically187, and striving to bite the arms of his bearers, through the tumultuous crowd, amid a little ineffective opposition188, and deposited outside the door.
Wolf made another speech, sealing the impression he had made. Then the poor narrow-chested pious men went home through the cold air to recite the Song of Solomon in their stuffy189 back-rooms and garrets. "Behold190 thou art fair, my love," they intoned in a strange chant. "Behold thou art fair, thou hast doves' eyes. Behold thou art fair, my beloved, yea pleasant; also our couch is green. The beams of our house are cedar191 and our rafters are fir. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear upon the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. Thy plants are an orchard192 of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits, calamus, cinnamon with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloe with all the chief spices; a fountain of gardens; a well of living waters and streams from Lebanon. Awake, O north wind and come, thou south, blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out."
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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posterity
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| n.后裔，子孙，后代 | |
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sipping
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的现在分词 ) | |
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vat
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| n.(=value added tax)增值税，大桶 | |
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advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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unity
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| n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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hem
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| n.贴边，镶边；vt.缝贴边；(in)包围，限制 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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12
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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rampant
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| adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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15
iconoclastic
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| adj.偶像破坏的，打破旧习的 | |
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16
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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17
capitalism
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| n.资本主义 | |
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18
vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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19
jargon
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| n.术语，行话 | |
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20
impiety
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| n.不敬；不孝 | |
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21
piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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22
vindicate
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| v.为…辩护或辩解，辩明；证明…正确 | |
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23
providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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24
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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25
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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26
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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27
meekest
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| adj.温顺的，驯服的( meek的最高级 ) | |
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28
imperturbably
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| adv.泰然地，镇静地，平静地 | |
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29
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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30
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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31
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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32
cramp
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| n.痉挛；[pl.](腹)绞痛；vt.限制，束缚 | |
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33
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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34
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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35
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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36
oust
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| vt.剥夺，取代，驱逐 | |
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37
crumble
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| vi.碎裂，崩溃；vt.弄碎，摧毁 | |
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38
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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39
humbugs
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| 欺骗( humbug的名词复数 )； 虚伪； 骗子； 薄荷硬糖 | |
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40
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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41
homage
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| n.尊敬，敬意，崇敬 | |
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42
stockbrokers
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| n.股票经纪人( stockbroker的名词复数 ) | |
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43
emancipation
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| n.（从束缚、支配下）解放 | |
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44
interim
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| adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间 | |
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45
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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46
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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47
illiterate
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| adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲 | |
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48
scribble
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| v.潦草地书写，乱写，滥写；n.潦草的写法，潦草写成的东西，杂文 | |
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49
benefactors
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| n.捐助者，施主( benefactor的名词复数 )；恩人 | |
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50
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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51
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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52
crooked
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| adj.弯曲的；不诚实的，狡猾的，不正当的 | |
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53
socialist
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| n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的 | |
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54
politic
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| adj.有智虑的；精明的；v.从政 | |
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55
patriotism
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| n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义 | |
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56
captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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57
harps
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| abbr.harpsichord 拨弦古钢琴n.竖琴( harp的名词复数 ) | |
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58
corruptions
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| n.堕落( corruption的名词复数 )；腐化；腐败；贿赂 | |
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59
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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60
insistently
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| ad.坚持地 | |
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61
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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62
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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63
coaxingly
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| adv. 以巧言诱哄，以甘言哄骗 | |
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64
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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65
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
exuberance
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| n.丰富；繁荣 | |
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67
contractors
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| n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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68
strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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69
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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70
ghetto
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| n.少数民族聚居区，贫民区 | |
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71
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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72
farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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73
galls
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| v.使…擦痛( gall的第三人称单数 )；擦伤；烦扰；侮辱 | |
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74
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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75
grotesque
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| adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物） | |
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76
contingent
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| adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队 | |
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77
desecrate
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| v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱 | |
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78
augmenting
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| 使扩张 | |
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79
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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80
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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81
transact
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| v.处理；做交易；谈判 | |
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82
denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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83
analogous
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| adj.相似的；类似的 | |
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84
larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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85
degenerates
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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86
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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87
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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88
dingy
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| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
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89
frayed
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| adj.磨损的v.（使布、绳等）磨损，磨破( fray的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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90
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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91
blatant
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| adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的 | |
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92
atheism
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| n.无神论，不信神 | |
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93
insignificance
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| n.不重要；无价值；无意义 | |
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94
dissent
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| n./v.不同意，持异议 | |
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95
militant
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|
| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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96
enfranchisement
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| 选举权 | |
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97
tampering
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| v.窜改( tamper的现在分词 )；篡改；（用不正当手段）影响；瞎摆弄 | |
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98
factions
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| 组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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99
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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100
insinuate
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| vt.含沙射影地说，暗示 | |
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101
orator
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| n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家 | |
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102
stentorian
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| adj.大声的，响亮的 | |
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103
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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104
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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105
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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106
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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107
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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108
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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109
grimaces
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| n.（表蔑视、厌恶等）面部扭曲，鬼脸( grimace的名词复数 )v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的第三人称单数 ) | |
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110
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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111
tirade
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| n.冗长的攻击性演说 | |
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112
filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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113
hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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114
rambled
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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115
conspiracies
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| n.阴谋，密谋( conspiracy的名词复数 ) | |
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116
addled
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| adj.（头脑）糊涂的，愚蠢的；（指蛋类）变坏v.使糊涂( addle的过去式和过去分词 )；使混乱；使腐臭；使变质 | |
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117
crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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118
indigent
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| adj.贫穷的，贫困的 | |
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119
loquacity
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| n.多话，饶舌 | |
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120
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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121
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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122
invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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123
irrelevancy
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| n.不恰当，离题，不相干的事物 | |
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124
mowed
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| v.刈，割( mow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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125
retention
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| n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力 | |
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126
functionary
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| n.官员；公职人员 | |
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127
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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128
batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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129
vehement
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| adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的 | |
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130
unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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131
oration
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| n.演说，致辞，叙述法 | |
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132
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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133
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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134
niche
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| n.壁龛；合适的职务(环境、位置等) | |
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135
oratory
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| n.演讲术；词藻华丽的言辞 | |
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136
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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137
divest
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| v.脱去，剥除 | |
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138
sundry
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| adj.各式各样的，种种的 | |
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139
gender
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| n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性 | |
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140
hybrid
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| n.(动，植）杂种，混合物 | |
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141
jubilee
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| n.周年纪念；欢乐 | |
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142
shibboleth
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| n.陈规陋习；口令；暗语 | |
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143
salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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144
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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145
founders
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| n.创始人( founder的名词复数 ) | |
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146
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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147
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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148
fatten
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| v.使肥，变肥 | |
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149
socialists
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| 社会主义者( socialist的名词复数 ) | |
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150
dubiously
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| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
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151
sniff
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| vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视 | |
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152
reminder
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| n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示 | |
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153
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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154
mundane
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| adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的 | |
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155
redeem
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| v.买回，赎回，挽回，恢复，履行（诺言等） | |
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156
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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157
lithe
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| adj.(指人、身体)柔软的，易弯的 | |
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158
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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159
burnished
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| adj.抛光的，光亮的v.擦亮（金属等），磨光( burnish的过去式和过去分词 )；被擦亮，磨光 | |
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160
copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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161
trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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162
embezzle
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| vt.贪污，盗用；挪用(公款；公物等) | |
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163
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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164
fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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165
peroration
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| n.（演说等之）结论 | |
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166
dwindled
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| v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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167
execration
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| n.诅咒，念咒，憎恶 | |
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168
desecration
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| n. 亵渎神圣, 污辱 | |
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169
incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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170
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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171
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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172
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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173
approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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174
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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175
abortive
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| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
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176
puny
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| adj.微不足道的，弱小的 | |
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177
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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178
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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179
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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180
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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181
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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182
yoke
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| n.轭；支配；v.给...上轭，连接，使成配偶 | |
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183
bellies
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| n.肚子( belly的名词复数 )；腹部；（物体的）圆形或凸起部份；腹部…形的 | |
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184
invaders
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| 入侵者，侵略者，侵入物( invader的名词复数 ) | |
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185
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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186
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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187
hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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188
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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189
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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190
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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191
cedar
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| n.雪松，香柏(木) | |
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192
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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