Pearl-Maiden: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

THE ESSENES LOSE THEIR QUEEN

The Court of the Essenes was gathered in council debating the subject
of the departure of their ward, Miriam. She must go, that was evident,
since not even for her, whom they loved as though each of them had been
in truth her father or her uncle, could their ancient, sacred rule
be broken. But where was she to go and how should she be supported as
became her? These were the questions that troubled them and that they
debated earnestly. At length her great-uncle Ithiel suggested that she
should be summoned before them, that they might hear her wishes. To this
his brethren agreed, and he was sent to fetch her.

A while later, attended by Nehushta, Miriam arrived, clad in a robe
of pure white, and wearing on her head a wimple of white, edged with
purple, and about her waist a purple scarf. So greatly did the Essenes
love and reverence this maid, that as she entered, all the hundred of
the Court rose and remaining standing until she herself was seated. Then
the President, who was sorrowful and even shamefaced, addressed her,
telling her their trouble, and praying her pardon because the ordinance
of their order forced them to arrange that she should depart from among
them. At the end of this speech he asked her what were her wishes as
regarded her own future, adding that for her maintenance she need have
no fear, since out of their revenues a modest sum would be set aside
annually which would suffice to keep her from poverty.

In answer Miriam, also speaking sadly, thanked them from her heart
for all their goodness, telling them she had long known this hour of
separation to be at hand. As to where she should dwell, since tumults
were so many in Jerusalem, she suggested that she might find a home in
one of the coast cities, where perhaps some friend or relative of the
brethren would shelter Nehushta and herself.

Instantly eight or ten of those present said that they knew such trusty
folk in one place or another, and the various offers were submitted to
the Court for discussion. While the talk was still going on there came
a knock upon the door. After the usual questions and precautions, a
brother was admitted who informed them that there had arrived in the
village, at the head of a considerable retinue, Benoni, the Jewish
merchant of Tyre. He stated that he desired speech with them on the
subject of his granddaughter Miriam, who, he learned, was, or had been
recently, in their charge.

"Here may be an answer to the riddle," said the President. "We know of
this Benoni, also that he purposed to demand his granddaughter of us,
though until he did so it was not for us to speak." Then he put it to
the Court that Benoni should be admitted.

To this they agreed, and presently the Jew came, splendidly attired, his
long white beard flowing down a robe that glittered with embroideries of
gold and silver. Entering the dim, cool hall, he stared in amazement at
the long half-circles of venerable, white-robed men who were gathered
there. Next his quick eyes fell upon the lovely maiden who, attended
by the dark-visaged Nehushta, sat before them on a seat of honour; and
looking, he guessed that she must be Miriam.

"Little wonder," reflected Benoni to himself, "that all men seem to love
this girl, since at the first sight of her my own heart softens."

Then he bowed to the President of the Court and the President bowed
back in answer. But not one of the rest so much as moved his head, since
already every man of them hated this stranger who was about to carry
away her whom they called their Queen.

"Sirs," said Benoni breaking the silence, "I come here upon a
strange errand--namely, to ask of you a maid whom I believe to be my
granddaughter, of whose existence I learned not long ago, and whom, as
it seems, you have sheltered from her birth. Is she among you here?" and
he looked at Miriam.

"The lady Miriam sits yonder," said the President. "You are right in
naming her your granddaughter, as we have known her to be from the
beginning."

"Then why," said Benoni, "did I not know it also?"

"Because," answered the President quietly, "we did not think it fitting
to deliver a child that was committed to our charge, to the care of one
who had brought her father, and tried to bring her mother, his own seed,
to the most horrible of deaths."

As he spoke he fixed his eyes indignantly upon Benoni; as did every man
of all that great company, till even the bold-faced Jew dropped his head
abashed.

"I am not here," he said, recovering himself, "to make defence of what
I have done, or have not done in the past. I am here to demand that my
grandchild, now as I perceive a woman grown, may be handed over to me,
her natural guardian."

"Before this can be considered," answered the President, "we who have
been her guardians for so many years, should require guarantees and
sureties."

"What guarantees, and what sureties?" asked Benoni.

"These among others--That money sufficient for her support after your
death should be settled upon her. That she shall be left reasonable
liberty in the matter of her daily life and her marriage, if it should
please her to marry. Lastly, that as we have undertaken not to meddle
with her faith, or to oppress her into changing it, so must you
undertake also."

"And if I refuse these things?" asked Benoni.

"Then you see the lady Miriam for the first and last time," answered
the President boldly, while the others nodded approval. "We are men
of peace, but, merchant, you must not, therefore, think us men without
power. We must part with the lady Miriam, who to every one of us is as
a daughter, because the unbreakable rule of our order ordains that she,
who is now a woman grown, can no longer remain among us. But wherever
she dwells, to the last day of her life our love shall go with her
and the whole strength of our Order shall protect her. If any harm is
attempted to her, we shall be swift to hear and swifter to avenge. If
you refuse our conditions, she will vanish from your sight, and then,
merchant, go, search the world, the coasts of Syria, the banks of Egypt,
and the cities of Italy--and find her if you can. We have spoken."

Benoni stroked his white beard before he answered.

"You talk proudly," he said. "Did I shut my eyes I might fancy that this
voice was the voice of a Roman procurator speaking the decrees of C�sar.
Still, I am ready to believe that what you promise you can perform,
since I for one am sure that you Essenes are not mere harmless heretics
who worship angels and demons, see visions, prophesy things to come by
the help of your familiars, and adore the sun in huts upon the desert."
He paused, but the President, without taking the slightest notice of his
insults or sarcasms, repeated merely:

"We have spoken," and as with one voice, like some great echo, the whole
hundred of them cried, "We have spoken!"

"Do you hear them, master?" said Nehushta in the silence that followed.
"Well, I know them. They mean what they say, and you are right--what
which they threaten they can perform."

"Let my grandchild speak," said Benoni. "Daughter, is it your wish that
such dishonouring bonds should be laid upon me?"

"Grandsire," replied Miriam, in a pure, clear voice, "I may not quarrel
with that which is done for my own good. For the wealth I care little,
but I would not become a slave in everything save the name, nor do
I desire to set my feet in that path my parents trod. What my uncles
say--all of these"--and she waved her hand--"speaking in the name of the
thousands that are without, that I do, for they love me and I love them,
and their mind is my mind and their words are my words."

"Proud-spirited, and well spoken, like all her race," muttered Benoni.
Still he stroked his beard and hesitated.

"Be pleased to give your answer," said the President, "that we may
finish our discussion before the hour of evening prayer. To help you
to it, remember one thing--we ask no new conditions." Benoni glanced
up quickly and the President added: "Those of which we have received a
copy, that you swore to and signed in the presence of Marcus the Roman,
are enough for us."

Now it was Miriam's turn to look, first up and then down. As for her
grandfather, he turned white with anger, and broke into a bitter laugh.

"Now I understand----"

"----that the arm of the Essenes is longer than you thought, since it
can reach from here to Rome," said the President.

"Ay! that you can plot with Romans. Well, be careful lest the sword
of these Romans prove longer than _you_ thought and reach even to your
hearts, O you peaceful dwellers in the desert!" Then, as though he
feared some answer, he added quickly, "I am minded to return and leave
this maiden with you to dispose of as you think fit. Yet I will not do
so, for she is very fair and gracious, and with the wealth that I can
give her, may fill some high place in the world. Also--and this is more
to me--I am old and draw near my end and she alone has my blood in her
veins. Therefore I will agree to all your terms, and take her home with
me to Tyre, trusting that she may learn to love me."

"Good," said the President. "To-morrow the papers shall be prepared and
signed. Meanwhile we pray you to be our guest."

Next evening signed they were accordingly, Benoni agreeing without demur
to all that the Essenes asked on behalf of her who had been their
ward, and even assigning to her a separate revenue during his lifetime.
Indeed, now that he had seen her, so loth was he to part with this
new-found daughter, that he would have done still more had it been asked
of him, lest she should be spirited from his sight, as, did he refuse,
might well happen.

Three days later Miriam bade farewell to her protectors, who accompanied
her by hundreds to the ridge above the village. Here they stopped, and
seeing that the moment of separation was at hand, Miriam's tears began
to flow.

"Weep not, beloved child," said Ithiel, "for though we part with you in
body, yet shall we always be with you in the spirit, now in this life,
and as we think, after this life. Moreover, by night and day, we shall
watch over you, and if any attempt to harm you--" here he glanced at
Benoni, that brother-in-law to whom he bore but little love--"the very
winds will bear us tidings, and in this way or that, help will come."

"Have no fear, Ithiel," broke in Benoni, "my bond, which you hold, is
good and it will be backed by love."

"That I believe also," said Miriam; "and if it be so, grandsire, I will
repay love for love." Then she turned to the Essenes and thanked them in
broken words.

"Be not downhearted," said Ithiel in a thick voice, "for I hope that
even in this life we shall meet again."

"May it be so," answered Miriam, and they parted, the Essenes returning
sadly to their home, and Benoni taking the road through Jericho to
Jerusalem.

Travelling slowly, at the evening of the second day they set their camp
on open ground not far from the Damascus gate of the Holy City, but
within the new north wall that had been built by Agrippa. Into the city
itself Benoni would not enter, fearing lest the Roman soldiers should
plunder them. At moonrise Nehushta took Miriam by the hand and led her
through the resting camels to a spot a few yards from the camp.

There, standing with her back to the second wall, she pointed out to her
a cliff, steep but of no great height, in which appeared little caves
and ridges of rock that, looked at from this distance, gave to its face
a rude resemblance to a human skull.

"See," she said solemnly. "Yonder the Lord was crucified."

Miriam heard and sank to her knees in prayer. As she knelt there the
grave voice of her grandfather spoke behind her, bidding her rise.

"Child," he said, "it is true. True is it also that signs and wonders
happened after the death of that false Messiah, and that for me and mine
He left a curse behind Him which it may well be is not done with yet. I
know your faith, and I have promised to let you follow it in peace. Yet
I beseech of you, do not make prayers to your God here in public, where
with malefactors He suffered as a malefactor, lest others less tolerant
should see you and drag you to your father's death."

Miriam bowed her head and returned to the camp, nor at that time did
any further words pass between them on this matter of her religion.
Thenceforward, however, she was careful to do nothing which could bring
suspicion on her grandfather.

Four days later they came to the rich and beautiful city of Tyre, and
Miriam saw the sea upon which she had been born. Hitherto, she had
fancied that its waters were much like those of the Dead Lake, upon
whose shores she had dwelt so many years; but when she perceived the
billows rushing onwards, white-crested, to break in thunder against the
walls of island Tyre, she clapped her hands with joy. Indeed, from that
day to the end of her life she loved the sea in all its moods, and
for hours at a time would find it sufficient company. Perhaps this was
because the seethe of its waves was the first sound that her ears had
heard, while her first breath was salted with its spray.

From Jerusalem, Benoni had sent messengers mounted on swift horses
bidding his servants make ready to receive a guest. So it came about
that when she entered his palace in Tyre, Miriam found it decked as
though for a bride, and wandered in amazement--she who had known nothing
better than the mud-houses of the Essenes--from hall to hall of the
ancient building that in bygone generations had been the home of kings
and governors. Benoni followed her steps, watching her with grave eyes,
till at length all was visited save the gardens belonging to him which
were on the mainland.

"Are you pleased with your new home, daughter?" he asked presently.

"My grandfather, it is beautiful," she answered. "Never have I dreamed
of such a place as this. Say, may I work my art in one of these great
rooms?"

"Miriam," he answered, "of this house henceforth you are the mistress,
as in time to come you will be its owner. Believe me, child, it was
not needed that so many and such different men should demand from me
sureties for your comfort and your safety. All I have is yours, whilst
all you have, including your faith and your friends, of whom there seem
to be many, remains your own. Yet, should it please you to give me in
return some small share of your love, I who am childless and friendless
shall be grateful."

"That is my desire," answered Miriam hurriedly; "only, grandsire,
between you and me----"

"Speak it not," he said, with a gesture almost of despair, "or rather I
will speak it--between you and me runs the river of your parents' blood.
It is so, yet, Miriam, I will confess to you that I repent me of that
deed. Age makes us judge more kindly. To me your faith is nothing and
your God a sham, yet I know now that to worship Him is not worthy of
death--at least not for that cause would I bring any to their death
to-day, or even to stripes and bonds. I will go further; I will stoop
even to borrow from His creed. Do not His teachings bid you to forgive
those who have done you wrong?"

"They do, and that is why Christians love all mankind."

"Then bring that law into this home of ours, Miriam, and love me who
sorrow for what I did in the blind rage of my zeal, and who now in my
old age am haunted by its memory."

Then for the first time Miriam threw herself into the old man's arms and
kissed him on the brow.

So it came about that they made their peace and were happy together.

Indeed, day by day Benoni loved her more, till at length she was
everything to him, and he grew jealous of all who sought her company,
and especially of Nehushta.

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