CHAPTER XXX.
CHANGES.
One evening, towards the hour of sunset, Zarah sat alone at her wheelawaiting the return of Anna from the city, she was startled by thesound of a hand rapping hastily upon the panel of the door. The handwas assuredly not that of Anna, who, from precaution, had adopted apeculiar way of tapping to announce her return. As no visitor evercame to Zarah's dwelling, it was no marvel that she felt alarm at theunexpected sound, especially as she was aware that she had neglectedher usual precaution of barring the door during the absence of Anna.As Zarah hastily rose to repair her omission, the door was opened fromwithout, and Lycidas stood before her. The countenance of the Greekexpressed anxiety and alarm.
"Lady, forgive the intrusion," said Lycidas, bending in lowlysalutation before the startled girl; "but regard for your safetycompels me to seek this interview. I was to-day in company withLysimachus, the Syrian courtier--how we chanced to be together, orwherefore he mentioned to me what I am about to disclose, matterslittle, and I would be brief. Lysimachus told me that, frominformation which he had received--how, I know not--he had cause tosuspect that the maiden who some half-year back had been sentenced bythe king to death if she refused to apostatize from her faith, wasliving secluded in a dwelling amongst the hills to the east of thecity. The Syrian declared that he was resolved to-morrow morn toexplore thoroughly every spot which could possibly afford a place ofconcealment to the maiden--whom he intends to seize and send as aprisoner into Persia, to the merciless tyrant whom he serves."
Zarah turned very pale at the tidings, and leaned on her wheel forsupport.
"You must fly to-night, dearest lady," said Lycidas; "this dwelling isno longer a safe asylum for you."
"Whither can I fly, and how?" murmured the orphan girl. "I have nofriend here except"--Zarah hesitated, and Lycidas completed thesentence.
"Except one to whom your lightest wish is a command; to whom every hairof your head is dearer than life!" exclaimed the Athenian.
"Speak not thus to me, Lycidas," said Zarah, in a tone of entreaty;"you know too well the impassable barrier which divides us."
"Not impassable, Zarah," cried the Greek; "it has been thrown down, Ihave trampled over it, and it separates us no longer. Hear me, Odaughter of Abraham! Much have I learned since last I stood on thisthreshold; deeply have I studied your Scriptures; long have I secretlyconversed with the wise and learned who could instruct me in yourfaith. I am now persuaded that there is no God but one God--He whorevealed Himself to Abraham: I have renounced every heathensuperstition; I have in all things conformed to the law of Moses; Ihave been formally received as a proselyte into the Jewish Church; andam now, like Achor the Ammonite, in everything save name and birth, aHebrew."
Zarah could not refrain from uttering an exclamation of delight. Herwhole countenance suddenly lighted up with an expression of happiness,which was reflected on that of him who stood before her--for in thatblissful moment Lycidas felt that he must be beloved.
"Oh, joy!" cried Zarah, clasping her hands. "Then have you alsoembraced the Holy Covenant, and you are numbered amongst the childrenof Abraham! Then may I look upon you as a brother indeed!"
"Can you not look upon me as something more than a brother, Zarah?"exclaimed the Athenian. "Why should you not fly--since you needs mustfly from this dangerous spot--under the protection, the loving, devotedcare, of an affianced husband?"
Zarah flushed, trembled, covered her face with her hands, and sank,rather than seated herself, upon the divan from which she had risen onhearing the knock of the Greek. Lycidas ventured to seat himselfbeside the young maiden, take one of her unresisting hands and press itfirst to his heart, then to his lips--for he read consent in thesilence of Zarah.
But the maiden had none of the calm tranquillity of happiness; she feltbewildered, doubtful of herself; again she covered her face andmurmured, "Oh, that my mother were here to guide me!"
"Hadassah would not have spurned a proselyte whom the elders havereceived; she was too large-minded, too just," said Lycidas,disappointed and somewhat mortified at the doubts which evidentlydisturbed the mind of the maiden. "Listen to the plan which I haveformed for your escape, my Zarah. I have already made arrangementswith the trusty Joab. He will bring a horse-litter an hour after darkto bear you and your handmaid hence; I will accompany you as your armedand mounted attendant. We will direct our course to the coast. AtJoppa we shall, I hope, find a vessel, borne forward by whose whitewings we shall soon reach my own beautiful and glorious land, wherelove, freedom, and happiness, shall await my fair Hebrew bride!"
For some moments Zarah made no reply; how tempting was the vista thussuddenly opened before her--radiant with rosy light, like those seen inthe clouds at sunrise! Then Zarah uncovered her face, but withoutraising it, or venturing to look at Lycidas, she said, in a voice thattrembled with emotion, "Hadassah, my mother, would have deemed itunseemly for a maiden thus to flee from her country to a land where herGod is not known and worshipped, and under the protection of one who isnone of her kindred."
"I thought that you had no kindred, Zarah," said Lycidas, withuneasiness; "that you had none left of your family whose guardianshipyou could seek."
"I have--or had--an aged relative, Rachel of Bethsura," replied Zarah,"who, if she be yet living, will assuredly receive me into her home.But my next of kin are the Asmonean brothers."
"The noblest family in the land!" exclaimed the Athenian. "If it beindeed impossible for you to escape with me into Greece--"
"Not impossible, but wrong," said Zarah, softly; "it would bedisobeying what I know would have been the will of her whose wishes aremore sacred to me now than ever."
"Then be mine in your own land," cried Lycidas, "where I may show thatI merit to win you. Will the noble Judas and his brothers deem meunworthy to unite with one of their race if I devote my sword to thecause of which they are the champions--a cause as glorious as that forwhich my ancestor died at Marathon?"
Still the cloud of doubt did not pass from the fair brow of Zarah.There was a difficulty in her mind which she shrank from disclosing toLycidas. At last she timidly said, her cheeks glowing crimson as shespoke, "Shall I be candid with you, Lycidas? shall I tell all--as to abrother?"
"All, all," replied the Athenian, with painful misgiving at his heart.
"Beloved Hadassah is at rest, I can hear her dear voice no more,but--but I am not ignorant of what were her views and wishes," saidZarah. "I believe--indeed I know"--Zarah could hardly speak distinctlyenough, in her confusion, for the strained ear of Lycidas to catch herwords--"she had destined me for another; I am not quite certain whetherI be not even betrothed."
Lycidas could not refrain from a passionate outburst. "It waswicked--cruel--infamous," he cried, "to dispose of your hand withoutyour consent!"
"Such words must never be applied to aught that she did," said Zarah."The revered mother ever consulted the happiness as well as the honourof her child. She would never have urged upon me any marriage fromwhich my heart revolted, but she let me know her wishes. And the verylast day that we were together"--tears flowed fast from under Zarah'slong drooping lashes as she went on--"on that fatal day, ere I left herto attend the Passover feast, Hadassah charged me, by the love that Ibore to her, never to take any important step in life without at leastconsulting him in whom she felt assured that I should find my bestearthly protector."
"And who may this chosen individual be?" asked Lycidas, almostfiercely; a pang of jealousy stirring in his breast as he demanded thename of his rival.
Zarah murmured, "Judas Maccabeus."
"Judas Maccabeus!" exclaimed the young Greek, starting to his feet,more alarmed at the sound of that name than had been the warriors ofNicanor, when hearing it suddenly at night in the death-shout.Lycidas, with all the enthusiastic admiration which noble deeds inspirein a poetic and generous nature like his, had regarded the career ofthe Hebrew hero. The history of Maccabeus was to the Greek an actedepic; in character, in
renown, Judas, in his estimation, towered like agiant above all other men of his generation. Lycidas had met thechieftain but once; but in that one meeting had received impressionswhich made him idealize Maccabeus into a being more like the demi-godsof whom poets sang, whom worshippers adored, than one of the denizensof earth. He was in the eyes of the young enthusiast, conqueror,patriot, and prince--a breathing embodiment of "the heroism of virtue."The Greek had never thought of Maccabeus before as one subject to humanpassions, save love of country, and perhaps love of fame; or as oneinfluenced by human affections, who might seek to win a woman's heartas well as to triumph over his foes. The idea of having him for arival struck the young Athenian with something like despair; it seemedmore than presumption to enter the arena against such an opponent asthis. Lycidas believed that, had Antiochus Epiphanes laid the crown ofSyria at the feet of Zarah, she would have rejected the gift; butbreathed there a maiden in Judaea who could do aught but accept withpride the proffered hand of her country's hero--of him who was to allother mortals as snow-capped Lebanon to a mole-hill?
Zarah felt that her disclosure had inspired more alarm in the mind ofLycidas than she had intended, or than was warranted by the true stateof the relations between her and the Hebrew leader. She hastened torelieve the apprehensions of the Greek. "I reverence Maccabeus," saidthe maiden; "I would repose the greatest confidence alike in his wisdomand his honour; but, personally, Judas is no more to me than any of hisbrothers."
Lycidas drew a deep sigh of relief. Grateful for the encouragementwhich he drew from this avowal, the Greek resumed his place by the sideof Zarah. "What course will you then pursue towards Maccabeus?" heinquired.
"I must consult him, as Hadassah bade me consult him," said the maiden:"he must know all that most nearly concerns me; it seems to me as if hestood to me now in the place of a father."
The spirits of Lycidas rose at the word; again his heart was buoyantwith hope.
"Our first object now, beloved one," said he, "must be to place yourperson in safety. As you will not seek refuge in Attica, we will bendour course southward--if such be your wish--and find out your agedrelative at Bethsura. I would fain that she dwelt in any otherdirection; for Bethsura itself holds a Syrian garrison, the army ofLysias is advancing, and southern Judaea is so infested by armed bandsthat travelling is scarcely safe. Have you no friends, no relatives,in Galilee, or on the sea-coast?"
Zarah shook her head. "I know not of one," she replied. "Racheldwells not in Bethsura but near it, and in a spot so retired that theenemy is scarcely likely to find it out. If the country be infested byarmed bands--they are the followers of Maccabeus, and from them we havenothing to dread."
Though Lycidas was not a little disappointed at having to give up hisfirst scheme--that of bearing off Zarah to the coast, and thence toAttica--he could not but respect her scruples, and own that the courseupon which she had decided was not only the most dutiful but the mostwise. It was agreed therefore that Zarah, under the escort of Lycidas,should start at the hour which the Greek had first proposed; but that,instead of Joppa, her destination should be Bethsura--at which place,by travelling all night, she might hope to arrive before dawn.
While Zarah was concluding these arrangements with Lycidas, Annareturned from Jerusalem. The face of the faithful servant expressedanxiety; a warning dropped in her ear by a Hebrew acquaintance hadrendered her uneasy on account of her mistress. "Beware! dogs are onthe scent of the deer." Heartily glad was the handmaid to find thatthe Athenian lord had come to aid the escape of Zarah; his talents, hiscourage, the gold which he so lavishly spent, would, as she thought,clear away all difficulties attending their flight.
The Greek soon left the lady and her attendant to make needfulpreparations for a journey so sudden and unexpected as that which wasbefore them.