When Philip Moses returned to consciousness, he stared wildly about
him, tore his hair, and then, like Job, he opened his mouth and cursed
the day of his birth.
'Let the day perish whereon I was born--let darkness and the shadow of
death stain it--let a cloud dwell upon it--wherefore is light given to
him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul? For the thing
which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of
is come unto me!'
He speedily, however, became exhausted; and a violent fever ensued. In
his delirium he raved of the destruction of his people--of Sodom and
Gomorrah; and wrung his withered hands as he denounced the sins of the
chosen race, and deplored the vengeance of Jehovah. During his illness
Benjamina attended him faithfully, and when his fits of excitement came
on, she would pray by him, or read to him from a Bible lent to her by
Dr. Veit, till he was soothed to peace, and passed into a tranquil and
almost happy state.
The good physician had given an asylum in his house to those
unfortunate individuals; and his son, the young artist, sat whole days
with Benjamina, sharing in her watchful care of the aged invalid.
Often, when Benjamina had read to the old man till he went to sleep,
and when she then sat by his bedside, with the sacred volume in her
hand, while he seemed to smile upon her in his dreams, Veit would take
up his pencil, and sketch them together. A new light seemed to beam on
Benjamina's soul, partly from what she read to her grandfather, and
partly from her conversation with the amiable artist about the holy
book which contained the foundation of her faith and of _his_.
One day Veit came home with his arm in a sling, and gave out that he
had hurt it by a fall. But he had found it necessary to chastise the
two young fops, who had in vain waited for him at the appointed place
of meeting near the Obelisk, the morning that he had promised to be
there. He had been unable to go that morning, on account of his guests;
and the young men had boasted so much of their own prowess, and sneered
so at his failure on the occasion, that he determined to lower the tone
of their self-satisfaction, and effectually did so by placing them both
in a condition to require the care of a surgeon for six weeks at least.
The duels had been fought with swords, and though Veit's wound was but
slight, it was some days before he could make use of his pencil.
Benjamina suspected what had taken place, and blessed him in her heart
for conduct which she deemed so noble and so delicate.
The old Jewish rabbi, in the meantime, was daily recovering. What Veit
felt for the young Jewess was no longer a secret to himself, and she
had not failed to perceive his sentiments, which were betrayed by a
thousand little affectionate acts, by the tones of his voice, and by
his eloquent looks. She had liked and admired him from the first time
that she had seen him; but since the evening that he had so warmly
taken the part of her poor grandfather, since he had continued to show
such generous kindness to them both, her grateful heart had learned
almost to worship him. But neither of them had yet expressed in words
what neither could any longer doubt in regard to themselves, or each
other.
Several weeks had now passed. The persecution of the Jews had ceased;
all was quiet in Hamburg, and the people of that persuasion could
venture into the streets without fear of being hooted at, or
ill-treated. But the newspapers told how the same ill-will against the
Jews had evinced itself in other places; and from Copenhagen, and many
other towns in Denmark, came accounts of similar shameful scenes.
Philip Moses at length arose from his sick bed, but his steps were
feeble and tottering. His countenance was less stern, and less
_petrified_, as it were, than formerly; a more subdued and gentler
spirit seemed to animate him; yet he still adhered so much to his old
feelings, as to lament deeply that it was to Christians he owed his
dear Benjamina's safety, and the preservation of his own life.
His son Samuel, the rich jeweller, had during this time, in consequence
of his own speculations, and of the failure of a foreign mercantile
house with which he had had large dealings, become utterly ruined; and
not only did he leave Hamburg a beggar, but he had also been attacked
and severely handled when making his escape from his creditors. And
though all the right-minded inhabitants of the city disapproved of the
ill-treatment he had received, yet there was not much pity felt for him
on account of his conduct to his father, who was respected as a really
upright man.
Their late tribulations and adversity had checked the arrogance of the
Hamburg Jews; and they also began to resort more to their synagogues,
and to pay more attention to their priests. A deputation waited upon
old Philip Moses, and expressed the wish of the congregation that he
would return among their community, saying that they had made
arrangements to provide for his maintenance, and that he should be
entirely independent of all his relations. They acknowledged that what
he had often predicted to them had come to pass, and they now felt
inclined to honour him, as a true servant to Jehovah, upon whom a
prophetic spirit had descended.
'Will ye turn from the evil of your ways, O Israel!' exclaimed the old
man to the messengers of the congregation. If ye will do this, the Lord
will let the light of His countenance shine once more upon you. "They
that trust in the Lord, shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be
removed." "We will go into His tabernacle; we will worship at His
footstool." "He gathereth together the outcasts of Israel;" and my
heart shall rejoice before I go hence, and ascend into Father Abraham's
bosom.'
When Philip Moses went with Benjamina to Dr. Veit and his son, to bid
them farewell, to thank them for all their humanity and goodness, and
to pray that blessings might be returned to them tenfold, the two young
people looked sorrowfully at each other, and tears came into their
eyes.
'Oh, Benjamina!' exclaimed the younger Veit, 'I see that you love me,
as I have long loved you;' and before she had time to answer, he had
seized her hand, and suddenly they, dropped on their knees before the
old man, while the young painter asked their blessing.
Both Dr. Veit and the rabbi started back in consternation.
Could I have dreamed of this, my son,' said Dr. Veit, 'I would
never have brought you back from Rome. The difference between your
religion--'
'Benjamina is a Christian at heart,' said the young man, abruptly, as
he rose from his knees, and assisted the trembling girl to rise. 'By
the sick couch of this excellent old man she read our holy Scriptures,
and their divine truths have enlightened her soul.'
'Is this true, Benjamina?' exclaimed Philip Moses, turning very pale.
'Yes, dear grandfather, it is true,' replied the young girl, as she
threw herself at his feet, and clasped her arms around his knees. 'It
was the word of Christ that I read to you when, in the darkness of your
soul, you cursed the day of your birth; it was the word of Christ that
gave you peace when you would have denounced eternal perdition to your
people!'
'You are a Christian at heart, Benjamina, and you love this Christian?'
asked the old man, slowly, and apparently with a painful effort.
'Yes, grandfather--yes. I cannot deny the truth,' sobbed the weeping
girl, as she bathed his hands with her tears.
'You, also, Benjamina!--you also, daughter of my Rachel!--the last hope
of my old days, you also!'
Tears choked his further utterance, and the old man covered his head
with his garment, turned away, and tottered towards the door.
'Farewell, then, for _this_ world!' said Benjamina to her sorrow-stricken
lover, as with a strong effort she withdrew herself from his encircling
arms. 'Yonder--above! where love, and justice, and mercy rule--where
Jehovah and Christ are one--we shall be united for evermore!--Father, I
will go with you!' she said, as she hastened after the old man. 'Take
me with you, and let me die in your arms, but curse me not in the hour
of death, for my soul has only bent to the will of the Most High.'
'Lost, for this world!' sighed the young man, as the door closed upon
her he loved so much; and all hope seemed extinguished for them on
earth.