THE BATTLE IS FOUGHT AND WON.
"The personal affections by which we are governed," said Aaron Cohen,
seating himself comfortably in his chair, "are, like all orders of
beings to which they come, of various degrees and qualities, and the
smaller become merged and lost in the larger, as the serpents of
Pharaoh's magicians were swallowed up by Aaron's rod. Wisdom is better
than an inheritance, and anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Moreover, as is observed by Rabbi Chanina, 'Wise men promote peace in
the world.' Such, my dear Rachel, is my aim, and so long as the means
within my reach are harmless, so long will I follow the learned
rabbi's precept. If the human heart were not full of envy and deceit,
what I have done should bring joy to our persecutors; but I will not
pledge myself that it has done so in this instance. On the contrary,
on the contrary. They have something else to think of than calling me
what I am proud to be called--a Jew. How they scratched and fought and
ran!" Aaron paused here to laugh. "The opprobrious cries ceased
suddenly, did they not, Rachel?"
"They did, and I was very much surprised."
"You will be more surprised when you hear that I rewarded with modern
shekels the labours of the young rascals who would make our lives a
torment to us."
"You gave them money!" exclaimed Rachel, in amazement. "Is it possible
you rewarded them for their bad work?"
"I threw among them seven penny pieces. Yes, yes, I rewarded them. Why
not?"
"But why?"
"Ah, why, why? Had I thrown among them seven cannon balls they would
scarcely have been more effective. The truth of this will be made
manifest to our benefit before many days are gone, or Cohen is not my
name. Wife of my soul, I went forth, not with a lion's, but with a
fox's skin. Have I not studied the law? Are not the Cohanim priests,
and are not priests supposed to be men of intelligence and resource?
We read in Proverbs, 'Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom; I have
understanding, I have strength.' Rabbi Meyer says that the study of
the law endows a man with sovereignty, dominion, and ratiocination. He
is slow to anger, ready to forgive an injury, has a good heart,
receives chastisement with resignation, loves virtue, correction, and
admonition. This, perhaps, is going a little too far, and is endowing
a human being with qualities too transcendent; but it is true to a
certain extent, and I have profited by the learned rabbi's words. Ill
fitted should I be to engage in the battle of life if I were not able
to cope with the young rascals who made the night hideous outside our
door, and who, if I am not mistaken; will repeat their performance
to-morrow evening at the same hour."
"They will come again!" cried Rachel, clasping her hands in despair.
"They will come again, and again, and yet again, and then--well, then
we shall see what we shall see."
"You gave them money to-night," said Rachel, sadly, "and they will
return for more."
"And they will return for more," said Aaron, with complacency. "At
the present moment I should judge that they are engaged in a fierce
contest. When that look comes into your face, my dear, it is an
indication that I have said something you do not exactly understand.
I threw to them seven apples of discord, which the nimblest and the
strongest seized and fled with. But each soldier conceived he
had a right to at least one of the apples, and those who were left
empty-handed laboured under a sense of wrong. They had been robbed by
their comrades. After them they rushed to obtain their portion of the
spoils of war. Then ensued a grand scrimmage in which noses have been
injured and eyes discoloured. Even as we converse the battle is
continued. I am not there, but I see the scene clearly with my mind's
eye." He took a sovereign from his pocket, and regarded it
contemplatively. "Ah, thou root of much evil and of much good, what
have you not to answer for? What blessings is it not in your power to
bestow, what evil passions do you not bring into play? Rachel, my
love, take heart of courage, and when you hear those boys shouting
outside tomorrow night do not be alarmed. Trust in me; everything will
come right in the end."
The scene which Aaron had drawn from his imagination was as near as
possible to the truth. There had been a battle royal between the boys
and girls for possession of the pennies; noses were put out of joint,
black eyes were given, words of injurious import exchanged, and much
bad blood engendered. The sevenpence for which they fought would have
gone but a little way to pay for the repairs to the clothes which were
torn and rent during the fray. The end of it was that the robbers,
after being kicked and cuffed ignominiously, were not allowed to join
in a compact made by the penniless, to the effect that they would
assemble outside Aaron Cohen's shop to-morrow night and repeat the
tactics which had been so well rewarded, and that all moneys received
should be equally divided between the warriors engaged. One Ted Kite
was appointed commander, to organise the expedition and to see fair
play.
Accordingly, on Tuesday night a score or so of boys and girls
presented themselves in front of the shop, and commenced shouting,
"Jew! Jew! Jew!" the fugleman being Ted Kite, who proved himself well
fitted for the task.
"There he is, there he is!" said the youngsters eagerly, as Aaron made
his appearance on the doorstep; and, inspired by their captain, they
continued to fire.
"Good children, good children," said Aaron, with good-humoured smiles,
and continuing to smoke his silver-mounted pipe. "Very well done, very
well done indeed!"
"Ain't he going to throw us nothink?" they asked each other anxiously,
their greedy eyes watching Aaron's movements. They were kept rather
long in suspense, but at length Aaron's hand sought his pocket, and
half a dozen pennies rattled on the stones. Despite their compact down
they pounced, and fought and scratched for them as on the previous
night, the fortunate ones scudding away as on the first occasion,
followed by their angry comrades. They were caught, and compelled to
disgorge; the pennies were changed into farthings, and each soldier
received one for his pay; the two or three that were left were spent
in sweetstuff.
"What a game!" the children exclaimed, and appointed to meet on the
following night to continue the pastime.
On this third night they were kept waiting still longer. Aaron Cohen
did not make his appearance so quickly, and several minutes elapsed
before the pennies were thrown to them. On the first night he had
disbursed seven, on the second night six, on this third only four.
There was the usual fighting for them, and the usual scampering away;
but when the sum-total was placed in the hands of Ted Kite a great
deal of dissatisfaction was expressed. Only fourpence! They doubted
the correctness of the sum; they were sure that more had been thrown;
one girl said she counted eight, and others supported her statement.
Who had stolen the missing pennies? They quarrelled and fought again;
they regarded each other with suspicion; doubts were thrown upon the
honesty of the captain. Off went his coat instantly; off went the
coats of other boys; the girls, having no coats to throw off, tucked
up their sleeves; and presently six or seven couples were hitting,
scratching, and kicking each other. Much personal damage was done, and
more bad blood engendered. The warfare was not by any means of a
heroic nature.
Nevertheless they assembled on the fourth night, and were kept waiting
still longer before they were paid. Aaron did not show his liberality,
however, until he had had a conference with the captain. His keen eyes
had singled out Ted Kite, and he beckoned to him. Ted hesitated; he
was only a small boy; Aaron Cohen was a big man, and in a personal
contest could have disposed of him comfortably.
"Yah, yer coward!" cried the rank and file to their captain. "What are
yer frightened at? What did we make yer captain for?"
Thus taunted, Ted Kite ventured to approach the smiling foe.
"Come a little nearer," said Aaron; "I am not going to hurt you. I
wish you to do me a favour."
Ted, with a sidelong look over his shoulders at his army, as if
appealing to it to rush to his rescue in case he was seized, shuffled
forward. Aaron Cohen held out his hand; Ted Kite timidly responded,
and was surprised at the friendly grip he received.
"You are the leader," said Aaron, in his most genial voice.
"Yes, Mr. Cohen," replied Ted, growing bold, "I'm the captain."
"Clever lad, clever captain! Here's a penny for you. Don't let them
see you take it. It is for you alone. They will do as you tell them,
of course."
"I'll let 'em know it if they don't."
"It's right you should. I think it is very kind of you to come here as
you do, but I want you to oblige me and not come to-morrow night It is
Friday, and the shop will be closed; so you would be wasting your
time. That would be foolish, would it not?"
"Yes, it would," said Ted, somewhat bewildered. "Shall we come on
Saturday night?"
"Certainly, if you think proper. Then you will not be here to-morrow?"
"We won't, as you'd rather not, Mr. Cohen."
"Thank you, I am really obliged to you. Now go and join your army."
Ted Kite turned away, walked a step or two, and returned.
"But I say, Mr. Cohen----"
"Well, my lad?"
"Do you like it?"
"Do I like it?" echoed Aaron, With a sly chuckle. "Should I speak to
you as I am doing if I didn't? I think it is very nice of you; very
nice, very nice indeed!"
"Oh!" said Ted, in a crest-fallen tone. As Aaron took pleasure in the
persecution, it was not half such good fun as it had been. "He says he
likes it," he said to his comrades, when he was among them.
"How much did he give yer?" they inquired, feeling as he did in
respect of the fun of their proceedings.
"He didn't give me nothink."
"We sor him hold out his hand to yer," they protested.
"You sor us shake hands, that's what yer saw. Let's get on with the
game; we don't want to be kept waiting here all night."
They went on with the game, calling "Jew! Jew! Jew!" half-heartedly.
Putting the pecuniary reward out of the question, it was a game that
was becoming rather monotonous. They had to call for quite a quarter
of an hour before Aaron paid them; and this time he paid them with two
pennies only. The children fell on the ground, and scraped the stones
for more, but found none; and they retired grumbling, discontented,
and suspicious of each other's honesty.
On Friday night, the Sabbath eve, Aaron and Rachel had peace; and on
Saturday night the children made their appearance again and gave forth
their chorus. Aaron came to the door, and stood there, smoking his
pipe, and smiling at them; but he did not throw any pennies to them.
They did not know what to make of it. Their voices grew weaker and
weaker, they wandered about discontentedly, they declared it was not
fair on Mr. Cohen's part. "We'll try him agin on Monday night," they
said.
They tried him again on Monday night, and he stood on his steps,
commending them, but he gave them no more pennies. There was no heart
whatever now in their invectives. They were not philosophers, and did,
not know that the course Aaron had pursued had taken the sting out of
their tails. "He likes it," they said to one another, as they strolled
off moodily, "and he wants us to come here and scream our throats dry
without being paid for it. Well, we ain't going to do it. We won't
call him Jew any more, if he wants us ever so much. It ain't likely,
now, is it? What does he mean by treating us so shabby?" These young
rapscallions thought the world was out of joint.
On this Monday night an incident occurred which never came to Aaron's
ears. Prissy, hearing of the annoyance to which the Cohens were
subjected, made her appearance as the boys were wandering
disconsolately away, and without wasting time in asking questions,
darted like a tiger-cat upon the biggest of them, and fixed her
fingers in his hair. She had left Victoria Regina asleep on the coals
in her aunt's shop, and had, so to speak, girded up her loins for the
contest, by pinning up her ragged skirts and tucking up her sleeves to
the shoulder. "What's that for?" cried the boy, struggling to get
free. Prissy vouchsafed no explanation; the only words she uttered
were addressed to the other boys. "Fair play. One at a time. I'm only
a gal." Chivalry was not dead. They stood round the combatants, and
witnessed the fight without interfering. It was a desperate encounter.
Many an ugly blow did Prissy receive; but she depended upon her
talons, and pulled such quantities of hair out of the big boy's head,
and scratched his face so dreadfully, that he was at length driven to
tears and entreaties to her to leave off. "Do yer want any more?"
screamed Prissy, whose breath was almost gone. The big boy's answer
was to run away, whimpering, and the other boys hooted him as he fled.
"Would any other boy like to come on?" demanded the panting Prissy.
Not one accepted the challenge, and Prissy, glaring at them as they
followed their vanquished comrade, went back to Victoria Regina, and
shed copious tears of indignant satisfaction over the sleeping babe.
In this way it was that Aaron Cohen fought the battle and gained a
bloodless victory. He laughed in his sleeve as he thought of it, and
laughed aloud in his cosy little parlour when he related the whole
affair to Rachel.
"One shilling and eightpence has it cost me, my love," he said, "and I
do not grudge the money. Show 'me the battle that has been won for
less."
Rachel was greatly relieved; but her dominant feeling was admiration
for her husband's wisdom.
"I do not believe any other man in the world would have thought of
it," she said; and though Aaron shook his head in modest deprecation,
he was justified in inwardly congratulating himself upon his astute
tactics.
The story got about, and the townspeople were much amused by it. "Mr.
Cohen's a clever fellow," they said. He grew to be respected by them,
and as the weeks passed by and it was seen that he was not only a
fair-dealing but a kindly-hearted man, the innuendoes which Mr.
Whimpole continued to circulate about him produced a very small
effect. Mr. Whimpole was not pleased; where is the man who would have
been in his position? Talking one night with Rachel over the animosity
the corn-chandler bore towards the Jews, Aaron said,--
"I have no doubt, my dear, that he is quite conscientious, and that he
considers his prejudices to be the outcome of a just conviction.
Doubtless his parents had the same conviction, and he imbibed it from
them. There are thousands of people who agree with him, and there are
worse persecutions than that to which we have been subjected. Look at
that infamously-governed country, Russia, which, in the maps, ought to
be stamped blood-red, with a heavy mourning border around it! The
wretches who inflict incredible sufferings upon countless innocent
beings call themselves Christians. They are not Christians, they are
fiends, and a judgment will fall upon them. Spain, once the greatest
of nations, fell into decay when the Jews deserted it. So will it be
with other nations that oppress the Jew. Let Germany look to it. It is
easy to arouse the evil passions of human beings, but a brand of fire
shall fall upon the heads of those who are employed in work so vile."