BRIDAL CHAMBER TALK
Martha's approaching marriage was of more interest to her than even the
solemnity and feasting of the Passover. So it was that on a night
preceding the great celebration, the conversation of Mary and Martha
turned from the events of the day to a new bridal garment. In the
sleeping-room were two handsome carved chests. Beside one of these
Martha knelt, while Mary sat at a dressing-table taking down her hair
for the night.
"Is not my Persian shawl beautiful and my Arabian veil fair to the
eye?" Martha asked proudly, taking them from the chest.
"Yea, but thy robe is more beautiful."
Martha replaced the shawl and veil carefully in the chest and took from
it a robe. She rose, draped the garment over her arm and held it under
the lamp that burned by Mary's table. "Ah, Mary," she said with pride,
"hast thou seen anything more gorgeous? Look thou at the threads of
gold and silver and the blue and purple flowers."
"Yea, thou hast a treasure. Fair wilt thou be as a bride, and proud
will beat the heart of Joel. And there will be merry music with wine
and oil for those who gather along the way to see the procession, and
nuts and sweetmeats for the children."
"And there will be myrtle branches and wreaths of flowers and dancing
maidens with flowing hair and laughing mouths. But Martha will be the
center of all eyes, in snowy veil; and voices all along the way will
cheer and hands will clap."
"Yea," laughed Mary, "hands will clap for among the Jews doth not
everything give way to a wedding procession and everybody make merry?"
"They say," Martha answered, as she brushed a speck of dust from a
flower on her robe, "it was because she oft clapped her hands at
wedding that only the hands of Jezebel were left when the dogs ate her
flesh."
"So the old women like to tell, but it is no more true than that God
had a wedding for Adam and Eve with Michael and Gabriel for groomsmen."
"These sayings sound well, Mary. Why declarest thou they are not true?"
"The understanding of my head doth tell me so. In the days of our
fathers there was no marriage save that a man did go out and find her
whom his heart loved and take her. If one were not enough, he took
two. If two did not suffice, he took three."
"And if three were not enough," Martha observed, laughing, "he took a
score."
"Yea, a score. Then thinkest thou our fathers had naught to do but
make great processions?"
"Much I like the procession, the veil, the flowers, the sweetmeats and
all this that maketh marriage."
"But all this maketh not the marriage, Martha. Naught but love hath
power to make the marriage."
"Ever thou maketh much of love, Mary."
"The blessing of the priest can not take the place of it when a man and
a woman unite to abide under one roof."
"Maybe so," Martha assented, going back to the chest, "but see thou my
girdle of jewels from the Far East. Come thou and look once again at
my goodly store. A long time have I been getting my chest filled
against the day I am the bride of Joel."
"And an outfit thou hast worthy an Asmonean princess, while my chest
hath little in it save my alabaster vase of very precious perfume."
"Fragrant will it make thy wedding veil."
"For this hope I treasure it. And yet--"
The words were stayed by a knocking at the door and the voice of
Lazarus shouting in excitement, "Mary! Mary! Open to me the door. I
have great news!"
"Yea--yea, we open," Mary answered. "Even the tomb door doth open to
thee, my brother."
"Aye, but I have great news--great news!" he exclaimed as he crossed
the threshold.
"But thou bearest a sword," Mary said, drawing back. "A sword! What
of this sword?"
"Yea, what of the sword?" Martha repeated. "And what is the news?"
"Israel hath a King!" The words were shouted rather than spoken and
the hand of Lazarus trembled with excitement against the hilt of the
sword he carried.
"Israel hath a King? What meanest thou?" and the tone of Mary's voice
showed that she had caught the spirit of excitement from her brother.
"Is the throne of David to be established?" and Martha tucked her
jeweled girdle hastily into the chest as she asked the question.
"It is even so, Mary--Martha--and him whom we love hath been acclaimed
King of the Jews!"
"Dost thou mean Jesus--_our_ Jesus?" and Mary lay hold of her brother's
sleeve with tight fingers.
"Jesus? The Galilean Rabbi that doth abide under _our_ roof?" and
Martha came hastily to the side of Lazarus.
"Yea--yea, verily. It is even this same Jesus!"
"My brother," and Mary stepped in front of him and looked into his
eager smiling face, "what strange thing is this thou sayest? Ah, it is
too strange that after the long, long years of Israel's bondage the
King of the Jews hath come! And stranger far than this if it _should
be the Jesus we love_."
"But I do swear to you I speak the truth. Thou shouldst have seen
Jerusalem this day. Thou shouldst have heard the glad hosannahs to the
King, shouted from ten thousand throats!"
"Thou makest my ears to burn!" Martha said, her face glowing with
excitement.
"Nay, rather doth my heart burn with a fire of wondrous and holy joy,"
Mary said in trembling voice.
"And glad I am that our home hath been his stopping place and that I,
Martha, have baked him sparrow pies."
"Rather thank Jehovah that we have been blessed with quiet hours of
teaching ere all Israel doth make demands on his wisdom, as did our
fathers on the wisdom of Solomon. But, Lazarus, what of the day? Last
night he sat with us at meat and no word was spoken of a king. And
this morning when thou and Jesus did turn thy faces to Jerusalem, was
naught said of so grave a matter."
"Thou speakest the truth, Mary. This morning the Master had no thought
of the near coming of the Kingdom, though twice had the people of
Galilee called him to be King. But as we journeyed toward Jerusalem,
as if it had been well planned, throngs came out from everywhere waving
palms and tossing olive branches. Aye, it seemed a forest of olive
branches moved along the road and children threw flowers, and mighty
was the shouting. As we drew near the city, Jerusalem, hearing the
glad shouting, came forth to meet us and as the great gate was neared
did the men of Israel spread their garments along the way as when the
army of Jehu made a carpet of its coats. With victorious shoutings
entered the procession beneath the city gates and with wild waving of
palms was the King of the Jews heralded. Not in a hundred years hath
the City of Zion witnessed such a sight and the noise of shouting was
at times like thunder. Near mine own ear did a zealot shout until
methought the top of my skull was tumbling in. And with his shouting
did he wave an old red rag which he shook fiercely, as he roared out,
'Thou art the King!' And with him was a woman, young and comely who
likewise shouted saying, 'Hosannah! Praise his name!' keeping tight
hold of the coat of the man, meantime, because of such a run of joyful
tears as blinded her eyes. And these were but two of the multitude.
Think ye, my sisters, that the Roman soldiers stood not aside when such
a following did pass?"
"Aye, but I like the sound of thy speech," said Martha, smiling and
clapping her hands.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed Mary. "But the sword, why the sword?"
"The King hath been acclaimed, but the throne hath yet to be
established and swords shall the sons of Judah take up if there be
need."
"The spears of Rome are sharp and held by matchless soldiery and Pilate
is cruel as the grave and thirsting ever for the blood of Israel."
"Thou speakest, Mary. But when the people rise, even the legions of
Rome stand back. Saw we not that this day? Just now the flower of
Rome's strength in Palestine hath been sent to Assyria and ere the
legions of the Imperial City could reach Jerusalem, will the Tower of
Antonio and its stores be in possession of the Jews. With a handful of
the following the Master had to-day a Maccabee would take Jerusalem
from pagan hands. Shall the followers of him who is greater than David
fall short? Rather let the arm of Israel be palsied than to fail when
the Kingdom is in sight. Shout, my sisters, for the Kingdom is at
hand!"
"Thrice glad am I my wedding garments are gorgeous enough for a king's
court," Martha said.
"Talk of a king's court would be pleasant save for the glint of yonder
sword. Lazarus, is there harm or danger for him we love in all this
thou tellest?" and there was grave concern in Mary's face.
"There hath been dark mutterings and Pilate's wrath will be sore
kindled by what hath taken place. But the sons of Judah are brave and
the Lion of the Tribe shall prevail."
"Glad I am that ever I have given the Master of the best wine and
richest sop!" Martha exclaimed.
"My heart doth rejoice that while he was yet poor, our home hath been
his. Even as our fathers did entertain angels unawares, so have we
given shelter to a King," Mary said.
"Hath not thy heart from the beginning taken him for a King, Mary?"
Lazarus asked. "Yea, even _thy_ King?"
"Since first I saw him in the portals of the Temple have I loved him
whom thou sayest is to be King."
"So! So!" shouted Martha, laughing. "Even more than a friend may I be
to the King of the Jews, for doth not the Master love our Mary?"
"Methought thou hast feigned blindness these months," Lazarus said to
Martha.
"Blind was I in the beginning since I took not notice of signs. But,
brother, when thou didst die, my eyes came open. After thou hadst been
dead four days, and the Master came, methought he would ask straightway
concerning thy sickness that did take thee to the tomb, and that he
would speak comfort. But not so. Of Mary did he straightway ask and
to Mary did he bid me hasten, saying he had come. Aye, even though
half Jerusalem had gone to thy grave to mourn did he have eyes for
none. And when Mary did come--ah, that thou might'st have seen! At
the feet of him did she fall crying, 'Jesus--Jesus, if thou hadst been
here my brother had not died!' Tears wet her cheeks as she held her
face to his and her voice broke with sobs. Then beholding her, he too
did weep. And the Jews which looked on said, 'Behold, how much did he
love Lazarus.' Yet did I know he wept not for thee, my brother, but
rather because the heart of Mary was nigh broken with sorrow. Thus did
the scales drop from my eyes and I did see that the Master loveth our
Mary more than us all. So it seemeth good that I may be sister of the
King of the Jews."
Mary clasped her hands and lifted her eyes, "The Lord be good!" she
said softly. "The Lord be praised! Our brother hath been restored
from the tomb and the Master hath been acclaimed King of the Jews, even
as good Elizabeth prophesied a year ago."
"And while thou dost lift thy voice in praise, forget not that this is
the downfall of that crafty fox of an Idumean who hath climbed to the
throne of the Jews by one murder following another murder until the
name of Herod is but a hiss. But his days are numbered now!"
While Lazarus had been speaking Martha had turned back to the carved
chest and taken out the jeweled girdle. She held it toward Lazarus
saying, "Thou hast not yet seen this, my brother, nor my veil."
Lazarus took the jeweled belt and laughed. "It is fine. Anything
else, for it doth seem my eyes must behold thy finery before the
Kingdom be discussed."
"Look here! See this!" and Martha improved the chance to interest her
brother by taking again from the chest the shawl and the robe.
When he had hastily passed approval of them he turned to Mary and said:
"Where is thy finery? Open thou thy chest and bring forth thy
treasures also."
In reply Mary opened her chest and took out an alabaster vase of rare
design. She laughed as she showed it to him saying, "This, my
alabaster box of very precious ointment thou gavest me, is all my chest
contains, and the seal of it remains unbroken. Yet do I treasure it
against the day when it shall make my wedding veil fragrant as a field
of lilies. When I am spoken for I will fill my chest with wedding
garments as hath Martha."
"And if thou art spoken for by the King of the Jews, like a queen must
thou be decked. Glad am I, my sister, that thou art fair. Aye, just
now will I deck thee in my wedding garments and see thee shine," and
Martha took from the chest a golden scarf, a spangled veil and some
strings of beads. With the gold and spangled cloth she draped Mary.
The jeweled girdle was coiled about her head like a crown and her
flowing hair was hung with strands of shining beads.
When Martha had finished, Lazarus, who stood by looking on with
interest, said, "Thou lackest a scepter, Mary. Take thou the sword,"
and he rested it against her knee and stood back with Martha to get the
effect.
"God of our fathers!" Martha exclaimed with smiling face. "Among all
the daughters of Jerusalem none is more fair than our Mary."
"But I like it not. Behold! A sword hath been given me and he that
hath been called to bring the Kingdom doth ever teach those are blessed
who make not war, but who bring peace. Take thou the sword. It doth
savor of Rome, of battle-fields, cries of pain, black wings over far
fields of death and little children crying for fathers who will come no
more. Take thou the sword."
"Not even in the raiment of a queen canst thou forget the words of the
Master. Thou art queer, Mary," Lazarus said as he took the sword.
"Nor do I like the heavy weight of jewels on my brow nor pearls hanging
down my hair. Aye, Lazarus, hath not thy lips just passed the word
that the poor breathe curses against Herod because that of their
nakedness he doth wear jewels, of their starvation doth he fatten with
rich food, of their misery doth come his ease even as these things come
to Pilate and to Caesar? Should one woman wear on her brow that for
which the peasants of Galilee suffer and sweat and toil? Nay, nay.
Not such a Kingdom preacheth the Master."
"Thou and the Master doth love peace. So did our father David. Yet
was it not the will of God that he lift the sword most mightily? How
can a Kingdom come without the sword?"
"I know not the manner of its coming, my brother. But the Kingdom the
Master doth preach cometh first within the heart of man. And if the
members of a man's life lift up the sword of disagreement between
themselves, will the Kingdom be destroyed and not built up."
"I understand not the meaning of thy speech, my sister, and reason
telleth me the Kingdom cometh by the sword."
"Great is the mystery of the coming of the Kingdom," Mary assented.
"Yet there are hearts that understand what reason never knew or hath
forgotten. But go thou now to rest. The day hath been full of
wonders--and of weariness, as my eye can see in thy face though it doth
glow with joy."
"Yea, the day hath been full of wonders and the morrow will be big with
an event which shall be known throughout the earth. In thy dreams
to-night, my gentle Mary, shout praises to the King, that thy lips may
be shaped for great rejoicing when the new day cometh!"