IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW.
"Do thou, Ben Obed, watch the man till such time as I shall send thee
word. Then--thou art known unto him? A fortunate chance--say this to
him, 'There is one ailing at my house, who desireth thy immediate
presence.' He will at once follow thee, and thou shalt fetch him
without delay into the Council Chamber."
"Suppose that he will not follow me?" said the young man, fixing his
black eyes upon the floor with a somewhat sullen expression.
Caleb looked at him keenly for a moment before replying. "If thou art
zealous to secure for thyself the position whereof I have spoken, and
the sum of silver which shall also be the reward of thy diligence, thou
wilt not lack means to bring the man away from the multitude without
exciting any tumult. It is not expedient for me to appear in this
matter, else would I undertake it. But thou art not the only one, there
is Malluch, or----"
"I will fetch him," said Ben Obed looking up hastily; "have I not said
that I would do it?"
"The reward is sure," pursued Caleb. "And thou wilt have moreover the
approval of thine own conscience in the matter, in that thou art, in
serving thine own interests, also serving God--and doubt not that thine
obedience will be as a sweet savor before him."
"What will they do with the--with Stephen?" asked the young man shifting
uneasily about in his place. "He is--that is--I think--" and he stopped
short, his eyes fixed eagerly on the face of his superior.
Caleb straightened himself, and his face hardened. "I have not asked
the question of them above me in authority. To receive an order and to
obey it without question, comment, or opinion hath ever been my way. It
should also be thy way if thou hast a desire to advance thyself in life.
As also it is written, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he
shall stand before kings.' This have I done; not once, but many times,"
and the speaker drew himself up to his full height, and passed his beard
through his hand with the same impressive gesture that he had observed
many times--and admired--in the lordly Annas. "Go now, young man," he
continued, "and acquit thyself well, as becometh the son of a wise and
diligent man. So shall thy mother rejoice in the day of thy birth."
"They will imprison him," muttered Iddo Ben Obed to himself as he turned
away. "He hath assuredly spoken contrary to the law; and why should I
not witness to the truth? A man must faithfully perform the duties
whereunto he is called without partiality. This Stephen is a Greek--at
least by his father--and is it lawful to set the son of a malefactor in
a place of authority? I say not. If he were once out of the way I
could win the maid Anat. I know that I could. I can give her a home
and abundance of all that she hath need of. I will do this thing. He
hath brought it upon himself, for I have thrice warned him to leave
Jerusalem. He will not leave, and why?--he thinks forsooth that I am
blind."
And having come to the place where the daily distributions were wont to
be made, he mingled with the multitude and waited for the appearance of
the seven, as the deacons were now commonly called. They appeared at
last, laden with the day's alms, and began to make distribution among
the waiting poor. Iddo noticed that Stephen's face was very pale, and
that blue shadows lay beneath his dark eyes. He smiled evilly. "He is
afraid," he sneered. And being now determined upon the course which he
meant to follow, he allowed his jealous hatred of the man to spring up
unchecked, and because hatred is a plant of quick and easy growth,
especially when nourished by envy, it came to pass that within the half
hour Ben Obed had seen every trace of love, justice and pity in his soul
quite destroyed. "I hate him," he whispered to himself, clenching his
fists. "I care not what they do with him. I hate him."
The distribution took an unusually long time that morning, and Iddo
noticed with a scowl how that all the poor widows and little children
lingered for a word with the youngest of the seven--Stephen, the
well-loved of the poor, as he was often called.
"Hypocrite!" said Iddo beneath his breath. As he uttered the word he was
startled to feel a light touch on his shoulder; turning quickly, his eye
fell upon the messenger appointed by Caleb.
"'Tis the time," said the man with a wink. "Bring him outside now; I
will be at hand should you need help."
Ben Obed nodded. He could not trust himself to speak, the hatred had
grown so mighty that it struggled to cry out. He approached Stephen
cautiously, and laid his hand upon his arm.
"There is one--who is ailing--at my house," he said with difficulty.
"Wilt thou come with me?"
Stephen looked up with a smile. "Peace be with thee, Ben Obed, and to
all that are within thy house; yes, I will come with thee, but let me
first speak with this woman, who hath patiently waited for me since the
beginning of the distribution. What is it that thou wouldst ask of me,
woman?"
"I have brought hither my babe," answered the woman in a low, anxious
voice. "He doth not wake and smile on me as formerly, but only sleeps.
Surely it is not well with him."
"If he sleep he shall do well," said Stephen, unconsciously quoting the
words of his Master when told of the sickness of Lazarus. "And if God
will that he wake in heaven, then wouldst thou have a child growing to
manhood among the angels. Dost thou not covet this for thy child?"
"Nay, for I love him too much to wish him out of my arms," said the
mother, dashing the bright drops from her eyes; "and I have not seen
heaven."
"My business with thee is urgent," whispered Ben Obed imperatively.
Stephen did not seem to have heard. He laid his hand on the child's
head, "Thy will concerning this little one be done, O Father, in the
name of Jesus."
"But thou hast not asked for his healing!" cried the mother.
"I have asked for the best that heaven holds for him, or for any one of
us," said Stephen gently. "But see, thy child hath awakened," then he
turned to Ben Obed. "I will go with thee," he said simply, but there
was that in his eyes that caused Iddo to drop his own to the earth.
Once on the street Stephen walked swiftly, so swiftly that Ben Obed had
some difficulty in keeping up with him. He exchanged glances with the
messenger of Caleb who was following at a discreet distance, and the man
rapidly overtook them.
"We will go this way," said Ben Obed in a hard voice. But Stephen was
silent. Something in his still face angered the young man at his side
beyond control. "Why dost thou not speak?" he cried in a choked voice,
scarce knowing what he said.
"There are times when silence is more excellent than speech," said
Stephen.
Ben Obed cursed the temple under his breath, then he grasped his
companion by the arm. "At least I am not a hypocrite," he said
violently. "I have been commanded to fetch thee before the Council of
the Sanhedrim that thou mayest answer for thy heresies. And I am going
to do my duty. Lay not the consequences of thine own despicable folly at
my door."
"I had not expected this at thy hands," said Stephen with a look of full
understanding. "I had rather that it had been another--but it matters
not." There was a slight tremor in his voice as he spoke the last
words.
Ben Obed laughed aloud. "Thou wouldst rather that it were another, for
then mightest thou hope to escape; but it is not another, it is I, Ben
Obed, and because thou hast cheated me out of the woman I love, I--hate
thee."
Stephen was silent. The twain, followed by the ill-omened messenger,
presently came to the temple enclosure. Without a word Ben Obed hurried
his companion through the crowded courts, neither heeding the curious
looks with which they were regarded, till at length they stood before
the closed door of the great Chamber of Council, called also the "Hall
of Squares."
Caleb with a detachment of temple police stood on guard. He was looking
anxious and worn, but his eye brightened as it fell upon Stephen.
Motioning to the guard to close in around the prisoner, he himself
listened at the closed door; presently he laid a cautious hand upon the
fastening and with an air of deep solemnity introduced his head into the
sacred apartment. Apparently receiving some signal from within, he
immediately withdrew it. "Pass in," he said briskly, laying a
compelling hand upon Stephen's shoulder.
There was an awful stillness in the great room as the two entered,
followed by the lesser officers, who ranged themselves on either side of
the accused man. Then a murmur ran about the circle. At the sound
Stephen raised his eyes and looked calmly about him. These were the men
who had slain his Lord; they would also slay him--he knew it--and yet
the knowledge brought with it only a singular joy. "They hate me,
because I am like him," he said within himself, and the glory of that
thought became visible upon his face.
Jonathan, the High Priest, was speaking now; with an effort the prisoner
compelled himself to listen. "Thou art arraigned before this sacred
assembly and Senate of Israel on the charge of blasphemously speaking
against Jehovah; against this most Holy Temple; and against the laws and
institutions of Moses and of the Prophets, ordained by Jehovah to speak
his pleasure to the children of men. We shall hear these charges
confirmed by witnesses, according to our laws which thou hast despised,
but which thou shalt tread under foot no longer with impunity. Fetch
the first witness.--Dost thou, Ezek, recognize in this man that Stephen
who hath blasphemed God, the temple, and the law?"
"I do, most worshipful and High Priest of Jehovah. This is the man."
"Tell us now what thou hast heard him say."
"I have heard him say that the malefactor, Jesus of Nazareth, who of
late died the accursed death, after having been duly and righteously
convicted of his crimes before this most sacred Council--I have heard
him declare, that this man was Jehovah made manifest in the flesh. And
that therefore his precepts and commands are more binding than the
precepts of Moses, who was a sinful man like unto ourselves."
"Hast thou heard him say aught concerning the temple?"
"I have heard him say that the Nazarene shall shortly return to destroy
this place, so that not one stone shall remain upon another, and that
all things which Moses commanded shall be done away. The Gentiles
moreover and them that are alien shall see these things and rejoice, for
that this Jesus shall hereafter come in the clouds of heaven and gather
his elect from the uttermost parts of the earth. The Nazarenes have the
intent moreover to possess the earth, and to overthrow all powers and
governments and all gods that have ever ruled among men, to the end that
they may establish the man Jesus upon the throne of power."
"Didst thou hear the man declare these things?"
"I did, most sacred High Priest."
"Enough!--Iddo Ben Obed, thou mayest stand forth. Dost thou know this
man?"
"I do, my lord."
Stephen looked up at the sound of this voice, and a keen spasm of pain
swept across his face.
"Look at him!" whispered Issachar to his neighbor. "He evidently fears
this witness more than the other--though his testimony was sufficiently
damning."
"And what hast thou to say concerning him?" continued the monotonous
voice of the High Priest.
"He hath spoken blasphemously against Moses and against this holy place,
even as hath already been said in your hearing, declaring that God
regardeth neither this temple nor the holy city of Jerusalem, inasmuch
as the Lord Jesus did in his lifetime pronounce against them anathema;
he also----"
"Hold! How is it that thou dost call the Nazarene Lord? Art thou also
one of them?"
The witness turned pale. He cast a murderous look at Stephen. "No," he
said fiercely. "I but repeat the word which these men make use of in
their blasphemous harangues to the people; the words slipped from me
unawares."
"Proceed."
"He hath declared that neither by laws of man's devising nor by temples
of man's building can Jehovah be pleased. That all these things shall
be brought to naught; but that the words of the Nazarene shall remain."
"Enough! There is no need for further testimony. Let the accused stand
forth."
Stephen obeyed. And all that sat in the Council, looking steadfastly on
him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.