FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  
les south of Tetuan in the northern half of the territory of the tribe of Akhmas, and the sun was two hours set when Israel entered its beautiful valley between the two arms of the mountain called Jebel Sheshawan. Going through the orchards and vineyards that were round it, he was recognised by certain Jews; tanners and pannier-makers, who in the days of his harder rule had fled from Tetuan and his heavy taxings. "It's Israel ben Oliel," whispered one. "God of Jacob, save us!" whispered another. "He has followed us for the arrears of taxes." "We must fly." "Let us go home first." "No time for that." "There is Rachel--" "She's a woman." "But I must warn my son--he has children." "Then you are lost. Come on." Before he reached the rude old masonry that had once been the fortress and was now the prison, the poor followers of Absalam, who lay within, had heard that he was coming, and, in their despair and the wild disorder of all their senses, they looked for nothing but death from his visit, as if they were to be cut to pieces instantly. Men and women and young children, gaunt with hunger and begrimed with dirt, some with faces that were hard and stony, some with faces that were weak and simple, some with eyes that were red as blood, all weary with waiting and wasted with long pain, ran hither and thither in the gloom of the foul place where they were immured together. Shedding tears, beating their flesh, and crying out with woeful clamour, these unhappy creatures of God, who had been great of soul when they sang their death-song with the precipice behind them and the soldiers in front, now quaked for the miserable lives which they preserved in hunger and cherished in bitterness. By help of the seal of his master, which he always carried, Israel found his way into the courtyard of the prison. The prisoners, who had been gathered there for his inspection, heard his footsteps, and by one impulse, as if an angel from heaven had summoned them, they fell to their knees about the door whereby he must enter, men behind and women in front, and mothers holding out their babes before their breasts so that he might see them first, and have mercy upon them if he had a heart made for pity. Then the door of the place was thrown open, and Israel entered. His head was bowed down, and his feet were bare. The people drew their breath in wonder. "Arise," he said; "I mean you no harm! See! Here is bread! Take
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130  
131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Israel
 

whispered

 

hunger

 

children

 

prison

 
Tetuan
 
entered
 

miserable

 
territory
 

precipice


quaked

 

soldiers

 
preserved
 

northern

 
bitterness
 

courtyard

 
carried
 
master
 

cherished

 

immured


Shedding

 

Akhmas

 

thither

 

beating

 

unhappy

 

creatures

 

prisoners

 

clamour

 

crying

 

woeful


thrown

 
people
 

breath

 

summoned

 

heaven

 
inspection
 

footsteps

 
impulse
 

breasts

 
mothers

holding
 

gathered

 
waiting
 
vineyards
 

Rachel

 

recognised

 
Before
 

reached

 
orchards
 

makers