"But not the angels in heaven can watch a woman. For a lover, be he good

or bad, she will put heaven behind her back, and stand on the brink of

perdition. Miriam, if thou should deceive me,--as thy mother did,--God

of Israel, may I not know it!"

"Though I die, I will not deceive you, grandfather."

"The Holy One hears thee, Miriam. Let Him be between us."

Then Cohen, with his hands on his staff, and his head in them, sat

meditating, perhaps praying; and the hot, silent moments went slowly

away. In them, Miriam was coming to a decision which at first alarmed

her, but which, as it grew familiar, grew also lawful and kind. She was

quite certain that her grandfather would not interfere between the

young men, and probably he had given Hyde his promise not to do so; but

she neither had received a charge, nor entered into any obligation, of

silence. A word to Van Heemskirk or to the Elder Semple would be

sufficient. Should she not say it? Her heart answered "yes," although

she did not clearly perceive how the warning was to be given.

Perhaps Cohen divined her purpose, and was not unfavourable to it; for

he suddenly rose, and, putting on his cap, said, "I am going to see my

kinsman John Cohen. At sunset, set wide the door; an hour after sunset I

will return."

As soon as he had gone, Miriam wrote to Van Heemskirk these words: "Good

sir,--This is a matter of life and death: so then, come at once, and I

will tell you. MIRIAM COHEN."

With the slip of paper in her hand, she stood within the door, watching

for some messenger she could trust. It was not many minutes before Van

Heemskirk's driver passed, leading his loaded wagon; and to him she gave

the note.

That day Joris had gone home earlier than usual, and Bram only was in

the store. But it was part of his duty to open and attend to orders, and

he supposed the strip of paper to refer to a barrel of flour or some

other household necessity.

Its actual message was so unusual and unlooked for, that it took him a

moment or two to realize the words; then, fearing it might be some

practical joke, he recalled the driver, and heard with amazement that

the Jew's granddaughter had herself given him the message. Assured of

this fact, he answered the summons for his father promptly. Miriam was

waiting just within the door; and, scarcely heeding his explanation, she

proceeded at once to give him such information as she possessed. Bram

was slow of thought and slow of speech. He stood gazing at the

beautiful, earnest girl, and felt all the fear and force of her words;

but for some moments he could not speak, nor decide on his first step.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024