The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 06: Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes
General
The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 06: Masterpieces of German Literature Translated into English. in Twenty Volumes
German literature -- 19th century -- Translations into English; German literature -- 20th century -- Translations into English
"Yes, Beautiful Sara," said the Rabbi, cheerfully smiling to his wife,
"this is the famous, free, imperial, and commercial city of
Frankfort-on-the-Main, and we are now passing along the river Main. Do
you see those pleasant-looking houses up there, surrounded by green
hills? That is Sachsenhausen, from which our lame Gumpert brings us the
fine myrrh for the Feast of the Tabernacles. Here you see the strong
Main Bridge with its thirteen arches, over which many men, wagons, and
horses can safely pass. In the middle of it stands the little house
where Aunty Täubchen says there lives a baptized Jew, who pays six
farthings, on account of the Jewish community, to every man who brings
him a dead rat; for the Jews are obliged to deliver annually to the
State council five thousand rats' tails for tribute."
At the thought of this war, which the Frankfort Jews were obliged to
wage with the rats, Beautiful Sara burst out laughing. The bright
sunlight, and the new gay world now before her, had driven all the
terrors and horrors of the past night from her soul, and as she was
helped ashore from the boat by Dumb William and her husband, she felt
inspired as with a sense of joyful safety. Dumb William for a long time
fixed his beautiful, deep-blue eyes on hers, half sadly, half
cheerfully, and then, casting a significant glance at the Rabbi, sprang
back into his boat and was soon out of sight.
"Dumb William much resembles my brother who died," said Beautiful Sara.
"All the angels are alike," answered the Rabbi; and, taking his wife by
the hand, led her through the dense crowd on the shore, where, as it was
the time of the Easter Fair, a great number of wooden booths had been
erected by traders. Then passing through the gloomy Main Gate, they
found themselves in quite as noisy a crowd. Here, in a narrow street,
the shops stood close beside one another, every house, as was usual in
Frankfort, being specially adapted to trade. There were no windows on
the ground floor, but broad, open arches, so that the passer-by, looking
in, could see at a glance all there was for sale. And how astonished
Beautiful Sara was at the mass of magnificent wares, and at the
splendor, such as she had never seen before! Here stood Venetians, who
offered cheaply all the luxuries of the Orient and Italy, and Beautiful
Sara was enchanted by the sight of the ornaments and jewels, the gay
caps and bodices, the gold bangles and necklaces, and the whole display
of finery which women so admire and love to wear. The richly embroidered
stuffs of velvet and silk seemed fairly to speak to Beautiful Sara, and
to flash and sparkle strange wonders back into her memory, and she
really felt as if she were a little girl again, and as if Aunty Täubchen
had kept her promise and taken her to the Frankfort Fair, and as if she
were now at last standing before the beautiful garments of which she had
heard so much. With a secret joy she reflected what she should take back
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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