The New Land: Stories of Jews Who Had a Part in the Making of Our CountryLevinger, Elma Ehrlich
Religion
The New Land: Stories of Jews Who Had a Part in the Making of Our Country
Levinger, Elma Ehrlich
Jews -- America
Allison was right in suspecting that his old playmate would turn in
his trouble to the sea as a child when hurt or tired runs to its
mother for comfort. Glad of an offer to take charge of an important
business commission in Brazil, Levy left the United States, hoping
that the long sea voyage might do a little toward easing the pain in
his heart. But he found that he had been mistaken, although no one
ever knew how deeply he suffered from the moment he left the land he
had sought to serve from his boyhood. Disgraced by his country, tired
and broken in spirit, he spent endless hours in brooding over his
misfortune. No longer the commander of his men, not even a common
seaman, he spent the long days on board leaning upon the rail, looking
with somber eyes upon the waves. His proud heart was bitter against
those who had goaded him on to his ruin; he felt that there was no
justice for the Jew in the whole world, not even in America. Although
he had already set the wheels in motion for a new trial, he was
confident that his enemies would again prove too powerful for him. It
was a hopeless and a heartsick man who landed at last and began his
new duties at the Brazilian Capital.
Several days after his arrival, Uriah P. Levy stood by the window of
his room reading a letter, his brows knitted in thought. The note was
written on the royal stationery and requested him to appear the next
morning for an audience with Emperor Dom Pedro. Levy could think of
but one reason for such a strange command. Perhaps the slanders of his
enemies had preceded him even to this far-off place; perhaps he was
already under suspicion and the audience with the emperor might lead
to imprisonment or ejection from the country. The thought of new
difficulties to encounter wakened his fighting spirit; he was
strangely elated and the dreadful langor which had seized him during
his journey disappeared.
"I am ready for another good fight," he told himself grimly as he
prepared for bed. That night for the first time since his
court-martial he slept the long hours through, and he rested as
peacefully as a little child.
Dressing himself with his usual care and holding his head as proudly
as though he still wore his country's uniform, Levy appeared at the
palace and was immediately ushered into the emperor's presence. His
quick eyes, long trained to notice the smallest detail, quickly took
in every feature of the richly appointed room, noting even the
fantastic carving of the chair on which the emperor sat, and one of
the rings he wore, a flat green emerald with a mystic letter carved
upon it making the jewel, so he judged, a sort of talisman. He smiled
in spite of himself as he remembered his own humble charm, the lucky
stone. Perhaps the pebble's usefulness was over; he could hardly call
his career especially fortunate just now.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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