Yea, brother--if that will comfort thee in thy desolation. Yea! Yea!
with all the hoarded and concentrated fervor of a long life accustomed
to no other language, even while I took upon me the outer garb of a
christian--Yea!--and saying this, he fell upon his knees, and cried out
with a loud voice, while a triumphant brightness overspread his uplifted
countenance with a visible exaltation, Our Father and our Judge! I do
not pray to thee as the God of the christians did, that this cup may be
spared to me; for I have put my whole hope and trust in thee, and am
satisfied with whatsoever I may receive at thy hands! But I would bless
thee, I would praise thee, I would magnify thy great name, oh God of my
Fathers, for all that I have enjoyed or suffered, for all that I have
had or wanted in this life; yea, for all the afflictions and sorrows and
terrors that have beset my path, and that of my beloved wife and my
dear children--children of the tribe of Judah and of the house of
Jacob!--Yea, for the overthrow of all my proud hopes and prouder wishes,
when I forsook thee and almost abjured the faith of my Fathers for
dominion sake. Forgive my apostate brother, I beseech thee, O Lord! as
thou hast forgiven me: and bless the heritage of thy people, and
encourage them as the followers of the new faith are encouraged by their
Jesus of Nazareth, to forgive their enemies, even though their enemies
take the shape of a beloved friend or brother--to betray them--giving up
their birth-right, like Esau for a mess of pottage.
A great commotion appeared on the house-tops, extending itself slowly
far and wide.
Nevertheless, continued the Jew--nevertheless! oh Father and Judge, God
of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! thy will and not mine be done!
The multitude began to surge this way and that, with exceeding violence.
A cry of indignation arose from every side. A tumult followed--a general
rush--the house-tops were suddenly deserted--the sea shore--and some
began shouting, Away with him! away with him! and others, Let the
blaspheming Jew perish without hope! and others, Crucify him! crucify
him!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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