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JEW;
Genie & Christian,
OR r HE
CURSE OF MONEY.
THE TEtCHIHGS OFTHE N1ZAREHE
AN IMASWAAV STUDY OF GREEDS.
CHAPTER L
Over holy Jerusalem hovered darkness, the
darkness of but few hours. wearing out the long
eastern day and bearing in its womb the volup
tuous eastern morn. The skv was still and
mournful; not a star to be eeen;not the slightest
break in its somber hue; on earth lay Jerusalem
above its surrounding low valleys, like a city to
be seen by the world, harboring the holy plans
of many creeds. The scene was shrouded from
the eye of man, buried in the earth’s natural at
mosphere—this eastern scene, with its long har
rowing history, its revolution of people and ev
olutions of creeds; its own grind life of centu
ries. The clash of arms, the groans of men, the
sobs of women, the cries of children, the voices
of angels, the prayers of apostles, and the dying
words of the Savior; all swam in indistinct spir
itual essence around; the night was heavy with
them, while the city was lost in the inanity of
its present helpless condition.
The atmosphere quivered and heaved, some
thing disturbed it; its somberness became dens
er, but on a sudden it expanded; another influ
ence separated its gaseous atoms, lifted its
heavy masses and woke from transient rest the
creatures of the air; through space swam sounds,
indistinot and tenative—like coming life they
came twittering upon the stillness, while the
gases, rarified by a stronger power still, became
lighter and rose over the town, over the valleys,
over the hills, over Kedron, over the Mount of
Olivet, and while in the east appeared one streak
of the great sun's light, another—one more—
with loud tones awoke the earth, and in roseate
dazzling splendor swam the scene. The day
was horn in eastern fashion, strong, vivid and
quick; on the Mount rested its flushed cheek
with caressing gestures, lighting up the figure
of a man. Entranced he stood, his face turned
upward to the fleecy vapors, his arms outstretch
ed to embrace the great golden, heavenly, life-
giver, his eyes starting from their sockets to see
the earth’s sun reigning triumphant andglowing.
A young man be was, clad in half eastern cos
tume; his h ad was bared, the long wavy locks
bung over his shoulders, his face was very hand
some according to the eastern type, symmetri
cal in feature, spiritual in expression—a type
of a race that was gone—buried below there in
the entrails of that ground on which he and Je-
usalem stood.
From the folds cf his dress the man took a
book, kissed it, and read softly some pages; he
returned it to its resting place and sat down.
‘Ah, beautiful home of man, sweet earth, revolv
ing planet of the universe,’ he murmured, ‘why
cannot some of thy highest developed creatures
walk thy crust, satisfied that they exist, adoring
the Creator! Why should all be engaged in the
strife of individual interests ? Why might not
one be ready to contemplate merely, raising his
inner self beyond all human love, all human
desires ? Let tbe body be clad and be fed simp
ly and plain, and let the mind be wrapped in
ever-renewed extacies at tbe creative idea ? Cre
ator, grant me such life. I ask no other; let my
millions increase, I need them not; let my lands
flourish, I tread them not; let the world ask for
me, I need it not,’—in his exoitement he rose,
‘I am enough to myself, asking but one thing, to
keep myself undefiled from man’s desires, holy
and chaste before Thee!’
He took some plain white bread from his
pocket, a few dried dates and a flask of milk.
He ate and drank, and laid down on the mount,
while tbe sun began to ride higher and higher
in the heavens. Evidently he had watched all
ni ght, for fatigue overcame him and he fell
asleep.
An hour later he woke; the sky had lost some
of its gorgeous brightness and was a little over
cast. Light grey flakes of earth-moisture had
ascended and gathered overhead in cloudy mass
es, hanging above Olivet with threatening aspect
of descending rain. The kiss of the cooler air
had touched the young man’s forehead and call
ed him out of his sleep. He started to his feet.
‘I must be going,’he said, and I must leave
thee, thou loving resting-place for His dear feet.’
Again he drew forth the book. ‘Here I have
thy words brought back to the tongue in which
they were spoken, my own nervous, pregnant,
soft-toned Hebrew, thou great, harmonious Nez-
arene, divine guide of man;do they understand
that name now ? Do they hear thy call now ?
Do they see before their minds thy grand and
noble figure, clad in the flowing robe down to
the sandalled feet; thy spiritual countenance lit
up by the intelligence of the prophet’s eye? I
have thy words, translated by myself from mod
ern tongues, but thy spirit—have I it? Here
have thy feet rested; here thou sawest below thee
thousands; here thy divine ecstatic vision looked
npon the creatures, swaying baokward and for
ward with man’s passions; and here, in senten
ces snatched from thy seeing soul, dids’t thou
preach to them thy words of peace! I see thee,
I understand thee, Nazarene; thou didst belong
to us—to the old chosen race of faith in one
great God ! Adieu—long may I not tread this
grass nor lie on thy brown earth, not kiss the
dew on thy brow—while I go and see how those
who have left the old name and taken thine, how
they understand thy seer’s teaching! Adieu!’
He knelt down, kissed the Mount, and slowly
departed down toward the villages at its base.
#44-
Near the gate of St. Stephens, in Jerusalem,
in a close, sombre street, stood a still more som
bre bouse; it looked, from without, as if no act
ual life was going on within. Now and then
odd Jewish figures passed in and out with small
leather bags, greasy from much use. Suddenly
a young man appeared at the end of the street,
and moved slowly along with raised head and
tbe peculiar walk of a master, up the way. He
stopped before the house and entered it; he
passed through the dull corridor, inte a low,
vaulted room of immense size, and swept by a
number of men, who saluted most respectfully
on either side; he returned no salutation, but
wrapt in his own fancies, and followed by the
oldest of the men, retired to a small room at the
b *Iarael Torriano, the wealthiest Jewish banker
in the East, leant back in an old shaggy chair,
and contemplated the ceiling; before him stood
Moses, the grey-headed oonfidentiel manager of
the Jerusalem branch of the bank.
•Moses, thou need’st not oome. Goon as usual;
suck thy golden blood, and wash thy old hands
in such moral chaffering filth as thou desirest, I
have nothing to do with it*’
•Not sign the books, sir? Not look over the
eeounts, sir?’grinned Moses obsequiousiy.
‘No, do it thyself; withdraw, old man, thou
reekestwith the stench of dross.’
M > 898 went, very little oonoerned about his
master's odd way of auditing accounts.
Israel Torriano, our handsome young Jew, of
Mount Olivet, took up some letters from tbe ta
ble; all letters bearing the slightest appearance
of business were thrown aside, a few others he
opened.
•From my uncle Jacob Torriano, asking that I
should visit him soon; I will. My cousin Rebecca
expects me, her only eastern relative. What are
relatives to me ? I’ll go. From Anton Torriano
in Paris, and Joseph Torriano in Vienna, and
lastly from Benjamin Torriano in London. Help
me, it is a conspiracy to draw me out, and get
my capital for European use; I'll let them have
it without the visits. Money, money, money,
thou everlasting tormentor, that hast become an
end, from being nothing but a means. What do
I care for money? uncles and oousins, ye shall
I be satisfied. Wait; that muoh beloved eastern
cousin, the only remaining representative of
this great and pure eastern Jewish stock, he
shall appear to you but to vanish again, and ye
shall have your hearts desire.
Israel Torriano rose like an Eastern monarch,
majestic in appearance. He laid his hand upon
a small bell and rang it. Moses appeared cring
ing and obsequious.
‘Moses, I go to-morrow to see the branohes of
our family in various countries.’
‘On business sir; on business?’ said hesita
tingly the old man.
•No, not on business—I know no business !'
‘Not the Turkish loaD, sir; nor the Egyptian;
nor the Rmh's jewels; and our vast tea and
opium plantations; nor the bit of hold we’ve got
on the Russian money-market, and the small a
vance to the Wallachian land-owners and the
Greek corn-merchants; ancf here in onr Levant,
the vast undertakings everywhere, the branch
houses in Damascus, in the Smyrna, even in Al
exandria, in Tiflis; and Jehovah be praised 1 ev
erywhere and anywhere. Nothing thou know-
est; great, powerful Israel Torriano of all this?’
The old man rubbed his hands, and leered
temptingly. ‘Think, young Israel, the world is
at thy feet, thy kn-owest not thy wealth. I, old
poor Moses, who never stir from the gate of the
Christian, who watch- over it all; I know it and I
say, Israel Torriano, this empire is sweeter than
a royal crown, for it is real.’ The old shaggy
man had lifted his sknil-cap, straggling grey
hairs fell over his forehead, and touched the
cunning fox-ey6s. Moses was the incarnate
spirit of strong, grasping, gold-cieating money-
power.
‘Be off, old man; I’ll take no fiend’s bonds.
Chaffer on as thou wilt, the hoar of release will
come.’
Moses knew the power of his master; he cast
one grand look upon him, and went to the door
but instantly returned. 4
‘I have no power to act tor thee, Israel Torri
ano;’ he said rather spitefally.
‘Take it then, take it; act, act, act; chaffer,
chaffer, chaffer; fill thy coffers, grind the bor
rower, manage the money-market, and by all
that is holy on earth, leave me out of the ques
tion ! Moses, hard-hearted money-worsbpiper,
thou who hast laid down thy life at the shrine
of Mammon, forget not, that once in sacred Je
rusalem, there was a school of poetry, college of
musicians; that the prophets were taught there,
that the songs of Israel rose pure and worship
ing up to Jehovah;—Jehovah who now looks up
on our stunted race, as the worshipers of Mam
mon. I am free and will not adore thy divinity
come what may ! Be master here, and let me go.
Hence, old sinner, begone!
Moses vanished, tears in his eyes; Moses loved
Mammon, but above all, above everything, even
handsome Israel Torriano, the child he had
nuised, did Moses love the sweet recollection of
Jewish greatness.
m m m m m m
Israel Torriano began his journey to his rela
tions at the little ancient seaport of Jaffa. As
he cleared out of its harbor there arose in his
mind the visions of vessels laden with precious
woods and costly building materials, coming
from Syrian Tyre, and bringing their cargoes
for the creation of Solomon’s temple: Ah! where
were those vessels now? where would he hear
the call of the dusky Hebrew captain to his men,
where see the fair result of such stupendous
endeavors? Three thousand years of history
were a long time; they had passed over little
Jaffa and left it in the bauds of the Turk, after
endless straggles of rising and dying people;
but even three thousand years could not quite
obliterate all traces of Hebrew origin—the early
traces of a people worshiping one God among
surrounding idolaters.
From Jaffa the young Jew passed on to Alex
andria, where the first signs of Earopean culti
vation greeted him. He was not favorably im
pressed by them; as he stepped from one steamer
on the other, the figures that crowded the
harbor appeared to him anxious, deteriorated
by want, or swelled by authority into pompous
ness. The glitter of outside show had not the
slightest attraction for so contemplative a mind
as that of Israel Torriano; nor could the Pillar of
Pompey, the Needle of Cleopatra, or the modern
building and fortifidaticns, draw him on land.
He smiled disdainfully as he looked on. ‘The
bygone pride of fallen, the present boast of ex
isting nations; where is the great living spirit
of the master? I see it not.’
Neither visiting mosque nor synagogue, Israel
turned, almost in disgust, from one of the future
capitals of modern civilization, the observed of
many eyes. Dressed more in acordance with
European fashion, he bore yet an Eastern ap
pearance, and so undoubted a stamp of not
belonging to the outside world, that men and
women looked askance at him. The steamer
sped along over the smooth blue Mediterranean
waves; Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Italians, in
various guises of dress, crowded its d6ck, eaeh
using his own mother tongue; among them stood
calm and unruffled that handsome figure at the
helm, scanning the distant horizon, with the
little book in hand, forgetful of the noisy,
picturesque scenes around.
The steamer passed through the Straits of
Messina and along the western shore of Lower
Italy, towards the Gulf of Naples. Israel was
nearing the dwelling-place of the first relatives
he was to visit; but even by the expectancy of
such a meeting, the young Jew remained un
moved. As he saw the fair shores of the
southern peninsula, his soul lovingly encom
passed their beauty.
‘What a dwelling place for bis teaching !’ he
said to himself, ‘Let us see, great Nazarene,
whether here, in the land that is washed by one
of the gentlest seas in the world, Thy name is
recognized.’
The declining sun rested on Naples; the steamer
entered port, skimming over the bright surface
toward its goal; the scene, north, west, east, and
south was one of heavenly beauty. Its harmoni
ous light and Bhade; its glorious golden-lit points
of interest; its shores adorned with the palaces
and villas of the great; its luminous volcanic
watch-tower, great Vesuvius—all combined to
seize on an ardent imagination, and proclaim
the whole as one of the beauteous sights on
earth. And the dwellers on earth; were they
in harmony also with its fafr faoe ? Israel Tor
riano, whose very name carried in its ring the
consciousness of money-power; Israel Torriano
raised his eyes up to the magically-tinted skies,
and bathed his own exultant soul in the loveli
ness of natural creation.
• •*•••
In one of the most charming villas to the south
of the Strada Chija, in Naples, lived Jacob Tor
riano, the Neapolitan Jew banker; his daughter
Bebecoa was bis only ohild. Jacob Torriano
in very many noble houses, and bore all kinds
of state secrets in bis Jewish breast In a gor
geous room or saloon rather, furnished with ex
traordinary splendor and some taste, a room
that overlooked the gulf and showed in the dis
tance Vesuvius, B9becoa Torriano reclined on a
oonoh, her dreamy eyes directed to the sama
sunset that bore her Cousin Israel into port.
The affinity of souls just allowed a faint interest
to attaoh itself to the idea, that this great eastern
cousin, the last of the old family stock, was to
visit them soon. Bebecoa, the child of her
father’s immoderate, extravagant, doting love,
was hoping for some reprieve from the oeer-
bearing sumptousness to which she was doomed.
Tall, sturdy, and noble image of Esther type,
young girl had early grown into mature beauty,
and the obtuse old father had imagined that this
perfect voluptuous womanhood of hers, endow
ed with limbs of grand symmetry, with ardent
desires to see and know the world, might be
kept in a gilded cage, surrounded by things that
could not but nourish her imaginative longings,
and entertained merely by the sooiety of Sarah
the nurse of her infancy.
The young Jewess turned to her harp, and
sent the chords of her rioh mind vibrating over
the strings; the very luxury of her sensations
made her sad, there seeemed no outlet for her
superabundant sympathies, all they could feed
on were stolen books of Italian poetry, the
poetry of D inte, Tasso, and Ariosto, brought
steathily to Bebecoa by old Sarah, from Jacob
Torriano’s library.
The setting sun gilt the elegant apartment,
and rested caressingly on Bebecca's black hair;
her head lay on the harp, her soul heard, out in
the exceeding loveliness of the evening glow,
sounds and calls, to whioh she could not an
swer, for was she not trammeled by the bonds
of golden fetters, woven round her by all that
money could buy ? Sarah rushed in:
‘Rebecca, child of my bosom, be has come
He stands below in thy father’s room, he the
greatest, richest Jew of the Eist, tbe beloved of
great Jehovah, the very image of Hebrew beauty.
God be praised that I have seen him, that I have
once more caught sight of what they have been
in years gone by, the Hebrew men of the E ist.
Child Bebecoa, art thou ready ? He cometh !
He cometh!
The old woman knelt in her excitement by
Bebecoa’s side and wept.
Sounds of footsteps were heard; before Bebec-
i could recover herself and Sarah rise, the
banker with young Israel stood before the two
women. Sarah actually took hold of Israels
ooat skirt and kissed it sobbing:
My eyes i have seen thee; be welcomed by
Bebecca s hand-woman.’
Bebecca rose; dressed, as her father insisted,
with rioh Eastern taste; and gracefully welcom
ed her cousin.
For the fist time in his life, Israel was so near
a really beautiful women: no red tinged his
cheek, no flutter oame over his heart; young Is
rael bowed slightly.
•Dost thou sing Hebrew melodies ? Sing me
something,’
Bebecca looked at him; Dante, Tasso and
Ariosto, had found an interpretaton; a really
personified poet was before her.
•Play child. Sit down Israel. There, look
out yonder into the gulf; is Jerusalem finer ? ’
‘Yes, to me, uncle; and when Bebecca sings I
shall be miles away on the brow of its hills.’
‘Thou art attache! to the East ? ’ said Bebecoa
gently.
‘Much, greatly;’answered Israel. He meant
to say something else, but checked himself,
looking at Jacob Torriano.
Bebecca sang, Israel stood by her side, his
eyes fixed upon her. Old Jacob rubbed his
hands: the scheme was growing, and he could
see heaps of untold gold. A knock was given
at the doot, Sarah brought the message*
‘Prince Sansi awaited the banker below.’
‘CanuoS^jme,’iinswered Jacob roughly; but
on second thought he believed it necessary to
meet the prince.
‘Eatertain thy cousin, Bebecoa,’ he said, leav
ing the room with a side look of caution to Sa
rah.
Israel breathed more freely.
‘Thy father, Bebecca, is old Moses over again;
muoh given to money-making, I can see it. Thy
eyes tell another tale, cousin; dost thou love
money ?’
‘I do not know its value.’
‘Blessed art thou; now sing me another He
brew melody, and I will catch its tones in unison
with yonder red-glowing sun.’
Israel leant over towards the open window,
and Bebecoa sang again to her harp; Sarah look
ing at them in mute astonishment.
‘Gome here, cousin,’ Said Israel, as the last
tones died away; ‘come to the window.’
By Israel’s side stood Bebecca.
‘Dost thou see that sky ? C Behest thou the
glimpses of the mountain yonder, and dost thou
not adore ? ’
‘I do adore night and morning,’ answered
Bebecoa.
‘Ah, in the cold formal fashion, saying thy
prayers. ’
‘No my soul adoreth.’
‘Bebecca, thou art a kindred spirit; thou art
a sister:’ Israel took the little hand of the Jew
ess, and laid it caressingly on his shoulder.
‘Stop there, we shall adore together.’
Bebecca did stop; but her heart began to beat
faster. Sarah saw nothing. It was all right
with them. 'Was he not the long expected Jew
bridegroom, the desired son of old Jacob?
Had those wily Christians that tried to penetrate
into Jacob Torriano's family not been kept off,
one and all ? Had ever love-word been allowed
to reach Bebecca’s ears ? No she had sacredly
been kept for her Jew-cousin, and all was welL
Sarah thanked Jehova in her heart.
‘Bise with me, Bebecca, into the vastness of
the heavens above; descend with me to the
depths below; cousin I believe thou art beauti
ful in person, like the rippling waves yonder;
value it not; it is accidental, the beauty of shape.
Let rather thy soul value Him who gave it thee,
and give it back to Him. Dost thou hear, Be
becca? ’ Bebecca’s hand trembled a little on Is
rael’s shoulder.
‘Why dost thou tremble ? Thou art safe with
me. Thou art a sacred maiden to sing with me
in God’s temple, and love the words of the Naz
arene.’ The last few words Israel said under
his breath; Sarah, a little deaf, heard them not.
‘The Nazarene,’ replied Bebecca, shocked;
‘He is not of us.’
•He was; He was a Jew, and a chosen Jew,
and loved his race,’
‘But his words are blasphemy.'
‘His words are the sweet harmonies of God’s
divine creation; they proclaim love among the
creatures, Bebecoa, not voluptuous indulgence,
not rioh dress as thine, not sumptuous rooms as
thine, not money-bags as thine and mine; but
simple, natural love. Gome, share my meal,
Bebeoca.’ To Sarah’s utter disgust, Israel fetch
ed out of his capacious pocket, a pocket of dates,
a flask of milk, small loaves of white bread, and
two small oups of horn.
‘Eat and drink with me.’
Those two sat in the embrasure of the window,
the room swam in reddish evening light, and
the| magnificent scene without gloried in the
grandest natural splendor. Bebecoa ate and
drank with Israel the simple meal of the East,
and Sarah left them alone. AH was well, for
was he not the Jewish bridegroom of the East ?
At that moment the banker returned, looking
aghast at what he saw.
‘What! Israel Torriano eating in my daugh
ter’s sitting-room ? This is defilement!’ said Ja
cob. rather sharply; he caught, however, the eye
of Sarah, and remembered that he spoke to him
who was the possessor of unbounded wealth.
‘Nothing defiles that is done in simplicity and
honor,’said Israel, unmoved. ‘.Jacob Torriano,
let thy daughter go with me on the waters, I
can row.’
‘Alone ? never.’
‘Wny not ?
‘It is not becoming.’
‘All is becoming that is done with chaste
thoughts.’
Tbe heaps of gold rose again before Jacob.
‘Well, Sarah may accompany you. But be
back soon, supper will be spread, some great
men are coming to meet t'i69 Israel, and thou
must not fail; besides, thou wilt need refresh
ment’
‘I need no refreshment, I have supped with
Bebeoca; the body should be nourished not glut
tonized. Thy great men I want not, my cousin
Bebecca is better company; give them their
worldly food, I look for other.’
Jacob shook his head; true, old Moses had
given him an inkling of great singularity in his
nephew, but such vagaries in a man of mil
lions, whose bearing was that of an Eastern
prince. It was too bad—but what could Jacob
Torriano not pardon to miles of tea and opium
plantations ?
Tne old banker watched them as they floated
along on the gentle swelling waves.
‘Jehovah be praised! the dearest wish ot my
heart is accomplished; in ray family will the old
stock b© renewed; from Jacob's loins will the
great man arise, who shall sway the fortunes of
thousands, as the heroes of our race did of old.
If it is another kind of sway—what of that? Not
my fault, not our fault, but the turn of the
wheel of national fortunes and men’s desires.’
• »•***
‘Bebecca, seest thou those last streaks of red
dish light? Seest thou the first glimmering of
the rising star? Bebecoa, breathest thou the
balmy ait of this southern dime? Citchest thou
the sweet hum of the night creatures of the air ?
Ah! aii is existence; in existence is essence, in
essence is co-relation, in co-relation is love, in
love is divinity! Dost understand, soft-souled
cousin, kindred spirit of mine? Can nothing
persuade thee that the Nazarene spoke rightly,
when co-relation, that is love, bore away the
palm over righteousness ? What was Pharasee-
an righteousness, but self-glorification; dost un
derstand, Bebecca? If self-glorification is naught
then ought we to glorify Him, the creator of all,
for in Him the end of all co-relation, of all love,
lies bnried. Bebecoa, glorify God with me!'
Bebecca hung her head; the impassioned voice
of her companion stole cunningly into her soul,
and made her nerves quiver with strange emotion
that she could not define; suddenly she looked
up; like one deified sat Israel Torriano by her
side, resting lazily on his oars, and bathed in a
flood of supreme ecstacy. A big pang shot
through Bebecca's heart; was this the look of a
fature bridegroom ? No, his was tbe appear
ance of a being enraptured with one idea, with
one view of the end ef the creation; not regard
ing the general sympathies of fellow being3, but
withdrawn from them by a peculiar education,
and directed toward one sublime end.
Was this the Nazirene's teaching ? Poor Be
becca—willess, through continued tutelage and
excessive luxurious surroundings—poor Bebec
ca allowed this sudden inspiration to die away,
and listened once more to the voice of the temp
ter, that would fain Bteal her soul and entwine
it with his own.
‘Sayest thou nothing. Bebecca?
‘Cousin Israel, to-night thou oomest to us like
the whirlwind of a new life from the East, thou
hast overwhelmed me with new thoughts; I can
not tread thy road, as yet; obliterate not my
own, before I see thine.’
Bebecca had, within a couple of hours, been
awakened to an inner existence; the Italian poe
try had found an interpretation, and she could
have oalled out to her old friends: ‘Oh, oome
tell me what is this new life!’
‘Let us return, Bebecca, we have seen enough
to-night; never over-gorge ourselves even with
spiritual inspiration; be temperate; be chaste in
all.’
And Israel Torriano, having all his life roam
ed round the hills of Jerusalem at his will; Is
rael thought suddenly to subdue and train the
rebellious heart and warm bloed of his luxuri
ously nursed cousin, Bebecca.
J cob pressed his nephew in vain to come to
the sumptuous late supper; Israel went to his
allotted room, and by the open window lay down
to sleep.
Bebecoa sat in her own room, staring into the
Neapolitan night; listening to the harmonious
splash of the waves, and repeating softly to her
self the words again and again: ‘Would he never
come! Cousin Israel, thou hast never read Ital
ian poetry!’
Sarah at last persuaded her young mistress to
go also to rest.
As the greyish tints of the early morning van
ished, and the first golden rays lifted Naples
into life; so rose Israel, anxious to catch the
sight of each day’s new birth. All was still; the
house was locked at every outlet, and Israel
deftly climbed from the windows of his room.
Hushed before him lay the first Earopean city
he had seen. He turned from the gulf; from
the lovely scene of tbe green hills and luxurious
foliage, that were coming into bolder relief at
every new ray, and went into the town. Jerus
alem was not a savory place; he knew all its
dark corners—its wretched neighborhoods; but
Jerusalem was a city of sorrows, ‘given over to
the Turk; Naples, the refined queen of southern
Christian Italy, would surely present another
appearance. Here the discordant elements of
human interests would be blended by religious
influences into one harmonious whole. Israel
went along the Strada Chiaja and Santa Lucia;
here and there he stumbled, in the first flush of
the morning, over a sleeping lazzaroni, who
turned drowsily to the other side; into deserted
Toledo he roamed by magnificent palaces and
innumerable churches; he stood in many of the
squares, or largos, and admired statues that rose
before him like ghosts of former times; on the
largest square, the Largo di Meroato, the shades
of the last Hohenstauffen fell upon him, though
he knew it not; into the close alleys he went,
and saw the dirty rags at windows, tbe begrim
ed doorsteps, the forlorn look of the first risers
preparing their early avocations. Signs of
nightly broils and carousers struck him; the
toll of the church bells, so well known from the
monasteries in Jerusalem, fell upon his ear,
sombre and mournful; and dispirited Israel re
turned from his ramble to the Villa Torriano.
To wash off his first impressions, he dived into
the now gloriously lit gulf, and oame forth re
freshed and better able to identify bis ideas up
on the early morning life of Naples. Rebecca,
roused betimes, had just enjoyed her own lux
urious bath. She stood at her window as Israel
looked up. ‘Come down here, cousin, and take
your breakfast with me.’
Bebeoca oame, issuing for the first time in
her life alone from the villa. Israel had already
provided himself with fresh milk, dates, and
bread.
‘Wilt thou share my simple meal?’
The two sat outside the sumptuous Jewish
house, where tne servants just stirred, and tar
dily began their work. Israel and Bebecca
ohatted, and looked out into the bright morn
ing, fishermen and market-women coming by
who knew beautiful Bebecca, stared and laughed
good-humoredly.
row’ >Die W * th m6 ’ OOU8il1 ’ on a 8hork morning
‘I dare not, Israel. My father and Sarah would
object
•Thou darest with me-1’11 an8 ? e '
Come as thou art Pat this soarf over your
^Rebecca went They entered a boat lying
alongside, one used by the servants of th ,
and rowed off. _ . ,
•There they are! Israel!-Bebecoa. come
back !’ called both Jacob Torriano and Baran,
running out to the shore. ,
But Israel took Bebecca’s hand, held it up to
her father, shook his head, and went off with his
priz*.
‘Well, well, Jacob Torriano, thy desires go
nearer the fulfilment of their goal than thou
hadst imagined. Say little about it, Sarah, o
the banker returned to the bouse.
Within a couple of hours, just as the heat wa
becoming oppressive, the oousins returned *
rael in excellent spirits—Bebeoca thoughtful.
She expeoted a rebuke, and received none
opium and tea plantations protected her.
The full life ot the city now began, and Israel
stood long watching the shore, listening to h
chatter, to the call of the sellers, and the offers
of the boatmen. Suddenly he rushed off, and
went into the thickest, stared at by every passer
by-
They had all come-from R ime, from Venioe,
from Milan, from Florence, irom Turin, from
Genoa-the great money interests of Italy the
men in whoso hands lay the fortunes of war, un-
der whose thnmb throbbed the fate o millions
of human beings—the men who stalked about
'change in imple plain clothes, wearing under
them the insignia of princely, and more than
princely power; the man who bought the exer
tions of thousands, who made hills ar.se and
seas dry up; who spanned oceans with ways ot
intercommunication, and fetched treasures Irom
the depths of the earth; the men who govern
our world—the capitalists who are tne lords of
onr day’s creation. _ ...
They had come to see tne yonng Jew of the
East, whose father had been one of the grestest
money-sagacities of the world—holding in his
hand the east and west, the north and south;
and who bad allowed little Israel Tomano, the
motherless child, to rove about Jeansalein, and
learn what lessons he could from old Moses.
There was such an infinite charm attached to
this offspring of a mighty father, that ihe news
which telegraph wires had flashed to them;
‘He is coming’--had stirred their souls. Many
speculations were left unsettled; many a loan
was unconcladed. They hurried to greet him,
the last shoot of the eastern branch.
All day had carriages deposited visitors at
Torriano Villa. The house was crammed.
Little bargains wore ooucladed in its spacious
marble-inlaid saloons; nice slices of the income
of sovereigns were cut and passed to a cousin;
shares in all conceivable undertakings—-trom
the drying up of the Campagna to the furnishing
an emperor with means to fight his neighbor
were argued. The chair of St. Peter himself
did not escape the entries of their pencils.
Money and money-power bring heaven to earth
and earth to heaven.
They waited, bat he came not; Israel Torri
ano had disappeared after hi*» row with his
consin, and had not been seen since. 1 he sa
vory dishes were prepared, the valuable plate
was set out, enticing aromas filled the house,
busy waiters ran baokward and forward; it was
to have been a great reception day tor the money
of the West to receive the money of the East,
and the money of the East would not be received.
They could wait no longer; the little bargains
had all been concluded, and had whetted the
appetites of the bargainers. At last hnman na
ture could stand it no longer, and they sat down
to the sumptuous feast without him for whom
the feast had been prepared.
Bebecca was in her room; ladies wers not ad
mitted to the sacred gatherings of the male ci
ders, She was dreaming at her window, as the
slanting rays of the snn began to descend, and
the cool earth-moisture gently to ascend. Her
heated fancy would turn back to the morning
when consin Israel had rowed far out into the
gulf, and had spoken mystic words to her—of
new thonghts and new sympathies—words that,
coming from his own ecstatic, temperate soul,
could not water the luxurious plant of her yearn
ing affections. Bebeoca felt with keen foresight
that cousin Israel would never love her. And
yet, how immeasurably grand it wonld be to be
beloved by him. This evening her own thonghts
were fnller of meaning than all poetry, even
that of Dante, Tasso, and Ariosto. She thought
she beard some faint sounds carry her name up
to her—it was nothing; still it had sonnded ‘Be
becca’ in his voice. She touched her harp in an
swer, and tears—hot, scalding, burning tears—
rained over the vibrating strings.
Sarah entered. ‘Child, I have a letter; it is
from him; I may give itthee. Come, let ns read it.'
Bebecca trembled. ‘Give it me, Sarah, aud
leave the room; I cannot read it while anyone
is here. ’
‘Ah ! already so far gone; well, well, child, I
have thy father’s orders, Thou mayest do in
this matter as thou listest.’
Sarah went, and Bebecca opened the letter
with unsteady hands; her eyes refused at first to
read. Little by little she became accustomed to
tne bold Hebrew characters, and devoured the
contents.
‘Cousin, I go; I shall not see thee again. Lis
ten to-night to the evening air, it will carry thy
name on its balmy wings over to thee, from me.
Thou art the only sweet being I have met at Na
ples, during my visit of one day. I have this
day seen this Christian city, and have seen so
little teaching of the Nazarene that I think men
have forgotten Him. Wa3 He in those eager
crowds that hang about with lean faces and tat
tered garments? Was He among those dirty
children and miserable lookiag women ? Was
He in the solemn meaningless chants of the
churches ? Was He in the ornaments and cer
emonious profusions of the processions I saw?
Was He in the stolid faces of the monks ? Was
he in the glitter of the shops; the proud bearing
of the rich in their carriages; the gay, nncon-
cions prattle of the fashionable? Where was
He ? I could almost see his enemies, the self
noheons Pharisees, stand at the oorner and say
aif 1 ! 1 P ra y 0r8 ' ‘that they are not snch as those.'
Ah ! only in thy mild, soft eyes was he at all—
was some of his Bpirit Consin, sister, flee thy
snmptnons lite; become simple as he was; He
who was born in our nation, a Nazarene; ask not
for mortal love, it lives not in parity. I have
seen Mutt to-day whioh has told me human love
may become vile. Keep away from it; thou art
one of tbe few elected; give your grand soul to
Hod; worship Him and bis beautiful works, and
keep your sweet body chaste before Him-an of
fering from the creature to the Creator. Oh,
consin, disappoint me not; fulill fchy mission,
and give me thy hand in the spirit, to walk the
earth as beings capable of some higher instinotst
n „ n °" alo ( a ' art worthy of a word; I have lef
iL f ?L thy fit , h J 6r or hls g aef »ts; they want no
Th n g°ld®n heaps attached to my name.
nave them; they are welceme. Adieu,
thou blessed kindred spirit!’
And Rebecca rose, her figure became taller
her agonized looks went up to heaven. Come
° h t! ho " ahcold she bear this heart-
hnnf"*W°iT J v° U ^ 8b ® beftr loss 0 1 this
v«fr a th ^ h h d a b l 6a 1D8tilled into, her ears for
b , 600180 a portion of herself?
She orushed the letter in very misery; and wo-
that’hA^ 1 * 16 a - dent W0 P an “ 0 i» 0 was, she knew
f r 00l *sin was, in his high aspirations,
fooL dm |? P erhap8 1 a* 0 teuderest feelings under
r,!L;? 0OOa ' thrown upon a sea of rcvolution-
havin» l- 0118 ’ P a T ln g the heavy penalty of
ba ™« glve ? 8 °nl to one who had never
aikad it, au 1 w i» v*i a j i it n j‘.
(to be continued.)