  SCENE I. A Room in Susskind's House. LIEBHAID, CLAIRE, REUBEN. LIEBHAID. The air hangs sultry as in mid-July. Look forth, Claire; moves not some big thundercloud Athwart the sky? My heart is sick. CLAIRE. Nay, Liebhaid. The clear May sun is shining, and the air Blows fresh and cordial from the budding hills. LIEBHAID. Reuben, what is 't o'clock. Our father stays. The midday meal was cold an hour agone. REUBEN. 'T is two full hours past noon; he should be here. Ah see, he comes. Great God! what woe has chanced? He totters on his staff; he has grown old Since he went forth this morn. Enter SUSSKIND. LIEBHAID. Father, what news? SUSSKIND. The Lord have mercy! Vain is the help of man. Children, is all in order? We must start At set of sun on a long pilgrimage. So wills the Landgrave, so the court decrees. LIEBHAID. What is it, father? Exile? SUSSKIND. Yea, just that. We are banished from our vexed, uncertain homes, 'Midst foes and strangers, to a land of peace, Where joy abides, where only comfort is. Banished from care, fear, trouble, life—to death. REUBEN. Oh horror! horror! Father, I will not die. Come, let us flee—we yet have time for flight. I'll bribe the sentinel—he will ope the gates. Liebhaid, Claire, Father! let us flee! Away To some safe land where we may nurse revenge. SUSSKIND. Courage, my son, and peace. We may not flee. Didst thou not see the spies who dogged my steps? The gates are thronged with citizens and guards. We must not flee—God wills that we should die. LIEBHAID. Said you at sunset? SUSSKIND. So they have decreed. CLAIRE. Oh why not now? Why spare the time to warn? Why came they not with thee to massacre, Leaving no agony betwixt the sentence And instant execution? That were mercy! Oh, my prophetic father! SUSSKIND. They allow Full five hours' grace to shrive our souls with prayer. We shall assemble in the Synagogue, As on Atonement Day, confess our sins, Recite the Kaddish for the Dead, and chant Our Shibboleth, the Unity of God, Until the supreme hour when we shall stand Before the mercy-seat. LIEBHAID. In what dread shape Approaches death? SUSSKIND. Nerve your young hearts, my children. We shall go down as God's three servants went Into the fiery furnace. Not again Shall the flames spare the true-believers' flesh. The anguish shall be fierce and strong, yet brief. Our spirits shall not know the touch of pain, Pure as refined gold they shall issue safe From the hot crucible; a pleasing sight Unto the Lord. Oh, 't is a rosy bed Where we shall couch, compared with that whereon They lie who kindle this accursed blaze. Ye shrink? ye would avert your martyred brows From the immortal crowns the angels offer? What! are we Jews and are afraid of death? God's chosen people, shall we stand a-tremble Before our Father, as the Gentiles use? REUBEN. Shall the smoke choke us, father? or the flame Consume our flesh? SUSSKIND. I know not, boy. Be sure The Lord will temper the shrewd pain for those Who trust in Him. REUBEN. May I stand by thy side, And hold my hand in thine until the end? SUSSKIND (Aside). What solace hast thou, God, in all thy heavens For such an hour as this? Yea, hand in hand We walk, my son, through fire, to meet the Lord. Yet there is one among us shall not burn. A secret shaft long rankling in my heart, Now I withdraw, and die. Our general doom, Liebhaid, is not for thee. Thou art no Jewess. Thy father is the man who wills our death; Lord Henry Schnetzen. LIEBHAID. Look at me! your eyes Are sane, correcting your distracted words. This is Love's trick, to rescue me from death. My love is firm as thine, and dies with thee. CLAIRE. Oh, Liebhaid, live. Hast thou forgot the Prince? Think of the happy summer blooms for thee When we are in our graves. LIEBHAID. And I shall smile, Live and rejoice in love, when ye are dead? SUSSKIND. My child, my child! By the Ineffable Name, The Adonai, I swear, thou must believe, Albeit thy father scoffed, gave me the lie. Go kneel to him—for if he see thy face, Or hear thy voice, he shall not doubt, but save. LIEBHAID. Never! If I be offspring to that kite, I here deny my race, forsake my father,— So does thy dream fall true. Let him save thee, Whose hand has guided mine, whose lips have blessed, Whose bread has nourished me. Thy God is mine, Thy people are my people. VOICES (without). Susskind von Orb! SUSSKIND. I come, my friends. Enter boisterously certain Jews. 1ST JEW. Come to the house of God! 2D JEW. Wilt thou desert us for whose sake we perish? 3D JEW. The awful hour draws nigh. Come forth with us Unto the Synagogue. SUSSKIND. Bear with me, neighbors. Here we may weep, here for the last time know The luxury of sorrow, the soft touch Of natural tenderness; here our hearts may break; Yonder no tears, no faltering! Eyes serene Lifted to heaven, and defiant brows To those who have usurped the name of men, Must prove our faith and valor limitless As is their cruelty. One more embrace, My daughter, thrice my daughter! Thine affection Outshines the hellish flames of hate; farewell, But for a while; beyond the river of fire I'll fold thee in mine arms, immortal angel! For thee, poor orphan, soon to greet again The blessed brows of parents, I dreamed not The grave was all the home I had to give. Go thou with Liebhaid, and array yourselves As for a bridal. Come, little son, with me. Friends, I am ready. O my God, my God, Forsake us not in our extremity! [Exeunt SUSSKIND and JEWS.] SCENE II. A Street in the Judengasse. Several Jews pass across the stage, running and with gestures of distress. JEWS. Woe, woe! the curse has fallen! [Exeunt.] Enter other Jews. 1ST JEW. We are doomed. The fury of the Lord has smitten us. Oh that mine head were waters and mine eyes Fountains of tears! God has forsaken us. [They knock at the doors of the houses.] 2D JEW. What, Benjamin! Open the door to death! We all shall die at sunset! Menachem! Come forth! Come forth! Manasseh! Daniel! Ezra! [Jews appear at the windows.] |
|
