"Doubtless," replied Judith, "it is that for which I would have our people now wait. Let the Prophet who is to come, and for whom we now wait, appear, and whither he shall lead let us follow, and what he shall command, let us do. But while he comes not, let us withhold our hand. It is his bidding that shall make deeds innocent, which without shall be black with guilt." Thy words," here interposed Shammai, “are as those of the wise king of Israel—they are as apples of gold in pictures of silver."

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Judith perceived as she thought, a hidden reproach in the words of the Rabbi, and feeling as if in her earnestness she had offended against what was due to her elder, her face was covered with blushes and fell upon her breast as she said: "Nay, Rabbi, I meant not to teach, but only to speak for the cause of present peace. Surely it can be of no avail that the scenes of Cæsarea should be repeated in Beth-Harem. We there lost those whom we greatly loved, yet hath their loss brought no profit to our nation. The power against which we would contend is too mighty to resist, if God be not on our side. Alas! Father, forgive me; I fear I teach again"-and the fair girl covered her face with her hands.

"We need," said Shammai in gentler tones, "to be rather forgiven of thee. They who hold of Judas are apt to be of a harsh and hasty speech, which must make our peace with thee, my daughter. We are a fierce and contentious race."

We had now reached the dwelling of Onias. When we had entered, Judith hastened to offer for our refreshment delicious grapes with pitchers of wine just from

the presses, and water cooled with the snows of Lebanon. To the Rulers she presented with her own hands the bunches that were ripest, and fairest, and poured out for them the new wine, mingling with it both snow and water. Their spirit was greatly softened by the services of Judith, and by the cooling effects of the fruit and wine, and Shammai holding up the cup from which he had drank, and looking intently at its proportions said:

"Verily, Onias, the cunning of man is like the cunning of Him who made him. How many are his devices for our comfort and adornment. Here is this cup of silver curiously wrought, from Rome I doubt not; these carpets from Persia; these rich hangings from Damascus; these couches of silk from the farther India. Wisdom, saith Solomon, is better than silver, or gold, or rubies. Yea, O wise man, so it is. Yet these are good nevertheless, and thou wast too wise to give them bad names. So again he saith, there is nothing better for a man in this life, than that he should eat and drink, which is also a wise saying. We may well call that wise which simply describeth a natural thing. It needed not he should have eaten so good grapes or drunk so good wine as these to have taught him that. Every man will say it, who in the morning riseth and findeth nothing better than a cake baked on the coals, with a piece of honey. As I think, it is only when a man eats or drinks that he can say his soul is without trouble. Verily he is righteous overmuch, as the great king saith, and one greatly impertinent moreover, who, like the foolish Essenes, seeketh to please God by refusing with contempt the good things he hath taken the pains to create, and cause the earth to bring forth for his enter

M

tainment. It would be right, that such an one in the resurrection should be defrauded of his expectations. He that despiseth what the Lord hath made and pronounced good, should himself be despised and his portion taken from him. Daughter, this wine is good. Yes-that is what I would have-let it be filled once more. Onias, who is this Saturninus, as some one called him, whom we are to have to rule over us?"

Onias replied that he knew not.

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Perhaps then," continued the ruler, our young Roman knoweth him." To this I answered that I knew only his name, that he was of a good family (the family, my mother, of M. Scævola Saturninus) and had served with credit in the army.

"May he and his army perish," cried Zadok, "ere they leave the walls of Beth-Harem."

"In the meanwhile," said Onias, "it were better that the people trouble him not. What is done, let it be done, not as to-day."

"Ah, Onias, I see thee. Thou wouldst take them by craft, thou wouldst catch them by subtlety."

"I would not catch them at all," Onias replied, "but let them dwell among us in peace.

cometh it will be seen that it is come.

When the time

I shall trust to

see this same Saturninus and know him."

So we conversed of many things, till Shammai, bethinking himself of affairs that required his presence, took his departure, Zadok accompanying him. The elder of the two rulers-Shammai-is one whom for many things both Judith and Onias esteem; while for other reasons they think but lightly of him. He is, if one may say so, a sort of Epicurean in a Jew's dress

and among what nation, tribe or religion is not the Epicurean to be found? The dispositions which nature hath given him are such as inspire affection; but the boldness with which he administers the office of ruler of the synagogue, while in his heart he doubts or disbelieves the faith of which he makes so open a profession, causeth him to be treated not so much as a friend whom they can admit to their entire confidence and love, as one whose cheerful presence and discourse add greatly to the pleasures of any society of which he makes a part. His years ensure him reverence. Judith, indeed, having known him from a child, doth more than reverence him. Of Zadok thou shalt hear another time.

IX.

THE longer I remain among this people, my mother, the more strange do they seem; but the more too do I become bound to them, and especially to the members of this household. They are a people beyond any other religious, and yet, as I suppose, beyond any other superstitious and wicked; which seems to proceed from this, that they make distinctions between the worship of God, and virtue; and consider these two things as not necessarily joined together. Not but what the same error is to be observed elsewhere, but that here it appears to be more universal. Prayers are made upon all occasions, and in all places, but they are a ceremony by themselves; and being once said, the matter is over; so much was due to God by cominand, agreement, or custom, or tradition, and the debt has been paid. Then how their life shall be ordered is another affair, and governed by interests, rules, and motives which belong to itself. Some who are esteemed to stand at the head of the religion, and who generally are of the Pharisees, are as remarkable for their want of goodness, or rather as notorious for their vices, as for their piety toward God shown in a strict observance of the Sabbath and the least points of the Law. So long as religion shall be held as somewhat distinct from virtue must it continue to be so; and so long will the faith in one God, in