The Poems of Emma Lazarus Volume II Part 29

You are in all this presence, the one man Whom any Jew hath wronged--and I that Jew.

Oh, my offence is grievous; punish me With the utmost rigor of the law, for theft And violence, whom ye deemed an honest man, But leave my tribe unharmed! I yield my hands Unto your chains, my body to your fires; Let one life serve for all.

SCHNETZEN.

You hear, my lords, How the prevaricating villain shrinks From the absolute truth, yet dares not front his Maker With the full d.a.m.nable lie hot on his lips.

Not thou alone, my private foe, shalt die, But all thy race. Thee had my vengeance reached, Without appeal to Prince or citizen.

Silence! my heart is cuira.s.sed as my breast.

RABBI JACOB.

Bear with us, gracious lords! My friend is stunned.

He is an honest man. Even I, as 't were, Am stupefied by this surprising news.

Yet, let me think--it seems it is not new, This is an ancient, well-remembered pain.

What, brother, came not one who prophesied This should betide exactly as it doth?

That was a shrewd old man! Your pardon, lords, I think you know not just what you would do.

You say the Jews shall burn--shall burn you say; Why, good my lords, the Jews are not a flock Of gallows-birds, they are a colony Of kindly, virtuous folk. Come home with me; I'll show you happy hearths, glad roofs, pure lives.

Why, some of them are little quick-eyed boys, Some, pretty, ungrown maidens--children's children Of those who called me to the pastorate.

And some are beautiful tall girls, some, youths Of marvellous promise, some are old and sick, Amongst them there be mothers, infants, brides, Just like your Christian people, for all the world.

Know ye what burning is? Hath one of you Scorched ever his soft flesh, or singed his beard, His hair, his eyebrows--felt the keen, fierce nip Of the pungent flame--and raises not his voice To stop this holocaust? G.o.d! 't is too horrible!

Wake me, my friends, from this terrific dream.

SUSSKIND.

Courage, my brother. On our firmness hangs The dignity of Israel. Sir Governor, I have a secret word to speak with you.

SCHNETZEN.

Ye shall enjoy with me the jest. These knaves Are apt to quick invention as in crime.

Speak out--I have no secrets from my peers.

SUSSKIND.

My lord, what answer would you give your Christ If peradventure, in this general doom You sacrifice a Christian? Some strayed dove Lost from your cote, among our vultures caged?

Beware, for midst our virgins there is one Owes kins.h.i.+p nor allegiance to our tribe.

For her dear sake be pitiful, my lords, Have mercy on our women! Spare at least My daughter Liebhaid, she is none of mine!

She is a Christian!

SCHNETZEN.

Just as I foretold!

The wretches will forswear the sacred'st ties, Cringing for life. Serpents, ye all shall die.

So wills the Landgrave; so the court affirms.

Your daughter shall be first, whose wanton arts Have brought destruction on a princely house.

SUSSKIND.

My lord, be moved. You kill your flesh and blood.

By Adonai I swear, your dying wife Entrusted to these arms her child. 'T was I Carried your infant from your burning home.

Lord Schnetzen, will you murder your own child?

SCHNETZEN.

Ha, excellent! I was awaiting this.

Thou wilt inoculate our knightly veins With thy corrupted Jewish blood. Thou 'lt foist This adder on my bosom. Henry Schnetzen Is no weak dupe, whom every lie may start.

Make ready, Jew, for death--and warn thy tribe.

SUSSKIND (kneeling).

Is there a G.o.d in heaven? I who ne'er knelt Until this hour to any man on earth, Tyrant, before thee I abase myself.

If one red drop of human blood still flow In thy congealed veins, if thou e'er have known Touch of affection, the blind natural instinct Of common kindred, even beasts partake, Thou man of frozen stone, thou hollow statue, Grant me one prayer, that thou wilt look on her.

Then shall the eyes of thy dead wife gaze back From out the maiden's...o...b.., then shall a voice Within thine entrails, cry--This is my child.

SCHNETZEN.

Enough! I pray you, my lord President, End this unseemly scene. This wretched Jew Would thrust a cuckoo's egg within my nest.

I have had timely warning. Send the twain Back to their people, that the court's decree Be published unto all.

SUSSKIND.

Lord Tettenborn!

Citizens! will you see this nameless crime Brand the clean earth, blacken the crystal heaven?

Why, no man stirs! G.o.d! with what thick strange fumes Hast thou, o' the sudden, brutalized their sense?

Or am I mad? Is this already h.e.l.l?

Wors.h.i.+pful fiends, I have good store of gold, Packed in my coffers, or loaned out to--Christians; I give it you as free as night bestows Her copious dews--my life shall seal the bond, Have mercy on my race!

TETTENBORN.

No more, no more!

Go, bid your tribe make ready for their death At sunset.

RABBI JACOB.

Oh!

SUSSKIND.

At set of sun to-day?

Why, if you travelled to the nighest town, Summoned to stand before a mortal Prince You would need longer grace to put in order Household effects, to bid farewell to friends, And make yourself right worthy. But our way Is long, our journey difficult, our judge Of awful majesty. Must we set forth, Haste-flushed and unprepared? One brief day more, And all my wealth is yours!

TETTENBORN.

We have heard enough.

Begone, and bear our message.

SUSSKIND.

Courage, brother, Our fate is sealed. These tigers are athirst.

Return we to our people to proclaim The gracious sentence of the n.o.ble court.

Let us go thank the Lord who made us those To suffer, not to do, this deed. Be strong.