The Young Captives Part 8

The king desires to give you every opportunity to improve, if possible, your appearance. I fear my lord the king. For why should he see your faces worse looking than the children which are of your degree? Then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king."

"Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days," said Daniel, turning towards Melzar, "and let them give us vegetable food, and pure cold water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenances of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants."

"Well," replied Ashpenaz, smiling, "if the king's object is accomplished, I trust he is not tenacious about the article of food; so, Melzar, let our young friends be gratified in this respect. Let them have a trial of ten days, and, if at the end of that time they have retained their beauty and freshness, let them be fed with vegetables."

"Permit me, in the absence of my three cousins, to offer their grat.i.tude, with my own, to our n.o.ble lord for his kind favor," said Daniel, gracefully bowing himself out of the apartment.

The morning of the tenth day dawned upon our Hebrew captives. Their days of trial were soon over, and they felt no fear of the scrutinizing gaze of Melzar. Health and beauty played on their fair cheeks, and they were well prepared for the inspection; and Melzar declared, with due humility, in their presence, that such countenances were not to be found in all Babylon. Now, Melzar was an excellent judge of beauty.

Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink, and gave them pulse.

CHAPTER XII.

AS BOTH Barzello and his daughter were highly esteemed in Babylon, Perreeza made many delightful acquaintances and was much sought after.

She was happy in her new life, and by her many accomplishments and sweet disposition greatly endeared herself to her new found friends.

Among the acquaintances of Barzello, with whom the king's trusted officer had been on terms of intimacy for a long term of years, was one Joram, a rich merchant of the city. Joram was understood to have great influence at court, owing to the fact that he had traveled all over the then known world and possessed a valuable knowledge of many nations. His life was a mysterious one, and, while he was credited with being the richest man in Babylon, he was little seen outside of his place of business; but many politicians consulted him, and the king had been known to send his chariot for Joram day after day when great affairs of state were on hand.

It had also leaked out that people of distinction from other countries visited the great merchant, and it was correctly surmised in political circles that Joram had helped to shape many a commercial treaty in the interests of the Babylonian monarch.

With all his mystery and reticence and secret power, Joram was a loyal subject of Nebuchadnezzar and ably seconded the king's efforts for advancing the greatness of Babylon. His family consisted of his wife and an adopted son. The latter was a young man of fine attainments, and was being educated in statecraft as well as mercantile affairs.

Early one evening Barzello had succeeded in persuading Joram to accompany him home. He had spoken of the young captives and the beautiful Perreeza, and wished the merchant and his family to know them. The two elderly men were accompanied to the officer's house by Mathias, the adopted son of Joram. They were warmly greeted by Jupheena, who smilingly conducted Mathias to another part of the house for the purpose of introducing him to Perreeza.

"Maid of Judah," said Jupheena, "I have the pleasure of presenting thee to the honorable Mathias, son of our most excellent Joram."

At these words the maid arose with calmness and beautiful dignity, appearing like an angel in human form, and gently responded to the very low bow of the young Babylonian. The conversation soon became animated.

Mathias talked with all the warmth of his n.o.ble nature, producing a very favorable impression on the mind of the maid of Judah.

"To me it is quite refres.h.i.+ng," said Perreeza, "to hear a name that is familiar in Israel. I have many relatives in Judah who are called by thy name."

"Our national feelings are strong," said the young man, "and, if I have learned correctly, this feeling is said to be stronger in the Hebrew heart than in all others."

"I am not so well prepared to vouch for the correctness of the sentiment," said Perreeza, "but if my own feelings be an index to the sentiments of others of my nation, the saying is abundantly true."

"It is certainly an admirable trait of character," said the young man, "and the individual in a foreign land who can think of the home of his fathers without strong emotion is not, in my opinion, an individual to be envied."

"Permit the maid of Judah to thank her friend for that n.o.ble sentiment."

Here the conversation was arrested by a signal from Barzello, and the young people went forward to join the other members of the family.

"This is Perreeza, of the royal line of Judah," said Barzello, taking the maid gently by the hand, "whom I have the great pleasure of presenting to my ill.u.s.trious friend Joram."

The blus.h.i.+ng maid modestly bowed while Joram took her by the hand and said, with unusual feeling, "May the blessing of the G.o.d of thy fathers, dear maid, accompany thy footsteps in a foreign land."

This blessing from the lips of a Babylonian was deeply appreciated by the young woman, who was already touched by the kindness with which she was met on every hand.

"The Lily of the Valley," said Joram, referring to Jupheena, "has found a sweet companion, and the maid of Judah, I trust, will not be displeased if, by the request of my good friend Barzello, I give her the name of an appropriate rose."

"On the contrary," said Perreeza, "thy young handmaiden is very grateful to the n.o.ble friend of Barzello for every token of his notice and kind regard."

"Then, maid of Judah," said Joram, "thy floral name, from this hour, is the Rose of Sharon."

"The Rose of Sharon!" cried Jupheena. "Oh, Perreeza, is not that delightful? Rose of Sharon!"

"Beautiful, indeed!" said Perreeza, "and better than all, it is the sweet rose of my own native land."

"True, young maid, true," said Joram, "'tis the favorite rose of Judah."

"The n.o.ble friend of Barzello will accept the thanks of his unworthy young acquaintance for his very happy compliment," said Perreeza.

"Well," responded Joram, "one Hebrew lay, accompanied by the harp of Judah, will recompense us a thousand times."

"That shall be attended to with pleasure," said Perreeza, and the two young women left to bring the harp.

"Now, my good friend, what thinkest thou of the maid of Judah?" asked Barzello.

"The Rose of Sharon is all loveliness," said Joram. "Ah, my friend, sawest thou not the majestic glance of that dark eye, the inimitable hue of those fair cheeks, the full perfection of those lips, the glossy richness of the profuse curls, and the marble whiteness of that model neck? Add to this, my friend, the amiability of her character and her ripe accomplishments, and in her we find a charming and suitable companion for the daughter of Barzello."

"Joram, are the Hebrew women noted for their beauty?"

"Perhaps no nation can boast of greater fairness of complexion among their females than the Jews."

"Now the youthful maid of the royal line of Judah will make us happy with one of her Hebrew melodies, she having brought her favorite harp," said Barzello.

"My kind friend may well say favorite harp," replied Perreeza, with deep emotion; "for to me, surely, it is a very precious treasure. For many years it has been in our family. To me it was left by the dearest of mothers, and to her it was given by a brother beloved, who found an early grave."

This was received by the company in silence, but it was noticed that Joram was deeply affected.

Perreeza took the instrument in her arms, swept her delicate hand over the well-tuned strings, and, after a moment's pause sang in seraphic tones a plaintive melody peculiar to her life in Jerusalem.

Profound silence fell on the a.s.sembly after her song was finished. The performance and its effect were such that applause or compliments would have sounded ill-timed. All gazed with solemn delight on Perreeza as she laid aside her harp and took her seat beside Jupheena.

Suddenly, the disappearance of Joram was noticed, and Barzello sprang up in an agitated manner. The merchant was not in the room, and none had seen him depart.

"In the name of the G.o.ds, what has befallen my good friend!" cried the officer, as he went to the adjoining apartment.

"Be calm," faintly replied the voice of Joram, as the host came to where he was reclining.

"Barzello," said the guest, "thou hast given me reason these many years to believe in thy friends.h.i.+p."

"Thou art not in the least mistaken," responded Barzello.

"Then I shall proceed without delay to explain my singular conduct, and, in making these developments, I am confident I shall share the sympathies of my kind friend. To-night my heart has been almost rent with contending emotions. I have been well-nigh overwhelmed with both sadness and joy.

During my long residence in this part of the world a degree of mystery has hung over myself and family, and even to-day my country and origin are not known. For many years past I have had strong doubts in regard to the wisdom of this course of secrecy. The time has at last arrived when my life history must be divulged.

"In the first place, then, let me inform you that I am a Hebrew. I was born of n.o.ble and wealthy parents who lived within the metropolis of Judah. I was the pride of my father, and by my mother I was almost idolized. Being of a lively temperament I was fond of company and overfond of amus.e.m.e.nts. I was sent to one of the city's leading halls of learning and found but little trouble in mastering my studies. I was early thrown into the companions.h.i.+p of those who had not the fear of G.o.d before their eyes. I drank in their spirit, and, consequently, the yoke of parental authority became painful to my youthful neck. My affection for parents and near relatives was strong, and it was not without a hard struggle that I yielded to the enticements of older transgressors.

Gradually I became the willing companion of youths whose chief object was amus.e.m.e.nt.