CHAPTER X.
IN THE MOUNTAINS.
The time is evening; the place is a rocky pass between Bethel andMichmash. At the mouth of a cave which commands a view of the approachfrom the westward, are seated two men, in one of whom we may recognizeShallum, the quondam wine-seller of Jerusalem.
"Well, comrade," he is saying to his companion, "this business is notquite to my liking. It is all very well when we can relieve a Greekmerchant, or, better still, a Syrian tax-gatherer, of his money-bags; butI hate robbing our own people. That poor fellow to-day, for instance, whowas taking home his wages--he had been wood-cutting, he said, in Bashan--itreally went to my heart to take the money from him."
The companion whom he addressed was a rough, savage-looking fellow, whocertainly did not look as if he would feel very much for Shallum'sscruples. He had followed, indeed, the robber's trade, it may be said,from his childhood, as his fathers had followed it before him, almostsince the days of the Captivity.
He now broke out into a loud, mocking laugh.
"Ah! my friend Shallum," he said, "you are a great deal too soft andtender-hearted. But then you are new to the business; when you have beenat it as long as I have, you won't have these scruples. Now, mark what Isay; and if we are to be good friends, don't let me hear any more of thisnonsense. You are a stout fellow and a man of your hands; and as formyself, well, I rather think that a novice like you could hardly have comeacross a better teacher. I don't doubt that we shall do very welltogether; and when we have made a little money, I shan't blame you if yougive up the business and become what they call an honest man. For myself,the 'honest man' line does not suit me--it is not in my blood, you know.But, meanwhile, if we are to work together, we must agree. Now, all isfish that comes to our net. Of course, I don't mean the people abouthere--our neighbours, you know. We must not touch them; on the contrary,they must have a share of what we make. As long as they are our friends weare safe. But all strangers are lawful booty. And mind--for I see that youare a little wroth about this--mind, it is only dead men who tell notales."
Benjamin's words of wisdom--the more experienced of the two robbers wasnamed Benjamin--were interrupted by an exclamation from his companion.
"Hush!" he cried, "I hear a sound of voices from the pass."
The two men listened; Shallum was evidently right. A party of travellerswere approaching from the west.
"We are in luck," said Benjamin; "it is not often that we do business solate in the day."
As he spoke the leaders of the party emerged into sight.
"Shoot, Shallum!" said Benjamin; "strike one of those fellows down and weshall have the whole party in confusion."
"Nay, Benjamin; I hear the voices of women and children; and see--Godwither my hand if I shoot at such helpless people as these."
The rest of the party was now in sight. Two men, one on either side of theass, were supporting Ruth, who, worn out by the fatigues of the day, couldwith difficulty keep her seat on the animal. These were her husband andAzariah. Close behind came Micah, carrying on his shoulder the littleJudith, who was fast asleep. Then followed Miriam, Judith's elder sister.The poor child limped sadly along, for her city life had been but a poortraining for that long day's march, and she felt just a little envious ofthe good fortune which Judith enjoyed in being carried.
Shallum recognized the figures of Seraiah and Ruth, with whom he happenedto have had some slight acquaintance in Jerusalem, and from whom indeed hehad received no little kindness.
"Benjamin," he said, in a determined voice, "I know these people, and if Ican help it they shall suffer no harm."
"Well, well; have your way," said his companion, who indeed was not quiteas hard of heart as he would make himself out. "If, as you say, you knowthem, go down and make friends."
Shallum at once made his way down into the pass, and, standing in thepath, greeted the travellers with the customary salutation, "Peace be withyou!"
"What, Shallum!" said Seraiah, "is that you? What brings you here?"
"That were a long story," returned the man, "and this is not the time totell it. But can I serve you?"
"Can you find shelter for my poor wife? But it is idle, I fear, to askyou. There can be no inn near this wild place."
"'Tis true, sir, there is no inn; yet if you can put up with such poorlodging as we can give, the lady will have at least shelter."
Ruth was lifted from her seat on the ass, and carried between her husbandand Azariah up the rocky track that led to the cave, Shallum showing theway with a lighted torch in his hand, for by this time the night hadfallen.
Benjamin met the little party at the mouth of the cave. His life of crimehad not quenched all kindly feeling in him. He felt, too, that he was ahost; and the sense of hospitality, which keeps its hold on an Easternheart as long as anything good is left to it, bade him do his best for hisguests. And the sweet smile of thanks with which Ruth greeted him when shewas laid on the couch of cloaks, which the two inmates of the cave hadhastily arranged on a pile of heather, won him altogether.
A minute or two afterwards Micah followed with the two children; Judith,still fast asleep, was put down by Ruth's side, while Miriam forgot herfatigue in the delightful excitement of this new adventure. The new-comershad brought with them a slender store of provisions. These they proceededto share, declining with thanks the dried flesh and wine which theirentertainers offered. The rest of the party found shelter, under guidanceof the robbers, in some of the many caves with which the rocks in theneighbourhood were honeycombed.
Next morning the arrangements for housing the little colony were made.There was an abundance of caves to give shelter to all, and theaccommodation though rough, at least protected them from the weather.Their life was simple in the extreme--simple even to hardness. They soughtfor herbs and roots, and from the neighbouring peasants they bought a fewgoats, to browse among the rocks, and a small quantity of corn, which theybruised between stones and baked. The mountain springs furnished theirdrink, a few flasks of wine being reserved for any cases of sickness.Twice a day the whole company met for worship. Seraiah read a portionfirst from the Law and then from the Prophets, for they had not forgottento bring rolls of the Sacred Books. Then standing erect, with coveredheads, their faces turned towards the Temple, they joined in prayer. Inthe words of one who himself in old time had found himself shut out for awhile from the privileges of the Holy Place and was content to realizethem by faith, the congregation uttered together the petition, "Let myprayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense; and let the lifting up ofmy hands be an evening sacrifice." One of the psalms of penitencefollowed; for surely they had all many sins to repent of--sins of whichthey were now suffering the penalty; and, after the psalm, a prayer fordeliverance from the enemy, and for the setting up again of the throne ofDavid, and for that without which neither deliverance nor a restoredkingdom could profit them--purity and righteousness in their own hearts andsouls.
Nothing could be more simple and frugal than their daily fare. Wild fruitsand herbs were largely used, and any little plots of fertile ground thatcould be found were planted with vegetables, some far-seeing member of theparty having brought with him a small supply of garden seeds. When a fewdays after their arrival Ruth gave birth to a son it was much feared thatthe scanty supply of nourishing food might long delay her restoration tostrength. This fear was not realized. The feeling of freedom anddeliverance combined with the fine mountain air to bring her back to herwonted health, and she found herself able to go about her daily work longbefore she could have hoped to do so in the more enervating atmosphere ofthe city.
One day she had gone to gather herbs for the daily mess, a work in whichshe was especially useful from the knowledge of plants which she had takenpains to acquire in her unmarried days. She had taken, of course, thenew-born infant with her, and Miriam, who was delighted to perform, as faras her strength permitted, the office of nurse. The little Judith, whosenig
ht's rest had been disturbed by some childish ailment, had been left athome to make up her allowance of sleep. The mother found on her returnthat a strange visitor had made herself at home in the cave. The littleone was fast asleep on a bed of rugs which had been made up for her, andcurled up at her side with one of her fore paws round her neck was ajackal. The two companions were roused together by the arrival of theparty, and, wonderful to relate, neither showed any symptoms of alarm. Thejackal rose from its resting-place, approached Ruth, and fawned at herfeet, and the child came after its bedfellow and stroked affectionatelyits shaggy skin.
When, two or three weeks afterwards, the new comer gave birth to a litterof cubs, the joy of the children was complete. The little animals soonlearnt to play with the girls, and their dam sat by and watched theirgambols, and sometimes even condescended to join in them herself.
The little colony heard of the strange incident with delight, and saw init a token of Divine favour. "Man rages cruelly against us," they said,"but we find friends among the beasts of the field. Surely it is our Godwho hath changed the heart of this savage dweller in the wilderness, andwe will trust that He will do yet greater things than these."
"Mother," said Miriam one day to Ruth, "by what name shall we call our newfriend?"
The question puzzled her, and she referred it to her husband.
"It does not seem fitting," she said, "that we should give the name of adaughter of the Covenant to the beast, for though she is of kindly temperyet she is unclean."
Seraiah thought awhile.
"You say truth, my wife. Let us call her Jael."
"But why Jael?"
"Because the wife of Heber was of the unclean, for was she not of thehouse of the Kenite? Yet was she a friend of Israel, for she slew Siserathat was captain of the host of Jabin, King of Canaan."
So thenceforward the creature went by the name of Jael.
It was not long before she justified her name by showing that she could befierce on occasion.
A wayfarer, who described himself as a discharged soldier and a Moabite bybirth, asked for shelter and food. Scanty as were the means of thefugitives, they did not grudge the stranger a share of their meal. Theygave him their best, adding to their daily fare the special luxury of somedried grapes. As he complained of being footsore, Ruth applied some simpleremedies to the blisters on his feet. Altogether he was treated not onlyas a welcome but even as an honoured guest. On his part he professed afervent sympathy with the hopes and plans of his hosts. The next morninghe started as if to continue his journey. But the cupidity of the wretchhad been roused by the sight of the handsome earrings--almost the soleremaining relic of former affluence--which he had spied in his hostess'sears. About an hour before noon, when he judged that the men would bestill busy about their daily work, he crept back to the cave. Ruth wassitting by a fire nursing her babe. The jackal lay asleep in a corner; thegirls were playing with the cubs on a sunny little plot of ground outside.
"Lady," began the fellow, in a beggar's wheedling voice, "can you spare alittle money for a poor fellow who has not so much as a copper coin to buyhim a piece of bread?"
Ruth was startled at his re-appearance, but concealed her alarm.
"Friend," she said, "I have no money; but I will give you half a loaf ifyou want food, though you had done better, I should think, to keep on yourway, for you can hardly find any that are poorer than we."
"But you have gold," said the man.
"Gold? Not I," she answered.
"Nay, lady," he went on, with a perceptible tone of threatening in hisvoice, "those earrings that you wear are doubtless of true metal. Theyadd, indeed, to your beauty, and it is a pity that you should lose them;but then there is no one to admire you in this wilderness, and they wouldkeep a poor fellow like myself in flesh and wine for a month or more."
"My earrings?" said Ruth, stupefied by the man's audacity.
"Yes, your earrings, lady," said the man. "I should advise you to takethem out yourself, for if I have to do it I am afraid that I shall showmyself a very rough tirewoman."
The spirit of Ruth, the same that had dwelt of old in a Miriam or aDeborah, was roused at the man's insolent audacity. She seized ahalf-burnt brand from the fire and stood on her defence. The soldier,thinking that he had found an easy prey, approached. But he had notreckoned on an ally who was ready to help her in her need. Jael had beenwoke by the voices, and watched with glaring eyes the soldier's movements,uttering every now and then a low growl, which, however, the man was toomuch occupied to heed. As soon as he came within reach, she sprang uponhim from her lurking-place. The force with which she threw herself uponhim overset him, and he fell backwards, his head striking on themill-stone which formed part of the scanty furniture of the cave. In amoment her fangs were in his throat. In vain did Ruth, who saw the man'sdanger and was unwilling that he should perish in his sins, call her byher name. All the savage instinct in her was roused by the taste of blood.Before two minutes had passed the freebooter was dead.
"We did well to call her Jael," said Seraiah that evening, as he helped tocarry the corpse out of the cave. "The wretch has received the due rewardof his deeds."
The Hammer: A Story of the Maccabean Times Page 11