After Martha came out of her swoon, the night was spent in consultation between the two women as to the surest method of averting the catastrophe which impended. It was determined that the sisters should escape from the house early in the morning, and appeal for help to some worthy and influential residents of Bethany, friends of my father. They were so sure of obtaining succor and deliverance, that they became quite cheerful as the sunlight broke above the hills.
Magistus suddenly entered the room, and their hearts sank within them as they noticed the silent ferocity of his countenance. Without saying a word he clasped iron rings upon their ankles and wrists, and chained them securely to the bed-posts. Their tears, cries, inquiries, supplications, were all in vain. He took no notice of them whatever, and locked and bolted the door behind them, leaving them bound and in despair.
A different but equally painful scene occurred in the chamber of Mary Magdalen. Mary, my sister, had just awakened with a deep sigh, and began narrating an ominous dream which had disturbed her night"s rest, when a loud knock was heard at the door, and a strange voice commanded them to dress and come forth immediately. They sprang up in great trepidation and obeyed the order. On opening the door they turned back into the room with a loud shriek.
Simon Magus stood before them with his serpent and leopard. He had these creatures about him almost constantly. It was to keep them in good training, for his personal protection, to excite wonder, to inspire awe, and to enforce his authority. They were admirable adjuvants to his pretensions and power. Every one quailed before them.
He a.s.sured the women that his pets should not hurt them, if they followed him in silence, turning neither to the right nor to the left. There was no alternative but to obey. He conducted them to our father"s residence through the gardens and the gate in the garden wall. He had given every point a recent inspection. He pa.s.sed into the inner courtyard, and led them down a flight of steps to a room in the cellar used by two of the domestics as a bed-chamber. Here he locked and bolted them in and retired.
Thus were the sisters secured without the possibility of communication or escape. The conspirators took every possible precaution. No one was permitted to leave the grounds, or to come in during the day. Magistus or Simon kept the black eunuch continually in sight. Whether his agitated and anxious manner betrayed him, or whether the magician really read his thoughts, his masters suspected that Ethopus meditated a revolt against the snares which had fascinated the leopard and the serpent. He was closely watched.
The situation of this poor fellow was very touching. His dark face was an index of a darkened soul, not by evil but by the absence of light. Under his homely exterior was a brave and generous heart. He was born and reared in a barbaric land, full of strange beasts and birds and stranger men, where Nature herself is wild and savage. He had been the victim of incredible oppression and cruelty. It is wonderful that the last spark of human feeling had not been trodden out from his spirit.
It spoke well for the native richness of the soil when good seed sprang up so luxuriantly as soon as planted. From the day he became acquainted with my sisters and myself, a new life had dawned upon him. Friendly voices, gentle words, kindly looks, sympathizing deeds, were food and drink to his amiable and child-like nature. His soul grew and expanded under them as flowers under dew and sunlight. Sincere attachment to us and hatred of our common enemies took possession of the whole man. He was ready for any labor, any danger, any sacrifice in our behalf.
Imagine the mental tortures of this humble and voiceless friend, when he saw the terrible fate which was impending over us, and found himself so helpless to avert it or to a.s.sist us!
Thus pa.s.sed away the long, dreary, gloomy day-the day of my father"s funeral. It was spent by my sisters in prayer and tears and unavailing struggles to escape or to make themselves heard. Mary Magdalen identified herself thoroughly with the gentle and innocent child with whom she was imprisoned. She taxed her ingenuity to the utmost to give her consolation and hope; and when invention failed, she resorted to tears.
"Do you ever pray to G.o.d?" said little Mary.
"To which G.o.d?" asked Mary Magdalen.
"Which G.o.d? There is but one G.o.d!"
"Magistus has the statues of a dozen G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses in his house; and he says that all of them answer prayer when they are presented with splendid gifts."
"Jehovah, the only G.o.d," said the child with sweet solemnity, "heareth the prayer of the humble and contrite heart. He heareth the poor and needy, and lifteth up all who are cast down."
"How beautiful!" exclaimed Mary Magdalen with a deep sigh; and she fell into a profound reverie with downcast eyes, while a solitary tear, the first pearl of genuine repentance, trickled down her cheek.
About nightfall Simon Magus unlocked the door and called Mary Magdalen out of the room. He closed the door behind her, so that Mary could not hear what he said. He put into her hands two cups of different patterns containing milk.
"This one," said he, "you will give to the child; this you will drink yourself. Be careful and not forget. Your life depends upon it. If you fail to obey me, I will feed your body piecemeal to my leopard."
Terror-stricken as well by his manner as his words, she took the cups mechanically from his hands and pa.s.sed into the room. He carefully locked the door again.
Bewildered by this new blow, she took her seat in silence, a cup in each hand. She strove to collect her thoughts. Poison to Mary or death to herself! That was the alternative. Her nature was impulsive and pa.s.sionate. She reached her conclusions quickly, and she acted upon them instantaneously.
"What is my wretched life worth in comparison with hers?" was the silent language of her heart, "What attraction has life for me, poor, guilty, forlorn, forsaken thing?" She drank from the cup intended for Mary.
"What is the matter," said my sister, who had noticed her singular abstraction and agitation. "What are you drinking?"
"Only some milk. I was so frightened by that terrible man that I forgot what I was doing. Excuse me for drinking first. Here is a cup for you."
The unsuspecting child drank it eagerly, having pa.s.sed the whole day suffering from both hunger and thirst. Taken after fasting, poisons act quickly. It was not long before Mary Magdalen began to have strange swimmings in the head and benumbing sensations along the course of all her nerves. She felt sure that her death was approaching.
"Mary," said the brave girl, "when you are delivered from these dangers and your brother comes home and I go away, will you remember me sometimes?"
"You will not go away."
"Oh yes. I shall go away, far, far away."
"You shall live with us always," said Mary.
"I cannot! I cannot! When I am gone, and they tell you evil and cruel things of me, will you think of me kindly and love me still?"
"I will not believe them."
"But if you should believe them, would you love me still? I cannot live without your love."
"I will love you for ever," said Mary, throwing her arms around her neck.
"Why do you speak so sadly? You frighten me. What is the matter?"
"I am sleepy, so sleepy," said Mary Magdalen, stretching herself on the couch.
Mary knelt at her side, chafing her hands, with some vague foreboding rising on her mind.
"Oh do not go to sleep so early. Do not leave me alone in the dark. Talk to me."
"Mary," said the stupefied woman slowly and with difficulty, "does Jehovah who accepts the offering of a contrite heart, ever receive into his heaven a very great sinner?"
"Certainly, certainly!" said the child.
"Then pray for me."
No words, no shaking, no supplications, no frantic screams could arouse her again; and Mary beat her bosom and tore her hair in the extremity of grief at the side of her inanimate friend.
About an hour before midnight four men stood in the inner courtyard of my father"s house. Caiaphas and Simon Magus were engaged in earnest conversation. Magistus turned to the black mute whom he had compelled to accompany him everywhere, and said:
"I shall go half a day"s journey with Simon. We will start now in ten minutes. Haste to the stables where his chariot and servant are in waiting. Drive quietly around to the front gate of this house. Here is the key to Ulema"s chamber. After we have gone, not before, give those women some food."
Ethopus departed. He left the gate in the garden wall open. He hurried to Ulema"s room. He released the astonished women. He drew them out upon the gallery. He pointed eagerly to the garden gate and over to my father"s house. It was all he could do. He was wild with excitement, and the gestures of the dumb man were those of despair. He then ran toward the stables.
The women started on their dangerous journey, not knowing what was to be done. They hurried along the flowery walks in the greatest trepidation. On ascending our terraced garden, Ulema, weak, sick and overwhelmed with emotion, fainted and fell. Martha tried in vain to revive her. Time was flying. Faint screams now issued from the house. Mary was being abducted!
She started up and without thinking,-for thought would have paralyzed her efforts,-rushed to the rescue alone.
The miscreants had descended into the cellar. Great was their astonishment to find Mary Magdalen in a profound stupor and the little Mary weeping at her side.
"This delays us," said Simon, with great vexation. "That traitorous woman has taken the opiate herself. It will be necessary to bind and gag the little one. No sounds must issue from the chariot, no suspicions be excited."
It was during this terrible process of binding and gagging that the screams were made which Martha heard in the garden. It was effected; and the three men were bearing the silent and m.u.f.fled body through the courtyard, when Martha rushed toward them with a loud shriek of supplication.
"Silence!" thundered Simon, "would you betray us?" And uncoiling his great serpent from his neck (the leopard was locked up in the chariot), he threw it toward her. "Strike her!" he said, in a hissing tone. The serpent, as if acting intelligently, made an immense coil of its body and raised its head threateningly toward Martha. She fled in terror up the stairway leading to the flat top of the house.
"Pursue her!" said Simon to Caiaphas-"pursue her and keep her silent with your dagger until we have escaped."
Caiaphas bounded after her. She turned and faced him on the house-top. He threatened to plunge the dagger into her heart if she made a sound. She backed before him to the parapet. It was at that moment when the moon, suddenly emerging from the cloud, revealed to me, as I was approaching my father"s house, the two figures; my sister raising her arms wildly to heaven, and the wicked priest threatening to strike.