part and will see the play
through. Now for the second time I ask you to share its fortunes. I have
not changed my mind. As I loved you in childhood and as a youth, so I
love you as a man. I offer to you a great career. In the end I may fall,
or I may triumph, still either the fall or the triumph will be worth
your sharing. A throne, or a glorious grave--both are good; who can say
which is the better? Seek them with me, Miriam."
"Caleb, I cannot."
"Why?"
"Because it is laid upon me as a birthright, or a birth-duty, that I
should wed no man who is not a Christian. You know the story."
"Then if there were no such duty would you wed me, Miriam?"
"No," she answered faintly.
"Why not?"
"Because I love another man whom also I am forbid to wed, and until
death I am pledged to him."
"The Roman, Marcus?"
"Aye, the Roman Marcus. See, I wear his ring," and she lifted her
hand, "and his gift is about my throat," and she touched the necklet of
pearls. "Till death I am his and his alone. This I say, because it is
best for all of us that you should know the truth."
Caleb ground his teeth in bitter jealousy.
"Then may death soon find him!" he said.
"It would not help you, Caleb. Oh! why cannot we be friends as we were
in the old times!"
"Because I seek more than friendship, and soon or late, in this way or
in that, I swear that I will have it."
As the words left his lips footsteps were heard, and Benoni appeared.
"Friend Caleb," he said, "we await you. Why, Miriam, what do you here?
To your chamber, girl. Affairs are afoot in which women should have no
part."
"Yet as I fear, grandfather, women will have to bear the burden,"
answered Miriam. Then, bowing to Caleb, she turned and left them.
CHAPTER XIII
WOE, WOE TO JERUSALEM
Two more years went by, two dreadful, bloody years. In Jerusalem the
factions tore each other. In Galilee let the Jewish leader Josephus,
under whom Caleb was fighting, do what he would, Vespasian and his
generals stormed city after city, massacring their inhabitants by
thousands and tens of thousands. In the coast towns and elsewhere
Syrians and Jews made war. The Jews assaulted Gadara and Gaulonitis,
Sebaste and Ascalon, Anthedon and Gaza, putting many to the sword.
Then came their own turn, for the Syrians and Greeks rose upon them and
slaughtered them without mercy. As yet, however, there had been no blood
shed in Tyre, though all knew that it must come. The Essen
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