The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Vi Part 52

KING. 'Tis bad!

GARCERAN. We think So too, and that he plans a mightier blow.

And rumor hath it that his ships convey From Africa to Cadiz men and food, Where secretly a mighty army forms, Which Jussuf, ruler of Morocco, soon Will join with forces gathered over seas; And then the threat'ning blow will fall on us.

KING. Well, if they strike, we must return the blow.

A king leads them, and so a king leads you.

If there's a G.o.d, such as we know there is, And justice be the utt'rance of his tongue, I hope to win, G.o.d with us, and the right I I grieve but for the peasants' bitter need, Myself, as highest, should the heaviest bear.

Let all the people to the churches come And pray unto the G.o.d of victory.

Let all the sacred relics be exposed, And let each pray, who goeth to the fight.

GARCERAN. Without thy proclamation, this is done, The bells sound far through all the borderland, And in the temples gathereth the folk; Only, alas, its zeal, erring as oft, Expends itself on those of other faith, Whom trade and gain have scattered through the land.

Mistreated have they here and there a Jew.

KING. And ye, ye suffer this? Now, by the Lord, I will protect each one who trusts in me.

Their faith is their affair, their conduct mine.

GARCERAN. 'Tis said they're spies and hirelings of the Moors.

KING. Be sure, no one betrays more than he knows, And since I always have despised their gold, I never yet have asked for their advice.

Not Christian and not Jew knows what shall be, But I alone. Hence, by your heads, I urge--

[_A woman's voice without._]

Woe, woe!

KING. What is't?

GARCERAN. An old man, Sire, is there, A Jew, methinks, pursued by garden churls, Two maidens with him, one of them, behold, Is fleeing hither.

KING. Good! Protection's here, And thunder strike who harms one hair of hers.

(_Calling behind the scenes._)

Hither, here I say!

RACHEL _comes in flight_

RACHEL. They're killing me!

My father, too! Oh! is there none to help?

[_She sees the QUEEN and kneels before her._]

Sublime one, shelter me from these. Stretch out Thy hand and hold it over me, thy maid, Not Jewess I to serve thee then, but slave.

[_She tries to take the hand of the _QUEEN _who turns away._]

RACHEL (_rising_).

Here, too, no safety? Terror everywhere?

Where shall I flee to?

Here there stands a man Whose moonbeam glances flood the soul with peace, And everything about him proves him King.

Thou canst protect me, Sire, and oh, thou wilt!

I _will_ not die, I _will_ not, no, no, no!

[_She throws herself on the ground before the_ KING _and seizes his right foot, bending her head to the ground._]

KING (_to several who approach_).

Let be! Her senses have ta'en flight through fear, And as she shudders, makes me tremble, too.

RACHEL (_sits up_).

And everything I have,

(_taking off her bracelet_)

this bracelet here, This necklace and this costly piece of cloth,

(_taking a shawl-like cloth from her neck_)

It cost my father well-nigh forty pounds, Real Indian stuff, I'll give that too--if you Will leave me but my life: I will not die!

[_She sinks back to her former position._]

_ISAAC and ESTHER are led in._

KING. What crime has he committed?

MANRIQUE. Sire, thou know'st, The entrance to the royal gardens is Denied this people when the court is here.

KING. And I permit it, if it is forbidden.

ESTHER. He is no spy, O Sire, a merchant he, In Hebrew are the letters that he bears, Not in the Moorish tongue, not Arabic.

KING. 'Tis well, I doubt it not.

(_Pointing to_ RACHEL.) And she?

ESTHER. My sister!

KING. Take her and carry her away.

RACHEL (_as_ ESTHER _approaches her_).

No, no!

They're seizing me, they're leading me away To kill me!

(_Pointing to her discarded finery._)