"Take her in!" said the wife of Ben Aboo, and two Arab soldiers stepped up to where the little maiden lay.But before they had touched her Israel strode out with swollen lips and distended nostrils.
"Stop!" he cried.
The Arabs hesitated, and looked towards their master.
"Do as you are bidden--take her in!" said Ben Aboo.
"Stop!" cried Israel again, in a loud voice that rang through the court.
Then, parting the Arabs with a sweep of his arms, he picked up the unconscious maiden, and faced about on the new wife of Ben Aboo.
"Madam," he cried, "I, Israel ben Oliel, may belong to the Governor, but my child belongs to me."So saying, he passed out of the court, carrying the girl in his arms, and in the dead silence and blank stupor of that moment none seemed to know what he had done until he was gone.
Israel went home in his anger; but nevertheless, out of this event he found courage in his heart to begin his task again.Let his enemies bleat and bark "Beelzebub," yet the child was an angel, though suffering for his sin, and her soul was with God.She was a spirit, and the songs she had played were the airs of paradise.But, comforting himself so, Israel remembered the vision of Ruth, wherein Naomi had recovered her powers.He had put it from him hitherto as the delirium of death, but would the Lord yet bring it to pass? Would God in His mercy some day take the angel out of his house, though so strangely gifted, so radiant and beautiful and joyful, and give him instead for the hunger of his heart as a man this sweet human child, his little, fair-haired Naomi, though helpless and simple and weak?