Behold, our stores will hold out,
we say, because it is said; and we shall fight indifferently, because
Daniel hath bespoken a Deliverer for us at this time!"
John, with his wine-glass between thumb and finger, looked at her.
"I should expect a heretic to be so critical for us," he said.
The woman sat with her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands,
gazing moodily at the sunlight falling through the brass grill over
the windows on the court. She ignored his remark, but answered
presently in another tone.
"There is nothing to employ a surfeited mind in this city."
"No?" he said lightly, while interest began to awaken in his eyes.
"The making of enjoyment is here. I have found it so."
"Perchance you have," but she halted and resumed her moody gaze at the
flood of sunlight.
"Are you weary?" he asked. "What is it?"
"Idleness! Eating, sleeping--no; not even that; for idleness steals
away my appetite and my repose."
"Strange restiveness for one reared in the quiet inner chambers of a
Jewish house," he observed.
Her eyes dropped away to the floor; he saw that she was breathing
quickly.
"I dreamed of a free life once," she said in a restrained way. "I have
not since been satisfied. I dreamed of cities and kings, that were
mine! of crises that I dared, of--of things that I did!"
There was indignation and pride in the words, too much recollection of
an actuality to rise from the reminiscences of a dream.
Pages:
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224