The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-01-04 00:00:00

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family partook of the holy repast in silence , . standing up
after which, the servants hastened to lay on the marble pave-
ment of the terrace sonic silken cushions, upon which Ben-
Jacob seated himself between his daughter aid the young
Armenian Jew. The waters of the fountain rippled by in

gentle murmurs, the torches placed behind the neighbouring
shrubs shed a subdued and mellow light around, whilst the
delicious breath of the lemon trees in :lower filled the air

with almost overpowering fragrance. The whole scene
looked like a realization of one of the most enchanting de-
scriptions in The Arabian Nights. Ben-Jacob himself was
moved by its beauty ; for aftereasting a regretful look around
him, he said—" This is the last time we shall celebrate the
Feast of the Tabernacles in this quiet and lovely spot. We
must, alas ! strike our tents once more, and seek for a refuge
in other lands. Ah, cursed be the day in which that sacri-
legious Nazarene set his unholy eyes upon my child !"
Aleli, interrupting him, said, " but, father, we may return
to Spain ; I have often heard you regret your residence in
Grenada, where I was born."

" May the God of Abraham protect us, my beloved child.
There also every thing is changed for the worse. Under the
mild and enlightened dominion of the Moorish kings we
lived free and respected in the beautiful city of Grenada;
but the Catholic monarchs have since planted the cross upon
its white and lotty towers; and that emblem has become the
signal of persecution to our ill-fated race. We must wander
farther for a refuge. " Simon," he added, turning to the
young Hebrew, " when I made you come from such a dis-
tance to give you my daughter, I felt assured that we might
pass the remainder of our days in peace here. But God or-
dains that we again gird up our loins, resuming our wayfaring
staff, and return with thee to thy land—his will then be
done."

" Father," the young man replied, " Israel has no coun-
try, why then should you regret going hence ?"
The old Jew shook his head—" My son," he said, " this
is a good country for the people of our nation ; and I have
gathered together here more riches than the Queen of Sheba
brought to Solomon. The people are not ill-inclined towards
us, and have been long accustomed to the sight of our yellow
caps. With a little prudent circumspection, it is easy to
avoid mischief at their hands. Then the nobles have always
need of us ; though they have broad lands, they cannot sell
them ; and if they want money, they must melt down their
plate, after having pledged it to us ; and all these little affairs
are sure to pass through our hands. Some ruin themselves in
making a splendid figure in the wars ; for which purpose
we procure them armour from Italy. and Arabian chargers
from Spain. Others cannot live without the richest per-
fumes, and the most costly stuffs, which we get them from
the far east. By this means I have seen the revenues of
many an extensive barony pass into my coffers. As we are
upon this subject, I shall give thee one piece of advice for
thy guidance : if you wish to do sure business, never lend to
one who is all-powerful, no matter what advantage he may
offer. Though the vice-legate should offer to pledge me his
palace for a miserable sum of a hundred florins, I should
answer that I 'iad no money."
Old Judas, .aid Smeraldo to himself, to-morrow I shall
ask a thousand from thee, and thou shalt find them without
delay !

Ben-Jacob went on further to explain his commercial and
financial theories for the benefit of his future son-in-law,
with all the wily sagacity peculiar to the people of the nation.
He was one of the true sons of Israel, such as persecution
had made them, rapacious, vindictive, mistrustful, and hum-
ble, even to servility, in their intercourse with Christians ;
but yet this long habit of submission had not quelled every
energy of his mind ; his attachment to the faith and cere-
monies of his religion was sufficiently ardent and deep to
reconcile him even to martyrdom ; and, though a passionate
adorer of wealth, he hesitated not to sacrifice a part of his
present riches and future prospects in order to_ save the ho-
nour of his child, and by removing to some distant land,
secure her for ever from the pursuit of Don Smeraldo.
For a long time back the lovely Aleli had been betrothed
to Simon, of the tribe of Levi, and the young man had
quitted Armenia, where his family carried on an extensive
commerce, to come and join his future spouse. He had ar-
rived only two days previously in Avignon, and he heard
with delight the prospect of returning to his native country
in company with his beautiful bride. Whilst apparently
listening to the wise saws and instructive instances of the old
Jew, his looks and attention were solely fixed upon Aleli,
who pensive, her head leaning on her hand, allowed her Ins-

trous eyes to follow unconsciously the flight of the night
moths, whose large and tiger-spotted wings fluttered about
the flame of the torches. She was still a proud and timid
child, who understood net the passion she inspired, and whose
heart as yet palpitated not at the look or accents of love.
Smeraldo beheld this scene with mingled feelings of rage
and jealousy. The night was wearing fast away, and he
feared the opportunity he sought might never occur ; no
other inquietude was produced in him by hls strange and
dangerous situation.
At length the family retired ; the torches were suddenly
extinguished, and one after another the heavy doors of the
house were closed and barred. Smeraldo, though possessed
of a sang froid and audacity more than ordinary, could not
restrain the beating of his heart on hearing footsteps approach
the chamber. Placing himself in a corner of the balcony,
where he could not be seen from the chamber, he remained
motionless as a statute, holding his breath, and with his hand
upon the hilt of his poignard. Aleli entered the room ; he
heard her tell her handmaidens to light the lamp, and leave
her alone. After their departure she, without divesting her-
self of any part of her dress, sat down upon the low sofa, or
divan, which, after the eastern fashion, ran along one side of
the apartment, and, with her arms crossed, and her head in-
clined upon her bosom, she seemed absorbed i❑ meditation
or prayer.
" By all the demons of this world and the next," muttered
Don Smeraldo to himself, " what can she be about now ? It
is probably some silly ceremony of her infernal religion that
obliges her to watch and pray all this night."
lie remained stationary a little while longer. A profound
silence rcighed throughout the house,—sleep seemed to have
fallen upon all the inmates but Smeraldo and his intended
victim, and even she appeared calm, motionless, and her eyes
half shut, which after a little time closed, as if with drow-
siness.

Sineraldo then glided noiselessly towards her, his drawn
poignard glistening in his hand, and his cap drawn half down
over his face, looking at the moment more like a sordid mid-
night robber, than a lover that had stolen into his mistress's
apartment. Before he could lay his hand upon her, the
maiden opened her eyes, and instinctively started back froin
him, at the same time uttering a stifled cry of terror.
" Aleli," he said reluctantly, but in a suppressed voice,
" It is I—fear nothing ; but above all be silent—at your
peril cry not out again !'
. . . . .

She neither spoke nor cried, but with joined hands, and a
look of the deepest terror, she implored the pity of Smeraldo..
He smiled, and sat down by her side.
" My gentle dove," he said, in a soothing tone, " why do
yon tremble thus ? What can you fear from me, a devoted
slave at your feet ? You now may judge if I love you—l,
Don Smeraldo de Carretto, who have stolen in here, like a
thief in the night, with the hope of speaking to you for a few
brief moments. Behold me in your apartment !"
" In the apartment of a Jewess !" she exclaimed, inter-
rupting him.
-

`-` f:ue; I know it is a mortal sin ; but I have some influ-
ence at Rome, and 1 shall obtain absolution from the Holy
Father. Besides, in you I see my religion, my God, my
every hope !"
The maiden shuddered on hearing these blasphemous ex-
pressions, and she looked upon Smeraldo with indescribale
horror, though she did not entirely comprehend the infamous
motive of his presence, or the danger in which she stood.
" My gentle angel," he cried, " I have been driven to this
extremity by your cruel refusals. Why have you been so
rigorous towards me? Did you imagine I was to be with-
held from my designs by any obstacle you could oppose to
me ? No ! no ! You must love me, and be mine. Come,
look up—speak—ask—say what must I do to please you,
silly, but lovliest of your sex ?" _ _

" To please me you must, my lord," she resolutely said,
" quit this on the instant."
" No, by heaven and earth !" cried Smeraldo, in a sombre
but determined tone ; " you shall have other proofs of my
love beside that. I shall not depart hence till day-break. I
fear nothing, you may well believe : for who dare to force me
from this ? if one of your family dared to raise a hand
against me—me, Don Smeraldo de Carretto—to-rnorrow's
sun should not go down without seeing him hanged between
two dogs, his body thrown into the common sink, his house
razed to the ground, and the ploughshare passed over its site.
But we are alone, and no one „ill interrupt us. You will
grant me your love, beautiful Aleli."

"To love you, my lord ! And what happiness or advan-
tage could result to me therefrom ?" she asked with the noble
ingenuousness of a chaste and youthful maiden, and the in-
stinct of mistrust so peculiar to the people of her nation.
" All the happiness that you can desire in this world—your
most boundless wishes shall be gratified. You shall have the
most costly robes, the most magnificent jewels, a splendid
mansion, far away from the gloomy Jewry, numerous ser-
vants, girls of good family, to wait upon you, gay pages to
obey your slightest behest ; and you shall be the envy of all
the fairest, and noblest, and richest of Avignon, for you will
be the sole and adored mistress of Don Smeraldo de
Caretto."

At this word the youthful Jewess started up : a burning
impulse of shame and indignation sent the blood rushing to
her pale cheeks ; the ancient pride and wild energy of her
race were roused within her : the signal examples given by
the people of God started up before her mind's eye, and the
heroic acts of Judith, and other strong women of the remote
Jewish times flashed upon her memory, and, with an almost
unearthly fire glancing from her eyes, she directed her looks
and thoughts towards heaven, as if imploring some divine in-
spiration.
" Is not what I have told you," resumed Don Smeraldo,
"a fate to be envied by the proudest of your sex'" at the
same time throwing his arms rudely about the neck of the
maiden. Aleli slipped from his embrace upon her knees, and
her hand, on reaching the floor, encountered the poignard,
which Smeraldo had a short time before let f►ll. The cir-
cumstance struck her as the sign and interposition she had
been imploring from heaven ; she grasped the weapon, and,
without uttering a word, plunged it into the breast of her
ravisher: a smothered cry escaped his lips, arid he fell back-
wards; his limbs shook for a moment with a convulsive
movement, then stiffened, and became motionless, his eyes
remaining open, and his head thrown back : the steel had en-
tered his felon heart—he was a corse.

We regret to say that an accident of a severe nature occur-
red to Mrs. Monk, the lady of the Lord Bishop of Glouces-
ter and Bristol, on Saturday week. It appears that when
passing down some steps which lead from the hall-door of
the palace, her foot slipped and she fell, dislocating her col-
lar-bone by the accident. This estimable lady was in conse-
quence for some time confined to her bed, but we rejoice to
say is now better.

THE MAYOR OF KIDDERMINSTER.—A vote of censure
has been passed upon the Mayor of Kidderminster, for not
presenting personally an address to Mr. Godson, the mem-
ber for that borough, voted by the town-council.
LORD ASHBURTON.—It is announced, that Lord Ashbur-
ton is to proceed to America in a few weeks, on a special
mission to the United States, to negotiate a settlement of
differences between the Republic and England. The Stand-
ard says, that his special instructions are limited to these
three points, the Caroline affair, the Boundary, and the
Right of Search. The juncture is favourable, and the man
well chosen. Both countries have just escaped from a minor
• quarrel, the trial of M`Leod, which might have appealed to
the point of honour on both sides, and involved both in a
profitless and unwelcome war : both are the more desirous
of peace. A man of no common talent and sagacity—once
the prince of British merchants—our leading merchant in
the American trade, and the head of that family which occu-
pies the post that be
informed, relinquished on his elevation to the
peerage—connected with the country by intermarriages—
thoroughly no less in the actual state of American
feeling than in the history of the Republic, and of the parti-
cular questions which he is to treat—with the rights, wants,
and difficulties of America—Lord Ashburton is pointed out
by many circumstances as the fittest man that could have
been selected for such a mission. He is a thorough English-
man, but possessed with American sympathies and alive to
American interests. No keen partisan, he is Liberal in dis-
position, and yet not to be suspected of any lack of Conser-
vative views. Even the accident of his title will not be
against him with our Democratic cousins. And we have
reason to believe, that his shrewd attention has been given
to the subject of his mission, with that regard to the tights
and the difficulties of both sides which will secure him as
much influence as any man could command with both. His
appointment is the wisest preliminary step towards a real
adjustment of these uselessly and dangerously protracted
disputes. Taking the measure and the man together, it is
in promise, whatever it may turn out in fruition, the luckiest
hit that Sir Robert Peel has made,—Speclator.