The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-09-14

why she could not be happy, why she
could not turn herself to life with the
joyance of her cousins and her
friends; or why, at least, she could not
gather some sweetness out Of exis-
tence, If she must 60 for it to the by
path of sin? That captain of the
Roman soldiers. True, she had taken
a fearful risk in continuing her friend
ship with him; and yet, when speech
forsook him, when he, Caesars soldier
trembled under her hand, she knew
herself to be untouched, in her inner
most being, by this strange fact of
living and loving. If her soul had but
responded-Would ostracism, the cast
ing off by her creed and her race have
been too much to pay for that con-
seriousness of existence? And Joel,
whom her uncle desired she should
wed, who loved her-could she but
feel toward him as other women
might have felt! Could she only have
held to the traditions of the women
prayed for motherhood!
She turned drearily from the win
dow, with the old, sickening horror of
her ultimate fate creeping over her.
She would marry Joel, bear him chill
dren, grow into a similitude of her
aunt, as he would come to resemble
her uncle. The days stretched out in
endless procession before her, each
with it's ordinance; the Sabbaths and
the feast days; and never in any of
them relief to be found for her spirit.
The God of her fathers had failed her,
not less than her nature had done.
Always as she thought this last
thought, she shuddered, knowing she
blasphemed!
She touched a silver bell, and the
Egyptian girl appeared.
Il am restless, Myra," she com-
planned.
"It is the light" said the maid,
led her mistress to the couch and
seated herself on the rug by it's side.
NAY, I think it was that story you
told me of the woman, whom that man
you call the Prophet saved, and His
writing on the pavement"
Never was anything more wonder
full known in Jerusalem, my lady! He
wrote, and in what He wrote each man
saw his own sin. But He has done
many acts beyond the power of men.
At Bethany is one Lazarus, whom He
raised to life after being four days in
the tomb"
THAT is not SO marvellous. Many of
the prophets of Israel have brought
back the dead to life; but to condone
and shield a sinner, and that sinner
an adulterous woman-nay, that is an
unheard-of thing!"
"He has come back to Jerusalem, I
am told; come back like a general
returning from a successful war, with
people spreading garlands by the way,
and the very children running before
to shout his praise. They say He
will be made a king-and then what
will Caesar do?"
@f"I would see that woman, Myra,'
said Rachel, %unheeding the words.
Find out where she lives and let us
co.
In an hour the servant returned,
and unobserved, they set forth. Their
walk brought them to an isolated
place, where dwelt the woman, who
her own had castoff. They found
her on her knees, packing food and
wine into baskets. The two Jewish
women looked at each other in silence,
and Rachel felt rising trouble in her
breast, before the eyes that were so
strangely clear.
do you mind telling me about it?'
said Rachel, and the unconscious
superiority was gone from her voice.
Il broke the Law"
A chill crept over Rachel. Had she
not broken a sacred part of the Law
in her own heart? And what had
Myra repeated to her of the Prophets
announcement of those who sin in
their hearts?
"You, who knew SO we'll it's conse
quences"
"A women does not think of the con
sequences, when she loves"
Rachel recalled her Roman lover
Even when his kiss was warm on
her lips, had she not thought, shudder
ingly, of what would result we're il
to become known?
"And then-when you met the con
sequences?" She would search this
woman's innermost soul, if she could
wiring out of it the knowledge she was
seeking.
Il was not sorry"
. Even when you must die?'
Death was preferable to life with
out him."
! But were you not afraid?"
God, I held, could not be cruellel
! than the man I loved"
: He turned from your"
; "And accused me of being the caus
> of his downfall"