The Continental Monthly, Vol 6, No 5, November 1864. Various
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us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
The Baptized. Rejoice, my brethren! the Cross of our Great Enemy is already more than half hewn down; it is rotting to its fall; it is only standing on a root of blood: if it once plunge into the abyss it will never rise again. Hitherto the nobles have been its sole defence, but they are ours! ours!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Our work, our long, long work of centuries, our sad, ardent, painful work is almost done!
Death to the nobles—let us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
The Baptized. The might of Israel shall be built upon a liberty without law or order, upon a slaughter without end, upon the pride of the nobility, the folly of the masses. The nobles are almost destroyed; we must drive the few still left into the abyss of death, and scatter over their livid corpses the ruins of the shattered cross in which they trusted!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. The cross is now our holy symbol; the water of baptism has reunited us with men; the scorning repose upon the love of the scorned!
The freedom of men is our cry; the welfare of the people our aim; ha! ha! the eons of Christ trust the sons of Caiaphas!
Centuries ago our fathers tortured our Great Enemy to death; we will again torture him to death this very day—but He will never rise more from the grave which we prepare for Him!
The Baptized. Yet a little space, a little time, a few drops of poison, and the whole world will be our own, my brethren!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Jehovah is the God of Israel, and of it alone.
Let us thrice spew forth the nations to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
Knocking is heard at the door.
The Baptized. Take up your work, brethren! And thou, Holy Book, away from sight—no unclean look shall soil thy spotless leaves! Who is there?
Voice (without). A friend. Open in the name of freedom.
The Baptized. Quick to your hammers and looms, my brethren!
Enter Leonard.
Leonard. Well done, citizens. You watch, I see, and whet your swords for to-morrow.—(Approaching one of the men:) What are you making here in this corner?
One of the Baptized. Ropes.
Leonard. You are right, citizen, for he who falls not by iron must hang!
The Baptized. Citizen Leonard, is the thing really to come off to-morrow?
Leonard. He who thinks, feels, and acts with the most force among us, has sent me to you to appoint an interview. He will himself answer your question.
The Baptized. I go to meet him. Brethren, remain at work. Look well to them, citizen Yankel.
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Ye ropes and daggers, ye clubs and bills, the works of our hands, ye wilt go forth to destroy them!
The people will kill the nobles upon the plains, will hang them in the forests, and then, having none to defend them, we will kill and hang the people! The Despised will arise in their anger, will array themselves in the might of Jehovah: His Word is Redemption and Love for His people Israel, but scorn and fury for their enemies!
Let us thrice spew them forth to destruction: threefold curses fall upon them!
A tent. A profusion of flasks, cups, and flagons. Pancratius alone.
Pancratius. The mob howled in applause but a moment ago, shouted in loud hurrahs at every word I uttered. But is there a single man among them all who really understands my ideas, or who comprehends the end and aim of that path upon which we have entered, or where the reforms will terminate which have been so loudly inaugurated within the last hour? 'Ah! fervidum imitatorum pecus!'
Enter Leonard and the Baptized Jew.
Do you know Count Henry?
The Baptized. I know him well by sight, great citizen, but I am not personally acquainted with him. I remember once when I was approaching the Lord's Supper, he cried to me, 'Out of the way!' and looked down upon me with the arrogant look peculiar to the nobles—for which I vowed him a rope in my soul.
Pancratius. Prepare to visit him early to-morrow morning, and announce to him that it is my wish to confer with him alone.
The Baptized. How many men will you send with me on this embassy? I do not think it would be safe to undertake it without a guard.
Pancratius. You must go alone, my name will be sufficient guard, and the gallows on which you hung the baron yesterday, your shield.
The Baptized. Woe is me!
Pancratius. Tell him I will visit him to-morrow night.
The Baptized. And if he should put me in chains or order me to be hung?
Pancratius. You would die a martyr for the freedom of the people!
The Baptized. I will sacrifice all for the freedom of the people.—(Aside.) Woe is me!—(Aloud.) Good night, citizen.
Leonard. Pancratius, why this delay, these half measures, these contracts, this strange interview? When I swore to honor and obey you, it was because I believed you to be a hero of extremes, an eagle flying even in the face of the sun directly to its aim; a brave man ready to venture all upon the cast of a die.
Pancratius. Silence, child!
Leonard. Everything is ready; the baptized Jews have forged arms and woven ropes; the masses clamor for immediate orders. Speak but the word now, and the electric sparks will fly, the millions flash into forked lightnings, kindle into flame, and consume our enemies!
Pancratius. You are young, and the blood mounts rapidly into your brain; but will the hour of combat find you more resolute than myself?
Leonard. Think well what you are doing. The nobles, weak and exhausted, have fled for refuge to the famous fortress of the Holy Trinity,1 and await our arrival, as men wait the knife of the guillotine.
Forward, citizen, attack them without delay, and it is over with them forever!
Pancratius. It can make no difference; they have lost the old energy of their caste in luxury and idleness. To-morrow or the next day they must fall, what matter which?
Leonard. What and whom do you fear, and why do you delay?
Pancratius. I fear nothing. I act but in accordance with my own will.
Leonard. And am I to trust it blindly?
Pancratius. Yes. Blindly.
Leonard. You may betray us, citizen!
Pancratius. Betrayal rings forever from your lips like the refrain of an old song.
But hush! not so loud—if any one should hear us …
Leonard. There are no spies here; and what if some one should hear us?
Pancratius. Nothing; only five balls in your heart for having ventured to raise your voice a tone too high in my presence. (Approaching close to him.) Leonard, trust me, and be tranquil!
Leonard. I confess I have been too hasty, but I fear no punishment. If my death could help the cause of the down-trodden masses, I would cheerfully die.
Pancratius. You are full of life, hope, faith. Happiest of men, I will not rob you of the bliss of existence.
Leonard. What do you say, citizen?
Pancratius. Think more; speak less; the time will come when you will fully understand me!
Have you collected the provisions for the carousal of the millions?
Leonard. They have all been sent to the arsenal under guard.
Pancratius.
A renowned fort in Polish history. It stood on the old battlefield between Turkey and Poland, between Europe and Asia.