At last Sheshana whispered her reply: “You remain with me, and let them do as they deem best.”
“To the shame and dishonour of the whole Jewish people!” exclaimed Zerubbabel, and a deep sadness suddenly came over him.
Then Sheshana spoke her tactless words: “They are in the majority, and they know what is for the best.”
Zerubbabel recoiled as if a snake had bitten him. He was at first impelled to cry with bitter lamentations, but he felt a great anger surging within. He placed his hand on his heart and beat his breast, then all at once turned to the door. He remained before it, leaning heavily against it as he said, with a hoarse voice, “You will never see me again, Sheshana!”
A tremor passed through her every limb; filled with fright and despair she cried out, “But, Zerubbabel!”
Again he murmured, “You will never see me again, Sheshana!”
Terrified, again she shrieked, “But, Zerubbabel!” She brought her white, shuddering hands to her cheeks and her glance was that of a frightened, stupefied dove.
Zerubbabel spoke with a quivering voice: “I love you, and my love is as strong as death. At night upon my couch I will call your name and my heart will languish with yearning. I will gash my body with the nails of my fingers and my eyes will burn under hot tears. But not you can be Zerubbabel’s wife,—not you the mother of his children. You will never see me again, Sheshana!”
Sheshana’s bosom heaved convulsively; her rapid breathing was choked with tears, and her shriek was heart-rending. “Zerubbabel!”
But he had already opened the door, and standing upon the threshold he turned his face to the maiden and said, in firm accents, “Go and learn to be Zerubbabel’s wife!” Then he closed the door behind him.