Naomi

by Mrs. J. B. Webb

"Oh, I do not fear him, Salome," said Theophilus. "He was certainly very violent during our recent conversation; and even made use of threats, to induce me to abjure my religion. But our rulers are too much engaged with civil discord and military preparation to have leisure for religious persecution. We cannot leave Jerusalem until we receive Rufus's permission for Claudia to accompany us. She must leave the city with us, and no personal considerations shall induce me to depart without her."

"Theophilus," interrupted Claudia eagerly, "you shall not remain in danger on my account. If we do not receive my father's reply to Amaziah's letter by the time that you are ready to set out, I tell you frankly that if your mother will take charge of me, I will at once accompany her, and wait at Joppa for my father's consent to our marriage. Do not think me forward in saying this, dear Judith," she added, colouring deeply: "but I confess I have always had a secret dread of Javan, ever since I knew that Theophilus and Naomi had become Christians; and I shall not feel easy until we are out of his reach. Oh! that my dear Naomi would also go with us, and dwell in safety at Ephesus, until happier days dawn on Jerusalem, and her brother's hatred against our creed has subsided."

"I would join in the request," said Judith, "but I know that it would be useless. Naomi will not desert her mother to ensure her own safety; and she is right. For you, my dear Claudia, circumstances are widely different; and you do quite right in resolving to go with us and your betrothed husband. I have no doubt of your father's cheerful consent to your marriage, for he has no home himself to which he can invite you to return; and Jerusalem is no longer a desirable or safe abode for you. You shall be our beloved daughter, and I will seek to replace to you the parent whom you have lost."

"Zadok will not oppose your kind determination, Claudia," said Theophilus; "for at Javan's urgent request he declared that you, as well as myself, should be prohibited from all intercourse with Naomi, except in his own or Salome's presence. Javan fears that you may communicate to her the heresies you have learnt from me; and he will rejoice in your departure."

"Naomi, dearest Naomi," cried Claudia, "and am I then to be deprived of your society so soon? Is the short time which must elapse ere the wide ocean divides us to be embittered by your brother's cruel plans? I will not consent to it. I will appeal to Zadok. He knows that it is from you and Theophilus I have learnt the blessed faith that I will cherish to my dying hour; and I can have no power to teach you anything. Let me remain with you, my sister, my friend, until I leave you, perhaps for ever!"

Claudia threw herself into the arms of Naomi, with a sudden burst of grief; and her friend could no longer restrain her own emotions. She saw that almost all her earthly comforts were about to be torn from her, and that she would be left alone to bear her father's displeasure, and probably soon to incur her brother's hatred and cruel oppression. Her mother would, she knew, be ever her kind and sympathising friend; but even she could not enter into all her feelings, or talk with her on the only subject that could now interest her. Of Marcellus she had heard nothing for some time past, and when Claudia should have left Jerusalem, she could not hope to receive any intelligence of him. Probably he would soon forget her; and at all events she felt that they were never likely to meet again. Her heart was heavily oppressed, and she wept silently and sadly.

Javan's abrupt entrance roused her from her anticipated sorrows, to a sense of present trials.

"Your farewell has been a long one, Theophilus: it is high time that my mother and sister were relieved from the presence of an apostate. Are you in tears, Naomi, at parting with Claudia too? The admission of a heathen idolater into our family has brought with it the curse I expected. Even my father's blood is infected with worse than Roman idolatry. The name of the Nazarene impostor is invoked beneath my father's roof. But I will purge out the poison, and see that it spreads no further. Truly, Judith, if you knew of your son's infidelity and madness, you should have warned us of it, and not have suffered him to hold converse with my sister. You should have done more. If he refused to listen to the counsels of Amaziah, and return to the true faith, you should have denounced him to the council. What are all earthly ties compared to the honour of Jehovah? With my own hand would I wipe away the stain of idolatry from my family. And yet," he added, in a lower and sterner voice, "and yet it may be my lot to do so. Judith, if you and Amaziah are partakers in the impiety of your son, I warn you that it will be discovered; and even the brother of Zadok shall not be screened from offended justice. You need not reply. I have my suspicions; and we will see whether they are well founded. Now leave us, and take your adopted daughter with you. She never was a proper companion for a Jewish maiden. Probably she may become a more suitable wife for a Nazarene apostate."

Claudia caught the arm of Theophilus, trembling with fear and indignation, and urged him to leave the room.

It was Christian forbearance, and consideration for Salome and Naomi, that alone preserved the high-spirited young man from replying to Javan with the severity which he well merited; but he remembered Him who "when he was reviled, reviled not again," and bridling his natural feelings of resentment, he led his mother and Claudia out of the apartment. When they were gone, Salome with tears besought her son to lay aside his anger, and for her sake to take no measures against his father's relatives. Naomi joined her entreaties to those of her mother; but they could prevail little with the fanatical Javan, who used no moderate terms in expressing his opinion not only of Theophilus, but also of his parents: and the family retired to rest with agitated and uneasy feelings.