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|,V__B___fí^!S_|^ HEREBeí-mfinoreaeonwhy
^¡^^SgAMÍ ft _pj__Pfff^I tn0llld eay no," ehe an
U^%ö_KjP!» :_F V^^''' fcwered, smiling involun
! '2_>f3_Hßv _F ** ".'" tarily/'tbcujih of couree, Laurie,
I fJvö J___B Jr A . y youriPrmc'P&l object is to obtain
^¿__Í_wSÍ_f»: _f ; newH of Ida, ia it not ?"
lí^__B__r__á_F^"But you don't think there is
1 BStm\* fm '' anything dishonourable in it, do
'?'A&fff^mér _Tf: .> vou> ^rs- Mandola ?" he asked,
*'i^_K_f|_| "No, certainly not. I think
j Í:í*^J__j| ^|n_n^ ^ would he too much to expect
îff''.iff __rjflWÍi\ % °^ ^0U ^,a* ^ou enou^ never
.V*'' w*'JW9wfihk rn hear anything of each other."
/ mu?>.m don't want to do anything
* ? Vfi^V underhand, you know. 1 would
il^VJ I sooner go straight to Mr. Edel
'^^''.WV-^ stein and tell him all about it."
t" ïtl^ motlier shook her head.
*v { l'a" "Jt would be no UBe to do
that," she said. "Such straight
forwardness might impress some people, but not Mr. Edel-
stein. No, you had better leave things as they are: the
only chango that would be any use would be a change in
your feelings for each other; and honestly, Laurie, I think
it would be far the best thing for you both."
He was quite ready to acknowledge that she might be
right, but maintained at the same time that it was quite
impossible either of them Bhould ever change. I believe my
mother thought there was a little youthful enthusiasm in his
words that might not stand the test of long separation, but
I took careful record of them for Ida'8 benefit.
Two days after this he came again, and told me that it
was all settled, and that he waB to start at the end of the
week for Mudgee, to be accountant in the branch bank there.
He bad explained the circumstances to the manager, who
had very considerately agreed to take him back into the
head office if anything unforeseen should occur to make it
desirable for him to return to Sydney.
"And now, Fay," he wound up, "don't you think, if I
came on Thuisday evening to say pood-bye, you could
manage to have Ida here too? I must see her before I go."
" I will ask her, certainly, but, you know, it does not at
all follow that she will come. If her father-"
"Oh, confound her father !" cried poor Laurie. "I tell
you I will see ber."
" Don't be so absurd, Laurie. It may not be possible, and
if you cannot see her, you mußt put up with it."
" It's too bad," he groaned. " We're dreadfully unlucky,
Fay."
I thought so myself, but would not encourage bim in the
idea, and did my best to cheer him up, though without
much success. It turned out, however, as I had feared.
Whether Mr. Edelstein had suspicions or not.I never knew,
but he would not allow Ida to come ; and it really did seem
very hard on both the young lovers that they should have
to part for an indefinite period without seeing each other.
Laurie was furious when he came, and was half inclined at
firßt to blame me, 1 think chiefly because there was no one
else near to be vexed with,
"You must promise to write oftcD, Fay," he said, "and
let mo know how she is, and what is going on."
"Oh, my dear boy, you need not be uneasy. I care for
her quite as much as you do, and I'll look after her. I will
write to you now and then, but I won't promise more."
" You might," he urged ; but I knew it was better not,
and remained linn.
The following afternoon I went to see Ida and take her last
messages. She was in her own room lying down when I came,
her face very pale and her eyeB heavy aB if from want of sleep.
"Oh, Fay !" she said, as 1 entered, " I feel so jealous of
you: you have seen my poor boy and said good-bye to him,
while 1 have had to remain here a prisoner,"
" Cheer up, dear," I answered. " Perhaps he will not be
away so very long. He says yon are not to be unhappy, and
I was to give you a kiss for him."
"Ile haB never given me oue himself," she said, with a
sigh and a faint blush. " Poor Laurie! I don't see how
anything is ever to be different. I am sure, Fay, I was not
meant to be happy."
"Nonsense, darling! that is morbid and unlike yourself.
Laurie is much more sensible, though he feels dreadfully
having to leave Sydney, and you above all."
" Yes, but then he is naturally hopeful, you know, and I
am not; and I can't help thinking, Fay, that perhaps, when
he is far away up there, he will change."
" He won't ; but if he did it would be the best thing
possible. But I'm not going to talk of nothing but Laurie.
Tell me what Sam is doing."
"Oh, he's getting on pretty well.. He talks of taking an
office. "
"Isn't he too young to go into business on his own
account ?"
" Well, he is too young, certainly. But, Fay, tell me some
more about Laurie. I want to know all he said, and bow he
looked."
I gave her as detailed an account as possible, and answered
a great many questions, for by this time J bad grown very
patient and less jealous than at first.
"Tnere is one thing I want to ask you, Ida," I said, when
she stopped at Jaf-t. "Have you ever talked on religious
questions with Laurie ?"
" Yes, we have spoken sometimes of the difference in our
opinions. He is net bigoted at all. He says, if ever things
ßhould change, he would never interfere with me, and I
might do just as I liked."
"You don't think it would produce any disagreements
betweoi you ?"
" Oh, no ! w hy should it ? We agree ou main points, and
he always says he thinks the principal thing is to be good,
and that creeds are not of much consequence."
" Eut would not his family object to you as much as yours
to him ?"
" That is the one thing that troubles me. Laurie did not
want to say anything about it; but when I insisted upon an
answer, he could not deny that bis parents would be very
strongly against the match. As Stephen Blackpool saj s in
' Hard TimeB,' ' It's aw a muddle.' "
She looked very sad and desponding, my poor little Ida,
and all my efforts to cheer her were not of much avail. As
I said gocd-bye to her, I felt a premonition that this was
but the beginning of troubles to which we could not seethe
end.
CHAPTEll XIV.
The next day I met the Edelsteins, and went to synagogue
with them as usnal. I remember that Saturday particularly,
because the Rabbi gave an address on the subject of mixed
marriages, having, of course, special reference to Julia Ro
senfeld's elopement, to which he alluded, though without
mentioning her name. He dwelt on the remarkable manner
in which the Jewish race had been preserved through cen-
turies of exile and persecution, and how it had remained a
nation in spite of mixing with other nations.
"Although," he said, "centuries had passed since the
magnificent Temple of Solomon was laid waste, although the
Israelites had no longer a city or a, ruler, still our co-
religionists, who are scattered over¡the four quarters of the
globe, unite with us to-day in ' remembering the Sabbath
day to keep it holy,' still in all the synagogues of the world
the praises of the Eternal are sung by bands of worshippers
in the grand language of the prophet and the psalmist, and
the tongue of our ancestors ia heard as in the days of old.
My brethren, this spectacle is unique in history, and we,
who believe in the exalted mission of our race, see in the
preservation of Israel the fulfilment of ancient prophecies of
Isaiah and Jeremiah, and the assurance of the certain
accomplishment in the future of our glorious destiny. But,
my brethren, there are some among us, I grieve to say, who
seek to destroy the foundations of our unity %as a people,
and who, instead of regarding the Mosaic law as a perma-
nent institution, are ready to turn away from its precepts
and ordinances and to cast in their lot with the Gentiles.
There are, I fear, too many Hebrew fathers who permit
their children to visit constantly at the houses of Christians;
to eat forbidden food, and even to disregard the sacred
ordinance of the Sabbath. Only too recently, in our midst,
we have had a sad example of whether this laxity leads ;
of whither it must lead. That the sons and daughters of
Israel should wed the Gentiles was at one time unheard of,
undreamt of ; now, alas ! it is becoming of frequent occur-
rence. Oh, my brethren ! if you have at all at heart the
preservation of our holy religion, if you still hold in
reverence the teachings of Moses (may his soul rest in
peace ! if you can still repeat morning and evening in
sincerity, the Shemong, cast out from you all that is unbe-
coming in a true Israelite, and be sure that the blessing
of the Most High will rest on him alone who keeps the
law. By intermarriage with other nations the religion
which has withstood the assaults of time, and which
has preserved its distinctive features after its adherents had
waded through seas of blood, may be destroyed, and woe
be to him who brings destruction on the chosen people of
the Lord !"
The faces around us were a study during the latter part
of his address. Many eyes were turned towards the poor
Mrs. Rosenfeld, who sat alone in her accustomed place, and
cried quietly with her face buried in a large red silk hand-
kerchief. We could not see Mr. Rosenfeld or Felix, who
were sitting just beneath us, but there were many others
round us who cried audibly. I hardly dared to look at Ida,
who, however, exercised wonderful self-command, and
betrayed no emotion that could have been observed by
those unacquainted with all the circumstances. Besides, no
one thought of looking at her ; they were all too much
absorbed in the Rosenfelds or their own affairs.
"You kept up splendidly, dear," I whispered, as we went
out.
"Didi? But it was very hard. Fay," she answered,
with a poor ghost of a smile, which went to my heart. We
walked on rapidly by ourselves, hoping to have our walk
home alone, but we had not gone far before Carl joined us,
much to our disgust. He was evidently in one of his most
aggravating humours, and certainly there was no one who
could make himself more disagreeable than Carl, when he
chose.
"I know who you are talking about," he said. "Do
you think I can't guess who, L. M., is ?" .' >Vdaa
"Oh, do be quiet, Carl," said Ida. "What does it
matter to you ?"
" You may think yourself lucky if I don't go straight to
father and tell him everything you have been saying."*1
Now we both knew very well that Carl could not make
much mischief by repeating what be had just heard, but
then there was no knowing what he might make up in
addition, and we were accordingly rather dismayed. Ida
looked at me helplessly, but I was equal to the emergency. .
"Nonsense, Carl," I said, "you know very well you
heard nothing of any consequence, and that you were'a
mean little sneak to listen."
" Didn't I hear anything, that's all. I know more than
you have any idea of, and I warn you to look out. It's all
very fine to call a fellow names for listening, but there are
plenty of things worse than that. I bet you girls'were'nt
listening to the Rabbi's lecture this morning."
" Oh, yes we were," I exclaimed, " we heard everytword
didn't we, Ida ?"
Ida nodded, but Carl was not so easily to be got rid of.
" I hope you paid special attention to that part about
Julia Rosenfeld, then," he said.
" Ths liabbi never mentioned Julia's name," said Ida.
" No, he certainly didn't, but no one could possibly mis-
take what he meant when he talked about the daughters of
Israel marrying out of the faith, and the degeneracy of our
days. It's wonderful what example will do. We shall
have other girls following in Julia's footsteps soon." Wg&gin
I saw that Ida was writhing under his words, and longed
to send him away.
" That's no reason why you should follow in our foot-
steps," I said,' " I am sure you cannot find it very amusing.
Why don't you bestow your company upon Henry Marka
or Teddy Lewis ? They would appreciate it better than we
do."
I am sure that in his heart Carl was longing to be
with the other boys, but he would not give in yet.
" Don't be in such a hurry," he said, "you can't have
too much of a good thing."
"Is that meant for a compliment to you, or to us?" I
asked.
" Oh, you can take it either way. But the fact is, your
society is not particularly exhilarating, and I am only walk-
ing with you for the sake of improving your minds."
" How exceedingly kind and unselfish of you ! But,
really Carl, we have had our minds improved quite enough
lor one morning, and we don't wisü to keep you any longer
from your friends."
At this moment Teddy Lewis most opportunely called
out. " Carl, come here."
"AU right," shouted Carl, in answer. "Look here, yon
two, you had better take care ; I can make it hot for you if
I like."
And with these warning words he left us to join his
friends. Ida turned to me.
" What shall we do, Fay ?"
"Do nothing! You may depend upon it Carl only
wanted to frighten you, aud even if he was in earnest, there
is not much for him to tell."
" Sometimes, Fay, I could almost wish that Carl or
someone else would tell papa everything. I am so tired of
this concealment and it seems so wrong, so unnatural, that
my father and mother should not know about what so
deeply concerns me. Besides, I never feel sure how much
they really do know."
" I quite understand, dear, what you feel, but I cannot
see that any good would come of your telling them. Un-
less you like to tell your mother, and beg her to keep it a
secret."
" Poor mamma ! She never kept a secret in her life, I
believe, and she could not possibly go against papa in any-
thing, even if it were much less important. I believe she
guesses more than half the truth now, but she will not
speak to me, because she is afraid. I have no one to con-
fide in but you, Fay ; you are a great comfort to me."
" Ycu could cot give me greater pleasure than to think
so, my darling, and be sure that you can trust me always." t
It is one of my greatest consolations in recalling this
unhappy time to know that Ida did trust me fully and un-
reservedly, with the blessed confidence which belongs only
to such friendship as ours.
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