It is impossible to convey an adequate idea of the meeting between the
Jew and his daughter. It was with feelings of terror, more than of
affection, that Zillah prepared to encounter a justly offended parent.
She had heard and believed that crime such as hers--marrying or
intriguing with Christians--was punished by a lingering and cruel death;
and scarcely could the word of Cromwell, pledged twice for her safety,
convince her that such would not be her fate. She instantly prostrated
herself at the Rabbi's feet; and it would seem that, assured of his
daughter's life--assured of her safety under laws--British laws--his
eastern notions with regard to the submission due from woman to her
master, man, returned to him in full force; for he suffered her to
remain, her forehead resting on the ground, and her hands clasped around
it, although he was so deeply agitated that he clung to a pedestal for
support.
The Protector arose from his seat, and, advancing, kindly and tenderly
raised the poor victim of confiding but too violent passion, and placed
her leaning on her father's shoulder.
"Manasseh!" he said, "at times our speech is obscure, and men see
through it darkly. We hope it will not be so now. Your daughter is no
harlot, but a wedded woman who will soon become a mother, and, in virtue
of her husband and her child, is a subject of our own. We regret the
violence of which she has been guilty, but Satan is ever busy in his
work of temptation. If you cast her from you, we take her to ourselves;
as our blessed Lord would have received the prodigal--the sinful, but
repentant son--even so will we receive her. Poor prodigal," he added,
after waiting for a reply from the Rabbi, which came not, for the
feelings of the tribe were struggling with those of the father--"Poor
prodigal! we will not desert thee in thy hour of trial--but seek to
preserve thee from worse crimes than even those of which thou hast been
guilty."
Although Cromwell had placed Zillah resting on the shoulder of her
father, he made no effort to support or keep her there, and the
Protector was in the act of leading her towards his daughter, when Ben
Israel raised a great cry, for the father had triumphed over the Jew,
and snatching her to his bosom, he burst into a fervent but almost
inaudible prayer of thanksgiving and gratitude, that entered the hearts
of those who heard it, and witnessed the terrible strength of his
emotions. The Lady Constance was suffering from various causes; the
nature of which, from past events, may be more easily imagined than
described. Nor were those sufferings either terminated or relieved,
when, on Cromwell's striking the table again in the same manner as
before, Sir Willmott Burrell stood in the apartment.