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LEAH.
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'
ARGUMENT
OF THE PLAY OF
L E A H
(LEAH, THE FORSAKEN)
A. DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS,
BY
MOSENTHAL.
ADAPTED FROM THE GERMAN BY
MONSIEUR A. ALBERT DARMONT.
AS PRESENTED BY MADAME
SARAH BERNHARDT
AND HER POWERFUL COMPANY.
TRANSLATED BY
FRED. LYSTER.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1892, by F. Rullman, in
the,.Office of the. Librarian of Congress at Washington.
PUBLISHED AT
THE THEATRE TICKET OFFICE, No. 111 BROADWAY,
NEW YORK.
2
LEAH.
Acte Premier.
Le pr. Acte se passe dans un village d Autriche aux environs de Komorn.
— Au pr. plan, a droite, maison du bailli. Au pr. plan gauche, l'entree du
presbytere & l'eglise du village.
Au lever du rideau on entend un hymne chante par les fideles qui sortent
aux derniers accords de l'orgue et regagnent leur demeure. — C'est le jour du
vendredi saint. —
A la premiere scene, le reverend pere Hermann & le bailli du village,
Me. Lorentz, paraissent en scene.
M. Laurentz complimente le reverend pere Hermann du beau sermon
que celui-ci vient de prononcer —
Ah! que je suis fache que mon fils ne vous ait pas entendu, dit-il, accusant
son fils, Rudolph, de manquer a ses devoirs religieux; se plaignant des idees
libres du jeune homme antrefois si sage et si regu her dans sa conduite
— Ah! pourquoi, ai-je tant travaille, dit-il, je suis vieux et mon fils
s'eloigne de moi
— Nathan, (connu au village sous le nom de Maitre Karl,) qui a entendu.
s'approche, en disant.
— Oui, pour un grain de bien etre, on recolte une mesure de chagrin
— Allons, dit Is pere Hermann en apercevant Nathan, venez, Maitre
Karl, venez dissuader votre vieil ami des mechantes penseesqu 'il a sur son fils.
— Mais, Nathan, ne fait que grandir l'inquietude de Lorentz, en disant qu'il
craint fort, en effet, que Rudolph ne soit devenu heretique. II ajoute que tout
bon chretien doit se trainer, doit ramper jusqu'a l'eglise, s'il nepeut pas marcher,
un jour comme le vendredi-saint.
Le pere Hermann lui fait entendre que le veritable esprit des preceptes
chretieus n'est pas aussi etroitement attache aux formes et reprocheau maitre
d'ecole de depasser souvent le but en exagerant les devoirs religieux.
Aimez, simplement, votre prochain. Maitre Karl, ajoute-t-il, et Dieu
vous tiendra pour un bon chretien.
Mais, Nathan, continue h temoigner ses sentiments exageres pour la
religion chretienne, jusqu' au moment ou le pere Hermann, lasse, detourne la
conversation et reparle de Rudolph, en disant —;
Jusqu' aujourd' hui, ce jeune homme a toujours ete regulier et sage dans
jsa conduite —
He, he! conclut Nathan, les eaux, tranquilles en appareuce, ont souvent
des courants profonds et dangereux.
Sur quoi, Lorentz lui donne raison, en disant au pere Hermann:
Ah! pourquoi ne prend-il pas votre niece pour femme, votre jolie Mad-
deleine.
Hermann, le remercie d'abord en souriant, du grand honneur qu'il lui
ferait en prenant sa niece pour epouse de son fils et termine en rassurant Mr.
Lorentz & en disant:
Laissez Rudolph suivre ses penchants jusqu'au jour ou la r'ealite, passant
sur les chimeres qu'ie poursuit, le ramenera pres de vous. —
S'il n'a pas ete trop loin pour revenir en arriere, dit Nathan a part; puis,
liypocritement, au pere Hermann, repetant les paroles de Lorentz, Oui! Dieu
vous entende, mon revdrend, quand le pere & fils ne marchent plus ensemble,
c'est un temps de malheur.
LEAH.
3
Act First.
The first act takes place in an Austrian village near Komorn. In the first
entrance (L) is the house of the Burgomaster. First entrance (R) is the entrance
to the pastor's house and the village church.
As the curtain rises a hymn is heard, after which the congregation comes
out of church and each repairs to his or her home. It is Good Friday.
The Reverend Father Hermann and the Burgomaster, Herr Lorentz, enter.
The latter compliments the pastor on the beautiful sermon he has just preached.
"Ah! how sorry I am that my son did not hear you," said Herr Lorentz,
accusing his son Rudolf of neglecting his religious duties and regretting the
free-thinking of a young man formerly so virtuous and regular.
"Ah! why have I worked so hard?" said he. "Now I am old and my son
deserts me."
Nathan, known in the village by the name of Master Karl, who has over¬
heard all, draws near, saying:
"Yes, for each grain of happiness we reap a full measure of pain."
"Come," said Father Hermann on seeing Nathan, "come, Master Karl,
help me to drive away the cruel thoughts that our old friend gives way to about
his son."
But Nathan only increases the Burgomaster's uneasiness by saying that he
greatly fears that the youth Rudolf is becoming a heretic. He adds that every
good Christian should drag himself to church on Good Friday, even if he were
a cripple.
Father Hermann points out that the true spirit of Christianity is not so
narrowly attached to outward observances and blames the schoolmaster (Nathan)
for overstepping the mark in his religious zeal.
" Love thy neighbor as thyself, Master Karl," said he, "and God will accept
you as a good Christian."
But Nathan continued to testify his exaggerated zealotry till Father Hermann,
wearied, turned the conversation by bringing it back to the subject of Rudolf and
saying:
" Hitherto this young man has been always correct in his conduct."
" Ha! ha! " sneered Nathan, "still waters run deep and have dangerous
currents and eddies."
Upon which Lorentz agreed with him and said to Father Hermann:
"Why does not he take your niece to wife? "
Hermann smiled and thanked him for the honor he did to his niece and to
himself in being willing to receive her as his son's wife and ended byre-assuring
Lorentz by saying:
"Let Rudolf follow his bent till the day shall come when fancy shall give
place to reality and your son will be restored to you."
"If he has not gone too far to find his way back," said Nathan aside. Then,
turning hypocritically to Father Hermann, he repeated the words of Lorentz, add¬
ing: "Yes, may God hear you, reverend sir, for when father and son travel
different ways misfortune is sure to follow."
At this moment Madeleine, the niece of the pastor, appears. She embraces
her uncle, telling him that she has something to tell him. Then observing the
ill-humor of the Burgomaster she says to him:
"Why these sour looks?" And taking up the cause of Rudolf, she observes:
" Perhaps he is kept away by some good action which he wishes to conceal
till he has accomplished it."
4
LEAH.
A ce moment, Madeleine, niece du reverend pere, parait, Elle vient
embrasser son onclc, disant qu'elle a a lui parler; puis, remarquant la manvaise
humeur du bailli. Oh, pourquoi, dit-elle a M' Lorentz, pourquoi cette mechante
figure? Puis, prenant la defense de Rudolph,: Peut-etre est-il retenn par
quelque bonne action qu'il desire cacher jusqu'a ce qu'il l'ait accomplie son but.
, Mais, le pere Hermann arrete Madeleine. Qui vous dit que ce soit
l'absence de Rudolph qui mette Mr. Lorentz de mechante humeur. Madeleine?
et Madeleine, rougissante, baisse la tete tandis que Lorentz, riant aux eclats,
l'attire pres de lui en disant: Va, dis-, moi ce que tu desires, ma belle Madeleine,
ton joli visage me donne de la joic.
Nathan, ricanant derriere eux: Que ce jour soit tont entier consacreaux
pensies religieuses, dit-il, repetant les paroles du sermon que le pere Hermann
vient de faire dans l'eglise.
Lorentz, riant aux eclats le fait remarquer an pere Hermann.
Oui, maitre Karl a bonne memoire, ajoute ce dernier, et s'il etait ne
J uif..».
Nathan tressaillant aussitort: Juif, moi! le ciel m'en preserve!
Lorentz, completcment remis ds belle huneur par la mine afifarouchie du
maitre d'ecole, rit de plus en plus fort. Va, parle, mon enfant, dit-il a Made¬
leine, pendant que Nathan remonte au fond, inquiet,
Madeleine assise pres de Lorentz, raconte alors. qu'en se rendant au
village voisin, elle a rencontrfe un pauvre vieillard avengle tombe au revers de
la route et soutenu par une femme bizzarrement vetue qui essayait de le
ranimer elle ajoute que ce sont des Juis, chasses de Rosenbiirg et supplie
le Bailli M. Lorentz de lui permettre de recueillir ce malheureux vieillard et
eette femme dans la maison de son oncle.
Mais Nathan appele Me. Karl a tressailli en econtant Madeleine parler
de ces infortunes qui vieunent de Rosenbiirg, a la demande de la jenne fille, il
bondit et avec les accents d'un vrai chretien revolte d'nne pareille demande
il dit au pere Hermann: Quoi-votre niece propose un pareille sacrilege et vous
ne l'arretez pas (puis se tournant vers Madeleine) Mais, Jenne fille, il y. a. iciun
Saint principe a sauvegarder, a defendre. Mais Madeleine ne l'ecoute pas.
elle ne voit que ces malheureux sans asile et sans pain, et veut les secourir.
Alors Nathan lui prenant les mains, avec une sorte de rage sourde veut
lui persuader que les Juifs n'out pas droit a la charite chretienne, qu'ils sont
tous condamnes au fouet par le gouvernemend. il lui cite les villes de l'empire
ou les tortures les plus atroces ont fait mourir ces malheureux. Madeleine
fiissonne. Mais rassurez vous ajoute Nathan plus calme, dans notre province
les lois ne sont pas si cruelles et avec intention, en regardant le bailli—,
quoique formelles, n'est ce pas M. Lorentz et defendent qu'un Juifpuisse passer
une senle nuit dans notre village et c'est grace a cela que nous sommes heureux
tous (dit il en terminant) et que l'usure. la fourberie et l'imposture sont in-
conus ici!
En etes vous sur? dit le pere Hermann
Certes, j'eu suis sur, repond Nathan surpris et le regardant finement, et le
livre de ma vie est clair.
Depuis un moment les paysans out ecoute du fond, la mere Gertrude,
sortant de chez Mr. Lorentz, s'adresse au Pere Hermann.
Eh bien a propos de quoi done, tant de paroles, reverend pere? demande
telle.
Sur quoi Nathan repond remontant vers les paysans defagon a etre entendu
d'eux; — Oh rien rien, la mere, excepte que Madeleine veut amener une juive
-et un juif dans le village
Tous protestent avec surprise.
T aisez vous, leur crie le bailli. taisez vous, maitre Karl.
Nathan s'excuse humblement. et ajoute en regardant le Pere Hermann.
LEAH.
5
But Father Hermann stops Madeleine by saying:
"Who told you that it is Rudolf's absence that annoys Herr Lorentz?"
And Madeleine, blushing, replies by kissing his forehead, while Lorentz laughs
heartily and draws her to him saying:
" Come, my girl, tell me your wishes. Your pretty face makes .me glad."
Nathan, sneering at their backs, says, repeating the words of Father Her¬
mann's sermon:
" May this day be devoted to pious thoughts."
Lorentz, laughing uproariously, nudges the worthy pastor.
"Yes," replies the latter, "Master Karl has a good memory, and had he
been born a Jew — "
"A Jew! " cried Nathan, trembling. "Ia Jew? God forbid! "
Lorentz, having regained his good humor at the sight of Nathan's indigna¬
tion, laughs louder and louder and says to Madeleine:
"Go on, dear child, speak." And Nathan goes to the rear, uneasy in his
mind.
Madeleine, seated next to Lorentz, tells him that in going to the village close
by she met a poor old blind man who had fallen by the wayside and was helped
by a woman, dressed in curious fashion, who was striving to bring him back to
life. She adds that they were Jews driven from Rosenburg and implores the
Burgomaster, Lorentz, to permit her to offer a refuge to this poor old man and his
companion in her uncle's house.
But Nathan (Master Karl) is taken with a fit of trembling at Madeleine's
words, and, hearing the girl's request, he starts and in the tone of outraged piety
exclaims:
"What! Does your niece propose such sacrilege unrebuked?" And turning
to Madeleine, he says severely:
" Young woman, we have a sacred principle to guard and to defend!"
But Madeleine hears him not. She sees before her mind these unhappy
exiles, without bread, without a roof, and she longs to relieve and aid them.
Then Nathan, grasping the girl's hands with gloomy rage, tries to convince
her that Jews are not worthy objects for Christian charity; that they are all
doomed to the lash by the government. He cited to her the towns and cities of
the empire in which these wretches had been put to death with the most horrible
tortures till he caused the girl to tremble and to weep.
'' But do not grieve so," he said, '' in our province the law is more merciful."
And looking towards the Burgomaster he went on:
" Is it not, however,ordered that no Jew may remain over night in our village?
And is it not to that beneficent law that we owe our freedom from usury and
imposture and that we are so content and even happy?"
... "Are you sure of that?" asks Father Hermann.
" Of course I am sure," answers Nathan, surprised and gazing at him fixedly.
" The record of my life is clear."
For the last few minutes some peasants have been listening at the back
Mother Gertrude, coming from Herr Lorentz's house, addresses Father Hermann
thus:
"What are all these words about, reverend father?"
Whereupon Nathan, approaching the peasants so as to be heard by them,
replies:
" Oh! nothing much, only that Madeleine wants to bring a Jew and a Jewess
into our village."
A violent clamor of protestation arises and the Burgomaster cries angrily:
" Silence all! And you, Master Karl, not another word! "
Nathan excuses himself humbly and adds, looking at Father Hermann:
" It is very sad when brethren in the Lord cannot agree." So saying he
retires towards the peasants, while Lorentz, Madeleine and Father Hermann
consult apart.
6
LEAH.
C'est grand dommage de ne point s'entendre dans le chemin de la foi —
il remonte vers les paysans pendant que Lorentz, Madeleine et le pere Hermann
se consultent a part — ace moment d'autres villageois accourent, la nouvelle
que des juifs se sont refugies dans le pays, s'est repandue est ce vrai est ce
vrai — ce qu'on dit? demandent-ils au Maitre d'ecole.
— Que trop vrai, mes enfants, repond sournoisement celui-ci. et il leur
presente en exagerant mechamment toutes les difficultes, tous les ennuis qu'ils
auront a vaincere, a subir, si leur magistrat M. Lorentz tolere des Juifs dans
le village.
Oui, - Oui! disent les villageois et les paysans, nous devons repousser cette
peste, prevenir l'invasion d'un pereil fleau et ils s'animent de plus en plus disant:
Non, non, pas de juifs ici, pas de juifs!
Non, affirme la Mere Gertrude ils empoisonneraeint nos puits et nos fon-
taines comme en l'au 1640.
Nathan les voyant suffisamment decides, s'ecarte de la foule
Et ou est elle? ou sont ils ces juifs? lui demande un villageois.
Ehllesaisje! repond celui ci de facon a etre entendu de tous. Ils se
cachent pent etre deja dans le village (Murmures de colere)
Mes amis, ecoutez moi! dit le pere Hermann.
Non: nous ne voulons ici ni sorciere, ni tueuse d'enfants, dit une voix dans
la foule.
Au nom de la charite, continue pere Hermann. Pas de charite pour les
mandits (interrompt la voix sourde de Nathan dissunule- dans la foule puis
paraissant au milieu d'eux, 11 ajoute hypocritement; Eh! du calme, mes amis,
cherchez la juive et amenez la ici, notre bon juge M. Lorentz decidera; et les
acclamations et les cris redoublent — Oui, oui, cherchous la juive-trainons la
ici, ils vont sortir malgre la voix du bailli qui veut les arreter au nom de
l'Empereur.— ace moment, Leah, parait sur la colline au milieu des clameurs,
des paysans arnes de fourches et de batons, la poussent jusque sur le pont,
ou elle leur echappe, et vient en courant jusque sur le devant de la scene, ou
elle tombe a genoux-les pays ans se ruent sur elle avec des cris de mort.
Hermann, le bailli et Madeleine, sinterposent Non, non, sus a la juive,
crient ils.
Que me voulez vous? repond Leah! se redressant. Que vient tu chercher
ici, fille mandite: Je cherche—: Leah, regarde antour d'elle et secouant la tete
Rien, rien personne dit-elle laissez moi partir en paix, et elle veut s'eloigner.
Mais un Paysan l'arrete et dit qu'on l'a apercue cachee dans un enclos pour
voler. La fureur de la foule grandit de plus en plus Lorentz desespere d'avoir
raison de ces outetes qu' a la superstition rend feroces.
II fraudrait qu' elle partee dit il au pere Hermann. Sendant que Nathan
eqcite froidement et ernellement les paysans.
Abas la vile sorciere, a mort la juive, crient ils-en paroxysme de la fureur
n'ecoutant plus les paroles du pere Hermann et du bailli.
Eufin sur une derniere insinuation de Nathan tous s'clancent avec des cris
de mort.
Lorentz le pere et Madeleine sout jetes de cote. Grphchen le boucher pose
sa large main sur l'paule de Leah; mais Rudolph qui a bondi au milieu de la
foule le repousse vigou-reusement: — Miserables, miserables brutes dit-il —
mais tous sout fous de fureur: e est une fiuve, il faut qu' elle meure, a mort a
mort, crent ils decides a enfinir.
LEAH.
7
At this instant other villagers come running up. The news that Jews have
taken refuge in their country has spread and every one asks eagerly:
"Is it true? " To which the schoolmaster, Karl, replies craftily:
"Only too true, my children." And he gives them a wickedly exaggerated
view of all the difficulties, the troubles and the annoyances they will have to com¬
bat and to suffer if their Magistrate Herr Lorentz should suffer the Jews to remain
in the village.
"Yes, yes," cried the peasants and villagers, " we must drive out this pest!
We must prevent the spreading of this plague! " And lashing themselves to fury
they cry:
"No! No! No Jews here! No Jews!"
" They will poison our wells," cried Mother Gertrude, " as they did in the
year 1640!"
Nathan, seeing that the crowd is sufficiently enraged, discreetly retires.
" Where is the girl? Where are the accursed Jews? " roar the villagers.
" How should I know?" says Nathan as he retires, sufficiently loud to be
heard by all. "Perhaps they are hiding already in the village." (Angry mur¬
murs.)
" My friends," said Father Hermann, "hear me!"
" No! No! We will have no sorcerers nor slaughterers of children!" cries a
voice in the crowd.
" In the holy name of charity! " continues Father Hermann.
" No charity for the accursed ones!" interrupts the gloomy voice of Nathan,
who is hidden in the crowd. Then coming into the midst he goes on sancti¬
moniously :
"Be calm, my friends, be calm. Let us seek the Jewess and bring her
hither. Our good Judge Herr Lorentz will decide." And here the cries and
acclamations are redoubled.
"Yes, yes, let us seek the Jewess and drag her hither!"
They are about to rush off despite the voice of the Magistrate, who calls on
them to stay in the name of the Emperor, but at this supreme moment Leah
appears on the rising ground in the midst of them, pushed forward by peasants
armed with hay forks and cudgels.
Just on the top of the little hill she escapes from them and runs to the
front, when she falls on her knees. The peasants rush at her with cries of
" Death! Death ! "
Father Hermann, the Burgomaster and Madeleine try to shield her, but the
crowd cries:
"No! No! Down with the Jewess! "
" What want you with me? " says Leah, rising.
" What want you here, accursed? " roars the crowrd.
" I? I? Nothing," answers Leah, gazing around her and bowing her head..
" Let me depart in peace." And she moves as if to go away.
But a peasant stops her, asserting that she has been seen hiding in a private
place for the purpose of robbery. The fury of the mob grows greater and more
violent.
Lorentz despairs of being able to control these mad creatures, whom super¬
stition has crazed.
"She must go!" he says to Father Hermann, while Nathan coldly and cruelly
keeps on exciting the peasants.
"Down with the vile witch! Death to the Jewess! " cry the people in a par¬
oxysm of fury, no longer paying heed to the priest nor the Magistrate.
At last, urged by a last insinuation of Nathan, Lorentz, Father Hermanns
and Madeleine are shoved aside and a butcher lays his great hand on the shoul¬
der of Leah, but Rudolf, bounding into the midst of the crowd, repulses the
brutal fellow vigorously, crying out:
"Wretches! Brutes! Cowards!"
8
LEAH.
Alors, le pere Hermann, tenant Leah blottie dans son bras droit, arrache
la large croiv qu' il porte a son cou et relevant au dessus de sa tete — Le ciel
qui parle par ma voix dit-il d'une voix forte. Que celui qui ne croit pas a la
Misericorde Divine frappe aussi le Christ dans mes mains secrees —
Devant la croix, la foule s'arrete, Murmure et s'incline eu signe de respect.
[rideau.]
Acte Deuxieme.
Plateforme d'un chateau en haut d'une colline—a droite, grande croix de
pierre, a gauche un talus defonce, couvert de ronces et de pierres sculptees,—
au premiere plan a droite un banc de gazon, au loin montagnes. au lever du
rideau la nuit tombe.
Leah et Abraham, vieillard avengle, paraissent derriere le talus—Leah
guide le vieillard.
Reposez vous la, mon pere, dit-elle—voici la nuit nul ne nous verra.
Non, conduis moi plus pres du chemin du village il ne faut pas qu'on
puisse nous surprendre ici—et Leah guide de nouveau ses pas—parlant de l'in-
juste cruaute des Chretiens.
Abraham, s'asseyant, lui parle d'une voix douce et profonde :—Sans toi,
je dormirais glace dans le froid de la terre, dit-il, merci noble fille de
Judee mais (Leah l'arrete) assise a ses pieds elle lui dit: Ne rappelez pas ces
sombres moments de malheur, esperons, des jours meilleurs viendront bientot
peut etre, mais, lui, secouant la tete, predit, qu'il mourra dans la tourmente
qui s'est levee contre lui et les siens. Pourtant, toi, espere, dit-il a Leah, et
il parle d'un temps prochain ou le flambeau de la raison eclairera si bien les
nations que partout l'univers les hommes seront libres, egaux et freres—pour-
quoi les uns sont ils si mechants et si durs et les autres si charitables et si
bons dit Leah, les yeux fixes, Abraham, apres un temps, lui dit : tu penses au
jeune Chretien qui ta secourue ; prends garde ma fille, n'oublie pas qui nous
sommes: n'oublie pas le chant sacre que nos freres depouilles et proscrits n'ont
jamais oublie. N'oublie pas enfin que nous devrions bientot partir, marcher,
marcher encore, vers la Boheme.
Partir, helas, (murmure Leah apart.)
Mais, c'est l'heure de la priere, allons, dit le vieillard, et parlant de son
enfance, de ses freres qu'il va retrouver, il disparait en montant le talus en
disant: Au but de notre route je te confierai a leurs soins, apres, ma douce
Leah, je pourrai m' endornir du mysterieux sommeil—Pendant qu'ils disparais-
sent Nathan est entre, C'est la qu'est leur refuge-dit-il. Ah, oui, la voix de ce
vieillard est bien la voix menagante qui depuis 15 ans trouble mon sommeil—
Quel est-il ? de Rosenbiirg .... Rosenbiirg. Ah q'importe dit-il, je veux
qu'ils partent car s'ils me reconnaissaient je serais perdu bafoue accable d'in-
jures par tous ceux qui m'honorent aujourdhui, non je connaitrai jamais
cette honte je n'entendrai point contre moi les cris de mort de la foule. Ces
juifs parteront . . . mais comment . . . comment faire pour me debarasser d'eux
(et il tressaille regardant a droite et a gauche . . . Oui je tremble sans cesse-
ajoute t-il( tremblant d'effroi) cette nuit encore j'ai reve le vieillard m'appelait
par mon nom, par mon nom d'autrefois (frissonnant et avec rage.) Oh
ils partiront ! ! (il se retourne brusquement et recule en voyant une ombre
paraitre. O mais. Rudolph, dit-il en reconnaissant celui ci et en se dissimu-
lant derriere d'enormes pierres.
LEAH.
9
But all are mad with rage and roar like wild beasts:
" She is a Jewess! Death! Death to her!"
But Father Hermann, under whose right arm Leah crouches, tears off the
cross which he wears hanging round his neck and raising it above his head
cries loudly:
"Heaven speaks by my voice! Let him who believes not in the Divine
Mercy strike down the Christ whom I hold in my consecrated hands!"
The crowd bows before the crucifix with murmurs of respect and awe.
[curtain.]
Act Second.
The platform of a castle on top of a hill. A large stone cross is on the left
and on the right a ruined space covered with weeds and cut stones. At the first
entrance (L) a grassy bank, and in the distance are mountains. Night is
falling.
Leah and Abraham, an old blind man, appear, Leah leading the old man.
"Rest here, my father," she says, "it is night and nobody will see us."
" No, lead me nearer to the road to the village. We must not risk being
surprised here. And Leah leads him again, talking of the unjust cruelty of the
Christians.
Abraham, sitting down, speaks in a soft, deep voice:
" Without thee I should sleep in the cold earth, said he. "Thanks, noDie
daughter of Judea, but— Leah stops him, and sitting at his feet she says:
" Think not of those dark moment of misfortune. Let us still hope for
better days to come—perhaps very soon.s But the old man, bowing his head,
predicts his death in the persecution that has arisen against him and his people,
and addressing Leah he says:
" However, hope thou on, hope thou ever. And goes on to talk of a time
in the future when the torch of reason shall enlighten the nations and men
shall be free all over the world. Free and equal—brothers!
" But why are some men so wicked and so hard of heart and others so
good and charitable ? asks Leah, with her eyes fixed on the old man, who,
after a pause, says:
" You are thinking of the young Christian whom thou hast succored. Take
care, my child, forget not who we are ! Forget not the sacred song that our
brethren, although despised and proscribed, have never forgotten! Forget not
that we must soon depart. On, on, to Bohemia!
"Depart? Alas! murmured Leah.
" But 'tis the hour of prayer, said the old man. " Come! And babbling
of his childhood and of his brethren, whom he was soon to see once more, he
ascended the steep incline and disappeared, saying:
"At the end of our journey I will confide thee to their care, and then, my
sweet Leah, I will sleep that mysterious sleep that knows no waking."
During this time Nathan has entered.
" So that is their refuge ? he says. " Yes, the voice of that old man is in
truth the menacing voice that for fifteen years has troubled my sleep. Who
can he be ? De Rosenburg ? But what does it matter ? They must go, for if
they should recognize me I am lost, heaped with insults by those who honor
me to-day. No ! never will I submit to such disgrace! Neither the cries of
death nor supplications for mercy shall dissuade me! These Jews must go!
But how ? How ? What shall I do to rid myself of them ? " He trembles and
steals furtive glances to the right and left.
"Yes, I tremble always," added he, shaking with fright. "Again this
night I dreamt that the old man called me by name—by that name that once was
mine! And he trembled again with rage and terror. " Oh! they must go !"
He turns sharply and recoils on seeing a shadow appear.
10
LEAH.
Rudolph marche vers la gauche et appele a voix basse: Leah.
Leah repond a sa voix et parait bientot en scene dans ses bras, alors scene
•de tendresse et d'amour : Quelle est la reineavec laquelle je voudrais echanger
mon sort—dit Leah—un lien etrange m' attache a ton coeur et pour toi je
ferais tout, J'oublierais tout.
Oui quand je prie maintenant c'est pour toi, toujours pour toi, l'etre adore.
A ce moment on entend au loin un chant religieux venant de l'eglise du
village : Oh Leah ! femme etrange, dit Rudolph, c'est toi qui m'as converti a
tes pensees, a ta religion, econte, et tombant a genoux emporte par la
passion que Leah lui inspire il la serre contre son cceur et lui dit des paroles
brulantes, Leah s'abandonne un moment puis de degageant avec des larmes :
Oh non, non. Oh pourquoi .... pourquoi nos cceurs se sont ils rencontres
puisqu'un abime nous separe a jamais.
Que dis tu Leah ? de quel abime paries tu ?
Helas ! tout nous separe, Rudolph. Famille, prejuges, religion.
Alors Rudolph se leve : Leah, dit-it, mon amour est au dessus de toutes
•choses, rien ne pourra faire obstacle a notre bonheur et tu verras
bientot ....
Que veux tu faire, dit Leah tremblante, n'osant pas croire a son bonheur.
Je veux faire ce que ma conscience m'ordonne reprend Rudolph ! J'y
suis decide, ce soir meme je dirai tout a mon pere. Sil ne veut pas consentir a
notre union demain meme nous quitterons le pays.
Mais le malheureux vieillard ? demande Leah pensant au pauvre avengle.
Ton monde est le mien, il sera notre pere, repond genereusement Ru¬
dolph.
Leah, enivree d'espoir et de reconnaissance pour celui qui l'a arrache de
1'ombre et de la misere pour la placer au soleil lui faire une existence de bon¬
heur a laqnelle elle n'avait jamais ose pretendre, lui jure de lui donner toutes
les felicites de l'amour tous les temoingnages de tendresse qu'un coeur humain
peut temoiguer dans sa vie entiere.
Alors Rudolph ajoute : Demain quand la brise l'apportera les sons du
■cloche de la priere du soir, avec le vieillard quittez votre refuge et venez me
rejoindre au carrefour de la croisee des routes.
J'y serai, dit Leah, mais soudain elle porte la main a son coeur, defaillante,
en poussant un cri etouffe.
Qu'as tu Leah ?
Si c'etait un pressentiment, devant tant d'esperances mon coeur pris de
vertige . . .
Chasse ces noires pensees, mon amour, dit Rudolph.
Ah ! c'est que toute ma vie, toute mon ame, se confondent et s'unissent
en toi, dit elle avec tendresse. A demain, mon bien aime.
Oui et tu seras a moi pour toujours, repond le jeune homme. Embrasse
moi bien fort ajoute Leah l'enla9ant une derniere fois, et que le ciel ne me
punisse point d'avoir doute de sa clemence.
Rudolph l'embrasse tendrement et its disparaissent disant : Que le ciel
nous protege.
Nathan qui toujours cache derriere les pierres a entendu tout l'entretien
de Rudolph et de Leah, dit en ricanant. Moi je vous benis, jai trouve ... ils
partiront.
Leah apres avoir regarde Rudolph s'eloigner, monte sur les marches de la
croix de pierre, et dans un rayon de lune, pendant le chant d'eglise qu'on en-
tend toujours au loin regarde encore Rudolph qui s'eloigne et s'ecrie : Oh
Dieu de gloire. Dieu d'Israel que suis-je-qu'ai je fait pour que vous daigniez
verser tant d'espoir tant d'ivresse dans mon ame.
[RIDEAU.]
LEAH.
ii
"What! Rudolf? he says, hiding behind some enormous stones, as he
recognizes the young man.
Rudolf walks to the right and calls in a low voice: " Leah! "
Leah responds to his call and flies into his' arms. Then a tender scene
ensues.
" Where is the Queen with whom I would exchange lots ? " says Leah. "A
strange tie binds me to thy heart, and for thee I would do and dare anything.
For thee I pray always, my beloved, my adored!
At this moment a religious chant is heard from the village church.
"Oh! Leah, thou strange being, says Rudolf. "It is thou who hast
converted me to thy thoughts—to thy faith. And falling at her knees he em¬
braces them in a transport of passion. He presses her to his heart with burning
words of love.
Leah abandons herself to his caresses for a moment; then disengaging her¬
self, with tears she cries:
"Oh! no! no! Why have our hearts ever met, since an abyss must
separate us forever ?
" What words are these, Leah ? Of what abyss do you speak ?
"Alas! everything divides us, Rudolf—race, prejudice, religion!
Then Rudolf arises. "Leah, he says, "my love is superior to all these.
Nothing can come between us and our happiness. You shall see that soon."
" What would you do ? asks Leah, trembling and not daring to believe in
such joy.
" I do that which my conscience commands," rejoins Rudolf. " This very
evening I will go to my father and tell him all. If he will not give his consent
to our union to-morrow we will quit the country.
" But that poor old man? " says Leah, thinking of blind Abraham.
" Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God! Rudolf replies
with generous emotion. " He shall be our father.
Leah, intoxicated with hope and gratitude to him who lifts her from dark¬
ness and despair to light and joy, to which she had never dared to aspire, swears
to love him, and him only, all her life long.
Then Rudolf adds :
"To morrow when the first sounds of the bell shall call to prayer in the
evening quit your hiding place, you and the old man, and cometo join me at
the cross roads."
"I will be there," Leah says. But of a sudden she presses her hand to her
heart and utters a suppressed cry.
"What is the matter, Leah ?
" If it were a presentiment of evil after so much joy? My heart is too full."
"Drive away those gloomy thoughts, my love," Rudolf says tenderly.
"Ah! my whole heart, my whole soul, my life, meet and join in you," she
says with tender feeling. "Adieu till to-morrow, my beloved.
"You shall soon be all my own, the youth answers. And Leah, clasping
him in her arms, cries:
" May Heaven pardon me for having doubted of its mercy!
Rudolf kisses her tenderly and leaves her, saying:
"May Heaven protect and watch over my beloved!
Nathan, hidden behind the rocks, hears all this interview and says
sneeringly :
" Bless you, my children. I have found the way they will go."
Leah, gazing after Rudolf, ascends the steps of the stone cross and stands
in the moonlight, while the chanting from the church continues. Then, again
looking after the retreating Rudolf, she says :
" O God of Glory, God of Israel! What am I ? What have I done that
Thou pourest such a flood of hope, such a delirium of bliss, into my soul ?
[curtain.]
12
LEAH.
Acte TTroisieme.
Interieure des ruines du chateau se detachant au fond en silhouette fantas-
tique Appuyee sur un mur du cote gauche se trouve une cabane formee de
troncs et de branches d'arbres—tout autour des ruines enchevetrees de lierre,
et de plantes grimpantes ou n'appergoit que des cimes d'arbres de toutes sorts
venant de la pente aride qui entoure la plateforme du chateau, le ciel plombe
annonce un orage. Au lever du rideau le viel Abraham est-assis au nilieu de
la .cabane, Leah est pres de lui a terre elle vient de lui faire la confidence en-
tiere de son amour pour Rudolph, elle a tout dit au vieillard eta repondu a
toutes les questions que ce dernier lui a posees.
Mais n'est il pas Chretien selon les principes du fils del l'homme a dit le
vieillard.
Pere, il est bon, selon les principes de l'humanite, a repondu Leah !
Oui, son coeur est bon, il est digne de s'unir au tien, fais done selon le des-
tin qui te pousse mais vous souffrerez, enfants de ce siecle d'injustice et d'a-
venglement.
Non pere, repond Leah ! car nous irons cacher notre amour au dela des
mers, sur les rives de l'hospitaliere Amerique, grande terre de liberte ou l'a-
mour et le devoir ne se combattent jamais.
Alors le vieillard demande s'il ne sera pas une charge, un obstacle a leur
bonheur.
Non suiveZ nous, dite-elle, vous serez notre pere ; mais ne souffrerez vous
pas de ne plus sentir sons vos pieds le sol de la patrie, ajoutett-elle.
Abraham souriant et seconant la tete ; Je ramenerai tous les enfants d'ls-
rael des contrees ou je les aurai dispersees, a dit le Seigneur.
Hate toi d'aller reconnaitre le chemin de la croisee des routes, car le
bruit du torrent est plus sonore que de coutume aujourdhui, si Dieu ne le de-
tourne pas un vent d'orage soufflera dans ces ruines (Leah disparait apres avoir
recommande au vieillard de ne point sortir pendant son absence.
Abraham seul ferme la porte de la cabane. Oui! dit il s'etendant sur un
lit de bruvere, le bruit du torrent monte jusqu'ici comme une voix menagant.
Nathan suivi de Fritz Lory et de Jehan parait. Oh chemin mandit, dit
Nathan a voix basse.
Un vrai chemin de damnes, replique Fritz de meme et tous s'arretent en
apercevant la cabane. Ah nous allons les enfaire deguerpir, disent-ils. Mais
s'ils ne veulent point sen aller de bon gre dit l'un d'enx.
Oh laissez moi iaire, repond Nathan froidement, ils partiront ! J'ai trop
bien tout combine pour ca.
Oui en effet! trop bien, disent les paysans une voiture comme ponr des
princes, nous les aurions autrement pousses dehors.
Bou il sera toujours temps, dit Nathan en aliant regarder a travers les
planches de la porte de la cabane Chut, fait-il. Je ne vois que le vieux Sorcier.
Mais en attendant l'autre Maitre d'Ecole dites nous done ce qui s'est
passe cette nuit chez Mr. Lorentz, et apres avoir regarde a droite et a gauche
pour voir si persoune ne vient, ils s'approchent du Maitre d'Ecole qui leur
raconte que Rudolph a failli causer la mort de son pere la nuit passee en lui
revelant son amour pour la Juive. de lajuive ici? disent les paysans en montrant
la cabane.
Oui, mes amis, de cette mendiante qui se cache ici, continue Nathan, si
bien que la colere du bailli a ete terrible qu'il a crie a son fils, sors d'ici, mal-
LEAH. 13
Act Third.
Interior of the ruins of the castle, which throw a fantastic shadow at back.
Leaning against wall on the right is a cabin built of logs and branches.
The ruins are all covered with climbing plants and ivy, over which nothing is
seen but the tops of trees, of various sorts, that grow on the arid slope that sur¬
rounds the castle, The lead-colored clouds announce a coming storm. As the
curtain rises old Abraham is sitting in the middle of the cabin and Leah is
kneeling near him. She has just confided her love for Rudolf to the old man
and has answered all his questions.
" But is he not a Christian according to the principles of the Son of Man?"
the old man asked.
"Father," Leah answered, "he is good according to the principles of
Humanity."
"Yes, his heart is good—worthy to be united with thine. Do, then, as thy
destiny urges. But ye will suffer, ye children of this age of injustice and blind¬
ness."
"No, my father," replies Leah, "for we shall go to hide our love beyond
the seas, on the hospitable shores of America—that great land of Liberty where
Love and Duty do not conflict."
Then the old man asks if he shall not be an obstacle and a charge to their
happiness.
"No," said she, "follow us and you shall be our father. But yes—shall
you not grieve at no longer feeling the soil of your native land beneath your
feet?" she added.
Smiling and nodding his head, Abraham replied:
" I will call back all the Children of Israel from the lands in which I have
scattered them saith the Lord. Haste, then, to reconnoitre the road and the cross¬
ings, for the noise of the torrent is louder in mine ears than usual, and if God
does not avert the tempest it will burst upon these ruined walls."
Leah leaves him, counselling him not to stir abroad during her absence.
When Leah is gone Abraham closes the door of the cabin and stretches
himself upon a couch of heather.
"Yes," he says to himself, "the noise of the torrent rises even to this place,
like the threatening voice of the Lord."
Nathan, followed by Fritz, Lory and Jehan, enter.
" Oh! what a cursed road !" says Nathan in a low voice.
"Yes," replies Fritz, also in a whisper, and they all stop on perceiving the
caoin.
"Ah! we shall soon unearth the vermin!" they say.
" But suppose the brutes won't stir?" says one of them.
" Leave that to me!" says Nathan coldly. " They will go. I have laid my
plans too well to fail. "
"That's so!" the peasants cry. "Much too well! A carriage fit for a prince!
We should have driven them off in ruder fashion!"
"There is always time enough for that," Nathan says, as he looks through
the chinks in the cabin door. " Pshaw! I see only the old sorcerer."
" But while we wait for the other one, Master Schoolmaster, tell us what
passed that night in HerrLorentz's house,"asked the peasants. And after looking
to the right and left, to see that no one was coming, the schoolmaster tells them
that Rudolf has almost killed his father by telling him of his love for the Jewess.
"What! This one here?" ask the peasants, pointing to the cabin.
LEAH.
hereux, je te chasse et te donne ma malediction, dissent les paysans effrayes
disant.
Qui ? mais avant qu'il ent pu prononcer ee mot le pauvre Mr. Lorentz
tomba dans mes bras comme foudroye. Les paysans parlent pendant un ins¬
tant et l'un d'eux s'adressant au Maitre d'Ecole : mais est ce qu'il n'est pas
repentant, maintenant? Rudolph.
Oui, mais il faut se defier, et jai trouve le moyen de nous debarasser de ,
cette peste, dit-il en montrant la cabane.
A ce moment on entand un roulement de tonnerre au loin.
Eh depechous nous Maitre d'Ecole! voila l'orage, ils veulent entrer de
force, mais Nathan les arrete disant que le bailli a defendu la violence que du
reste la porte de la cabane est retenue par uu verrou en dedans a l'aide d'un
baton je vais le fair glisser dit-il et j'entrerai.
Non ! tenez, avec mon couteau ce sera plus facile.
Bien, bien, dit Nathan, les poussant au dehors, tenez vous a l'ecart je vous
appellerai quand il en sera temps et les paysans sortent en disant Depechez
vous, Maitre Karl, voila l'orage, voila la pluie,
Nathan seul marche a la porte de la cabane avec son eouteau il fait glis¬
ser le verrou—pousse brusquement la porte et entre, au meme instant eclair
suivi du bruit de la fondre.
C'est toi Leah, dit Abraham qui se dresse et comme Nathan ne reponde
pas: qui est la ? ajoute le vieiilard.
De par le diable ! un etre humain qui cherche un refuge contre borage.
Abraham surpris, croyant la porte fermee offre son lit de bruyere et de
l'eau de source, mais Nathan ricane.
Si vous eles ermite vous ferez bien de prier pour ceux qui voyagent sous
cettc tempete.
Quel est cette homme—se demande Abraham surpris tous a eoup.
Ou est ta compagne lui demande Nathan.
Oh quel est cette homme, se dit encore Abraham apart.
Nathan s'approchant de nonvau de lui: Comment etes vous venu dans
cette cabane ?
— On nous y a amenes.
— Qui ?
— Une ame charitable.
— Et de quel droit ?
— Etes vous Chretien, demande brusquement le vieiilard a Nathan sur¬
pris et furieux.
— Si je suis Chretien, moi, renomme dans le pays depuis quinze ans.
— Depuis quinze ans ?
— Oui! allons, appeile ta compagne et prends ton baton si tu ne veux
pas que l'on caresse avec les vieilles epaules de reprouve,
— Oh cctte voix ! cette voix ! dit le vieiilard tremblant.
Nathan le seconant, ne entends tu pas, Chien Mandit!
Abraham lui saisissant le poignet et d'une voix sourde et terrible,
Lequel de nous deux est mandit ?
Nathan frissonant : allons, tu es fou, Juif.
Abraham continue ; a Rosenbiirg David le Sage avait un fils, un monstre
qui pour s'emparer de For neeessaire a payer ses debauches, frappa son pere et
s'enfuit dans la nuit.
Nathan voulant se degager : Eh laisse moi vieiilard.
Abraham continuant : depuis quinze ans ce miserable, fils de mon frere
se cache pour echapper au chatiment.
LEAH.
15
"Yes, my friends, this beggar who hides herself here," says Nathan. "And
the Burgomaster fell into such a terrible rage that he cursed his son and drove
him out of the house."
"Cursed him?" cry the peasants in terror.
"Yes; but before the words were out of his mouth poor Herr Lorentz fell
into my arms as if struck by lightning."
After a moment's consultation one of the peasants, addressing himself to the
schoolmaster, says:
"But does not Rudolf repent of his disobedience?"
"He does, but we cannot trust him. However, I have found the means of
ridding ourselves of these pests," said Nathan, pointing to the cabin.
A peal of thunder is heard in the distance.
"Haste! Haste! The storm will be upon us!" cried the schoolmaster.
They try to force the cabin door, but Nathan stops them, saying that the
Burgomaster had forbidden violence and that the door was locked and barred
inside, but that he would find means to withdraw it and to enter.
" Take my knife. That will be the easiest way," says a peasant.
" Good!" says Nathan, pushing them away. " Hide yourselves. I will call
you when it is time." The peasants withdraw, telling him to lose no time, for
the storm was approaching.
Nathan, left alone, goes to the door of the cabin and slips the bolt of the lock
with the knife, then pushes the door open and enters. At the same instant a
flash of lightning and the crash of thunder burst forth.
"Is it thee, Leah?"asks Abraham, sitting up. And as Nathan does not reply
he adds: "Who is there?"
"A human being who seeks shelter from the storm."
Abraham, surprised, as he had thought the door was fast, offers his bed of
heather and a draught of water to the stranger, but Nathan laughs sardonically
and says through the noise of the thunder:
"If you are a hermit you would do well to pray for those who travel, es¬
pecially in such weather."
"Who is this man?" Abraham asks himself in wonder.
"Where is the woman who was with you?" asks Nathan.
"Who can this man be?" again Abraham asks himself.
$ * 4c 4c 4c 4c 4c 4c
Nathan approaches the old man and asks:
" How came you in this cabin?"
"We were brought here."
"By what right?"
"Are you a Christian?" the old man demands. And Nathan answers, sur¬
prised and furious:
"Yes, I am a Christian, well known and respected for 15 years!"
"For 15 years?"
" Now call your companion, take your staff and be off if you don't wish to
have it laid about your old shoulders!"
"That voice!" cried the old man, trembling.
"Do you hear me, cursed dog?" says Nathan, pushing him.
Abraham, seizing Nathan's hand, speaks in a deep and terrible voice:
"Which of us is accursed?"
"You are mad, Jew!" says Nathan, trembling.
Abraham went on:
"At Rosenburg David the Wise had a son—-a monster!—who, to obtain the
gold needful for his debaucheries, struck down his father in the night—"
" Let me go, old man!" cried Nathan, struggling to get away.
" For 15 years," continued the old man, "this wretch, my brother's son,
has hidden himself to avoid punishment."
16
LEAH.
Nathan : Eh ! que me fait cette histoire de vieillard ? le tenant courbe de-
vant lui: II le fait frisonner d'effroi, car tues Nathan, Nathan de Rosen-
burg.
— Ah mon reve.
— Et tu as tue ton pere.
— Nathan se redressant : Silence ! Silence !
—Non Nathan de Rosenburg.... J'ai jure de te livrer un jonr a la
justice des hommes.
— Nathan terrifie : tu as jure ?
— Abraham d'une voix terrible : Assassin, Renegat, Parricide, j'a jure!
— Nathan se dressant—tais toi—tais toi, je suis Maitre Karl et je
na'i pas d'autre nom !
— Abraham continue ; tu mens et dans un mouvement rapide passe sa
main sur le visage de Nathan qui se degage en poussant un eri de rage et
frissonnant.
L'orage redouble au dehors.
On entend la voix des paysans.
—Abraham crie toujours—tu es Nathan de Rosenburg, tu es un juif re¬
negat.
—Ah tais toi! dit Nathan le saisissant a la gorge, s'ils viennent, si on en-
tend, je suis perdu—il ferme la porte et revient vers le vieillard que marcheles
mains tendues criant toujours : Parricide.
—Tais tois par l'enfer.
— Non tu as renie la foi de tes peres. Bruit de foudre et eclairs au dehors
pendant que Nathan affole, terrible dit au vieillard :
—Prends garde ! c'est vrai! prends garde, la terreur fait de moi un tigre
tais toi !
— J'entends des voix ! Je ne me tairais pas !
— Oh silence, ou je te brice !
— Non non, je dirai ton secret—tu es....
— (Nathan le frappant avec le coutcau): Mais, tais toi done demon !
Au meme instant la foudre tombe sur une partie du toit qui s'ecroule avec
fracas.
Abraham roule a terre comme une masse—les paysans accourent affoles
et vont entrer dans la, cabane, mais Nathan se precipite au dehors les arretant
(fou) : Nentrez pas, nentrez pas mes amis ce refuge est mandlt le juif est mort.
— Mort.—Mort ?
— Oui ! Mort ! frappe par la foudre (Nathan se signe) par 'la main de
Dieu, les paysans se signent a leur tour s'ecsrtent de la cabane et tremblants
de crainte s'eloignent en disant a Nathan : Oh restez la si vous voulcz, Maitre
d'Ecole. Nous nous retournons au village. Et ils disparaissent laissant Nathan
seul fremissant, au milieu des eclaires, presque aussitot Leah parait: Pere !
pere ! crie t-elle, puis apercevant Nathan : Ah que voulez vous ? qui etes vous?
— Celui ci domptant son affolement terrible.
— Un ami, mon enfant.
— Un ami ?
— Envoye vers vous, par ceclui qui vous airrie.
— Rudolph ! quoi . . , qu'y a t-il ?
— Et Nathan raconte h Leah qu'il vient de la part de Rudolph lui dire
que ce dernier ne peut pas quitter son pere mourant h cause de la querelle de
la nult derniere, mais que Rudolph la supplie de partir a l'instant meme et
d'aller l'attendre a Presbourg ou il la rejoindra.
LEAH.
1/
"And what has this tale to do with me?"
"Oh! it makes thee tremble, for thou art Nathan!—Nathan of Rosenburg!"
" Oh! my dream!"
"And thou hast slain thy father!"
"Silence! Silence!"
" No! Nathan of Rosenburg, I have vowed to deliver thee to the justice of
- man!"
"You have vowed?"
"Assassin! renegade! parricide! I have vowed!"
"Silence! I am Master Karl and never had any other name! "
"Thou liest!"
With a quick gesture the old man passes his hand over Nathan's face, who
throws him off with a cry of rage and terror.
The storm bursts into redoubled fury and the voices of the peasants are
heard outside. Abraham continues to cry:
"Thou art Nathan of Rosenburg, a renegade Jew! "
44 Silence! " cries Nathan, seizing him by the throat. '' If any one hears you I
am lost!" So saying he shuts the door, and returning to the old man, who is still
crying out " Parricide! " he says:
"Silence! or by Hell—"
" Never! Thou hast denied the faith of thy fathers! "
The thunder rolls and the lightning flashes, while Nathan, enraged and ter¬
rible, says to the old man:
" Beware! you speak truly. Beware! lest terror makes of me a wild beast.
Silence! I say."
4' I hear voices. I will not be silent! "
44 Silence! or I will kill you!"
"No, never! Thou art Nathan! Thy secret is known! Thou art—"
Nathan strikes him with the knife, crying out:
" Will you be silent, demon? "
At that moment a thunderbolt falls upon a part of the roof, which crashes
in with terrific noise. Abraham falls to the ground in a heap. The peasants rush
on dismayed and go to enter the cabin, but Nathan stops tnem by crying:
" Do not enter, my friends, this refuge is accursed! The Jew is dead! "
"Dead? Dead?"
"Aye, dead! Struck by the thunder of Heaven" (making the sign of the
cross), " struck by the hand of God ! "
The peasants cross themselves also, quit the cabin and, trembling with fear,
fly, crying out to Nathan:
" Stay if you like, schoolmaster, we'll go back to the village! " And rush off
leaving Nathan alone, groaning in the terrible lightning.
Almost immediately Leah appears, crying:
" Father! Father! " Then, seeing Nathan:
" Ah! what do you here ? Who are you? " And ho, mastering his terror,
replies:
" A friend, my child."
"A friend? "
" Yes; sent by one who loves you."
44 Rudolf? What is the matter? "
And Nathan tells Leah that he comes on the part of Rudolf to say that he
cannot leave his dying father—dying of grief and anger after the quarrel of last
night—but that he begs her to depart at once and wait for him at Presbou-g,
where he will join her.
"Go to Presbourg?" cries Leah, trembling with fear.
"Yes, my child," continued the assassin. "Rudolf has got everything
ready with my assistance. A carriage and two good horses await you. Lose not
a moment. Here is a purse of gold, take it and quit this vile, wicked country."
i3
LEAH.
— Partir a Presbourg dit Leah, tranblante de crainte.
— Oui, mon enfant, continue l'assassin, et avec mon aide Rudolph a tout
prevu une voiture et deux bons chevaux vous attendent, done ne perdez pas
une minute voici un sac de pieces d'or prenez et quittez vite ce mechant pays
et Nathan glisse le sac d'or dans la sorte de besace que Leah porte a son
cote.
— Ah mon Dieu que dois—je faire dit Leah trouble.
— Allons, allons pas de faiblesse, continue le Maitre d'Ecole c'est la vo-
lonte de Rudolph partez vous l'attendrez a Presbourg ou il ira vous rejoindre.
— Mais je puis l'atteudre ici dit tout a coup Leah.
-— Mais ce serait vous perdre, continue Nathan la pressant de plus en plus
craignez la fureur de tous ccs paysans feroces qui vous chercherent la tout a
l'heure encore.
— II y avait des gens tout a l'heure ? dit Leah en tressaillant et se diri-
geant vers la cabane. Et ce pauvre vieillard que j'ai laisse seul.
Nathan regarde avec terreur autour de lui, Leah entre dans la cabane et
voyant Abraham entendu, couvert de sang, elle pousse un cri terrible puis sor-
tant de la cabane elle appelle.
— Quoi quoi, lui dit Nathan.
Leah desesperee : Ah ! ces hommes . . . toute a l'heure . . . ce sont
eux . . .
— Silence. S'ils revenaient, du calme.
— N'oubliez pas Rudolph.
— Leah s'arrete brusquement, avec des larmes : Rudolph ! c'est un jour
de malheur mais il n'est pas mort peut etre, dit elle vivement.
Nathan lui saisissaut la main : Vous croyez? Elle rentre dans la cabane,
Nathan la suit tremblant et reste sur le senil : que faire ? dit elle—que faire ?
Un peu d'eau le rammenerait peut etre, elle ramasse un vase a terre et
le presente a Nathan, ah je vous en prie allez tous pres; la tout pres, une
source.
— Nathan recule : Mais . . .
Leah avec desespoir. Vous ne pouvez pas refuser cela a un agonisant.
Nathan prenant le vase ; Soit ! il sort et tuarche comme ivre parmi les
pierres pendant que Leah s'agenouille pres du vieiilard et ramasse le couteau
que ses yeux recontrent a terre, a ce moment Nathan s'arrete au milieu des
ruines lache le vase qui le brise et tombe assis sur une pierre disant: Ah ! il
me semble que j'etrems encore de ces doigts tremblants la gorge du vieillard
—dans la cabane Abraham pousse nn soupir. Silence, ma fille, dit-il a Leah
qui jette un cri ettouffe.
— Ah quel etre assez cruel.
Abraham parlant avec effort: Econte, celui qui m'a frappe, s'appellc ici
Maitre Karl; mais son nom est Nathan va, pars, nos freres te dirent
ses crimes . . . tu pourras me venger. Ton front une derniere fois et que le gar-
dien d'Israel qui veille et ne s'endort jamais l'abr.te toujours sous ses ailes—il
l'embrasse dans un dernier effort et tombe sans mouvement.
—II est mort, dit Leah. Oh feu du ciel qui detruisiez jadis les cites im-
pies tu as pu eclairer de pareils crimes et jure de ne pas prendre de
repos avant le chatiment de l'assassin maudit.
Au bruit de la fondre, Nathan aceable au milieu des ruines, releve la tete,
apres un moment d'egarement, it se souvient.
— Ah s'il revenait a lui! s'il parlait dit-il avec terreur, venant vivement
-vers la cabane. Mais Leah vient de s'agenouiller pres du cadavre. Elle recite
a haute voix la psaume des morts :
Du fond de l'abime je crie vers vous Seigneur.
On entend au loin les tintements de cloche annon^ant la priere du soir.
LEAH.
19
So saying Nathan slips a purse into a sort of pocket that Leah wears at her
side.
" My God! What ought I to do?" cries Leah, troubled.
"Come, come, no weakness. 'Tis Rudolf's wish. Go and meet him at
Presbourg."
"But I can wait here," says Leah, suddenly.
"That would be to lose your life." Nathan goes on to say:
" Dread the fury of these rude peasants, who were looking for you but this
moment."
"True, there were people here but a moment ago," says Leah, trembling
and going towards the cabin. " But that poor old man, whom I should leave
alone and defenseless."
Nathan gazes about with terror. Leah enters the cabin and, seeing
Abraham stretched on the ground and bathed in his blood, she utters a cry of
horror, and rushing out of the cabin she calls for aid.
" What? What? " Nathan says to her, and Leah, in despair, cries:
"Oh! those men!—but a moment since—it was they! "
" Silence! If they should Come back!—be calm. Remember Rudolf ! "
Leah stops him quickly by her tears:
"Rudolf ! Oh! this is a day of misfortune—but perhaps he is not dead,"
she cries eagerly.
Nathan, seizing her hand, says:
" You believe it? " and she re-enters the-cabin. Nathan follows her, tremb¬
ling, but remains on the threshold.
" What must I do? " says she, distracted. " Perhaps a little water may revive
him."
She seizes a pitcher from the floor and gives it to Nathan, saying: " Quick!
Quick! I beg of you—to the well ! "
Nathan recoils and Leah, in despair, cries:
"You will not refuse a drop of water to a dying man? "
"So be it," says Nathan, taking the pitcher and going out among the rocks
like a drunken man, while Leah kneels beside the old man and picks up the
knife, the gleam of which catches her eye.
At this instant Nathan pauses in the middle of the ruins, casts down the
pitcher, which breaks against the rocks, and falls postrate, groaning: "Ah! I
feel still in these trembling fingers the throat of the old man."
Inside the cabin Abraham utters a sigh.
"Silence! daughter," he says to Leah, who smothers a scream.
"Ah! what monster of cruelty—"
Abraham, smiling with a great effort, murmurs:
" Listen! The man who struck me is called Master Karl, but his right name
is Nathan. Go! go! our brethren will tell you of his crimes. You can avenge
me. Let me kiss thy forehead for the last time and may the Guardian of Israel,
who slumbers not nor sleeps, shelter thee beneath his wings."
With a last dying effort he kisses her and falls lifeless.
" He is dead! " cries Leah. " Oh! Lord of Heaven, who didst destroy the -
impious cities of the plains, canst Thou suffer such crimes to pass unavenged? "
And she swears never to rest till the assassin is found and punished.
At the noise of the thunder Nathan, crouched among the ruins, lifts his
head. After an instant of dizziness he regains consciousness and cries:
"Ah! if he should come to his senses and speak?" And he shook with
terror.
But just then Leah was kneeling by the corpse and reciting aloud the psalm
of the dead: ' ,
"Out of the depths have I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast heard my
voice."
A bell in the distance rings for vespers.
20
LEAH.
N'athan qui econte Leah en dehors de la cabane se courbe semble ecrase
lors qu(elle a termine la priere, il murmure Ainsi soit il.
Leah jette un manteau sur le eorps du vieillard et econte un instant—Les
cloches, dit elle avec des larmes—l'heure ou nous devions partir, et marchant
a reculons : Adieu noble vieillard. Je t'abandonne la depouille sacree plus
que jamais. Je dois partir mais mon amc sera pres de toi et priera pour toi.
Adieu ! elle disparait au fonde des ruines.
Nathan s'elange avec un crie de joie.
— Ah c'est fait—c'est fair ! Mais au roulement de touuerre il s'arrete.
Mais gronde. dechaine les tempetes, ecrase moi vengeance du ciel car je
suis bien damne—il tombe a deux genoux au milieu des ruines.
[rideau.]
Acte Quatrieme.
Meme decor qu'au icrActe. Au lever du rideau les jeunesgensdu village
sont occupes a poser des guirlandes de fleurs de chuque cote de la porte du
bailli. Lory qui vient d'entrer demande a Fritz sil n'a pas vu Rosel qu'il doit
epouser si, comme lui a dit Rudolph, il fait sa couquete le jour meme.
Ah! je comprends, dit Fritz, en riant, tu veux seduire Rosel elle m'a refuse
pour mari et ma foi je pass au Regiment.
Ah mon bon Fritz
Ace moment Gertrude sortant par la petite porte de l'eglise, parait: Bravo,
Bravo mes enfants dit-elle, des fleurs partout, moi je viens d'ornerla chapelle
et Fritz, et Lory la preunent a part et lui demandent si Rudolph a complete-
ment oublic la juive- on parle de son mariage avec Madeleine dont on fait les
preparatifs et qui doit avoir lieu le jour meme. On parle de l'habile Me. d'ecole
qui a su debarasser le village de cette mendiante, on parle d'un discours qu'il a
fait a propos des Juifs suivi de la description de la mort du vicil avengle sue
devant lni. ... on s'etoune de la disparation du cadavre du vieux juif
qu'on a jamais pu retrouver. Gertrude declare en se signant qu'il yu du Sortilege
la dedans. Et comprenez vous que Me. Karl ne voulait pas assister au mariage
de Rudolph et de Madeleine, ajoute 1-elle mais Mr. Lorentz lui a fait dire que
sil nevenait pas de bonne volonte, on l'amenerait de force, tous trouvent ca tres
bien et Gertrude centre chez M. Lorentz en apercevant ce dernier qui arrive
par l'aporte de l'enclos du Presbytere avec le pere Hermaun. — Le Bailli ne
se possede pas de joie: Ah qui aurait cru il y a deux nois que les violons
seraient aujourc lui dans ma maison dit-il au pere Hermann, et que Rudolph
marcherait a l'antel avec votre Madeleine. —Le pere Hermann s'excuse et le
quitte, disant que c'est a 1 antel que le pretre doit attendre, a ce moment le
petit Frank vient annoncer au bailli, que Me. Karl viendra pour lui faire
plaisir.
Ah! a la bonne heure, il eut manque a ma joie ce brave maitre d'ecole,
etavec des 'eclats de rire il entraine les jennes, gens dans sa maison pour boire
a la sante des futurs epoux — a ce moment Madeleine et Rudolph paraissent
a leur tour.
Tu entends la joie de ce bon Mr. Lorentz ? dit Madeleine a Rudolph.
— Oui repond celui-ci
LEAH.
21
Nathan, who has heard Leah from the outside of the cabin, crouches to the
earth in shame and fear, and when she has ended he murmurs:
" So be it."
Leah casts a cloak over the body of the old man and listens for an instant.
"Ah! the bells! " she says. " The hour of our departure." And quitting the
cabin backwards she murmurs:
" Adieu! noble old man. I leave thy sacred remains more reverend now than
ever. I must go, but my soul will be near thee and will pray for thee. Adieu!"
So saying, with a parting look, she disappears among the ruins.
Nathan darts off with a cry of joy:
" Ah! 'tis done! 'tis done! "
But at the crashing of the thunder he stops.
"Roll on! Unchain thy tempests! Crush me with thy vengeance, for I
am damned indeed! " And he falls on his knees in the midst of the ruins.
[curtain.]
Act Fourth.
Scene as in Act First. At the rising of the curtain the boys and girls of the
village are busy placing garlands of flowers on each side of the Burgomaster's
door. Lory enters and asks Fritz if he has seen Rosel, whom he is to marry if,
as Rudolf had said, he won her love that day.
"Ah! I understand," Fritz says, laughing, "you would lead the girl astray.
As for me, she has given me the mitten and I am going for a soldier."
"Oh! my good Fritz."
At this moment Gertrude, coming out of the side door of the church, appears.
"Well done, my children," she says. "Flowers ev'rywhere. I have just
decorated the chapel."
Fritz and Lory take her aside and ask her if it is true that Rudolf has quite
forgotten the Jewess and talk of his marriage to Madeleine, the preparations for
which are in progress and which is to take place that same day. They praise the
schoolmaster, who has so cleverly got rid of that beggar lass, and talk of the
edifying discourse that he delivered concerning the Jews and his description of
the death of the old blind man, killed before his eyes by the wrath of the Lord.
Everybody wonders at the disappearance of the old Jew's body, which has
not been found, and Gertrude declares, crossing herself the while, that in her
opinion there is some sorcery in it.
"And remember that Master Karl has refused to be present at the wedding
of Rudolf and Madeleine, she adds. " But Herr Lorentz had told him that
if he did not come of free will he would be brought by force, which every one
approved mightily.
Gertrude goes into the Burgomaster's house to meet him as he comes in with
Father Hermann by the gate of the churchyard. Herr Lorentz is wild with joy.
"Who would have believed two months ago," says he, " that the fiddles
would be in my house to-day and that Rudolf would lead your Madeleine to
the altar?"
Father Hermann leaves him with the excuse that the priest's fitting place is
the altar. Just then little Frantz comes to tell the Burgomaster that Mas¬
ter Karl will come to the ceremony.
22
LEAH.
— Cher Rudolph, et elle parle des moments passes, bien tristes pour elle
ou elle, le voyait lui qu elle aimait tant, paraissant avoir completement oublie
son amie d'enfance, mais je n elais pas irritee contre toi dit-elle-je regardais
la petite bague que me vient de toi et je priais pour que tu soies heureux.
— C'ette petite bague n'a done jamais quitte ton doigt.
Oh jamais repond Madelaine je l'avais toujours prise pour ma bague de
fiangailles-oh tu verras comme nous serons heureux et tu ne penseras plus
jamais au passe. Ce passe a-t-'ll jamais excate Madeleine, repond amerement
Rudolph !
— Amsi je ne prends pas le bien d'une antre en prenant ton coeur.
Non mon coeur est libre - le bien de celle dont lu paries etait l'or qu' elle
a emporte, l'infame.
Madeleine l'arrete en disant: Viens, viens Rudolph. Allons former une
couronne avec ces fleurs cueillies sur la tombe de mes pauvres parents je veux
les mettre sur ma teste pour aller al' autel. .... Au moment on ils
rentrent, le bailli sort de chez lui avec les amis de Rudolph: Allez, dit-il
assemblez tous les pauvres du village qu'ils viennent, ils seront tous
traites comme vous memes. — En sortant les jennes gens rencontrent Me.
Karl.
— Eh mais arrivez done, crie le bailli, en venant a lui.
Helas je serai un si triste compagnon de fete, rieane le Me. d'ecole.
En effet, remarque M. Lorentz, vos traits soul alteres comme si vous aviez
perdu d'un seul coup votre famille entiere.
Nathan tressaille, et M. Lorentz transporte de joie, continue gaiement:
Allons ami, il faut reprendre votre bonne allure d'autrefois le pere Hermann
dit que vous avez ete frappe par la mort du vieux juif —
— Moi.
— Dam, ce malheureux tue tout pres de vous par la fondre ....Mais
voyous, taisons tout cela venez admirer votre ocuvre le bouheur de nos
chers enfants.
Helas, M. Lorentz vous etes trop bon proteste Nathan. Je ne merite pas
j' ai agi
Allons! allons! dit Le bailli l'interempant, vous meritez beaucoup- venez,
je veux que vous soyez a cote de moi pendant toute la fete-ils vont disparaitre-
quand Nathan apercevant Leah, qui parait, arrete le bailli-qui regarde a sou tour
et n'e croit pas ses yeux. Que venez vous encore cherchez ici, juive mandite
dit-il, allant a Leah.
Oh pitie pitie dit celle ci reconnaissant M. Lorentz qui l'a protege
de ja contre la foule, repondez moi. Je cherche la demeure d'un jenne liomme
appele Rudolph.
Oui da! et que lui voulez vous encore fille perdue et Leah le supple
de lui repondre qu'il est encore dans le pays qu'il n'est point mal'ade et
qu' elle pourra le voir.
— Le voir s'ecrie Lorentz, voulez vous recommencer vos duperies ...
ne vous at-on pas payee-
Leah saisie-Payee.
Allez allez continue le magistrat, partez si vous ne voulez pas que nos
hommes de police nous debarassent de vous.
— Leah ne comprenant rien tombe a deux genoux epuisee de fatigue et
de besoin: Voyez Monsieur je n'aurai plus la force de me relever seule—oh
dite moi dite moi.
Lorentz inquiet lui dit: il fant partir-vous en allez sur le champ ou jevous
fais chasser.
— Mais Rudolph, Rudolph ?
— Rudolph connait vos artifiee et vous meprise.
LEAH.
23
"Ah! good news," he says. "My pleasure would have been marred without
the good master's presence." And he invites the young people to come in and
drink to the happy pair.
Rudolf and Madeleine enter.
" You see how delighted the good Burgomaster is," says Madeleine.
"Yes, I see," replies Rudolf.
Then Madeleine tells of the sad moments she had passed when he whom she
loved so well had seemed to forget her, his childhood's friend. " But I was not
angry," she says. " I looked at the little ring you had given me and prayed that
you might be happy."
" Then has that ring never left your finger?"
"Oh! never. I kept it for my ring of betrothal. Oh! how happy we shall
be and you will think no more of the past."
" Has that past ever existed, Madeleine?" Rudolf replies, bitterly.
" So I shall not be taking what belongs to another?"
" No, my heart is free. The other cared for naught but my gold."
Madeleine stops him, saying: " Come, come, Rudolf, let us twine a
wreath of the flowers culled from the grave of my dear parents. I will wear it
at the altar."
As they go into the house the Burgomaster comes out with the friends of
Rudolf: "Assemble all the poor of the village. They shall be treated like
ourselves." As they go out the young people meet Master Karl.
" So you are here, my friend?" cries the Burgomaster, going up to him.
4'Alas! I shall be but a skeleton at the feast," the schoolmaster says, gloomily.
"You do look as if you had lost all your family," says the Burgomaster,
sympathetically.
Nathan trembles and Herr Lorentz goes on gayly:
"Come, come, my friend, you must call back the pleasant looks you used
to wear. Father Hermann says that you have been shocked by the death of
that old Jew."
"I?"
44 That poor wretch whom the lightning slew at your very feet. But come,
leave all that and rejoice in your good work—the happiness of our dear chil¬
dren. "
"Alas! Herr Lorentz, you are too good," Nathan protests. "I don't
deserve such kindness. I have acted —"
"Come, come," the Burgomaster says, interrupting him, "you deserve a
great deal. You must be at my side during all the festivity."
They are about to go away together when Nathan, catching sight of Leah,
who appears at that moment, stops the Burgomaster, who looks in his turn, but
can scarce believe his eyes.
" What do you seek here, accursed Jewess?" he says to Leah.
"Take pity on me, noble sir, " Leah cries, recognizing in Herr Lorentz the
man who has already protected her from the mob, " I'seek the abode of a young
man named Rudolf."
"And what want you with him, lost girl? "
Leah begs him to tell her if Rudolf is well and has not left the country and
whether she can see him.
"See him!" cries Lorentz. "Would you, then, exercise your witchcraft
again ? Has he not paid you? "
" Paid? Paid me? "
" Go! wretched girl, if you would not be thrust out of the village by the
police."
Leah, not understanding him, falls on her knees faint with want and fatigue.
" You see, sir, I have not the strength to rise. Oh! tell me, tell me!"
Lorentz says, anxiously: "You must go at once or I will have you driven,
away."
24
LEAH.
— Lui me mepriser, mais pour quoi, mon Dieu pourquoi.
— Parce qu'il vous bait et qu'il en aime une autre.
— Une autre? une autre? Oh non! non! non! Nathan a part: Ah que
faire?
Ecoutez lui dit Lorentz, je ne veux pas etre sans pitie aujourd'hui-si c'est
de l'argent que vous voulez, tenez, voila ma bourse, (il la jette a ses pieds.)
Ah! s'ecrie Leah indignee.
Lorentz continne: Mais pour Dieu, parlez si vous ne voulez pas qu'un juste
chatiment ne punisse votre audace.
Leah, les yeux fixes defaillante: qu'un juste Chatiment ne punisse
Ah! je me sens mourir (elle roule a lerre sans connaissance.)
Ah! fait Nathan, Lorentz se retournant: quoi Mais elle s'est evanouie
dit Nathan.
Lorentz (frappant la terre avec sac anne.)
— Mais il ne faut pas que Rudolph la voit Me. Karl. Non, non dit celui
ci avec rage, rentrez chez vous, retenez votre fils, retenez tout le monde
pendant quelques instants — a ce moment la cloche de l'eglise sonne. — Ah
voice l'heure faites faites, Me. Karl, dit Lorentz en rentrant chez lui.
Nathan pres de Leah evanonie regarde autour de lui avec inquietude, il
frissonne qui lui rappelle son meurtre. Que faire? du il en passant la main sur
son front—a se moment on entend au loin la musique des paysans qui viennent
chercher les futurs epoux. Ah-il fant l'emporter dit-il, on vient, et par un
violent effort il emporte Leah dans 1' enclos du Presbytere — les musiciens
paraissent suivis des trites. Rosel et Lory marchent derriere les musiciens
la jeune fille porte une couronne de roses.
Madeleine et Rudolph sortent sur le perron suivis des autres inoites et
Rosel presentant sa couronne a Madeleine lui fait ses compliments et les
souhaits d'usage — Tout le monde semit en marche au milieu des paysans que
regardent acclament et agitent leurs chapeaux.
Lorentz leur fait jeter le contenu de sa bourse et pendant la sortie gen-
erale : Eh bien, demande-t-il a Nathan qui parait.
Allez, allez, repond le Maitre d'Ecole, une fois Rudolph dans l'eglise,
c'est fini, rien n'est plus a craindre.
Nathan qui va redescendre vers l'inclos, secarte en apercevant Gertrude
qui se dirige vers l'eglise en compagnie du boucher Graphen. Des qu'ils ont
disparu il redescend en scene en les suivant du regard puis se retournant tout
a coup. II voit Leah devant lui qui pousse un cri de joie en l'aperccvant.
Ah vous, c'est vous dit elle. Nathan recule esfraye surpris : Moi ?
Leah lui posant la main sur l'epaule. Oui ! vous ! vous !
Mais Nathan recule encore: Je ne vous connais pas dit-il. Je suis
chretien, je suis Maitre Karl, a ce nom terrible pour elle Leah s'arrete un mo¬
ment. Sans voix, les bras tendus, les yeux fous criant d'une voix etouffee :
Ah ! vous ? Devant ce cri et cette attitude terrifiee. Quoi dit Nathan
brusquement, me suis je trahi. Ah j'en deviendrai Fou ! Fou ! Fou ! il sort en
courant follement.
Leah reste seule un instant, comme petrifiee a cette revelation. Maitre
Karl, lui ? . . . et elle comprend tout . . . le monstre ma prise dans un piege
. . . pourtant il savait tout ce que Rudolph m'avait dit a moi seule . . . Ah
qui pourra m'expliquer cet horrible mystere crie t-elle avec desespoir et
accablee elle, prie le Seigneur d'avoir pitie d'elle a ce moment on entend l'Ave
Maria chante dans l'eglise. Ah ces voix dit elle c'est peut-etre la sainte
benediction de deux etres qui s'aiment. Ah qui que vous soyez. Ainsi
soit-il ajoute t-elle puis tout a coup elle pause que si c'est une union
dans le village il est peut-etre la parmi la foule elle va vers la fenetre,
monte sur un banc de pierre et regarde dans l'eglise. Oui c'etait une bene¬
diction nuptiale dit-elle c'est fini ah je ne vois pas sous ton voile, ton visage
LEAH.
25
" But Rudolf, Rudolf? "
" Rudolf knows your tricks and despises you."
" Despises me ? Why? My God! why?"
''Because he hates you and loves another."
"Another? Oh! no! no! no!"
Nathan mutters aside: "What is to be done? "
" Hear me!" Lorentz says. " I would not be pitiless on this day. If you
need money there is my purse." He throws it at her feet.
" Oh! " cries she, insulted.
Lorentz goes on : " But, in the name of God, go! if you would not receive
the just punishment of your audacity."
Leah, with fixed and failing eyes, gasps:
"A just punishment I fear not." And falls fainting on the ground.
"Ah!" Nathan cries. Lorentz turns to him: "What?" Nathan answers:
"She has swooned! "
Lorentz strikes the ground with his stick impatiently.
"But Rudolf must not see this girl! "
"No!" cries Nathan, enraged. "Go to your house, keep your son back.
Keep everybody away for a few minutes."
As he speaks the church clock strikes. " Ah! 'tis the hour! "
"Be quick! quick! Master Karl," Lorentz says, going hastily into the
house.
Nathan looks at Leah with disquietude. He shivers with anguish and
remorse at the sight of this girl, which recalls the murder to his mind. "What
shall I do ? " he mutters, passing his hand across his brow. Music is heard afar
off and the voices of the peasants seeking the bridal pair.
" I must carry her away," he says. And with a great effort he carries Leah
into the enclosure of the Presbytery.
The musicians appear, followed by the wedding guests.
Karl and Lory walk behind the musicians, the young girl bearing a coronet
of roses. As they reach the Burgomaster's door Madeleine and Rudolf come
out, followed^by others of the guests, andJRosel, presenting the wreath of roses to
Madeleine, offers her the usual compliments and good wishes. All begin to
move, accompanied by the villagers, cheering and waving their hats.
Lorentz throws the contents of his purse among the crowd and during the
general scramble says to Nathan : "Well?"
"Haste! haste!" replies the schoolmaster. "Once Rudolf is in the church
there is nothing more to fear."
Nathan steals away on seeing Gertrude, who is going to the church accom¬
panied by the butcher, Graphen. As soon as they have disappeared he comes
back and gazes after them. Then turning suddenly he sees Leah, who utters a
cry of joy at seeing him.
"Ah! 'tis you? " she cries. Nathan starts back, surprised and alarmed.
" I? " Leah, putting her hand on his his shoulder, says:
"Yes, you!"
But Nathan recoils again, saying:
" I know you not. I am a Christian. I am Karl, the schoolmaster." At
this name, so terrible to her ears, Leah stops, voiceless, with outstretched arms
and wild eyes, crying in a smothered voice :
" Ah! you! "
Nathan, terrified by that cry and that attitude, cries loudly: "What? Am I
betrayed? Oh! I shall go mad! mad!" and flies madly.
Leah remains a moment as if turned to stone.
" He! he! Master Karl!" Then she comprehends all.
" The monster has caught me in a snare! He knew all that Rudolf had said
to me when we were alone. Who can explain this dreadful mystery?" And in
despair she prays the Lord to have pity on her.
26
LEAH.
ruyonnant d'amour, oh jeune fille. Mais que celui que tu as choisie. Elle
pousse un cri terrible. Ah, Dieu, Dieu juste Rudolph ! et soudain folle de
douleur devant l'abime qi s'ouvre devant elle apres avoir arrache les gurlandes
de fete pour les fouler a ses pieds dans une invocation terrible elle appelle Je¬
hovah a son secours—Alons Rudolph parait—au moment ou Leah a regarde
dans l'eglise il la apercue comme une vision dans l'encadrement de la fenetre.
Malheureuse—Malheureuse, que viens la faire ici dit-il-je viens me venger,
dit froidement Leah. D'avoir brise mon coeur est ce cela dont tu viens te
venger lui dit Rudolph a voix casse. Non, continue Leah. Je viens me
venger d'un parjure,
Lequel des deux est parjure, poursuit Rudolph de celui qui n'attendait
qu'un jour pour sacrifier tout celui tout a son amour, on de lautre qui le vend
pour quelques pieces d'or.
Quoi cest or apporte par ce miserable, Maitre Karl crie Leah.
Tais toi, n'insulte pas cet homme d'evoue, cet ami fidele.
Eh ! Dieu ! Dieu ! Dieu ! S'ecrie Leah ! et tu as crie ! et tu mas me-
prisel au point d'eu epouser une autre pendant que, folle, les pieds meurtris
j'accourais par les routes, succombant a chaque pas, de fatigue et de faim, mal-
gre tou or que j'ai garde que jai cache comme un depot sacre.—Oh ciel par-
donne moi ci'avoir aimer ce miserable Chretien.
Alors Rudolph ebranle s'ecrie : Expliques toi Leah ! Si je ne suis trompe
je reparerez le mal que j'ai fait !
Comment parjure ? apres les sorments de fidelite que tu viens de jurer al
autel lui dit la malheureuse le repoussant va mon amour s'est change en haure
tu es efifaci, ecrese, aneanti pour moi.
Rudolph tombe a genoux suppliant: Par le ciel: Quoi tu oses en appeler
au ciel continue Leah tu as outrage tous ses commandements.
Rudolph fou de douleur le trainue a ses pieds, suppliant. Mais Leah le
repoussant toujours la crie une darmere fois—puisses tu sufifrire la meme houte
que ma houte et de meme que mes peres chasses et mourants reprirent
la harde pour jeter encore sur la montagne le cri sacre de la vengance
(Malheur Babylone malheur a toi) le corps brise mais le coeur fort de naive
je jette trois fois sur ta tete mandite le meme cri de vengance. Mal¬
heur .... Malheur .... Malheur a toi! elle disparait et Rudolph tombe
evanou pendant que les jeunes gsns paraissant le cherchant.
«
[RIDEAU.]
LEAH.
2;
The Ave Maria sounds from the church.
"Ah! those voices! Perhaps they sing a blessing on some happy pair of
lovers. Whoever ye be, may ye be happy! It may be a village wedding, per¬
haps." She climbs to the church window and looks in.
"Yes, 'tis indeed a nuptial benediction. 'Tis over now and I cannot see her
face under the veil, but I know it is radiant with joy and love. But he whom
thou hast chosen?" She utters a terrible cry.
"Oh! God! 'tis Rudolf!" And mad with grief she tears down the garlands of
flowers and tramples them under foot, calling on Jehovah for aid and succor.
Rudolf appears. He has seen Leah looking through the window like a vision
from the other world.
"Unhappy girl, what would you do?"
"I would avenge myself," answers Leah, coldly.
" On my broken heart?" Rudolf says, in a low voice.
"No!.on a perjurer!"
"Which is the perjured one," Rudolf cries, "he who would sacrifice all to
his love or she who sold her lover for a few pieces of gold?"
"What! That gold brought to me by that villain Karl?"
"Silence! Do not dare to insult that faithful, devoted friend!"
" Oh! my God! my God!" cries Leah. " And you believed him? You despise
me and wed another, while I, distracted, barefoot, stagger over the stony roads,
falling at every step, weary and perishing of hunger, in spite of your gold, which
I have guarded as a sacred trust! May God forgive me for having loved this
miserable Christian!"
Then Rudolf cries, overcome:
"Explain yourself, Leah! If I have been deceived I will undo the wrong I
have committed!"
" How can you after the vows of fidelity you have just sworn at the altar?
Go! my love is changed to hate! You are nothing to me now, you are another's!"
Rudolf falls on his knees, crying:
"By Heavens!—"
" What! You dare appeal to Heaven—that Heaven that you have outraged?"
Mad with grief, Rudolf drops himself at her feet, but she repulses him, cry¬
ing out:
"May'st thou suffer the shame that I feel now! May'st thou be thrice ac¬
cused, and even as my fathers, hunted down and perishing, seized their harps with
their dying hands to make the hills resound once more with their cries of ven¬
geance: "Woe to Babylon!" so I cry: "Woe to thee!" with a broken down
body, but a heart strong in hate. I call thrice on thy head, thy accursed head,
the same cry of vengeance: Woe! Woe! Woe!"
She disappears and Rudolf falls senseless, while the young people rush to
seek him.
[curtain.]
28
LEAH.
ACTE ClNQUIEME.
Interieur de ferme riche a l'entree du village. Au lever d"U rideau. Rosel
assise chante en cousant un ruban sur un chapeau d'enfant. Lory qui est en-
tre depuis un moment l'embrasse sur le cou.
— Qu'est ce que tu fais done la, ma femme ? et gaiemenl lui apprend que
son cousin Fritz est de retour qu'il est arrive dans la nuit au village, au bout
d'un instant Fritz parait au dehors en costume militaire, acclame par les pay-
sans qui l'entourent.—Oui, c'est moi dit-il, en saluant tout le monde et en ve-
liant embrasser Rosel et serrer les mains de Lory. Ah nous allons boire un
bon coup ensemble, dit celui ci, il y a longtemps que ca nous est arrive, pas
vrai ? Dam depuis quatre ans^et plus repond Fritz, purisque je suis parti le
lendemain meme de votre marriage qui s'est fait un mois apres celul de Ru¬
dolph qui a eu lieu le 10 Juillet 1720 et que nous voila le 19 Aout 1721, et Fritz
apprend de Rosel combien elle et Lory sont heureux de servir d'aussi bra¬
ves coeurs que Madeleine et Rudolph. II est aussi bon qu'elle est bonne, dit-
elle. Mais est ce qu'il fait un aussi bon mari, demande Fritz en riant. Oh il
est plus souvent sombre que joyeux dit Lory. Oui, ajoute Rosel, et cela vient
de cette maladie qui le frappa le jour meme de son marriage. Mais tu verras
Fritz son visage s'eclaire comme un vrai lever de soleil quand il aper^oit sa
petite fille. Comment ils ont une petite fille ? dit Fritz, ou done sont-ils tous
que je les embrasse—le mere et l'enfant sont aux champs quant a Rudolph
voila 12 jours qu'il est parti et Lory raconte a Fritz que Rudolph est alle a
Vienne a la eour, voir l'Empereur pour le supplier de permettre que les Juifs
puissant venir s'etablir dans la contree.—Des Juifs dans la contree ? dit Fritz
riant ; mais Maitre Karl . . . il apprend que depuis son depart Maitre Karl est
devenue fou, et Lory lui raconte qu'un soir qu'un regiment etait ar-iive dans le
village pour y passer la nuit que des soldats s'etaient presentes au logis de
Maitre d'Ecole et que celui ci a la vue des uniformes s'etait enfin epouvante,
avait saute par la fenetre et avait gagne la montagne en criant : Laissez moi,
je suis Chretien, je suis Chretien, et depuis ajoute Lory l'ancien Maitre d'Ecole
n'est jamais rentre au village il rode dans les ruines du chateau comme un vrai
loup garou quelquefois, quand la faim et le froid le font par trop souffrir il
vient errer autour de la ferme mais en realite il ny a pas que la petite fille de
Rudolph qu'il ne craint point.
Madelaine parait un panier plain de fleurs des champs d'une main—Ah
c'est toi mon bon Fritz—que Rudolph va etre heureux de le revoir.
Mais ou done avez vous laisse la petite demande Rosel.
Ah ! en revenant reponde Madeline elle a apercue Maitre Karl assis sur un
rocher elle n'afait qu'un bond jusq'a lui et elle l'amene, regardez.
(Fritz regardant au dehors) Ah c'est ce joli bebe, et c'est Maitre Karl, ce
vieux en guneilles, eh bien s'il ne veu pas etre pres pour un Juif, il fera bien de
s'attirer mieux que ^a.
C'est ceque je vais essayer de lui faire comprendre par la petite dit Made¬
line. Mais a propos de Juifs, de pauvres emigrants se reposent au carrefour de
la croisee des routes. Rosel et Lory prenez tous ce que nous avons ici de pro¬
visions et portez leur c'est ce que dirait Rudolph s'il etait la (Rosel et Lory
sortent. Je vais avec toi Lory, dit Fritz il sort par la gauche regardant curieu-
sement venir l'ancien Maitre d'Ecole et en disant je suis curieux devoir s'il me
LEAH.
Act Fifth.
Interior of a comfortable farmhouse at the entrance to the village. As the
curtain rises Rosel is seated singing, as she fastens a ribbon on a child's cap.
Lory enters and kisses her on the neck.
"What are you doing there, wife?" And tells her gayly that cousin Fritz has
come back during the night.
Fritz appears outside in regimentals, surrounded and welcomed by peasants.
"Yes, 'tis I," he says, saluting everybody and hastening to embrace Rosel
and to shake hands with Lory.
" Oh! we shall drink a full goblet together," said Lory. "It is long since we
have done so."
" Four years and more," replies Fritz. "Since I went away, the very day
after your wedding, which took place a month after that of Rudolf, and that was
on the 18th of July, 1720, and this is the 9th of August, 1724."
And then Fritz learns from Rosel how happy she and her husband were to
serve such good people as Madeleine and Rudolf.
" One is as good as the other," she says.
" But is he as good a husband ? " laughs Fritz.
" He is oftener melancholy than joyous," says Lory.
"Yes," adds Rosel, "and that comes of the illness that struck him down on
the very day of his marriage, but he brightens up when he takes his little daughter
in his arms."
"Where are they, the mother and the babe, that I may go and embrace
them? I didn't know they had a child," says Fritz.
" The mother and child are in the fields. As to Rudolf, he went away 12 days
ago." And Lory tells Fritz he has gone to Vienna to supplicate the Emperor to
permit the Jews to settle in the country.
"Jews in this country?" says Fritz. "But what will Master Karl say?"
And he learns that since his departure the schoolmaster has gone out of his mind,
and Lory relates that one evening a regiment came to the village, and the mo¬
ment Karl saw the uniforms he had leaped out of the window and fled to the
mountains, crying out:
"Let me go! I am a Christian!"
"And besides," adds Lory, "he has never come back, but lurks among the
ruins of the old castle like a wehr-wolf; but when hunger and cold drives him to
it he wanders to the farm, where everybody fears him except Rudolf's little
daughter."
Madeleine appears with a basket of wild flowers in her hand.
" Oh! 'tis you, my good Fritz?" How glad Rudolf will be to see you again."
" Where have you left the little one ? " asks Rosel.
"Oh! " replies Madeleine, " she saw Master Karl sitting on a rock and she
ran to him at once and is bringing him hither. Look!"
Fritz looks out.
" Oh! what a lovely baby! And is that the schoolmaster, that old fellow in
rags? If he don't want to be taken for a Jew he should dress better."
" That is just what I am trying to make him comprehend by means of the
child," says Madeleine. "But, talking of Jews, some poor emigrants are rest¬
ing at the crossroads. Rosel and Lory, do you take all the eatables we have in
the house and carry them to the poor creatures. That is what Rudolf would do
if he were here."
Rosel and Lory go out.
5°
LEAH.
reconnaitra. Apres un moment un enfant de 5 ans environ parait dans un joli
costume d ete tirant Nathan par sa cape poussiereuse et dechiree. Nathan est
vieili et tramblant, les cheveux et la barbe blancs, longs incultes et pousie-
reux sont teint est bistre ses yeux hagards l'enfant le faisant entrer.
Mais viens, viens, voyons.
Madeleine encourage doucement le malhoreux a entrer celui ci apre avoir
regarde autour de lui vient l'asseoir a la table ou Madeleine aporte une assiete
et du pain.
Pendant que Nathan boit et mange avec avidite Madeleine a conduit le
bebe de l'autre cote de la scene et lui mettant les fieurs sur les genoux tiens
fais un beau bouquet, lui dit elle, reste avec ton ami Karl mais ne le tourmente
pas, tu T'ais (elle embrasse l'enfant et sort.)
L'enfant assis, prend quelques fieurs et vient vers Nathun qu'il regarde
manger puis tout a coup — T'as faim?—Oui! repond l'autre d'une voix sombre
enbubaut-T'as Soif — Oui! continue Nathan.
— Alors l'enfant apres untemps venant pres de lui Veux tu mon bouquet •
Mais Nathan le repousse brusquement. Non! dit-il- et voyant le bebe cranilif
s'eloigner avec stupeur — Ah quelle brute abjecte je suis - dit-il et prenant
doucement la main du bebe — Viens enfant tusais je suis un malheureux. —
Pourquoi es' tu malheureux-dis M. Karl Continue naivement l'enfant.
Helas parce que la justice divine est toute puissante, dit le miserable
eomparant la distance qui separe son ame de celle de l'umocent, qu'il tient
dans ses bras. Pourquoi alheure manditure du je naquis comme une bete
immonde ne m'apas ecrase mon pere, ajoute t-il —
Un moiment apres, Madeleine parait-au meme instant le bruit d'une voituer
qui s eloigne puis brouhaha, paysans qui passent aufond en courant. Qui at-il
done? demande! telle? cest une espece de mendiante que le chariot vient
de heurter au tournant de la route repond un paysan.
Leah parait soutenne par Fritz et Lory. Ah! la pauvre femme dit Made¬
leine ne la reconnaissant pas tout d'abord.
Ah bah, e est une juive disent tous les paysans, du dehors, ne la faites pas
entrer chez vous, dame Madelaine, §a vous porterait malheur.
Madeleine a Fritz pendant que ton conduit Leah sur un siege — Fritz
empeche qu'ils n'entrent , ferine la porte et veille.
Fritz pousse les paysans et ferine la porte en sortant avec eux.
Madeleine revient a Leah et pousse un cri Rosel-Qoui?
Madeleine. C'est la Juive! que vient elle faire ici.
Nathan hlotti dans un coin-leve la tete au cri ce Madeleine. Elle! dit-il
effare. Ah elle vient pour moi pent etre.
Madeleine a Rosel quittant Leah qui reprend connaissaece.
— Non, non ne la quitte pas, Rosel, vois comme elle tremble,
comment est ce arrive, tu as vu, Rosel ?
— Non jai senlement entendu son cri et jai vu Lory arreter brusquement
ses chevaux Lory qui est alle fermer la porte de la cour rentrant. — Oui assez
atemps pour quelle ait en plus de peur que de mal (a Nathan qui s'est glisse
vers la porte du fond cherchant a fuir.) Eh restez la un instant, voyous, tout
est ferme. Leah passant sa main sur son front pousse un soupei.
— Vous Sentez vous mieux? dit Rosel.
— Oui, oui, merci!
— Voulez vous boire, avez vous soif.
Soif. Oui, oui, de leau.
LEAH.
3i
''I will go with you, Lory, " says Fritz. And goes out by the left, looking
with curiosity at the old schoolmaster and saying: " I am anxious to see if he
will know me."
After a moment a child of about 5 years of age appears, prettily dressed in
summer costume and drawing Nathan forward by his cape, all tattered and torn.
Nathan is old and palsied, his hair and beard are white and uncared for, his
skin is sunburnt and his eyes haggard. The child drags him on, crying:
"Come! come! let us see!"
Madeleine encourages him, sweetly, to enter, and after gazing around he sits
at the table, on which Madeleine has placed some bread and a plate.
While Nathan eats and drinks greedily Madeleine leads the child to the
other side of the stage, and taking some flowers from the basket and putting
them in her lap makes a pretty nosegay, saying to the child:
" Stay with your friend Karl, but don't tease him, you know." She em¬
braces the child and goes out.
The child takes some flowers and goes to Nathan to see him eat, then say,
suddenly:
" You are hungry ?"
"Yes, " answered the old man, in a gloomy voice.
" Are you thirsty? "
"Yes."
After awhile the child comes to him and says:
" Would you like my nosegay ? " But Nathan repulses her roughly, saying:
" No!." Then seeing the child shrink timidly away, he continues:
"Oh! what an abject brute am I!" And taking the baby's hand tenderly:
"Come, child, you know I am an unhappy wretch."
" Why are you unhappy, Master Karl? Tell me, " the child says, simply.
"Alas! because Divine Justice is all powerful," says the miserable man,
comparing the distance that divides his soul and that of the innocent being whom
he holds in his arms.
"Oh! why did not my father crush me as a loathesome reptile the moment I
came into this world?"
An instant after Madeleine appears and at the same time the noise of a de¬
parting vehicle is heard, followed by the hubbub of the peasants, who cross at
the back.
" What is that? " she asks.
" Only a kind of beggar who has been run over by the coach as it turned the
corner," a peasant replies.
Leah appears, leaning on Fritz and Lory.
" Oh! poor woman! " Madeleine says, not recognizing her at first.
" Phaw! 'tis only a Jewess, " the peasants cry. " Don't let her into your
house, Madam Madeleine, she will bring bad luck."
Madeleine tells Fritz not to allow them to enter, and Leah is conducted to a
seat. Fritz drives away the peasants and shuts the door. Madeleine returns to
Leah and utters a cry. Rosel, hearing it, asks:
" What is the matter? "
"'Tis the Jewess!" cries Madeleine. "What does she do here?"
Nathan, crouching in a corner, has raised his head at Madeleine's cry.
" She! " he gasps. "Ah! perhaps she comes for me! "
Madeleine says to Rosel, who is quitting Leah, who is reviving:
" Do not leave her, Rosel, see how she trembles. How did it happen, you
were by?"
" No, I merely heard her cry and Lory checking his horses suddenly."
Lory, who has gone to shut the gate of the court-yard, enters and says:
"Yes, and so quickly that she is more frightened than hurt." Then to
Nathan, who.is slipping out of the door: "Here, wait a minute, old man,
everything is bolted."
32
LEAH.
Madeleine va vivement a la table on elle remplit un bol q
sa petite fille. — Tieus va va bebe porte a cette pauvre femme.
Leah regardant l'enfant avec surprise. Oh merci. Merci,
faisant avancer l'enfant. — Ah doux ange du seigneur dis moi
nom?
— Leah! repond l'enfant.
Leah, (tressaille) et R'epete Leah! Leah!
Oui-continue l'enfant connaissez vous 1 antre Leah, celle poui
et maman me fout prier tous les soirs.
Mou Dieu, on suis-je dit Leah, regardant fixement l'enfant
le nom, deton pere. — Alors Madeleine vient pres d'elle Hela
pere est celui que vous avez mandit. Oui son pere est Ru
connais le secret et qui m a dit souvent Helas pendant que
entre toi et notre enfant, une malheureuse que j'ai briusee err<
souffrante etdesolee.
Oh mon coeur, sois de pierre, dit Leah tremblante puis
Madelaine.—Ah je comprends pourquoi la foudre n'a pas bris
etes l'ange gardien de celle demeure le ciel est juste, je l'ai corr
lui je pardonne.
Ah si Rudolph pouvait vous entendre dit Madelaine.—Non,
l'interrompant vous lui repeterez mes paroles et lui remellr
bourse dit Madelaine surprise.
Oui—pleine d'or ajoute Leah je n'ai pas voulu mourir sar
or que je n'avais accepte que dans un moment d'affolement i
une antre la che plus terrible a rempler laissez moi parter qu' o
chez voire magistrat.
A cemoment on frappe a la porte des bruits de voix an deh
efifrayee essaye de la retenir on frappe plus fort Fritz appell
Lory apres avour econte un moment mais c'est le pere Hermai
Lorenz ils parlent de Rudolph, Madelaine.—Ah Alors ouvr<
Lory — Lory ouvre et Lorentz et le pere Hermann entrent.
Madelaine dit Lorentz la diligence vient de paraitre en hau
C'est Rudolph dans une heure il sera ici.
Leah a part tressaillant. Ah Rudolph ! Rudolph ! Natha
follement au dehors est doucement arrete par Fritz qui le toucl
Eh arretez, Me. Karl.
Leah luit'ournant brusquement — lui —lui — ici pendant q
culant devant Fritz fou de terreur s'ecrie non ne m'arretez pas,
Tout le monde etonne, parle, murmure alors Leah etendant la n
tous. C'est Dieu qui nous rassemble pour le triomphe de la j
verite. Le miserable auteur de ma douleur et de mes larmes
marche vers Nathan, celui-ci reculant. Moi ?
— Toi qui pour le voler tua ton pere.
— Lui (murmures.)
— Nathan reculant toujours. Moi ?
— Toi Nathan de Rosenburg, toi juif apostat, toi qui assa<
couteau un pauvre viellard avengle pour cacher les premiers crir
le couteau devant lui.)
(Murmures menagants de la foule.)
Leah continuant : Toi renegat, assassin, parricide, sacrileg
Nathan l'arretant avec eclat: Oh assez, assez femme, t
voix peut crier d'accusations et de menaces tout resonne dan
LEAH.
33
Leah heaves a sigh.
"You feel better ?" says Rosel.
•"Yes, thanks."
"Are you thirsty?"
"Yes! Yes! Some water!"
Madeleine goes quickly to the table and fills a bowl, which she gives to the
little girl, saying:
" There, my child, take that to the poor woman."
Leah looks at the child in wonder and says:
" Thanks. Thanks." Then, after drinking, she draws the child towards her
and says:
" Oh! sweet angel of the Lord, tell me, what is thy name?"
" Leah," answers the child.
Leah trembles and repeats: "Leah? Leah?"
"Yes," the little one repeats. "Do you know the other Leah for whom
papa and ifiamma make me pray every night?"
"My God! where am I?" Leah says, looking earnestly at the child. "Tell
me your father's name."
Madeleine draws near and says:
"Alas!" her father is he whom you have cursed—Rudolf! Whose secret I
know and who has often said to me:
"Alas! while I live happy with you and my children an unhappy woman,
whose heart I have broken, wanders through the world suffering and desolate."
" Oh! my heart, be thou of stone?" Leah says, trembling. Then recognizing
Madeleine: "Oh, I know why the thunder has not overthrown his roof. You
are the gracious angel of this dwelling. Heaven is just. I understand and
like him. I forgive."
" Oh! if Rudolf could hear you," says Madeleine.
"No! no!" Leah interrupts her, "you will tell him my words and will
give him back this. "
" His purse?" Madeleine says, surprised.
"Yes, full of gold," Leah adds. " I would not die till I had restored it—■
that gold which I accepted only in a moment of weakness—and now I have
another and a more terrible task to perform. Let me depart. Conduct me to
a magistrate. "
A knock comes to the door and voices are heard outside. Madeleine,
alarmed, tries to stop her. The knocks become louder and Fritz calls.
Lory, after listening for a moment, says:
"But 'tis Father Hermann and Herr Lorentz and they are speaking of
Rudolf."
Madeleine says: "Open the door quickly, Lory." And Father Hermann and
Lorentz come in.
" Madeleine," says Lorentz, " the coach is at the top of the hill. Rudolf
will be here in one hour."
Leah trembles and says softly: " Rudolf! Rudolf! "
Nathan darts out of the door, but is quietly stopped by Fritz, who taps him
on the shoulder and says:
" Not so fast, Master Karl! "
Leah turns quickly at the name " Karl."
"He! He! Here?" Nathan recoils in affright, cowers before Fritz in ab¬
ject terror, crying:
" Don't stop me! Let me pass!"
Everybody is astounded and murmurs aside.
Then Leah, stretching forth her hand, says:
"Silence all! God hath brought us face to face so that justice and truth
may triumph! The wretched author of my grief and tears stands there! '
She points to Nathan, who crouches guiltily back, crying out:
34
LEAH.
mandit depuis 20 ans et dans une confession terrible et folle il avoue tous
ses crimes et les tourments horribles que le courbent et lebroient sans relache.
Ah, la mort, la mort, par pitie dit-il tombant ecrase a terre—la mort qui me
delivrera du sang que j'ai verse sa main rencontre le couteau que Leah a jete
devant lui il le saisit et au moment ou tous les paysans se precipitent sur lui
en criant : Oui, oui! a mort, a mort ! Je lai, je la tiens, crie-t-il et il sefrappe
au coeur ; tous sarretent alors apres un tresaillement convulsif l'ancien Maiitre
d'Ecole tombe mort les yeux grands ouverts disant. Que Dieu mefasse
misericorde.
Amen, dit la pere Hermann.
On enleve le corps de Nathan tous les paysans se prend dans ses bras.
— Maintenant dit Leah je puis aller mourir en paix.
Quoi vous partez lui dit Madeleine
11 le faut repond Leah Voyez mez compagnons de misere reprirent leur
marche.
— Oh restez vous serez pour moi une Soeucherie.
Non, non je serai devant Rudolph comme un elernel reproche du passe. —
Void mes freres (ellemontre les emigrants qui passent devaut la ferine) je pars,
je dois partir. Alors le bailli essaye aussi de la retenir Restez dit il Rudolph
revient de la cour on il a vu l'Empereur des lois nouvelles vout permettre a
vos malheureux freres de s'inst aller dans toute la province, Restez avec nous,
mon enfant; Mais Leah se degage de leurs bras.
Ah mes aniss n'ajoutez rien je de dois pas rester. Je suis venue pour le
repos de ma conscience, mais je vous le dis rien en moi ne survit (elle se degage
tout a fait et recule jus qua la porte et revient vers le enfant qui elle prend dans
ses bras.
Adieu tete cherie - que la prosperite sattachc a la vie comme la misere
s'est attachee a la mienne et la felicite sur terre sera enviable au ciel (elle recule
de nouveaux Madeleine Hermann et Lorentz essayent encore de la reteuir. —
Restez disent-ils. Non, non dit Leah—Adieu, adieu et elle disparait an milen.
des emigrants qui passent au fond.
[rideau.]
LEAH.
35
" I? "
"Yes! Thou who robbed and slew thy father! "
"He?" cries the crowd and Nathan exclaims:
" I? "
"Thou, Nathan of Rosenburg! Thou, apostate Jew! Thou, who with
cruel knife murdered a poor, old blind man to hide thy former crimes! " She
casts the knife down at his feet and the crowd mutters angrily. Leah goes on:
"Thou, renegade! assassin! parricide! sacreligious wretch! "
Nathan bursts out:
"Enough, enough, woman! All that your voice can utter of threats and
accusations has echoed in my brains for twenty years!" And in a wild out¬
burst of remorse he avows his crimes and the torments that have made his life a
hell.
"Death! Death! In mercy!" he cries, falling prostrate to the earth.
"Death, which will free me from the blood I have shed!" And his hand meets
the knife which Leah had cast down. He seizes it and, at the moment when the
people throw themselves upon him, he cries out:
"Death! Death!" He screams, "I have it! " And buries the knife in
his heart.
There is an awful pause and with a convulsive shudder he falls, crying out:
" May God have mercy! " and dies.
"Amen!" Father Hermann says, solemnly.
They lift the body and make the sign of the cross.
" Now," Leah says, "now I can die in peace."
"What! are you going? " Madeleine says to her.
"I must!" Leah answers. " My companions in misery are resuming their
wanderings."
" Oh! stay with us and be my cherished sister! "
" No! No! I should be an eternal reproach to Rudolf."
The emigrants pass across the windows.
" Behold my brethren! I must depart with them! "
The Burgomaster also tries to stop her.
" Remain!" he says. Rudolf has come back from the Court. He has seen
the Emperor. More merciful laws will permit your unhappy people to live in
peace in our province. Remain with us, my daughter."
But Leah tears herself from their arms.
"Ah! dear friends, say no more. I dare not stay! I came hither for the ease
of my conscience, but now, I tell you, there is nothing left."
She staggers to the door and comes back towards the child, whom she
takes in her arms.
"Adieu, beloved head! May prosperity be with you as poverty has been
with me! So shall thy life on earth be a heaven!"
Then she goes again. Madeleine, Hermann and Lorentz strive to keep her
from departing.
" Stay! Stay! " they cry.
"No! No! Adieu! Adieu!" And Leah disappears in the midst of the
emigrants, who pass at the back.
[curtain.]
From Slime. ADELINA PATH.
Chicago, III., Jan. 4th, 1882.
To Messrs. STEINWA Y & SONS, New York
Dear Sirs:—Allow me to express to you the
great satisfaction and pleasure that I have experi¬
enced from the use of your famous Pianos, which
you have placed at my disposal during the Concert
tour now in course of progress in the United
States.
During my artistic career in the art centres of
the world, I have used the pianos of nearly all cele»
brated manufacturers, but none of them can be
compared to yours—none possess to such a mar¬
velous degree that sympathetic, poetic, and singing
tone quality which distinguishes the Steinway as
peerless among them all. Before returning to
Europe, I shall select and purchase one of your
Grand pianos for Craig-y-nos Castle, my residence
in South Wales.
Respectfully yours,
ADELINA PATTI
RICHARD WAGNER.
TWO LETTERS FROM_RICHARD WAGNER.
During the Grand Operatic Festival at Bayreuth in 1876, a number of new Grand
Pianos of the most celebrated European as well as of several American makers had been
placed at Mr. Richard Wagner's disposal; among them a new Centennial Concert
Grand piano made by u Steinway & Sons" of New York, which from its wonderful
power, beauty and sympathetic quality far outshone all rival instruments, and which Mr.
Richard Wagner at once chose for his own private use.
In the beginning of 1879, Mr. Wagner was requested by Mr. Theo. Steinway, to
send this piano to the Steinway Central European depot, in order to receive the latest
invention, the "Tone Pulsator," patented July, 1878. On sending the Grand, Mr.
Wagner wrote as follows :
"Bayreuth, March nth, 1879.
My dear Mr. Steinway.
I miss my Steinway Grand as one misses a beloved wife; it is wanting constantly,
-wanting everywhere. I no longer indulge in music since that Grand is gone, and trust
its absence will not be too long protracted.
Very truly yours, RICHARD WAGNER."
The following letter was written to Mr. Theodore Steinway by the great master
shortly after the return of the Steinway Grand (now containing the Tone Pulsator) to
his home:
"Bayreuth, April nth, 1879.
My dear Mr. Steinway.
Really, you ought personally to have witnessed the gratification which I experi¬
enced upon receiving back your magnificent Grand piano; you gertainly would not
have asked me to add another word.
I do indeed deem it humiliating for so many other branches of art, that this art of
building piano-fortes alone should so closely approach such undeniable ideal perfection.
I know of nothing in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Literature and unfortunately also
Music, which—since I have comprehension of same—could compare with the masterly
perfection reached in piano-forte building.
From your communication, however, I readily perceive with what enthusiastic love
you seek to obtain the incorporation of the most " spirituelle" tone into the piano which
heretofore had only served as the exponent of actual musical sound. Our great Tone-
Masters, when writing the grandest creations for the piano-forte, seem to have had a
presentiment of the ideal Grand Piano, as now attained by yourselves. A Beethoven
Sonata, a Bach Chromatic Fantasia can only be appreciated when rendered upon one of
your piano-fortes.
Although I do not possess the slightest dexterity in piano-forte playing, I delight in
being able to do justice to your assumption of my inborn and cultivated sense of tone.
For Sounds of such Beauty as those coming from my Steinway Grand, flatter and coax
the most agreeable Tone-picture from my harmonic melodic senses.
In a word, " I find your Grand piano of wondrous beauty. It is a noble work of
ArtAnd with a thousand thanks for this attention, I delight in being able to call
myself,
Your friend, RICHARD WAGNER."
w>
IsU.
©
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STEIN WAY
The recognized Standard Pianos of the world, pre-eminently the best instruments at present made,
exported to, and sold in all art centers of the globe, preferred for private and public use by
the greatest living artists, and endorsed, among hundreds of others, by such as :
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ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUES MAILED FREE ON APPLICATION.
8TEINWAY & SONS,
Warerooms, Steimvay Hall, 107-111 E. 14th St., New York.
European Depots:
STEINWAY HALL, STEINWAY'S PIANOFABKIK,
OiivAivVYiil IIA 1/ L/ j
15 Lower Seymour St., Portmau Sq., W.,
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St. Pauli, Neue Roseu-Strasse, 20-24,
HAMBURG, GERMANY.
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AND BY MESDAMES
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