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their conversation became more animated, and sat upright upon their cushions. The elder started on his feet, and seemed about to offer some violence to Elisama; but a grey-headed elder, who had hither only listened, interposed between them, and with the calmness of age said to them both, " Peace, my children! There is enough of strife in Israel; let not us increase it. Do thou remain in Egypt, and thou Elisama take thy way to Jerusalem. The Messiah

cometh and will teach us all things."

The mother entered the room.

"What sayst

thou, dejected mother in Israel," continued the aged man. "She could not," she said, "divest herself of the fear that one of the travellers would never return. So it had been six years before. Her only comfort was, that her deceased husband had been buried in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and nothing would have induced her to consent to Helon's departure, but the thought that he would visit his father's grave. Ye all knew him," said she, turning to the guests, "he was a stay of Israel in a foreign land."

The elders turned to Helon and said, "Blessed be thou, for thou art the son of an upright man, and one that feared God." "As to thy apprehension that one of us may not return," said Elisama, "let us rather hope, that we shall bring back with us a new member of the family, a future mother, either from Jericho or from Anathoth."

The mother smiled, with a significant look, which seemed to say that she already knew more of this matter. The elder, who had scarcely recovered from his passion, seemed not well pleased that the number of Aramæan Jews in Alexandria should be increased. Helon blushed, and observed the modest silence which became a youth in Israel, in the presence of his elders.

"Of the two," said the old man, "thou wouldst rather receive thy new relation from Anathoth." "True," she replied, " many of our friends live there, and there the holy prophet Jeremiah was born." The mention of Jeremiah was sufficient to kindle Elisama. His forefathers had accompanied the prophet, when,

after Ishmael's outrage upon Gedaliah,* he was carried into Egypt, by the people who feared the vengeance of the king of Babylon; and he had sojourned with this family. "While there lives one of our race," exclaimed Elisama, 66 never shall it be forgotten by us that we once entertained a prophet of the Lord. His writings are our favourite study, and by them we are directed to seek the Holy Land."

The discourse assumed a more cheerful character.

The last cup was emptied. Sallu washed the hands of the guests, and sprinkled them with fragrant oil. Elisama pronounced the thanksgiving, and the old man rising up, took Helon's hand and said, "Farewell, and take with thee my blessing." Then, laying his hands upon the young man's head, he said—

"He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth.
May Jehovah be thy keeper, thy shade on thy right hand!
May Jehovah preserve thy going out and coming in,
From this time forth and for evermore?"-Ps. cxxi.

The other elders also blessed him, but it was

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evident that they would have done it with a more hearty good will, if he had been going to Leontopolis. All the guests took leave, and returned to their respective abodes.

CHAPTER II.

THE DEPARTURE.

IT was late in the evening: the slaves extinguished the seven-branched lamp and laid the cushions for beds in the porticoes which surrounded the inner court. All retired speedily to rest, that they might set out the earlier on the following morning. But the mother still lingered on the spot; her grief increased as the time of departure drew nigh; weeping she embraced her child, and said, "Call me Mara, for I am a sorrowful mother in Israel." Helon in silence leant upon her bosom, till Elisama came, and said to her: "Bethink thee of what our prophet saith,* Rachel weepeth for her children and refuseth to be comforted. But thus saith the Lord, refrain

* Jer. xxxi. 15.

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