Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

he was next in rank to Archiacharus, (his dutiful and affectionate nephew), who had so happily effected the restoration of Tobit to wealth and honour.

When Tobit was again established in his home, together with his wife and his son, he determined to keep the feast of the Penticost, with peculiar comfort and pleasure; and Anna his wife knowing this his intention, provided an excellent entertainment on the occasion. But when Tobit had sat down to his table, and observed the abundance with which it was spread for his gratification, he desired Tobias to go out, and bring back with him whatever poor man he might meet with, (of their own people), to partake of the overplus, and that he would wait his return to dinner. But Tobias almost instantly came back to acquaint his father, that he had seen a man of his nation, who had been strangled, and was lying in the market-place.

According to the usual custom of Tobit, he immediately quitted the table, before he had tasted any thing that was on it, and took the body, and concealed it in his house, until the proper hour for its interment; and then sat down in great heaviness and affliction to his repast. When the sun went down, Tobit made a grave, and buried the man.

His neighbours discovering how he had been employed, were amazed that he had courage to persevere in so dangerous a practice, and one which had caused him such severe trouble, and they ridiculed him for it greatly. But the worthy man, unmoved by their reproaches, performed the last office of humanity to his murdered countryman, and thus being polluted (by the Jewish law) he could not enter his house that night, but lay down by the wall and fell asleep. Birds had built in the wall, of which Tobit was unconscious, and as he slept, dirt came from them, which falling into his eyes, caused a disorder to come into them, which the physicians could not cure, and from which Tobit became totally blind, and consequently unable to perform the duties of his office, and by that means again became oppressed by poverty, although his good nephew Achiacharus did every thing he could to comfort and support him in this affliction; until not liking to remain any longer where he then resided, and also to conceal his distress, he removed to another city called Elymais; and there his wife Anna, took in needle work, to support the family, compelled so to do by the trouble which had befallen them.

The industry and attention of Anna was such, that those who employed her, were so perfectly well satisfied with her work, that in addition to

с

[ocr errors]

the price agreed on between them, they gave her a kid. When her husband heard the cry of the kid, he was astonished at it, and eagerly enquired how it came there? upon which his wife informed him, it bad been given her in overplus of payment; but Tobit doubting this, was very unhappy, fearing it had been stolen, and therefore earnestly entreated her to restore it to the owner, and not to practice any dishonesty. This conversation so much offended Anna, that she reproached him severely, with many reflexions on his former charities and alms-giving. And Tobit was so much hurt and grieved at what she had with such cruelty said, that he went away and wept, and prayed earnestly to God, to release him by death from his present miseries,

By a wonderful coincidence, it so happened, that on the same day that Tobit and Anna had had this disagreement, Sara, the daughter of Raguel, a person of much consequence in Ecbatane, a city of Media, was afflicted in much the same manner, by the insolence of her maid servants, as Tobit had been by the unkind words of Anna. This Sara had been most unfortunate, for she had been given in marriage to seven young men, and each one, as soon as the marriage ceremony was completed, had suddenly dropped down and died,

which great misfortune was attributed to the influence of an evil spirt, named Asmodeus. And on this very memorable day, Sara having been offended with her maidens, beat them, when being very refractory, and resenting this treatment from their mistress in the most provoking manner, they insulted her upon this painful subject, accusing her of having strangled her seven husbands, and adding that they hoped she would soon follow them in the

same manner.

Overcome by this behaviour of her servants, Sara retired into her chamber, with an intention to destroy herself; but recollecting the wickedness of such an action, and the reproach it would bring upon her father's house, as she was his only child, she conquered the evil suggestion, and falling on her knees, supplicated the mercy and assistance of God.

"So the prayers of them both were heard before the majesty of the great God."

And the Angel Raphael was sent by God to heal and comfort both; to restore sight to Tobit, and to remove the sorrow of Sara; "and at the self-same moment that Tobit came home, Sara descended from her upper chamber."

No sooner had Tobit again entered his house, when he suddenly recollected the ten talents of

silver, which he had deposited so long ago in the hands of Gabael, and thought (as he had prayed for death), that it would be proper to make his son acquainted with this important circumstance; calling him therefore to him, he began by giving him the most excellent advice, as to his conduct in life, recommending, to him the practice of charity, humility, honesty, sobriety, and justice, attention to the comniands of his Creator,and never to marry any but from amongst his own nation and kindred; he then informed him respecting the money, and expressed his wish that Tobias should go and demand it.

Tobias, after promising his father strictly to attend to his precepts, and in every thing to be guided by his counsel, said that he was willing to go wherever he ordered him, but as he was a perfect stranger to Gabael, of Rages, it could not be expected that he would pay him so large a sum? To this his father replied, that he would give him the written acknowledgment of his friend, to shew to him; and that he must immediately seek out a person who knew the way, to go with him, for which service he would pay whatever was demanded. Tobias then went out to endeavour to find such a person as his father had described, when he was met by the Angel Raphael, disguised in a manner to suit the purpose intended. When asked by Tobias the necessary questions, he

« AnteriorContinuar »