Methuen's Colonial Library 
 
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 THE SALVATION SEEKERS. By NOEL AINSLIB. 
 
 A BAYARD OP BENGAL. By F. AJCSTEV, Author of ' Vice-Versi.' Illus- 
 trated by BERNARD PARTRIDGB. 
 
 A DAUGHTER OP THE VINE. By GERTRUDE ATHBRTON. 
 A ROMAN MYSTERY. By RICHARD BAGOT. 
 BY STROKE OP SWORD. By ANDREW BALFOUR. Illustrated. 
 TO A RMS I By ANDREW BALFOUR. Illustrated. 
 VENGEANCE 13 MINE. By ANDREW BALFOUR. Illustrated. 
 THE QUEEN OP LOVE. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 KITTY ALONE. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 CHEAP JACK ZITA. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 MR5. CURGENVEN OP CURGENVEN. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 NOEML A Romance of Old Prance. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 THE BROOM SQUIRE. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 THE PENNYCOMEQUICKS. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 DARTMOOR IDYLLS. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 ARMINELL. By S- BARING-GOULD. 
 IN THE ROAR OP THE SEA. By S. BAKING-GOULD. 
 URITH. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 
 GUAVAS THE TINNER. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 MARGERY OP QUETHER. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 JACQUETTA. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 
 BLADYS OP THE STEWPONEY. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 DOMITIA. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 PABO THE PRIEST. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 WINIFRED. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 THE FROBISHERS. By S. BARING-GOULD. 
 ROYAL GEORG1E. By S. BARING-GOULD. Illustrated. 
 MISS QUILLET. By S. BARING-GOULD. Author of ' Mehalah.' Illustrated. 
 A CREEL OP IRISH STORIES. By JANE BARLOW. 
 PROM THE EAST UNTO THE WEST. By JANE BARLOW. 
 PROM THE LAND OP THE SHAMROCK. By JANE BARLOW. 
 THE FOUNDING OP FORTUNES. By JANB BARLOW. 
 IN THE MIDST OP ALARMS. By ROBERT BAR*. 
 THE MUTABLE MANY. By ROBERT BARR. 
 THE COUNTESS TEKLA. By ROBERT BARK. 
 THE STRONG ARM. By ROBERT BARR. 
 THE VICTORS. By ROBERT BARR. 
 THE SIGN OP THE CROSS. By WILSON BARRETT. 
 IN THE GREAT DEEP. Tales of the Sea. By J. A. BAXXY. 
 THE THIRTEEN EVENINGS. By GEORGE BARTRAM. 
 THE ADVENTURES OP SIR JOHN SPARROW. By HAROLD BEGBIE, 
 DODO. A Detail of the Day. By . F. BENSON. 
 THE VINTAGE. By E. F. BENSON. Illustrated. 
 THE CAPSINA. By E. F. BENSON. Illustrated. 
 A FIVE YEARS' TRYST. By Sir WALTER BESANT. 
 IN THE DAY OP ADVERSITY. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTOH. 
 DENOUNCED. By I. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. 
 THE CLASH OF ARMS. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. 
 ACROSS THE SALT SEAS. By J. BLOUNDELLB-BURTOM. 
 FORTUNE'S MY FOE. By J. BLOUNDELLB-BUTON. 
 SERVANTS OP SIN. ByJ. BLOUNDBLLE-BURTON. 
 THE YEAR ONE. ByJ. BLOUNDELLE-BURTON. 
 THE FATE OF VALSEC. By J. BLOUNDELLE-BURTOM. 
 ANANIAS. By the Hon. Mrs. ALAN BRODRICK. 
 ANNE MAULEVERER. By Mrs. CAFFTN (!OTA). 
 PATH AND GOAL. By ADA CAMBRIDGE. 
 THE DEVASTATORS. By ADA CAMBRIDGE. 
 AT A WINTER'S FIRE. By BERNARD CAPM.
 
 Methuen's Colonial Library 
 
 FICTION continued 
 
 PLOT5. By BERNARD CAPES. 
 
 JOHN TOPP, PIRATE. By WBATHKRBT CHESNEY. 
 
 THE FOUNDERED QALLEON. By WBATHBRBY CHBSNBY. 
 
 THE BRANDED PRINCE. By WEATHERBY CHESNEY. 
 
 A FLASH OF SUMMER. By Mrs. W. K. CLIFFORD, Author of 'Aunt Anne. 
 
 A WOMAN ALONE. By Mrs. W. K. CLIFFORD. 
 
 THE KINO OF ANDAMAN. By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. 
 
 WILT THOU HAVE THIS WOMAN? By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. 
 
 THE ANQEL OF THE COVENANT. By J. MACLAREN COBBAN. 
 
 CEASE FIRE I By J. MACLAKEN COBBAN. 
 
 A BUSINESS IN' GREAT VVATERS. By JULIAN CORBKTT. 
 
 A ROMANCE OP TWO WORLDS. By MARIS COREUJ. 
 
 VENDETTA. By MAKIE CORELLI. 
 
 THELMA. By MARIE CORELLI. 
 
 ARDATH. By MARIB CORELLI. 
 
 THE SOUL OF LILITH. By MARIK CORBLU 
 
 WORMWOOD. By MARIE CORELLI. 
 
 BARABBAS. By MARIE CORELLI. 
 
 THE SORROWS OF SATAN. By MARIE CORELLL 
 
 THE MASTER-CHRISTIAN. By MARIE CORELLI. 
 
 TEMPORAL POWER.' By MARIE CORELLI. 
 
 SONS OF ADVERSITY. By L. COPS CORNFORD. 
 
 WOUNDS IN THE RAIN. By STEPHEN CRAKE. 
 
 LOCH INVAR. By S. R. CROCKETT. Illustrated. 
 
 THE STANDARD BEARER. By S. R. CROCKETT. 
 
 PEQQY OF THE BARTONS. By B. M. CKOKER. 
 
 A STATE SECRET. By B. M. CROKEK. 
 
 ANQEL. By B. M. CROKER. 
 
 THE ROMANCE OF UPFOLD MANOR. By C. E. DENNY. 
 
 THE SIN OF ANGELS. By EVELYN DICKINSON. 
 
 THE BLACK WOLF'S BREED. By HARRIS DICKSON. Illustrated. 
 
 G ALLIA. By MKNIE MURIEL DOWIE, Author of ' A Girl in the Karpathians.' 
 
 THE CROOK OF THE BOUGH. By MBNIB MURIEL DOWIE. 
 
 ROUND THE RED LAMP. By A. CONAN DOYLE. 
 
 THE THIRD FLOOR. By Mrs. DUDENEY. 
 
 A VOYAGE OF CONSOLATION. By SARA J. DONCAN. Illustrated. 
 
 THE PATH OF A STAR. By SARA T. DUNCAN. 
 
 THOSE DELIGHTFUL AMERICANS. By SARA J. DUNCA*. 
 
 A HEART OF FLAME. By C. F. EMBREE. 
 
 AN ELECTRIC SPARK. By G. MANVILLB FENN. 
 
 THE OREEN GRAVES OF BALGOWRIB. By JANE H. FINDLATB*. 
 
 A DAUGHTER OF STRIFE. By JANE H. FINDLATEK. 
 
 RACHEL. By JANE H. FINDLATER. 
 
 OVER THE HILLS. By MARY FINDLATE*. 
 
 BETTY MUSGRAVB. By MARY FINDLATER. 
 
 A NARROW WAY. By MARV FINDLATER. 
 
 TALES THAT ARE TOLP. By JANE and MAXY FINDLATEK. 
 
 RICKERBY'S FOLLY. By TOM GALLON. 
 
 KIRKHAM'S FIND. By MARY GAUNT. 
 
 DEADMAN'S. By MARY GAUNT. 
 
 THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. By DOROTHEA GERARD. 
 
 THE CONQUEST OF LONDON. By DOROTHEA GERARD. 
 
 A SUPREME CRIME. By DOROTHEA GERARD. 
 
 THE MILLION. By DOROTHEA GERARD. 
 
 HOLY MATRIMONY. By DOROTHIM. GERARD, Author of 'Lady Baby.' 
 
 WILLOWBRAKE. By R. MURRAY GILCHRIST. 
 
 THE KEYS OF THE HOUSE. By ALGERNON GISSINO. 
 
 THE TOWN TRAVELLER. By GKORGB GISSING. 
 
 THE CROWN OF LIFE. By GEORGE GISSING. 
 
 THE KLOOF BRIDE. By ERNEST GLANVILLE. Illustrated. 
 
 THE DESPATCH RIDER. By ERNEST GLANVILLB. 
 
 THE LOST REGIMENT. By ERNEST GLANVILLE. 
 
 THE INCA'S TREASURE. By ERNEST GLANVILLB. 
 
 BUNTER'S CRUISE. By CHARLES GLBIG. Illustrated. 
 
 MRS. CLYDE. By JULIBN GORDON. 
 
 THE REDEMPTION OF DAVID CORSON. By C. F. Goss. 
 
 JAIR THE APOSTATE. By A. G. HALES. Illustrated. 
 
 MARY HAMILTON. By LORD ERNBST HAMILTON.
 
 Methuen's Colonial Library 
 
 FICTION-continued 
 
 A PRINCB35 OP THE HILLS. By Mrs. HARRISON. Illustrated. 
 
 BYEWAY5. By ROBERT S. HICHENS. 
 
 TONGUHS OP CONSCIENCE. By ROBERTS. HICHKNS. 
 
 THE PROPHET OP BERKELEY SQUARE. By ROBERT S. HICHENS. 
 
 FELIX. By ROBERT S. HICHKNS. 
 
 THE SERIOUS WOOING. By JOHN OLIVER HOBBBS. 
 
 A MAN OP MARK. By ANTHONY HOPE. 
 
 A CHANGE OP AIR. By ANTHONY HOPE. 
 
 THE GOD IN THE CAR. By ANTHONY HOPE. 
 
 THE CHRONICLES OP COUNT ANTONIO. By ANTHONY HOPS. 
 
 PHROSO. By ANTHONY HOPE. Illustrated. 
 
 SIMON DALE. By ANTHONY HOPE. Illustrated. 
 
 THE KINO'S MIRROR. By ANTHONY HOPE. 
 
 ?UISANTE. By ANTHONY HOPE. 
 HE HUMAN INTEREST. By VIOLET HUNT. 
 PRINCE RUPERT THE BUCCANEER. By C. J. CUTCLIFFB HYNE. 
 
 Illustrated. 
 
 MR. HORROCKS, PURSER. By C. J. CUTCLIFFB HYNE. 
 MANY CARGOES. By W. W. JACOBS. 
 SEA URCHINS. By W. W. JACOBS. 
 A MASTER OP CRAFT. By W. W. JACOBS. Illustrated. 
 LIGHT FREIGHTS. By W. W. JACOBS. Illustrated. 
 THE SOFT SIDE. By HENRY JAMES. 
 THE SACRED FOUNT. By HENRY JAMES. 
 WITH HOOPS OP STEEL. By FLORENCE F. KELLY. 
 MAELCHO. A Historical Romance. By the Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 
 TRAITS AND CONFIDENCES. By the Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 
 WITH ESSEX IN IRELAND. By the Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 
 CHILDREN OF THE BUSH. By H. LAWSON. 
 JOSIAH'S WIFE. By NORMA LORIMER. 
 MIRRY ANN. By NORMA LORIMER. 
 THE AUTOCRATS. By CHARLES K. LUSH. 
 AN ODD EXPERIMENT. By HANNAH LYNCH. 
 THE STORY OP TERESA. By A. MACDONKLL. 
 THE PUPPET CROWN. By HAROLD MACGRATH. 
 THE FORTUNE OF CHRISTINA McNAB. By S. MACNAUGHTAN. 
 THE WAGES OP SIN. By LUCAS MALET. 
 THE CARISSIMA. By LUCAS MALET. 
 THE GATELESS BARRIER. By LUCAS MALKT. 
 A COUNSEL OP PERFECTION. By LUCAS MALET. 
 COLONEL ENDERBY'S WIFE. By LUCAS MALET. 
 THE HISTORY OP SIR RICHARD CALMADY. By LUCAS MALKT. 
 OLIVIA'S SUMMER. By Mrs. MANN, Author of ' The Patten Experiment. 1 
 MARVELS AND MYSTERIES. By RICHARD MARSH. 
 THE SEEN AND THE UNSEEN. By RICHARD MARSH. 
 BOTH SIDES OP THE VEIL. By RICHARD MARSH. 
 THE TWICKENHAM PEERAGE. By RICHARD MARSH. 
 CLEMENTINA. By A. E. W. MASON. Illustrated. 
 HONEY. By HELEN MATHERS, Author of 'Comin' thro' the Rye." 
 A GIRL OP THE PEOPLE. By L. T. MKADE. Illustrated. 
 OUT OP THE FASHION. By L. T. MEADE. Illustrated. 
 DRIFT. By L. T. MEADE. 
 
 THE SIGN OP THE SPIDER. By BERTRAM MITFORD. Illustrated. 
 THE ALIEN. By F. F. MONTRESOR. 
 
 TALES OF MEAN STREETS. By ARTHUR MORRISOM. 
 A CHILD OP THE JAGO. By ARTHUR MORRISON. 
 TO LONDON TOWN. By ARTHUR MORRISON. 
 CUNNING MURRELL. By ARTHUR MORRISON. 
 THE HOLE IN THE WALL. By ARTHUR MORRISON. 
 WASTED FIRES. By HUME NISBBT. 
 MATTHEW AUSTIN. By W. E. NORMS. 
 HIS GRACE. By W. E. NORRIS. 
 THE DESPOTIC LADY. By W. E. NORRIS. 
 A DEPLORABLE AFFAIR. By W. E. Noxm. 
 CLARISSA FURIOSA. By W. E. NORRIS. 
 GILES INGILBY. By W. NORRIS. Illustrated. 
 AN OCTAVE. By W. E. NORRIS. 
 
 E EMBARRASSING ORPHAN. By W. E. NORRIS. 
 THE CREDIT OP THE COUNTY. By W. E. NORMS. Illustrated. 
 
 I For remainder of List set end of Vol*tm
 
 Ittctimcn's Colonial jCibrarg 
 
 
 JAIR THE APOSTATE
 
 BY THE SAME AUTHOR 
 
 CAMPAIGN PICTURES 
 DRISCOLL, KING OF SCOUTS 
 THE VIKING STRAIN 
 WANDERINGS OF A SIMPLE CHILD 
 
 " M'GLUSKY " 

 
 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 JAIR 
 THE APOSTATE 
 
 A. G. HALES 
 
 WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY A. H. BUCKLAND 
 
 METHUEN & CO. 
 
 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. 
 
 LONDON 
 
 1902 
 
 Colonial Library
 

 
 PR 
 
 TO 
 MY FIRST CRITIC AND HELPMATE 
 
 MY MOTHER 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED 
 
 WITH AFFECTIONATE WISHES 
 
 WHICH NEED NOT BE VOICED IN WORDS 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR 
 
 1 6088 1 6
 
 
 AUTHOR'S PREFACE 
 
 \\ THEN my friend Frank Lyall returned 
 from China, after the sacking of Pekin 
 by the troops of the Christian world, he gave me 
 the benefit of his years of research amongst 
 Chinese literature ; and I should like to take this 
 opportunity of thanking him for much valuable 
 aid in the compilation of this volume. If our 
 friend Jair the Apostate, robbed of his Chinese 
 finery, seems to you a weakling, try and remember 
 what a lot such a dress can cover. 
 
 A. G. H.
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 I. THE HIGH PRIEST .... I 
 
 II. THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS . -32 
 
 III. THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 59 
 
 IV. THE CITY OF SANCTUARY . . -1*5 
 V. IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK . . .148 
 
 VI. THE RETURN FROM THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 169 
 
 VII. THE RACE OF SPEARS . . . 2OI 
 
 VIII. DELILAH'S WAITING . . . .235 
 
 IX. THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE . . 265
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 JAIR ROSE FROM THE GROUND LIKE A YOUNG 
 
 EAGLE ..... Frontispiece 
 
 SANDALLED FEET STOLE OVER SPACE LIKE SHADOWS 12 
 
 THRUSTING WITH THEIR SPEARS AND HEWING 
 
 WITH THEIR SWORDS . . . -35 
 
 THE GIRLS HAD MADE CHAINS AND FETTERS OF 
 
 FLOWERS ...... 65 
 
 HE KNEW THAT DEATH WAS HUNTING AT HIS 
 
 HEELS ....... 137 
 
 THE PICTURE WAS PASSING FAIR . . .150 
 
 SO SAMSON CARRIED HIM TO A SPOT WHERE A 
 
 HERD OF SWINE WERE .... 259 
 
 SHE DREW THE BLADE THROUGH THE CURLING 
 
 HAIR . . . . . . . 290

 
 
 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 
 
 TOLA, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a 
 mighty man amongst the children of 
 Issachar, had gathered together four hundred and 
 two-score men noted for their exceeding great 
 valour ; he and all his company were mounted 
 each upon an ass's colt, for they were met to- 
 gether for the purpose of hunting wild asses that 
 ranged the hills of Lebanon in great numbers. 
 
 Tola said to his young men, " Take good heed 
 what you do, for it will surely come to pass that 
 if you be carried away by the heat of hunting, and 
 shall trespass upon any of the lands of the Philis- 
 tines, they will surely gather together an army 
 and smite us so that not one of us shall be left 
 alive ; therefore, I command you, if the wild asses
 
 2 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 break from the hills and leave the shelter of the 
 cedar trees, follow them not, for if they trespass 
 in the cornfields of the Philistines, our enemies 
 will lay it to our charge that we did it to despite 
 them ; for their eyes are always open to see faults 
 in us whether we be guilty of evil or no. There- 
 fore, take heed to my words, and let the wild asses 
 that leave the hills go free lest a worse thing 
 befall you." 
 
 The young men murmured against the speech 
 of Tola, for their blood was hot in their veins on 
 account of their youth : but Tola was old in the 
 ways of war, and many wounds had taught him 
 much wisdom, yet he answered them not accord- 
 ing to their folly, for he knew that they spoke out 
 of the plenitude of their inexperience, and being 
 a wise man, skilled in councils, he knew that one 
 does not gather ripe grapes on a budding vine. 
 
 But a young man, Jair by name, a Gileadite, 
 who had come up from the City of Havoth-jair 
 to take part in the hunting, waxed very wroth, 
 and said to Tola 
 
 " Tell me, I pray thee, what manner of men be 
 these Philistines, that we should crawl upon all- 
 fours like beasts of the field before them ; did they
 
 m 
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 3 
 
 not spring from women even as we did ? are they 
 not the fruit of their fathers' loins even as we are ? 
 Why then should Israel fear these men ? " 
 
 And all the young men gave a great shout, for 
 the hot words of the young man Jair sounded 
 sweeter in their ears than the cold words of the 
 older man. Tola looked at Jair and on the 
 youths who had urged their colts forward until 
 they formed a circle around him, and Tola saw 
 that they were good to look upon. They were 
 all picked men of fine stature. Their faces were 
 lean, like the face of a greyhound ; the eyes were 
 dark and full of fire ; the hooked nose was like the 
 beak of a hawk. They wore no covering upon their 
 heads, and no clothing upon their bodies ; but the 
 skin of a leopard or some other wild animal was 
 thrown gracefully over one shoulder, circling their 
 ribs like a plaid ; a girdle round the waist com- 
 pleted their apparel. Their arms and legs were 
 beautifully fashioned, and shone in the sunlight 
 like burnished ivory. They were equipped as 
 though they had come out for war as well as for 
 hunting, for each man carried a spear in his hand, 
 a sword and a javelin in his girdle. 
 
 Then Tola answered Jair, saying, " Thou and
 
 4 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 all these that be with thee are young men, and 
 know not the evil thing that may come upon our 
 people if we give the Philistines cause to come 
 out against us. You cannot slay your thousands 
 with the breath of your mouth, therefore hearken 
 unto my counsels and obey me, I pray thee, for if 
 the Philistines come upon us in all their might 
 they will utterly destroy us, cutting us off root 
 and branch. They will put the old men and the 
 old women, our wives and our little children, to 
 the sword, and they will take our maidens and 
 keep them to sport with them, and the damsels 
 will spend all their days in captivity and will 
 curse us for bringing the evil thing upon them ; 
 therefore put a curb upon your anger, for our 
 time has not yet come. Know you not that 
 a wise husbandman never stretches forth his 
 hand to pluck the figs until they are ripe ; but 
 the foolish man shaketh the bough whilst the 
 fruit is yet green, and gaineth nothing for his 
 labour?" 
 
 And Jair answered Tola, saying, " As the Lord 
 liveth we have bowed our necks too long to these 
 people, it is time we spoke to them with the 
 sword ; if we had a man to lead us we would go
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 5 
 
 out boldly against them, we, and all our brethren, 
 and give them battle." 
 
 But Tola was wise in his generation, and said, 
 " The fruit does not fall to the first breeze that 
 bloweth, tarry a while in patience ; the figs will be 
 ripe in their season, then even the swine that 
 browse in the shade of the trees shall have 
 enough and to spare, and shall wax fat on that 
 which the husbandman wasteth in his season of 
 plenty. But the hour is not yet ; let us therefore 
 attend to the hunting of asses, for which purpose 
 we came forth ; and let each man keep his hand 
 before his mouth, for the land is full of spies who 
 will run with swift feet to Agag, the King of 
 the Philistines, whose heart is sore against us. 
 Cursed be the man whose mouth shall bring 
 trouble upon our people, for he who is swift with 
 his mouth is slow with his sword ; he who is 
 willing that the blood of others shall be shed for 
 his own advancement will not shed his own blood, 
 or the blood of his sons, not even to save the last 
 remnant of the people." 
 
 And the young men hearkened to the wisdom 
 of Tola, the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, and 
 went forth with him to the hunting of the wild
 
 6 . JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 asses ; only Jair, the Gileadite, murmured, for he 
 hated Tola, and had it in his heart to be a ruler 
 and a leader of his people, yet had he done 
 nothing either in council or in battle to fasten the 
 eyes or the hearts of the people upon himself; yet 
 his heart was hot with envy, and he swore unto 
 his own soul that he would bring shame unto 
 Tola, to make him look as a thing of no account 
 in the eyes of all the children of Israel. 
 
 The young men rode behind Tola over the 
 sunny valleys which were washed by the waters 
 of the great river, and they were careful not to 
 disturb the flocks and the herds of the Philistines 
 that were feeding in those pleasant pastures. 
 The young maidens, who were of the children of 
 the Philistines, who were tending the sheep and 
 the kine, looked upon the bare limbs of the 
 hunters as they rode by on their asses' colts, and 
 they flattered the young men with their eyes, and 
 enticed them with the pouting of their lips, for 
 they said one to the other, "We have no such 
 men amongst all our own people as these young 
 men, whose arms and legs are as beautiful as the 
 boughs on the young cedars when the spring 
 winds are singing through the hills." And the
 
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST , 7 
 
 young men would have tarried, but Tola admon- 
 ished them, saying, " Beautiful are the maidens of 
 Philistia ; small are their waists, but not so small 
 as the shaft of a spear in the hands of their kins- 
 folk ; red are their lips as the flowers of the 
 pomegranate tree by our own running waters, but 
 not so red as the blood of a hunter on the sword- 
 point of an angry warrior ; swift are the glances 
 they throw you from beneath the down-drooping 
 lids that cover their eyes, but not so swift as the 
 flight of a javelin hurled in hot anger by one of 
 their brethren ; soft and white are their breasts 
 which they bare for your tempting, but not so soft 
 as the shroud which covers the limbs of a dead 
 man. Pass by, and give no cause for offence to 
 Agag, their King." 
 
 And the young men went on ; only Jair, the 
 Gileadite, opened his mouth to scoff at the warnings 
 of Tola, saying to those who rode upon his right 
 hand and his left hand, " Tola our leader is over- 
 cautious, verily he seeth a substance where only 
 shadows abide; to him every tree is an armed 
 Philistine and every blade of grass is a warrior's 
 spear. He urged us not to bask in the smiles 
 of the damsels, because he himself has passed
 
 8 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 his youth ; winter has come upon him, but 
 with us it is the morning of summer; snow 
 is in the veins of Tola, but our veins are full 
 of wine. Shall we not enjoy our youth in its 
 season ? " 
 
 Then Tola's wrath was kindled against Jair, and 
 he said to him, " Go now, thou boaster, and do 
 the thing that is in thy heart to do ; and if the 
 Philistines smite thee we will not avenge thee, 
 neither will we hold them guilty, for the blood- 
 guiltiness will be upon thine own head. Whatever 
 they do to thee, it shall not concern us, but the 
 matter shall be between thee and our enemies 
 only ; therefore leave us now and go to the 
 damsels, if they seem so desirable in thine eyes ; 
 but thou shalt not tempt the young men to go 
 with thee to be a buckler for thy foolishness 
 thine own hand must guard thine own head." 
 
 And Jair went not, for the words in his mouth 
 were bigger than the deeds in his heart. 
 
 So they rode forward until they came to a 
 great cleft in the hills, and there Tola divided his 
 party, saying, " Let us make a circle from this 
 point, that we may gather in the wild asses even 
 as a fisher gathereth the fish into his net." And
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 9 
 
 he divided them into companies, ten men in each 
 company, to scour the hills, but he himself abode 
 in the great cleft in the hills, for he said, " Some- 
 one must tarry in this place, and the joy of 
 hunting is the birthright of the young." 
 
 It was evening when the hunters started to 
 draw their circle, and as they separated they 
 made wagers with each other concerning the 
 hunting, each company wagering against its 
 neighbour. 
 
 The moon came out and flooded all the world 
 with its cold beauty, lighting up the great cedar 
 forests with wondrous touches of pale flame, 
 blending shadow and sheen as an artist blends 
 fact with fancy. The wind rustled amidst the 
 boughs. A lion called to his mate from the gorges 
 of the hills, until the leaves upon the trees were 
 vibrant with the deep-toned roaring. A leopard 
 prowling in the shadow of the cedars growled 
 half-hearted defiance to the king of beasts, and 
 slunk away to watch with eyes of flame, from 
 some place of security, the passing of the monarch 
 and his consort. 
 
 In an open glade, which lay bared to the 
 moonlight in the very heart of the forest, a group
 
 io JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 of wild asses were feeding upon the short sweet 
 grass. Now and again a warning call would go 
 up from one of the dams, as a foal strayed too 
 near the ring of shadows that girdled the lawn- 
 like patch of plain-land, for the old she-asses 
 knew that in those shadows danger always lurked. 
 Even the sentries, posted with almost mathematic 
 regularity around the herd, never ventured too 
 near that ominous circlet of shade where the 
 lion or the leopard could crouch unseen. The 
 sentries did not feed ; they stood with ears 
 pricked forward watching the forest, snuffing the 
 night air suspiciously all the time ears, eyes, 
 and nostrils always on the alert. If a twig broke 
 somewhere in the darkness, they tossed their 
 heads, stamped the ground with their fore-hoofs, 
 swung themselves half round, and stood ready to 
 spring away with the speed of the wind should 
 one of their savage enemies launch himself out 
 of the blackness. If they caught the gleam of 
 yellow eyes glaring hungrily from the bough or 
 bole of a tree, they sent a hoarse, urgent, warning 
 call to the herd, which brought them together 
 instantly ; the dams and foals huddling together in 
 the centre, the colts and stallions lining up all
 
 - 
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 11 
 
 round them every nerve strained, every sense on 
 the alert. Or if the suspicious nostrils caught the 
 faintest taint upon the pure night air, the warning 
 call went forth ; every head went up, every pair of 
 nostrils searched the passing breeze for hostile 
 signs. The great cats might prowl round them 
 through the long watches of the night, using all 
 the wiles that are inherent in feline subtlety ; but 
 they seldom broke through the tireless watchful- 
 ness of the grey guards. A lion roared on the 
 very edge of the clearing on the upwind side ; the 
 sentries galloped, with ears laid back and tails 
 extended, in towards the herd. Some of the foals, 
 frightened out of their senses by that awful sound, 
 tried to break away and gallop down the wind 
 to the forest, but the watchful colts dashed at 
 them, and with heels and teeth drove them back. 
 They knew the lions' tactics, knew that in the 
 shelter of the trees on the opposite side the 
 lioness and her half-grown cubs were waiting for 
 the mad rush of the foals, and behind the lioness 
 the leopards. The lion crouched like a vast cat, 
 just where a silver ball of moonlight lay upon the 
 earth like a great white eye. The huge beast lashed 
 the ground with its tail ; its hind-legs were drawn
 
 12 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 in under its quivering belly ; its fore-paws were 
 stretched out in front, the great claws, working 
 nervously, cut up the grass-covered ground ; the 
 brutish, ugly head rested between the paws, the 
 chin just touching the grass ; the unkempt mane, 
 like the mane on the neck of a wild horse, draped 
 both sides of the neck, rising and falling at the 
 bidding of the night wind ; two great reddish-brown 
 eyes glared from amidst the misshapen ugliness 
 of the face. At intervals the monster opened its 
 cavernous mouth and belched forth sound, exhal- 
 ing foul vapours with the horrible noise; and at 
 each fierce outbreak of sound the young asses in 
 the open went wild with terror. But the older 
 animals faced resolutely down the wind, for 
 their instinct told them that where the noise 
 was, the danger was not; they knew that if the 
 lion had meant to strike from that quarter he 
 would have struck suddenly, swiftly, noiselessly, 
 launching himself like a thunderbolt from the 
 unseen. 
 
 There was a faint rustling on the grass to the 
 right and left of the great brute, sandalled feet stole 
 over space almost like shadows, the forest king 
 
 did not even turn to look in the direction of the 
 
 - 
 I 
 
 m
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 13 
 
 sound was he not king, who would dare attack 
 him ? He opened his reeking jaws to roar again, 
 and a group of hunters armed with spears and 
 javelins sprang nimbly forward and hurled their 
 weapons at the astonished lord of the forest ; 
 half a dozen spears quivered in his flanks ; a 
 javelin took him in the throat : he was done to 
 death when he least expected danger, yet the 
 ferocity of his nature prompted the monarch of 
 the hills to die fighting. He did not roar, did 
 not try to slink away to die as a meaner creature 
 would have done; one sweep of his great head, 
 one flash of the red-brown eyes, and he saw the 
 naked limbs of his undoers flitting amongst the 
 trees, then he hurled himself upon the nearest. 
 The jaws closed round the middle of a man, just 
 below the fifth rib; the backbone cracked like 
 a sun-dried reed in the hands of a boy; the 
 hunter gave a long wailing cry which spoke of 
 death in every note; the lion growled once, 
 deeply, dreadfully, then sank slowly, majestically 
 to earth, stretched himself out and died with 
 his dead victim still in his jaws. The white- 
 limbed figures, that had vanished amongst the 
 cedars when the lion had turned in his wrath, 

 
 14 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 came quietly back ; they knew that death had 
 come to their companion swiftly and surely ; 
 and as they forced the jaws asunder and tenderly 
 drew the body from the embrace of the yellow 
 fangs, one said to his fellows, " This thing had 
 not happened to our brother if Tola had been 
 here to counsel us, it was the vanity within us 
 that caused us to do this foolish thing; there 
 will be weeping amongst the maidens of Issachar 
 when we return without him, for his feet were 
 lightest in the dance." Jair, the Gileadite, who 
 was amongst the young men, lifted up his voice, 
 and said, " Why do you always call upon the 
 name of Tola ? Would Tola have slain the lion 
 single-handed, would he have ventured his life 
 more than another? The thing that has come 
 to pass was ordained from the beginning." And 
 the young men were silent, for they knew not 
 what answer to make to Jair ; but their hearts were 
 very heavy as they broke down boughs from the 
 cedar trees and laid them across their spears, and 
 laid the body of the young man across the bier, 
 and carried it to their camp and set a watch 
 about the body ; and they mourned for the young 
 man exceedingly. The skin of the lion they 
 
 * 
 *
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 15 
 
 took as a trophy to give to his father upon 
 their return, and that company took no further 
 part in the hunting of the wild asses because 
 of the death of the young man their kins- 
 man. 
 
 The day following, all the rest of the hunters, 
 mounted upon fleet colts, pursued the wild asses. 
 Those on the south side drove the herd towards 
 the north, and those on the north drove them 
 back again ; those on the east side drove them 
 west, and those on the west pursued them towards 
 the east ; and all the time the circle of the hunters 
 grew narrower and narrower, until the wild asses 
 were hemmed in a small ring, and their legs 
 shook under them with very weariness, for the 
 hunters pressing them from all sides gave them 
 no rest, until their spirits were utterly broken and 
 they became as sheep in the hands of drovers 
 and were content to go whithersoever they were 
 bidden. The huntsmen drove them towards 
 the spot where Tola was awaiting them, and on 
 the way, just as it was evening, they came up 
 with Jair and the young men that bore the body 
 of him that was slain by the lion. And when 
 they had come to a narrow cleft between the
 
 1 6 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 two hills, they that were with the dead man 
 elected to go through the narrow passage because 
 it was nearer, but they that were with the wild 
 asses went round another way because of the 
 narrowness of the opening between the hills. 
 And it came about that a great leopard, that 
 scented the body of him that lay asleep on the 
 bier, crouched upon the pathway and made ready 
 to spring upon the bearers; then they turned 
 to flee, all except one of them, who was only a 
 boy, but of exceeding great stature, whose name 
 was Samson, of the family of Danites. Samson 
 stood upright between the leopard and the bier, 
 and called out to Jair, the Gileadite, whose feet 
 were amongst the fastest of those that ran back ; 
 and Samson said, " Ho ! Jair, where is now thy 
 mouth with which thou didst boast, saying, ' Where 
 is a man to lead us up against the Philistines ' ? " 
 Then Jair turned back, for he was ashamed. 
 And Samson said, " Lend me, I pray thee, thy 
 spear, that I may slay the beast." And Jair 
 said, " Wherefore should I lend thee my spear ? " 
 Samson replied, saying, " Because I have nothing 
 in my hand wherewith to slay this fierce beast." 
 And Jair said, " If thou wilt promise me two 

 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 17 
 
 spears of the best that is in thy father's house 
 when we return, then will I lend thee my spear." 
 And Samson promised him according to the 
 words of his mouth, and Samson moved out 
 alone to attack the beast. When the leopard saw 
 him, it sprang upon Samson ; but the boy caught 
 it on the end of his spear and tossed it into a 
 great hole that lay by the side of the mountain ; 
 then he broke the spear that had been Jair's 
 across his knee, and threw the pieces down the 
 side of the mountain on to the carcass of the 
 leopard. And Jair's anger was kindled against 
 the boy, and he said, "What is this that thou 
 hast done with the spear that I lent thee ? " 
 And Samson answered him, saying, " When I 
 was in danger of my life I asked thee for thy 
 spear, and you would not ; and when I pressed 
 thee, didst thou not make me promise to return 
 it to thee twofold, taking usury of one of thy 
 fellows in his extremity? Therefore, I say thou 
 art no more to be counted amongst warriors 
 and hunters ; thou and thy seed shall be usurers, 
 taking back with two hands what thou gavest 
 with one; men shall despise thee and thy seed 
 because of thy doings this day." And Jair was
 
 1 8 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 wroth with Samson, and would have cast his 
 javelin at him but that he feared the anger of 
 his companions, for the boy was well beloved on 
 account of his great courage and the strength 
 that was manifest in him. 
 
 That night, when all the rest slept in their 
 camp, Jair rose up and passed down to the 
 dwellings of the Philistines and made merry 
 with them, and with the damsels who had been 
 herding the flocks in the valley, and he boasted 
 to them that it was he who had slain the lion 
 and the great leopard with his own hand ; and 
 the people believed his words, counting him a 
 great hunter, and they did him much honour. 
 When he saw that he had won their hearts, he 
 told them that Tola had spoken evilly of them 
 to his hunters. And the Philistines were filled 
 with anger, and swore amongst themselves that 
 they would slay Tola on the morrow. So Jair 
 said to them, " Swear now to me that you will 
 not tell Tola or his people that it was I who 
 told you concerning this thing." And the Philis- 
 tines said, " How then shall we accuse these 
 people if we have no witnesses ? " And Jair 
 replied, " Couldst thou not say that your god
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 19 
 
 Dagon revealed the matter to you in a dream ? 
 And if they say the thing is not true, will it 
 not count as an insult unto Dagon, your god ? " 
 And the Philistines agreed to the saying of Jair, 
 because it was in their hearts to do evil to Israel ; 
 and they swore unto Jair that they would not 
 betray him to his countrymen. Jair, who was 
 cautious in all things, took fifty changes of 
 raiment from the Philistines as a pledge that 
 they would not break faith with him, for he 
 counted riches higher than any gift from God ; 
 then he rose up and got upon his ass's back 
 and rode into his own camp, and no one knew 
 that he had been away. When Tola saw the 
 fifty changes of raiment, he said to Jair, in the 
 presc nee of all the company, " What wealth is 
 this, and how did it fall into thy hands ? " And 
 Jair replied, saying, " I was astray whilst you all 
 slept, and I rode a little way down the valley, 
 and lo, a party of Philistines met me, and they 
 asked me whence I came and whose party I 
 belonged to, and I answered them civilly, as 
 thou didst command us, saying, I am of a party 
 of Israelites under Tola, the son of Dodo, and 
 we have been hunting wild asses in the hills
 
 20 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 of Lebanon. Then they laughed at me, and 
 made a mock of thy name, and one of their 
 number, a man of great stature, drew his sword 
 and would have cut me from my ass's back, 
 but I thrust him through with my spear, and 
 took his sword from his hand and fell upon his 
 company with it, and they ran from before me ; 
 then I took from the caravans the wealth that 
 now you see me with and fled back, because I 
 saw those that had fled coming back with a 
 great company to slay me." The young men 
 who were with Tola gave a great shout of joy, 
 and they made a song, and cried, " Who is greater 
 than Jair ? Samson has slain his leopard, but Jair 
 has slain a champion of our enemies the Philis- 
 tines." And they danced before Jair, and did 
 him honour. But Tola and Samson did not 
 join in the festivities. So Jair said to Samson, 
 " Art thou indeed jealous of me, Samson ? " But 
 Samson said, " I am not jealous of thee, Jair, 
 but I am vexed on account of this riddle." The 
 hunters crowded round Samson, crying, " Explain 
 thy riddle that we may read it for thee." Samson 
 said, " Nay, thou couldst not read my riddle, 
 only Jair, the Gileadite, can make it plain to
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 21 
 
 me. Wilt thou read my riddle for me, Jair ? " 
 Jair replied, " Art thou laughing at me, boy? Go 
 forth and slay Philistines thyself, and then return 
 to make a mock of others." But Samson said 
 only, " Wilt thou read my riddle, Jair ? " And 
 Jair cried, " Thou art a better talker than a 
 fighter, Samson ; let me hear thy riddle and I 
 will answer it if there be a reason in it." Then 
 said Samson, " Yesterday, after I had slain the 
 leopard, I broke thy spear across the middle 
 and threw it down the mountain-side, how came 
 it, then, that thou hadst a spear in thy hand 
 when the Philistines came upon thee, seeing 
 that no spear has gone from amongst us?" 
 And Jair could not answer Samson, but spat 
 upon the ground and cursed him. And the 
 young men sided with Jair because of the spoil 
 which he had ; but Tola sided with Samson, 
 saying, " We have not yet heard the end of 
 this matter, for the water is muddy and no 
 man can see the bottom of the pool ; by and by, 
 when the water hath grown settled, many things 
 which are now hidden shall be made plain. As 
 for this Gileadite, he is a great slayer of men 
 with his tongue, but when the hour of his
 
 22 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 reckoning cometh he will be found wanting; 
 as for thee, Samson, thou wilt turn the scales 
 at the full weight." 
 
 At noon the same day there came up a 
 great company of the Philistines, armed as for 
 battle, and they cried upon the name of Tola, 
 saying, " Come out and fight with us, since thou 
 hast said so much that is evil concerning us." 
 And Tola asked them, " What evil have I done 
 thee that thou shouldst seek after my life and the 
 lives of these young men ? Surely some enemy 
 has told thee a lie concerning me." But the 
 Philistines cried, " It is no lie that we have heard, 
 for our god Dagon hath told us that thou art our 
 enemy." Then Samson spoke, saying, " Let me 
 put forth a riddle, and if ye answer it ye shall 
 slay me and take all that is mine, but if ye 
 answer it not ye shall let us go in peace." And 
 the Philistines, seeing that Samson was but a boy 
 in years, considered that they could easily over- 
 come his wisdom, so they agreed. So Samson 
 asked them, saying, " Does your god Dagon 
 understand Hebrew ? " And they shouted that 
 Dagon was a god of Philistia and understood no 
 other tongue. Then said Samson, " How could
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 23 
 
 Dagon have overheard Tola speaking evil of thee, 
 since Tola speaks no language but Hebrew ? 
 Are ye sure it was Dagon who gave you the 
 tidings ye speak of? Might it not have been 
 an Hebrew who hated Tola ? " And the 
 Philistines saw that the boy had set a trap for 
 them with his mouth, and would not answer him, 
 because they were the stronger, for they out- 
 numbered Tola and his company five to one, so 
 they drew off to make ready for battle. And it 
 came to pass that whilst they were making ready 
 for this strife that an old man riding upon an ass 
 came upon them from the valley below, and he 
 was an Israelite, and the Philistines said to the 
 old man, " Turn thou thy ass's head and go back 
 the way thou earnest, lest evil happen unto thee." 
 And the old man said, " Why should I return 
 empty-handed whence I came? What evil can 
 befall me? Let me pass, I pray thee, for I 
 would fain go to my son who is with Tola, the 
 son of Dodo, who is in the hills of Lebanon 
 hunting." And the Philistines asked him, saying, 
 " What is thy name and thy son's name ? " And 
 the old man answered, " My name is Manoah, I 
 am of the priesthood of Israel, and my son's name
 
 24 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 is Samson." The chief of the Philistines asked 
 Manoah, " How old is thy son ? " And Manoah 
 replied, " He is but a boy in years, but of great 
 stature and exceeding beautiful ; he is our only 
 son, and his mother's heart is heavy because he is 
 away from us ; she hath sent me to Tola, saying, 
 ' Send the boy back as if he were sent upon an 
 errand, that I may see him, for I am old, and my 
 eyes weary for the sight of my son ; but keep 
 the thing secret from the stripling lest he be 
 ashamed and refuse to come, for he counteth 
 himself a man already on account of his great 
 strength, for already is he half a head taller than 
 the tallest man in all Israel.' " Then the leader of 
 the Philistines said, " Hath thy son lovely hair 
 like the hair of a woman ? " And Manoah replied, 
 " That is my son ; he is a Nazarite. No razor hath 
 been upon his head from his birth, the curls on 
 his head are the colour of gold that hath been 
 beaten by the artificers, and it falleth around his 
 neck as water falleth over the edge of a rock in 
 the sunlight ; the maidens of our people love to 
 twine flowers in the midst of his curls, for he is 
 good to look upon. Why do ye ask me con- 
 cerning these things? hath the young lad dis-
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 25 
 
 pleased you ? If so, I pray you remember he is 
 but young, and ye are all men who have reached 
 the noon of life, and be warriors, as I can plainly 
 see by your bearing." The speech of Manoah 
 pleased the Philistines, and they told him of the 
 things which had taken place, keeping back only 
 that part concerning the visit of Jair to their 
 camp, and this they did because of the oath they 
 had sworn unto the Gileadite. Then Manoah 
 cried, " Let me go, I pray you, that I may set this 
 matter right between you and my people." And 
 the Philistines said unto him, " Go, but the life of 
 Tola we will surely have, because we have sworn 
 it by our god Dagon." 
 
 When Manoah had come to the camp of 
 the Israelites he found the young men pre- 
 paring for battle, and his son, his only son, 
 Samson, was chief amongst the toilers, casting 
 great rocks one on top of another to make 
 a rampart behind which they could hide whilst 
 fighting, because their numbers were small and 
 the host of their enemies very large. Manoah 
 was full of hot anger, and he cried out, " Tola, 
 what is this that thou hast done to the Phil- 
 istines ? Did we entrust our young men to thee
 
 26 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 that thou shouldst cause their enemies to fall 
 upon them and slay them ? " and Manoah cursed 
 Tola. Then Tola spoke what was in his mind, 
 saying, " I have done no evil to these people, 
 neither have I opened my mouth to hurt them ; 
 they do but seek a cause whereby they may undo 
 us. But their dead shall lie upon the ground 
 like leaves in the forest before the fighting is 
 over, and it may be that after that they will no 
 longer be eager to seek a cause against our 
 people." But Manoah would not hearken to 
 Tola because of his son, his only son, Samson, 
 and he cried out against Tola, saying, " It is thy 
 life, Tola, son of Dodo, that the Philistines 
 require, not the lives of these young men." 
 Then Tola, leaning upon his spear, said, " Am I 
 a boy that I should fear death? Have I not 
 walked in the battle with death all around me, 
 and do not the scars of my wounds speak for 
 me ? " Then he rent the leopard's skin from his 
 body and bared his chest to show his wounds, 
 saying, " Look at me, Manoah ; are not all my 
 wounds in front of my body? Why, then, 
 shouldst thou think that I feared death? Go 
 back to the Philistines, and say that Tola, the
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 27 
 
 son of Dodo, will come forth single-handed and 
 fight with their champion ; and if one be slain by 
 Tola let them send a second, and a third, until 
 death come to me." 
 
 The young men of Israel that stood by 
 hung their heads and were silent ; only Jair the 
 Gileadite spoke, and he cried, " It is good, let 
 Tola be our champion against these boasters, 
 that Israel be not ashamed." But Samson 
 said, " Why should this thing be ? What hath 
 Tola done that we should forsake him ? If 
 any harm hath been done the Philistines it hath 
 been done by this Gileadite who hath vaunted of 
 the number he hath killed. Let him go forth to 
 the battle, and let us see if his arm be as strong 
 as his mouth." But Jair said he would not put 
 so great a shame upon Tola, for Tola was their 
 leader and a man of war from his youth up ; 
 whereas he, Jair, was but a young man and of no 
 account. So Tola rode out and defied all the 
 hosts of the Philistines ; and the Philistines sent a 
 champion to meet Tola, and they fought with 
 swords ; and Tola wounded his adversary so that 
 he fell and could not rise to his feet ; and the 
 Philistine said to Tola, "If thou wilt spare my
 
 28 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 life I will tell thee a thing." And Tola replied, 
 " Speak, and I will spare thy life." Then the 
 Philistine said, " It was not* our god Dagon who 
 told us concerning this, but one of thine own 
 company Jair, the Gileadite." Then Tola said, 
 " Is that all that thou hast to tell me ? If thy 
 life is not worth more than thy tidings it is of 
 small account." The Philistine answered, " It is 
 not all ; whilst I did fight with thee a great 
 number of our people were to march round the 
 hills and come upon thy people unawares from 
 behind, and put them all to the sword, sparing 
 none but the man Jair and the old man Manoah 
 and his son Samson." Then Tola ran back 
 towards Israel. And when Jair saw him coming 
 with his bloody sword in his hand he was afraid, 
 and slipped away into the cedar forest and hid 
 there to wait and see what might happen. 
 
 When Tola came to his people he told them 
 what the Philistine had told him, and Manoah 
 said, " Let my son Samson take an hundred men 
 and fall back amongst the cedars and lie in wait 
 in the narrow gorges ; when the Philistines come, 
 let him fall upon them suddenly and slay them, 
 putting every man to the sword ; when they rush
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 29 
 
 to the attack let them raise a loud shout, and we 
 
 too will make a great noise, so that the Philistines 
 
 will think they have fallen into the hands of a 
 
 host." And Tola saw that the plan was good, 
 
 and he consented to it. Then Manoah told 
 
 Samson to cut down boughs from the cedar trees, 
 
 a bough for each man ; and he commanded the 
 
 young men to carry the boughs in front of them, 
 
 so that the Philistines could not tell the men 
 
 from the trees until they were too close to avoid 
 
 falling into the snare. Then Tola said, " How 
 
 comes it that thou, who hast been a man of peace 
 
 all your days, hath so much subtlety in the things 
 
 pertaining to war? Verily the Philistines will 
 
 walk into the snare as birds into the snares of the 
 
 fowler." And Manoah replied, " It is but a little 
 
 matter. Surely a man need not give all his days 
 
 to fighting to know how to fight when the need 
 
 ariseth ? Even a wild beast can fight when his 
 
 talons are full grown, and who teaches the wild 
 
 beast? If a man's cause is good, knowledge will 
 
 surely come to him in his extremity. Put now 
 
 thy young men behind rocks on the hillside, on 
 
 the higher side of the hill, and let them cast their 
 
 javelins from behind the shelter of the rocks and
 
 30 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 thrust with the spear and smite with the sword 
 when the enemy is spent with climbing upwards. 
 Thus do, and one man shall be as good as five ; for 
 he that assaulteth a position must fall to the 
 sword of him that holdeth it, if the heart of 
 the besieged fail not. Take likewise an hundred 
 slingers of stones, for all thy young men can use 
 the sling ; let them wait on the upper edge of the 
 hill behind the spearmen who guard the slope of 
 the hill, that they may cast stones into the midst 
 of the Philistines as they advance to attack them. 
 Let each man choose twenty pebbles, round and 
 smooth, and carry them in his scrip; and pick 
 each one his man before he casts his stone, 
 choosing the leaders of the host of the Philistines 
 and the bravest who rush on to the battle, leaving 
 those that lag behind until the last ; and it may 
 come about that we shall gain the victory, for the 
 steepness of the hills shall fight for us. But if it 
 come to pass that the enemy overcome thee at 
 the ramparts, then thou shalt not abide there to 
 fight, on account of the numbers that are against 
 thee, but every man shall flee into the woods and 
 carry on the battle amongst the cedars. And 
 when the Philistines pursue, thinking the battle
 
 THE HIGH PRIEST 31 
 
 won, they will be scattered in the midst of the 
 trees ; then shalt thou turn upon them, each man 
 fighting for his own hand as shall seem good 
 unto him ; and the Philistines shall remember this 
 day, when they have forgotten the names of their 
 cities, and the name of their god Dagon, for it 
 shall be written upon their memories in letters of 
 living blood. Go now, and fight valiantly under 
 the eye of Tola; but as for me I will remain 
 upon the uppermost height afar off and pray to 
 the God of Israel, the God of battles, to give thee 
 the victory."
 
 . 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 
 
 OAMSON, the son of Manoah, with his 
 **-* company of an hundred men, walked 
 swiftly through the forests, for they were all men 
 who had followed the craft of the hunter from 
 childhood, and there was nothing in the wilder- 
 ness of trees that was hid from them. A leaf could 
 not fall from a bough but some of them noted its 
 fall. They knew the song and the call of every 
 bird and the manners of every beast, and the 
 twilight of the forest was no hindrance to them. 
 When they had reached a spot which seemed 
 good for his purpose, Samson said to his followers, 
 " Do now as my father commanded us, break 
 down each man a bough that is in full leaf, and 
 let each man carry his bough in front of him." 
 And the young men did as they were com- 
 manded ; but Samson put his arms round the 
 
 82
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 33 
 
 trunk of a young cedar and tore it from the 
 ground and carried it in front of him. And the 
 young men marvelled at the strength of Samson, 
 and said each to his fellow, " Whence comes all 
 this great strength to Samson ? We have full- 
 grown men in Israel who are giants, but not one 
 of them could do so with a young cedar." Then 
 Samson chose ten of the fleetest men in his 
 company, ar.d sent them forward as skirmishers 
 to look for the Philistines ; and he charged them, 
 saying, " When you come upon the Philistines ye 
 shall howl as a she-wolf howls, that we may know 
 which way to look for them ; and when ye have 
 howled twice, as a she-wolf howls, then put your 
 life into your feet and run back swiftly and bring 
 us your tidings. Then we will choose a spot to 
 lay in wait for them, so that we may go into the 
 battle fresh and strong like young colts ; but they 
 will be weary with swift marching, and the sur- 
 prise which they had prepared for us will fall 
 upon their own heads." So Samson's men rested 
 in the shade whilst his spies went to seek the 
 enemy. But Samson rested not ; he rent a great 
 bough from a tree and stripped the smaller boughs 
 from it ; and he tore up a huge fragment of rock 
 3
 
 34 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 which had a sharp edge on one side, and he drove 
 the rock into a cleft in the end of the bough and 
 made him a club ; and so great was the club that 
 not one of his men could hold it at arm's-length 
 with two hands. But Samson whirled it round his 
 head with his one hand as if it had been a javelin ; 
 and he said, " I will not have to smite twice with 
 this at any Philistine." Then he undid his hair, 
 which was knotted on the top of his head, and let 
 it fall in tangled masses of yellow curls about his 
 neck and shoulders, but on his chin there was no 
 beard, for he was yet very young. Then he 
 stripped himself naked as the day he was born, 
 excepting for the girdle about his loins. And he 
 looked exceedingly beautiful, and his men said, 
 " Ho ! Samson, when the Philistines see thee they 
 will think thou art a spirit of the woods of 
 Lebanon." Then Samson replied, " He that 
 feeleth my club across his loins will not think me 
 a spirit." 
 
 When the spies returned, they told Samson 
 that their enemies were advancing along the dry 
 bed of an ancient river that ran through the 
 forest. When Samson heard this, he cried, " Our 
 enemies are delivered into our hand, we will surely
 
 THRUSTING WITH TIIKIK SI'KAKS AND HEWING WITH THEIR SWOKDS
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 35 
 
 smite them most grievously; rise up and make 
 ready for them." So they went. And Samson 
 placed fifty of his men on one side of the river, 
 hid amidst the trees, and fifty on the other side, 
 and each man held his branch in front of him so 
 that no man could tell the men from the trees 
 which surrounded them. And when the Philistines 
 came abreast of the spot, then Samson howled like 
 a wolf, and rushed down the bank into the midst 
 of the men of Philistia. And all the men of 
 Israel set up a great shout, and they, too, rushed 
 upon their enemies with an exceeding great fury, 
 thrusting with their spears and hewing with their 
 swords ; only Samson had neither sword nor spear, 
 but smote with his great club ; and whenever he 
 smote, a man fell and did not rise again, And 
 he was very terrible. His hair streamed behind 
 him like the mane of a war-horse when it rusheth 
 to the battle ; his bare limbs shone in the sunlight 
 as his club rose and fell and circled around him. 
 One of his enemies had cast a spear at him, 
 wounding him in the forehead, and the blood 
 streamed down his cheeks and fell in a red 
 stream upon his chest; yet he paused not, but 
 pushed into the press of the battle, smiting on the
 
 36 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 right hand and upon the left, and the path which 
 he cleft for himself was marked with the bodies 
 of dead men. The number of the Philistines 
 was very great. But their number only proved a 
 hindrance to them, seeing that they were crowded 
 in between the two banks of the river, so that 
 those that were in the middle could not help 
 those who were upon the outside edges ; those who 
 were wounded and fell were trampled to death by 
 their fellows. Then the leaders of the Philistines 
 called aloud upon the god Dagon to help them ; 
 but Samson cried, " Dagon sleepeth, he will not 
 hear thee." And he took that Philistine in his 
 hands and bent his loins across his knee so that 
 his backbone came through the flesh, and he died 
 in the hands of Samson ; and his host fled, for 
 they were stricken with fear, because they believed 
 that Samson was not a man but a spirit ; and they 
 shouted, " He is not a man, he is a god ; who can 
 fight against him ? " So Samson and his men 
 that were left gathered up those that had wounds 
 amongst their comrades, and they buried those 
 that had fallen by the spear of the Philistines ; 
 and when he numbered his men he found that 
 one out of every three had been killed, and one
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 37 
 
 out of two had been wounded. Those that were 
 left gathered in all the spoil, and divided it into 
 heaps, a portion being reserved for the household 
 of those who were slain. 
 
 And it came about that whilst Samson and 
 the young men who were with him were engaged 
 in battle in the bed of the river, that the leader 
 of the host of Philistines attacked Tola and his 
 men. They rushed up the slope of the hill, 
 thinking to cause the hearts of the Israelites to 
 melt within them because of their number, and as 
 they came they shouted their battle-songs, and 
 stamped upon the ground, so that the ground 
 shook; and the noise of their feet was as the 
 noise of the sea on the rocks of the coast, but the 
 Hebrews were not afraid. The men behind the 
 ramparts lay still with their spears pointing out- 
 wards and their swords ready to their hands, 
 whilst the slingers stood behind them high up the 
 hill awaiting the word of Tola to loose their slings 
 upon the advancing host; but Tola would not 
 give the order whilst the men were yet afar off. 
 When the enemy were within an hundred paces of 
 the ramparts, a young man cried, " Ho ! Tola, art 
 thou blind? Canst thou not see our enemies
 
 38 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 advancing like the waters of a great river to 
 overwhelm us ? " And Tola answered him, crying, 
 " I am not blind ; tarry awhile in patience until 
 they are come within ten paces, and then slay all 
 their leaders ; and when the confusion is great 
 upon them I and those who be with me will leap 
 forth and smite them with the sword." But the 
 slingers would not wait, for they were young men 
 unaccustomed to battle, and they saw not the 
 wisdom of Tola, the man of many battles, so they 
 commenced to sling pebbles into the advancing 
 host, and killed many of them ; but their leaders 
 they did not kill, because, when the Philistines 
 saw their men falling they covered their leaders 
 with shields so that they were not slain. When 
 the Philistines had arrived at the rampart they 
 tried to rush over it, but Tola and his spearmen 
 stood steady, and waited for them ; and they could 
 not break through, and many were slain. Then 
 they ran back down the hill, and the slingers cast 
 stones upon them as they fled until their scrips 
 were empty and there were not more stones on 
 the hillside fit to sling. The only pebbles fit for 
 the slingers were in a little brook that ran past 
 the foot of the hill, and they could not go to that
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 39 
 
 because of the Philistines. Then Tola was wroth 
 with those men, saying to them, " Why did you 
 cast all your pebbles amongst the common men ? 
 Why did ye not wait, as I commanded you ? If ye 
 had killed all their leaders who would now be able 
 to gather them again to attack us? You have 
 done foolishly, and have made all my plans of no 
 account." 
 
 The slingers broke off pieces of rock to use in 
 their slings, but the rock was of no avail because 
 it would not go straight when they cast it ; and 
 the enemy gathered their courage in their hands 
 and came again ; and when Tola and his spearmen 
 stood up to check them from overbearing the 
 barriers, then the leaders of the advancing host 
 commanded his men to stand back out of reach 
 of the spears and cast javelins into the ranks of 
 the Israelites ; and they did so. 
 
 Then Tola cried with a loud voice, " Fly every 
 man to the woods ! " And the young men ran, and 
 wasted no time as they ran, but the slingers who 
 had to run round the hill into the woods fell into 
 the hands of the Philistines, and every man of 
 them was slain by the sword. The Philistines 
 made merry, because they counted the battle won ;
 
 40 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 and each man ran into the woods to slay the 
 Hebrews. But the Hebrews, acting as Tola had 
 commanded them, hid themselves amidst the 
 trees where the cedars grew close together, and 
 it was dark there, because the boughs made a 
 roof between the earth and sky. When the 
 Philistines rushed in like hounds that are hunting 
 they shouted one to the other, making sport of 
 the thing they did ; but the Hebrews held their 
 peace and smote surely and quietly. Kneeling 
 by the roots of trees they thrust the spear 
 into the bowels of an enemy as he rushed in 
 shouting, or smote deftly and noiselessly with the 
 sword across the neck of one who passed ; but the 
 Philistines slew only a few of the Hebrews. 
 
 And it came about that Samson, when he had 
 rested with his company on the banks of the dry 
 water-course, took counsel with them concerning 
 what they should do. When they had all spoken, 
 Samson said, " Was it not the plan of our enemies 
 to come upon us in the rear and smite us ? why 
 then should we not borrow a plan from them ? Let 
 us march swiftly, seeing that we know the ways of 
 the forest, let us get behind the camp of the 
 Philistines, and it may happen that they will
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 41 
 
 consider that an army has arrived to help us, and 
 fear fall upon them, and, if so, then they will surely 
 fly, for fear always gets into the feet of a man 
 when he is afraid ; then we and our brethren will 
 do by them as they would do by us." 
 
 Then one said, " Thy plan, Samson, is a good 
 plan, and hath wisdom and subtlety in it, but we 
 be but a little band of men." And Samson 
 answered, " I am only a boy in years, but I have 
 learned that a little band that is strong in courage, 
 and well armed with weapons of war, knowing 
 the thing it means to accomplish, and determined 
 to do that thing or die making the effort, is 
 greater than a host that is not moved by one 
 single purpose; you may abide each man where 
 he will, but, as for me, I will do the thing I have 
 spoken, if I go alone to do it." 
 
 Then the doubters were filled with shame, and 
 they said, " Thou shalt not go alone, Samson, we 
 will go with thee ; but what shall be done with our 
 wounded men ? " And Samson said, " Let the 
 wounded lie by the spoil. If we win the battle we 
 will surely come for them and the ripe fruit of our 
 swords ; but if we do not come then they will 
 know that we have been gathered to our fathers,
 
 42 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 and it will be better for each man to thrust 
 himself through with a sword than that our 
 enemies find them beside the spoil taken from 
 their dead." 
 
 So Samson left his wounded and the spoil, 
 and passing through the forest they came upon 
 the camp of the Philistines from behind, and there 
 was no man in the camp, for the host of the 
 Philistines was in the forest hunting the Hebrews. 
 
 Manoah came down from the hill when he saw 
 Samson, and Manoah told his son all that had 
 come to pass, and Samson asked his father, saying, 
 " What shall I do now ? Guide me, I pray thee, 
 for I am but young." And Manoah said, " This 
 is the thing thou shalt do now, my son ; set fire to 
 all that is here and then raise a great shout." 
 And Samson and his company set fire to the 
 camp and made a great blaze, then they shouted 
 with a great shout, and the noise of their voices 
 reached the ears of their enemies, so that they 
 turned to look towards their camp. And when 
 they saw the fire they were afraid, for they 
 thought that an army had come up against them 
 from behind, and they fled ; but the Hebrews 
 under Tola encompassed them, for the Hebrews
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 43 
 
 knew the ways of the woods, and they put every 
 man they could come upon to the edge of the 
 sword, and they stayed not their hands from the 
 slaughter until the moon rode high in the heavens ; 
 then they fell down from sheer weariness and slept 
 in the grass with their bloody swords in their 
 hands, and many of them died from their wounds 
 and exposure before morning. When it was day, 
 Tola called them together and numbered them, 
 and found that of the four hundred and four-score 
 hunters who had gone out to the battle with him, 
 only an hundred and twelve remained, the rest 
 had fallen by the hands of their foes. But it had 
 come about as Tola, the son of Puah, the son of 
 Dodo, had foretold, for the dead of the Philistines 
 lay thick as leaves of the forest on the ground ; 
 and Tola decided to call the battle of that day 
 the Battle of the Cedars, because of the last stand 
 made by the Hebrews amongst the cedar trees. 
 
 As soon as he was able to move his little band, 
 Tola decided to put as much of the country as 
 possible between himself and the enemy, for he 
 knew well that they would not remain satisfied 
 with the result of the Battle of Cedars, and he was 
 top old in experience to wish to risk the lives of
 
 44 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 his few followers in a contest out of which no 
 good could come either to him or his band. 
 
 It was a custom with Hebrews when out 
 hunting to carry with them nets made of plaited 
 sinews ; these nets were usually used for carrying 
 home the choicer portions of the spoil of the 
 chase. When Tola had decided to move his little 
 band, he commanded them to take the plaited 
 bags, and rip them open, joining two together ; 
 these were fixed between two asses, and on each a 
 wounded man was laid, with great care, every- 
 thing being done by those who were sound to 
 make the hurt men ride easily. 
 
 When the stars were out, Tola put his men in 
 marching order and gave the signal to advance ; 
 for it was his intention to steer his course by the 
 stars through the wooded country until he could 
 reach the Hebrew borders. Tola did not leave 
 the ordering of the march to any man, not even 
 to Samson or Manoah, for he was a wise and 
 prudent soldier, who trusted as little as possible to 
 the chance of war ; believing always that one eye 
 in a man's own head was worth twenty eyes in 
 the heads of underlings. 
 
 He first sent Samson with a few picked men to
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 45 
 
 move warily in advance, telling him to spread his 
 men out like a fan, to cover as much ground as 
 possible with his small force. Other men were 
 sent to march parallel on the right hand and on 
 the left with his main body. A small company of 
 chosen ones he kept behind him to prevent the 
 enemy from taking him at a disadvantage. 
 
 All his wounded were placed in the middle of 
 his fighting force, at the head of which he himself 
 rode ; and in that order Tola took his stricken 
 company in safety out of the land of Philistia. 
 
 As soon as the Hebrews knew of the manner 
 in which the Philistines had attacked the hunting- 
 party, there was an outcry for vengeance, although 
 up to that time the Hebrews had mostly suffered 
 defeat at the hands of the Philistines whenever 
 they met in regular battle, for Agag, the King of 
 Philistia, was a wise and skilful soldier, and, 
 moreover, he had purchased from the King of 
 Assyria great numbers of iron war-chariots, of 
 which the Israelites had none. 
 
 The news soon spread to the ears of Agag 
 that the Hebrews were mustering in their 
 strength, under the command of Abdon, the son 
 of Hillel the Pirathonite; so Agag called his
 
 46 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 captains together, and all the lords who were 
 fighting-men, and they held a council of war, and 
 the ' lords laughed at the gathering of the 
 Israelites, saying, "They will not fight with us; they 
 only meet to talk, so that their women may think 
 they are brave men ; they are only boasters, their 
 bellies are filled with the east wind." But Agag 
 was wiser than his councillors. When they laughed, 
 he said, " Laughter is easily made, and costs nothing 
 in the market-place ; if you have nothing better 
 than laughter to offer me, go home again to your 
 women, and I will choose my councillors from the 
 common people. I know but two fools who follow 
 war the first under-valueth his enemy always, 
 and so courteth defeat ; the second over-rateth 
 his foe, and is too wary in all that he doth, 
 holding his hand when he should strike, and so 
 being forced to strike when it would be wiser to 
 hold his hand : of two such fools I know not 
 which is the greater, but both are bad." So Agag 
 prepared for the battle which his wisdom told 
 him was sure to come. His iron chariots, which 
 he had hitherto never used in war, he caused to 
 be handled by the fighting-men daily ; the horses 
 which had to draw them were carefully examined
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 47 
 
 to see if any amongst them were unfit for service, 
 and fresh animals were trained to be ready for 
 use in case any of them were hurt or killed in the 
 early part of the struggle. Four horses were 
 attached to each chariot, two and two abreast ; a 
 man armed with a light spear rode astride each 
 of the leading horses and guided it into the 
 battle. On the front of the chariot a driver stood 
 with a whip ; the handle of the whip was short, 
 being about half the length of a man's arm, but 
 the lash, which was of green hide cut from the 
 backs of the great sea-horses which the hunters 
 found in the rivers of fresh water beyond the 
 great desert, were exceeding long and heavy. To 
 use one of those whips a man had to have long 
 and careful training, but a skilled driver could 
 split the hide of a horse with every stroke, and 
 drive the creatures to madness if he so desired. 
 On the left hand of the driver, on the front of the 
 car, two men stood ; one carried a bow and a sheaf 
 of arrows, he standing always next to the driver ; 
 the other, who stood on the outer edge of the 
 front of the car, carried a long pole, at the end of 
 which was a curved sword, with which he mowed 
 down all who came within his reach. This man
 
 48 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 wore armour, so that neither javelin nor stone cast 
 by the slingers could slay him, and he was 
 fastened to the car by a chain, which was riveted 
 to an iron belt that passed around his body at 
 the loins. This was done so that the man might 
 not lose his balance and fall off when striking at 
 foes whilst the chariots were in full flight. In 
 the car there were three spearmen, and three 
 bowmen on each side. At the back of the car, in 
 the centre of the back, stood one man armed only 
 with an axe, and these men were skilled either 
 with the left or the right hand, so that whilst he 
 lived none might hope to leap into the body of 
 the car from behind without being slain. 
 
 Besides these iron chariots, Agag had a splen- 
 did army of men on horseback, whose duty it was 
 to wait until the chariots had broken the battle- 
 array of the enemy, and then dash in and stab 
 with their short, heavy-hafted spears. 
 
 Of men on foot he had great numbers, but his 
 hope was in his chariots and horsemen. Having 
 prepared his host, he marched forward with great 
 speed, and placed his men upon the brow and 
 slope of a long line of low hills which faced a 
 plain.
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 49 
 
 On the other side of the plain the Israelites 
 were encamped, at their back was a forest, on 
 their right hand the overflowing water from the 
 river made the ground soft and uncertain, in 
 front of them the plain lay like a beautiful 
 meadow. 
 
 When Agag saw the forest behind the Hebrew 
 army he was downcast, for he said to his captains, 
 " If our enemies elect to fight in the shelter of 
 those trees we are undone, for our horses and our 
 chariots are useless there ; but if I can tempt this 
 man to come out and give us battle on the plain, 
 it will not be well with him by the time the sun 
 goes down." 
 
 So Agag sent some of his craftiest captains 
 with footmen and horsemen to attack the Hebrew 
 army, saying to them, " Make a bold front at first, 
 but, when the battle grows hot, then fall back as 
 though dismayed ; then if the leader of the host of 
 Israel is a wise man, he will be content and stand 
 patiently to see what we shall do next ; but if he 
 is a vain fellow and a fool he will pursue after 
 you, leaving his vantage ground, then I will show 
 you how to act." 
 
 The captains did as they had been commanded, 
 4
 
 50 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 pressing valiantly in upon the Hebrews, who stood 
 firmly awaiting them. 
 
 The Hebrew slingers, many of whom boasted 
 that they could split a hair as far as they could 
 cast a stone, stood in beautiful array, and cast 
 their stones with such deadly effect that the plain 
 was soon strewn with the bodies of men, who 
 fell in long lines and lay where they fell. Again 
 and again the Philistines rushed forward and were 
 beaten back ; the battle was all in favour of the 
 Hebrew army, and a wild shout of triumph went 
 up from the men of Israel when, after a desperate 
 rush, the Philistines rolled sullenly back towards 
 their own position. 
 
 This was the moment for which Agag the King 
 had waited. Standing apart from all men he 
 watched the battle with unbending brows, until, 
 as his army fell back, he saw that Abdon, the 
 son of Hillel the Pirathonite, had given the word 
 of command to his host to push home the victory. 
 
 " Now, thou art mine, Abdon, thou and thy 
 men," cried Agag in an ecstasy of joy. " Let 
 me give thee a lesson in war, thou fool." Waiting 
 until the Hebrew army had advanced far out 
 upon the plain, King Agag sent a swift rider to
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 51 
 
 his great body of mounted men, who had been 
 kept out of the battle, bidding them circle round 
 the outermost edges of the advancing Hebrew 
 army ; not to give them battle, but to pass behind 
 them and take possession of the woods forsaken 
 by the too - sanguine Israelites. Like eagles 
 circling round a wounded bull, the swift horse- 
 men dashed off upon their errand. Sweeping 
 round the edges of the advancing host, they 
 rode at headlong speed and took up their 
 position in the rear. 
 
 Israel saw the danger then, saw the trap that 
 had been laid for them. Before they could recover 
 from the panic which ran through their ranks, 
 the iron chariots on the hills in front of them 
 darted down the slope ; the men upon the leaders 
 plied their goads ; the drivers whirled the green- 
 hide whips and shrieked commands to the high- 
 mettled steeds ; the whips fell, blood gushed from 
 under the lash, mingling with hair and hide. 
 The frantic steeds bit at each other in mad 
 frenzy, squealing through foam-flecked jaws in 
 savage madness. The warriors in the cars 
 brandished their weapons in the sunlight, shouting 
 their battle cries. The whir of the heavy wheels,
 
 52 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the thunder of the hoofs, the rattle of iron and 
 brass all filled the air. On swept the cars at 
 lightning speed, and in their wake, crouching over 
 their horses' withers, rode the light horsemen of 
 Agag the King, ready to dash into any gap the 
 chariots made. The Philistines who had been 
 flying in front of the Hebrews opened their 
 ranks like magic, and let the iron storm pass 
 through. 
 
 The Hebrews saw the avalanche of iron and 
 horses sweeping down upon them, and, like brave 
 men, braced themselves for the shock which 
 they could not avoid. The slingers made their 
 slings whir round their heads, the smooth round 
 pebbles flew with deadly swiftness and certainty. 
 Many a rider tossed his hands upwards and slid 
 to earth, to be crushed by the chariot wheels ; 
 many an archer, many a spearman standing in 
 the chariots, stiffened and fell. Tola, who stood 
 with the slingers a spear's-length in front of the 
 line, shouted to his men to aim at the horses and 
 let the soldiers alone ; but the warning came too 
 late, the charge of the chariots had been too 
 sudden, too unexpected, for concerted action on 
 the part of the slingers. Now and again a horse
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 53 
 
 in the leading pair attached to a chariot would 
 be smitten between the eyes with a stone, which, 
 breaking through the frontal bone, sank deep 
 into the brain. The horse, smitten in full career, 
 would bound convulsively forward with eyes 
 bulging from the sockets, then fall with head 
 and neck doubled between the fore-legs. When 
 one of the leaders fell, the other came down with 
 a crash ; the two half-mad brutes behind them, 
 braced to the car, would not have time to swerve, 
 but, forced onward by the momentum of their 
 own wild gallop and the weight of the car, would 
 leap headlong on the top of the fallen leaders and 
 come crashing to earth with the overturned car 
 on top of them. Men and horses would be mixed 
 up in a struggling mass, the brutes kicking in 
 their rage and terror with all the force that was 
 in them, the men stabbing with their spears in 
 the vain hope of quieting those flying hoofs 
 before the life was kicked out of them. At such 
 times it was not good to be one of those chained 
 to the forefront of the car. But those who fell 
 were avenged by those who reached the Hebrew 
 ranks unhurt. Vainly the spearmen of Israel, 
 leaning forward with legs braced for the shock,
 
 54 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 tried to stay the rush of the chariots ; the arrows 
 from the bowmen flew like hail on a winter's 
 morning, and at that short distance every twang 
 of a bow-string was a chant of death for some 
 Hebrew spearman. The horses crashed in 
 amongst the closely welded masses of men ; the 
 warriors with scythes mowed down the soldiers 
 of Israel as harvest hands mow down the ready 
 grain ; heads and arms were lopped off at each 
 rhythmic sweep of the curving steel ; the axemen 
 smote to the right hand and the left ; the massive 
 wheels crushed all they struck, or hurled them, 
 bleeding, to one side, leaving a lane into which 
 the horsemen swooped with lightning speed. 
 
 When once the front of the Hebrew battle 
 was broken, when once the cavalry got amongst 
 the shattered ranks of the infantry, the earth 
 drank blood. Some of the Hebrews rushed 
 wildly back in mad disarray towards the woods, 
 only to meet the enemy who had out-manceuvred 
 them ; no pity was asked or offered ; war was a 
 widow - making pastime in the days of Agag 
 the King. 
 
 When Abdon, the son of Hillel the Pirathonite, 
 saw that he had blundered, and that his army
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 55 
 
 was being cut to pieces, his heart failed him, so 
 that he cried to one who stood near him, to pass 
 his sword through his body, but the man would 
 not. " Get thee to the forefront of the battle and 
 die like a king, striking at thine enemies. I 
 will not slay thee, unless I see thee craving 
 mercy at the hands of these dogs then, as God 
 liveth, I will give thee a dog's death." And he 
 who so spake was Samson, whose arms were 
 crimson with slaying. So the King pressed to 
 the forefront of the battle, where the slaughter 
 was greatest, and his nine sons made a ring 
 around him, falling one by one face forward to 
 the enemy. And the King also died, with many 
 of his bravest, yet they did not die unavenged, 
 for the circle of slain around them was very 
 great. 
 
 After he had spoken to the King, Samson 
 sought Tola in the press of the battle, and found 
 him fighting steadily and warily. The young man 
 said to the veteran, "It is possible for thee to save 
 a remnant of our army even now. Me they will 
 not obey, for I am young, but they will follow 
 thee because they know thee." 
 
 Tola said, " Speak, Samson, and be brief." So
 
 56 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the young warrior spoke. " We cannot fall back, 
 Tola, because Agag's men are behind us, but if 
 we fall away to the right hand towards the 
 river, where the ground is soft, our footmen 
 will be more than a match for Agag's horsemen 
 and his chariots, for they will be helpless in the 
 mire." Tola cried, " O grey head on green 
 shoulders, if I can steady even a portion of 
 our army we may yet turn defeat into victory. 
 Come with me, we will try this venture side by 
 side." Then he shouted his battle-cry, and 
 Samson also shouted, so that many who were 
 fleeing stopped and rallied to his side. They 
 flocked around his banner, and like a wedge of 
 steel they cut their way towards the river ; and 
 the army, that had straggled hither and thither 
 like sheep knowing not where to go, seeing a 
 a body of men moving with fixed purpose 
 steadily towards the river, flocked after them, 
 fighting furiously. 
 
 Agag's captains knew not of the marshy 
 ground, though they knew of the river, so they 
 shouted one to the other, " On, on ! let us drive 
 these pigs into the water." So, charging reck- 
 lessly, counting the battle already won, they 
 r ' *
 
 THE BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 57 
 
 suddenly found themselves floundering in the 
 yielding earth ; their horses sank almost to their 
 bellies, and were helpless. As for the chariots, 
 they buried their wheels so deep in the mire 
 that no good thing could be done with them. 
 Then it was that Tola called upon his men to 
 stand firm ; and the Hebrews, seeing that a man 
 fit to lead them had arisen, gathered fresh heart 
 for the fight. The slingers opened their ranks, 
 so that each man could use his weapon freely, 
 and sent vengeance into the ranks of the strug- 
 gling mass in front of them ; the light-footed 
 spearmen ran forward nimbly, and, passing be- 
 tween the horsemen, they slew without mercy 
 or pity. When a Philistine fell they put their 
 feet upon his neck and trampled his head in 
 soft mud. 
 
 The whole army of Philistia, wishing to partake 
 of the slaughter of the Israelites, had pushed into 
 the bog before Agag the King saw the danger. 
 Sending his footmen forward with all speed, with 
 a command to get between the horsemen and 
 the Hebrews, he tried to withdraw his chariots 
 and cavalry, but when night fell he had saved 
 but a few. So, when the two armies separated,
 
 58 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 neither had any great stomach for further 
 fighting. 
 
 The next day Agag the King sent a message 
 to Tola, saying, " If thou art indeed a warrior 
 and knowest anything concerning the ways of 
 war, come forth and prove it." But Tola laughed 
 at the messenger, saying, " Go, tell Agag the 
 King that I know enough of the art of war 
 for my present needs ; if he thinks differently let 
 him prove his thoughts by making me come 
 forth." So the two armies looked at each other 
 for the space of three days ; then Agag withdrew 
 to his own country, and Tola bade Israel return 
 to their tents. The people went gladly, for 
 though they had not destroyed the power of 
 Philistia, yet they had proven in open war that 
 the Hebrews were not to be despised. When 
 they chanted the praises of Tola, he, being above 
 all things a just man, gave to Samson the praise 
 that was his due, saying, " This is indeed a grey 
 head on green shoulders ; if there were no women 
 in the world, he would save Israel."
 
 CHAPTER III 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 
 
 AFTER the Battle of the Cedars there was 
 peace for a season between the men of 
 Israel and the people of Philistia, for the Hebrews 
 were not strong enough to completely overthrow 
 the kingdom of Agag, and the children of 
 Philistia had learned to respect the valour of 
 the Hebrews ; so there was peace, and the people 
 bartered with each other as of old time; only 
 Jair the Gileadite dared not go back amidst 
 his own people, but dwelt with the Philistines. 
 There was a daughter of one of the chief men, 
 who was deformed, so that no man amongst 
 the Philistines would have her because of her 
 deformity. She had a shrewish tongue, and was 
 a maker of mischief, and she cast her eyes upon 
 Jair the Gileadite to make love to him because 
 he was good to look upon. But Jair said, " Who 
 
 69
 
 60 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 is this woman ? Her face affrights me and haunts 
 me in my sleep, so that I have evil dreams ; and 
 the memory of her face sitteth at meat with 
 me so that I cannot eat, and all the flesh is 
 fading from my bones. Is she the daughter of 
 a woman, or did she spring from the loins of 
 the night to be a curse and a plague to the 
 sons of men ? " And they answered him, saying, 
 " She is the daughter of a man who owns much 
 wealth in vineyards and camels and sheep and 
 oxen, and no man can walk around his growing 
 grain when it is ripe for the sickle without 
 growing weary, so great are his fields." So 
 the next time Jair looked upon the woman 
 he saw not her deformity ; when he looked upon 
 the hunch between her shoulders he saw only 
 a hill covered with vines and olives; when they 
 pointed out the hugeness of her hands and feet 
 he saw only broad fields with she-asses and their 
 colts grazing thereon ; when he listened to the 
 shrewishness of her tongue he heeded it not, 
 for it sounded to him like the running streams 
 that matured the growing crops on her father's 
 land. And Jair made love to the woman, so that 
 the young men cried, " She hath bewitched him."
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 61 
 
 But the old man said, " Not so ; verily this 
 Hebrew seeth further than most young men, 
 the wealth of the father is a veil for the face 
 of the daughter." 
 
 And Jair married the woman ; and she brought 
 him much dowry in lands and cattle a garden 
 of olives and a vineyard likewise she brought 
 him, because her father was full of joy to be 
 rid of her from the house, seeing that he had 
 no peace with her on account of the shrewish- 
 ness of her tongue, wherewith she made mischief 
 amongst his friends. 
 
 So Jair built him a house and sat down to 
 spend his life apart from his own people, and 
 when the Hebrews heard of it they came down 
 and made a mock of him, but he heeded it not, 
 for he said, " He that hath wealth hath power, 
 and he that hath much gold hath always the 
 last word in a matter." But deep down in his 
 heart he hated the Israelites because they de- 
 spised him, and he laid snares for them to entice 
 them to their undoing. But of all the Israelites 
 he hated none as he hated Samson, who grew 
 daily in manly beauty and strength, so that the 
 maidens sang songs concerning him, and the
 
 62 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 young men boasted of him as their champion, 
 whilst the elders of the people admitted him 
 to their councils. 
 
 As the seasons came and went Jair grew in 
 wealth, for he did not as the Philistines did, 
 who when they had a little gold or silver went 
 straight away and purchased a field, or a herd 
 of sheep or goats or cattle. Jair did none of 
 these things, but hoarded his gold until he met 
 one amongst the Philistines who needed assist- 
 ance, and to him Jair lent according to his 
 need, taking always good security for his money, 
 charging usury for all that he lent, so that the 
 people said, " We sow wheat and reap wheat, 
 but this Israelite soweth silver and reapeth gold." 
 And he was a hard man, taking back with 
 two hands what he lent with one. But his wife 
 was harder than he, for she knew that the people 
 mocked her behind her back because of her 
 infirmities ; and when one came to Jair to ask 
 for a little more time in which to pay off a 
 debt, Jair would say unto him, " I will not 
 decide this matter, lest thou say I am hard upon 
 thee because I am a stranger amongst you. Go, 
 I pray thee, and lay the matter before my wife ;
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 63 
 
 is she not bone of your bone, flesh of your flesh, 
 surely she will do what is right between us ? " 
 But the woman was harder than the man towards 
 her own people, and the man knew it, therefore 
 he said to them, " Go to her." When they had 
 been to her they would say one to the other, 
 " This Israelite is as a hot wind in midsummer, 
 but his wife is as a blizzard that drieth up all 
 things ; even the grass withereth where she 
 setteth her foot." So field by field, vineyard 
 by vineyard, herd by herd the substance of Jair 
 increased and multiplied, and he became one 
 of the chief men amongst the Philistines. 
 
 And there was a woman of Timnath who was 
 as beautiful as a young doe, and Jair wanted to 
 take her as a concubine because his wife bore 
 him no children ; but when he spoke of the matter 
 to his wife she rose up and reviled him, saying 
 that he wanted the Timnite to mock her. And she 
 made life a burden to him, until he prayed that 
 she might die ; yet he dared not lay hands upon 
 her because of her brethren, who would have 
 fallen upon him and slain him, in order that his 
 goods might be divided amongst them, and the 
 maiden was poor. ^
 
 64 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 About this time Samson came down to take 
 part in a feast given by one of the Philistines, 
 and he saw the Timnite, and she pleased Samson 
 because she was fair to look upon, and he made 
 love to her. And it was told to Jair that Samson 
 was in love with the maiden, and Jair said, " He 
 shall not have her ; if I cannot possess her, this 
 giant shall not hold her in his arms." And his 
 hot words were told to Samson. Then Samson 
 laughed aloud, and, stretching his great limbs, 
 vowed that the woman should be his, even if 
 he had to slay Jair to get her. To those who 
 had brought him the tale he said, " Go thou and 
 tell this apostate Hebrew that if need be I will 
 pluck her from under his beard; let him take 
 heed that I do not pluck the beard with the 
 woman. Tell him, moreover, that if I lay my 
 hand to his hip all his ill-gotten wealth will not 
 save him." 
 
 Then he went out and made merry with the 
 young men of his tribe, as their custom was, in 
 the cool of the evening ; and they ran races, and 
 cast the javelin and the spear ; then they wrestled 
 and leapt, each man trying to outdo his neighbour ; 
 and they invited the Philistines to take part in
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 65 
 
 the sports. And it came to pass that Samson 
 tired of the sport, and went a little space aside 
 to dance with the maidens, and a Philistine 
 mocked Samson, saying, " This giant careth 
 more for the caresses of damsels than for feats 
 which fit a man for war." And the saying was 
 repeated to Samson by a busybody who wished 
 to wound Samson because of the favours of one 
 of the maids. And it so happened that when the 
 busybody came to him with the tale, Samson was 
 lying upon a little hill upon the sweet grass, and 
 the girls had made chains and fetters of flowers, 
 with which they had bound his limbs, saying, " Now, 
 thou man of great strength, thou art a prisoner of 
 love." And he, smiling back in their eyes, made 
 pretence to be overcome, for in those days there 
 was nothing so sweet to Samson as the soft 
 round arms of a woman. But when he heard 
 the taunts of the Philistine he was angered, and 
 rose up, thrusting the flowery fetters from him, 
 and he said to that Philistine, " Cast thy javelin 
 with all thy strength, that I may learn something 
 from thee." The man did as Samson asked him 
 to do. And when Samson saw that the man had 
 cast away his weapon, he said, " Is that all that 
 5
 
 66 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 thou canst show me, thou boaster ? " And he 
 took the Philistine by the back of his loin-cloth 
 with his hands, and, lifting him far above the 
 heads of all his fellows, he hurled him after his 
 javelin, and that young man vaunted no more in 
 the camp of the Hebrews. 
 
 The fame of Samson's strength went abroad in 
 the land, and there was none like unto him in all 
 the country round about. In stature he was like 
 unto a young cedar, tall and straight ; his hair fell 
 almost to his loins in a mass of tangled curls, and 
 its colour was as the colour of ripened wheat 
 when the sun is on the grain ; his eyes were 
 large, and blue as the waters in the lake, and 
 the waters were bluer than the skies in mid- 
 summer; the skin upon his body was as white 
 as the skin on the bosom of a young girl; his 
 muscles did not stand out in great bunches as 
 upon other strong men, but ran in rippling waves 
 along his bones, so that he looked more like a 
 woman than a man when he was taking his ease. 
 But when roused to action the muscles played 
 about his limbs like bands of green hide, and he 
 was as supple as a leopard. 
 
 In the spring of the year, when the flowers
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 67 
 
 were beginning to show, and the birds were 
 calling to their mates in the language of love, 
 Samson put sweet-smelling ointment upon his 
 head and combed his hair until it looked like a 
 burnished copper shield slung across his shoulders, 
 and went down amongst the people of Philistia to 
 see once more the woman of Timnath. And 
 when he saw her he wanted her for his wife. 
 And she smiled upon him because of his beauty 
 and because of all that she had heard concerning 
 his strength and valour; but she had no real 
 womanly love for him, because she was not 
 fashioned by nature to love a man for his own 
 worth : a shekel of gold was of more weight 
 in her eyes than the heart of the best man born 
 of woman. Nevertheless, she encouraged Samson 
 in his wooing, lying to him with her eyes, as is 
 the way with such women. And Samson longed 
 for her with a strong man's longing, and he laid 
 the matter before Manoah his father, and the old 
 man said, " Evil will come of this thing, my son. 
 Put, I pray thee, this woman out of thine eyes, 
 for she will prove a snare unto thee, and will 
 bring more trouble than joy into thy life." But 
 Samson would not hearken unto Manoah his
 
 68 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 father. Then his mother said unto him, " What 
 canst thou see in her to make thee want her 
 above all women? Are not the daughters of 
 thine own people good enough for thee, as they 
 were good enough for thy father, and thy father's 
 father before thee ? The lion does not mate with 
 the jackal, nor the wolf with the fox. Wouldst thou 
 bring shame upon thy mother and thy father ? " 
 
 But Samson said, " Snow runs in the veins of the 
 aged, wine in the veins of the young ; that which I 
 can see in her to please me, I can see ; so, I pray 
 thee, let my father go down to her people and make 
 a feast that I may win her, else will I take her with 
 the strong hand, and a worse thing may happen." 
 
 So Manoah went down and made a feast, as 
 the custom was, and the Timnite was betrothed 
 to Samson, and he courted her openly in the 
 sight of all men. And there was peace between 
 the Hebrews and the Philistines on account of 
 the betrothal ; only Jair nourished anger in his 
 heart because the Timnite was not for him, and 
 he laid in wait for her, when Samson was not by, 
 and spoke with her. In the mornings when she 
 was going down to the great river to bathe, he 
 met her as if by some mischance, and at evening
 
 THE WOMAN OF^TIMNATH 69 
 
 he would find her amongst the olive trees where 
 he would walk as if seeking for knowledge con- 
 cerning the growth of the fruit. And the Timnite 
 would veil her eyes as if in anger, but in her 
 heart she rejoiced at the meetings, and Jair knew 
 that she rejoiced. And these things were told to 
 Jair's wife, the hunchback, who made Jair's pillow 
 a pillow of thorns, so that he dreaded the gathering 
 darkness. One night, after he had left Samson's 
 betrothed and had retired to rest, lying by the 
 side of his wife his blood was feverish and he 
 rambled in his speech in his sleep, and the name 
 of the Timnite was continually upon his tongue. 
 And his wife slept not, but lay awake brooding 
 over the tales that she had heard concerning the 
 meetings amongst the olives. When she heard 
 him speak caressingly in his dreams to that other 
 woman, her anger was kindled against him, and 
 in the morning she reviled him, saying, " Thou 
 Hebrew dog, did I not find thee when thou wert 
 a stranger amongst strange people, poor, and of 
 no account ? Did I not bring thee wealth, and 
 lift thee from the dirt, and place thee amongst 
 the strong ones? And now thou runnest after 
 a strange face because it is fair to look upon."
 
 70 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Then Jair lied, saying, " It was but a dream." 
 But his wife made answer, saying, " Perhaps it 
 was but in a dream that you went forth to meet 
 the woman amongst the olive trees in the star- 
 light ; was it but in a dream that thou didst lay 
 in wait for her on the banks of the river ? Of a 
 truth, if such dreams continue I shall ask thy 
 countryman, Samson, the strong man, to interpret 
 those dreams for thee, then thy awakening may 
 not be so sweet as thy dreaming ; and this woman 
 may take part in the awakening even as she hath 
 in the dreaming. Thinkest thou, Jair, that because 
 I am deformed in body that I am deformed in 
 mind likewise? Verily I will show thee a thing 
 yet, unless those dreams cease." 
 
 Then was Jair's spirit vexed within him. Awake, 
 his flesh yearned for Samson's betrothed so that 
 the sunshine was loathsome to him, and he feared 
 to sleep because he knew that his wife's ear was 
 against his lips all through the watches of the 
 night. And he made up his mind to slay Samson. 
 And to this end he bought from some hunters a 
 young lion, exceedingly fierce, which had been 
 captured in a snare in the mountains. And he 
 made presents to the hunters, and told them to
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 71 
 
 let the young lion go in a small wood that lay 
 between the home of Samson and the home of 
 the woman he loved ; and he charged them that 
 they should say nothing concerning the lion to 
 any man. And the hunters did as Jair commanded 
 them, and took up their gifts and went upon their 
 way. Then Jair went to the Timnite as she sat 
 amongst the olives, and said to her, " Send, I pray 
 thee, a message to this fellow Samson, asking him 
 to meet thee in the wood that lieth between thy 
 home and his, but do not thou go to meet him." 
 And he gave her an anklet of beaten gold of 
 great price, and after she had weighed the gold 
 bauble in her hand she rose up and did as Jair 
 had said. And it was morning when Samson got 
 the message, for the messenger had gone round 
 the wood and not through it, by order of Jair. 
 So Samson put sweet-smelling ointment upon his 
 head and combed out his locks, saying, " Now 
 my beloved crieth aloud for me, as the bird 
 calleth for its mate." And he went across the 
 fields, down the valleys, and over the hills to the 
 little wood, like a great stag that heareth the 
 bleating of the hind, and he carried no weapon 
 in his hand, for love blinded his judgment, and he
 
 72 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 knew not of the anklet of gold that his beloved 
 had weighed in her hand the anklet of gold that 
 was the gift of Jair his enemy. As he walked 
 he lifted up. his voice and sang, for the lust of 
 life was strong within him. He sang as the 
 birds sing, because his heart was full of song; 
 he leapt and ran as the stag leaps and runs, 
 because he was full of strength and vigour. 
 
 And it came about that as he passed through 
 the little wood that lay midway between his 
 home and the home of the Timnite that the 
 half-grown lion which the hunters had released 
 by the order of the Gileadite, Jair, sprang out of 
 a small clump of trees and roared at Samson, 
 filling all the air with sound, so that the beasts 
 in the fields close by fled in terror. But Samson 
 did not flee ; he measured the half-grown brute 
 with his eyes, and said to his own soul, " This 
 animal is stronger than I am, and I am stronger 
 than any man whom I have yet seen, yet if I 
 combine wisdom with strength I can overcome 
 this beast even without a weapon in my hand." 
 Then the lion roared again at Samson, lashing 
 its sides with its tail, and making the foam run 
 from its mouth down its jaws until it was terrible
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 73 
 
 to look upon ; yet did not Samson turn his back 
 upon the beast, for he knew that if he did, it 
 would surely slay him. So for a little space they 
 stood looking at each other ; the lion, maddened 
 with hunger and anger ; the man, cool, alert, and 
 watchful, every muscle in his beautiful body 
 playing beneath his skin like the muscles of a 
 young war-horse eager for the fray. The lion 
 crouched cat-like to creep nearer to the young 
 Hebrew, but Samson stooped and plucked a sod 
 from the turf and threw it between the eyes of the 
 lion. Then the brute, tossing its mane upwards, 
 launched itself towards the man with a growl of 
 fury. So swiftly did the brute spring that the 
 reddish-brown body looked like a shadow flitting 
 through the forest glades. But quick as the lion 
 was, Samson the athlete, the champion of the 
 Hebrews was fleeter in his movements. He did 
 not run, did not leap far from the spot where he 
 had been standing; but when the lion was in 
 mid-air, and unable to change the course of its 
 flight, he stepped just one pace aside, and the 
 long, lithe body of the brute landed just where 
 the man had stood a hundredth part of a second 
 before. With such fury had the beast launched
 
 74 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 itself forward that, when it missed the man, it 
 was hurled forward on to its chest and chin by 
 the velocity of its own furious force. Its claws 
 cut great gashes in the green turf, just as if an 
 angry spearman had struck his weapon into the 
 ground again and again. One great forepaw was 
 doubled up under the brute's belly, the other 
 was spread out past the reeking jaws ; the foam 
 from the gaping mouth smeared the grass as the 
 vast head slid along, chin downwards. Before 
 the lion could recover from the shock of its ill- 
 judged spring, before the bloodshot eyes could 
 turn in search of the man, Samson bounded 
 across the prostrate body and threw his arms 
 around the lion's neck, making both his hands 
 meet under the brute's chin ; then he placed one 
 of his knees between the lion's shoulder-blades, 
 keeping his other foot firmly upon the turf: thus, 
 summoning all his vast strength to the effort, he 
 wrenched the lion's head backwards towards him, 
 at the same time pressing downwards with his 
 knee between the shoulder-blades. The lion put 
 forth all its powers, struggling with all its native 
 ferocity to turn and rend the man, but Samson 
 never released his grip ; the brute roared and
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 75 
 
 foamed, the man was as silent as fate ; he might 
 have been carved out of solid rock so still was 
 he, only the quick play of the muscles under the 
 skin on his back, and the slowly gathering cords 
 and network of veins on neck and forehead, told 
 of the human life within him. Backward, inch 
 by inch, he bore the lion's head, until the yellow 
 fangs gleamed upwards towards the sky ; deeper 
 and deeper sank the great knee of the athlete in 
 between the brutish shoulder-blades ; lower and 
 lower sank the shaggy chest of the forest monarch 
 towards the earth ; the roarings ceased ; only a 
 deep-drawn rumbling noise, half moan, half growl, 
 came from between the jaws where the foam was 
 now flaked with blood. The athlete's brows were 
 knitted into a frown of fiercest determination ; the 
 strong mouth, even in that terrible moment, wore 
 a half smile which overshadowed triumph ; the 
 great chest, which in its breadth and power looked 
 like the chest of a stallion, rose and fell in the 
 fierce fight for breath ; the yellow curls, now wet 
 with sweat, fell over his shoulders and mingled 
 with the lion's coarser mane ; the air hissed 
 through his expanded nostrils with fierce, sharp 
 sounds ; his blue eyes looked down into the red
 
 76 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 eyeballs of the savage : he gave one mighty 
 heave, one giant wrench, the growl in the throat 
 of the lion died to a wail of agony, the neck 
 cracked where it junctured with the backbone 
 cracked and then broke, and the great shaggy 
 brute lay limp and dead in his arms. For a 
 little space the Hebrew champion stood and 
 looked down upon his handiwork, and his soul 
 was big within him, for he knew that in all the 
 world there was no other man who could have 
 done what he had done. Then he lifted up his 
 mighty arms towards the tops of the cedars, and 
 turned his face to the skies, and gave to the God 
 of his fathers the glory, for he knew that the 
 angels had been nigh unto him during that savage 
 fight. Then, when he had offered up his simple 
 prayer, he went to the little stream that ran 
 through the wood, sparkling in the sunbeams, 
 singing over the pebbles, murmuring amongst the 
 flowers and the grasses ; and he laid himself down 
 and let the cool waters play around his hot limbs, 
 until the blood in his veins was cool once more ; 
 then, with one glance at the dead lion, he walked 
 onward upon his way, peering between the trees, 
 searching the bushes with his eyes for a sight of
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 77 
 
 the woman of Timnath, but he beheld her not. 
 Then a great fear took hold of him, and he said 
 to his soul, " What if harm hath come to her ? 
 What if the lion hath slain her ? " And so great 
 was his fear that he ran, and bounded over the 
 hills and down the valleys like a young buck ; 
 for though he feared not the lion for himself, yet 
 for the woman's sake was he afraid. It was nigh 
 upon evening when he came to the village, and 
 one saw him who was a servant of Jair's, and he 
 made haste to go and tell his master that Samson 
 had come. And when he found Jair, he found the 
 Timnite also, for she was walking amongst the 
 olive-trees with Jair, and Jair held her hand, and 
 upon her ankle was the circlet of gold which Jair 
 had given her. And when the servant had delivered 
 his message, Jair said to the woman, " Who is this 
 fellow that I should fear him ? " And the woman 
 said, " Why, then, dost thou fear him ? " And at 
 that Jair waxed very wrathful and cursed Samson, 
 saying with his mouth, " I do not fear him, yet I 
 wish to God that he had met the lion in the 
 wood " ; for he did not know that Samson had 
 met the lion and slain it. And the woman said 
 to Jair, " Thou hadst better leave me now, for if
 
 78 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Samson find thee with me he may do thee an 
 injury." Then Jair boasted, saying, " I will not 
 leave thee, for I do not fear this fellow ; he is 
 but a tiller of the soil, and not a man of battle." 
 Yet when he heard the voice of Samson as he 
 drew nigh unto the place, he said to the woman, 
 " Kiss me, I pray thee, and let me be gone." And 
 she put out her lips and kissed him, because of 
 the anklet of gold he had given her. But she said, 
 "If thou dost not fear this man, why dost thou not 
 tarry a while and meet him ? " But Jair said, " I 
 must go, for, if I remain with thee, ill blood might 
 rise between us, and I might slay him ; then would 
 his people demand his blood at my hands, for 
 they know that I hate him. And, after all, is he 
 not my countryman ? " 
 
 So when Samson came into the field, Jair 
 crept through a hole in the hedge, and the 
 woman heard him cursing Samson on the far 
 side thereof. When Samson saw her sitting 
 beneath the shade of the olive trees his heart was 
 full of joy, for he had feared for her with an 
 exceeding great fear ; he flung himself at her feet 
 and made love to her after the manner of young 
 men; and she, folding her hands upon her lap,
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 79 
 
 dropped her eyes as if abashed by the fervour of 
 his gaze. When he sought her hand to fondle 
 with it as young men will in the heyday of 
 their passion, she drew back from him, pretending 
 to be angry with him, for she was skilled in all 
 the trickeries of womanhood and knew how to 
 play upon his heart-strings as a skilled harper 
 plays upon the strings of his harp. And when 
 Samson saw that she was wrathful with him he 
 feared her, for he was more afraid of that weak 
 woman than he had been of the lion he had slain 
 in the woods. So the woman, seeing his fear, 
 relented a little and let him play with her hands 
 and twine flowers in her hair, drawing him to her 
 with her eyes and rebuking him with her lips. 
 When he pleaded with her she toyed with him, 
 her smile saying " yea " to him, but her tongue 
 saying him " nay " all the time, until Samson, 
 strongest and boldest of men, was beside himself 
 with love for the wayward woman. 
 
 There was joy and pain in the wooing for 
 Samson, but of joy there was none for Jair, who 
 watched all that passed between them from his 
 place behind the hedge, gnashing his teeth and 
 plucking at his beard, for he was mad with envy.
 
 80 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 The woman knew that' Jair was near by, though 
 she saw him not ; some sense within her told her 
 that he was watching her all the time she dallied 
 with Samson, and the knowledge was to her as 
 sweet ointment to her nostrils. But there was one 
 fly in her ointment which robbed it of much of its 
 sweetness, for, as she sat with her hands locked in 
 the hands of the Hebrew giant, the hunchback 
 wife of Jair came across the fields, walking as one 
 who sought something she had lost. When she 
 saw the lovers she hastened her steps and drew 
 nigh unto them, and when she was close to them 
 she threw back her veil on one side, and said 
 to the Timnite, " Hast thou seen my lord, 
 woman ? " And the Timnite replied with a 
 falsehood, saying, " I saw thy lord this morning 
 in the fields when I was afar off, but mine eyes 
 have not rested upon him since that time." 
 Then Jair's wife laughed mockingly, crying, 
 " How is it, then, if thou hast not seen my lord 
 since morning, I behold in thine ears the ear- 
 rings that he purchased from the strangers who 
 came with the camels at noon? Lies fall as 
 readily from thy lips as honey from the comb 
 when it is bruised." Then the Timnite rose and
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 81 
 
 faced Jair's wife, and reviled her, saying, " Go and 
 look for thy lord, thou misshapen thing ! Of a 
 truth our god Dagon hath put a curse upon thee, 
 for thy mind is as crooked as thy tongue, and 
 thy tongue is as crooked as thy body. DC not 
 the women who are newly wed fly from benre 
 thee for fear that their children may be like unto 
 thee ? And do not the young boys call after thee 
 in the highways and byways, making a mock of 
 thee ? saying, ' Go show thy face in the fields, that 
 the birds may die of fright.' Art thou not known 
 in all our cities as a maker of strife between man 
 and wife, youth and maiden? Do I want thy 
 husband, thou crooked branch of a dead tree? 
 If I wanted him I should stand beside thee and 
 let him look upon thee and me. Go home, thou 
 childless one, and prepare cool water to wash thy 
 husband's feet, for he will be footsore and weary 
 if he hath been walking abroad to find another 
 like unto thee in all the land. Go thy way, 
 withered leaf, and know that if I want thy 
 husband I will call him and he will come." For 
 a little space of time the wife of Jair stood silent, 
 but the working of her face was awful to look 
 
 upon. " Withered leaf and childless one I may 
 6
 
 82 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 be," she said, in a voice that was deadly in its 
 stillness ; " crooked and misshapen I am, yet thou, 
 woman, who playest with men and layest thy 
 hand upon the heart of thy sister woman to 
 bruise it thou, too, shalt know sorrow, thou too 
 shalt die childless ; behold, now I curse thee, and 
 thou shalt be cursed ! " Then, turning to Samson, 
 she cried, " Thou art very beautiful, a cedar 
 amongst cedars ; thy strength is the boast of thy 
 people and the dread of their enemies. Be 
 warned by me who am only a woman. Trust no 
 daughter of Philistia or thou shalt be led like an 
 ox to the shambles; and, above all, trust not this 
 one, for she will surely betray thee to thy down- 
 fall." But Samson, looking upon the Timnite, 
 saw that her face was beautiful and her limbs 
 straight and round, so he spoke angrily to the 
 crippled wife of Jair, saying, " I believe none of 
 thy tales ; go thou and look after him who is thy 
 husband ; he should be precious to thee, seeing 
 that thy father bought him for thee at a great 
 price." 
 
 Then J air's wife made reply, " Thou, Samson, 
 hast said it, I will go where my sorrow leads me, 
 and thou wilt turn to this wanton as the hog
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 83 
 
 turns to acorns; but as the hog when he hath 
 eaten his fill turns again to the sunlight, so shalt 
 thou in the end turn from her." Then she drew 
 her veil across her face and walked out of their 
 sight. And the Timnite laughed. But the heart 
 of Samson was heavy because of her words, and 
 because of the ornaments his beloved wore in her 
 ears ; and when she rallied him upon his silence 
 he asked her, " Did Jair indeed give thee those 
 ornaments for thine ears ? " Then she grew angry 
 with him, speaking mockingly, as one who rubs 
 salt into an open wound, " Art thou indeed a 
 Hebrew, and asketh thou me such a question ? 
 Dost thou not know thy countryman Jair better 
 than to ask me concerning such folly? When 
 did Jair ever give with one hand unless he could 
 take back with two? And what have I to give 
 him that he should spend his substance upon 
 me ? Art thou still a boy, Samson ? Now let me 
 tell thee a thing. If thou art distrustful of me, go 
 thou thy way, and I will go mine own way. I 
 shall not be a widow all my days because of thee, 
 Samson ; believe me, thou art not the only flower 
 in the field." So Samson drew her to him and 
 caressed her, and when she had twined her arms
 
 84 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 around his neck and had kissed him on the lips, 
 he was as clay in the hands of the potter in the 
 hands of the Timnite. And she did with him as 
 it seemed good unto her ; and when he had gone 
 upon his way, she made a hollow with her two 
 hands and laughed therein ; and, whilst she yet 
 laughed, Jair came back to her through the rent 
 in the hedge, and he mocked her, saying, " Thou 
 art only fit to be sport for this great swine-herd." 
 And she, throwing her veil apart, lifted her face 
 so that the young moon shone down upon her, 
 baring her arms so that he could feast vhis eyes 
 upon the whiteness of her skin; and she danced 
 before him so that he might see all her grace and 
 charm. And, as Jair looked, he thought of the 
 crooked figure of his wife, and of the shrewish 
 tongue that awaited him at home ; and he 
 stretched out his arms towards her, crying, " Let 
 there be peace between thee and me, I pray thee, 
 for I cannot live without thee." But she con- 
 tinued to mock him, calling out to him as she 
 danced, " Why didst thou not come forth from 
 behind the hedge when the great swine-herd was 
 with me, and tell me then that I was but fit for 
 sport for him or thee? Was it because of thy
 
 sweet wife, Jair? or because thou fearedst thou 
 mightest slay thy countryman, Jair? " Then all the 
 manhood in Jair departed from him, and he cried, 
 " Peace, peace ! come and talk to me as thou didst 
 to Samson, and I will bring thee another gold 
 anklet to match the one that thou art wearing." 
 And she answered him with laughter on her lips, 
 telling him to bring the anklet of gold, then 
 would she talk with him. So that night Jair lay 
 awake planning how he might bring Samson to 
 shame. But his wife slept, and in her sleep she 
 wept because she was deformed and childless ; but 
 there was no pity in the heart of Jair for the 
 woman whose life was desolate. 
 
 So the days passed, and Samson returned to 
 his own people; and he made life a thing of 
 weariness unto his father and his mother because 
 of the woman. And his mother asked him, saying, 
 " What is it, my son, that thou canst see in her ? 
 Is she then fashioned differently to all the women 
 of thine own people that thou should'st talk of her 
 all the day and dream of her during the night ? " 
 Whereat Samson waxed very angry, and cried, 
 " I see in her just what my father saw in thee, to 
 want thee above all women, though what that was
 
 86 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 only God and my father knoweth." So Samson's 
 father went down and made a great marriage 
 feast, which lasted, according to the custom of the 
 Philistines, for seven days. And at the evening of 
 the first day of the great feast, that being the day 
 that Samson took the Timnite to wife, Samson, 
 whose soul was merry, made a wager with the 
 Philistines who were his guests, saying, " Let me 
 put forth a riddle, and if anyone, old or young, 
 wise or foolish, shall answer it before the ending 
 of the seventh day of the feast, then will I give 
 thirty full changes of raiment and thirty sheets; 
 but if by that time you have found no answer to 
 my riddle, then shall you give to me thirty full 
 changes of raiment and thirty sheets." And the 
 Philistines were full of glee, and they shouted, 
 " Let us hear this wonderful riddle, Samson ; of a 
 verity it must be full of subtlety if no man 
 amongst us can render thee a reason within 
 seven days." Then Samson, putting one arm 
 around the shoulders of his wife, and resting his 
 elbow upon the board whereon they had spread 
 the feast, with his chin resting in the hollow of 
 his upturned hand, and all the glory of his tangled 
 curls falling down his broad back like rain that
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 87 
 
 the sunshine gilds with golden hues, said unto his 
 guests, " ' Out of the eater came forth meat, and 
 out of the strong came forth sweetness.' That is 
 my riddle it is but a little matter, answer it and 
 I will pay thee according to my bond." But none 
 of those men could find an answer that had 
 reason in it; and they were angry, not because 
 they lacked the wit, but because their lack of 
 wisdom would cause them to lose their substance. 
 So they took counsel together, and determined to 
 ask Jair the Apostate to aid them, for they said, 
 " Only a snake knows the way of a snake upon 
 a rock, and none hath subtlety to match the 
 subtleness of a Hebrew, except one who is himself 
 a Hebrew." So they told Jair the wager, and of 
 the riddle that Samson had made for them. 
 Then Jair said, " Why do you come to me with 
 the matter ? Is it any of my making ? " And 
 the Philistines told him the truth, saying, "We 
 come to thee because thou art Hebrew; that 
 which is dark to us is light to thee. Canst thou 
 solve this thing for us, Jair ? Remember we saved 
 thee when thine own countrymen would have 
 none of thee ; requite us now, good for good. Art 
 thou not our debtor ? Then Jair said, " I do not
 
 88 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 know the answer to this man's riddle, how then 
 can I tell it you ? But amongst mine own kindred 
 the hunters do not hold their heads to the tree- 
 tops when they want to hear a sound, but put 
 their ears to the ground ; go now, and put your 
 ears to the ground where Samson is, and it is 
 your own fault if you do not know the truth 
 concerning the matter which troubleth you." 
 And the Philistines were filled with wrath, and 
 one said, " Dost thou mock us, thou ungrateful 
 one ? Take heed lest we smite thee below the fifth 
 rib, and so let all the mirth out of thee and thy 
 life with it." So Jair drew them apart into a 
 secret place, and said, " I did not mock you, 
 I did but propound a riddle to you. Know 
 ye not that Samson hath set a deep pit for 
 you, so that ye should not only provide him a 
 bride but pay for his wedding-feast also. Take 
 me with thee to-morrow, and make my peace with 
 Samson, and I will put mine ear to the ground for 
 you." And one of the men of Philistia said, 
 " How meanest thou, Jair, when thou sayest thou 
 wilt put thine ear to the ground for us ? " Then 
 answered Jair, saying, " Of a truth ye are a dull- 
 witted people ; verily, if your feet are as slow as
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 89 
 
 your thoughts ye will not catch much when ye go 
 hunting. That which I meant, is it not as plain 
 as noonday? When ye have taken me to the 
 feast, and have reconciled me to this man Samson, 
 will I not cajole his wife with sweet words and 
 with gifts to tell me the answer to her husband's 
 riddle, and when she hath told me will I not tell 
 it unto you ? " But they still doubted, saying, 
 " Thy plan, Jair, is good, but if he hath not told 
 the woman, how then can she tell thee ? " But 
 Jair laughed them to scorn. " Do ye as I have 
 asked of you, and leave the woman to me. 
 Know ye not that in the first hours of married 
 joys a warrior will tell his bride all that is 
 hidden in his breast, yea, even those things 
 which neither his father nor his mother ever 
 knoweth ? Rest ye content, if he hath not told 
 her the answer to the riddle he will surely tell 
 her when she seeketh to know ; for the stronger a 
 man is, the greater is his weakness when woman 
 hath hold of his heart-strings." So those men 
 went upon their way, and the next day when 
 they met Samson at the festival of marriage, they 
 besought him that he would be reconciled to Jair 
 the Gileadite ; but Samson would not, for he
 
 90 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 despised Jair. Then his wife pleaded with him 
 also, saying, " If I have found favour in the eyes 
 of my lord, let my lord hearken unto my speech, 
 even though I be but a woman and know naught 
 concerning the wisdom of men." And Samson 
 looking upon her face saw that it filled all his 
 heart's desire, so he said, " Speak the thing that is 
 in thy mind, and it shall be granted unto thee." 
 So the woman, veiling her eyes, said, " Let, I pray 
 thee, peace lie between my lord and Jair the 
 Gileadite. Let my hand bring peace, as a tree in its 
 beauty brings shade. Am I not honoured above all 
 the women of my people, inasmuch as thou hast 
 sought me out to be thy bride ? Grant me this 
 favour, so that a blessing shall fall upon me ; for 
 it is written, ' The bride who healeth strife between 
 brothers shall dwell within the shadow of peace 
 all her days.' So Samson invited Jair to his 
 feast ; but Manoah, the father of Samson, would 
 have none of him. So it came to pass that Jair 
 had speech with the woman, Samson's wife, and 
 besought her to find out from her lord the answer 
 to the riddle. But at first she refused, answering 
 him roughly, crying, " Why should I tell thee, 
 that thou mayest tell them that made the wager
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 91 
 
 with my lord ? Let them that called for the wine 
 pay him that brought it." Then Jair laughed 
 mockingly, and pitied her with his lips, saying, " Of 
 a truth thou art an unhappy bride. Is thy lord then 
 so ill-pleased with thy charms that thou fearest to 
 ask him concerning so small a matter ? Of a surety 
 I pity thee ; it had not been so had he married a 
 daughter of his own people." Whereat the 
 woman became angered, and said, " Thou art 
 surely thinking of thine own wife, Jair, the 
 crooked one who could charm nothing from any 
 man either before or after marriage; as for me, 
 there is nothing in the heart of Samson, my lord, 
 that he will not tell me." And again Jair laughed, 
 spreading out his hands and raising his eyebrows 
 like one who hears a tale from a far country 
 which he believeth not ; laughing low in his sleeve, 
 like a man who is full of mirth which he desires 
 to conceal but cannot, he passed away and left 
 the woman full of rage. 
 
 That night when the guests had gone, and 
 Samson was left alone with his bride, he sought 
 her with caresses, but she lay against his heart 
 like an icicle against a pine tree, and he 
 marvelled, saying, " Tell me, thou rose of the
 
 92 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 valley, what thing have I done that thou return- 
 est not my caresses ? Is this the way with the 
 damsels of Philistia, do they so soon tire of 
 their lords ? " And the woman made answer 
 to his speech, saying, " Why should my lord 
 heed the caresses of his handmaid ? Am not I 
 but a thing for my lord's pleasure, to be 
 picked up and put down when it seemeth 
 good unto him so to do ? " And this saying 
 angered Samson so that he turned from her 
 in his wrath ; yet so great was his love for the 
 woman, his wife, that he turned again and 
 pleaded with her. Then she said, " Is it a 
 little matter, Samson, that thou shouldst make 
 a wager with my kinsfolk and yet withhold 
 the thing from me? Tell me, I pray thee, the 
 answer to the riddle." Whereupon Samson 
 laughed mightily, for he had thought her 
 humour had been the fruit of a weightier 
 matter. 
 
 "Thou art like a child," he said, "that 
 hunteth the honey bees from flower to flower 
 upon the hillside, seeking that which mayhap 
 may sting thee. Fill thy soul with patience, and 
 in due season the riddle shall be unfolded unto
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 93 
 
 thee, and to thy people." Upon the morrow, 
 when she met Jair, she said, " He hath told 
 me all, but he made me swear that I should 
 not reveal the matter." Then Jair replied, " I 
 believe thee. He could keep nothing from thee." 
 Then turning his back, as if to hide his mirth, 
 he let her see that his sides were shaking with 
 laughter. So all that day the woman's face 
 was as the face of a woman who mourned for her 
 dead child, and there was no joy in her for 
 Samson, so that he asked her roughly if there 
 was another man hidden in the chambers of 
 her heart, that she should so behave towards 
 him in the presence of all her kindred. And 
 the woman made answer, saying, " There is no 
 man hidden in the chambers of my heart save 
 Samson, my lord ; but let me give thee a riddle, 
 Samson." So Samson said, " Give me^ thy 
 riddle, and if it be not brighter than this my 
 wedding - feast it will be dull past all under- 
 standing." Then she said, " Tell me, my lord, 
 if a man hath no tenderness towards a rose 
 when it is just in the bud what will he do to 
 it when it hath passed its bloom and is fading ? " 
 Then Samson, resting his bearded chin in the
 
 94 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 hollow of his two hands, looked from his wife 
 to Jair the Gileadite, but made no answer, so 
 that the woman girded at him, saying, " Why 
 dost thou not answer me, my lord? is the 
 wisdom of a woman too deep for thee, or is the 
 measure of my wit beneath even my lord's dis- 
 dain ? " Then Samson, combing his beard with 
 his fingers, answered his wife, " Of a surety, 
 woman, I smell more than roses in thy riddle." 
 And she, being blinded by vanity, asked him, 
 " What is it besides roses that thou canst smell ? " 
 And her lord told her, saying, " I smell the hand 
 of a man amongst the fragrance of the roses in 
 thy riddle; let him take heed that his feet do 
 not stray in my garden, for I have slain a man 
 for a smaller matter ! " 
 
 Yet that night, because the woman was still 
 cold towards him, he told her the answer to 
 his riddle ; telling her how he had slain the 
 young lion early in the season, in the woods, 
 when he came to tell her of his love. " I left 
 the carcass where it fell, and when I came down 
 to this my marriage-feast, with my mother and my 
 father, I saw that the wild bees had made honey 
 in the jaws of. the dead lion ; and I took of the
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 95 
 
 honey in my hands and gave some to my mother 
 and my father, and some I ate. But I told no 
 one how I had killed the lion, neither did I tell 
 anyone from whence I had gathered the honey 
 which we had eaten. And now that thou knowest 
 my riddle see that thou tell no man, for it will 
 be a shame to me to be outwitted by these 
 people." 
 
 And the woman swore by her God that she 
 would hide the matter in her own heart, and she 
 lulled Samson with the plenitude of her caresses. 
 
 But the next day, when Jair would have passed 
 her by without seeking to know anything, she 
 stopped him, and bantered him concerning the 
 lion he had loosened to slay Samson. Then Jair 
 lied, saying, " The lion is alive and well, only last 
 night the shepherds near the wood were frightened 
 by its roaring and came to me about it, asking 
 me to take my spear and go forth to slay it, that 
 they might sleep in peace." This he said to 
 anger the woman, for he knew that there is no key 
 to the mouth when anger dwells in the heart. And 
 the woman replied, " Take, then, thy spear and go 
 forth to seek the dead lion, thou wilt only find 
 bees building their nests and storing their honey
 
 96 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 in the jaws of thy lion, for Samson, my lord, hath 
 slain the beast and hath eaten of the honey that 
 the wild bees hived therein." Then she went 
 upon her way. But Jair went to the Philistines, 
 and said, " I have had my ear to the ground and 
 I have heard a thing, wait thou until the evening 
 of the seventh day, then say to this maker of 
 riddles ' What is sweeter than honey and what 
 is stronger than a lion,' for that is the answer to 
 the dark saying of Samson." So the men waited, 
 as Jair commanded them, until the evening of the 
 seventh day of the feast, and at that time Samson 
 said to them, " Behold the evening of the seventh 
 day hath come, can ye now declare my riddle 
 to me ? " Then one of the guests arose and said, 
 " Ho, Samson, tell us, if thou canst, what is 
 sweeter than honey and what is stronger than 
 a lion." Whereupon Samson looked very hard 
 first at Jair, then at his wife ; then he said, " Of a 
 surety thou hast answered me, but I know well 
 that if thou hadst not ploughed with my heifer 
 thou hadst not found out my riddle. Yet will I 
 pay thee the price agreed upon, should I, being 
 a Hebrew, not have known that flies get into an 
 open mouth, I will pay the price to the utmost,
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 97 
 
 not because of any wisdom of thine, but as a 
 penance for mine own folly. In six days I will 
 send thee the thirty sheets and the thirty changes 
 of raiment." And he invited Jair the Apostate to 
 remain a while with him when the rest had gone, 
 saying, " Behold I have six skins of wine from a 
 far country which I fain would have thee taste, 
 Jair, that I may have thine aid in judging its 
 value." But Jair gathered his garments about 
 him and fled to his own place, for Jair knew 
 Samson. So Samson said, " Now am I certain 
 what man it was who ploughed with my heifer. 
 Peradventure I may fall across him in due season, 
 then will I take him by the beard and by the 
 hair that is upon his head ; and if I tear not his 
 jaws asunder, may my right hand fail me in battle, 
 for this man is a cloud between me and the 
 woman who is my wife." 
 
 Nevertheless Samson dissimulated his wrath 
 before his wife, and spoke with her as one in 
 whom he trusted ; yet did he not trust her, for the 
 glamour had gone off him, for she had been his for 
 seven days, and the passion for her that had eaten 
 him up of old time had grown cool. So he made 
 her sing and dance before him. And she, believing 
 7
 
 98 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 that no man could look upon her when she 
 danced for his pleasure alone, and not love her, 
 laughed in the hollow of her hand as she sent 
 a message to Jair, saying, " Knowest thou not a 
 thing stronger than a lion and sweeter than honey ? 
 Samson hath found it, for he hath looked upon it 
 and he hath become weaker than water." And 
 Jair sent the messenger back with a present, a 
 veil of great price, which the woman loved to 
 wear, and he charged the messenger, saying, 
 "When thou hast presented my gift to the 
 woman, ask her what is it that Samson hath seen 
 that is stronger than a lion and sweeter than 
 honey." And the messenger did as he had been 
 commanded. And when the woman had taken 
 his present, she said, " Say to Jair the Gileadite, 
 ' A bride that danceth before her lord to please 
 him, she is stronger than a lion and sweeter 
 than honey.'" 
 
 When Jair received that message he cursed 
 the wife of Samson, and her mother, and her 
 kindred, and all her father's house, saying, " If 
 I had not saved her the Philistines would have 
 utterly destroyed her as soon as Samson had gone 
 upon his way." For Jair remembered only that
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 99 
 
 he had saved the woman from the wrath of her 
 countrymen, and did not remember that it was 
 done to despite the man he hated and feared, 
 even Samson, the woman's lord. And Jair's wife, 
 she whom the beautiful Timnite had called a 
 crooked bough and a withered leaf, tried to 
 console him and soothe him in his anger, but he 
 would have none of her. " Come to me, thou 
 beautiful one," he cried mockingly ; " let me cut a 
 reed from the banks of the river and pipe unto 
 thee, that thou mayest dance before me and charm 
 the evil spirit from me with thy beauty." And 
 this he said to wound her, knowing that she was 
 crippled and hunchbacked and unpleasing to the 
 eye. Then she waxed angry with him, and cried, 
 " True, O my lord Jair, I am not as beautiful 
 as this Timnite woman, but, O my lord, if I am 
 not fair to see I am true to the vows I made thee." 
 And Jair laughed at her, crying, " The pitcher 
 that is foul a man may leave in the field, for no 
 thief will touch it ; but the pot that is of great 
 price he guardeth lest another man take it from 
 him. Thou hast been a true wife to me, woman, 
 as thou sayest ; but tell me, I pray thee, what 
 other man in all Philistia would waste a favour
 
 ioo JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 upon thee ? " And that speech rankled in the 
 heart of the woman, so that when he slept she 
 rose up and went to Samson and told him all. 
 And Samson said, " Abide a while in patience, then 
 I will avenge thee and myself also." And she 
 said, " How canst thou avenge me and thyself? 
 Tell me, I pray thee, that I may help thee, for 
 though I am not fashioned as other women, yet 
 our god Dagon hath given me more wisdom than 
 is given to most women. Mate thy strength with 
 my cunning, Samson, then thou wilt not fail. Who 
 is there that can escape from the lion and the 
 serpent ? " 
 
 So he told her what was in his heart to do. 
 " My wife danced before me that I might be 
 blinded to her wrong-doing, but it was she who 
 was blinded, for I did but act a part, and when 
 she said, ' Let me love thee, Samson,' I rebuked 
 her not, and when she kissed me upon the mouth 
 and cried, ' Let me braid thy tresses for thee, 
 Samson,' I suffered it, and said unto her, ' Tell 
 me, I pray thee, where all thy kinsfolk dwell 
 who were not at our marriage feast, for I would 
 visit them with a gift.' And she told me that 
 of all her father's house who came not to the
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 101 
 
 wedding feast, the greater part dwelt in the 
 pleasant Valley of Ashkelon, where they tend 
 their flocks and herds." And Jair's wife said, " It 
 is even so, in the Valley of Ashkelon thou wilt 
 find them, dwelling apart from all the rest of 
 the people. See thou to it, Samson, that thy 
 gift lacks nothing in the giving, for this woman 
 hath deserved much from thee, more perhaps 
 than thou knowest." And Samson swore by his 
 beard that they who dwelt in the Valley of 
 Ashkelon would not consider his gift lightly. 
 " And when I have avenged myself, and have 
 returned to pay that which I owe to those who 
 read my riddle, then, as our God liveth, I will 
 seek out thy husband Jair, if he be still living, 
 and will not forget what is owing to him." 
 
 The next day Samson left his wife, and 
 gathered together fifty young men, all Hebrews, 
 whose valour he had proven, and they went into 
 the Valley of Ashkelon, where they found many 
 of Samson's wife's kinsmen, who said, " What art 
 thou doing here, thou and these young men with 
 thee ? " And Samson said, " We have brought 
 thee a gift"; and he smote the man who had 
 spoken with his clenched hand so that he died.
 
 102 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Then he and the men who were with him fell 
 upon the shepherds of Ashkelon, and put them 
 to the sword ; it was not a battle, it was a 
 slaughter, for the men in the valley were not 
 prepared and knew not of his intention. And 
 Samson took as his share of the spoil thirty 
 changes of raiment and thirty sheets, and put 
 the spoil upon the asses, and so went back 
 to where his wife dwelt. Then he called those 
 men together whom he had owed, according to 
 the terms of his riddle, and paid them each 
 according to his vow, but he told them nothing 
 concerning his journey into Ashkelon. And it 
 came to pass that when Jair's wife saw Samson 
 with his band of young men, her heart went 
 out towards Jair her husband, and she said to 
 him then, " Take thou the fleetest camel that thou 
 dost possess and fly with all speed to one of 
 our strong cities, for Samson is come with an 
 armed band to take thy life because of the 
 evil that exists between thee and the woman 
 who is his wife." 
 
 And Jair vaunted, saying, " I do not fear this 
 man, yet is it unseemly for me who am a man 
 of substance to quarrel with him ; and, moreover,
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 103 
 
 I have business with the merchants of thy people 
 who dwell in El-Jirah, and I have made a vow 
 to visit them, else would I stay and confound 
 this vain fellow who thinketh that all the world 
 is afraid of him. Some day, when my javelin 
 taketh him between the ribs, he will wish that 
 he had kept clear of my path, yet if I stay 
 now I may have to slay more than him, and I 
 would not have the blood of any of those young 
 men upon my hands. Make haste, therefore, I 
 pray thee, and make ready those things which 
 I shall need for a far country. As for me, I will 
 prepare the fleet camel which came to me in 
 exchange for the corn and the oil at the close 
 of the last harvest; it hath no equal for speed, 
 and for seven days it can endure without water, 
 so that I may go by the way of the great desert 
 where no man who hath not such a beast to 
 bear him can follow." So his wife made haste 
 to prepare his vestments and the food that he 
 would require, and she made ready also a bag 
 of money, for she said, " Money is a key that 
 will open any gate, for it talketh the tongue of 
 all languages, and maketh the stranger at home 
 in all countries." And when Jair was ready to
 
 104 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 depart, his wife said, " Swear unto me now, Jair, 
 by thine own God, that if thou comest out of 
 this trouble, and shall not die, thou wilt have 
 none of this woman who hath come between 
 us." And Jair would have refused her, for his 
 blood was full of the poison brewed by the 
 kisses of the Timnite ; but, as he paused before 
 replying, one came running to him, whose evil 
 tidings were written all over his face; and he 
 said to Jair, " My lord, hasten while there is 
 yet time ; Samson cometh with a band of armed 
 men, and the life of my lord is the thing he 
 seeketh." So Jair moved off with great swift- 
 ness, and, as the dromedary moved, Jair's wife lifted 
 her hands beseechingly, crying, " Swear the thing 
 I asked of thee ere we part." And Jair, looking 
 over his shoulder in fear of Samson, cried, " I 
 swear it by the God of my fathers " ; yet the words 
 came not from his heart, but from his lips only. 
 
 When Samson came to the house of Jair, 
 and found that he had fled, he was moved 
 to anger towards the Gileadite's wife, saying, 
 " This is thy doing, woman ; thou hast delivered 
 my enemy out of my hand. Is there no woman 
 whom I may trust ? " And the woman said, " Be
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 105 
 
 not angry with me, Samson, though I have 
 betrayed thee in this matter, for I did it to 
 save the life of my lord." Whereat Samson 
 marvelled greatly, for it seemed to him passing 
 strange that she whose heart Jair had bruised, 
 as a man bruises flowers with his heel, should 
 stand between him and his danger. But Samson 
 understood not the ways of women, knowing 
 not that a loving wife clings to the shattered 
 wreck of him she loveth, even when he abideth 
 alone broken upon the wheel of his own mis- 
 doing. And Samson said, " Where has the man, 
 thy husband, gone ? and when did he go ? " And 
 the woman, hardening her heart, replied, " He 
 has gone towards the setting sun to meet a 
 caravan of merchants who are coming to him 
 with spices. He left me these three days gone, 
 and is now far upon his journey." So Samson 
 left her in peace. But one of the servants of 
 Jair, who loved him not because of some harsh 
 speech uttered in anger, told Samson that the 
 woman deceived him, and this he did in the 
 hope that he might find favour in the eyes of 
 the Hebrew champion, whose fame was begin- 
 ning to spread through all the country round
 
 106 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 about. So, when Samson questioned him, he 
 said, " Behold, Jair was with us but a little time 
 back, my lord ; the track of his camel, which he 
 rideth, hath not yet been lifted from the grass 
 by the wind and the sun. He fled far and fast 
 because his wife told him thou wert coming 
 down to fall upon him ; neither did he go towards 
 the setting sun, but the camel which he rideth 
 is the swiftest beast that hath been seen in 
 this land. Now, I pray thee, let me have a 
 gift at the hands of my lord, for I have surely 
 told that which is true." Then Samson, looking 
 upon that servant, made answer, " Thou dog 
 that biteth the hand that fed thee with thy 
 daily bread, thou knave that art false to the 
 salt thou eatest, thou shalt indeed have a gift 
 at my hands ! " And Samson smote the false 
 servant upon the thigh with his clenched hand, 
 so that he no more walked upright upon his 
 two legs, but was a cripple to the day of his 
 death ; and the children pointed him out to one 
 another, crying, " Take heed that ye be not false 
 to your salt, lest ye become even as this thing 
 that crawls." And the cripple was a byword in 
 all Philistia as long as he lived.
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 107 
 
 So Samson left that place and returned to his 
 own people, and he went not near to his wife, 
 but treated her slightingly. And she, when she 
 heard he was leaving, put on her best garments 
 and lay in wait for him amidst a grove of olive 
 trees through which she knew he would pass, 
 for she thought to charm him again with her 
 beauty ; but when Samson saw her he passed by 
 swiftly, and his talk to his friend on the home- 
 ward way was not of love but of battles. And 
 when his mother saw him she said, " How now, 
 my son, where is thy bride ? " And he said, " Let 
 the matter pass as though it had not been, ask 
 me not concerning the woman, let it suffice that 
 she is still dwelling in the house of her father." 
 And his mother was grieved for her son, and 
 putting dust upon her grey head she lamented, 
 crying, " O Samson, my son Samson, most 
 beautiful amongst all the children of men, has 
 a woman indeed brought thee to shame ? " Then 
 Samson made a mock of his mother's grief, 
 saying, " Why dost thou put dust amidst thy grey 
 hairs, my mother ? Why dost thou lament for 
 so small a matter? Behold, when a woman is 
 old she seeth but one fig that is worth plucking
 
 108 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 upon a tree ; but a man, when he is young, if 
 that which he hath plucked first doth not taste 
 sweet to his mouth, throweth it away and picketh 
 another ; and this fig which I have gathered, is 
 it the only one which is within my reach? I 
 will wait a while and better fruit will fall at my 
 feet with every wind that bloweth." And Samson 
 laughed, and went amongst his comrades singing, 
 yet his mother knew that his heart was sore 
 within him because of the woman who was his 
 wife, but who had become to him as a stranger. 
 
 The seasons came and went each in its turn, 
 and Samson's heart yearned towards his wife ; but 
 he hid it from his fellows, going with the hunters 
 to the hunting, and working with the husbandmen 
 in the fields, until they said, " There is no man in 
 the land like Samson for sport, or war, or toil." Yet 
 of his wife he heard never a word, either good or 
 bad. As for the Timnite woman, she did not die 
 of grief concerning her lord, but when the summer 
 had passed and he came not, neither sent word 
 to her, she hated him, partly for his neglect of 
 her, and partly because of the slaughter he had 
 wrought amongst her kinsfolk. So she said to her 
 own soul, " I will wound him so that he will feel
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 109 
 
 the wound worse than the thrust of a spear, 
 neither shield nor buckler shall hide the wound 
 from the eyes of his friends." So she sent one 
 whom she could trust to the city of El-Jirah, 
 where Jair the apostate Hebrew dwelt, and said to 
 him, " Why dost thou tarry so far away from one 
 who loves thee ? Come now, or remain away for 
 ever. As for that other one, the Hebrew giant 
 with the lion's mane, he will not return to vex 
 thee. He is happy amongst his sheep and his 
 kine, the love of a woman is not for such an one 
 as he is." 
 
 When Jair received that message he bade 
 farewell to the merchants of El-Jirah, and made 
 all speed to his own home. And his wife when she 
 saw him fell upon his neck and wept for joy, for 
 she knew not of the messenger that Samson's 
 wife had sent, and she was happy. But on the 
 morrow, whilst it was yet early, Jair rose up, 
 saying, " I have been away far too long, I must 
 now go and see which of my servants have been 
 faithful and which have robbed me whilst I have 
 been sojourning in El-Jirah." And his wife believed 
 his words. But when he had left the house a little 
 s and was hidden by the trees, he turned his
 
 i io JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 steps towards the home of the Timnite ; and she 
 was at the window waiting for him for she knew 
 of his return and knew that he would first seek 
 her privily ; and she was glad, yet did she hide 
 the light of her joy behind a mantle of anger for 
 with her all plain dealing was impossible, she 
 being one of those who cannot draw a thread of 
 silk through her fingers without an artifice. And 
 Jair said, " Why art thou angry with me ? Didst 
 thou not send for me, and have I not come ? Did 
 I tarry by the way ? Thy voice reached me like 
 the cooing of a dove ; I came to thee on the 
 wings of an eagle." " Nay," she said, " thou dost 
 not come to me like a dove on the wings of love, 
 but thou comest like a thief at the dawning, so 
 that none may see thee ; and when thou hast 
 feasted thy soul with stolen love, like a thief wilt 
 thou depart, thinking only of the withered leaf in 
 thine own home and of thyself, Jair." Then Jair 
 cursed his wife, and said, " A withered leaf and a 
 crooked bough she is, and I am weary unto death 
 concerning her. I would that I had thee by my 
 side day and night, for I am grown weary of the 
 face of my wife." And the Timnite said, " Wilt 
 thou take me in the sight of all men to be thine
 
 Ill 
 
 handmaiden ? " And he, seeing not the snare 
 that was set for him, even as the bird in the 
 forest seeth not the snare set by the fowler, said, 
 " Yea, in the sight of all men I will take thee 
 even unto mine own house to be mine hand- 
 maiden, and thou shalt be the mother of the 
 children who shalt inherit all my wealth." Then 
 Jair went to the woman's father, and said, " Give 
 me, I pray thee, thy daughter who was wedded to 
 my countryman Samson. He hath left her this 
 long time lonely, and it is not meet that one so 
 beautiful should dwell alone." And the man was 
 troubled, for he feared Samson. And when Jair 
 saw that the man feared Samson, he said, " Do 
 not fear this Samson he will never come nigh 
 unto her again ; he hath sent me tidings, saying, 
 ' Before the woman was my wife I loved her, 
 but afterwards my soul sickened because of her ; 
 it is not meet that the lion and the ass should 
 mate.' " So the man gave his daughter to Jair 
 to be his handmaiden, and Jair gave the man a 
 vineyard. And Jair took the woman to his own 
 home, and she bowed herself before the cripple, 
 and pretended to do her reverence, as it was 
 fitting for one who was but a handmaiden. But
 
 112 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the cripple knew that whilst the Timnite did her 
 homage with her mouth she mocked her with 
 her eyes, for the eyes of the handmaiden always 
 seemed to be saying, " Thou withered leaf, thou 
 crooked bough." 
 
 And Jair drew more and more away from his 
 wife, and clave closer day by day to the beautiful 
 daughter of Timnath, so that the cripple's soul 
 died within her, and she mourned day and night, 
 saying to herself, in the lonely hours between the 
 setting and the rising of the sun, " I am a widow 
 who am no widow, for my husband still liveth. 
 I was a cripple in my body from my birth, but 
 now my spirit is crippled also, for there is none 
 in all the earth to love me. I would that I were 
 dead, for the dead know rest from sorrow, but 
 before I die I will be avenged of mine enemies." 
 So she laid her plans warily, sending to her 
 kinsmen in all the cities belonging to the Philis- 
 tines, saying, " Stir up anger against Jair the 
 Gileadite, so that he be forbidden to enter any 
 of our cities on pain of death ; this do, and when 
 his end cometh all that I have shall be divided 
 amongst you." And her kinsfolk did as they 
 were bidden, for they hated to see so much wealth
 
 THE WOMAN OF TIMNATH 113 
 
 in the hands of an Hebrew. So messengers 
 came from the cities near and far, warning Jair 
 that if he set his feet within their gates he 
 would surely be slain. Whereat Jair laughed 
 and, satiated with his new love, became day by 
 day a harder task-master to those who laboured 
 for him ; and to those who were in his debt he 
 became more cruel, taking all that they had in 
 default of what was his due, until they cried, " We 
 are as corn between two millstones, between this 
 Hebrew and his wife, who is of our own people." 
 When the cripple heard that they so spake, she 
 helped then privily, building up for herself many 
 friends ; and when she had done these things she 
 caused messengers to go to the place where 
 Samson dwelt with his people, and she charged 
 the messengers, saying, " Be watchful over your 
 mouths, and do that for which I shall reward you. 
 Go and talk of the beauty of the woman who was 
 wife to Samson, the champion of the Hebrews. 
 Sing her praises, so that men shall wonder to hear 
 you ; but do not let them know that she is hand- 
 maiden to my lord, else will Samson keep away 
 from her, for shame's sake ; for it is like a man to 
 boast that he threw away a thing that he hath
 
 114 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 lost and another hath found. The messengers 
 went upon their way, and did as the cripple 
 commanded them. And the fame of Samson's 
 wife's beauty spread through all the camps of the 
 Hebrews, like fire through a field of flax, so that 
 Samson began to hunger for a sight of the face of 
 the woman he had loved, and he said, " I will take 
 a gift in my hand and go down and make my 
 peace with her."
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 
 
 F^AR out beyond the bounds of Judah, upon 
 the banks of the great river, the Hebrews 
 had caused a city to be built which was known 
 to all men as the City of Sanctuary. And there 
 the priests had erected a temple. Day and night a 
 priest stood before the altar of the temple, burning 
 incense ; lighted tapers were burning there unceas- 
 ingly, for it was the law that if any man did an 
 evil thing, worthy of death, towards his fellows, he 
 might fly to the City of Refuge and find sanctuary. 
 And it was written that the evil-doer had to run 
 upon his two feet, using no beast of burden to 
 help him in his flight; and his pursuer, likewise, 
 had to run after him ; and it was not lawful for 
 any man to help him that ran, or him that 
 pursued. The blood debt was a matter that 
 rested between the wrong-doer and the avenger. 
 
 115
 
 n6 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 If the pursuer came upon his adversary without 
 the walls of the city, he might slay him forthwith ; 
 if he laid hands upon him within the city, before 
 he had entered the temple and prostrated himself 
 before the altar, he might slay him ; but when the 
 evil-doer had prostrated himself, then no man 
 might lay hands upon him, for he was protected 
 by the mercy that radiated from the altar. If 
 the wrong-doer entered the temple with the 
 avenger upon his heels, and prostrated himself, 
 and the avenger sought to slay him, then the 
 priest would cast himself between them as a 
 symbol of the mercy of the God of the Hebrews. 
 If after the priest had covered the wrong-doer 
 with his mantle the avenger still sought him 
 with sword or spear, then the priest would call 
 the congregation within the walls of the city to 
 rise as one man and stone the avenger to death, 
 and they should be guiltless, because it was the 
 law. But if the avenger went forth from the city 
 and camped beyond the walls, pitching his tent as 
 far away as a slinger could cast a stone, he might 
 lie in wait for his enemy ; and if the wrong-doer 
 came forth from the city by night or day, and 
 his adversary came upon him, then might his
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 117 
 
 adversary put him to the sword, and no questions 
 be asked him why or wherefore that was the 
 law. It was also written that watchmen should 
 stand upon the walls night and day to look for 
 those who fled for sanctuary, and when they saw 
 one running towards the city each watchman had 
 to call aloud to his fellows, and they all called to 
 those within the gates, " Make the path clear to 
 the temple, for one runneth seeking refuge." 
 Whereat all who were in the streets forsook 
 them, leaving every street, highway, and byway 
 clear for him who came, so that his life might 
 be saved for him. Sometimes they who fled 
 reached the very gates of the city and fell from 
 exhaustion ; and the avenger coming upon them, 
 as they lay faint and panting, put the fallen to 
 death in the sight of the whole city. Sometimes 
 the panting wretch fleeing from death traversed 
 the streets of the city of refuge, drawing deep, 
 sobbing breaths, staggering from side to side, 
 only to be slain on the very threshold of the 
 temple. Many were drowned trying to cross 
 the river, others fell by the spear in the hills 
 beyond the river, and many others perished at 
 the teeth of wild beasts in the forests that
 
 n8 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 girdled the hills ; but few reached the City of 
 Sanctuary, excepting the fleet and the strong. 
 And it was towards this city that Jair the 
 Gileadite was turning his eyes, for word had 
 reached him that his enemy Samson was coming 
 down from Judah to seek his wife; and Jair was 
 afraid, for he knew that he had committed the 
 unforgivable sin ; and it was then that he under- 
 stood that an enemy had been at work against 
 him in Philistia, closing all the cities against 
 him, so that there was no place where he could 
 hide his head except the far - off City of 
 Sanctuary. 
 
 In his hour of distress he took counsel with 
 his handmaiden, who had been wife to Samson, 
 saying, " I have fallen upon evil days because of 
 thee, help me now, I pray thee, to make an end 
 of this matter. I cannot go back to mine own 
 people, for they would slay me. All thy people 
 hate me, saying, ' This Hebrew hath sown with 
 one hand and reaped with two.' All thy cities 
 have been closed to me by some secret enemy. 
 If I would save my life, I must fly upon my two 
 feet to the City of Sanctuary ; and if I fly upon 
 my two feet, I must leave all my wealth behind
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 119 
 
 me. How then shall I act, for it is certain that 
 Samson will come to seek me ? " And the woman 
 said, " If thou wert indeed a man, thou wouldst 
 not ask me, saying, ' How shall I act ? ' Instead of 
 seeking a place to fly to thou wouldst gird a 
 sword upon thy thigh, and take a spear in thy 
 hand, and go forth and lie in wait for this boaster 
 in the forest. What is he more than another, 
 that all the marrow in thy bones should turn to 
 water when his shadow falls upon the grass ? " 
 But Jair said, " He is very terrible in battle, 
 and no man can stand before him. He would 
 tear me asunder with his two hands as a boy 
 parteth the grass in the meadows. Only the 
 cunning of a woman can undo him ; wilt thou 
 entrap him to his undoing ? " But she would 
 not, for she too in her heart feared the wrath of 
 Samson. So Jair told her, saying, " Thou hadst 
 better go back to thy father's house, and I will 
 make thee my treasure-house, and then I will fly 
 swiftly to the City of Refuge ; and when I am 
 secure there, thou and thy father can come to 
 me, for I am tired of this land. There is no 
 perfume in the flowers, and the song of the birds 
 is without music, and there is no warmth in the
 
 120 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 sunshine." So the woman, seeing into his heart, 
 said, " Give me thy treasure and I will garner it, 
 and when the time is ripe I will come to thee." 
 
 And the speech pleased Jair, and he made haste 
 to gather all that he could of gold and silver and 
 precious stones, sweet - smelling ointments and 
 spices, fine linen and rich apparel, and all those 
 things he stored at the house of the woman's 
 father. 
 
 Then he took only a spear to guard him from 
 the wild beasts, and a little food in a wallet 
 which he bound across his shoulders, and a purse 
 of gold, and some precious stones which were 
 almost beyond price; these he had sewn in a 
 girdle which he wore around his waist. So, waiting 
 until the moon arose, he started forth to seek 
 the City of Refuge. Of old time, when he had 
 dwelt amongst his brethren in Judah, he had 
 been famed far and near for his fleetness of foot, 
 so that the men had said there is none like Jair 
 for swiftness; he could run down a stag in its 
 prime. But the life he had led as a lender of 
 money in Philistia had caused him to lose his 
 fleetness, for he was fat and heavy ; so, when he 
 started, he moved slowly, husbanding his breath
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 121 
 
 and his strength, for he knew that the journey 
 would bring his speed of foot back to him. 
 Therefore he moved cautiously, walking easily 
 and with care, that he might not bruise his feet 
 upon the stones, for his feet were very tender. 
 Then it was that he cursed the slothfulness of 
 his life amongst the Philistines, for of old time, 
 when he had been a hunter and a dweller in 
 tents, his flesh had been as hard as the wood of 
 a young olive tree; but during his sojourn in 
 Philistia, after he had married his wife, he had 
 not joined the hunters, neither had he partaken 
 of the sports of the young men. When he had 
 moved abroad he had caused his servants to 
 carry him upon a litter, or he had ridden upon 
 the back of an ass, so that his flesh had become 
 as soft as the flesh of a woman. He had forsaken 
 the simple life of his fathers, and had become a 
 wine-bibber, an eater of spiced meats and rich 
 cakes. All these things had seemed good to 
 him in the days of his ease, but when he came 
 to fly before Samson he knew that the old 
 simple life was the proper life for a man ; and he 
 repented him that he had not lived according to 
 the training of his youth, for from childhood to
 
 122 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 manhood a bed upon the grass with the music 
 of the wind through the leaves of the trees had 
 seemed sweet to him. In those old days he 
 drank nothing but a draught of water from the 
 running brook, and his food was a little wheaten 
 cake, with the flesh of a goat or a kid, and wild 
 honey gathered in the forests ; dainty things he 
 had not known, excepting a bowl of sweet milk, 
 or a handful of fruit plucked in its season. And 
 in those days Jair could outrun a wolf without 
 tiring. So now when his life depended upon his 
 speed of foot he bethought him of the days when 
 no man could outrun him, and he said to his own 
 soul, " If this great creature Samson comes after 
 me hot-foot I shall surely perish, for he is one 
 who is always abroad upon the mountains at the 
 dawning, and the setting sun finds him beating 
 the woods in search of sport, for his strength 
 never fails him. Yet if he comes not too 
 swiftly after me, but giveth me time to make 
 myself as once I was, then will I laugh at him, 
 for he is big and heavy, and his very strength 
 maketh him slow - footed. He calleth himself 
 the lion of Judah, but a fox can outwit a lion. 
 Have I not studied the ways of a fox since I
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 123 
 
 was a little child, are not all his ways known 
 unto me ? " 
 
 That evening, when the sun was going down, 
 Jair laved his body in a running stream, kneading 
 the muscles of his legs with great care, and 
 when' he had dried himself he took ointment and 
 dressed his feet, treating them tenderly. Then 
 he collected some berries that were known to 
 him, and ate them to purge himself, for his breath 
 was thick in his throat and chest ; a draught of 
 clear water from the stream, and a little dried 
 goat's flesh with a wafer of bread, was his evening 
 meal, and a bed of moss which he sought and 
 found in a great cleft in a rock was his couch. 
 He slept with his spear in his hand, for fear of 
 the wild beasts that might scent him whilst 
 prowling in search of their prey ; and at midnight, 
 when he heard the mountain leopards growling 
 around him, his heart was filled with bitterness, 
 and he said, " Of a truth he who steppeth from 
 the right path putteth his feet on thorns. If I 
 had been true to mine own people I would not 
 now be an outcast, hiding thus from the wild 
 beasts of the mountains. I sought honey that was 
 not lawful for me to seek, and behold it hath
 
 124 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 turned to gall in my mouth." At the dawning 
 he arose, and all his limbs were sore ; his feet also 
 were as the feet of a little child, yet he knew that 
 he must go onward or die ; and the fear of death 
 was very great in Jair, so he walked slowly until 
 the sun rose and the freshness of the morning air 
 and the motion of walking took the soreness from 
 his limbs. At sunrise he ate a frugal meal of 
 dried figs and a wafer of bread washed down 
 with water, then he laved his body in the clear 
 running stream, and anointed his limbs where 
 they were chafed with the juice of a herb that 
 grew wild ; and his spirits rose, for he said, "If 
 Samson does not come upon me for a week from 
 this day, then I will laugh at him, for he will 
 know that he hath come forth to seek the wind." 
 Yet all that day he walked with his chin upon 
 his shoulder. If a bough broke behind him in 
 the forest his heart stood still. If a bird rose 
 suddenly, frightened by some prowler of the 
 wilderness, then Jair doubled from his path like 
 a fox, and crouched trembling behind a rock 
 or in a hollow. Once when the wind, rushing 
 through the woods, made a sound like the voice 
 of a man shouting, Jair grasped the limbs of a
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 125 
 
 tree and swung himself upwards and hid amidst 
 the branches like a tree-leopard, lying flat along 
 a great bough in the hope that Samson would 
 pass him by, for the fear of Samson was with 
 him always. And so for five days did Jair the 
 Gileadite pursue his way towards the City of 
 Sanctuary, and he neither heard nor saw anything 
 of his enemy ; still his fleetness of foot had not 
 come back to him, neither had the fat that had 
 gathered upon him in the time of idleness faded 
 from his body. At times he forsook his walk, 
 and ran steadily, like an old wolf, to strengthen 
 his lungs ; but when he tried to dash forward at 
 great speed a pain shot through his liver like a 
 dart, the coarse blood that had been thickening 
 in his veins during the time of his rich living in 
 Philistia filled the veins around his neck and 
 caused his brain to throb almost to bursting. So 
 he continued steadily, hoping that his enemy 
 might not come to him before the grossness had 
 departed from him. 
 
 Meanwhile, Samson had said farewell to his 
 mother and his father, and, taking a gift in his 
 hand, he went down to see his wife. When he 
 came tc^ the house of her father he saw the old
 
 126 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 man sitting close by the doorway, and Samson 
 saluted him with kind words. But the old man 
 trembled at the sight of the majestic figure that 
 stood before him, and Samson said, " Tremble not 
 before me, I pray thee, let that which is past be 
 forgotten, for I have come with a gift in my hand 
 to make my peace with thy household." And a 
 young damsel hearing Samson's voice came out, 
 and she was of exceeding great beauty, and 
 Samson smiled upon the damsel, for he knew her 
 to be his wife's sister, and he said, " Where is my 
 wife ? " And the damsel replied, " My sister, thy 
 wife, is in her own chamber." And Samson said 
 to the old man, " Suffer me now, I pray thee, let 
 me go in and speak with my wife." But the 
 old man would not so suffer him, and a cloud 
 gathered upon Samson's brow; so the old man 
 cried, " Hearken to me now, Samson, for I would 
 deal uprightly with thee, seeing we both be men. 
 Thou didst leave my daughter when she had been 
 wedded to thee but a few days, and, not content 
 with that, thou didst go forth and work evil 
 amongst her kindred ; then, full of thine own 
 imaginings, thou wentest back to thine own 
 people ; and one came to me, saying, ' Samson
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 127 
 
 hath sent me word by a faithful messenger that 
 he no longer loveth thy daughter, but hateth her, 
 and he will no more come nigh unto her.' " Then 
 Samson, leaning upon his spear, said, " O kind 
 and faithful friend that did pour sand into a sore 
 wound to heal it. Where is the woman ? " And 
 her father said, " Be not wrathful towards me, 
 Samson, for I am old. I gave my daughter to 
 thy friend to be his handmaiden, because it 
 seemed to me that thou didst utterly hate her ; 
 but here is this damsel, her sister, who is more 
 beautiful than she, take her, I pray thee, and let 
 there be peace between us." When Samson 
 heard that saying from the lips of his wife's 
 father, he walked away swiftly to the house of 
 Jair the Gileadite, and Jair's wife came forth to 
 meet him. And Samson said, " Where is thy 
 lord, woman ? " And the cripple said, " He is 
 not within the house, he hath fled on foot towards 
 the City of Sanctuary " ; and she pointed out to 
 him the way that her husband had gone. And 
 Samson, looking into her face, knew that she was 
 not lying to him a second time. 
 
 There was one standing by who overheard the 
 speech of the cripple to Samson, and this one
 
 128 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 was steward to Jair, and related to that man 
 whom Samson had smitten with his hand on the 
 thigh ; and he said, " It is vain for my lord to 
 look towards the City of Sanctuary for his enemy, 
 seeing that he whom he seeketh hath many days' 
 start of my lord upon the journey. Let my lord 
 take the woman who was his, and be content ; it 
 is true that she hath been handmaiden to Jair, 
 but what of that, is she not my lord's wife ? " 
 And the saying stung Samson like the stroke of 
 a whip, whereupon he cast his spear at the 
 steward ; but the man, who was watching him, 
 threw himself flat upon his face, so that the spear 
 passed by him and was transfixed in the door of 
 the house. And the steward rose up quickly 
 and fled, and there was no order about his 
 going. 
 
 So Samson made ready for the pursuit of Jair. 
 He too took nothing with him but his spear, and 
 a little food in a wallet, for he said, " The earth 
 is my table, whereon the banquet is always 
 spread. The wild fruits that grow for the birds 
 of the air, are they not mine also ? The honey 
 that the bees store in the secret places of the 
 woods, is that not his who finds it ? Water that
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 129 
 
 is found in the running brook is better than wine 
 from a leathern bottle ; as for the rest, my spear 
 will provide." Then he commenced to hunt for 
 Jair as he would have hunted for a fat wolf, and 
 when at last he found the way that his enemy 
 had gone he drew his girdle tight, and ran. He 
 did not rush off with the speed of a young colt 
 freed from captivity, but ran with his head thrown 
 back like a buck, crossing the ground with long 
 slow strides that made the distance fade. It was 
 morning when he started upon his quest for the 
 man he hated, the man who had stolen his wife 
 from him. At noon he moistened his mouth 
 with water, and partook of a little dried fruit 
 from his scrip, and then ran on with the long 
 tireless stride of the prowler of the forest. At 
 the setting of the sun he paused a while and ate 
 sparingly of his store, then, using his spear as a 
 staff, he walked with the swift springy stride of 
 a man whose whole life had been passed in such 
 labour. When the moon came out he threw 
 himself down amidst a patch of deep grass and 
 slept the sleep that comes to man in perfect 
 health after a hard day's toil ; but the dawning 
 found him as fresh as a young boy, with every 
 9
 
 130 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 muscle in his body plastic and supple. Forward 
 he made his way, rejoicing in his strength, fearing 
 nothing, neither man nor beast. When he came 
 to a river he plunged in and swam across it 
 boldly, for no currents were too strong for him, 
 and he rejoiced in the contest with the waters. 
 The hills did not stop him, for their steepness 
 but roused his temper. The tangled undergrowth 
 in the forest delayed him, but he caught the 
 masses of the twining undergrowth in his arms 
 and wrenched it from his pathway. All day 
 long in front of him he could see the mocking 
 face of the woman who had been his wife, and 
 the handmaiden of Jair his countryman. He 
 saw the deep blackness of her hair, the soft 
 beauty of her eyes, like the eyes of a doe in the 
 early days of spring. He saw the redness of her 
 mouth, like the redness of a flower with the dews 
 of morning upon it. When his heel bruised the 
 wild geranium on the hillsides, the fragrance 
 brought back to his mind the sweet fragrance 
 of her breath when she had nestled by his side 
 at the feast that followed his wedding; and the 
 memory of those things was like wine to his 
 blood, for he knew that the woman could never
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 131 
 
 again be anything to him, because of what had 
 been whilst she was handmaiden to Jair ; and 
 he longed to come up with his enemy, so that 
 the fierceness of the race for life, and revenge, 
 might take the woman's memory from his heart. 
 " I will take his head back," he said, " and lay 
 it at her door, so that she may know that it is 
 not wise to make a mock of Samson." 
 
 So the days passed, but Samson saw not Jair. 
 As for the Apostate, his fleetness came back to 
 him hour by hour, day by day, and his feet 
 spurned the ground as they did when he had 
 been a hunter ; and as his speed increased, his fear 
 lessened, for he said within himself, " My speed 
 and my wit will overcome the strength and 
 stubbornness of Samson." 
 
 It was evening, the sun had hidden himself 
 behind a bank of clouds, turning the western 
 heavens to a mirror of glory before bidding the 
 world good-night. A small brook trickled in and 
 out amidst a clump of cedar trees that formed a 
 natural arbour in a glade that nature had carved 
 out of the heart of the far-spreading forest ; over- 
 head, climbing plants twined caressingly around 
 the branches of the trees, reaching from cedar to
 
 132 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 cedar, until a leafy screen was formed between 
 earth and sky. Underfoot, the mossy softness of 
 the grass made a carpet for the ground of 
 wondrous beauty. Reclining at his ease, with 
 his feet dallying with the sparkling water, lay Jair 
 the Gileadite. The white roundness of his form 
 had departed from him. He had become lean 
 and lithe ; his eyes were bright and keen ; his skin 
 dark olive, with the tan of the sun and wind 
 above the natural pallor. As he lay thus watch- 
 ing the ripples on the water, he looked like a 
 greyhound basking in the shadows. A branch 
 near by broke suddenly, the grass seemed to 
 rustle, a fox that had been watching Jair from a 
 safe distance darted off with speed. Jair sprang 
 to his feet, his right hand clutched his spear, his 
 left hand was clenched hard against his side, his 
 head was thrown forward, his nostrils opened and 
 closed like the nostrils of a horse smitten with 
 fear, his body was bent like the body of a runner 
 waiting for the signal to start upon a race. A 
 moment passed ; the boughs that fell almost to 
 the edge of the water parted a little way down 
 the stream, and Samson pushed his way like a 
 young steer into the clearer space. He was
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 133 
 
 walking carelessly, as a man walks who thinks his 
 enemies afar off; the spear in his hand he used 
 as a staff, and his eyes sought the water. But in 
 the twinkling of an eye his gaze fell upon his 
 enemy the one whom he sought ! Like a man 
 stricken to stone he stood with one foot advanced, 
 his great chest thrown wide, his head poised like 
 the head of a bull at gaze. 
 
 Then he opened his lips and gave a great 
 shout, the noise bursting from his throat and 
 ringing through the trees. When Jair heard that 
 sound, so full of joy and triumph, he cast his spear 
 with all his might full at the bared chest of his 
 enemy and fled as the deer flies when the lion 
 roars. But the spear did not smite Samson ; he 
 caught the shaft with the shaft of his own spear 
 and hurled it aside ; then he rushed in pursuit of 
 Jair on the wings of hate, but Jair was flying on 
 the wings of fear. So fast did he fly that a 
 stone cast by a strong slinger would scarce have 
 outstripped him. Scudding low, like a hare, he 
 darted down each open glade, choosing the level 
 ground and avoiding the hills, where the strength 
 of Samson would have availed against his light- 
 ness of foot. And Samson rushed on in pursuit, his
 
 134 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 hair waving behind him like the mane of a wild 
 horse. When Jair came to a cluster of bushes 
 that barred his path he leapt over them with the 
 lightness of a fawn ; but Samson rushed through 
 them, tearing his flesh with the thorns, but heed- 
 ing not the brambles or the pain of the wounds 
 they made. 
 
 When the first wild rush of fear was passed, 
 and^Jair, looking back, saw that he could outstrip 
 his pursuer, his courage came back to him, and, 
 with his courage, his cunning returned ; and he no 
 longer ran wildly on but doubled and turned like 
 a fox, making use of all the wiles of his wood- 
 craft; and his brain was more subtle than the 
 brain of Samson, and this enraged his pursuer so 
 that he exhausted himself rushing hither and 
 thither. And when Jair saw that Samson was 
 growing weary, he darted out into the open 
 country at his topmost speed, and Samson fol- 
 lowed him, running heavily and drawing his 
 breath hard. Then Jair, who was as cunning as a 
 serpent, slackened his pace, and stumbled as he 
 ran, like a man sore spent, so that Samson 
 counted him as good as dead, and redoubled 
 his efforts until he drew almost within smiting
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 135 
 
 distance of Jair. Then the Gileadite shot away 
 from him like a stone from a sling, and Samson 
 strove mightily to overtake him, until his chest 
 became choked, and the blood rushing to his head 
 caused him to reel like one who comes from the 
 press of the battle sore stricken. When Jair saw 
 how it was with Samson, he cursed himself for 
 having cast away his spear, for he said, " If I had 
 a weapon with me now I could slay this giant 
 like an ox, for his wrath hath made him a mad- 
 man ; jealousy hath so blinded him that he is no 
 more to be feared than an ox that is yoked to 
 the plough. He hath come out to seek for my 
 head, mayhap he may lose his own ; for a serpent 
 that hath been singed by fire is more to be 
 dreaded than a lioness that hath been robbed of 
 her whelps ; and this man has singed me these 
 many times." 
 
 When Samson found that he could run no 
 faster he rested a while, and gave himself up to 
 thought, for darkness was now come upon the earth. 
 So he cast himself down, and when his blood was 
 cool he said to himself, " So I have behaved as 
 a child in this matter, I might have known that 
 he was not called ' Swiftfoot ' by the hunters for
 
 136 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 nothing. To-morrow I will start after him as 
 soon as it is day, and pursue him slowly but 
 surely even unto the setting of the sun, running 
 him down as the wolf runs down the full-grown 
 stag, for my strength will outlast his if my head 
 is cool." So Samson slept. But Jair did not 
 sleep, but walked swiftly, guiding himself by the 
 stars, for he knew that there would be no peace 
 for him outside the City of Sanctuary whilst 
 Samson lived. When at last he became weary, 
 he made himself a bed of leaves, and he too slept ; 
 but even in his sleep the avenger pursued him, so 
 that his rest refreshed him but little. The dawn 
 found him ready for the race for life, and he 
 pressed on with feverish haste. As for Samson, 
 he too was stirring with the first faint flush of 
 morning. This time he husbanded his strength, 
 wasting it not in vain rushes of speed, but 
 bounding steadily on ; he tarried for nothing, yet 
 it was late in the day before he again came in 
 sight of his enemy, who was pressing on towards 
 the goal of his hopes. When Jair saw his 
 pursuer, he paused and gazed at him earnestly, 
 and noted how he ran; and he read Samson's 
 purpose aright, and a great fear came upon him.
 
 J
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 137 
 
 He did not try to beguile his enemy with craft, 
 but, clenching his two hands in front of his chest, 
 he too ran forward steadily ; and as he ran he 
 prayed for a forest or darkness, but the land was 
 open and the darkness afar off. But, as he ran, 
 Jair saw the blue line of some hills rising against 
 the horizon away upon his right hand, and he 
 swerved towards them. And when Samson saw 
 Jair swerve from his straight path, he knew that 
 he was running to shelter as a fox runs to earth ; 
 and he lengthened his stride so that his pace 
 became swifter and the distance between him and 
 Jair grew less and less ; but the hills were coming 
 nearer and nearer with every stride. 
 
 Jair did not look behind him. He knew that 
 death was hunting at his heels ; he dropped his 
 chin on his breast and ran until the earth 
 appeared to lift in front of him, the skies seemed 
 to drop and meet the earth, blackness and blood 
 seemed ever before his eyes ; and in that time he 
 died many deaths. He no longer ran in a direct 
 course, for his feet were beyond the control of his 
 will, so that he staggered to the right hand and 
 to the left like a man who had stayed too long 
 at a feast with the wine before him. Yet
 
 138 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Samson could not come up with him, for he too 
 was sore spent. Yet though he ran until his 
 life was almost gone he could not quite reach 
 Jair, who reeled blindly on until a pass in the 
 hills opened in front of him, and the pass was 
 dark and strewn with great rocks and bushes and 
 low-growing trees. Jair staggered into the pass, 
 and groped his way forward for a little space ; 
 then the blood gushed from his nostrils, and he 
 fell as one who is dead. But Samson did not see 
 him fall ; when he entered the chasm in the hills 
 he pushed onward and upward, passing so close 
 to his enemy that the blood from Jair's nostrils 
 stained his foot as he passed. And so, for the 
 second time, Jair the Apostate escaped with his 
 life, but his sorrows were not yet at an end ; all 
 the night he lay quaking with fear, and the 
 break of day brought him no joy. He needed 
 food and drink, but dread of Samson kept him 
 from going forth to seek it, until his torments 
 became so great that he said, " I will end this ; 
 is it not better to go forth and die upon the 
 man's spear than to perish of thirst ? " 
 
 The sun was beating down upon him where he 
 lay hidden between two boulders of rock, and the
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 139 
 
 rocks had become so hot that they scorched his 
 flesh. His mouth was swollen and parched with 
 the thirst that consumed him. The fierce race of 
 the previous day had caused his blood to burn 
 like scalded wine in his veins ; his eyes were 
 strained and bloodshot ; his lips were cracked and 
 puffed out with thick black blood, so that they 
 burst at the corners and in the middle, and the 
 little grey flies settled upon them in a cloud to 
 feast upon him, adding to his torments a 
 thousandfold. So he crept forth from his hiding- 
 place like a wounded beast, and searched for 
 water until he found it ; and when he had 
 quenched his thirst and bathed his tortured face 
 he gathered berries from the bushes, and sought 
 locusts to eat, living like a wild man. Once 
 when he sought to capture a young kid that was 
 but a few weeks old he came upon Samson asleep 
 in the shade, and Jair crept on soft feet meaning 
 to slay his enemy with a rock, for he had no 
 other weapon ; but, as he drew near to the sleeper, 
 Samson turned in his slumber and reached out 
 his arm, and so great was Jair's terror that he 
 dropped the rock and crouched down amid some 
 bushes like a hare that seeth danger; and the
 
 140 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 noise of the falling rock awoke Samson, so that 
 he sat up and looked around him. When his 
 eyes fell upon the bushes amidst which his enemy 
 lay concealed, then Jair's soul shrivelled up within 
 him, and he died many deaths. But Samson did 
 not perceive him, but lay back on the grass with 
 his eyes open, thinking; and Jair, watching him, 
 made up his 'mind to rush upon him and slay him 
 before he could rise to defend himself. But when 
 he tried to rise to carry out his plot there was no 
 strength in his limbs, for his blood had turned to 
 water in the presence of the champion of the 
 Hebrew people. So, being afraid to risk the 
 battle, he lay still and cursed under his breath ; 
 but the curses sat very lightly upon Samson, who 
 ate his food with great relish, for Samson had 
 slain a beast and had provided himself with food. 
 When at last he moved away to continue his 
 search for Jair, then the Gileadite crawled from 
 the bushes like a jackal and picked up the 
 broken meat that Samson had left, and ate it. 
 Then it came into his mind that if he followed 
 behind Samson at a safe distance, that Samson 
 would never be able to fall upon him. This he did 
 day by day, hiding in holes or in trees, creeping
 
 
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 141 
 
 upon his belly like a snake, or going upon all- 
 fours like a beast of the hills ; and he was glad to 
 pick up that food which Samson wasted. Some- 
 times when the great Hebrew slew a beast, he 
 would take only the better parts and leave the 
 rest, and from the carcass Jair tore that which he 
 needed. 
 
 At last Samson gave up the quest in the hills, 
 and set his face towards the City of Sanctuary ; 
 and Jair followed him, walking in his very foot- 
 steps ; and Samson was a shield to Jair from the 
 great cats that swarmed in that region, though he 
 himself knew it not. Right up to the gates of 
 the city Jair followed Samson, and the watchmen 
 marvelled to see one so small running behind one 
 of so great stature who carried a spear. But when 
 they had entered the gates of the city, then Jair 
 sped hot-foot down a byway, and ran with all 
 his speed until he came to the temple, and he 
 cast himself down before the altar ; and the priest 
 stood between him and the entrance to the 
 temple. 
 
 When Samson reached the temple and saw the 
 priest barring the way, he laid down his spear and 
 said, " Let me look upon him who hath claimed
 
 142 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 sanctuary, that I may know if it is indeed he whom 
 I seek." Then Jair, standing close to the priest, 
 said, " It is indeed the man whom thou did'st seek." 
 Then, knowing that no danger could come to him, 
 he vaunted, saying, " Thou shouldst go back and 
 lay an offering upon the altar where thou livest, 
 Samson, an offering of thanksgiving ; for if I had 
 not lost my spear I would have slain thee." And 
 this speech vexed Samson, who cried, " Come out 
 of the city now, and bring a spear with thee, thou 
 boaster ! " But Jair raised his eyes and his hands 
 towards heaven, and said, " Not so, Samson, I will 
 not slay thee, though thou hast sought my life 
 these many times. I could have had thy life 
 whilst thou did'st sleep upon the way ; but I would 
 not take it, because I knew that if I slew thee our 
 people would say, I did it because of my hand- 
 maiden thy wife. Go back now in peace and 
 take her, for I am weary of her ; she was but the 
 desire of an idle moment. Go, Samson, thou hast 
 my blessing to cheer thee upon the way." 
 
 At that Samson dissembled his wrath, smiling 
 back at Jair, and saying, " Even so, as thou sayest, 
 it shall be ; I will take thy blessing, and depart. 
 But wilt thou not come with me a little way to
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 143 
 
 cheer me on my journey." But Jair made 
 answer, saying, " Of a truth, Samson, I would go 
 with thee to cheer thee, but that I fear an evil 
 spirit might tempt me to lift my hand against 
 thee." At that speech Samson was beside himself 
 with wrath. " Come forth beyond the gates," he 
 cried, " and as my soul liveth I will take thee by 
 the beard and tear thy jaws asunder." Then 
 Jair pitied him with his mouth, calling upon him 
 to forsake new wine and evil ways. " Go home 
 to thy wife, Samson, and tell her that though her 
 father gave her to me to be my handmaiden, yet 
 I command her now to return to thee ; say also 
 unto the woman that though her lips were as 
 sweet as wild honey upon my lips, yet will a man 
 grow weary of too much sweetness." 
 
 That night Samson started back upon his 
 homeward way, for he had planned vengeance 
 upon all the people who dwelt under the shadow 
 of his father-in-law's protection. And when he 
 arrived at the house that had been Jair's he met 
 the crippled woman, wife to the Gileadite, and 
 told her all that had come to pass ; and she took 
 him in, and washed his feet, and gave him a change 
 of raiment, and sweet-smelling ointment fragrant
 
 144 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 with rare perfumes for his hair and beard. And 
 she waited upon him herself, and would allow no 
 servant to come unto him. 
 
 And when Samson was rested, and had eaten 
 of a kid stuffed with olives, and had drunk of the 
 best that was in her house, she said, " Tell me, 
 now, I pray thee, my lord, what is in thy heart to 
 do ? " And Samson said, " I have not yet made 
 up my mind." And the woman said, " Do as 
 thou didst in the Valley of Ashkelon, go down and 
 harry the land, and leave the rest to me." So 
 when he had rested a few days, Samson went to 
 his own people and gathered a band of men who 
 knew him and understood his wrongs, and they 
 went down and harried the lands of the Philis- 
 tines. And it was the time of harvest ; the grain 
 stood ripe in the fields, and Samson and his band 
 burned it where it stood, so that the people 
 were filled with wrath, and a great host of them 
 came out in search of the harriers. But Samson 
 and those who were with him fled quickly and 
 returned to their own homes. And word came to 
 the cripple, the wife of Jair, that the people were 
 seeking vengeance for the evil done to them, and 
 she sent a fleet messenger to the leader of the
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 145 
 
 host of the Philistines, saying, " Come to me, and 
 I can tell thee where to lay thy hands upon the 
 cause of all thy trouble." And when the leader 
 had come to her, she said, " Samson the Hebrew 
 hath done this thing ; yet there are those of our 
 own people who are more guilty than he." And 
 when the Philistines gathered round her, seeking 
 to know what she meant by her dark sayings, she 
 told them that Samson had married a daughter of 
 Philistia whom he had loved with a great love ; 
 but the woman was unworthy, and her lord had 
 departed from her in anger. Then her father had 
 taken as a bribe a vineyard and a field of olives, 
 and had given Samson's bride to another to be 
 his handmaiden, therefore had Samson risen to 
 smite the Philistines. When the Philistines heard 
 that, they cried with one voice, " She shall surely 
 die, she and her father ; they shall be burned with 
 fire." And they made haste to carry out what 
 they decreed. 
 
 When Samson's wife saw the people surrounding 
 her father's house to burn it, she cried, " Is there 
 no woman amongst you all, is there not a woman 
 with whom I can have speech?" Then Jair's 
 
 wife called aloud, crying, " I am a woman ; wouldst 
 10
 
 146 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 thou have speech with me ? " And the beautiful 
 Timnite abased herself before the cripple, and 
 begged her to save her life, saying, " I am too 
 young and too beautiful to die ; plead for me, I 
 beseech thee." Then Jair*s wife made answer, 
 saying, " How can I save thee ? I am a childless 
 woman who hath no husband in the land." But 
 the Timnite cried the more, " Plead for me or I 
 perish." And again the cripple said, " How shall 
 I plead for thee with the men, I who am a cripple 
 and hunchbacked, a withered leaf and a crooked 
 bough? Go thou and dance before them in all 
 thy beauty. I was a wife; thy hand made me 
 a widow. I was a cripple; thy mouth made 
 me a byword in the land. How then should I 
 plead for thee ? " Then the Timnite saw that 
 there was no hope for her, and she bowed herself 
 and died, she and all her father's house who dwelt 
 in that spot. And Samson abode with his own 
 people, whilst Jair remained in the City of Sanc- 
 tuary, and knew not that his handmaiden had 
 perished with all her house. 
 
 After a little time news reached Samson con- 
 cerning the destruction of his wife by her own 
 people, and it angered him so that he made up
 
 THE CITY OF SANCTUARY 147 
 
 his mind to have vengeance for that deed. He 
 waited until there was a feast of their people ; then 
 he and his band sallied forth, and, taking the 
 enemy at a disadvantage, he smote them hip and 
 thigh, until the countryside was filled with the 
 moans of widowed women and the wailing of 
 little children who were left fatherless ; and no 
 man was hated in all the land with so great an 
 hatred as Samson.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 
 
 THE Valley of Sorek, in the land of Philistia, 
 lay far from Judah. It was a valley 
 overshadowed by the mantle of peace. The smile 
 of the Great Giver lay upon that little spot of earth. 
 Waters rose from the ground in gushing springs 
 sparkling like liquid diamonds ; beautiful groves of 
 trees, chosen for their luxuriant loveliness, formed 
 temples of shade where the weary might rest and 
 find shelter from the sun. The sloping sides of 
 the valley were covered with fruit trees, vineyards, 
 and olive gardens ; wild flowers mingled with the 
 deep grass that flourished everywhere. Houses 
 with white walls and flat roofs half hidden, half 
 revealed, amid the foliage broke the sameness 
 which otherwise might have tired the eye. 
 Cattle, sheep, and goats dreamed their lives away 
 in the meadow lands that lay beneath the hill- 
 
 148
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 149 
 
 sides, whilst down the centre of the valley great 
 fields of golden corn ripened in the sun. A 
 broad, peaceful stream ran languorously down the 
 very heart of the cornland, glittering in the day- 
 light like a warrior's sword unstained by battle. 
 The cornfields were divided by hedges of pome- 
 granate trees, dark green flaked with crimson. It 
 was a fair spot, too fair to be sullied by the feet 
 of marching men, too joyous to bear the rude 
 shock of war. In one of the cornfields a woman 
 stood idly, for no taskmaster's eye was upon her. 
 Tall and straight as a spear shaft, her small head 
 sat upon her neck like a hawk upon a pine. She 
 had uncoiled her hair, and the black cloud of its 
 imperial beauty fell almost to her feet. A simple 
 garment of white, fastened at the waist by a girdle, 
 made up her dress. Her feet were bare. Her 
 arms from the very shoulders were guileless of 
 covering. She wore no ornaments, yet, as she 
 looked into the unruffled surface of the river, she 
 knew that she was one to be desired by any of 
 the sons of men. A bundle of newly-cut corn lay 
 just behind ; she turned and pushed it petulantly 
 with her foot. Then her eye fell upon a cluster 
 of glorious crimson flowers in the pomegranate
 
 150 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 hedge upon her left hand. She stepped towards 
 it, and plucking the flowers, twined them in her 
 hair with swift and skilful fingers ; then once more 
 she turned towards the river, and looking into the 
 water saw herself, and smiled at what she saw. 
 The picture was passing fair ! The maid waiting 
 for womanhood, the silver river at her feet, the 
 golden corn behind her, the mingled green and 
 crimson of the pomegranate border beside her, the 
 blue heavens curtained with creamy clouds above 
 her. Yet with all its loveliness the scene was in- 
 complete. Birds sang from the hedges, a hawk 
 swept low over the corn, the maid plucked thick 
 waxen petals from a blood-red flower in her hand, 
 and cast them one by one into the drifting water. 
 Then, all at once, the picture was finished. 
 Nature completed her masterpiece. A man entered 
 the field, walked down the little path that lay 
 between the growing corn and the sentinel hedge, 
 and paused just behind the maid. Nothing else 
 had happened, yet the whole picture had under- 
 gone a change, the whole scene harmonised. The 
 maid turning her head saw the man ; she did not 
 drop her eyes and seek to hide her face, but 
 looked at him as a doe looks at a stag when
 
 THE FICTt'KE WAS I'ASSING FAIK
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 151 
 
 they meet on the mountains. And he, seeing the 
 challenge in her eyes, moved towards her until, 
 standing close to her, he smiled down into eyes 
 that answered him with mirth. So Samson and 
 Delilah met ; and he, the strongest man amongst 
 the sons of men, became as a rope of sand in the 
 hands of a damsel. Yet she knew not who he 
 was, for in the peaceful Valley of Sorek there 
 were none who knew the Hebrew champion. As 
 for him, he said, " I will win her, as a great captain 
 wins a strong city ; and when I have won her I 
 will wed her before all men, and there shall be 
 peace and no more shedding of blood between 
 my people and her people. Yet will I not tell 
 her that I am Samson, lest she hate me for the 
 blood that I have spilled." So he told her that 
 he was one who dwelt in a far country, travelling 
 to see the wonders of the land of Philistia. And 
 Delilah asked him, " Art thou not fearful lest in a 
 strange land some who are evilly disposed towards 
 strangers may fall upon thee ? " 
 
 When the man heard that saying he stretched 
 out his limbs before the woman, showing the 
 might of his great body; and when she had 
 feasted her eyes upon him, he said, " Do I look
 
 152 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 like one who is easily affrighted ? Am I a stripling, 
 that every brawling fellow who sees me should 
 seek to push a quarrel upon me? In peace I 
 came and in peace I will go, when the time for 
 going is ripe ; but they who strive to break in 
 upon my peace will find that there is more danger 
 in the quiet water than in the babbling brook." 
 
 And Delilah, looking upon him, said to her own 
 soul, " This is indeed a man ; one whom I could 
 love with all my heart, for he is to all other men 
 whom I have seen as a young bull, snow-white 
 and untamed, is to the oxen that are used to the 
 yoke. Yet do I know that he has not told me all 
 his heart, for I know of a surety that he is not 
 one of those who travel from a far country with 
 merchandise to barter; weapons of war sit too 
 easily in his hand for one who has lived a life of 
 peace. When he has won my love, he may go as 
 he came, and the damsels will mock me, yet will 
 I match my beauty against his strength." So she 
 dallied with Samson until, in the strength of his 
 love for her, he thought that all the strength and 
 the heat of summer had got into his blood, so that 
 when one came to him from his own people, and 
 said, " Why will you tarry here where danger may
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 153 
 
 come upon you like a bear from the hills? return, 
 I pray thee, with me, for the maidens in Judah are 
 sad because you are not near them to cheer their 
 eyes," Samson would not hearken to the plead- 
 ings of the messenger, but said, "If all the armies 
 of my enemies were drawing a circle around me, 
 yet would I not leave the Valley of Sorek and 
 the damsel Delilah. Is she not the light of my 
 life, and if I lose the light what is my life worth ? 
 I will have her, though I die to win her. She is 
 a garden enclosed, a spring shut up, a fountain 
 sealed ; there is none other like her, no not one ! 
 Shall I leave her to the Philistines, to be wife to 
 one of these whose blood is not fit to stain my 
 spear point ? Go now, and leave me, I will plough 
 my furrow alone." 
 
 And the man went, and tarried not, for when 
 Samson said " I would be alone," the Hebrew 
 knew that there was not room for more than 
 one. So Samson went, and finding the damsel 
 alone, making a garland of flowers, he sat down 
 beside her and told her of his love; and she, 
 because of the youth that was in her, and because 
 of the splendour of his manhood, let her head lie 
 upon his breast. And when he put his lips to hers,
 
 154 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 as a thirsty man puts his lips to wine, she unbound 
 her hair and twined it round his neck and knotted 
 it behind his head, saying, " Now, indeed, thou 
 strong man, thou canst not leave me for the maids 
 to mock at me, for with a thread of her hair a 
 damsel can hold a man, if he loves her." 
 
 And he replied, saying, " Thou knowest that my 
 heart is under thy hand, do with it as seemeth 
 good in thy sight." 
 
 Then she said, " Is it true thou lovest me, or 
 is it that the summer days are heavy on thy 
 hands with idleness ? " 
 
 But he only made sport of her. Then she, 
 pressing his head down in her lap, made a crown 
 of flowers and crowned him, and taking his hair 
 in her hands she plaited it with her own, saying, 
 " Now, indeed, thou art my captive. Tell me, if 
 there is any love in thy heart for me, what is 
 thy name, where is thy country, and what brought 
 thee to this Valley of Sorek ? for I see plainly 
 that thou hast lied to me ; thou art not a trader 
 in spices, but a warrior. Art thou a king? and 
 hast thou come here to spy out the fatness of the 
 land ? " And he was partly minded to tell her 
 the truth, but said, " Already I have told thee, 
 
 t
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 155 
 
 and thou hast not believed me. I am a trader 
 from a far country, and it was chance that brought 
 me to this Valley of Sorek." 
 
 Then he fell asleep with his head in her lap, 
 whilst she toyed with the silken masses of his 
 beard that fell upon his chest. And when he 
 awoke he was troubled, for he said, " I have 
 dreamed a dream, Delilah, and it vexes me." 
 Whereupon the damsel laughed, tormenting him 
 to tell her his dream. 
 
 So Samson said, " I dreamed that it was the 
 season of grapes and the making of wine. I saw 
 thee in the wine-press, and thy feet were stained 
 red, and I looked over the wine-press, and at 
 the bottom I saw mine own body, all torn and 
 mangled ; and thy feet, Delilah, were upon my 
 wounds, trampling them ; and it was my blood, 
 and not the blood of grapes, that had stained thy 
 white feet red. Canst thou interpret my dream 
 for me, Delilah?" And she answered him with 
 laughter, saying, " Come up with me to-morrow, 
 and I will answer it, for to-morrow we press the 
 grapes with our feet to make the wine. The 
 young children are even now plucking the ripe 
 fruit ; it was their songs which the wind brought
 
 156 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 to thine ears that made thee dream of wine, and 
 the memory of battles that made thee dream of 
 blood ; for I know well, in spite of what thou 
 would'st conceal from me, that the ways of war 
 are familiar to thee." 
 
 On the day following, Samson went up to 
 watch the damsels press the juice from the grapes 
 with their bare feet, and many of them were very 
 fair to look upon, but none were to be compared 
 with Delilah. When the harvest of grapes was 
 past, the men who dwelt in the Valley of Sorek 
 made a feast, according to their custom, and after 
 the feast there was dancing and merriment, and 
 Delilah danced before Samson ; but he had more 
 pleasure in the damsel when the moon had arisen 
 and he walked with her on the banks of the 
 river and talked to her of love. Then it was 
 that he made her sing to him, and her voice was 
 so sweet that the night-birds, sweetest of all 
 song-birds, ceased their singing to listen to her. 
 And when she saw that his heart was melted by 
 her singing, she caught the silken masses of his 
 beard in her two hands and drew his head down 
 towards her and kissed him upon the throat, 
 saying, " Now, my lord, tell me truly what is thy
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 157 
 
 name ? and thy country, where is it ? " For the 
 maidens had mocked her at the feast, crying, 
 " Who then is thy lover ? Canst thou not even 
 find a name for him ? " But Samson said, " It 
 is an old tale, I have told it thee these many 
 times already ; when thou art my wife, then I 
 will put a girdle of spears around thee." Then 
 Delilah was sure in her own heart that he was 
 not a trader, but a warrior ; and she brooded 
 over this matter, for it came into her mind that 
 he only sported with her, and would go and 
 leave her to be a byword amongst her own 
 kindred. Yet, in spite of her fears, she loved 
 him on account of his kingly appearance, for 
 all other men looked common and of no account 
 when he was standing amongst them ; and it 
 was the desire of Delilah's life to become wife 
 to Samson. 
 
 On the day following the feast, the elders of 
 the people in the Valley of Sorek invited Samson, 
 because he was a stranger, to join in their amuse- 
 ments, and he consented, for it was in his heart 
 to please them in all things. So the elders 
 handed him over to the young men, and they 
 took him with them to the river to join in the
 
 158 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 sport of fishing. The young men of Sorek- had 
 many birds captured in the swamps that lay 
 beyond the valley, and these birds lived upon 
 fish which they caught. When the fishermen 
 desired to use them to catch fish for them, they 
 fastened a narrow thong of green hide round 
 the neck of the birds and let, them wade in the 
 river ; and when the birds caught a fish and 
 tried to swallow it, the fish stuck in the throat 
 of the bird because of the thong of green hide 
 which would not allow the neck to expand ; and 
 the sportsmen took the fish from the birds and 
 placed them in a basket which the damsels 
 carried upon the bank. 
 
 When Samson saw the birds fishing for the 
 young men of Sorek, he laughed, for it seemed 
 to him sport fit only for women and boys, and 
 not for grown men. When they saw that he 
 laughed, they asked him if he could show them 
 a better way, and he said, " Lend me, I pray 
 thee, a spear, and I will show how the young 
 men in my country hunt the waters." So they 
 lent him a spear, and he stripped himself of 
 all that he wore excepting a girdle about his 
 loins, and he swam out into the river where the
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 159 
 
 water was deep and strong, and climbed upon 
 a flat rock around which the river circled. And, 
 when he had examined the waters carefully, he 
 drew himself up to his full height; the spear 
 was poised in his right hand ready for instant 
 hurling; his left foot was thrown forward in 
 advance of his body, just touching the rock 
 lightly; all the weight of his body was upon 
 his right foot, which lay flat upon the rock. 
 His beard, wet with the waters of the river, fell 
 in silky waves down his chest, whilst his yellow 
 hair, in a blaze of tangled curls, swept over his 
 back ; his head was drooped slightly forward, so 
 that his eyes could search the waters for fish. 
 So great was his beauty as he stood thus that 
 all the young men of Sorek cried, " Surely this 
 cannot be a man even as we are. He must 
 be a god." But Delilah mocked them, saying, 
 " Do the gods seek the daughters of men to 
 make love to them in the cornfields. He is 
 not a god. He is a man, for I have felt his 
 breath upon my cheek, and his hand hath rested 
 in mine in the moonlight. If he is a god, 
 then the wooing of the gods is near akin to 
 the wooing of men ; and the gods can lie to
 
 160 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 their lovers as well as the young men of 
 Sorek." 
 
 For a long time Samson stood with the sun- 
 shine playing upon his head and the waters 
 flirting with his feet, and no muscle of his body 
 even quivered. All at once the spear left his 
 hand like a streak of flame and was buried in 
 the waters, and when he drew it forth there was 
 a great fish, pierced through the body, transfixed 
 by the spear. When he held it aloft for the 
 people to see, they shouted with delight. For 
 hours Samson stood and fished for the dwellers in 
 Sorek, until the face of the rock where he stood 
 was covered with the fruits of his skill. Like 
 a hawk poised, he stood, until he saw plainly 
 what he sought ; then, swifter than a hawk strikes 
 at water-fowl, he struck. When he had grown 
 weary of his pastime he beckoned to the damsels, 
 and they, shouting and laughing with glee, swam 
 out with their baskets and gathered in the spoil. 
 And the people were all overjoyed with Samson, 
 and pressed him to stay and dwell with them. 
 The damsels made garlands of flowers and crowned 
 him king of the valley, and many envied Delilah 
 the love of Samson. That evening they spread
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 161 
 
 a feast for him in the starlight amongst the olive 
 trees, and the maidens who attended upon the 
 men covered their hair with nets of finest silk, 
 woven from the web spun in the mulberry groves 
 by the white caterpillars ; inside the nets they 
 placed night-flies, that sparkled in the dusky 
 shadows like living fire; and when the damsels 
 wandered away amidst the trees, the young men 
 saw them and pursued them with much merri- 
 ment. And Samson said to his beloved, " This 
 Valley of Sorek leaves little for the heart of 
 man to desire ; if it might be so, I would spend 
 the rest of my days here in peace." And Delilah 
 said, " What is it that hinders my lord, if the 
 wish is in his heart and not upon his lips only? 
 Is there a woman in the land where thy home 
 is whose face is dearer to thee than any that 
 are to be found in our valley?" Then Samson, 
 picking her up in his arms, kissed her upon the 
 eyes and throat and bosom, and swore a vow 
 to her that she should be his wife before he left 
 the Valley of Sorek. And Delilah was happy ; 
 she shook the fireflies from her hair and roamed 
 with him wherever he chose to lead her. And 
 
 the next day the maidens cried to her, " Tell 
 ii
 
 162 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 us, Delilah, when is the wedding feast to be ? " 
 And she, being light-hearted, said, "When my 
 lord bids thee to the feast, then make ready ; 
 there is no need for haste." But an old woman, 
 hearing her speech, said, "When a man talks 
 marriage, a maid should not talk of delay; for 
 a bank of sand to a running river is not more 
 unstable than the heart of a man when maids 
 are yielding." 
 
 It came about, as time passed on, that Samson 
 spoke of hunting, asking the people if there was 
 nothing in the land that a man might try his 
 skill upon. And they left their labours and 
 made a hunt for him. The chief huntsman and 
 his six sons brought each a great cat; a band 
 was placed around the neck of each beast, to 
 which two long thongs were fastened in a running 
 loop, and the men held on to each thong; a 
 leathern screen was fastened to the necklace, so 
 that it fell like a hood over the eyes of the cat, 
 for they were very fierce and would turn and 
 rend their keepers if their anger was aroused. 
 When Samson saw the great cats, he said, " Are 
 we to hunt these animals? if so, we shall have 
 a royal day. I have hunted them in my own
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 163 
 
 country ; they are fiercer than a lion and harder 
 to slay than a lion, because they are so full of 
 craft." The chief huntsman replied, " Every 
 country has its own customs, let my lord wait 
 and see how we use these fierce cats for our 
 own pleasure." 
 
 The people moved across the valley towards 
 the hills, and when they had crossed the inner 
 circle of hills they came to a level plain where 
 herds of wild animals, in shape like an ass but 
 marked with bands like the greatest of the great 
 cat tribe, were feeding. Then the chief huntsman 
 slipped the leash from one of the cats, and placing 
 his legs astride the animal's back, so that his whole 
 body was behind it, he with care pointed its head 
 towards a herd that was feeding in the open 
 country, holding the cat by the ears for a short 
 space of time ; then he swiftly lifted the hood from 
 the cat's eyes and sprang backwards. For a 
 moment the savage animal stood blinking in the 
 glare of the sun, lashing its sides with its tail, and 
 making a sound like running water on rocky 
 ground ; then it fixed its eyes upon the quarry 
 afar off! For a moment the body became rigid, 
 the tail pointing straight out behind the backbone ;
 
 1 64 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 there was no movement except the twitching of 
 the white bristles around the mouth. Then the 
 beast crouched until its belly rustled amidst the 
 grass ; the jaws were sunk between the extended 
 paws ; swiftly it moved away into a patch of deep 
 grass, never going into the uncovered ground, now 
 almost circling the herd, now moving in upon its 
 prey, picking every piece of broken ground with 
 unerring instinct. When one of the herd moved 
 uneasily, the vast cat extended itself to its utmost 
 length and lay motionless. Yard by yard, foot by 
 foot, inch by inch it drew closer and closer, until 
 the outermost animal was within its reach ; then, 
 without noise, without effort, it launched itself 
 through space, and buried claws and jaws in the 
 neck of the terror-stricken beast and bore it to 
 the ground. The smitten animal struggled wildly, 
 kicking and pawing in mad despair. The great 
 cat never moved, only its tail waved from side to 
 side as it drank in a rich, hot stream the blood of 
 its victim. The chief huntsman waited until the 
 brute had almost gorged itself with warm blood ; 
 then he approached warily from behind and passed 
 the screen over the fiercely gleaming eyes, and 
 placed the guiding hide-thongs through the neck-
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 165 
 
 lace. His servants came to his aid, and took hold 
 of the leash ; but even then they dared not drag 
 the monster from its hold, but stood patiently by 
 until when glutted the animal raised its dripping 
 jaw and snarled ; then they dragged it, growling, 
 from the still quivering carcass and led it home. 
 
 All day the men of Sorek followed the chase, 
 and Samson was growing weary ; for the sport 
 had not enough of the salt of danger in it to 
 charm him long. When, at evening, the last cat 
 was slipped from its mask by the chief huntsman's 
 son, the youth was not quick enough in his back- 
 ward spring, and the creature, turning upon him, 
 buried its jaws in his neck. Then Samson, 
 thrusting one arm beneath its belly and the other 
 across its back, broke ribs and backbone with one 
 effort of his great strength, and threw the carcass 
 from him disdainfully, so that the men of Sorek 
 drew apart from him, for they feared him ; and they 
 whispered amongst themselves, " What manner of 
 man is this who can slay these fierce animals with 
 his hands as though they were goats ? If he is 
 a man at all he is possessed ; let us hasten home 
 and offer sacrifice to our god Dagon, lest an evil 
 thing come to us." Only Delilah clave to Samson.
 
 166 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 And when he saw that the people were afraid 
 of him, his anger was kindled against them. 
 " What have I done," he asked of the damsel, 
 " that thy people should fear me ? Have I wronged 
 any man, have I smitten any man ? All that I did 
 was to save one of thy people from the jaws of a 
 beast, and now they hate me." And he said, " I 
 will go to my own country and to my own people 
 they will not hate me." But Delilah would not 
 let him go, saying, " If thou goest from me now, 
 what am I ? Who amongst the young men of 
 mine own people will count me worthy ? " So 
 Samson stayed. But his heart was no longer with 
 the men of Sorek, and he no longer wanted to 
 take a wife from amongst them because he 
 despised them. 
 
 And it came about that the people met con- 
 tinuously in the groves dedicated to their god 
 Dagon, and talked with the priests concerning 
 Samson. And the priests stirred the common 
 people against him, saying that he was an enemy 
 come to spy out the land, and that Dagon had 
 revealed it unto them, and urged them to kill 
 him. But the father of the man whom Samson 
 had saved from the great cat, came to him by
 
 IN THE VALLEY OF SOREK 167 
 
 night and warned him. Then Samson rose up and 
 departed from the Valley of Sorek. 
 
 And when the people found that he was indeed 
 gone from amongst them they mocked Delilah, 
 crying, " Who is so beautiful as thou, O daughter 
 of Semlik ? Who of all the women of Philistia can 
 charm the hearts of strangers as thou canst? 
 Wanton one, where is he who was to have been 
 thy husband ? O frail one, go find him that he 
 may bid us to the marriage feast, for our hearts 
 are merry and we would dance at thy wedding." 
 So from that day she who was the fairest amongst 
 women in all the Valley of Sorek became a jest 
 upon the tongues of the people; and no young 
 man came nigh unto her excepting by stealth 
 in the night-time ; and the love that she had borne 
 for Samson turned to gall in her bosom. Yet she 
 braided her hair every morning, and kept herself 
 fairest amongst women, for she said, " Some day 
 he will surely come again, then may Dagon help 
 me to undo him ; for if he had loved me he would 
 surely have taken me with him and not have left 
 me here to be the sport of fools." Every morning 
 she stood in the doorway of her house and shaded 
 her eyes with her hands, looking down the valley
 
 1 68 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 for Samson. Every evening as the sun was 
 sinking she walked by the river in the cornfield 
 where she had first met her love, and the children 
 mocked her, saying, " Lo, here is the bride, and 
 the bride's guests, but where, O daughter of 
 Philistia, is the bridegroom?"
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 THE RETURN FROM THE CITY OF 
 SANCTUARY 
 
 A FTER the departure of Samson from the 
 ** City of Sanctuary, Jair the Gileadite sat 
 himself down to make life as pleasant for himself 
 as such a life might be. The jewels he had 
 brought with him made his pathway smooth, 
 and he became a man of some importance in 
 that city of man-slayers, for even in such a 
 community the possession of wealth was the 
 possession of power. 
 
 The citizens who, when amongst their own 
 kindred, had been the most lawless of men, 
 became in the City of Sanctuary the strictest 
 of law-makers and the most stringent observers 
 of the law, for they knew that without law no 
 man was safe. They were a law unto themselves 
 in the city, yet without the walls they themselves 
 
 169
 
 i;o JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 were powerless. Every year they elected twelve 
 men who ruled all the city excepting the temple ; 
 there the priests reigned supreme and had 
 dominion. The twelve judges heard all com- 
 plaints and settled all disputes. When it came 
 about that a man possessing a turbulent spirit 
 refused to obey the ruling of the judges, then 
 the twelve called the whole city about them and 
 laid the man's iniquity before them, and demanded 
 of the people that they should thrust him forth 
 from the city to be at the mercy of his enemies ; 
 and that person could no more enter the city to 
 live there. If he returned, the people rose up 
 and stoned him to death. But if a man left the 
 city of his own accord he might return to it at 
 any time, providing he fell not into the hands of 
 those who sought his blood. Outside the city, 
 distant as far as a slinger might cast a stone in 
 two casts, there were many isolated camps whose 
 occupiers watched the gates night and day. 
 These were the camps of avengers of blood, 
 whose hatred for the men upon the inside of 
 the city slumbered not nor slept ; some of them 
 remained there for years, hoping that the refugee 
 might grow weary of the city and try to escape ;
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 171 
 
 and when he made the attempt, they fell upon 
 him and slew him. Amongst the avengers there 
 were men with long white beards and white hair, 
 who had been youths when they first pitched 
 their tents outside the city. To them every 
 sound in the city was a sign ; they knew every 
 note of joy or sorrow, when a man arrived or 
 one was expelled. When it came about that 
 one was thrust forth, they hastened towards him 
 with their weapons in their hands, and peered 
 keenly into his face to see if it was the man they 
 sought ; each man did this in his turn, whilst 
 the cowering wretch shrank back from each fresh 
 face that searched his own with eyes full of the 
 fire of undying hate. As each of the avengers 
 found that the man was not the one he sought, 
 he walked back to his tent of untanned hide, and 
 did not molest the fugitive ; but help of any sort, 
 even to a cup of water or a bandage for a bleed- 
 ing wound, they would not give him. Even 
 though his life depended upon the lifting of a 
 finger not one of them would stir even a sinew, 
 for there was an unending hate between the men 
 on the inside and the men on the outside of the 
 walls. As for the people within the city, they
 
 i;2 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 jealously guarded what was their right. It was 
 written that no avenger might linger within two 
 stone-throws of the walls. If the watchmen upon 
 the walls saw one of the man-hunters within the 
 prescribed circle, he would take his sling forthwith 
 and cast a stone at the trespasser ; and those men 
 who practised with the sling all day long were 
 very deadly. 
 
 For a long time Jair dwelt in peace in 
 sanctuary, but he was careful not to live a 
 slothful life and become fat and un wieldly. Day 
 by day he took his place with the watchers 
 upon the walls, and he too practised with the 
 sling continually, hoping to be able to slay 
 Samson, for he knew not that Samson had 
 returned to his own people. Every day, also, he 
 strained his eyes, hoping to see the beautiful 
 Timnite coming to join him, for he had not 
 heard how she had perished by the hands of 
 the Philistines. It was gall and wormwood to 
 his soul to find that she came not, for he counted 
 her false to him as she had been false to her 
 own husband; for Jair, who was faithless to 
 everyone, believed not in the constancy of any- 
 one towards anything. So he suffered, blaming
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 173 
 
 even the dead ; for the wickedness of the wicked 
 becomes a whip wherewith they flog them- 
 selves. 
 
 One day a rumour ran through the city that 
 a caravan guarded by armed servants was 
 approaching the city, and everyone crowded 
 to the walls to watch, and the excitement was 
 very great. When the caravan came within 
 bowshot of the gates it halted, the dromedaries 
 kneeled down and were unpacked of their burdens. 
 Then a woman was lifted upon the back of an 
 ass, an armed guard surrounded her, and the 
 little party moved towards the gate. There was 
 a great throng within, waiting to see the woman, 
 but her face was closely veiled. And the keeper 
 of the gate asked the woman whom she sought, 
 and she replied, " I have come from afar to seek 
 Jair the Gileadite, whose blood Samson of Judah 
 seeketh." And the news was passed on from 
 mouth to mouth until it reached Jair, where he 
 stood with the watchmen upon the walls. Then 
 Jair said, " It is my handmaiden come to seek 
 me." And he boasted to those who stood with 
 him, saying, " Now I will show you one whose 
 face is fairer than the dawning ; when she walks
 
 174 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 she is like a roe upon a mountain in springtime, 
 her form is as straight as a young cedar, her lips 
 are as threads of scarlet I have seen none to 
 compare with her in all my wanderings." And 
 these words of Jair ran from the mouth of one 
 man to the mouth of another, until the whole city 
 was filled with the story of the woman's beauty. 
 And they made a lane for Jair through their ranks 
 so that he might hasten to his beloved, who had 
 dared the perils of the wilderness to come to him 
 in his loneliness. And Jair, as he passed through 
 the press of the people, tossed his head haughtily, 
 and minced as he walked, for he was proud as if 
 he had conquered a city. When the woman saw 
 him, she dismounted from her ass, and, stretching 
 forth her arms, limped painfully towards him. 
 And a great wrath filled the soul of Jair when 
 he beheld the limping gait and the humpback of 
 the woman ! He turned from her in disgust, 
 saying aloud, " Who is this woman ? I know 
 her not." Then the woman, throwing back her 
 veil, cried, " Turn not from me, I beseech thee, 
 my lord ; am not I thy wife." And a great 
 silence fell upon the people, for they saw not 
 her deformity, saw not her uncomeliness ; all
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 175 
 
 that they saw was a woman's love shining from 
 a woman's face, and many amongst them wept ; 
 only Jair saw nothing of the beauty of self-sacrifice. 
 Turning to one of his servants, he said, "Take 
 this woman to my home, and see that she does 
 not cross the threshold again in the daytime." 
 And some of those standing by would have 
 stoned him, but that he entered a house near 
 by and was hidden from them. From that 
 hour he was a man despised even by the man- 
 slayers in the city. As for his wife, her heart 
 yearned towards him, as is the way with some 
 women ; the more he was despised by his fellow- 
 refugees, the more she clave to him, and she was 
 his only comforter. And it came about that 
 once, when she was alone with him, she told him 
 how the wife of Samson had been burned by her 
 own people because of the trouble she had 
 brought upon them. And he asked her concerning 
 Samson, and she answered that Samson had 
 returned to dwell amongst his own people ; for so 
 she believed, for it was unknown to her that he 
 had gone to the Valley of Sorek. 
 
 From that time forth Jair brooded over his 
 captivity and planned how he might escape.
 
 1 76 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 His wife had brought most of her wealth with 
 her in jewels ; and it was in Jair's heart to take 
 all that she had, and fly, for his soul yearned for 
 the flesh-pots of Philistia. And it came to pass 
 even as he had planned. One night he secreted 
 all the precious stones belonging to his wife in 
 a leathern bag and walked out of the City of 
 Sanctuary. And it so happened that, whilst he 
 crept like a thief of the night through the city, 
 his wife was outside the temple praying for him. 
 She could not enter the temple because she was 
 a Gentile, and none but Hebrews were counted 
 worthy to cross the sacred threshold ; so she who 
 knew not the God of Israel, knelt within the 
 shadow of His holy shrine and prayed the un- 
 known God, who was her husband's God of old 
 time, to bring peace to the bruised soul of her 
 lord. All night long she prayed, cutting her knees 
 upon the stones where she knelt; and when it 
 was morning she offered up a prayer to her own 
 god Dagon, for she feared that the God of the 
 Hebrews might not hearken to her petitions. 
 
 Then she returned home and found that her 
 husband had fled and taken all her treasures with 
 him ; so she sat down and wept, and none could
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 177 
 
 comfort her. When the people heard what he 
 had done, they called the twelve judges together, 
 and one stood up and accused Jair of having 
 contaminated the sanctuary ; and the judges, when 
 they heard the charge, issued this decree to the 
 people : " Whereas Jair had defiled the sanctuary, 
 the gates thereof were to be closed to him for 
 ever. Should he enter the city by stealth, or in 
 defiance of the wish of the people, he was to be 
 stoned to death, and his body to be thrown from 
 the walls to be food for the birds of prey." Yet 
 none of these things brought joy to the soul of 
 the cripple; she put ashes upon her head and 
 mourned for her husband as for one already 
 dead. And when the people saw how she grieved, 
 the city adopted her, and she was fed and clothed 
 by the bounty of men who were outlaws and 
 outcasts, because to them she was the symbol 
 of true love and unsleeping faithfulness. And a 
 measure of happiness came to her, and she said, 
 " I am a ewe lost upon the mountains, and lo, the 
 eagles do feed me, and the lions cease to roar in 
 my pathway." 
 
 None of these things troubled Jair. Good 
 fortune seemed to smile upon him, robbers did 
 
 12
 
 1 78 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 not molest him, neither did the wild beasts rend 
 him ; when he came to the rivers the fords were 
 passable, and the time of year was pleasant for 
 travelling. He had taken a spear and a sword 
 with him when he had stolen out of the city, and 
 in his pouch was a bundle of sinews, drawn from 
 the legs of asses, which he had brought to make 
 a sling for himself; and this he did when he had 
 snared a fox, from the skin of the fox he made 
 the pouch of his sling and a scrip to carry 
 pebbles. When he had made his sling, he 
 gathered four - and - twenty pebbles, smooth and 
 round, from a brook, and placed them in his scrip. 
 And as he walked, he practised casting stones at 
 birds upon the wing, until he could make certain 
 of hitting a raven in full flight once in three 
 casts. Then he was satisfied, saying to himself, 
 that if he met Samson he would lay in wait for 
 him and kill him, and so earn the goodwill of the 
 Philistines. 
 
 Yet in spite of these things he did not go near 
 his old home, but made a wide circuit which took 
 him into the City of Tibhath, which was a walled 
 town where traders from near and far came to 
 barter their wares in the market-place ; and no
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 179 
 
 one noticed the incoming of a stranger alone and 
 on foot ; yet when he had passed out of the 
 press of people near the gate and moved near the 
 market-place, where the footway was wider, many 
 men turned to look at him, for he was good to 
 see, being lithe and tall. His frugal living and 
 his constant marching had brought back all his 
 old elasticity of step, so that he now walked with 
 the spring and ease of a wild horse ; his beard he 
 had allowed to grow, which of old time he had 
 kept shorn ; his cheeks were thin and bronzed ; 
 his black eyes, large and full, were keen and 
 piercing ; his nose, hooked and lean, was like the 
 beak of a great hawk ; his teeth, behind the jetty 
 blackness of the hair which fringed his full red 
 lips, were white as milk. 
 
 He made pretence not to notice the gaze of 
 the men who turned to look upon him, but made 
 his way steadily through the people until he came 
 to a stall where one sat who bartered in precious 
 stones. When the trader saw Jair pause before 
 his stall he rose and looked keenly at him. He 
 was an old man, meanly dressed ; his hair was 
 white as winter and fell from the edges of a small 
 cap of black wool down his shrunken shoulders ;
 
 1 8o JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 his hands were lean, the fingers hooked like the 
 talons of a bird of prey, each bent claw seemed 
 to speak of a lifetime spent in grasping gold. A 
 slave stood close to the stall ; and an ass, old, lean, 
 and miserable to look upon, picked up wandering 
 wisps of fodder which the wind blew towards it, 
 thrusting out its long upper lip to secure vagrant 
 pieces of dry grass with a skill born of long 
 practice. A little knot of idlers gathered round 
 the stall, for the old man was reputed to possess 
 many rare gems which none but the wealthiest 
 might look upon. When Jair saw the idlers, he 
 bent over the stall as if to look at a knife, the 
 handle of which was cunningly wrought ; and he 
 said to the trader, " There is a matter concerning 
 which I would speak with thee, but it must not 
 be in the market-place; is there no spot where 
 we can talk in secret ? " The trader made answer, 
 saying, " Move slowly on, and my slave shall 
 follow thee and speak with thee." Then, lifting 
 his voice so that all might hear him, he praised 
 the knife which Jair was examining, swearing 
 that it possessed virtues which no other blade had 
 ever been known to possess ; and, as the crowd 
 of idlers pressed near, he asked a great price for
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 181 
 
 it, whereupon Jair tossed the blade down con- 
 temptuously, declaring that the women in his 
 country used better blades in their tents. The 
 crowd laughed and applauded him, but the trader 
 called the gods to witness that the stranger lied. 
 Then as Jair moved off he called after him, offer- 
 ing the knife for half the sum he had asked at 
 first, but Jair only lifted his shoulders and pushed 
 slowly through the people. The trader raised 
 his voice shrilly and called a much lower sum ; 
 and again the people made merry, so that the 
 old man tore his hair, and turning to his slave, 
 said, " Run after the young man, and say he 
 shall have the blade almost as a gift, for this is 
 the first day of my dealing for this season in the 
 market, and if I do not strike a bargain with him, 
 evil will follow me during the whole of my 
 sojourn here." So the slave rose up and went 
 after Jair, and plucked him by the arm, for he 
 knew the ways of his master and why he had 
 been sent after the stranger. 
 
 When Jair saw who it was that had plucked 
 him by the arm he made pretence to be angry, 
 and dealt the slave a buffet with his palm, so that 
 the people seeing it made very merry, and went
 
 1 82 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 each man upon his own errand. When the 
 slave saw that the onlookers no longer busied 
 themselves with him, he again approached Jair, 
 and plucked him by the arm ; and Jair said, 
 " What is thy errand ? " And the slave replied, 
 " Go thou to the turning that is on thy left hand, 
 and at the third house on the right side of the 
 way pause until the door is unbolted ; then, if 
 thou art an honest man, desirous of trade, go thou 
 in and fear not ; but if thou art a robber, tarry 
 outside, for there are those within who can defend 
 what belongs to my lord." And without another 
 word he turned and went his way back to his 
 master. 
 
 When the old man saw him he began to revile 
 him, telling him to pack up the goods for he 
 would not tempt fortune again that day. All the 
 time the slave was loading the ass, the old man 
 was heaping reproaches upon his servant for 
 having allowed the stranger to depart without 
 trading, so that those who were within hearing 
 pitied the slave. When the ass had its full 
 burden, the trader moved off by a narrow way, 
 and went to his own dwelling. When he was 
 inside he looked through a slit in the wall, pre-
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 183 
 
 pared for the purpose, until his eyes fell upon Jair, 
 who was standing in front of a long, low, squarely 
 built house, which was a common place of call for 
 travellers. There a man might get food and a 
 resting - place for himself, or for his asses or 
 camels, for he who kept it was one of those who 
 provide for the wants of wayfarers at a price ; 
 asking not of any man what his business might 
 be or whence he came, providing he had money 
 to pay for that which he needed. The place was 
 surrounded by a sort of outer wall, with doorways 
 which had no doors; inside there was an open 
 court, with a well in the middle, where men of 
 many colours sat and rested. There was much 
 noise in the court, for some had brought asses or 
 horses with them, others had goats and camels ; 
 some of the men carried weapons of war, and 
 looked around them with fierce, proud glances, 
 eyeing the mere traders disdainfully, as is the 
 way with men who live by war ; whilst the traders 
 quietly attended to their beasts and took no note 
 of the haughty glances of the others. All these 
 things Jair could see from his position on the 
 outside, for he was standing in front of one of 
 the doorways. He saw the place was full to
 
 1 84 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 overflowing, for not only was the courtyard full 
 of people who had but lately arrived, but the 
 stables, which were meant for the beasts, were 
 thronged with women and children who lay upon 
 bundles of straw or sat cross-legged, with hands 
 in their laps, talking with each other, exchanging 
 the news, or telling tales concerning the countries 
 they came from. And this angered Jair, because 
 he had intended to seek a lodging there after 
 he had fulfilled his mission with the dealer in 
 precious stones. 
 
 As he stood debating the matter, the dealer, 
 with his servant, was watching him from a place 
 of vantage, but they could not agree concerning 
 him. " He is one of those who have come to the 
 King's feasts to try for the spoils," said the 
 servant ; " see how lean he is, and yet how strong." 
 
 " Thou art full of thy folly," answered his master, 
 "if he were one of those what would he want 
 with me ? Those men never buy precious stones ; 
 if they covet a thing they get it by violence, or 
 steal it when the owner is full of wine. Besides, 
 this one hath not the look of men of that kind ; 
 he standeth close against the wall and giveth those 
 that pass plenty of room, whereas those whose
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 185 
 
 business it is to strive for prizes, do they not 
 always stand in the middle of the path, and make 
 better men who would avoid a brawl walk in 
 the filth of the highway." " He is not of the 
 merchant class," said the servant ; " his bearing is 
 too independent for a servant or a slave, yet if he 
 were a master and the owner of substance he 
 would not be so lean and full of sinew ; perhaps 
 he is one of those who hire themselves out to 
 guard the caravans of merchants from the attacks 
 of robbers." "He is not any of those things," 
 answered the master ; " if he were a guardian of 
 other's treasures he would not be walking almost 
 unarmed, for those men part not with their 
 weapons either by night or day, for they know 
 not when they may meet some who have cause 
 to hate them. He looks, to my eyes, like one 
 who waits upon a greater than himself, a man in 
 a high place, serving someone who is too high to 
 serve himself." " Is it then thy wish that I go 
 forth and lead him here ? " asked the slave. " Be 
 not over hasty in such matters," replied the 
 master ; " if he has that which is of value to sell, 
 he will not depart too quickly ; if, on the other 
 hand, he seeketh to buy from me, be sure ha^
 
 1 86 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 knows what he seeketh, and it is not seemly that 
 we should appear in too great haste to push our 
 treasures under his notice: such doings only 
 cheapen possessions in the eyes of those who 
 seek them. Besides, how dost thou know this 
 man is not a robber, one of those children of evil 
 who live by the strong hand ? His comrades may 
 be within the walls of the dwelling against which 
 he standeth." " Now that I come to look closely 
 at him he hath indeed a subtle face ; if he were 
 an honest man he would have a servant," said the 
 quaking slave. " Shall I send the dwarf to bid 
 him begone about his business ? " " Not so fast, 
 fool," cried the merchant angrily. " One moment 
 thou blowest hot past all bearing, the next 
 thou wouldst freeze the marrow in a man's bones 
 by thy coldness. Go now and tell three of my 
 servants to arm themselves and stand ready to 
 come if I call ; and as for the dwarf, let him 
 come to me and bring with him the great cat 
 which he keepeth always in leash, bid him play 
 with the unclean beast, so that when the stranger 
 enters my chamber he will get between the door- 
 way and the man that he may not escape with 
 his plunder if he offers me violence." The slave
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 187 
 
 went about his errand, and the merchant once 
 more turned to the slit in the wall to watch Jair, 
 to see if he communicated by any sign with those 
 who might be within the courtyard of the house 
 of call. But Jair made no sign, for he knew no 
 man in all the city, neither was he known of any, 
 either man or maid. 
 
 So when all was in readiness the merchant 
 sent his slave to bring Jair to him. It did not 
 escape the keen senses of the Hebrew that the 
 door of the house was barred as soon as he 
 entered, nor did he fail to see the armed slaves 
 lurking in the shadows ; he had expected those 
 things, for he had mixed much with men who 
 had travelled far and seen many strange sights, 
 but his heart almost failed him when he entered 
 the room where the old merchant sat, and saw 
 the dwarf kneeling upon the floor fondling a 
 great spotted animal of the cat tribe. He saw 
 the great claws cut into the earthen floor as the 
 beast stretched its paws in wantonness, he saw 
 the cruel gleam of the yellow eyes that flamed 
 at him from between two black slits in the 
 velvet hide, saw the white teeth set in the blood- 
 red gums as the creature drew its whiskered
 
 1 88 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 lips up in silent menace at his approach ; and 
 the marrow in his bones grew chill. The old 
 man rose and bade him welcome ; the dwarf, with 
 a playful gesture, passed to the other end of the 
 chamber, taking his guard with him, and together 
 they squatted in front of the door by which Jair 
 had entered. " We are alone now, my son," 
 said the old man mildly ; " the dwarf and his 
 beast will guard us both whilst we do that 
 which thou earnest to do. Is it to buy or sell, 
 or to learn a secret, that thou comest ? Speak, 
 and fear not. If we agree concerning the matter, 
 then thou shalt go in peace; if we agree not, 
 then also shalt thou go in peace. There is nothing 
 here that an honest man need fear." Then Jair 
 spoke, saying, " I do not fear, for I know thee 
 for a just man ; thy fame hath spread far in 
 my country, which is beyond these borders. I 
 heard of thee from many men. The merchants 
 sing thy praises when they encamp amongst our 
 cedar trees, saying one to the other, ' Harder 
 than a rock in the wilderness is Hargon the 
 dealer in precious stones, yea, harder than the 
 flint that is found in the beds of old rivers, but 
 honest is he in all his dealings ; silent as the
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 189 
 
 footfall of a camel in the sands of the desert 
 concerning that which is entrusted to him ; slow 
 to strike a bargain as an ass overburdened to 
 climb a hillside, but swift to fulfil his compact 
 when the compact is made : the fame of Hargon 
 the dealer in gems fills the four corners of the 
 earth.' That is why I came to thee alone, and 
 without witnesses, for a man does not undo the 
 work of a lifetime when he is old to gain one 
 advantage that will profit him but little." 
 
 When the old trader heard the words of the 
 Hebrew, his heart became as a honeycomb 
 that is pressed by a deft hand, and his breast 
 was full of sweetness. He rose again from his 
 seat and brought forth figs and grapes and a 
 skin full of choice wine, and he bade the dwarf 
 call a servant with water to wash the feet of 
 his visitor; but the dwarf and the great cat he 
 did not remove from the doorway. When Jair 
 had eaten and drunken his fill, then the old man 
 said, " If it seems good unto thee we will talk 
 concerning thy errand, if not we will talk of the 
 weather and of the signs of the times, and thou 
 shalt come again or remain away, as seems good 
 in thine own eyes, for I am thy servant, I and
 
 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 all that are mine at a price." Then Jair, who 
 had long since made up his mind how he would 
 act, drew forth two precious gems and placed 
 them in the old man's yellow palm, saying, 
 " These are thine to sell to kings or to keep, as 
 seems best unto thee. I brought them from a 
 far country for thee, that thou mightest put all 
 other traders to shame when thou goest into the 
 presence of the mighty. They are thine from 
 this moment if thou wilt have them at a 
 price." 
 
 The trader took the glittering stones in his 
 palm and turned them towards the light, trying 
 all the time to appear unconcerned, but the keen 
 eyes fixed upon his face saw that he was stirred 
 to his inmost depths, for the gems were rare and 
 of great beauty. After he had examined them 
 with care he handed them back to Jair, but in 
 spite of himself the stones left his hand reluct- 
 antly ; it would have been as easy for him to 
 have parted with his life - blood as with such 
 treasures. Jair, who noted all these signs, 
 triumphed inwardly, but outwardly he made as 
 if he saw nothing. The trader waited for him 
 to name a price, but he would not, for in such
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 191 
 
 things Jair was very subtle. So the old man, 
 spreading out his hands and shaking his head, 
 dolefully said, " Between two men who know the 
 rights of a matter what need is there for idle 
 words ? The stones are very beautiful, they are 
 good of their kind ; if they were only as rare 
 as they are beautiful they would delight the 
 eyes of a king and be worth the price of many 
 fields. But in this country many men possess 
 such stones, for they are found in numbers in 
 the dry beds of ancient rivers, by the wild men 
 who dwell in the desert beyond the mountains 
 which girdle the great King's country." 
 
 When Jair heard that saying, he bowed his 
 head meekly ; then he opened his mouth, saying, 
 " Of a surety I know that the trader Hargon 
 would not defile his lips with a lie, for the truth 
 is born in him and cometh from his lips like 
 spring water from the ground. In my country 
 these gems are rare and of great price, but here 
 thou sayest they are of small account ; therefore 
 they who told me concerning this land knew 
 nothing. I will take my gems back with me 
 whence I came, and confound those who lied 
 unto me " ; and he rose as if to depart upon
 
 192 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 his errand. But the old man raised his hands 
 and eyes towards heaven, and called upon his 
 gods to bear witness to the rashness and the 
 hot blood of young manhood. " Be seated, my 
 son, and let us reason together," he exclaimed. 
 " Let us do nothing in haste. We are not straws 
 that the wind blows hither and thither at will, 
 but men of substance who look at both sides 
 of a matter as becometh men who have some- 
 thing to lose ; only they who have little or nothing 
 to forfeit cast their net at a venture. Drink, my 
 son, to our better understanding ; nothing soothes 
 the soul like good wine that a man hath had 
 by him many seasons ; and this wine was pressed 
 from the grape when thou wert but a little child, 
 and age has mellowed it, robbing it of its fire 
 yet adding to its richness and strength. Drink, 
 my son, then let us consider the price which I 
 shall give thee for the gems that are thine." 
 Jair filled out two small measures of the precious 
 liquid, and gave one into the hand of the trader, 
 waiting for him to drink, and when the old man 
 saw that his guest drank not, he lifted up his 
 voice in protest, exclaiming, " Drink, my son, 
 that my grey hairs be not dishonoured by thy
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 193 
 
 doubts, and I will rejoice with thee in thy 
 drinking." But Jair would not. " Who am I," 
 he cried, " that I should drink wine fit for the 
 lips of princes whilst thou who art old and full 
 of wisdom stand by and drink not? It would 
 be a shame unto me and to those that come 
 after me if I did this thing. Young I am in years, 
 and an infant in experience, yet a babe knoweth 
 that it is a dishonour for a young man to drink 
 his fill whilst the greybeards fast. If thou wilt 
 drink, then will I drink also ; but if thou wilt 
 have none of it, I too will remain empty." 
 
 So they sat and pitted wit against wit like 
 cunning swordsmen, each seeking to find where 
 the other was weaker. At last the old man 
 named a price for the two gems, and called 
 upon his gods to bear him witness that never 
 had he paid so great a price before to mortal 
 man. Jair let him talk on, saying nothing him- 
 self, only nodding his head, and smiling as one 
 who is well pleased with a bargain. The old 
 trader smiled through his toothless gums, and 
 cried, " Art thou speechless with wonder, my 
 son ? hath my generosity overcome thee ? shall we 
 smite hands on our bargain ? Of a truth they 
 13
 
 194 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 who sent thee to me told thee but the half of 
 my goodness ; as a fig tree in a thirsty land so 
 am I to those who need me. Give me the stones, 
 my son, and let me weigh out the gold for thee 
 that we may both be full of kindness one to- 
 wards the other." And again he named the 
 sum he was willing to give, bending his head 
 towards his guest and rolling the fingers of one 
 hand in the palm of the other. Jair replied, 
 with a smile, " Of a truth thou art a just man, even 
 as I had heard, and the sum thou namest is 
 a fair sum, and I will agree to it. Let us smite 
 hands upon our bargain, then thou shalt decide 
 which of the two gems is to be thine at the price. 
 The choice is thine." 
 
 When the old man heard that saying of Jair's, 
 his beard bristled and the sweat ran down his 
 face. He got up from the place where he sat, 
 and spat on the wall where Jair's shadow rested. 
 " Why dost thou mock me, seeing that I am an old 
 man ? The sum that I offered was not for one of 
 thy gems, but for them both." Then Jair looked 
 at him very sorrowfully, as a strong man looks 
 at one who is smitten with a sore sickness. 
 " Thou art old, my father, too old for a life of
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 195 
 
 labour; thou hast travelled much in the sun, and 
 the tempests have raged round thy head these 
 many years. I am not angry with thee, for age 
 and its infirmities are sacred. I, too, will be old, 
 too old to reason aright, some day ; may they with 
 whom I deal then bear with my infirmities, as I 
 bear with thine. Now, I pray thee, let me remove 
 my shadow from thy presence, lest I anger thee 
 again " ; and he made as if to go upon his journey. 
 But the trader caught him by his garment and 
 would not let him depart. So once more they 
 debated the matter, going over the same ground 
 again and again, as oxen go over the same path 
 day after day to water, until they arrived at a 
 price which gave satisfaction to both ; then they 
 struck hands and were satisfied. 
 
 Outside the old man's house Jair met a 
 woman who was selling doves which she had 
 snared in the woods, and Jair spoke to her, for 
 she was young and comely and pleasing to the 
 eye, and he asked her concerning a place where 
 he might lodge, for the shades of evening were 
 beginning to fall upon the world ; and the woman, 
 whose face was only half hidden by her veil, 
 spoke modestly with her lips, but her bold eyes
 
 196 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 said many things to Jair as she looked at him 
 from under half-closed lids. Neither was he idle, 
 for the language of the eye is older than the 
 oldest hills, and these two understood each other 
 without words. When Jair asked her concerning a 
 place where he might lodge, the woman told him 
 that the city was full to overflowing with people 
 who had flocked in from near and far to be 
 present at the feast and the gathering of men 
 who would compete for the King's prizes. Now 
 Jair knew nothing concerning the gathering the 
 woman spoke of, though he had learned that the 
 King was giving a great feast, so he said, "Tell 
 me, what are these sports which draw men from 
 near and far ? " And the woman ran her eyes 
 heavily and slowly over him as he stood before 
 her, stabbing him with her glances, so that when 
 next their eyes met Jair's eyes were full of burn- 
 ing fire, but the woman's eyes were heavy and 
 languorous like a honeycomb filled to overflowing. 
 Then the woman said, " If thou art indeed a 
 stranger in the city, there is much that I can tell 
 thee. Come with me, for my good man has gone 
 upon a long journey, and will not return until the 
 summer is passed ; the places where the travellers
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 197 
 
 stop are full of robbers and brawlers, but with me 
 there is peace and safety ; fresh milk warm from 
 the udders of asses to be bought for a small price, 
 a kid stuffed with olives is but a little matter ; and 
 fruit may be had for the plucking, and wild doves 
 for the trouble of snaring ; there are fish in the 
 rivers which are free to all. Come then, and we 
 will be merry together, for, like thee, I belong not 
 to this city ; my friends and my kindred dwell 
 afar off, and there is none to chide me." 
 
 So Jair went with her to her home outside the 
 walls of the city, for there was that in his nature 
 which made him unstable as water in the hands 
 of a woman. When the night had fallen, Jair sat 
 with the " seller of doves " under a fig tree that 
 cast its shade over her dwelling ; and the woman 
 sang songs to him whilst he watched the gleam- 
 ing stars come out in the dark blue heavens ; and 
 to him the stars in their quivering beauty were as 
 the spear-points of a host marching to battle ; the 
 moaning of the river mingled with the music of 
 the woman's song, and the coy laughter of the 
 wind amidst the leaves of the trees blended with 
 the music that she made with her fingers on the 
 rude instrument formed of a piece of dried goat's-
 
 1 98 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 skin stretched upon a bent willow bough ; across 
 the goat's-skin ran a number of strings, drawn 
 tight almost to breaking ; these strings were the 
 tendons of asses dried and split ; and from these 
 strings, with cunning fingers, the woman drew 
 sweet sounds which harmonised with her voice 
 and with the rhythmic sounds of nature. 
 
 When she grew tired of singing she threw her- 
 self upon the grass at the feet of Jair, and rested 
 her head against his knee and talked ; and it 
 came about that, as she talked, she told him of her 
 birthplace, which was the little Valley of Sorek. 
 She spoke of Delilah the beautiful, and of the 
 great man with the beard like a sheaf of golden 
 grain and the hair like tangled gold who had 
 come to Sorek and wooed the Philistine damsel. 
 When she spoke of the man's strange beauty, of 
 his unbounded strength, of his skill as a hunter, 
 of his courage, then Jair knew that she was 
 speaking of his countryman Samson, and he 
 questioned her closely concerning all that the 
 man had done in the valley. When the woman 
 saw that the tale interested him, she was pleased, 
 and went on to tell of Delilah, whom all women 
 envied because of her beauty. " Fairest was she
 
 RETURN FROM CITY OF SANCTUARY 199 
 
 amongst the daughters of men ; when she danced, 
 the young men had eyes for no other ; when she 
 sang, they were deaf to all other sounds: that 
 was before the great man came to Sorek. But 
 now " the woman laughed as she spoke, a rich 
 laugh, full from the folds of her throat " now she 
 stands alone, forsaken by the stranger who came 
 to woo her, despised by all who once sought her ; 
 every morning she searches the land with her 
 eyes for him, every evening she shades her eyes 
 with her hand, looking between the sunlight and 
 the shadow for the one that cometh not." 
 
 " Doth she then love him so much that she 
 will not be comforted ? " asked Jair. " Love 
 him," crooned the woman, " love him ? Dost thou 
 think there is nothing in a woman but love and 
 submission ? It is not love that makes Delilah 
 watch for the great stranger, it is hate hate that 
 knows no bridle. If he comes again to the 
 Valley of Sorek an army will not save him, for 
 there is nothing so tireless as a woman's hate 
 born of slighted love." " Dost thou think he will 
 come again ? " "I know not. We in the Valley 
 of Sorek know nothing, save that he came 
 amongst us looking like a god, and that he left
 
 200 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 us even as he came, suddenly and silently. We 
 know nothing concerning either his country or 
 his kindred where he came from ; whither he 
 went none can tell. The wise ones in Sorek say 
 that he will be seen no more. Only the woman 
 Delilah believes that he will some day return ; 
 and in such things the foolishness of women is 
 more far-seeing than the wisdom of the wise." 
 
 Jair pondered deeply over the words of the 
 " seller of doves," for his hate and fear of 
 Samson never slumbered, and he said, " First I 
 will make many friends here in high places, then 
 I will make a journey to Sorek and see this 
 woman Delilah, for, like her, I too think Samson 
 will surely return. The face of the woman will 
 entice him, and the danger of the visit to Philistia, 
 where his enemies are, will add zest to his love- 
 making. Ho ! Samson, I will yet have thee in 
 the toils."
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 
 
 / nn v HE city was alive with life and bustle; 
 warriors in all the glory of their armour 
 moved to and fro, brushing the common people 
 from their path as though they had been flies. 
 Red-headed, red-bearded men, with savage sullen 
 faces, bearing great clubs wrought out of solid 
 stone slung on their wrists by green hide-thongs, 
 tramped where they listed, giving a buffet with 
 their hands where others gave a snarling word, 
 treading upon all who came in their way as 
 though men were dirt. These were the dwellers 
 in the hills, who lived on the flesh of beasts and 
 touched not fruit or fish. Men from the desert 
 were there tall, lithe, and light riding their 
 barebacked steeds even in the press of the city 
 without bridles, guiding their animals with a 
 
 word or a pressure of the knee. Their weapons 
 
 201
 
 202 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 consisted of a long light spear that quivered in 
 their hands like a reed ; on the left fore-arm they 
 bore a tiny shield made from the hide of the 
 great water-beasts that swarmed in the rivers. 
 So thick and tough was the hide that it would 
 turn the edge of the heaviest sword or the point 
 of the keenest lance. Others were there grim, 
 fierce, huge-framed men, black as winter's mid- 
 night, moving not as menials, but as warriors and 
 the equals of the best they brushed against. And 
 here and there a Hebrew, conspicuous even in 
 that throng by the brilliant eye, the intellectual 
 face, the curving nose. 
 
 At a corner where the press of people was not 
 great, Jair stood and watched the throng ; by his 
 side was the " seller of doves," she pointed out to 
 him each chief who was known to her by sight 
 praising, reviling, laughing, as the humour seized 
 her. But Jair did not follow her words too 
 closely, he was watching with the eye of an eagle 
 for one man. Whenever a shout went up from 
 the mob he followed the sound with his eyes ; 
 whenever he saw one of vast stature pushing 
 through the crowd, he strained his eyes to catch 
 sight of him, for it had grown upon him that his
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 203 
 
 enemy Samson would come to take part in the 
 sports ; but he looked in vain. Suddenly there 
 was a great tumult ; the guards in the street beat 
 back the thronging mob, men were dashed aside, 
 women and children were hurled back like offal 
 until a lane was made. " What is it, why all 
 this uproar ? " asked Jair. And the " seller of 
 doves " made answer, "It is the King's prize for 
 the race of spears. This is the custom : the King 
 sends his prize through the city the day before 
 the trial of skill, that all the men in the city may 
 see it." " What is this prize, woman ? " " Who 
 can tell," she answered ; " every time it is different. 
 Wait and we shall see." 
 
 So they waited, until down the lane of people 
 came six snow-white bulls harnessed to a war-car 
 made of wood and iron, decorated with ivory and 
 silver. Under a canopy of crimson cloth, em- 
 bellished with gay coloured feathers, two virgin 
 slaves sat enthroned ; one was white skinned, with 
 reddish-brown hair ; the other was as black as a 
 raven's wing. Around the neck of each ran a collar 
 of gold, to which was fastened a silver chain ; on 
 each side of the neck these chains fell over the 
 virgins' shoulders, down their bare breasts, and
 
 204 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 were fastened to a bracelet of plain gold which 
 was riveted to each wrist. Around their waists 
 ran a deep silver band ; and upon their legs, just 
 above the ankles, were bands of silver ; from the 
 right thigh to the left ankle ran a chain of fine 
 gold, crossed by a similar chain, which ran from 
 the left thigh to the right ankle. In their hands 
 they carried fans made of brilliant feathers, whilst 
 upon their uncombed heads rested wreaths of 
 flowers. The whiteness of the white slave made 
 the blackness of her companion the more 
 apparent, as snow falling at midnight makes 
 the darkness seem darker. Both were damsels of 
 splendid figure, and the rude athletes who were 
 to compete for this prize jostled one another in 
 their eagerness to get as close as possible to the 
 King's trophy. Shouts of applause rang from the 
 lips of the common throng, to whom a spectacle 
 was always pleasing. The two virgins looked 
 carelessly at the seething mob. Someone, they 
 neither knew nor cared whom, in that great 
 crowd would own them before the world was 
 many hours older ; perhaps he would keep them, 
 perhaps he would sell them for a price what did 
 it matter : they were captives, in any case, so they
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 205 
 
 sat aloft and enjoyed their brief triumph, poor 
 puppets of an hour. 
 
 The following day the city was astir before the 
 dawn had broken, and the populace in its tens of 
 thousands flocked forth to the Valley of Gilgal, 
 where the sports were to take place. The great 
 ones rode upon horses, or on asses' colts, richly 
 caparisoned, or upon camels decked out in all the 
 bravery of dyed wool and shimmering silk. Others 
 were carried by slaves, reclining at ease at full 
 length on plaited thongs stretched upon two poles ; 
 four slaves bore these lounges, each man having 
 an end of a pole upon his shoulder ; female slaves 
 walked by the side of the lounges carrying fans 
 and wine in skins, or else their arms were laden 
 with little baskets full of all the fruits and flowers 
 of the season. The baser sort went on foot. Some 
 carried clear spring water in long narrow skins, to 
 sell to those who might feel athirst ; others had 
 honey in the comb, which they cried unceasingly, 
 extolling its excellence. Others, again, carried upon 
 their backs, in jars made of baked clay, a fermented 
 liquor made from honey, with which the common 
 people made merry, even to drunkenness ; wine 
 also they sold, made from the crushed fruit of the
 
 206 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 pomegranate. Others, again, sold little jars full of 
 curdled asses' and camels' milk. Nor were these 
 vendors of food and drink alone in the struggle 
 for trade on this day. Here an old woman 
 moved along crooning the virtues of her wares ; 
 she was a seller of charms which would enable 
 those who bought them to tell beforehand who 
 would win in the various contests, and so increase 
 their riches ; and of these the foolish ones purchased 
 many. Farther along, a man who looked like a 
 Hebrew walked in the midst of three or four 
 stout fellows, who shouted his name and his 
 praises in the ears of all who passed near by. He 
 was one who professed to know all about the 
 various competitors, and was willing to part with 
 his knowledge for a small reward to whomsoever 
 might seek him. To him came a young man of 
 great proportions, saying, " Art thou he that can 
 tell who will win to-day ? " And the fellow said, 
 " I am that man. What is it thou wouldst know ? " 
 Then the young man said, " I am Helibron of 
 El Rimmon, tell me, shall I win the race of spears 
 this day ? " To which the fellow, hoping for a 
 reward, replied, " I read thy name in the stars 
 last night, yet am I not certain ; either first or
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 207 
 
 second thou shalt be in the race of spears before 
 the sun sinks to rest this day." Then the young 
 man dealt him a great buffet on the side of the 
 head with his open hand, and did likewise to his 
 servants, for he said, " The fellow lied like a dog's 
 son, telling me I should win the race of spears, 
 whereas I am not to be a competitor in that race 
 but in the trial of strength at the casting of the 
 stone. He said he saw my name in the stars, 
 yet I warrant I have made him see more stars 
 this day than he ever saw before after dawn." 
 Whereat the guards of the public peace and the 
 populace laughed lustily, and the man of vaunted 
 wisdom crept away amidst the raillery of the 
 rabble. 
 
 Arriving at the ground, the people scattered 
 themselves on the hills allotted to them, whilst 
 the more favoured ones took up their places on 
 hills which had been kept apart for them. There 
 was no building, no amphitheatre; the place of 
 contest was a small plain, surrounded by low 
 hills in a complete circle, around which a rugged 
 wall had been raised. There had been two small 
 hills in the middle of this plain, but they had been 
 levelled to the ground by an army of slaves years
 
 208 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 before, in the reign of the great King's father ; all 
 the open space had been trodden hard and level 
 by the soft feet of camels, driven forty abreast in 
 an ever - narrowing circle until the centre had 
 been reached, so that it lay like the palm of a 
 man's hand, so clean and bare that no bird could 
 rest there and not be observed. At the side 
 farthest from the people were the cages where 
 the beasts were kept. In one of these a fierce 
 white bull, with red eyes, was lashing itself to 
 madness ; its legs and nostrils had been smeared 
 with honey, and the cage where it was confined 
 was built over an ant hill. The heat of the day 
 had drawn the ants forth, and the honey had 
 drawn them to the bull ; their torments were fast 
 driving the savage brute to madness. Vainly he 
 tore the ground with horn and hoof, vainly he 
 bellowed in his wrath, seeking for something to 
 slay. 
 
 A hush fell upon the people. Two men advanced 
 into the open plain walking jauntily, each carried 
 two short spears pointed with jasper ; they walked 
 to the centre of the plain together, then separated, 
 one going to the east, the other to the west, until 
 a distance of thirty paces divided them ; then they
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 209 
 
 turned towards the spot where the King of 
 Assyria sat with his captains and the women of 
 his household, and they bowed themselves to the 
 earth thrice. The King made a sign ; the men on 
 the plain turned towards the cages where the 
 animals were ; the gates flew asunder ; the frantic 
 bull thundered out like an avalanche, striding 
 over the open plain so quickly that the eye could 
 scarce follow its course. 
 
 For a time, in its mad wrath, the beast saw 
 nothing in front of it but space, and came on in 
 a line that led between the pair, who stood like 
 statues leaning upon their spears. At last the 
 red eyes fell upon the men ; without a moment's 
 hesitation the bull lowered its head and swept 
 down upon him who stood at the eastern end. 
 The man drew himself up quickly, took one spear 
 in his right hand and balanced the other deftly 
 in his left hand ; for a moment he poised himself 
 gracefully, then cast the spear. A contemptuous 
 laugh rang out from the man on the western end ; 
 the spear had ripped the white hide on the bull's 
 quarter and had glanced off to skid along the 
 ground. The thrower glanced quickly towards 
 the other man ; that glance told that his nerve had
 
 210 
 
 failed him. He might have stepped aside as the 
 bull came on and have driven the spear into the 
 passing beast, but it was not lawful for him so to 
 do; the penalty for that was death or slavery, 
 according to the King's choice. He had to cast 
 both spears as the bull came at him, then, if he 
 failed, he might try what fleetness of foot could 
 do for him. He raised his right arm to throw, 
 paused irresolute, then cast the spear wildly. 
 The next moment a shriek rang out upon the air ; 
 a horn had hit him just above the hips, and, 
 tearing through the bowels, came out beside the 
 spine ; for half a second he was dashed along the 
 dust ; then, with one magnificent, triumphant toss 
 of the shaggy head, the bull sent the twisting, 
 twining body of the man high in air ; and a great 
 shout went up from the assembled multitude. 
 
 The bull heard that wild human roar, and 
 stood rooted to the ground ; slowly the great 
 head swept round, until the flaming eyes fell upon 
 the form of that other man who still stood lean- 
 ing with graceful ease upon his spears. Without 
 a sound the bull leapt into its stride tail straight 
 out behind it, horns levelled like lances stained 
 with the blood of its victim, whilst down its snow-
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 211 
 
 white flanks the crimson trickled from the wound 
 the spear had made. The man stood firmly on 
 his feet ; one spear, point downwards, he drove into 
 the ground ; the other he poised in his left hand, 
 whilst with his right he shaded his eyes from the 
 sun, for the bull had wheeled and was coming 
 down upon him with the sun behind it. Silence 
 fell on all men, silence so great that the winking 
 of an eyelid would almost have broken the still- 
 ness. On rushed the brute ; the man lifted his 
 head higher, dropped his right hand until his 
 clenched fist rested near his hip ; his back bent 
 like a bow, until his shoulders lay right back out 
 of the perpendicular ; then, like a bow unbent, the 
 back straightened, the shoulders came forward, 
 the arm flew outward, and the spear hissed upon 
 its mission ; the jasper point cut through the 
 tangled mane, opened the hide upon the muscular 
 neck, missed the spine by a hair's-breadth as it 
 plunged into the solid flesh beyond the shoulders. 
 The bull threw up his horned head, snapping 
 the spear-shaft like a sun-dried bough ; the man 
 snatched the other spear with a movement so 
 quick that it told of matchless nerve ; down on 
 one knee he dropped, gripping the shaft of his
 
 212 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 spear in both hands, burying the butt in the soil 
 in front of his knee. This was a man of better 
 mould than the last one ; if he died he would die 
 struggling for victory. The great beast charged 
 recklessly, the spear-point flicked along the white 
 throat, ripped through hair and hide, and was 
 buried by the impact of the charging body an 
 arm's-length in the broad chest. So stern was 
 the stroke, so unyielding the arm, that the bull 
 swerved, and staggered as he swerved ; like a 
 streak of falling light the man hurled his body 
 to one side, and the savage brute thundered past, 
 leaving him unscathed. 
 
 Then men and women drew deep breaths, and 
 shrieked forth words of wild applause; women 
 waved flowers and feathers; men threw their 
 bare arms towards heaven, and called upon the 
 gods to guard the man who risked his life so 
 disdainfully; warriors, whose hands had been 
 reddened by a hundred battles, looked at him 
 with flashing eyes and envied him his prowess. 
 The white bull turned again, blood streamed in a 
 rich current from shoulder and chest the life- 
 blood which nothing could stay, yet his foe lived. 
 Instinct told the great brute that there was no
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 213 
 
 time to waste ; on he rushed. And now that the 
 man was unarmed, his wit and his feet were all 
 that remained to him. When he had avoided the 
 bull's rush he had darted off towards the nearest 
 wall, and Jair the fleet of foot knew that he was a 
 great runner ; but no man born of a woman could 
 out-pace that pursuing beast. As the bull gained 
 on him, drawing nearer and nearer, the man ran 
 with his chin on his shoulder. In a straight line 
 he ran, until the hot breath from the expanded 
 nostrils steamed on his very buttocks ; one stride 
 more, one little fraction of time, the horns touch 
 the human skin. The people scream vain warnings 
 to the straining man ; women close their eyes ; men 
 grip their lips with hard, set teeth until the blood 
 flows ; the bull tosses his armed head high. But 
 the man had wheeled as the swallow wheels when 
 the sparrow-hawk swoops, and the crimson line 
 on the quivering thigh tells how near the doorway 
 to death he had been. The bull plunges on, dyeing 
 the ground with blood as he goes ; one fore-leg 
 bends under him, and he goes down for a moment, 
 his muzzle in the dust, but only for a moment. 
 The man is running again ; the brute charges once 
 more ; again the awful strain takes place ; the man
 
 214 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 swerves once more and saves himself. But, as he 
 wheels, he stumbles and almost falls. His chest is 
 rising, falling, bursting ; and the barrier is almost 
 within his reach. One short rapid dash, one bold 
 spring, and he will be in the arms of the multi- 
 tude ! The people cheer him madly, the barrier 
 seems so close in their eyes ; to him it is leagues 
 away. He has no time to think the bull is almost 
 on top of him again ; his throat is full of something 
 that chokes him ; yet he runs on, twisting and 
 turning like a hare ; and the bull, grown warier 
 now, twists and turns with him, coursing him as 
 wolves course a stag. He runs blindly, hands 
 stretched out in front of him. He feels as if the 
 gods had chained the hills to his feet. His hands 
 crash into the palisade one spring, one effort, and 
 he will be safe. The people are crowding on top of 
 one another now, men strike at each other fiercely 
 for the right to see, women raise their shrill voices 
 clamorously to the gods ; the man drags himself 
 up inch by inch painfully. The bull, swaying to 
 right and left, drags itself foot by foot nearer the 
 fugitive ; each breath it draws pumps the remnant 
 of its life-blood up and out ; all its strength has 
 gone, only the red eyes in the white circlets of
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 215 
 
 hair blaze with vindictive hate. On, on, on, until, 
 with a sob that is a defiance, it sinks dead under 
 the man who has almost topped the palisades. 
 He hears the people shout once more ; he casts his 
 eyes behind, below him ; his last remnant of 
 strength vanishes, and he falls backwards on to the 
 spear-pointed horns of his foe; and together they 
 are dragged from the plain to make food for the 
 vultures. 
 
 Other sports follow : Wrestling between black 
 men and white; the casting of the rock, which 
 was a simple trial of thews and sinews. A place 
 was marked off in front of the royal seat. A 
 great black man with a snow-white sheepskin 
 around the upper part of his body stepped on to 
 the plain, carrying a huge jagged piece of rock 
 upon his shoulder ; he walked as lightly and as 
 easily under his load as a maid with a honeycomb. 
 He was the champion of the previous year, and 
 defender of the rock ; he laid the boulder down by 
 the mark and bowed to the King. Then out into 
 the arena came a troop of men of all colours, all 
 climes ; and each cast the rock as far as his 
 strength would allow him. But none reached the 
 limit of the black champion's cast, until the Mon-
 
 216 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 golian giant, the champion of all the yellow races, 
 who had stood back until the last, made his effort. 
 When he threw, a cry of wonder rose on all sides, 
 for the sharp edges of the rock were buried in the 
 ground a full stride beyond the mark of the black. 
 Later, there was a contest between men riding 
 upon horses, asses, colts, and strange animals that 
 were neither horse nor ass. These animals had 
 tails and ears like the asses ; their bodies and heads 
 were shaped like horses ; they had no manes ; the 
 ground-colour of their bodies was similar to that 
 of the ass, but yellow and black bands alternately 
 circled body and limbs. The men who rode 
 these creatures were little fierce fellows from the 
 plains, dark brown in colour, who marked their 
 bodies with pigments made from clay found at the 
 roots of certain bushes known only to themselves. 
 When their steeds were in motion they threw 
 themselves almost at full length on the animals' 
 backs, resting their heads alongside the creatures' 
 necks, so that at a very small distance they were 
 nearly invisible ; only the keenest eyes were able to 
 discern which was the man and which the beast ; 
 yet such mastery had they over their steeds that 
 at a word they would leap forward in full gallop,
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 217 
 
 or stop in mid-flight, or wheel to right or left. 
 These men would cast a javelin with all their 
 force, then dart off in pursuit, picking it from the 
 ground as they passed without losing their seats 
 or checking their speed. Others would rush onward 
 as if pursued by an enemy ; then they would drop 
 to the earth and lie prone, whilst their animals 
 continued onwards ; then they would rise suddenly 
 and cast their javelins at an imaginary enemy ; 
 then running forward they would utter a peculiar 
 cry, and their animals would instantly stop in their 
 flight, and gallop back to their masters, who would 
 vault on to their backs and rush off, filling the air 
 with strange triumphant noises. None of the 
 riders, whether mounted upon asses, horses, or 
 striped beasts, had any kind of trappings upon 
 their chargers, but guided them by pressing their 
 knees, or by word of mouth ; and in the contests 
 the striped animals won, for they were the fleeter. 
 When the racing had ended, the slingers came 
 forth to show their skill, and amongst them was 
 Jair the Hebrew. At a sign appointed one of 
 the King's guards stood forth, and, drawing' his 
 naked sword from a ring of iron which was 
 fastened by a band of leather to his thigh, he held
 
 2i8 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the blade aloft with his two hands above his 
 head, the flat of his blade facing the slingers. If 
 any man missed the blade, then he had to pay 
 a fine for having entered the contest ; if he 
 missed the blade, and hit the holder thereof, then 
 he was that soldier's slave for life, unless he 
 could ransom himself. A great number missed 
 both man and sword, and retired amidst the jeers 
 of the multitude, who exhorted them to forsake 
 weapons of war and sport, and hire themselves 
 out as hewers of wood and drawers of water, the 
 small boys in the throng insulting them with many 
 bitter words. Of all the slingers, four only had 
 struck the sword when it came to Jair's turn to 
 try his skill, and there were many to follow him. 
 The children in the assembly mocked him as he 
 carefully selected a pebble from his scrip and fitted 
 it into his sling, balancing it deftly in his hands, 
 rejecting pebble after pebble. " Be careful, crooked 
 beak," cried one urchin, whose shrill voice rang 
 like a reed-pipe over the gruffer voices of the men ; 
 " be careful, crooked beak, for if thou hittest the 
 soldier thou wilt be his slave." But Jair heeded 
 not the laughter that followed the boy's voice. 
 Walking steadily to the mark from whence the
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 219 
 
 slingers had to run before throwing, he called to 
 the soldier to turn the edge of the sword towards 
 him ; and the soldier obeyed, marvelling within 
 himself what manner of man this might be who 
 disdained to throw at the flat of a sword, but 
 must needs risk defeat by casting at the sword's 
 edge. When the soldier was ready, Jair ran the 
 ten paces allotted him, and then whirling the 
 sling around his head, after the manner of the 
 Hebrews when hunting or in battle, he cast his 
 stone, and fire flashed from the blade where the 
 flint and the steel met. When those that had yet 
 to show their skill saw what Jair had done they 
 drew off from the sport, and would have none of 
 it, for J air's prowess amazed them ; but he, spread- 
 ing his palms downwards, made answer that it 
 was but a little matter, a thing for boys to do 
 amongst his people. 
 
 Then one standing by asked him, " Where are 
 thy people? tell me, that I may never fight 
 against them." But Jair could not, for he knew 
 that if he did his people would disown him, 
 because he had disowned the true God and had 
 worshipped Dagon. So he said bitterly, " Where 
 the eagles build their nests, there are my people ;
 
 220 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 if you would find them, go follow the flight of the 
 eagles." And this saying was told unto the great 
 King, who said, " When the day's sports are at an 
 end bring that man before me that I may question 
 him," and he gave orders for the sports to proceed. 
 A she-bear with two cubs was turned loose in 
 the arena, and a red-bearded man, with a stone 
 club fastened to his wrist, went forth to do battle 
 with her; and it was the King's command that 
 the man should slay the cubs before the bear 
 should be harmed, unless indeed the bear should 
 come upon him quickly to slay him. The man 
 was a short, thick-set fellow, with bowed legs a 
 brutal-faced meat-eater who feared neither man 
 nor beast. When he approached the bear she sat 
 up, and, lifting her fore-paws, awaited him, with 
 a cub on either side of her. As she sat thus 
 upon her haunches, she was taller than the man 
 by the breadth of a hand. The man walked 
 slowly towards the bear until he got within 
 springing distance, then, with a sudden bound, he 
 leapt in and dashed his club on the head of the 
 cub nearest to him and sprang away again. For 
 a moment the bear stood dumbly, looking first 
 at the dead cub then at the man ; then she
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 221 
 
 dropped down upon all fours and rushed at him, 
 growling dreadfully as she came. The hunter 
 ran to meet her with swift, short strides ; the bear 
 rose up upon her haunches ready for battle : but 
 the man dodged past her and made a back- 
 handed stroke at the other cub as he passed. 
 The stone club roughed the cub's fur near the 
 neck, but did not hurt it. Again the bear 
 pursued, and once again the hunter ran to meet 
 her ; again he dodged to one side as the bear 
 rose up on its haunches ; but this time the bear, 
 instead of striking a downward blow with her 
 fore-paws, as she had done the first time, struck 
 a sweeping blow, which fell across the belly of 
 the man so that his bowels fell out. He half 
 turned, and smote at the bear with his full force, 
 for he no longer respected the law of the King 
 he knew that he was a dead man ; but the 
 bear was too close when the stroke fell for the 
 club to do the animal mortal hurt ; then the 
 bear struck and the man was still. 
 
 Another man came out with a club, and the 
 bear shuffled off, driving her cub in front of her; 
 but there was no avenue of escape for her. The 
 man approached warily, and drawing the skin
 
 222 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 from his loins cast it towards the bear on the 
 side farthest from the cub. With a snarl of rage 
 the bear dashed forward to rend the skin with 
 her teeth ; then the hunter, darting in, killed the 
 cub with one stroke of his club and fled hot-foot 
 without turning his head. The bear stopped and 
 licked the crushed head of her young, and the 
 hunter stopped and advanced again to the fight. 
 The she-bear would not be tempted to do battle, 
 but stood all the time on guard over her young ; 
 so the man, becoming over - confident, stepped 
 inward to slay her; then she launched herself 
 upon him, clasping him in her arms, and they 
 even they on the outer edges of the crowd 
 heard his bones break in that awful grasp. After 
 that the bear went from her young to the men, 
 each in turn, moaning like a woman who has 
 lost her children and will not be comforted. Her 
 offspring she licked with her tongue, but the men 
 she turned over with her great paws. 
 
 Outside, amongst the club - men, there was 
 much strife as to who should be next to attack 
 the bear, each man urging his own claims to be 
 the next, until they were like to have fallen upon 
 one another, for they were a fierce and turbulent
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 223 
 
 people. So the King's man touched one with 
 his sword, saying, " This man shall be the next," 
 and he went. As soon as the she-bear saw him, 
 she left her dead and went at great speed to 
 meet him, for now she had nothing to guard she 
 was full of ferocity. The man waited for her, 
 and when she upreared herself he smote a swing- 
 ing stroke with all his might ; but the bear 
 dropped upon all fours, so that the club passed 
 harmlessly over her head ; then she seized the 
 man before he could recover his balance; and 
 when the people looked again there was no man 
 there, only the shreds and tatters of what had been 
 a man ; and all the club-men gave a great shout, 
 for this was a battle after their own hearts. 
 
 And when they would have opened the gate 
 to allow another to enter, the she-bear rushed 
 to the entrance and would have given them all 
 battle, for she was a mother robbed of her young. 
 At this one of the club - men said to a soldier, 
 " Lend me thy back for a moment," and the 
 soldier bowed his back, so that the club - man 
 vaulted on to his shoulders, and from his shoulders 
 he sprang to the top of the palisade and thence 
 into the arena. The bear saw him land, and
 
 224 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 ran towards him ; and he, running with his chin 
 on his shoulders, saw that she gained upon him ; 
 and when she rose up to strike him, he whirled 
 his club round with a back-handed stroke which 
 fell on the side of the bear's head, and the bones 
 of the head were smashed like the shell of 
 an egg. 
 
 When the carcases of the men and bears had 
 been removed, there entered the plain a number 
 of men mounted upon swift camels who engaged 
 in races. Their camels were adorned with rows 
 of bells, and little balls of wool, dyed all colours 
 of the rainbow, were strung in circles about their 
 necks ; they wore hoods between their ears 
 covered with little bells of silver, which emitted 
 sweet sounds as they moved ; around their fore- 
 legs were circlets of many-coloured wool, with 
 bells attached. The riders of the camels were 
 also quaintly attired. Some wore nothing but a 
 long seamless gown of white linen, bound around 
 the waist with a girdle of bright silk ; others wore 
 a similar garment of many colours, with a white 
 upper garment which was sleeveless ; over this 
 they wore a coat of richest silk. Some were bare- 
 headed, except for a couple of eagle's feathers
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 225 
 
 wreathed in their hair; others wore a great pile 
 of silk and linen mixed, wound round their heads, 
 towering up half an arm's-length over their heads. 
 Others, again, wore the head and mask of a lion, 
 a fox, a bear, or a leopard, with all the teeth 
 grinning from the extended jaws. Some had 
 birds for head covering, such as the eagle, the 
 bustard, the raven, or the crane. They drove the 
 camels by means of long cords of twisted silk, 
 which passed through a hole bored through the 
 nostrils ; a little ball made of the gum of a desert 
 shrub was fastened to the silk, each side of the 
 nostril, so that when the silk was jerked either 
 to the right hand or the left the camels felt the 
 pressure, and went where their masters wanted 
 them. 
 
 When the signal for the start was given the 
 camels were all kneeling in a line, the riders 
 standing beside them. At the signal, each man 
 shouted to his camel by name to rise, and as 
 they rose the men bounded nimbly on to their 
 backs and urged the ungainly creatures round the 
 arena at their best pace. Now, it was known to 
 the small boys who were amongst the multitude 
 that at a strange hissing cry of " Oosta ! " a camel
 
 226 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 would, if he were trained, stop in mid-flight and 
 drop to its knees to allow its master to alight. 
 The camels had to circle the plain three times, 
 and when they who were foremost came past 
 the spot where the youths were standing, the 
 young ones called with one voice " Oosta ! " and 
 the foremost camels immediately fell to their 
 knees, as if smitten to the heart with javelins, 
 casting some of those who were riding them over 
 their heads on to the ground, for in the excite- 
 ment of the race many of the riders had leant 
 far out on their camel's necks to urge them to 
 greater speed by shouting commands in their 
 ears. When those riders who were cast off rose 
 out of the dust and brushed the dirt from their 
 beards, they spat towards the youths, and cursed 
 them, calling them dogs and sons of dogs, and 
 the people laughed until they cried. 
 
 The race of spears was next to claim the 
 attention of the people, that being the last of the 
 day's festivities. A cord of white and crimson 
 silk was stretched for a distance of fifty paces, 
 each end being held by two of the royal guard ; 
 then a spearman of the King's soldiers cast his 
 spear with all his might from behind the silken
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 227 
 
 cord straight down the plain, and another cord 
 was drawn across the plain for fifty paces in a 
 line with the spot where the soldier's spear still 
 quivered in the ground. When this was done, 
 another soldier advanced, and he also cast his 
 spear to the full limit of his powers, and again 
 a silken cord was drawn and held in place ; then 
 a third soldier hurled his spear, and another cord 
 was drawn where his spear fell. Each cord was 
 held as high as a tall man's shoulder, the fourth 
 cord being distant from the first three full spear- 
 casts. 
 
 The King's command was, that, at a signal, all 
 the competitors, who stood twelve paces beyond 
 the first cord, might advance and throw each one 
 his spear, which had to fall beyond the cord at 
 each cast When he had cast his spear, the 
 competitor had to leap the cord and make his 
 way at all speed to the second cord, which he 
 had to leap ; then he had to cast his spear over 
 the next cord ; and so on, until all were passed. 
 The man who was the first to leap the last cord 
 was to possess the King's prize. If any failed to 
 cast his spear over the dividing cord, or if he 
 failed in his leap, he was to become the slave of
 
 228 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the men who held the cords, unless he could 
 ransom himself. This race of spears demanded 
 great fleetness of foot, also great endurance, 
 strength, and skill. The fleet runners often lacked 
 the strength to hurl the spear over the lines ; 
 whilst they who possessed the bodily strength to 
 perform this feat easily were too heavy-footed to 
 hope to win. Others, who were both strong and 
 fleet when on level ground, found themselves 
 unable to leap the lines. Few indeed in all the 
 land were fashioned strong of arm, fleet of foot, 
 supple, and full of spring, and capable of running 
 untiringly to the end. It was not only those quali- 
 ties that were required, but judgment and discretion. 
 Only ten men faced the captain of the King's 
 guard when the time came, and amongst the ten 
 stood Jair the Hebrew. The captain of the guard 
 gave each man his station, and as he did so he 
 called aloud the name and country of the 
 champion. When he came to Jair, who was the 
 last on the outside of the line, he said, " What 
 is thy name ? and thy country, where is it ? " Then 
 Jair said, " I am called ' The Slinger,' my country 
 is where the eagles are." The captain replied, 
 " That is no country, for the eagles are every-
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 229 
 
 where when there is spoil to be gathered." 
 Whereat Jair laughed, saying, " So also am I." 
 Then ten spears, each of a different colour, were 
 distributed amongst them. When the men were 
 all ready in their places, the King's captain 
 dropped the point of his sword to the ground, 
 and the men all sprang forward, but Jair was 
 the first to move. He ran lightly half-way to 
 the cord and hurled his spear, then stepping 
 easily and without great hurry he sprang over 
 the cord, and ran with ease to the next leap ; 
 but the rest, after casting their spears, ran with 
 all their might, and Jair was last over the second 
 line. And the King's captain said to one of his 
 fellows, "That fellow with the crooked beak 
 claimed the eagles as his kinsfolk, yet he runneth 
 like a cow he is already out of the race." But 
 his fellow, who was a man of discernment, said, 
 "Judge not until it is time to judge; the prize 
 is not at this end." By the time Jair reached his 
 spear every man had thrown for the second time, 
 but some had fallen short in their haste ; others 
 had cast their spears so wildly that they had to 
 run out of the straight line to get them ; but Jair, 
 gathering himself together, cast his spear straight
 
 230 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 in front of him, and it stood in the earth quiver- 
 ing, ready for him when he should come for it. 
 Again Jair ran easily, and it looked to the 
 beholders as if he had no great interest in the 
 race. All the others were racing at headlong 
 speed towards the third leap, but two of them 
 found sorrow awaiting them ; one leaping from 
 too great a distance, fell bodily upon the cord ; 
 and the other, misjudging his ground, ran too 
 close in and could not rise to the leap. These 
 two who failed, with two whose spears had fallen 
 short, fell out of the race, and were claimed by 
 the guards. When Jair came to the cord he took 
 the leap in his stride like a buck, then coolly 
 running to his spear he cast it gracefully over the 
 last barrier. The other five men were a great 
 way in front of him, but they were now running 
 wide like working bullocks full of water, and 
 when Jair's eyes fell upon them he smiled ; then, 
 running easily as a wolf runs, he measured the 
 distance between himself and the last leap with 
 his eyes ; then, throwing his head back, clenching 
 his hands hard up against his chest, he laid the 
 ground behind him like a hare. So fast did he 
 run that the men who were panting along in front
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 231 
 
 of him seemed to be standing still. When he 
 caught the hindermost man, that man thought 
 that the shadow of a cloud driven by the wind 
 had swept by him, and, dropping his chin upon 
 his chest, he still struggled forward hoping for 
 victory. There were but five strides between the 
 foremost man and the last cord when Jair came 
 abreast of him, but there was blood and foam 
 on the fellow's lips, and he ran as one whose 
 eyes had been plucked out by the carrion birds. 
 At the right moment, Jair rose from the ground 
 like a young eagle, and there was twice the 
 breadth of a man's hand between his feet and 
 the cord when he bounded over it. Jair ran on, 
 picked up his spear and then knelt down, drew 
 his breath deeply and slowly like one whose work 
 was done and well done. The second man ran 
 blindly into the rope and fell under it, and lay 
 there. The third, leaping feebly, fell on the cord 
 and hung there, his forepart on one side his 
 hinderpart on the other. The fourth man, reeling 
 out of his course, ran into the soldiers who held 
 the cord at one side. Only the fifth man, he who 
 had counted Jair as a shadow, seeing nothing in 
 front of him but beaten men, looking behind and
 
 232 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 seeing none to follow him, rested a while on his 
 hands and knees, then rose, and with a final effort 
 scrambled over the cord and picked up his spear. 
 Then it was that he saw Jair, and the cup of his 
 triumph was dashed from his lips ; so bitter was his 
 heart in that moment that he took his spear and fell 
 upon it, and they threw his body to the vultures. 
 
 But Jair was taken before the great King 
 Shalmaneser, who was the ruler over all the 
 Assyrians ; and Jair found favour in his eyes 
 because he answered all the King's questions 
 with shrewdness, and the King gave Jair per- 
 mission to dwell in the land. So Jair bought 
 a field and caused the artificers to build him a 
 house, where he dwelt with the two virgins who 
 had come to him as a prize for the race of spears ; 
 yet was he not content, for his soul was greedy 
 for much riches. All the precious stones which 
 he had stolen from his wife, when he fled from the 
 City of Sanctuary, he converted into ready money, 
 which he loaned to the officers of the great King's 
 guard; for these were mostly young men who 
 made wagers one with the other, and when they 
 had not the wherewithal to pay that which they 
 owed, they borrowed from Jair ; and he, as of old
 
 THE RACE OF SPEARS 233 
 
 time, sowed with one hand and reaped with two, 
 scattering silver and gathering gold. Nor was he 
 content with the riches he gained from the 
 soldiers, but casting his eyes upon the husband- 
 men he saw that they were often needy, and to 
 them he lent also, taking surety from them on 
 their growing crops, until it came about that 
 though he sowed no grain his barns were always 
 full to overflowing, and the best fruits of the land 
 were his. He did not sell his grain, as other men 
 sold theirs, to the first comer, but inquired dili- 
 gently of all travellers concerning the countries 
 round about ; and, when he heard that there was 
 a famine in a country, he loaded up his camels 
 and sent grain to the rulers of that country, 
 always demanding fourfold the value of his 
 grain. And as hunger and famine knew no law 
 beyond the necessities of the moment, he always 
 obtained that which he asked, and he waxed rich 
 on the necessities of his neighbours. 
 
 Yet, in spite of all these things, he was not 
 happy, for his soul yearned for vengeance upon 
 his enemy Samson. At last one came to him 
 who told him of famine in the land of the 
 Philistines, so he loaded his camels with wheat,
 
 234 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 oil, dried figs, and wine, and said to his merchant, 
 " Seek no profit from the Philistines, take what I 
 give thee as a gift to them ; but, above all things, 
 see that thou singest my praises in their ears ; and 
 see that thou takest good care of the woman whom 
 I shall send with thee, take her to that country 
 and bring her back safely." This he said con- 
 cerning the " seller of doves," whom he had 
 spoken to privily, telling her that she should 
 travel with his merchant-men to her own country. 
 When she arrived there she was to go to the 
 Valley of Sorek, and learn all that was to be 
 learned concerning Samson. " Seek the woman 
 Delilah, and when thou hast found her, give her 
 this gift, saying, ' It cometh from the hand of one 
 who hateth him whom thou hatest.'" The 
 "seller of doves" said, "Where is thy gift?" 
 Then Jair commanded his servants to bring to 
 him a great camel laden with all good things, 
 which Jair had packed with his own hands. So 
 the merchant bade his slaves drive the fifty camels 
 one behind the other towards the land of Philistia ; 
 but he and the "seller of doves" rode side by 
 side, and, nodding their heads one at the other, 
 said, " There is a woman in it."
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 
 
 THE passing time had left no impress on 
 the Valley of Sorek ; the river still sang 
 merrily between its grassy banks ; cattle and sheep 
 and the big-horned goats still browsed in the 
 meadows ; the hills that girdled the valley were 
 as beautiful as of old, only the men and women 
 looked quieter, sadder, more oppressed than on 
 that summer's evening when Samson wooed 
 Delilah amongst the corn. 
 
 No growing grain burnished the fields with a 
 golden sheen, for a strange plague had killed the 
 growing crops. All had been well at springtime ; 
 the young wheat had pushed the earth aside and 
 raised its green banner proudly over all the 
 valley, and the husbandmen had said each to his 
 fellow, " This will be a richer harvest than the 
 last ; what shall we do with our grain, surely the 
 
 235
 
 236 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 granaries will not hold it all ? " Summer had 
 come with poppy flowers amidst the corn, with 
 soft warm breath to fan the fruits of the fields 
 and the trees to rich perfection. Then dawned 
 a day when out of the west came a wind that 
 blew without ceasing for seven days and seven 
 nights a wind so fierce that the grass curled up 
 and lay dead on the baking ground ; the corn 
 died where it stood, and the west wind broke it 
 off close to the ground and swept it whither- 
 soever it listed ; the half-ripe figs shrivelled on 
 the drooping trees, and at evening when the sun 
 was down they fell from the boughs ; the grapes 
 which were filling with green juice ready for 
 ripening dried on the stems, and hung between 
 the leaves dry and sapless ; the pomegranate, 
 while yet half ripe, burst open, showing the yellow 
 seeds in the white moulds instead of the rich 
 crimson seeds in the yellow moulds even the 
 birds could not eat them, so harsh and bitter 
 were they to the taste ; the cattle and sheep on 
 the hillsides had sickened before the breath of 
 the west wind, and many had perished, only the 
 goats lived through it all and cared not. Neither 
 had the olive trees escaped from the scourging
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 237 
 
 wind ; the olives had struggled against the curse 
 When the vine and the fig and the corn had 
 failed ; but in the end the olive trees had bowed 
 their branches richly laden, and rained down in 
 the dust the harvest that had been the hope of 
 the husbandmen, so that there was neither corn 
 nor oil nor wine to be found in Sorek. 
 
 Strong men had felt their sinews slacken whilst 
 that heat wave passed over the land ; little lakes, 
 that no man had ever seen dry before, were licked 
 up by the lips of the wind and became dry land ; 
 small rivulets that had their home in the hills 
 ceased to run, the land was dry-eyed and tearless 
 in its sorrow. Women who were suckling babes 
 became lean breasted and barren of milk; little 
 children drooped and died ; vainly the mothers 
 rocked them in their arms in the shade of the 
 houses during the day ; vainly they walked with 
 them by the river's side through the long hours 
 of the stifling night. The soft dimpled flesh on 
 the baby limbs melted away until the parched 
 skin hung from the brittle bones like the wrinkled 
 skin of age; the lovely rounded features passed 
 like a vision, leaving nothing but the bones 
 beneath the skin ; eyes that a few hours before
 
 238 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 had sparkled with health and joy, lay far back 
 beneath overhanging brows of bone dull eyes 
 with the shadow of death in their innermost depths. 
 
 Vainly the frantic mothers, suffering every 
 pang that racked their little ones, hurried with 
 trembling feet to the priests of Dagon ; vain their 
 petitions; vain the bleeding sacrifices of goats, 
 of bullocks, of turtle - doves ; vain their tears, 
 their entreaties, their frenzied cries : the little 
 ones, like the half-ripened fruit on the olive trees, 
 withered and died. 
 
 The priests, the arch - impostors of the ages, 
 took off the golden circlets from their brows, 
 took the sacred berries from their hair and 
 heaped ashes and dust upon their heads ; they 
 rent their vestments asunder and abased them- 
 selves in the sacred groves: yet Dagon heard 
 not, or if he heard he did not heed. They 
 poured the sacred oil at the feet of their idols, 
 and the greedy earth drank it ; they burned corn 
 of the last year's gathering; they washed the 
 earth with wine where the shadows of the idols 
 fell at morning, noon, and eventide: yet from 
 the shadows none answered, save only Death the 
 Destroyer.
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 239 
 
 The priests brought forth their knives and 
 turned the sweet groves into a shambles, but the 
 gods were dumb ; only the voices of the mothers 
 rose in a wailing cry asking help from the help- 
 less. The stricken cattle in the parched fields 
 raised their red eyes skyward and bellowed their 
 petition ; but the skies were pitiless. No god 
 answered either sinless beast or sinful humanity 
 only Death the Destroyer, and his answer was 
 final. 
 
 The priests drove the goats and the kine from 
 the groves, and called aloud for human blood ; 
 and when they had offered up in vain the lives 
 of bond - children, both male and female, then 
 they cried, " Dagon is not satisfied ! he must 
 have the best in the valley ; give us of the free 
 children who are left, that Dagon's wrath be 
 appeased." And the high priest brought forth 
 the great knife with the curved blade and ivory 
 handle, which was only used at the last rites. 
 And the men of Sorek bowed to the will of the 
 priests, and would have yielded up their offspring 
 which were left, but the women rebelled, crying, 
 " Shall the sinless lips that have clung to our 
 breasts cry in vain to us for help ? If Dagon will
 
 240 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 not help us, we will help our children, or we 
 will all utterly perish together."- Then one who 
 was a mother for the first time shouted, "If 
 Dagon needs more blood, why should it not be 
 the blood of a priest? If they are sinless, they 
 are fit to die; if they are not sinless, are they 
 fit to live, seeing that they are the sworn servants 
 of a god ? Come, let us give unto Dagon that 
 which is Dagon's." And the women all rose 
 up, and took knives from the tables, pruning- 
 hooks from the barns, and stones from the walls 
 anything that was ready to their hands they 
 took ; and they made a circle round the priests, 
 chanting wild sounds without words : and they 
 were more terrible than an army that is set 
 for the battle. 
 
 Then a vision came to the high priest, and he 
 made a sign to the women to draw near to 
 him, and when they came he said, " Dagon hath 
 spoken he is weary of blood; but one thing 
 must thou do." When the women asked him, 
 " What is the thing ? " he cried, " Go to your 
 homes now and purify yourselves with water, 
 and come again an hour after the dawn has 
 broken and I will tell you Dagon's message."
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 241 
 
 The woman who had shouted first against the 
 priesthood laughed mockingly, and called, "O 
 wise priest, that seest visions when the knife is 
 at thine own throat, tarry a while and thou shalt 
 hear more concerning this matter." 
 
 When all the women had gone to their homes, 
 the priests drew round the high priest in the 
 gathering darkness, and said unto him, " What 
 thing will ye tell them at the dawning? what 
 message hast thou from Dagon ? " And the 
 high priest said to his priesthood, " Dagon must 
 deliver his own message in the morning; as for 
 me, I have business that will not tarry, in a far 
 country." And the priests when they heard that 
 saying tarried not, but tucked their robes up 
 about their loins and fled. And the high priest 
 was not the slowest upon his feet, albeit he 
 was a big man and a gross. 
 
 When the women came in the morning, lo, 
 there was not a priest in Sorek ! And even as 
 they stood marvelling a cool wind sprang up, 
 and came murmuring down the valley; the 
 heavens opened and the windows thereof poured 
 forth rain ; the little children stretched their 
 
 feeble arms to their mothers and smiled ; the 
 16
 
 242 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 cattle in the fields lifted up their voices and gave 
 praise ; the birds burst into song ; the whole earth 
 rejoiced. Only the men of Sorek hung their 
 heads and were filled with shame ; they could not 
 look upon their young boys without blushing, 
 so they filled in their idle hours cursing the false 
 priests who had brought the thing upon them, 
 and for that generation the Valley of Sorek was 
 a place for a priest to avoid. From that day 
 the grass grew in the fields and on the hillsides, 
 but there was great dearth in the land because 
 of the destruction of all the fruits of the earth. 
 
 When they sent trusty messengers forth to 
 purchase for them, they returned to tell the 
 valley that the same curse had swept over all 
 the country of Philistia, and it was at this season 
 that Jair's merchant-men arrived with the gift of 
 corn, oil, wine, and dried figs and raisins. The 
 elders of the people gathered round wondering 
 at the sight, for they were full of amazement. 
 Then it was that the chief merchant remembered 
 Jair's command, and he began to sing the praises 
 of his master in the ears of the people of Sorek. 
 The stores of food and wine he distributed freely, 
 and when they asked him, " How much do we
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 243 
 
 owe thee ? " the merchant said," Ye owe me nothing ; 
 it is a gift from my lord who has heard of your 
 sufferings, and pitied them. Some day he will 
 come to your valley ; then, if your hearts are 
 inclined towards him, ye may thank him ; if not, 
 there is no harm done, it is but a little matter." 
 So the people flocked around to hear of this 
 wonderful man who opened his storehouses as 
 the gods opened the windows of heaven, opening 
 their ears to receive the story of his goodness 
 and their hands to receive the fruits of his bounty. 
 Only Delilah stood afar off, for the other women 
 would not let her draw near to the merchant and 
 his train. 
 
 Very fair to see was this lovely woman tall 
 and straight, with the perfect fulness of the 
 woman who has outgrown the girl. She stood 
 under a lonely fig-tree on the crown of a hill, her 
 hair was neatly braided back from her temples, 
 a white gown which was seamless was her only 
 covering, her neck and breast and arms were 
 bare; around her waist she wore a purple scarf 
 which Samson had given her, upon her feet were 
 sandals ; at her side, clinging to her gown, was a 
 little child, a boy, fair and ruddy. The child was
 
 244 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 not like his mother in form or feature, neither 
 was he fashioned like the other children who were 
 born in Sorek ; he was of a greater build, and his 
 nose curved downwards like an eagle's beak, 
 whereas all the other children had straight noses. 
 The women called him the little stray hawk, and 
 their children pelted him away when he came 
 amongst them eager for friendship. 
 
 The " seller of doves," who had accompanied 
 the merchant, looked upon Delilah and the child, 
 and knew them ; so, taking the black camel which 
 Jair had loaded with his own hands, she went to 
 the lonely woman to do the bidding of Jair, her 
 master. Then there ran out from the midst of 
 the women of Sorek several women who claimed to 
 be holy and clean above the lot of most women, 
 whether matrons or virgins, and they plucked the 
 " seller of doves " by the garment, crying, " Give 
 nought unto the child for he is fatherless, and to 
 the woman his mother give thou nothing for she 
 has sinned." Then the " seller of doves " turned 
 upon them fiercely, for she who had slipped 
 herself from the highway knew how easy it was 
 to stumble. " I am but the handmaiden of 
 another," she said, " and do the will of the one
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 245 
 
 who sent me. The woman has sinned, ye say ; 
 have ye never sinned in secret? If I could look 
 into your hearts as into a mirror should I not see 
 something written there which is hidden from all 
 but the gods? Get ye back to your husbands, 
 women, and chide me not, for I too am a woman, 
 and know that a vessel may be clean to the eye 
 and yet be put to base uses. If ye were as 
 stainless as this child, there would be more 
 charity in your minds." Then those good 
 women were filled with wrath, and said one to 
 another, " No one ever spoke to us as this woman 
 spake, she must be afflicted." Yet they ate of the 
 good things brought by the merchant and missed 
 no share in anything. 
 
 When the "seller of doves" was alone with 
 Delilah, she said to her, " My master commanded 
 me to give thee this gift, because he hates as 
 thou hatest, waiting as thou waitest, hoping as 
 thou hopest for a day of reckoning. Take the gift, 
 the camel and all that is on its back, for it is 
 thine." Then the two women and the child 
 walked away to Delilah's home, leading the 
 camel, and they talked of many things, for 
 Delilah recognised in the " seller of doves " one
 
 246 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 who had lived most of her life in Sorek, but 
 most of all they talked of Samson. The " seller 
 of doves " told Delilah the name of the man who 
 had wooed her in the cornfields, and made love 
 to her in the starlight and in the shadows of the 
 olive groves. She told her his country, and the 
 name of the place where his people dwelt, for so 
 had Jair commanded her. After Delilah had 
 heard these things she asked the " seller of doves," 
 " Is this, then, that same Samson whose name is 
 hated by all the Philistines because of the evil 
 he has wrought amongst them ? " The " seller 
 of doves" told her all that was in her heart. 
 " He is that Samson whose hands are red with 
 the blood of our people, he hath burned the 
 standing grain, and the loaded granaries hath he 
 not spared; our people have felt the edge of his 
 sword in times past, and who shall say we shall 
 not feel his wrath again." 
 
 The child, who had grown weary of play, came 
 to climb upon its mother's lap, but Delilah pushed 
 the babe away, saying, " Get far from me, little 
 hawk, for thou art thrice accursed." But the 
 " seller of doves " took the curly head upon her 
 lap, and smoothed the trouble from the baby
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 247 
 
 brow. Delilah, watching her, opened her heart 
 to her sister woman. All her troubles she told, 
 as they sat knee to knee with the little one 
 between them. " Thou knowest how the young 
 men sought me to make love to me openly before 
 their fathers, before this man Samson came and 
 bewitched me ; now no youth passes me by 
 without a saucy glance ; no young man seeks me 
 to win a favour from me, except he creeps up 
 here like a fox slinking out of the sight of his 
 fellows; no man who hath a wife in the valley 
 stoppeth to speak with me, or inviteth me to 
 cross the door of his house: but I could, if I 
 would, tell some of the good wives of Sorek of 
 husbands who are not ashamed to come near me 
 by stealth, bringing a gift in their hands. If the 
 wives are not more faithful than the husbands, 
 then there are many in this Valley of Sorek 
 whose sins are deeper scarlet than mine own. I 
 am as an eagle that hath lost its mate, I am 
 utterly wretched; yet if I had not met this 
 man Samson I should still have been queen of 
 the valley." Then said the " seller of doves," 
 " O weak woman, if this man Samson stood 
 again before thee in all his pride and beauty
 
 248 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 thy heart would open to him as a flower opens 
 to the sun." But Delilah laughed, and the sound 
 of her laughter was more sorrowful than the 
 moaning of another. 
 
 The next day the merchant called at the house 
 of Delilah and had speech with her, doing Jair's 
 business, for he was a sober man of good discre- 
 tion. Besides, he and the " seller of doves " had 
 smitten hands, and made a compact during the 
 journey. But the little band of very good 
 women in Sorek, when they saw whither he 
 went and how long he tarried, put their tongues 
 in their cheek, and spake to one another with 
 their eyes, lifting and dropping the lids slowly ; 
 and they wore a very sad countenance, shaking 
 their heads dismally, as though afflicted beyond 
 bearing. When they spoke to the " seller of 
 doves " concerning the matter, she laughed them 
 to scorn, saying, " The deed is not with the man, 
 but in your own hearts, women. How is it that ye 
 who are so good are so eager to think evil concern- 
 ing thy neighbours? Verily, I pray thee, drop 
 thine eyes when thou meetest a man who is 
 comely, lest a worse thing befall thee. A city 
 that is troubled within its gates will not stand
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 249 
 
 long the assaults of an invader, rather will it 
 open its gates and surrender at the first 
 challenge." So those women went about their 
 business, and when they met the merchant they 
 spoke him fairly ; but Delilah they flouted, so that 
 her heart was very bitter. When next she met 
 the " seller of doves," " Tell me," she cried, " for 
 I can see that he who sent thee here hath a plan ; 
 tell me how I may be avenged on Samson, the 
 destroyer of my happiness, who hath left me to 
 bear my burden alone ? " 
 
 The " seller of doves " walked with Delilah by 
 the riverside, laying out a plan whereby the great 
 Hebrew might be undone ; and this was the web 
 she wove. "When the merchants and I have 
 gone upon our journey, thou, Delilah, shalt send 
 one whom I shall leave with thee on a camel to 
 the place where Samson dwells with his people; 
 and the man shall say to Samson, ' Delilah, the 
 beautiful, hath sent me to thee to say her eyes 
 are growing blind with tears because of thee ; the 
 bloom of the pomegranate flower was on her 
 cheek when first she saw thee, now the lily 
 bloometh there because of the persecution of the 
 people. Yet would she not have sent to thee,
 
 250 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Samson, had it not been for the young child that 
 has come to her, who beareth thy image. For him 
 she feareth, because the people say he must die 
 the death ; they have sworn to take the young 
 child outside the valley and stone it until it dies. 
 If thou art a man, Samson, come and advise me 
 in this matter; bring a gift in thy hand for the 
 people, and all will be well. But if thou art 
 indeed a coward, who fears for his own life, tarry 
 away and let a woman and a child suffer for thy 
 folly.'" "Thinkest thou that he will come for 
 my call ? " asked Delilah. " Like a stag over the 
 hills he will come, bringing with him a spear in 
 one hand and a gift in the other. Fear not, 
 Delilah, he will come. My lord, who sent me, 
 hath known him from his youth up. In his 
 pouch he will bring a treasure, on his hip a 
 sword ; he will buy peace, if peace is to be bought ; 
 if not he will rage through this Valley of Sorek 
 like a lion." 
 
 " It shall be done even as thou hast com- 
 manded, O ' seller of doves.' But when he 
 cometh, how then shall he be humbled? The 
 people in the valley talk boldly concerning him 
 now that he is afar off, but as hares crouch in
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 251 
 
 the grass when a wolf passeth, so will they abase 
 themselves when he is nigh, for they fear him in 
 their hearts, saying his strength cometh from the 
 gods." " Canst thou not laugh away their fears, 
 little fool ? Point to thy child and ask if he too 
 came from the gods, use the child as a sharp 
 weapon to undo the false father." Later on the 
 " seller of doves " gave one of her servants a bag 
 of money, telling him that in all things he was 
 to obey the commands of Delilah ; and the man 
 went and acted faithfully. 
 
 After a little while the merchant and his 
 caravan made ready to depart. The people of 
 Sorek plucked flowers and strewed them in the 
 path of the travellers, for their hearts were 
 touched by the goodness of those who had 
 befriended them. That same evening Delilah 
 sent the servant who had been left with her in 
 search of Samson, and the good women of the 
 valley, calling one to the other like cats under a 
 garden hedge, cried, " What new thing is the 
 wanton planning now?" for whatsoever she did 
 was evil in their eyes. 
 
 The merchant with his caravan and the 
 " seller of doves " duly arrived again at the City
 
 252 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 of Tibhath, where Jair awaited them, he being 
 eager to hear and they to tell. Their story was 
 soon told. When Jair had heard all things he 
 was full of joy, for he knew the joints in 
 Samson's armour. " Didst thou sing my praises 
 in the ears of those fools in Sorek ? " he asked 
 his merchant. And the merchant answered him 
 truly, saying, " So loud and long did I sing thy 
 praises, that thy fame will never be forgotten 
 while those men live." 
 
 So Jair sent him away with a gift in his hand. 
 Neither was the " seller of doves " forgotten by 
 Jair, for she was very useful to him. That other 
 traveller, the one whom Delilah had sent forth, 
 rode onward right into the eye of the setting 
 sun. When he came to a town the people 
 sought to know who he was and what was his 
 mission ? He asked first concerning their phy- 
 sicians who were reputed wise in healing, and 
 when he found the name of the men who stood 
 highest in their thoughts, he inquired for their 
 dwellings, and when he had found a physician he 
 would tell him that he had travelled almost from 
 the birthplace of the sun to see him concerning 
 a complaint from which his favourite wife suffered.
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 253 
 
 When the physician would inquire of him, 
 " How didst thou hear of me ? " the Assyrian 
 would answer : " How did I hear of thee ? Do 
 not the birds carry thy fame to the four corners 
 of the earth ? As the stars in the heavens bear 
 witness to the greatness of Him who made them, 
 so do thy good works bear witness for thee." 
 Then that man of healing would be flattered, 
 and would command the Assyrian to sit down 
 and talk with him concerning the complaint of 
 his favourite wife; when he had heard all that 
 afflicted the woman he would mix an ointment 
 to rub into the woman's bones, or he would 
 give a draught of bitter herbs or of sweet herbs. 
 One would say, " Bid thy wife wash daily in the 
 waters of a spring, bathing all her body, then let 
 her anoint herself with my ointment -all will be 
 well." Another, having heard the same descrip- 
 tion, would say, " Tell the woman she must not 
 let a drop of water come near her or she will 
 surely die." Another, with a wise look and 
 much stroking of the beard, would tell the 
 Assyrian that his wife must lie in the full glare 
 of the sun all the summer, absorbing the healing 
 rays of the sun into her body, and she would
 
 254 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 never again know pain, providing that she drank 
 of the milk of a white camel daily until she was 
 healed. And yet another, having heard the same 
 story, would vow by his father's grave that the 
 woman must be kept in a shady place, where no 
 ray of sunlight fell, and drink nothing but oil 
 made from the purest olives. Some counselled 
 him to feed her upon baked meats, others 
 declared with much vehemence that meat of any 
 kind would kill her. To all of these wise men 
 the Assyrian gave a piece of money, vowing that 
 he would follow their instructions to the letter. 
 Then he would skilfully seek information concern- 
 ing Samson, the champion of the Hebrews. 
 When he obtained what he sought, he would go 
 upon his way smiling in his own beard, and as 
 soon as he got a safe distance from the town he 
 would throw the physic to the dogs that barked 
 at the heels of his camel, for he was a silent man 
 and a wise. So in the end he found the man he 
 sought. 
 
 When that Assyrian saw Samson he marvelled, 
 for the Hebrew was then in the full glory of his 
 manhood. He lay upon a bank of flowers beside 
 a stream that foamed between its walls like an
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 255 
 
 angry child, and the young damsels sang songs 
 for his pleasure. The Assyrian veiled his eyes, 
 thinking within himself, " This is indeed a man for 
 men to fear, a woman is the weapon with which 
 to undo him." But his thoughts did not appear 
 upon his face, neither did he let them creep into 
 his speech when he delivered Delilah's message 
 to Samson. 
 
 Leaning upon his elbow, with his yellow hair 
 falling around his bare arm, with the silken 
 masses of his beard blowing all about his un- 
 covered chest, the greatest of the Hebrews listened 
 to the tale the Assyrian had to tell. Not once, 
 from the time the man was brought before him 
 until he had ceased speaking, did he take his 
 blue eyes from the swarthy face of the messenger ; 
 and Samson had this power that he could, like 
 the eagle, look into the eye of the sun without 
 winking; neither man nor beast could stand his 
 gaze without blenching. When the Assyrian had 
 ceased speaking, Samson said, " Thou hast indeed 
 brought me news, O traveller; now, if thou art 
 a man's son and no weakling, veil not thine 
 eyes, but look me in the face, for I love not a 
 coward."
 
 256 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 The hot blood mounted to the dusky cheek 
 of the messenger. " My life is in the hollow of 
 thy hand, my lord," he cried ; " take it, if it is 
 thy wish, but heap not insults on the head of thy 
 servant. A coward I am not ; no man-child that 
 fed at my mother's breasts was ever a coward. 
 I came to thee from the woman who sent me 
 for a price. Knowing the dangers of the journey, 
 my message may suit thee well or ill that is my 
 lord's matter; but if any here, warrior or king, 
 calls me coward, the shame be his and his 
 children's, for his tongue is the tongue of a liar 
 and the truth is a stranger to him." When the 
 young men who stood near heard those bold 
 words, they would have slain the traveller ; but 
 Samson, leaping to his feet with a great bound, 
 clapped the man upon the back, and bade those 
 who frowned take their hands from their weapons 
 and bring food and drink for the Assyrian. 
 " May the God of battles," he shouted, " give me 
 such servants as thou art when my need is 
 greatest, for whether thy tale be true or false, 
 thou art true to thy salt." 
 
 It was moonlight in the Valley of Sorek. Like 
 the eye of God the beautiful moon lay in the
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 257 
 
 breast of the boundless blue. A cold wind swept 
 the valley and ruffled the surface of the river ; 
 a wolf, scenting the cattle in the pens, howled in 
 the thickets on the hills ; no lights twinkled in 
 the homes of the husbandmen, only in the home 
 of Delilah was a lamp burning; the child slept 
 peacefully within upon a bed made of skins. 
 At the door a man was standing, knocking 
 stealthily, Delilah rose from her seat by the 
 sleeping child, and went to the door and flung 
 it wide. The man would have crossed the 
 threshold, but the woman stopped him with a 
 fierce gesture. " Who art thou that comest to 
 me like a thief in the night?" she called, with 
 savage scorn in her voice. 
 
 The man replied, " Call not so loud, Delilah ; 
 I come to thee with a gift in my hand. Speak 
 softly, I pray thee, lest all the tongues in the 
 valley be wagging on the morrow." But she 
 would not hearken to him. " Take thy shadow 
 from the threshold of my door, and take thy gift 
 with thee ; thinkest thou I do not know the 
 whining of a dog when I hear it ? Get thee gone, 
 and to-morrow tell thy wife that the woman 
 Delilah tried to tempt thee from her, but thou 
 '7
 
 258 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 being pure spat at her and would have none of 
 her." " These be bitter words," said the man ; 
 " I did but bring a little offering for the child, 
 thy son, seeing that he is fatherless and friend- 
 less." " How good thou art, how kind," mocked 
 the woman. " If I met thee with thy fellows 
 to-morrow in the light of day, and the little one, 
 my son, thirsted, wouldst thou give him as much 
 as a cup of cold water ? Get thee gone, thou 
 prowling dog, wouldst thou eat what a lion has 
 killed ? Get thee gone, I tell thee, or I will raise 
 the life of the valley with my cries." At that 
 the man's anger rose, and he railed back like a 
 woman, giving taunt for taunt. " ' What a lion 
 killed,' sayest thou, Delilah ? Does a lion kill and 
 skulk away, as thy lover did ? Thou hast called 
 me a dog, yet if thy unknown lover were here 
 I would show thee which is the lion and which 
 the unclean beast." 
 
 At that a strange thing happened. Out of the 
 shadows that lay thick on the far side of the 
 house a man stepped almost noiselessly a great 
 man, whose hair waved in the wind like the mane 
 of a stallion. He reached out his arm and 
 caught the " bringer of gifts " by the cloth around
 
 SO SAMSON CAUKIED HIM TO A Sl'OT \VHEKK A IIEKI) OK SWINK \VKKK
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 259 
 
 his loins, and turned him round as easily as a 
 child handles a hedge-sparrow. Delilah clapped 
 her hands with glee, for the " bringer of gifts" 
 was one who had been a thorn in her flesh. No 
 tongue in the valley had bruised her more often 
 than his ; none had mocked her more openly or 
 wearied her more in secret than he ; therefore 
 when she saw him in the hands of Samson, like 
 a lamb in the talons of an eagle, her heart 
 rejoiced, and she called to him to smite the 
 boaster. Whereat the man cried, " Mercy, my 
 lord, mercy ! make not my children fatherless." 
 So Samson carried him to a spot where a herd 
 of swine were sleeping up to their bellies in mire, 
 and Samson cast the " bringer of gifts " into the 
 filth, telling him that if he stirred from thence 
 until the morning he would seek him out and 
 slay him. The man obeyed, for he was nearly 
 dead with fear ; the mire into which he had been 
 cast was an offence to the nostrils ; the wind was 
 piercing cold, so that man was glad to crawl in 
 amongst the swine for warmth and shelter, but 
 the swine received him not. 
 
 When he had rid himself of the fellow, Samson 
 went back and stood in the shadows, but Delilah
 
 26b JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 came out and sought him, crying, " What evil 
 have I done in my lord's sight that he should 
 hate me ? " Catching him by the skirt of his 
 garment, she tried to draw him with her to the 
 house. Samson put her from him gently, speak- 
 ing kindly, " I will abide here, and watch over 
 thee until the night be passed ; then, when it 
 is morning, and all the men of Sorek are astir 
 to see me, then will I come to thy side ; but I 
 will not come to thee, as that other one came, like 
 a robber in the night. Openly, I found thee at 
 the first, in daylight I wooed thee and won thy 
 love ; openly, I brought shame upon thee, so that 
 all men mocked thee ; now, openly, will I come 
 and confirm my love. A gift have I brought 
 with me for the elders of the valley : sweet- 
 smelling ointment of great price fit for a king, 
 myrrh, frankincense, and spices, a piece of silk, 
 and some fine linen, with a tablet of gold and a 
 cake of silver. All these things are with me for 
 a peace-offering; but if they will have none of 
 it, and will not make peace with me, then thou 
 and the child shall come with me, and I will cut 
 a path for you with my sword." But she would 
 not let him go ; laying her head upon his breast,
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 261 
 
 weaving her soft fingers in his yellow beard, she 
 enticed him to stay. " What does it matter to 
 thee, thou mighty one, what these people say 
 concerning thee and me ? The worst that can be 
 said has been said, tongues can do me no more 
 harm. Abide with thy handmaiden now or let 
 the edge of thy sword fall on my neck." At 
 that Samson yielded, for, with a woman, this man, 
 who feared not to face a host, sword in hand, was 
 as unstable as water. As a woman twists a piece 
 of silk round a ball of wool, so she turned the 
 man of many battles with the pleading of her 
 tongue and the soft upward glances of her eyes. 
 At sunrise, whilst her lord still slept, she went 
 forth singing gaily, and found " the bringer of 
 gifts " crouching amongst the swine. To him she 
 said, " Wouldst thou be a byword, thou and thy 
 children after thee, for ever, or wilt thou redeem 
 thyself?" And the man abased himself before 
 Delilah, professing his willingness to do what- 
 soever she might command him, so that she 
 would not tell in the valley the shame that had 
 come to him. " Go then to the river and wash, 
 and when thou art clean take a fleet ass's colt 
 and go seek that merchant who was here but a
 
 262 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 short time back. Where he dwelleth thou 
 knowest, for he told it to all men. And when 
 thou hast found him, ask for the woman who is 
 called the { seller of doves,' and when thou hast 
 found her, say to her, ' In the Valley of Sorek a 
 stag is browsing, wherefore do the huntsmen 
 tarry ? ' " For so she had agreed with the " seller 
 of doves." And that man went swiftly, marvel- 
 ling greatly at the ways of women. 
 
 All that day Delilah made life very sweet to 
 Samson, and at evening she enticed him to go 
 with her amongst the people, meaning to betray 
 him as the Hebrew Samson who had stained 
 his hands with the blood of the people of Philistia. 
 " Leave thy sword and thy spear, I pray thee, 
 my lord, and bring thy gifts in thy hands ; then 
 all will be well with thee and me. But if the 
 people see thee with a sword upon thy thigh, 
 and a spear in thy hand, their anger may be 
 kindled against both thee and thy handmaiden." 
 But he would not leave his weapons of war 
 behind him. " I will go amongst them as a 
 man of war, ready for war ; it would be a shame 
 to me to be snared like a fox of the fields. If 
 they will accept peace with a gift, then we shall
 
 DELILAH'S WAITING 263 
 
 make a feast ; if not, then more women shall 
 sleep without husbands to-night in Sorek than 
 ever before." 
 
 When the people saw Samson come again 
 amongst them, armed and ready for battle, they 
 were amazed. When he offered them his peace- 
 offering, they chanted his praises ; and the good 
 women, who of old time had reviled Delilah, were 
 the first to press around her to kiss her upon 
 the cheeks and call her the sunbeam of Sorek. 
 They made a feast in Samson's honour, and 
 Delilah stood behind her lord and waited upon 
 him as of old time, smiling into his eyes when 
 he pledged her in the winecup ; but all the 
 time the memory of her wrongs, of her long 
 months of shame and suffering, were uppermost, 
 and she hated him with all her might, for the 
 woman's memory began where the man's left 
 off. When her lord was mellow with wine, and 
 had laid aside his weapons of war, she drew the 
 chief man of the valley aside into a quiet place, 
 and said unto him, " Knowest thou who this is 
 whom thou feastest ? " The greybeard answered 
 sententiously, " He is one whom we all delight to 
 honour, more than that I know not." Whereat
 
 264 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 she told him who Samson was, and advised him 
 to get the men of Sorek to fall upon him whilst 
 he was merry, and put him to the sword. The 
 greybeard told his fellows; they in turn told 
 the people; and a great hatred of Samson rose 
 up in their hearts, for they all, old and young, 
 had heard of the evil he had wrought in other 
 parts of their country. Still they feared to attack 
 him, for the fame of his strength and courage 
 had gone abroad and had lost nothing by 
 travelling. 
 
 The day following, one came to Delilah as 
 she spread some linen on the pomegranate hedge 
 to dry, after taking it from the river, saying to 
 her, " The elders of our people have sent me to 
 thee, charging me to tell thee that if thou canst 
 find out the reason of this Hebrew's strength, 
 and can rob him of it, so that we may kill him, 
 then all the desires of thy heart shall be gratified." 
 And she, thirsting for vengeance upon him, laid 
 many snares for his undoing, but with all his 
 fondness he had the craft of his people, and 
 she could not snare him.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 
 
 THE " bringer of gifts" reached Jair in due 
 season. He did not loiter upon the way, 
 for the wrath that was in him kept him moving. 
 He did not understand his mission very thoroughly, 
 but he had grasped enough of its import to know 
 that through him, if his errand was successful, 
 evil would fall upon the man who had made 
 him pass a whole night in the company of a 
 herd of swine, and the memory of that night 
 was very close to his soul in his downsitting 
 and his uprising. He found first the merchant, 
 who took him to the " seller of doves," to whom 
 he gave Delilah's message. She promptly carried 
 him to Jair, who made him re-deliver his message. 
 When the Apostate heard it, and knew its 
 significance, he forgot Dagon the god of the 
 Philistines whom he had once worshipped ; he 
 
 266
 
 266 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 forgot the gods of the Assyrians, whom he had 
 recently taken under his wing ; and his mouth, 
 if not his heart, went back to the God of his 
 boyhood, the God of his younger manhood, 
 the God of Israel. " Now I know, O my God, 
 that thou hast delivered mine enemy into my 
 hand," he murmured. " Strong as Samson is, a 
 woman's hair will hold him if it be as beautiful 
 as the hair of this woman of Sorek." Calling 
 his steward to him, he bade him take a gift in 
 his hand and give it to the wise man who in- 
 terpreted the King's dreams. The steward, who 
 was a wise man in his day and generation, took 
 a great gift to the wise man ; but first he de- 
 ducted a portion thereof for himself, saying, " The 
 ass that beareth a bag of corn is worthy of a 
 little that is spilled over the edges." When the 
 wise man received the gift from the steward, he 
 asked the servant, " What does thy master want 
 from me in return ? " The steward replied, " He 
 wanteth nothing, it is a gift straight from the 
 heart of my master." The wise man answered, 
 " Convey then my gratitude to him that sent thee 
 may his dreams be sweet ! " But the steward 
 answered, " Nay, that will I not do. Canst thou
 
 267 
 
 not see him and thank him with thy mouth? 
 words that are second-hand are cold." " So that, 
 then, is thy master's wish ; he would have speech 
 with me," laughed the seer. " When the shadows 
 fall, I shall be with him." And he was as good 
 as his word. 
 
 When he was alone with Jair, the Hebrew 
 said, " I am but a fool by the wayside, but thou 
 art a wise man amongst wise men, therefore 
 I will not try to throw dust in thine eyes, but 
 will deal straightly with thee, for. it is in my 
 heart to ask a favour of thee, seeing thou hast 
 the King's ear at all times. In the Valley of 
 Sorek, in Philistia, an enemy dwells whose blood 
 is dearer to me than gold, or ease, or precious 
 stones. He is not of that country, but a stranger. 
 Now, if I go down and slay him, the Philistines 
 may rise against me ; but if I go to Philistia with 
 a message of friendship from the King of Assyria, 
 I shall have weight with the Philistines, and they 
 will hearken to my counsels. Now I know that 
 every morning the King asketh thee to interpret 
 his dreams of the night; canst thou not see in 
 the King's next dream a reason why he should 
 send a message of friendship to Philistia, and
 
 268 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 after that will it not be easy to induce the 
 King's chamberlain to choose thy servant for 
 that mission ? " 
 
 The " interpreter of dreams " drew forth an 
 empty purse and laid it under the eyes of Jair, 
 saying, " This is a weighty matter, I will close my 
 eyes and consider it." But, when he heard Jair 
 filling the purse from his pouch, he opened one 
 eye to see if it was gold or silver the money- 
 lender was giving him. Had it been silver, 
 he had another little bag in his other hand ready 
 to place before Jair ; but it was not silver, but 
 gold and he was satisfied. 
 
 " May I break in upon thy meditations, holy 
 one ? " asked Jair, when the purse was filled. The 
 " holy one " thereupon opened his eyes, and, 
 seeing the full purse, put it in his pouch, declar- 
 ing it would help him to feed the poor. At 
 that Jair cried very bitterly, " Do not give it 
 all to the poor, rob not thyself, holy one." And 
 the " holy one," rising, besought Jair not to let 
 that thought disturb his sleep or keep him from 
 a full meal, and so left. 
 
 When he had departed out into the night, Jair 
 went and spat on the place where he had sat,
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 269 
 
 calling on Dagon, on the gods of Assyria, and 
 on the God of Israel, to send plagues of boils 
 on the " seer of dreams," so that he might never 
 again sit in peace; for Jair's heart was very 
 sore at the loss of his money. 
 
 The next morning the King asked his seer 
 concerning this dream which he had dreamed : 
 A cloud, large and black, arose at a far distance, 
 and a white horse and an ass looked into the 
 cloud ; the ass advanced and was swallowed up, 
 but the horse went upon its way. 
 
 The seer went into a chamber alone to consult 
 his oracles, and none of those who stood around 
 dared to speak above his breath. When he 
 was alone, with the door barred, the seer drew 
 from a hidden place a skin of wine and drank 
 boldly ; then he trimmed his beard, using a copper 
 shield as a mirror, for after he had read the 
 King's dream he would go to the women's court 
 and interpret their dreams, and he was but 
 middle-aged, and vanity had not yet departed 
 from him. When a sufficient time had elapsed, 
 he unbarred the door and went forth and stood 
 before the King. And the King asked him, 
 saying, " Have the oracles spoken ? " And the
 
 270 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 seer replied, " O king, I cannot lie even for thy 
 sake, the oracles have spoken, and this is the 
 interpretation of thy dream : ' The black cloud 
 which thou sawest is the land of Philistia, the 
 white horse was my lord the King, the ass was 
 a stranger who dwelleth within thy gates. There 
 is trouble in the land of Philistia, and my lord 
 the King will send the stranger with a message 
 of goodwill to the ruler of Philistia. The 
 messenger may not return, but all will be well 
 with my lord.'" 
 
 The King was delighted with the interpretation 
 of his vision, and commanded his chamberlain to 
 at once choose out a stranger in the city and send 
 him forthwith to Philistia with a message of kind 
 words. The chamberlain bowed his forehead to 
 the ground, crying, " Great is my lord the King, 
 wisdom is his inheritance, who can deceive him ? 
 Blessed are the servants of the King who are 
 allowed to gather up the wise sayings which fall 
 from the lips of the King ; when the King dieth, 
 wisdom will depart from the earth and a new god 
 will be created. Blessed be the name of the King." 
 But when the chamberlain had got out of earshot 
 of the courtiers, he said unto the " expounder of
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 271 
 
 dreams," " Tell me, I pray thee, who is the fellow 
 whom thou wantest driven out of the country, and 
 how much is the deed worth to thee ? " For the 
 chamberlain knew the ways of seers and ex- 
 pounders of visions ; he had not been a courtier 
 all his days for nought. 
 
 Now this speech vexed the seer, so that he 
 answered, " Why earnest thou to me in this fashion, 
 seeking to offend me ? Or is it that thou hast looked 
 even thus early upon the winecup ? " The high 
 chamberlain laughed scornfully, and, plucking the 
 seer by the robe, said, " Let that matter pass, it 
 was an idle thought ; but there is another matter. 
 Last night I too slept as did my lord the King, and 
 I also had a dream. Wilt thou make it plain to 
 me, O seer ? " And the seer said, " Say on." " I 
 dreamt that our lord the King, and all his captains, 
 wise men, and councillors, were locked in a great 
 garden surrounded by high walls of stone, and they 
 were all very happy ; for our lord the King allowed 
 each man to pluck and share of the fruit that 
 grew in the garden. And all were content until, on 
 an evil day, a fellow of the baser sort found favour 
 with our lord the King, and the King put his hand 
 upon his head and blessed him. From that hour
 
 272 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 the low-born one thought only of himself, and his 
 head began to grow. Day by day it grew greater 
 and greater, until it filled all the garden ; so great 
 was his head that, when he opened his mouth, all 
 the ripe fruit fell into it, and there was nothing for 
 his fellows. So they gathered themselves together, 
 and determined to cut off the base one's head and 
 cast it out of the garden, and then tell our lord 
 the King that the base one had conspired with the 
 King's enemies to bring shame upon him. But one 
 of the King's councillors, who cared not for blood- 
 shed, went to the base-born one and told him to 
 mend his ways or he would find sorrow. Then, 
 O seer, I awoke, and my dream seemed dark unto 
 me." 
 
 The " expounder of dreams," looking beyond the 
 high chamberlain, saw the captain of the King's 
 guard lurking among the trees with a drawn sword 
 in his hand, so he answered, " Nay, I cannot aid 
 thee, for I too had a dream which I must tell thee, 
 perhaps it may guide thee to the light. I dreamt 
 that I was called to the house of the money- 
 lender who is a stranger within our gates, and in 
 my dream he said to me, ' Here is a purse of 
 gold to be divided between thee and the high
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 273 
 
 chamberlain, if thou canst arrange that I be sent 
 with a message of peace and goodwill to the 
 Philistines on behalf of our lord the King ; and I 
 dreamt that I took the purse.' " At that saying 
 the high chamberlain laughed outright, and cried, 
 " If thou hadst not taken it, then would I have 
 known thy dream to have been false a nightmare 
 begotten of over-much eating at the banquet table. 
 Hast thou the proof of thy dream with thee ? " 
 The " expounder of dreams " drew forth the purse 
 given him by Jair, uttering many sighs as he did 
 so, for he loved gold with all his heart. 
 
 " We will divide it into two equal parts, that 
 my dream may be fulfilled," he moaned, wringing 
 his hands despairingly. " That may not be," 
 replied the high chamberlain ; " into three equal 
 parts must we divide it, for the captain of the 
 King's guard is nigh and he also hath .a vision " ; 
 whereupon he beckoned the soldier to advance. 
 The captain came forward, laughing, whilst the 
 " expounder of visions " tore his beard out of very 
 wrath. " Tell this wise man thy dream," com- 
 manded the high chamberlain, with a lowering of 
 one eyelid and an upward turning of the thumb. 
 
 The soldier, leaning upon his sword, looked grimly 
 18
 
 274 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 at the seer, then spake : " I, too, dreamed a dream. 
 In this very garden I walked, and saw a kite and 
 an eagle rending a kid ; and when I advanced to 
 slay them the eagle said to me, ' Why wouldst 
 thou who, being a soldier, lovest spoil, slay us ? 
 Draw thy sword and cut the kid in three parts ; 
 one for thee, one for me, and one for this thing 
 here, who deserves a portion, inasmuch as it was 
 he that discovered the kid.' Canst thou read my 
 vision aright ? " " Let us divide the kid quickly," 
 answered the " expounder of dreams," " lest 
 some other one cometh with a fresh nightmare, 
 and I carry away nothing not even an empty 
 purse. Verily this land of Assyria is becoming 
 too full of dreamers for an honest seer to make 
 any profit out of his calling." And, so saying, he 
 snatched up his portion and fled. " Come now, 
 let us go down into the city and find this money- 
 lender, I and thou," chuckled the chamberlain ; 
 " we will also make him see visions, and we will 
 interpret them for him. Has he not wounded the 
 honour of our lord the King by offering a bribe to 
 his seer ? " 
 
 When the chamberlain and the captain of the 
 King's guard reached Jair's house they entered
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 275 
 
 without ceremony, as men having authority enter 
 the house of a wrong-doer. They pushed rudely 
 into the apartment set aside for the women, and 
 there saw the two female slaves whom Jair had 
 won when he was victorious in the race of spears. 
 The two women were arrayed in rich apparel, with 
 gold chains and ornaments upon them, for so Jair 
 loved to see them. " There is the price of our 
 silence concerning the man's crime, and his pass- 
 port also to Philistia," whispered the high chamber- 
 lain. " So be it," answered the soldier ; " thou shalt 
 take the dark one and the fair one will come to me." 
 " Not so fast, soldier ; callest thou that a fair 
 division of the spoil ? We will not quarrel ; a 
 throw of the dice shall decide." 
 
 Then Jair entered, and when he saw the soldier 
 with the high chamberlain he was troubled, 
 knowing he had been betrayed. And they worked 
 their will upon him. As for the women, they were 
 glad to go, for they said, " Now we shall have a 
 lord each." Jair had been moved to wrath when 
 the " expounder of visions " had dipped so deeply 
 into his purse ; this time he nearly shed his own 
 blood for the market price of the women, without 
 their ornaments, was very great; and they had
 
 276 JAIR THE 'APOSTATE 
 
 much gold and silver upon them in wristlets, 
 anklets, earrings, and chains. Yet he knew that 
 he was powerless in the hands of the spoilers ; 
 they only had to raise their voices against him and 
 his body would be flung to the kites. 
 
 " I will be avenged of them when I shall have 
 settled this matter that lieth between me and 
 Samson. By my beard, I will have tooth for 
 tooth ! I will lend money to their enemies without 
 interest, that they may cut the ground from under 
 them." Then a new pang smote him ; if he lent 
 money to the enemies of his enemies without 
 interest he would be robbing himself. That 
 thought was like a fever in his blood, it was the 
 pouring of vinegar into an open wound. He 
 knew not what to do to console himself; his 
 anguish of spirit was very great. First of all, he 
 put away from him his silk and fine linen, borrow- 
 ing from one of his servants a garment to cover 
 his nakedness. This he rent in many places to 
 ease his grief; then, removing the carpet from the 
 floor of his dwelling, he heaped ashes on his head 
 and groaned, fasting all that day and night ; but 
 no peace came to him. His spirit was sore bruised 
 and joy gone out of him.
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 277 
 
 Finding that no ease came to him, he rose up 
 and went into an inner room, where an idol wor- 
 shipped by all his Assyrian servants was kept ; 
 oil lamps burned in front of the idol day and 
 night, for Jair was wise when his blood was cool, 
 and he knew it was good to appear like one of the 
 faithful in any land where he dwelt This night 
 he closed the door where the idol rested, and drew 
 the curtains of the windows ; then in his rage he 
 pranced before the idol, calling it foul names, 
 insulting it and all its worshippers. He spat upon 
 its face, and defiled its feet, yet the roof fell not. 
 So Jair's frenzy grew upon him until, in his mad- 
 ness he took a great hammer and broke the head 
 of the idol, which was made of ivory cunningly 
 carved. No sooner had he done this thing than 
 he remembered that the idol was his own, and 
 might have been sold for its weight in silver, and 
 he sat down and shed tears of blood. 
 
 In the dawn his servants came to worship, and 
 saw what had been, and they fled from the house, 
 both bond and free ; for they said the dwelling 
 was accursed. The priests came to him, threat- 
 ening his life; but he told them an enemy had 
 done this thing whilst he slept. They, however,
 
 278 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 were moved to wrath against him, and seeing 
 that the god was manufactured out of precious 
 wood inlaid with ivory, and that the head might be 
 mended by a cunning artificer, they took it away 
 with them, taking also all the wine that was in 
 the house to pour out as libations to their god so 
 they said ; though, from the manner in which 
 they smacked their lips when they saw the juice 
 of the grape, Jair thought in his bitterness that 
 he knew where most of the wine would be 
 poured when once the doors of the temple were 
 closed. 
 
 Jair feared to say anything, for he knew that 
 unless the priests blessed his house before they 
 departed, not one of his servants, bond or free, 
 would return to him again, neither would any 
 come to transact business. Thus was the god 
 avenged upon Jair. 
 
 As soon as he could, he set his house in order, 
 selling all that he possessed in the land, because 
 he knew that once having tasted of his money, 
 the high chamberlain and the captain of the 
 King's guard would never more give him any 
 peace, but would pursue him as a wolf pursues a 
 doe whose blood it had tasted. Therefore he
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 279 
 
 made up his mind to return no more to that 
 country. 
 
 A thought came to him : why should he not 
 dwell in peace in the Valley of Sorek, after 
 Samson was undone? Had he not bought the 
 goodwill of the people by his gift to them in 
 their time of tribulation ? So he reasoned ; 
 forgetting that the shadow of the hand of the 
 God of Israel lay always across his path. 
 
 Many things "that were precious he packed 
 upon his camels ; his merchant and the " seller of 
 doves " got all things in readiness, and once more 
 Jair set out for the land of Philistia. 
 
 As he journeyed, a great yearning came over 
 him to see again the people of Israel in their 
 tents ; to hear again the songs his people loved, 
 sung in the Hebrew tongue ; to lift up his voice 
 in supplication to the God of his fathers. And 
 his heart was very heavy, for he knew him- 
 self a thing accursed a wanderer and an 
 outcast. 
 
 Then it was that he cried in bitterness of spirit, 
 " Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my 
 father, saying, ' A man child is born unto thee.' " 
 Yet his heart never wavered in the pursuit of
 
 280 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 vengeance. So, through the glare of noonday and 
 the shades of evening, the caravan pushed on into 
 the land of the Philistines, and Jair made himself 
 known as the bearer of good tidings from the 
 King of Assyria, and his way was made straight 
 for him. 
 
 The men of war did him homage, and the 
 councillors hung upon his words. A place was 
 prepared for him where he might take his ease, 
 and there were no thorns in his path. 
 
 Having made himself secure in high places, 
 he sent his merchant with the " seller of doves " 
 to Sorek, charging them to let him know how it 
 fared with his enemy ; for he dared not face 
 Samson even with all the men in the valley at 
 his back, knowing that whoever else might escape 
 he would fall. 
 
 During the idle days that followed, word was 
 brought to him that a number of Hebrew 
 maidens had been brought captive to the city ; 
 a feud having arisen between the men of Israel 
 and the men of Philistia who dwelt upon the 
 borders. As soon as Jair heard that news he 
 went to look at the damsels, and there was one 
 amongst them who was good to behold. Then
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 281 
 
 J air's heart yearned for one of his own blood and 
 speech to bear him company through the years 
 that stretched between him and the grave. And 
 he asked that the damsel might be given to him ; 
 saying, " I am a lonely man, neither wife nor 
 child have I to cheer me, give the damsel to me 
 as a peace-offering between thee and me." And 
 they gave her to him, because of the message he 
 had brought from Assyria. 
 
 When the damsel was brought before Jair in 
 his house, he dismissed his servants and beckoned 
 the maiden to come to him. But she, thinking 
 he was going to treat her as a slave, or as a 
 wanton woman of no account, tore her vestment 
 asunder, leaving her white bosom bare. Holding 
 back her raiment with her two hands, she cried 
 to him, " Death is preferable to defilement ! I am 
 of the children of Israel, bury thy sword here 
 between my two breasts, and let there be an end 
 of the matter." 
 
 Jair smiled upon her, and spake to her in the 
 Hebrew tongue, saying, " Fear not, for I too am 
 of the chosen people, and I want thee for a wife 
 not for a wanton. Like thee, I am forced to 
 dwell apart from our own people ; but we will
 
 282 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 dwell together, and our children and our chil- 
 dren's children shall spoil these uncircumcised 
 dogs." 
 
 He put a ring of gold upon her finger, and a 
 chain of fine gold about her neck ; his servants 
 bowed down before her and arrayed her in fine 
 linen, and she was his wife. But the rest of the 
 Israelitish damsels who came into captivity with 
 her were portioned out as slaves amongst the 
 lords of the Philistines. And they foregathered 
 at Jair's house, whenever they could steal away 
 from their taskmasters, to talk over their 
 tribulations, and recall the happy days when they 
 were free ; so that the house of the Apostate 
 became a haven of refuge in a strange land, for 
 they knew nothing of his iniquities. 
 
 There were other slaves in the city, and they 
 heard of Jair's house and of his hospitality, and 
 they sought him out ; but some failed to find 
 him, so that he said, " I will make a sign which 
 shall be in front of my house for ever, so that 
 those who are sore pressed may know where I 
 dwell." He commanded his artificers to hang 
 three golden balls in front of his dwelling; for 
 he said, " The three balls shall be a sign that
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 283 
 
 there is gold inside for myself, for my wife, and 
 for the stranger who calleth upon me in distress 
 at a price." 
 
 And that sign grew to be greater in the land 
 than the sign of sword or spear ; and it existeth 
 even unto this day, for the offspring of Jair 
 increased and multiplied, spreading all over the 
 earth. Taking no part in councils of state nor 
 in matters of war, living by usury alone ; so shall 
 they live unto the end of time. 
 
 When the women gathered at Jair's house 
 they made music with harps and timbrels, and 
 when one stole a dagger of price, or a ring, or 
 a chain of cunning workmanship, she brought it 
 to Jair, who sent it into a far country at the 
 hands of his merchant. Three parts of the 
 profit he thus obtained he kept for himself, the 
 other part he gave to his wife to set aside 
 for the Hebrew slave, so that she might pur- 
 chase her freedom when she had amassed enough 
 to do so. 
 
 At last, after much waiting, the " seller of 
 doves " came to Jair and told him these things : 
 " Samson is still with Delilah in the valley, but 
 the people dread him too much to fall upon him
 
 284 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 and kill him. Again and again she has enticed 
 them, but their hearts turn to water when he 
 upreareth himself in front of them. Come now, 
 and give Delilah thy counsel, for she too is grow- 
 ing weary of the struggle." 
 
 Now, in Jair's household there was an Assyrian 
 slave skilled in the making of poisons from the 
 herbs of the field and from flowers and berries, 
 and she had her ear to the door whilst Jair and 
 the " seller of doves " were talking, so that she 
 knew all that was in her master's heart. When 
 the " seller of doves " had gone about her own 
 business, the slave asked, " Why is the heart of 
 my lord heavy ? why does the raven sit upon his 
 brow ? Is it because of one who is an enemy to 
 my lord ? " 
 
 Then Jair cursed her for a meddler. " Keep 
 thine ear from the crack in my door, thou hag, or 
 thy back shall have the whip for a lover." The 
 slave retorted vehemently to his anger, " Let the 
 whip kiss my back, wilt thou gain anything by 
 the caresses? Thou knowest less than a dog, 
 for a dog does not bark at a friend, and I could 
 show thee that which would give this great enemy 
 of thine into thine hand without lifting bow or
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 285 
 
 spear. I will strike a compact with thee. If I 
 show thee how a flower can lay a man low, so 
 that a woman may make him a fool and ashamed, 
 no matter how strong he may be, wilt thou in 
 turn set me free, and give me an ass and two 
 skins of Syrian wine, that I may sell them and 
 live?" And Jair swore that he would do all 
 that and more. 
 
 The slave walked with him in the cornfields, 
 and it was near to the time of harvest ; the corn 
 was ready for the sickle of the reapers. Amidst 
 the corn great scarlet poppies grew, red eyes in 
 the yellow face of the field. The slave gathered 
 a handful of the poppies, which she took home 
 and bruised, extracting the sap from the flowers 
 and stem. This she put away in a little jar and 
 sealed, so that no air could get to it ; when all 
 was in readiness, she gave the jar to her master, 
 saying, " Send that to the woman who is willing 
 to betray thine enemy. Tell her to wait until he 
 is merry with wine, then drop a few drops into 
 the skin out of which he is served, and let him 
 drink. He will be so heavy with sleep that a 
 child will be able to work shame upon him. Tell 
 her to do this and fear not, for all the strength
 
 286 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 will have departed from him, so that the noise of 
 a battle would not arouse him." 
 
 Then was the heart of Jair merry within him, 
 and he made a feast, and the slaves danced to 
 the harping of his wife. 
 
 When the morrow came, he took the little jar 
 with him and departed with his merchant and 
 the " seller of doves " to the Valley of Sorek. On 
 arriving at the outskirts of the valley he hid 
 himself in a house on the hill, and sent the " seller 
 of doves" to bring Delilah to him in secret. 
 Whilst he awaited her, he saw Samson walking in 
 the valley, and a great awe fell upon Jair, for no 
 man on whom his eyes had ever rested could 
 compare with this great offshoot of his own 
 country. The passing years had but added to 
 the glory of his manhood, he looked fit to be the 
 leader of a host. The tillers of the soil glared at 
 him as he passed by them, but a glance from him 
 sent them afar with speed. 
 
 In spite of his hate, J air's heart was full of 
 pride that such an one should spring from the loins 
 of Israel. He was still meditating upon the 
 beauty of the champion of his race when Delilah 
 stood in front of him ; and the " seller of doves "
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 287 
 
 said, " This is the woman." When Jair saw her 
 he marvelled, for she was a woman of wondrous 
 fairness ; yet he spoke to her as one who had but 
 little faith in women. " Thou art the woman ; will 
 thy heart fail thee ? The man whom thou wilt 
 betray is not as other men, and he has tarried 
 long with thee. Is it not more likely that thy 
 desires will be even as his ? " Delilah gave him 
 scorn for scorn : " Judge not a woman always by 
 the company she keeps. Hast thou not yet 
 learned that it is fleas that go to the dog, not 
 the dog to the fleas ? " And that saying pleased 
 him greatly. 
 
 Drawing the jar containing the sap of the 
 poppy flowers from under his cloak, he gave it 
 into her keeping, charging her to make a feast 
 that night ; then, when Samson was merry, to drug 
 him. " When he is at thy mercy, woman, take 
 a sharp knife and cut his hair and his beard short 
 off to the skin, and hasten hither with it. Then 
 will I come and lead the men of the valley to 
 do that which must be done. Now go, and may 
 Dagon give thee cunning."
 
 288 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 THE DOWNFALL 
 
 The feast was spread amongst the olive trees 
 that surrounded the home of the woman Delilah ; 
 young men made music with reed-pipes, maidens 
 danced and played merrily upon the timbrel, the 
 winecup circled joyously. Samson reclined in 
 state upon a dai's that had once held the image 
 of the god Dagon, a lion's skin spread over a 
 heap of fox skins was his resting-place. Below 
 him, but within reach of his spear, sat the head- 
 men of the valley, for Samson trusted them not ; 
 in all that company, Delilah was the only one in 
 whom he had faith. 
 
 She filled his cup with wine and held it to his 
 lips ; bending down as she did so, she whispered 
 in his ear, " Lay not thy sword so far from thy 
 hand, my lord. These men bear thee no real 
 love. Let my lord be ready to smite if they 
 try to deal treacherously with thee." Whereat 
 Samson laughed mightily : " Woe to them and 
 woe to their children if they rise against me. I 
 am weary of peace, Delilah, my sinews grow 
 slack. I long for the scent of battle, and to a 
 warrior a battle against odds is the salt of life."
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 289 
 
 " Drink, my beloved," she answered, pressing the 
 wine upon him ; " drink and be merry, for to- 
 morrow we die." And again Samson drank of 
 the drugged wine. 
 
 After a little time he raised his heavy eyes to 
 her face : " Thou art the fairest amongst women, 
 Delilah. I must take thee to my own people, 
 that the maidens of Israel may die of envy, and 
 our poets grow dumb for want of words to sing 
 thy praises. Bid these swine-herds begone, for I 
 am weary ; I want none near me but my beloved." 
 
 Delilah's heart was beating fiercely ; yet her 
 speech was soft, and the touch of her hand upon 
 his fevered brow was like snow falling softly. 
 Shortly and curtly she broke in upon the feast, 
 scattering the merrymakers to their homes as 
 sheep scatter when a leopard growls. Then she 
 was left alone with Samson. Crouching behind 
 him she saw his head fall back until it lay upon 
 her knees. She looked into his face the proud 
 face she had caressed so often and saw that the 
 ruddy colour had faded from his cheeks. Then she 
 shook him violently, saying, " Up, Samson ! up and 
 fight for thy life; the Philistines be upon thee!" But 
 the heavy head only rolled from knee to knee in 
 19
 
 290 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 her lap. Swiftly she drew a sharp knife from her 
 girdle and shore the beauteous locks, which had 
 been the pride and glory of the Judean girls, 
 close off to his head ; and Samson, stirring a 
 little in his heavy slumber, murmured, " Kiss me, 
 my beloved, thou art the fairest amongst ten 
 thousand." 
 
 The woman gathered the golden masses of his 
 beard in her slender palm, opening her knees to 
 let his head fall back until the throat gleamed 
 white in the flickering light ; then, with a bold, 
 strong stroke, she drew the blade through the 
 curling hair, within a hair's-breadth of the chin, 
 dropping the dishonoured head upon the lion's 
 skin. Tossing the knife away, she ran hot-foot to 
 Jair, carrying in one hand the tangled beard, in 
 the other the ravished hair of the hope of Israel. 
 
 When Jair saw the hair in the woman's hand, 
 he knew that the worst that could come had come 
 to his enemy. Without a word he rose up and 
 went down into the valley, and gathered the men 
 of Sorek about him until not one was left. But 
 Delilah went back and watched beside her lord. 
 
 The dawn, the swift unushered dawn of the far 
 east, was breaking swiftly, when Jair called to the 

 
 : 
 
 SIIK UKEW TDK I1LADE THKOUGH THE CL'KU.NG HAIK
 
 THE COMING OF THE APOSTATE 291 
 
 woman, saying, " Bid thy lord awake, his hour 
 has come." Delilah knelt and shouted in the 
 dreamer's ear, " Samson, awake, the Philistines 
 be upon thee ! " He shook himself slowly and 
 weakly. She shouted again, and the people 
 laughed. 
 
 The slumbering giant raised himself upon his 
 elbow, and glared around with heavy, bloodshot 
 eyes. Then stretching out his hand for his 
 sword, he rose ; and as he rose the laughter died 
 on every lip. The men turned, ready to flee ; 
 Jair's face grew as white as the face of the man 
 in front of him. 
 
 Only the woman, having risked all, dared all ; 
 she raised her hand and struck at the sword. It 
 fell from his trembling fingers as though stricken 
 by a thunderbolt. Slowly, like a smitten stag, he 
 turned his eyes upon the face of the woman, and 
 in that glance read all. She had meant to mock 
 him, to jeer at him in that evil hour; but that 
 glance laid the iron hand of silence upon her 
 mouth she bowed her head and passed onward, 
 out of history. 
 
 The men pressed in upon him, mocking him. 
 All that man could do to man they did, whilst
 
 292 JAIR THE APOSTATE 
 
 Jair the Apostate looked on. He saw them bind 
 the great limbs with fetters of brass ; saw the 
 blush of shame mantle cheek and brow, but 
 looked in vain for a sign of fear ; and even in 
 his hour of triumph knew himself unworthy to 
 touch the hem of the warrior's garment. 
 
 He looked again, and saw the executioner bend 
 over the handsome face. His ears were filled with 
 the laughter and the jests of a mob ; he strained 
 them to catch a groan, and strained in vain. He 
 heard the mob shriek : " Behold him now, the 
 mighty one ! " He looked once more, and saw 
 the eyeless face with two crimson streaks running 
 down the cheeks into the stubble of the beard ; 
 then turning, fled. 
 
 Of the children whom Jair begat none were 
 warriors or statesmen, neither they nor their 
 children's children. All were usurers and 
 traffickers in treachery; until, in the Garden 
 beyond the brook Cedron, one betrayed for 
 thirty pieces of silver a greater than Samson. 
 
 PRINTED BY MORRISON AND GIBB LIMITED, EDINBURGH 
 

 
 A CATALOGUE OF BOOKS 
 
 AND ANNOUNCEMENTS OF 
 
 METHUEN AND COMPANY 
 
 PUBLISHERS : LONDON 
 
 36 ESSEX STREET 
 
 W.C. 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 ANNOUNCEMENTS, .... 2 
 
 GENERAL LITERATURE, . . 8-27 
 
 METHUEN'S STANDARD LIBRARY, 27 
 
 BYZANTINE TEXTS, . . . 7 
 
 LITTLE LIBRARY, .... 28 
 
 LITTLE GUIDES 28 
 
 LITTLE BIOGRAPHIES, ... 28 
 
 LITTLE BLUE BOOKS ... 29 
 
 LIBRARY OF DEVOTION, . .! IfcJojlM 
 
 OXFORD COMMENTARIES, . . ag 
 
 HANDBOOKS OF THEOLOGY, . 29 
 
 CHURCHMAN'S LIBRARY, . , 29 
 
 CHURCHMAN'S BIBLE, . . 30 
 
 PAGE 
 3 
 
 30 
 31 
 
 3 1 
 
 LEADERS OF RELIGION, . 
 SOCIAL QUESTIONS OF TO-DAY, 
 UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERIES, 
 COMMERCIAL SERIES, . 
 CLASSICAL TRANSLATIONS, . . 3! 
 SCHOOL EXAMINATION SERIES, . 32 
 METHUEN'S JUNIOR SCHOOL-BOOKS, 32 
 TEXTBOOKS OF TECHNOLOGY, . 32 
 
 FICTION, 3 2- 38 
 
 THE FLEUR DE LIS NOVELS, . . 39 
 
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 THE NOVELIST, . . . 
 
 METHUEN'S SIXPENNY LIBRARY, . 
 
 40 
 40 
 
 40 
 
 AUGUST 1902
 
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 CHILDREN OF THE MIST. 
 
 THE HUMAN BOY. With a Frontispiece. 
 Fourth Edition. 
 
 ' Mr. Phillpotts knows exactly what 
 school-boys do, and can lay bare their in- 
 most thoughts ; likewise he shows an all- 
 pervading sense of humour." Academy, 
 
 SONS OF THE MORNING. Second 
 Edition. 
 
 'A book of strange power and fascina- 
 tion.' Morning Post. 
 
 Eden Phillpott's Novels. 
 Crown Bvo. 6s. each. 
 
 THE STRIKING HOURS. Second Edition. 
 ' Tragedy and comedy, pathos and 
 humour, are blended to a nicety in this 
 
 volume. World. 
 
 'The whole book is redolent of a fresher 
 and ampler air than breathes in the circum- 
 scribed life of great towns.' Spectator. 
 
 FANCY FREE. Illustrated. Second Edi- 
 tion. Crown 8v0. 6s. 
 
 ' Of variety and racy humour there is 
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 8. Baring-Gould's Novels. 
 Crown 8vo. 6s. each. 
 
 ARMINELL. Fifth Edition. 
 URITH. Fifth Edition. 
 IN THE ROAR OF THE SEA. Seventh 
 Edition. 
 
 MRS. CURGENVEN OF CURGENVEX. 
 
 Fourth Edition, 
 
 CHEAP JACK ZITA. Fourth Edition. 
 THE QUEEN OF LOVE. Fifth Edition
 
 FICTION 
 
 35 
 
 MARGERY OF QUETHER. Third 
 
 Edition. 
 
 JACQUETTA. Third Edition. 
 KITTY ALONE. Fifth Edition. 
 NOEMI. Illustrated. Fourth Edition. 
 THE BROOM-SQUIRE. Illustrated. 
 
 Fourth Edition. 
 THE PENNYCOMEQUICKS. Third 
 
 Edition. 
 
 DARTMOOR IDYLLS. 
 
 GUAVAS THE TINNER. Illustrated. 
 
 Second Edition. 
 
 BLADYS. Illustrated. Second Edition. 
 DOMITIA. Illustrated. Second Edition. 
 PABO THE PRIEST. 
 WINIFRED. Illustrated. Second Edition. 
 THE FROBISHERS. 
 ROYAL GEORGIE. Illustrated. 
 
 Robert Barr's Novels. 
 Crown 8v0. 6s. each. 
 
 IN THE MIDST OF ALARMS. Third 
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 ' A book which has abundantly satisfied us 
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 THE MUTABLE MANY. Second Edition. 
 ' There is much insight in it, and much 
 excellent humour.' Daily Chronicle. 
 THE COUNTESS TEKLA. Third Edition. 
 'Of these mediaeval romances, which are 
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 Tekla" is the very best we have seen.' Pall 
 Mall Gazette. 
 
 THE STRONG ARM. Illustrated. Second 
 
 Edition. 
 THE VICTORS. 
 
 ' Mr. Barr has a rich sense of humour.' 
 Onlooker. 
 
 ' A very convincing study of American 
 life in its business and political aspects.' 
 Pilot. 
 
 'Good writing, illuminating sketches of 
 character, and constant variety of scene and 
 incident.' Times. 
 
 Andrew Balfour. BY STROKE OF 
 SWORD. Illustrated. Fourth Edition. 
 Crown 8vo. 6s. 
 
 'A recital of thrilling interest, told with 
 unflagging vigour." Globe. 
 
 8. Baring Gould. See page 34. 
 
 Robert Barr. See above. 
 
 George Bartram. Author of ' The People of 
 Clopton. 1 THE THIRTEEN EVEN- 
 INGS. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 Margaret Benson. SUBJECT TO 
 
 VANITY. Crown Zvo. 3*. 6d. 
 
 J. Blounielle Burton, Author of 'The 
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 trated. Crown 8v0. 6s. 
 
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 Ada Cambridge, Author of ' Path and 
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 See also Fleur de Lis Novels. 
 Bernard Capes, Author of 'The Lake of 
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 Weatherby Chesney. JOHN TOPP: 
 
 PIRATE. Second Edition. Crown too. 
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 A book of breathless adventure. 
 
 'Arousing pleasant story.' Athenautn. 
 
 THE FOUNDERED GALLEON. 
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 ' An ingenious tale of the sea and particu- 
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 J. Maclaren Cobban. THE KING OF 
 
 ANDAMAN : A Saviour of Society. 
 Crown 6v0. 6s. 
 
 WILT THOU HAVE THIS WOMAN. 
 Crown %v0. 6s. 
 
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 E. H. Cooper, Author of ' Mr. Blake of New- 
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 'A strikingly clever story, with pictures 
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 Pall Mall Gazette. 
 Marie Corelli. See page 32. 
 L. Cope Cornford. CAPTAIN JACOBUS : 
 A Romance of the Road. Cr. 6v0. 6s. 
 
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 S. R. Crockett, Author of ' The Raiders, etc. 
 LOCH INVAR. Illustrated. Second 
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 ' Full of gallantry and pathos, of the 
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 THE STANDARD BEARER. Cr. Svo. 6s. 
 'A delightful tale.' Speaker. 
 ' Mr. Crockett at his best.' Literature. 
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 Bartons.' ANGEL. Second Edition. 
 Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 'An excellent story. Clever pictures of 
 Anglo-Indian life abound. The heroine is 
 daring and delightful.' 
 
 Manchester Guardian. 
 See also Fleur de Lis Novels.
 
 MESSRS. METHUEN'S CATALOGUE 
 
 C. E. Denny. THE ROMANCE OF UP- 
 FOLD MANOR. Crown 8w. 6s. 
 'A fine tragic story.' Weekly Register, 
 'There is picturesqueness and real feel- 
 ing." St. James's Gazette. 
 A. Conan Doyle, Author of 'Sherlock 
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 ROUND THE RED LAMP. Eighth 
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 ' The book is far and away the best view 
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 scenes of the consulting-room." Illustrated 
 London Nevis. 
 
 Sara Jeannette Duncan (Mrs. Everard 
 
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 tion." THOSE DELIGHTFUL 
 AMERICANS. Illustrated. Second Edi- 
 tion. Crtrzyn 8vo, 6s. 
 
 ' A rattling picture of American life, 
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 Scotsman. 
 
 ' The humour is delicious." Daily Mail. 
 
 c. F. Embree. A HEART OF FLAME. 
 
 Crown &vo. 6s. 
 
 ' Alire with the pulsing and clamorous life 
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 'An admirable story, well told. The 
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 'The figure of Ramoncita, the heroine, a 
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 chester Guardian. 
 
 J. H. Findlater. THE GREEN GRAVES 
 OF BALGOWRIE. Fourth Edition 
 Cro7un Svo. 6s. 
 
 ' A powerful and vivid story." Standard. 
 
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 ful story." Guardian. 
 
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 Mary Findlater. A NARROW WAY. 
 
 Third Edition. Crown &v0. 6s. 
 
 OVER THE HILLS Second Edition 
 
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 THE MILLION. Crown &vo. 6s. 
 
 THE CONQUEST OF LONDON 
 
 Second Edition. Crown 8vt>. 6s. 
 
 THE SUPREME CRIME. Cr. too. 6s. 
 See also Fleur de Lis Novels. 
 
 Algernon Gissing. THE KEYS OF THE 
 HOUSE. Crown Kvo. 6s. 
 
 'A story of absorbing interest.' Liver- 
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 ' The book is carefully built up, piece by 
 piece. The figure of Brant himself moving 
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 reader.' Daily Telegraph. 
 George GiSSing, Author of ' Demos," ' In the 
 Year of Jubilee," etc. THE TOWN 
 TRAVELLER. Second Edition. Crown 
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 See also Fleur de Lis Novels. 
 
 Ernest GianviUe. THE KLOOF BRIDE. 
 
 Crown 8va. js. 6d. 
 
 THE LOST REGIMENT. Crown Bvo. 
 
 y. 6d. 
 
 THE DESPATCH RIDER. Crown Zvo. 
 
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 TON. Third Edition. Crown'&vo. 6s. _ 
 
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 SQUARE. Second Edition. Crown 8vo. 
 6s. 
 
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 orous." Birmingham Gazette. 
 TONGUES OF CONSCIENCE. Second 
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 John Oliver Hobbes, Author of 'Robert 
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 Violet Hunt. THE HUMAN IN- 
 TEREST. Crown 8v0. 6s. 
 
 C. J. CutCliffe Hyne, Author of 'Captain 
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 BUCCANEER. With 8 Illustrations. 
 Second Edition. Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 MR. HORROCKS, PURSER. Crown 
 8v0. 6s. 
 
 ' Mr. Horrocks is a good second to the un- 
 approachable Captain Kettle.' Academy. 
 
 Mr. Horrocks is sublime." Manchester 
 Guardian, 
 
 ' The Purser is a diverting discovery, and 
 his adventures are related with vigour.' 
 Daily Chronicle. 
 
 W. W. JaCObS. See page 31
 
 FICTION 
 
 37 
 
 Henry James, Author of 'What Maisie 
 Knew.' THE SACRED FOUNT. 
 Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 THE SOFT SIDE. Second Edition. 
 Crown &vo. 6s. 
 
 C. F. Keary. THE JOURNALIST. 
 
 Crown 8v0. 6s. 
 
 Florence Finch Kelly. WITH HOOPS 
 
 OF STEEL. Crown &ve>. 6s. 
 
 1 Every chapter is filled with exciting 
 incidents. ' Morning Leader. 
 
 ' A daring and brilliant story of adventure. 
 The novel teems with life and character, 
 with life which is always within an ace of 
 death, and character which curiously blends 
 the ruffian and the hero." Scotsman. 
 
 Hon. Emily Lawless. TRAITS AND 
 
 CONFIDENCES. Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 See also Flcur de Lis Novels. 
 E. Lynn Linton. THE TRUE HISTORY 
 
 OF JOSHUA DAVIDSON, Christian and 
 Communist. Eleventh Edition. Crown 
 %vo. is. 
 
 Charles K. Lush. THE AUTOCRATS. 
 Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 'A clever story of American life. Its 
 atmosphere is convincing and striking.' 
 Vanity Fair. 
 
 'Eminently readable with clever photo- 
 graphs of American social life.' Standard. 
 
 S. Macnaughtan. THE FORTUNE OF 
 CHRISTINA NACNAB. Crow* Bvo. 6s. 
 
 A. Macdonell. THE STORY OF 
 
 TERESA. Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 'Varied and clever characterisation and 
 close sympathy with humanity.' West- 
 minster Gazette. 
 
 ' The book is bracing as the moor itself. 
 It has a threefold interest its keen 
 characterisation, its psychological insight, 
 and its philosophy of life.' Pilot. 
 
 Lucas Malet. See page 33. 
 
 Richard Marsh, Author of ' The Seen and 
 the Unseen. 1 BOTH SIDES OF THE 
 VEIL. Second Edition. Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 ' Here we have Mr. Marsh at his best.' 
 Globe. See also Fleur de Lis Novels. 
 
 A. E. W. Mason, Author of ' The Courtship 
 of Morrice Buckler,' ' Miranda of the Bal- 
 cony,' etc. CLEMENTINA. Illustrated. 
 Crown &vo. 6s. 
 
 ' A romance of the most delicate ingenuity 
 and humour . . . the very quintessence of 
 romance. ' Spectator. 
 I* T. Meade. DRIFT. Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 'Well told, and full of incident and 
 character. ' World. 
 
 'A powerfully- wrought story.' Birming- 
 ham Post. 
 
 'A powerful story, which treats of the 
 drifting of a man of high intellectual gifts.' 
 Court Circular. 
 
 Bertram Mitford. THE SIGN OF THE 
 SPIDER. Fifth Edition. 
 
 F. F. Montresor, Author of ' Into the High- 
 ways and Hedges.' THE ALIEN. Second 
 Edition. Crown &vt>. 6s. 
 
 ' Fresh, unconventional, and instinct with 
 human sympathy. ' Manchester Guardian. 
 ' Miss Montresor creates her tragedy out 
 of passions and necessities elementarily 
 human. Perfect art.' Spectator. 
 Arthur Morrison. See page 34. 
 
 W. E. Norris. THE EMBARRASSING 
 ORPHAN. Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 See also Fleur de Lis Novels. 
 
 Alfred Ollivant. OWD BOB, THE GREY 
 DOG OF KENMUIR. Fifth Edition. 
 Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 'Weird, thrilling, strikingly graphic.' 
 Punch. 
 
 ' We admire this book ... It is one to 
 read with admiration and to praise with 
 enthusiasm. ' Bookman. 
 
 1 It is a fine, open-air, blood -stirring book, 
 to be enjoyed by every man and woman to 
 whom a dog is dear.' Literature, 
 
 E. Phillips Oppenheim. MASTER OF 
 
 MEN. Second Edition. Crown 8v o. 6s. 
 
 Gilbert Parker. See page 34. 
 
 James Blythe Patton. BIJLI, THE 
 DANCER. Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 MaxPemberton. THE FOOTSTEPS OF 
 
 A THRONE. Illustrated. Second Edi- 
 tion. Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 1 A story of pure adventure, with a sensa- 
 tion on every page.' Daily Mail. 
 I CROWN THEE KING. With Illus- 
 trations by Frank Dadd and A. Forrestier. 
 Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 1 A romance of high adventure, of love and 
 war. It is a story of true love, of indomit- 
 able will, and of steadfastness that nothing 
 can withstand.' Daily News. 
 
 : A stirring tale.' Outlook. 
 Eden PhillpOttS. See page 34. 
 
 Walter Raymond, Author of 'Love and 
 Quiet Life.' FORTUNE'S DARLING. 
 Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 Edith Rickert. OUT OF THE CYPRESS 
 SWAMP. _ Crown Bvo. 6s. 
 
 ' A tale in which a note of freshness and 
 
 individuality is struck, and the delicate 
 
 question of colour is handled with originality 
 
 and power. It has fineUhrilling moments.' 
 
 Spectator. 
 
 ' The whole story is admirably told. Not 
 even in " Uncle Tom's Cabin " is there any- 
 thing more exciting than the bloodhound 
 chase after the hero.' Tatler. 
 W. Pett Ridge. LOST PROPERTY. 
 Second Edition. Crown Zvo. 6s. 
 
 ' The story is an interesting and animated
 
 MESSRS. METHUEN'S CATALOGUE 
 
 picture of the struggle for life in London, 
 with a natural humour and tenderness of its 
 own. ' Scotsman. 
 
 'A simple, delicate bit of work, which 
 will give pleasure to many. Much study of 
 the masses has made him, not mad, but 
 strong, and wonder of wonders cheerful.' 
 Times. 
 
 'A really delightful life history of a 
 London foundling. Once more we have to 
 thank Mr. Pett Ridge for an admirable 
 study of London life." Spectator. 
 
 Mrs. M. H. Roberton. A GALLANT 
 
 QUAKER. Illustrated. Crown, Svo. 6s. 
 
 ' It is a strong story of love and hate, of 
 
 religious excitement and calm faith.' Leeds 
 
 Mercury. 
 
 W. Clark EusselL MY DANISH SWEET- 
 
 HEART. Illustrated. Fourth Edition, 
 Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 Grace Rhys. THE WOOING OF 
 
 SHEILA. Second Edition. CrownZvo. 6s. 
 ' A really fine book. A book that deserves 
 to live. Sheila is the sweetest heroine who 
 has lived in a novelist's pages_ for many a 
 day. Every scene and every incident has 
 the impress of truth. It is a masterly ro- 
 mance, and one that should be widely read 
 and appreciated.' Morning Leader. 
 
 W. Satchel! THE LAND OF THE LOST. 
 Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 'An exciting story . _. . the plot and 
 passion are managed with skill, and the 
 author shows himself a master of the art of 
 depicting human character.' 
 
 Glasgow Herald. 
 
 Adeline Sergeant. Author of ' The Story of 
 a Penitent Soul.' A GREAT LADY. 
 Crown &vo. 6s. 
 
 THE MASTER OF BEECHWOOD. 
 Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 ' A pleasant and excellently told story, 
 ' natural and fresh.' Glasgow Herald. 
 
 1 A wholesome novel, with plenty of 
 incident. ' Spectator. 
 
 W. 7. Shannon. THE MESS DECK. 
 Crown Svo . 3*. 6d. 
 
 Helen SMpton. THE STRONG GOD 
 CIRCUMSTANCE. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 Annie Swan. LOVE GROWN COLD. 
 
 Second Edition. Crown Svo. $s. 
 
 'One of the strongest books that the 
 author has yet given us. We feel that the 
 characters are taken from life. The story 
 is told with delicacy and restraint.' Daily 
 News. 
 
 Benjamin Swift, Author of 'Siren City.' 
 SORDON. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 ' Handled with a skill and a power 
 
 that are almost unfailing. The book is 
 thoroughly good. It absorbs as much by its 
 ingenuity in the use of material as by the 
 force of its imagination.' Academy. 
 
 'The author tells his story with great 
 dramatic intentness, with simplicity, and 
 strength." Daily News. 
 
 1 A remarkable, venturesome ( painful, and 
 interesting book. The story is beautifully 
 told ; it is rare pleasure to read such writing, 
 so simple, finely balanced, graceful, refined, 
 yet forcible.' World. 
 
 Paul Waineman. A HEROINE FROM 
 
 FINLAND. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 ' Fresh in subject and treatment.' 
 
 Academy. 
 
 *An idyll of country life which has the 
 charm of entire novelty and freshness.' 
 Morning Leader. 
 
 ' This tale of Russian and Finnish life is a 
 most readable and enthralling one. The 
 story is simple yet strong, and reveals 
 intimate knowledge of Finnish life and 
 manners. ' Scotsman. 
 
 'A delightful story." Daily Express. 
 , 'This lovely tale. 1 
 
 Manchester Guardian. 
 ' A vivid picture of pastoral life in a 
 beautiful and too little known country." 
 
 Pall Mall Gazette. 
 
 R. B. Townshend. LONE PINE : A Ro- 
 mance of Mexican Life. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 H. B. Marriott Watson. THE SKIRTS 
 OF HAPPY CHANCE. Illustrated. 
 Second Edition, Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 'Mr. Watson's light touch, his genuine 
 sense of humour, his ingenuity, and, above 
 all, his polished and clear-cut style will pro- 
 vide genuine entertainment ' Pilot. 
 
 H. O. Wells. THE STOLEN BACILLUS, 
 and other Stories. Second Edition. Crown 
 Svo. 6s. 
 
 THE PLATTNER STORY AND OTHERS. 
 Second Edition Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 Stanley Weyman, Author of ' A Gentleman 
 of France.' UNDER THE RED ROBE. 
 With Illustrations by R. C. WOODVILLE. 
 Seventeenth Edition. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 * Every one who reads books at all must 
 read this thrilling romance, from the first 
 page of which to the last the breathless 
 reader is haled along. An inspiration of 
 manliness and courage." Daily Chronicle. 
 
 Zack, Author of ' Life is Life." TALES OF 
 DUNSTABLE WEIR. Crown Svo. 6s. 
 
 '"Zack" draws her pictures with great 
 detail ; they are indeed Dutch interiors in 
 their fidelity to the small things of life.' 
 Westminster Gazette,
 
 
 FICTION 
 
 39 
 
 jfleur &e Xis Hovels 
 
 Crown 8vo. 3^. 6< 
 
 MESSRS. METHUEN are now publishing popular Novels in a new and most 
 charming style of binding. Ultimately, this Series will contain the following 
 
 books: 
 
 Andrew Balfour. 
 TO ARMS) 
 
 VENGEANCE is MINE. 
 
 M. C. Balfour. 
 
 THE FALL OF THE SPARROW. 
 
 Jane Barlow. 
 THE LAND OF THB SHAMROCK. 
 A CREEL OF IRISH STORIES. 
 FROM THE EAST UNTO THE WEST. 
 
 J. A. Barry. 
 
 IN THE GREAT DEEP. 
 
 E. F. Benson. 
 
 THE CAPSINA. 
 
 DODO : A DETAIL OF THE DAY. 
 
 THE VINTAGE. 
 
 J. Bloundelle-Burton. 
 IN THE DAY OF ADVERSITY. 
 DENOUNCED. 
 THE CLASH OF ARMS. 
 ACROSS THE SALT SEAS. 
 SERVANTS OF SIN. 
 
 Mrs. Caffyn (Iota). 
 ANNB MAULEVEREK. 
 
 Ada Cambridge. 
 
 PATH AND GOAL. 
 
 Mrs. W. K. Clifford. 
 
 A WOMAN ALONE. 
 A FLASH OF SUMMER. 
 
 J. Maclaren Cobban. 
 THE ANGEL OF THE COVENANT. 
 
 Julian Corbett. 
 A BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS. 
 
 L. Cope Cornford. 
 SONS OF ADVERSITY. 
 
 Stephen Crane. 
 
 WOUNDS IN THE RAIN. 
 
 B. M. Croker. 
 
 A STATE SECRET. 
 PEGGY OF THB BARTONS. 
 
 Hope Dawlish. 
 A SECRETARY OF LEGATION. 
 
 A. J. Dawson. 
 DANIEL WHITE. 
 
 Evelyn Dickinson. 
 A VICAR'S WIPE. 
 THE SIN OF ANGELS. 
 
 Harris Dickson. 
 THE BLACK WOLF'S BREED. 
 
 Menie Muriel Dowie. 
 THE CROOK OF THE BOUGH. 
 
 Mrs. Dudeney. 
 
 THB THIRD FLOOR. 
 
 Sara Jeannette Duncan. 
 A VOYAGE OF CONSOLATION. 
 THE PATH OF A STAR. 
 
 G. Manville Fenn. 
 AN ELECTRIC SPARK. 
 THE STAR GAZERS. 
 ELI'S CHILDREN. 
 A DOUBLE KNOT. 
 
 Jane H. Findlater. 
 
 A DAUGHTER OF STRIFE. 
 RACHEL. 
 
 Mary Findlater. 
 BETTY MUSGRAVE. 
 
 Jane H. and Mary Findlater. 
 
 TALES THAT ARE TOLD. 
 
 J. S. Fletcher. 
 
 THE PATHS OF THE PRUDENT. 
 THE BUILDERS. 
 
 M. E. Francis. 
 MISS ERIN. 
 
 Mary Gaunt. 
 
 KlRKHAM'S FIND. 
 
 DEADMAN'S. 
 
 THE MOVING FINGER.' 
 
 Dorothea Gerard. 
 
 THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. 
 
 B. Murray Gilchrist. 
 
 WILLOWBRAICE. 
 
 George Gissing. 
 THE CROWN OF LIFE. 
 
 Charles Gleig. 
 
 HUNTER'S CRUISE. 
 
 S. Gordon. 
 A HANDFUL OF EXOTICS. 
 
 C. F. Goss. 
 
 THE REDEMPTION OF DAVID CORSON. 
 
 E M' Queen Gray. 
 MY STEWARDSHIP. 
 ELS A. 
 
 Robert Hichens. 
 
 BYEWAYS. 
 
 I. Hooper. 
 
 THE SINGER OF MARLY. 
 
 Emily Lawless. 
 
 HURRISH. 
 MAELCHO. 
 
 Norma Lorimer. 
 
 MIRRY-ANN. 
 
 JOSIAH'S WIFE. 
 
 Edna LyalL 
 
 DERRICK VAUGHAN, NOVELIST. 
 Hannah Lynch. 
 
 AN ODD EXPERIMENT. 
 
 Richard Marsh. 
 THE SEEN AND THB UNSEEN. 
 MARVELS AND MYSTERIES. 
 
 W. E. Norris. 
 
 MATTHEW AUSTIN. 
 
 HIS GRACE. 
 
 THE DESPOTIC LADY. 
 
 CLARISSA FURIOSA. 
 
 GILES INGILBY. 
 
 AN OCTAVE. 
 
 JACK'S FATHER. 
 
 A DEPLORABLE AFFAIR. 
 
 Mrs. Oliphant. 
 SIR ROBERT'S FORTUNE. 
 THE Two MARYS. 
 THE LADY'S WALK. 
 THB PRODIGALS. 
 
 Mary A. Owen. 
 
 THF. DAUGHTER OF ALOUETTE. 
 
 Mary L. Pondered. 
 AN ENGLISHMAN.
 
 MESSRS. METHUEN'S CATALOGUE 
 
 Mrs. Fenny. 
 A FOREST OFFICER. 
 
 R. Orton Prowse, 
 THE POISON OF ASPS. 
 
 Richard Pryce. 
 TIME AND THE WOMAN. 
 THE QUIET MRS. FLEMING. 
 
 W. Pett Ridge. 
 A SON OF THE STATH. 
 SECRETARY TO BAYNE, M.P. 
 
 Morley Roberts. 
 THE PLUNDERERS. 
 
 Marshall Saunders. 
 
 ROSE A CHARL1TTE. 
 
 W. C. Scully. 
 THE WHITE HECATOMB. 
 BETWEEN SUN AND SAND. 
 A VENDETTA OF THE DESERT. 
 
 R. N. Stephens. 
 AN ENEMY TO THE KING. 
 A GENTLEMAN PLAYER. 
 
 3Boofcs for 
 
 Crown 8vo. 
 
 E. H. Strain. 
 
 ELMSLIE'S DRAG-NET. 
 
 Esm6 Stuart. 
 A WOMAN OF FORTY. 
 CHRISTALLA. 
 
 Duchess of Sutherland. 
 ONE HOUR AND THE NEXT. 
 
 Benjamin Swift. 
 SIREN CITY. 
 
 Victor Waite. 
 CROSS TRAILS. 
 
 Mrs. Walford. 
 SUCCESSORS TO THE TITLE. 
 
 Percy White. 
 A PASSIONATE PILGRIM. 
 
 Mrs. C. N. Williamson. 
 
 THE ADVENTURE OF PRINCESS SYLVIA. 
 
 X. L. 
 
 AUT DlABOLUS AUT NIHIL. 
 
 ano (Slrlg 
 
 SYD BELTON : Or. the Boy who would not go to Sea 
 
 By G. Manville Fenn. 
 
 THE RED GRANGE. By Mrs. Moiesworth. 
 THE SECRET OF MADAME DE MONLUC. By the 
 
 Author of 'Mdle. Mori.' 
 DUMPS. By Mrs. Parr. 
 A GIRL OF THE PEOPLE. By L, T. Meade. 
 HEPSY GIPSY. By L. T. Meade. zs. 6d. 
 
 THB HONOURABLE Miss. By L. T. Meade. 
 
 novelist 
 
 MESSRS. METHUEN are issuing under the above general title a Monthly Series 
 of Novels by popular authors at the price of Sixpence. Some of these Novels 
 have never been published before. Each number is as long as the average Six 
 Shilling Novel. The first numbers of ' THE NOVELIST ' are as follows : 
 
 THE ICELANDER'S SWORD. By S. Baring-Gould. 
 Two LITTLE CHILDREN AND CHING. By Edith E. 
 
 Cuthell. 
 
 TODDLEBEN's HERO. By M. M. Blake. 
 ONLY A GUARD-JIOOM DOG. By Edith E. Cuthell. 
 THE DOCTOR OF THE JULIET. By Harry Colliug- 
 
 wood. 
 MASTER ROCKAFELLAR'S VOYAGE. By W. Clark 
 
 Russell. 
 
 I. DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES. By E. W. 
 
 Hornung. 
 
 IL JENNIE BAXTER, JOURNALIST. By Robert 
 Barr. 
 
 III. THE INCA'S TREASURE. By Ernest Glanville. 
 
 IV. A SON OF THE STATE. By W. Pett Ridge. 
 V. FURZE BLOOM. ByS. Baring-Gould. 
 
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