the daughter of a Levite of the House of Eli.”
Simon nodded slowly, without a word.
“But why do you not tell my father about the Michal heiress ?”
“For several reasons. The first, because the House of Eli hate your father, and would never tolerate the marriage. The second, because they would refuse their consent on the ground of his being a foreigner ; which would incense him to such a degree that lopped heads would soon go bowling down the steep streets of this city. The third, because if he succeeded in marrying the heiress in spite of all, your mother and my daughter, who are at present the King’s two senior wives, would lose their ascendancy at Court. The fourth, because the King would insist on elevating the girl’s father to the High Priesthood and I should be obliged to step down, which I should not enjoy. The fifth, because if an heir were born of the marriage, he would be preferred in the succession both to you and to my grandson, who I hope will one day become your junior colleague in the Kingdom. The sixth, because the King is happy in his ignorance. The seventh, because the girl has been committed by her father to my own tutelage, and to give her in marriage to the King, while knowing how much trouble must grow out of such a union, would go against my conscience.”
“I understand your reasons for not wishing my father to marry the girl, but I cannot understand why you have confided in me. Do you wish me to marry her myself? Surely, if the House of Eli would not tolerate my father’s marrying her, they would not tolerate my marrying her either.”
“True, but in your case the marriage could be kept secret, whereas your father—”
“Such a marriage would be indecent : it would give me a truer title to the throne than my father.”
“Only to the spiritual throne ; the political sovereignty conferred on him by the Romans would remain his, and you would continue to be his junior colleague. Besides, he would not be aware of your title. Nobody would be aware of it except yourself and myself and one or two others who are perfectly to be trusted.”
“This is absurd! And tell me, how would the title benefit me ?”
“It would benefit you by a sense of royalty which would strengthen you and abash your enemies. They would be aware that they stood in the presence of their rightful King. They might even learn to love and honour your father for your sake.”
“Who is this girl ?”
“She is a Temple ward and therefore under my tutelage. Her mother is Hannah, wife of Joachim the Levite.”
“This is a strange way of saying that Joachim is her father.”
“He is her father according to the Law, but the girl was born under the old dispensation. If you do not understand me, read again the story of the rich Shulamite, or rather Shunemite, woman and her son ; and of Hannah, mother of Samuel. She is, in a sense, a daughter of the Lord. In any case, it is her maternal ancestry that conveys the title : to mention Hannah’s marriage to Joachim is, genealogically speaking, irrelevant.”
“Tell me more of Hannah’s daughter,” Antipater said.
“She is young, beautiful, good-natured, high-spirited, truthful. She carries herself with royal dignity.”
“Her name ?”
“Miriam.”
“Simon, what is your intention? How could I marry this girl secretly? Within two days the whole world would hear of it.”
“I have considered the problem carefully. Let her pass as the wife of another until you can acknowledge her as your queen. Neither she nor anyone else need be injured by the ruse. Leave everything to me !”
“The notion of marrying a wife whom I dare not acknowledge displeases me.”
“It will not be long before you can acknowledge her.”
“Why do you say this ?”
“Your father, I fear, has not long to live. This grievous news was recently given me in confidence by Machaon of Cos, his physician.”
“My father sick ?” The news surprised and shocked Antipater. “Can it really
Simon nodded slowly, without a word.
“But why do you not tell my father about the Michal heiress ?”
“For several reasons. The first, because the House of Eli hate your father, and would never tolerate the marriage. The second, because they would refuse their consent on the ground of his being a foreigner ; which would incense him to such a degree that lopped heads would soon go bowling down the steep streets of this city. The third, because if he succeeded in marrying the heiress in spite of all, your mother and my daughter, who are at present the King’s two senior wives, would lose their ascendancy at Court. The fourth, because the King would insist on elevating the girl’s father to the High Priesthood and I should be obliged to step down, which I should not enjoy. The fifth, because if an heir were born of the marriage, he would be preferred in the succession both to you and to my grandson, who I hope will one day become your junior colleague in the Kingdom. The sixth, because the King is happy in his ignorance. The seventh, because the girl has been committed by her father to my own tutelage, and to give her in marriage to the King, while knowing how much trouble must grow out of such a union, would go against my conscience.”
“I understand your reasons for not wishing my father to marry the girl, but I cannot understand why you have confided in me. Do you wish me to marry her myself? Surely, if the House of Eli would not tolerate my father’s marrying her, they would not tolerate my marrying her either.”
“True, but in your case the marriage could be kept secret, whereas your father—”
“Such a marriage would be indecent : it would give me a truer title to the throne than my father.”
“Only to the spiritual throne ; the political sovereignty conferred on him by the Romans would remain his, and you would continue to be his junior colleague. Besides, he would not be aware of your title. Nobody would be aware of it except yourself and myself and one or two others who are perfectly to be trusted.”
“This is absurd! And tell me, how would the title benefit me ?”
“It would benefit you by a sense of royalty which would strengthen you and abash your enemies. They would be aware that they stood in the presence of their rightful King. They might even learn to love and honour your father for your sake.”
“Who is this girl ?”
“She is a Temple ward and therefore under my tutelage. Her mother is Hannah, wife of Joachim the Levite.”
“This is a strange way of saying that Joachim is her father.”
“He is her father according to the Law, but the girl was born under the old dispensation. If you do not understand me, read again the story of the rich Shulamite, or rather Shunemite, woman and her son ; and of Hannah, mother of Samuel. She is, in a sense, a daughter of the Lord. In any case, it is her maternal ancestry that conveys the title : to mention Hannah’s marriage to Joachim is, genealogically speaking, irrelevant.”
“Tell me more of Hannah’s daughter,” Antipater said.
“She is young, beautiful, good-natured, high-spirited, truthful. She carries herself with royal dignity.”
“Her name ?”
“Miriam.”
“Simon, what is your intention? How could I marry this girl secretly? Within two days the whole world would hear of it.”
“I have considered the problem carefully. Let her pass as the wife of another until you can acknowledge her as your queen. Neither she nor anyone else need be injured by the ruse. Leave everything to me !”
“The notion of marrying a wife whom I dare not acknowledge displeases me.”
“It will not be long before you can acknowledge her.”
“Why do you say this ?”
“Your father, I fear, has not long to live. This grievous news was recently given me in confidence by Machaon of Cos, his physician.”
“My father sick ?” The news surprised and shocked Antipater. “Can it really
Similar Books
