'
The glowing sky, the soft mellow atmosphere, the brilliant surroundings,
and the flowers and flashing gems, rich dresses and ravishing music, and
every form of splendour and luxury, combined to create a scene that to
Tancred was startling, as well from its beauty as its novel character.
A rich note of Therese Laurella for an instant arrested their
conversation. They were silent while it lingered on their ear. Then
Tancred said to the soft-eyed sister of Hillel, 'All that we require
here to complete the spell are your beautiful children.'
'They sleep,' said the lady, 'and lose little by not being present,
for, like the Queen of Sheba, I doubt not they are dreaming of music and
flowers.'
'They say that the children of our race are the most beautiful in the
world,' said Eva, 'but that when they grow up, they do not fulfil the
promise of their infancy.'
'That were scarcely possible,' said the soft-eyed mother.
'It is the sense of shame that comes on them and dims their lustre,'
said Eva. 'Instead of joyous-ness and frank hilarity, anxiety and a
shrinking reserve are soon impressed upon the youthful Hebrew visage.
It is the seal of ignominy. The dreadful secret that they are an
expatriated and persecuted race is soon revealed to them, at least
among the humbler classes.
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