If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones so that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife; so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
“Marvelous!” he whispered to his wife, watching with pleasure as a barefoot actor and actress sat down near them to lament the childlessness of Abraham and Sarah prior to the birth of Isaac.
“Now Sarah and Abraham were old, the plump actress related, and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. She moved contortedly in her envy of the concubine who bore Ishmael to her husband, describing in a deep, sobbing voice not only her own anguish, but that of the bondmaid she tormented:
“And Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”
All at once, without knowing how or why, the Orientalist felt a lump in his throat. It was as if the sobbing of the barren Sarah were meant for him, were in him. And while Abraham, the defiant believer, promised Sarah in God’s name that she would have a son before the year was out, the plump actress writhed on the floor, clinging to her despair and renouncing all hope in a tragic, sardonic voice:
“After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
So powerful and convincing was her renunciation that a wordless sorrow moistened his eyes. He froze, afraid to let his wife see. She, however, aware of his tears, laid a light hand on his knee.
29.
“THAT’S THE END of the first act,” Rivlin said. “Now there’s an intermission.”
He leafed through the program, looking for the name of the actress who played Sarah. Putting his arm around his wife, he declared with satisfaction:
“I was on the verge of tears.”
“Do you know why?”
“It touched me. It hit a nerve. Didn’t you feel that way too?”
“Yes. I did.”
They headed for an opening in the human wall besieging the buffet. Suddenly Rivlin saw his wife stop short and duck.
“What’s the matter?”
“Don’t move,” she whispered.
But it was too late. The burly man ahead of them had caught sight of her and was staring at her in astonishment.
“Don’t I know you?”
Hagit said nothing.
“You’re the judge!”
She was unable to move.
“Don’t you remember me?” He reddened, the bills he was holding to give the counterman trembling slightly in his fingers.
Although she shook her head, the shadow of a smile crossed Hagit’s face. Rivlin sensed that she knew this handsome, well-dressed man.
“Is this your husband?” The man pointed, staring at Rivlin.
Hagit said nothing. The Orientalist nodded.
“I’m Amnon Peretz.” The man whispered his name dramatically, as though it were a dark secret. “You still don’t know who I am?” He grinned. “You gave me twelve years.”
Solemn and pale, Hagit bobbed her head. It wasn’t clear what she was confirming — her memory of the trial or the length of the prison term.
“You’re out?”
“For the past three years. For good behavior.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
She bobbed her head again, regaining her composure. Gently she asked:
“Are you enjoying the play?”
Eager to discuss other things, the man was surprised by the question.
“Very much,” he answered with a smile. “And you?”
“Also,” Rivlin replied, heading for a new opening at the buffet.
Back in the dark auditorium, on whose stage silhouettes were slowly moving, Hagit whispered that the man had been a chronic wife- and child-beater until brought to trial. There was no time for further details, for the Children of Israel, having left Egypt with the battered suitcases of European refugees, were now beginning their trek through the desert.
And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and encamped in Succoth.
And they departed from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness.
And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pi-hahiroth, which is before Baal-sephon; and they encamped before Migdol.
And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah.
And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim; and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they encamped there.
And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red Sea.
And they removed from the Red Sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched in Kibroth-hataavah, which meaneth Appetite’s Grave.
Once again, with slow movements and crystalline words, the actors held the audience in thrall, pulling after them strips of fabric on journeys that crisscrossed to far places and peoples, conquered cities and smoking ruins, while listing, besides the laws of illnesses, abscesses, lesions, leprosies, offerings, and priests, the numbers of men under arms in each of the twelve Israelite tribes. With a mixture of horror and glee, the astounded Orientalist noted how — transfixed by a zealous and restless God who, unable to leave them alone, promised and threatened, pummeled and soothed, resolved and decreed — the Jews never wearied of their wanderings.
And then, the journeys, wars, lesions, deaths, burials, homicides, and cities of refuge having come to an end, a thin actress with black tresses licking at her face like little snakes strode to the middle of the stage. Kneeling, she told the story of Jephthah’s daughter with soft, sinuous gestures.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead and Manasseh, and he passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the Lord, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,
Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.
A muffled drumming accompanied the maiden as she hurried innocently out to greet her victorious father with a dance, never guessing that she was about to fall victim to his inexorable vow. A tense Rivlin hung on every word as she submitted to her fate.
My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the Lord, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the Lord hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.