THE YOUNG JEW OF TUNIS.

People are glad to be assured that an interesting story is true. The following history was communicated to the writer by a friend, residing in the East, who had it from the French Consul himself. It reminds one of the Arabian Nights.

In the year 1836, a Jewish family residing in Algiers were plunged in the greatest distress by the death of the father. A son, two daughters, and a mother were by this calamity left almost destitute. After the funeral, the son, whose name was Ibrahim, sold what little property there was to realise and gave it to his mother and sisters; after which, commending them to the charity of a distant relative, he left Algiers and departed for Tunis, hoping that if he did not find his fortune, he would at least make a livelihood there.

He presented himself to the French Consul 119with his papers, and requested a license as a donkey-driver. This was granted, and Ibrahim entered the service of a man who let out asses, both for carrying water and for hire.

Ibrahim was extremely handsome and very graceful in his demeanour; but, being so poor, his clothes were too ragged for him to be employed on anything but drudgery that was out of sight. He used to be sent with water-skins to the meanest parts of the town.

One day, as he was driving his ass laden with water up a narrow street, he met a cavalcade of women riding (as usual in that country) upon donkeys covered with sumptuous housings. He drew on one side to allow them to pass by, but a string of camels coming up at the same instant, there ensued some confusion. The veil of one of the women became slightly deranged, and Ibrahim caught sight of a lovely countenance.

He contrived to ascertain who the lady was and where she lived. She was Rebecca, the only daughter of a wealthy Jew.

From this time, Ibrahim had but one thought; that of becoming rich enough to demand Rebecca in marriage. He had already saved up a few pieces of money; with these he bought himself better clothes, and he was now sometimes sent to conduct the donkeys hired out for riding.

It so chanced, that one of his first expeditions was to take Rebecca and her attendants to a mercer’s shop. Either from accident or coquetry, Rebecca’s veil became again deranged, and again Ibrahim beheld the heavenly face beneath it. Ibrahim’s appearance, and his look of burning passionate love, did not displease the young Jewess. He frequently attended her on her excursions, and he was often permitted to see beneath the veil.

Ibrahim deprived himself almost of the necessaries of life, and at length saved enough money to purchase an ass of his own. By degrees he was able to buy more, and became a master employing boys under him.

When he thought himself sufficiently well off in the world, he presented himself before the family of Rebecca, and demanded her in marriage; but they did not consider his prospects brilliant, and rejected his proposals with contempt. Rebecca, however, sent her old nurse to him (just as a lady in the ‘Arabian Nights’ might have sent a similar messenger) to let him know that the family contempt was not shared by her.

Ibrahim was more determined than ever to obtain her. He went to a magician, who bade him return to Algiers, and declared that if he accepted the first offer of any kind which he should receive after entering the city, he would become rich and obtain the desire of his heart.

Ibrahim sold his asses and departed for Algiers. He walked up and down the streets till nightfall, in expectation of the mysterious offer which had been foretold—but no one came.

He had, however, been observed by a rich widow, somewhat advanced in years, a Frenchwoman and the widow of an officer of engineers. She dispatched an attendant to discover who he was and where he lived, and the next day sent for him to her house. His graceful address fascinated her even more than his good looks, and she made him overtures of marriage: offering at the same time to settle upon him a handsome portion of her wealth.

This was not precisely the mode in which Ibrahim had intended to make his fortune; but, he recollected the prediction of the magician, and accepted the proposal.

They were married, and for twelve months Ibrahim lived with his wife in great splendour and apparent happiness. At the end of that time he professed to be called to Tunis by indispensable business, which would require his presence for some time. His wife made no opposition, though she was sorry to lose him, and wished to accompany him; but that he prohibited, and departed alone: taking with him a good supply of money.

He again presented himself before the French Consul at Tunis, who was surprised at the change in his appearance. His vest of flowered silk, brocaded with gold, was girded round the waist by a Barbary sash of the richest silk; his ample trowsers of fine cloth were met by red morocco boots; a Cashmere shawl of the most radiant colours was twisted round his head; his beard, carefully trimmed, fell half-way down his breast; a jewelled dagger hung at his girdle; and an ample Bournooz worn over all, gave an additional grace to his appearance, while it served to conceal his rich attire, which far exceeded the license of the sad-coloured garments prescribed by law to the Jews.

He lost no time in repairing to the house of Rebecca. She was still unmarried, and again he made his proposals; this time it was with more success. He had all the appearance of a man of high consideration; and the riches which he half-negligently displayed, took their due effect. He had enjoyed a good character when he lived at Tunis before, and they took it for granted that he had done nothing to forfeit it. They asked no questions how his riches had been obtained, but gave him Rebecca in marriage.

At the end of six months, the French Consul received inquiries from Algiers about Ibrahim; his wife, it was said, had become alarmed at his prolonged absence.

The Consul sent for Ibrahim, and told him what he had heard. Ibrahim at first appeared disturbed and afterwards indignant. He denied in the strongest terms that he had any other wife than Rebecca, but owned that the woman in question had fallen in love with him. He also denied that he had given her any sort of legal claim upon him. The French Consul was perplexed; Ibrahim’s papers were all regular, he had always led 120an exemplary life in Tunis, he denied his marriage, and there was no proof of it.

Had Ibrahim retained the smallest presence of mind, no harm could have befallen him. In that land of polygamy, his two wives (even though one were European) would have caused little scandal. His domestic position was somewhat complicated but by no means desperate. On departing from the Consul’s house, however, he would seem to have become possessed by a strange panic not to be explained by any rules of logic, and to have gone mad straightway. His one idea was that he was hurried on by destiny to—murder Rebecca!

This miserable wretch, possessed by the fixed idea of destroying Rebecca, made deliberate preparations for carrying it into effect. But with the strange fanaticism and superstition which formed a main part of his character, and which forms a part of many such characters in those countries, he determined to give her a chance for her life; for, he seems to have thought in some confused, wild, mad, vain way, that it might still be the will of Providence that she should live.

He concerted measures with the captain of a Greek vessel, whom he induced by heavy bribes to enter into his views. He gave it out that he was going to Algiers, to put an end to the ridiculous report which had been raised, and to destroy the claim which had been set up by his pretended wife.

He embarked with Rebecca, without any attendants, on board the Greek vessel, which was bound for Algiers. Rebecca was taken at once into the cabin, where her curiosity was excited by a strange-looking black box which stood at one end of it. The black box was high and square, and large enough to contain a person sitting upright. The lid was thrown back; and she saw that the box was lined with thick cotton cloth, and contained a small brass pitcher full of water and a loaf of bread. Whilst she was examining these things, Ibrahim and the Captain entered; they neither of them spoke one word; but, coming behind her, Ibrahim placed his hand over her mouth, and muffling her head in her veil, lifted her into the box with the assistance of the captain, and shut down the lid, which they securely fastened. They then carried the box between them upon deck, and lowered it over the side of the vessel. The box had holes bored in the lid; it was very strong; and so built as to float like a boat.

The Greek vessel continued her course towards Algiers. Either the crew had really not noticed the strange proceedings of Ibrahim and the Captain, or (which is more probable) they were paid to be silent. It is certain that they did not attempt to interfere.

The next morning, as a French steamer, the Panama, was bearing towards Tunis, something like the hull of a small vessel was seen drifting about directly in their course. They picked it up, as it floated athwart the steamer’s bow; and were horrified to hear feeble cries proceeding from the interior. Hastily breaking it open, they found the unhappy Rebecca nearly dead with fright and exhaustion. When she was sufficiently recovered to speak, she told the captain how she had come into that strange condition, and he made all speed on to Tunis.

The French Consul immediately dispatched a swift sailing steamer to Algiers with Rebecca and her nearest friends on board, bearing a dispatch to the governor, containing a hasty account of all these things. The steamer arrived first. When the Greek vessel entered the port, Ibrahim and the Captain were ordered to follow the officer on guard, and in a few moments Ibrahim stood face to face with his victim. To render the complication more complete, the French wife hearing that a steamer from Tunis had arrived with dispatches, went down to the governor’s house to make inquiries after her husband.

At first, Ibrahim nearly fainted; but he soon regained his insane self, and boldly confessed his crime. Addressing himself to Rebecca, he said:

‘I confided thee to the sea, for I thought it might be the will of Providence to save thee! If thou hadst died, it would have been Providence that decreed thy fate, but thou art saved, and I am destroyed.’

Both the wives wept bitterly. Their natural jealousy of each other was merged into the desire to save the fanatic from the consequence of his madness. Rebecca attempted to deny her former statement, and used great intercession with her relatives to forego their vengeance. The Frenchwoman made interest with the authorities too, but it was all, happily, in vain. The friends of Rebecca were implacable and insisted on justice.

Ibrahim works now in the gallies at Toulon. The captain is under punishment also. The magician, it is to be feared, is practising his old trade.

This is, perhaps, as strange an instance as there is on record, of an audacious and besotted transference of every responsibility to Providence. As though Providence had left man to work out nothing for himself! It is probable that this selfish monomaniac made the same pretext to his mind for basely marrying the widow, whom he intended to desert. There is no kind of impiety so monstrous as this; and yet there is, perhaps, none encountered so frequently, in one phase or other, in many aspects of life.

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THE HOUSEHOLD NARRATIVE

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By CHARLES DICKENS.

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Published at the Office, No. 16, Wellington Street North, Strand. Printed by Bradbury & Evans, Whitefriars, London.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

Fixed typos; non-standard spelling and dialect retained.

Renumbered footnotes.