as　they　could　the　disdainful　neglect　of　his　wife。　　More　than　one
  had　been　concerned　in　the　injuries　to　my　father　and　mother；　more
  than　one　were　interested　in　obtaining　revenge。　　Things　could　be
  done　in　German　towns；　and　by　favor　of　old　German　laws　or　usages；
  which　even　in　France　could　not　have　been　tolerated。　　This　my
  father's　enemies　well　knew；　but　this　my　father　also　knew；　and　he
  endeavored　to　lay　down　his　office　of　commissary。　　That；　however；
  was　a　favor　which　he　could　not　obtain。　　He　was　compelled　to　serve
  on　the　German　campaign　then　commencing；　and　on　the　subsequent　one
  of　Friedland　and　Eylau。　　Here　he　was　caught　in　some　one　of　the
  snares　laid　for　him；　first　trepanned　into　an　act　which　violated
  some　rule　of　the　service；　and　then　provoked　into　a　breach　of
  discipline　against　the　general　officer　who　had　thus　trepanned　him。
  Now　was　the　long…sought　opportunity　gained；　and　in　that　very
  quarter　of　Germany　best　fitted　for　improving　it。　　My　father　was
  thrown　into　prison　in　your　city；　subjected　to　the　atrocious
  oppression　of　your　jailer；　and　the　more　detestable　oppression　of
  your　local　laws。　　The　charges　against　him　were　thought　even　to
  affect　his　life；　and　he　was　humbled　into　suing　for　permission　to
  send　for　his　wife　and　children。　　Already；　to　his　proud　spirit；　it
  was　punishment　enough　that　he　should　be　reduced　to　sue　for　favor　to
  one　of　his　bitterest　foes。　　But　it　was　no　part　of　their　plan　to
  refuse　THAT。　　By　way　of　expediting　my　mother's　arrival；　a　military
  courier；　with　every　facility　for　the　journey；　was　forwarded　to　her
  without　delay。　　My　mother；　her　two　daughters；　and　myself；　were　then
  residing　in　Venice。　　I　had；　through　the　aid　of　my　father's
  connections　in　Austria；　been　appointed　in　the　imperial　service；　and
  held　a　high　commission　for　my　age。　　But；　on　my　father's　marching
  northward　with　the　French　army；　I　had　been　recalled　as　an
  indispensable　support　to　my　mother。　　Not　that　my　years　could　have
  made　me　such；　for　I　had　barely　accomplished　my　twelfth　year；　but　my
  premature　growth；　and　my　military　station；　had　given　me
  considerable　knowledge　of　the　world　and　presence　of　mind。
  〃Our　journey　I　pass　over；　but　as　I　approach　your　city；　that
  sepulcher　of　honor　and　happiness　to　my　poor　family；　my　heart　beats
  with　frantic　emotions。　　Never　do　I　see　that　venerable　dome　of　your
  minster　from　the　forest；　but　I　curse　its　form；　which　reminds　me　of
  what　we　then　surveyed　for　many　a　mile　as　we　traversed　the　forest。
  For　leagues　before　we　approached　the　city；　this　object　lay　before
  us　in　relief　upon　the　frosty　blue　sky；　and　still　it　seemed　never　to
  increase。　　Such　was　the　complaint　of　my　little　sister　Mariamne。
  Most　innocent　child！　would　that　it　never　had　increased　for　thy
  eyes；　but　remained　forever　at　a　distance！　　That　same　hour　began　the
  series　of　monstrous　indignities　which　terminated　the　career　of　my
  ill…fated　family。　　As　we　drew　up　to　the　city　gates；　the　officer　who
  inspected　the　passports；　finding　my　mother　and　sisters　described　as
  Jewesses；　which　in　my　mother's　ears　（reared　in　a　region　where　Jews
  are　not　dishonored）　always　sounded　a　title　of　distinction；　summoned
  a　subordinate　agent；　who　in　coarse　terms　demanded　his　toll。　　We
  presumed　this　to　be　a　road　tax　for　the　carriage　and　horses；　but　we
  were　quickly　undeceived；　a　small　sum　was　demanded　for　each　of　my
  sisters　and　my　mother；　as　for　so　many　head　of　cattle。　　I；　fancying
  some　mistake；　spoke　to　the　man　temperately；　and；　to　do　him　justice；
  he　did　not　seem　desirous　of　insulting　us；　but　he　produced　a　printed
  board；　on　which；　along　with　the　vilest　animals；　Jews　and　Jewesses
  were　rated　at　so　much　a　head。　　While　we　were　debating　the　point；
  the　officers　of　the　gate　wore　a　sneering　smile　upon　their　faces
  the　postilions　were　laughing　together；　and　this；　too；　in　the
  presence　of　three　creatures　whose　exquisite　beauty；　in　different
  styles；　agreeably　to　their　different　ages；　would　have　caused
  noblemen　to　have　fallen　down　and　worshiped。　　My　mother；　who　had
  never　yet　met　with　any　flagrant　insult　on　account　of　her　national
  distinctions；　was　too　much　shocked　to　be　capable　of　speaking。　　I
  whispered　to　her　a　few　words；　recalling　her　to　her　native　dignity
  of　mind；　paid　the　money；　and　we　drove　to　the　prison。　　But　the　hour
  was　past　at　which　we　could　be　admitted；　and；　as　Jewesses；　my　mother
  and　sisters　could　not　be　allowed　to　stay　in　the　city；　they　were　to
  go　into　the　Jewish　quarter；　a　part　of　the　suburb　set　apart　for
  Jews；　in　which　it　was　scarcely　possible　to　obtain　a　lodging
  tolerably　clean。　　My　father；　on　the　next　day；　we　found；　to　our
  horror；　at　the　point　of　death。　　To　my　mother　he　did　not　tell　the
  worst　of　what　he　had　endured。　　To　me　he　told　that；　driven　to
  madness　by　the　insults　offered　to　him；　he　had　upbraided　the　court…
  martial　with　their　corrupt　propensities；　and　had　even　mentioned
  that　overtures　had　been　made　to　him　for　quashing　the　proceedings　in
  return　for　a　sum　of　two　millions　of　francs；　and　that　his　sole
  reason　for　not　entertaining　the　proposal　was　his　distrust　of　those
  who　made　it。　　'They　would　have　taken　my　money；'　said　he；　'and　then
  found　a　pretext　for　putting　me　to　death；　that　I　might　tell　no
  secrets。'　　This　was　too　near　the　truth　to　be　tolerated；　in　concert
  with　the　local　authorities；　the　military　enemies　of　my　father
  conspired　against　himwitnesses　were　suborned；　and；　finally；　under
  some　antiquated　law　of　the　place；　he　was　subjected；　in　secret；　to　a
  mode　of　torture　which　still　lingers　in　the　east　of　Europe。
  〃He　sank　under　the　torture　and　the　degradation。　　I；　too；
  thoughtlessly；　but　by　a　natural　movement　of　filial　indignation；
  suffered　the　truth　to　escape　me　in　conversing　with　my　mother。　　And
  she；but　I　will　preserve　the　regular　succession　of　things。　　My
  father　died；　but　he　had　taken　such　measures；　in　concert　with　me；
  that　his　enemies　should　never　benefit　by　his　property。　　Meantime　my
  mother　and　sisters　had　closed　my　father's　eyes；　had　attended　his
  remains　to　the　grave；　and　in　every　act　connected　with　this　last　sad
  rite　had　met　with　insults　and　degradations　too　mighty　for　human
  patience。　　My　mother；　now　become　incapable　of　self…command；　in　the
  fury　of　her　righteous　grief；　publicly　and　in　court　denounced　the
  conduct　of　the　magistracytaxed　some　of　them　with　the　vilest
  proposals　to　herselftaxed　them　as　a　body　with　having　used
  instruments　of　torture　upon　my　father；　and；　finally；　accused　them
  of　collusion　with　the　French　military　oppressors　of　the　district。
  This　last　was　a　charge　under　which　they　quailed；　for　by　that　time
  the　French　had　made　themselves　odious　to　all　who　retained　a　spark
  of　patriotic　feeling。　　My　heart　sank　within　me　when　I　looked　up　at
  the　bench；　this　tribunal　of　tyrants；　all　purple　or　livid　with　rage；
  when　I　looked　at　them　alternately　and　at　my　noble　mother　with　her
  weeping　daughtersthese　so　powerless；　those　so　basely　vindictive；
  and　locally　so　omnipotent。　　Willingly　I　would　have　sacrificed　all
  my　wealth　for　a　simple　permission　to　quit　this　infernal　city　with
  my　poor　female　relations　safe　and　undishonored。　　But　far　other　were
  the　intentions　of　that　incensed　magistracy。　　My　mother　was
  arrested；　charged　with　some　offense　equal　to　petty　treason；　or
  scandalum　magnatum；　or　the　sowing　of　sedition；　and；　though　what　she
  said　was　true；　where；　alas！　was　she　to　look　for　evidence？　　Here　was
  seen　the　want　of　gentlemen。　　Gentlemen；　had　they　been　even　equally
  tyrannical；　would　have　recoiled　with　shame　from　taking　vengeance　on
  a　woman。　　And　what　a　vengeance！　　O　heavenly　powers！　that　I　should
  live　to　mention　such　a　thing！　　Man　that　is　born　of　woman；　to
  inflict　upon　woman　personal　scourging　on　the　bare　back；　and　through
  the　streets　at　noonday！　　Even　for　Christian　women　the　punishment
  was　severe　which　the　laws　assigned　to　the　offense　in　question。　　But
  for　Jewesses；　by　one　of　the　ancient　laws　against　that　persecuted
  people；　far　heavier　and　more　degrading　punishments　were　annexed　to
  almost　every　offense。　　What　else　could　be　looked　for　in　a　city
  which　welcomed　its　Jewish　guests　by　valuing　them　at　its　gates　as
  brute　beasts？　　Sentence　was　passed；　and　the　punishment　was　to　be
  inflicted　on　two　separate　days；　with　an　interval　between　each
  doubtless　to　prolong　the　tortures　of　mind；　but　under　a　vile
  pretense　of　alleviating　the　physical　torture。　　Three　days　after
  would　come　the　first　day　of　punishment。　　My　mother　spent　the　time
  in　reading　her　native　Scriptures；　she　spent　it　in　prayer　and　in
  musing；　while　her　daughters　clung　and　wept　around　her　day　and
  nightgroveling　on　the　ground　at　the　feet　of　any　people　in
  authority　that　entered　their　mother's　cell。　　That　same　interval
  how　was　it　passed　by　me？　　Now　mark；　my　friend。　　Every　man　in
  office；　or　that　could　be　presumed　to　bear　the　slightest　influence；
  every　wife；　mother；　sister；　daughter　of　such　men；　I　besieged
  morning；　noon；　and　night。　　I　wearied　them　with　my　supplications。　　I
  humbled　myself　to　the　dust；　I；　the　haughtiest　of　God's　creatures；
  knelt　and　prayed　to　them