"Pearl-Maiden: A tale of the fall of Jerusalem"
This is the story of Miriam (aka the Queen of the Essenes, or the Pearl-Maiden), daughter of Rachel and Demas. It is one of Haggard’s longest works.
It begins with Rachel, daughter of Benoni, and her attendant Nehushta, sentenced to the lions at Caesarea as a Christian. It is in the era of Agrippa King of all Palestine, and Claudius, Caesar Augustus. They join some hundred other condemned Christians, including an (unnamed) bishop and Anna, a prophetess.
Rachel is the widow of Demas, a Graeco-Syrian merchant, who was killed by gladiators in the amphitheatre at Berytrus. He too was a Christian, and both husband and wife were condemned at the instigation of Benoni, her father, an ultra-othodox Jew (as he might be described now).
Nehushta (or ‘Nou’ for short), is of chiefly Arab blood, and from the Libyan coast, from which she was kidnapped as a girl by Jewish slavers. She passed thence to Phoenicians, and sold at slave market at Tyre, and was bought by Benoni of Tyre (aka Benoni the Jew), for his wife Miriam. Nurse and servant to Miriam, her daughter Rachel and grand-daughter Miriam.
King Agrippa is happy to execute anyone to please the Jews and to uphold the dignity of Claudius. However, when he arrives at the amphitheatre to declare the games open, the bishop is addressing the crowd and has prophesied doom to Jerusalem and to Agrippa himself. This is seconded by Anna (who had previously given a similar prophecy to Rachel, but said that her unborn child – and Nehusta – would survive to live out their lives).
Agrippa declares the games upon, and immediately collapses with some indeterminate but serious illness – of which he later dies. Many of the condemned Christians manage to escape in the confusion, after Nehushta stabs the doorkeeper Florus, an apostate Christian.
Rachel and Nehushta hide in a grain store, where they are discovered by Amram, Phoenician merchant of Tyre. He agrees to help them to escape to Tyre, and arranges passage for them in a ship. The vessel meets bad weather, and the crew, leaving Rachel and Nehushta behind because they think that, as Christians, they are responsible for the weather, abandon ship. They are drowned when the ships’ boat capsizes. The vessel is safely beached on the Syrian coast. Rachel’s daughter is now born, and she dies, after making Nehushta promise that she will make sure that Miriam, as the baby is named, will be brought up as a Christian.
On the instructions of Rachel, Nehushta travels to the village of the Essenes, in the valley of the Jordan, where lives Ithiel the Essene, (great-)uncle of Miriam, brother to Miriam wife of Benoni. The Essenes adopt Miriam as their collective ward.
As Miriam gets older so she is taught by the Essenes. One of her subjects is sculpture, of which she becomes quite proficient. She is also taught languages, which later becomes useful. The Essenes allow her to be brought up as a Christian.
The only companion of her own age is Caleb, son of Hilliel, a wealthy merchant killed by the Jews because he was a supporter of Rome. He becomes enamoured of Miriam, but she doesn’t particularly care for him because of his temper and ambition, and of course he is a Jew (although an acolyte of the Essenes).
Caleb shoots a servant of the High Priest, who had seized grain as tribute for the temple at Jerusalem. He is not caught, but Miriam and Nehushta suspect him. The governor sends Marcus, a Roman officer, to investigate. He concludes that Caleb is responsible, but promises Miriam to not expose him. Caleb attacks Marcus and looses a finger in a sword-fight. Miriam and Marcus fall in love, but the problem of Marcus being a pagan means that Miriam cannot marry him. Caleb runs away – which doesn’t surprise anyone because he is now widely suspected of having been the assassin.
Miriam sculpts a marble bust of Marcus, while he is in the Essenes village, and he takes this with him when he returns to Rome. He now inherits the large fortune of his uncle Caius, pro-consul, who had wrung it out of the Spaniards. Unfortunately, Nero sees the statue, and is enthusiastic – more so when he is told the sculptress is an eastern girl. Marcus tells him she is dead, in order to prevent him ordering her immediate departure for Rome. When he is told she was a Christian Nero orders a cessation in his persecutions, for a time. Marcus cannot leave Rome as Nero makes him attend twice a week at a public showing of the bust.
Meanwhile, Miriam has turned 18, at which age she was required to leave the Essenes community, because they are not permitted to have female members. In fact, this time had passed a year before, but they were loath to let her go. It is decided that Miriam will go to her uncle Benoni, in Tyre.
Benoni is delighted to find Miriam – he knew Rachel died in the ship, but didn’t know about her daughter. In his old age he regretted somewhat his actions which led to the deaths of his daughter and son-in-law. Miriam and Benoni live happily enough in Benoni’s palace in Tyre, except that Miriam cannot forget Marcus.
Marcus sends a letter to Miriam, via an under officer of his, Captain Gallus, along with a pearl necklace of great value. This is delivered to Miriam when she sits in the garden of the palace on the mainland – the palace itself is on an island.
Meanwhile, there are plots among the Jews to rebel against Rome – in which plots Benoni takes a large part. At one of the meetings of conspirators, held at Benoni’s palace, Caleb appears. He had travelled to Jerusalem, where he had successfully petitioned the governor to restore his father’s estates to him, wrongfully seized by various Jews. The governor is happy to do this, keeping merely half for himself. Caleb is now rich, and has ambitions of ruling Judea. Miriam warns both Benoni and Caleb to abandon their plotting.
The rebellion breaks out. The Romans encourage the Syrians, Phoenicians and others to kill Jews, which they do readily enough. The fighting reaches Tyre, and most of the Jews in the city are massacred, the survivors taking refuge in Benoni’s palace, which was a fortress. Just as the besiegers are about to take the place a galley rows up – Caleb to the rescue. Miriam, Nehushta and Benoni are rescued, most of their servants and followers cannot escape in time.
They sale to Jerusalem, to go to Mathias, the High Priest, a cousin of Benoni. Unfortunately, the rebellious Jews, rather than fighting the Romans, are killing one another, and Caleb and Benoni are separated from the other two by one of the sally’s of opposing factions. Miriam and Nehushta fall in with some Essenes, who have fled to Jerusalem because their village has been sacked. They are now hiding in some underground chambers, part of the quarry used by Solomon in building the temple, and partly a disused water cistern. They have stores of food, and only venture out to seek tiding of what passes. On one such expedition Ithiel and one other see Miriam and Nehushta, who are taken into their protection.
Meanwhile Benoni has been elected a member of the Sanhedrim, following the deaths of Mathias, his sons, and twelve members of the Sanhedrim, in factional fighting. The Romans now arrive in force, led by Titus Caesar, son of the emperor Vespasian. The Roman eagles, the ‘abomination of desolation’, surround the city.
Miriam doesn’t particularly like staying in the caverns, so is allowed to pass the days on top of a bricked-up tower, which is above one of two secret entrances to their shelter. From this vantage point Miriam and Nehushta see Marcus, now a prefect of horse of Titus’ bodyguard, in battle with Caleb, now one of the principle Jewish leaders.
The fighting rages around the tower. Nehushta wants Miriam to leave the tower before one or other of the parties decide to use it for some military purpose. But too late, the Jews break down the bricked up door. They do not climb the stairs, though, for fear the Romans might trap them there. But they use the base as a store – and as a place to lay the wounded.
Marcus is wounded by Caleb, and despite an attempt by his squadron to rescue him, he is taken by the Jews. As he is seriously injured he is placed in the base of the tower. Miriam decides to try to rescue him. They creep down the stairs, open the secret door which leads to the catacombs, and drag the semi-conscious Marcus through. The Jewish guard outside the door thinks he hears something, and comes to investigate. Miriam leaves the door, which she has to hold open, and dashes the guard’s lantern from his hands. But he grabs her before she can fly through the hidden door. This now closes behind her, and cannot be opened from the inside without the key, which Miriam throws away so as to prevent the Jews from passing.
The Jews are furious that the Roman has got away – though Miriam won’t tell them how she rescued him. Meanwhile Nehushta and Marcus are trying to open the door from the other side. But as it is three feet thick, and of solid stone, they don’t have any success. The Essenes look after Marcus, who is ill for some time – as a result of the head wound he received from Caleb, and from a stab to the knee, which cripples him for some months. Even when he recovers he is unsure what to do, since it is shameful for a Roman to fall into the hands of the enemy – even though that was only temporary. Titus has also declared that such an error would also be punishable with death.
Miriam is taken to the leaders of the Jews. The Romans now control most of the city, and invest closely those parts still in the hands of the Jews. There is now famine – though the Essenes are well enough fed. But they have to be careful lest their relative plumpness should excite suspicion. From time to time one of their number is captured, and forced to reveal the hiding place of their food. The prison room where Miriam is placed houses one such Essene, Theophilus, former language tutor to Miriam, and past president of the Essenes. He has been tortured and starved, but has not revealed the hiding place of the Essenes. He dies.
Although almost the only part of the city now remaining to the Jews is the temple. Despite their preoccupation with the fighting, the Sanhedrim still has time to try Miriam for treason in allowing a Roman officer to escape. Although Benoni tries to save her, he is outvoted, and is forced by Simeon, henchman of Simon the Zealot, the leading member of the Sanhedrim, to condemn her. He is horrified that, having led to the deaths of his daughter and son-in-law, he has to condemn his grand-daughter as well. However, because of Benoni’s pleading the usual sentence of crucifixion on the walls of the temple, is altered. She will be chained to the marble pillar on top of the central gate of the temple, the Gate Nicanor. This is done.
The temple itself is now on fire, as a result of a Roman soldier throwing a burning torch through a window. The Romans, who want to save the temple, try to put the fire out, but the Jews get in the way. Benoni throws himself into the fires rather than be captured, having first looked with regret towards where Miriam is lying, dead as he thinks.
Eventually the fire burns out, but in the meantime Miriam has suffered as a result of exposure to the heat of the fire, and the summer sun, for 2-3 days without water. She is rescued however by the Romans, ironically enough by the same Gallus who had brought her a message from Marcus some years earlier. Simeon is left in her place. Caleb escapes and assumes the identity of Demetrius, an Alexandrian merchant.
Miriam is counted as part of the spoils of the fallen city, and is handed over to Gallus for safekeeping. She will be sent to Rome to forms part of Titus’ triumph, and then sold for the benefit of the poor of Rome and deserving soldiers wounded in the war. Because he is wounded in the fighting, Gallus is to go back to Rome earlier than the rest of the army, in charge of some plunder and wounded soldiers. They camp in what was the garden of Benoni’s palace at Tyre. Miriam, whose mind has hitherto wandered, comes to her senses. Gallus tells him that no one knows what has happened to Marcus, and that she will be sold to the highest bidder once Titus’ triumph is held.
Miriam persuades Gallus to send a slave to locate any Christian or Essene still in Jerusalem, to tell them her fate. The slave finds an Essene, who says that the others have gone – with Marcus – back to their old village. Marcus is kept a prisoner, as a safeguard in case the Romans decide to attack the Essenes village.
Miriam and Gallus arrive in Rome, and Miriam is handed over to Julia, Gallus’ wife, who is secretly a Christian. Marcus and Nehushta learn that Miriam is in Rome, and persuade the council of the Essenes – including the aged Ithiel, who is on his deathbed – to allow Marcus to depart to rescue Miriam by bidding for her at auction. He promises the Essenes that if he can manage to buy her he will give her her freedom, and won’t compel her to marry him.
Meanwhile, back in Rome, Prince Domitian, brother of Titus, son of Vespasian, has seen Miriam, and is angered that Titus refuses to hand her over to him. Vespasian backs Titus – after all, as the victor, it is for him to decide what to do with any captives. Domitian announces that he will bid for Miriam – the Pearl-Maiden as the Roman’s call her because of Marcus’ pearls which she still wears – and that it would go ill for anyone who tried to outbid him. Titus decides that whoever buys Miriam will get the remainder to her grand-father’s properties in Tyre, as well as the necklace, so she is sure to go for a good price. The auctioneer asserts that the necklace is worth 100 sestertia.
On the eve of the triumph Miriam is visited by Bishop Cyril (aka Septimus, a master-carpenter).
The triumph is held, complete with slaves muttering "respice post te, hominem memento te". One of the captives with Miriam is Simon, son of Gioras, the leading Jewish general who was captured. He is led away to execution after the triumph concludes. Meanwhile, as Miriam passes a palace on the processional route – one which appears to be closed – she sees the face of Nehushta at the window. Marcus and Nehushta have just that day arrived at Rome, where they discover Marcus had been assumed to be dead. The house is shut up and only Stephanus, his steward, and one slave, are living there – the others have been sold or sent to Marcus’s country estates until the heir can be identified.
Marcus asks Stephanus if there is any money in the house, and Stephanus replies, in one of the more amusing passages, "Money? I have so much of it that I know not what to do. The strong place you know of is almost full of gold and still it comes".
The auction is held. Most slaves go for 15-60 sestertia (which Haggard renders as £120-£480). For Miriam, the bidding starts at 50, and soon reaches such heights that there are only two bidders – Caleb (as Demetrius), and Saturius, Domitian’s factor. Saturius has been told he can bid anything up to 1,000 sestertia (£1,000). Caleb’s highest bid is 1,400. Saturius bids 1,500, but cannot go any higher – but Nehushta (in disguise), now offers 2,000 sestertia. The auctioneer is incredulous, but accepts the bid. They then go into the counting house, where Nehushta opens a heavy basket she has been carrying to disclose gold. Stephanus, in disguise as a slave, has a similar basket. The auctioneer is paid, and Miriam, Nehushta, and Stephanus slip away to Marcus’s house. They are followed however by Caleb, who discovers that Marcus is still alive, and that it was he who provided the money.
Marcus tells Miriam that he has bought her, but that she is free. Miriam again tells him that they cannot marry as he is not a Christian. Miriam and Nehushta return to Gallus’ house, and then to Cyril, who arranges for Miriam to take a job making lamps.
Caleb is more than ever desirous of revenge on Marcus, and arranges, through Saturius, that Marcus is arrested and charged with being captured alive by the enemy. Marcus asks to be tried by Titus, but he has withdrawn to a country villa for reasons of his health, leaving Domitian in charge of military matters. He is also keen on revenge, since he has discovered that it was Marcus who had the impertinence to outbid his agent. Marcus is convicted by Domitian’s packed court (mainly on the biased evidence of Caleb), but no sentence is passed since Marcus appeals to Titus, and any sentence must be confirmed by Vespasian. Meanwhile, Marcus is held in a private suite in the military prison near the Temple of Mars.
Marcus arranges for funds so that Cyril can purchase a small galley, the Luna, so that Miriam, Nehushta, and Gallus and Julia ca escape to Tyre. Miriam will not be safe from Domitian in Rome, and Gallus is unhappy that he is being spied upon all the time. They depart, but rumour – later apparently confirmed – reaches Cyril that the Luna has sunk with all hands. He tells Marcus, who he has been visiting regularly, both to keep him informed of Miriam, and to instruct him in Christian doctrine. Now that he thinks Miriam is dead, Marcus agrees to be baptised, who had declined previously for fear that it would be seen as just a device to win Miriam.
Titus, wanting to avoid a further breach with Domitian, decides that Marcus will be exiled for three years – and Vespasian confirms the sentence. However Caleb and Saturius arrange that Marcus will be waylaid and stabbed as he enters his house on the way back from the prison.
Caleb traces Miriam, recognising a scene depicted in one of the lamps Miriam has made. He visits her workshop, which has just closed, but is given directions to her residence. He confronts Miriam, and after a while tells her that he will not see her again, and will work to save Marcus . He returns to his apartment, and writes Marcus a letter – to be delivered after dawn. He then arrays himself as a Roman officer, and is himself stabbed by the hired ruffians.
Marcus gets back to his house, finding the body of Marcus, and reading the letter which is delivered subsequently. He decides to leave for exile immediately, heading for Alexandria with Bishop Cyril, who wanted to visit that city. They sail into the harbour after a difficult voyage, to see another ship tied up near. They hear a hymn being sung – so that ship’s crew and passengers must be Christian, and decide to visit them Miriam is among the passengers, along with Nehushta, Gallus and Julia, and the ship is the Luna – which was not sunk after all.
Cyril marries Marcus and Miriam about the ship with the passengers and crew looking on.
This is a long and – for Haggard – unusually complex novel, though it doesn't pall. It is also one of the stronger of his historical works, in that the historical period is fairly accurately depicted (and is not largely guesswork, as is "Elissa"). It is also largely devoid of the fantastic elements for which Haggard is so well known. Apart from a little prophecy there is nothing supernatural in the story - at least nothing that cannot be attributed to natural causes. "The Pearl-Maiden" has been described as a companion piece to the "Moon of Israel: A Tale of the Exodus" – which concerns the plagues of Egypt – and in a sense it is. But it is strongly influenced by Haggard's thoughts on the history of the early church – indeed, it is listed in a number of religious booksellers catalogues. This makes it something of a companion to "The World's Desire", an equally powerful story (and it would be so even for an athiest).
It is also typical Haggard with its high death-toll – "The city went mad beneath the weight of its abominable and obscene misery. Thousands perished every day, and every night thousands more escaped, or attempted to escape, to the Romans, who caught the poor wretches and crucified them beneath the walls, till there was no more wood of which to make the crosses, and no more ground whereon to stand them."