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The Jewish Trinity
by
‘Then why do you pray for it–“speedily and in our days”?’
Sir Asher glared at the bold questioner.
‘That seems a worse waste of breath,’ added Barstein drily.
‘I said you were a mocker,’ said Sir Asher severely. ‘It is a Divine event I pray for–not the creation of a Ghetto.’
‘A Ghetto!’ Barstein groaned in sheer hopelessness. ‘Yes, you’re an anti-Semite too–like your daughter, like your son, like all of us. We’re all anti-Semites.’
‘I an anti-Semite! Ho! ho! ho!’ Sir Asher’s anger broke down in sheer amusement. ‘I have made every allowance for your excitement,’ he said, recovering his magisterial note. ‘I was once in love myself. But when it comes to calling me an anti-Semite, it is obvious you are not in a fit state to continue this interview. Indeed, I no longer wonder that you think yourself the Messiah.’
‘Even if I do, our tradition only makes the Messiah a man; somebody some day will have to win your belief. But what I said was that God acts through man.’
‘Ah yes,’ said Sir Asher good-humouredly. ‘Three-in-one and one-in-three.’
‘And why not?’ said Barstein with a flash of angry intuition. ‘Aren’t you a trinity yourself?’
‘Me?’ Sir Asher was now quite sure of the sculptor’s derangement.
‘Yes–the Briton, the Jew, and the anti-Semite–three-in-one and one-in-three.’
Sir Asher touched one of the electric bells with a jerk. He was quite alarmed.
Barstein turned white with rage at his dismissal. Never would he marry into these triune tribes. ‘And it’s the same in every land where we’re emancipated, as it is called,’ he went on furiously. ‘The Jew’s a patriot everywhere, and a Jew everywhere and an anti-Semite everywhere. Passionate Hungarians, and true-born Italians, eagle-waving Americans, and loyal Frenchmen, imperial Germans, and double Dutchmen, we are dispersed to preach the Unity, and what we illustrate is the Jewish trinity. A delicious irony! Three-in-one and one-in-three.’ He laughed; to Sir Asher his laugh sounded maniacal. The old gentleman was relieved to see his stalwart doorkeeper enter.
Barstein turned scornfully on his heel. ‘Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance,’ he ended grimly.