Recovering himself sufficiently to speak, he
says: "The oxen and the asses have been captured by a foraging party
of Sabeans, and all the servants are butchered except myself." Another
messenger is coming. He says that the sheep and the shepherds have
been struck by lightning. Another messenger is coming. He says that
the Chaldeans have come and captured the camels, and killed all but
himself. Another messenger, who says: "While thy sons and daughters
were at the feast, a hurricane struck the corner of the tent, and they
are all dead!" But his misfortunes are not yet completed. The old man
is smitten with the elephantiasis, or black leprosy. Tumors from head
to foot; face distorted; forehead ridged with offensive tubercles;
eyelashes fall out; nostrils excoriated; voice destroyed; intolerable
exhalation from the whole body; until, with none to dress his sores,
he sits down in the ashes, with nothing but broken pieces of pottery
to use in the surgery of his wounds. At this point, when he needed
all consolation and encouragement, his wife comes to him, and says,
virtually: "This is intolerable! Our property gone, our children
slain, and now this loathsome, disgusting disease is upon you.
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