" The young Jewesses called out all at once: "The Danish woman I
The Danish woman! We are Danish!" They were irritated at the dead
Romanticism into which Goldschmidt was trying to push them back. They
lighted no Sabbath candles! they did not feel themselves Jewish either
by religion or nationality. The day of Antisemitism had not arrived.
Consequently there was still no Zionist Movement. They had also often
felt vexed at the descriptions that Goldschmidt in his novels frequently
gave of modern Jews, whose manners and mode of expression he screwed
back fifty years.
These cries, which really had nothing offensive about them, made
Goldschmidt lose his temper to such an extent that he shouted, in great
exasperation: "Will you keep silence while I speak! What manners are
these! I will teach you to keep silence!" and so forth,--which evoked a
storm of laughter. He continued for some time to rebuke their exuberant
mirth in severe terms, but was so unsuccessful that he broke off his
speech and, very much out of humour, sat down.
Not long afterwards, perhaps in the year 1865, I came into contact with
Goldschmidt once only, when walking one evening with Magdalene Thoresen.
On meeting this lady, whom he knew, he turned round, walking with her as
far as her house on the shores of the Lakes, after which his way led
towards the town, as did mine.
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