``FromtheDisinheritedKnight，’’saidGurth，``victorinthisday’stournament。ItisthepriceofthearmoursuppliedtohimbyKirjathJairamofLeicester，onthyrecommendation。Thesteedisrestoredtothystable。IdesiretoknowtheamountofthesumwhichIamtopayforthearmour。’’
``Isaidhewasagoodyouth！’’exclaimedIsaacwithjoyfulexultation。``Acupofwinewilldotheenoharm，’’headded，fillingandhandingtotheswineherdaricherdroughtthanGurthhadeverbeforetasted。”Andhowmuchmoney，’’continuedIsaac，``hasthoubroughtwiththee?’’
``HolyVirgin！’’saidGurth，settingdownthecup，``whatnectartheseunbelievingdogsdrink，whiletrueChristiansarefaintoquaffaleasmuddyandthickasthedraffwegivetohogs！——WhatmoneyhaveIbroughtwithme?’’continuedtheSaxon，whenhehadfinishedthisuncivilejaculation，``evenbutasmallsum；somethinginhandthewhilst。What，Isaac！thoumustbearaconscience，thoughitbeaJewishone。’’
``Nay，but，’’saidIsaac，``thymasterhaswongoodlysteedsandricharmourswiththestrengthofhislance，andofhisrighthand——but’tisagoodyouth——theJewwilltaketheseinpresentpayment，andrenderhimbackthesurplus。’’
``Mymasterhasdisposedofthemalready，’’saidGurth。
``Ah！thatwaswrong，’’saidtheJew，``thatwasthepartofafool。NoChristiansherecouldbuysomanyhorsesandarmour——noJewexceptmyselfwouldgivehimhalfthevalues。Butthouhastahundredzecchinswiththeeinthatbag，’’saidIsaac，pryingunderGurth’scloak，``itisaheavyone。’’
``Ihaveheadsforcross-bowboltsinit，’’saidGurth，readily。
``Well，then’’——saidIsaac，pantingandhesitatingbetweenhabitualloveofgainandanew-borndesiretobeliberalinthepresentinstance，``ifIshouldsaythatIwouldtakeeightyzecchinsforthegoodsteedandthericharmour，whichleavesmenotaguilder’sprofit，haveyoumoneytopayme?’’
``Barely，’’saidGurth，thoughthesumdemandedwasmorereasonablethanheexpected，``anditwillleavemymasternighpenniless。Nevertheless，ifsuchbeyourleastoffer，Imustbecontent。’’
``Fillthyselfanothergobletofwine，’’saidtheJew。``Ah！eightyzecchinsistoolittle。Itleavethnoprofitfortheusagesofthemoneys；and，besides，thegoodhorsemayhavesufferedwronginthisday’sencounter。O，itwasahardandadangerousmeeting！manandsteedrushingoneachotherlikewildbullsofBashan！Thehorsecannotbuthavehadwrong。’’
``AndIsay，’’repliedGurth，``heissound，windandlimb；andyoumayseehimnow，inyourstable。
AndIsay，overandabove，thatseventyzecchinsisenoughforthearmour，andIhopeaChristian’swordisasgoodasaJew’s。Ifyouwillnottakeseventy，Iwillcarrythisbag’’andheshookittillthecontentsjingled``backtomymaster。’’
``Nay，nay！’’saidIsaac；``laydownthetalents——theshekels——theeightyzecchins，andthoushaltseeIwillconsidertheeliberally。’’
Gurthatlengthcomplied；andtellingouteightyzecchinsuponthetable，theJewdeliveredouttohimanacquittanceforthehorseandsuitofarmour。
TheJew’shandtrembledforjoyashewrappedupthefirstseventypiecesofgold。Thelasttenhetoldoverwithmuchdeliberation，pausing，andsayingsomethingashetookeachpiecefromthetable，anddroptitintohispurse。Itseemedasifhisavaricewerestrugglingwithhisbetternature，andcompellinghimtopouchzecchinafterzecchinwhilehisgenerosityurgedhimtorestoresomepartatleasttohisbenefactor，orasadonationtohisagent。
Hiswholespeechrannearlythus：
``Seventy-one——seventy-two；thymasterisagoodyouth——seventy-three，anexcellentyouth——
seventy-four——thatpiecehathbeencliptwithinthering——seventy-five——andthatlookethlightofweight——seventy-six——whenthymasterwantsmoney，lethimcometoIsaacofYork——seventy-seven——thatis，withreasonablesecurity。’’Herehemadeaconsiderablepause，andGurthhadgoodhopethatthelastthreepiecesmightescapethefateoftheircomrades；
buttheenumerationproceeded——``Seventy-eight——
thouartagoodfellow——seventy-nine——
anddeservestsomethingforthyself——’’
HeretheJewpausedagain，andlookedatthelastzecchin，intending，doubtless，tobestowituponGurth。Heweighedituponthetipofhisfinger，andmadeitringbydroppingituponthetable。
Haditrungtooflat，orhaditfeltahair’sbreadthtoolight，generosityhadcarriedtheday；but，unhappilyforGurth，thechimewasfullandtrue，thezecchinplump，newlycoined，andagrainaboveweight。Isaaccouldnotfindinhishearttopartwithit，sodroptitintohispurseasifinabsenceofmind，withthewords，``Eightycompletesthetale，andItrustthymasterwillrewardtheehandsomely——
Surely，’’headded，lookingearnestlyatthebag，``thouhastmorecoinsinthatpouch?’’
Gurthgrinned，whichwashisnearestapproachtoalaugh，ashereplied，``Aboutthesamequantitywhichthouhastjusttoldoversocarefully。’’
Hethenfoldedthequittance，andputitunderhiscap，adding，——``Perilofthyheard，Jew，seethatthisbefullandample！’’Hefilledhimselfunbidden，athirdgobletofwine，andlefttheapartmentwithoutceremony。
``Rebecca，’’saidtheJew，``thatIshmaelitehathgonesomewhatbeyondme。Neverthelesshismasterisagoodyouth——ay，andIamwellpleasedthathehathgainedshekelsofgoldandshekelsofsilver，evenbythespeedofhishorseandbythestrengthofhislance，which，likethatofGoliaththePhilistine，mightviewithaweaver’sbeam。’’
AsheturnedtoreceiveRebecca’sanswer，heobserved，thatduringhischatteringwithGurth，shehadlefttheapartmentunperceived。
Inthemeanwhile，Gurthhaddescendedthestair，and，havingreachedthedarkantechamberorhall，waspuzzlingabouttodiscovertheentrance，whenafigureinwhite，shownbyasmallsilverlampwhichsheheldinherhand，beckonedhimintoasideapartment。Gurthhadsomereluctancetoobeythesummons。Roughandimpetuousasawildboar，whereonlyearthlyforcewastobeapprehended，hehadallthecharacteristicterrorsofaSaxonrespectingfawns，forest-fiends，whitewomen，andthewholeofthesuperstitionswhichhisancestorshadbroughtwiththemfromthewildsofGermany。
Heremembered，moreover，thathewasinthehouseofaJew，apeoplewho，besidestheotherunamiablequalitieswhichpopularreportascribedtothem，weresupposedtobeprofoundnecromancersandcabalists。Nevertheless，afteramoment’spause，heobeyedthebeckoningsummonsoftheapparition，andfollowedherintotheapartmentwhichsheindicated，wherehefoundtohisjoyfulsurprisethathisfairguidewasthebeautifulJewesswhomhehadseenatthetournament，andashorttimeinherfather’sapartment。
SheaskedhimtheparticularsofhistransactionwithIsaac，whichhedetailedaccurately。
``Myfatherdidbutjestwiththee，goodfellow，’’
saidRebecca；``heowesthymasterdeeperkindnessthanthesearmsandsteedcouldpay，weretheirvaluetenfold。Whatsumdidstthoupaymyfatherevennow?’’
``Eightyzecchins，’’saidGurth，surprisedatthequestion。
``Inthispurse，’’saidRebecca，``thouwiltfindahundred。Restoretothymasterthatwhichishisdue，andenrichthyselfwiththeremainder。Haste——begone——staynottorenderthanks！andbewarehowyoupassthroughthiscrowdedtown，wherethoumaysteasilyloseboththyburdenandthylife——Reuben，’’sheadded，clappingherhandstogether，``lightforththisstranger，andfailnottodrawlockandbarbehindhim。’’
Reuben，adark-brow’dandblack-beardedIsraelite，obeyedhersummons，withatorchinhishand；
undidtheoutwarddoorofthehouse，andconductingGurthacrossapavedcourt，lethimoutthroughawicketintheentrance-gate，whichheclosedbehindhimwithsuchboltsandchainsaswouldwellhavebecomethatofaprison。
``ByStDunstan，’’saidGurth，ashestumbledupthedarkavenue，``thisisnoJewess，butanangelfromheaven！Tenzecchinsfrommybraveyoungmaster——twentyfromthispearlofZion——Oh，happyday！——Suchanother，Gurth，willredeemthybondage，andmaketheeabrotherasfreeofthyguildasthebest。AndthendoIlaydownmyswineherd’shornandstaff，andtakethefreeman’sswordandbuckler，andfollowmyyoungmastertothedeath，withouthidingeithermyfaceormyname。’’
CHAPTERXI
_1stOutlaw_。Stand，sir，andthrowusthatyouhaveaboutyou；
Ifnot，we’llmakeyousit，andrifleyou。
_Speed_。Sir，weareundone！thesearethevillainsThatallthetravellersdofearsomuch。
_Val_。Myfriends，——
_1stOut_。That’snotso，sir，weareyourenemies。
_2dOut_。Peace！we’llhearhim。
_3dOut_。Ay，bymybeard，willwe；
Forhe’saproperman。
_TwoGentlemenofVerona_。
ThenocturnaladventuresofGurthwerenotyetconcluded；indeedhehimselfbecamepartlyofthatmind，when，afterpassingoneortwostragglinghouseswhichstoodintheoutskirtsofthevillage，hefoundhimselfinadeeplane，runningbetweentwobanksovergrownwithhazelandholly，whilehereandthereadwarfoakflungitsarmsaltogetheracrossthepath。Thelanewasmoreovermuchruttedandbrokenupbythecarriageswhichhadrecentlytransportedarticlesofvariouskindstothetournament；anditwasdark，forthebanksandbushesinterceptedthelightoftheharvestmoon。
Fromthevillagewereheardthedistantsoundsofrevelry，mixedoccasionallywithloudlaughter，sometimesbrokenbyscreams，andsometimesbywildstrainsofdistantmusic。Allthesesounds，intimatingthedisorderlystateofthetown，crowdedwithmilitarynoblesandtheirdissoluteattendants，gaveGurthsomeuneasiness。``TheJewesswasright，’’hesaidtohimself。``ByheavenandStDunstan，IwouldIweresafeatmyjourney’sendwithallthistreasure！Herearesuchnumbers，I
willnotsayofarrantthieves，butoferrantknightsanderrantsquires，errantmonksanderrantminstrels，errantjugglersanderrantjesters，thatamanwithasinglemerkwouldbeindanger，muchmoreapoorswineherdwithawholebagfulofzecchins。
WouldIwereoutoftheshadeoftheseinfernalbushes，thatImightatleastseeanyofStNicholas’sclerksbeforetheyspringonmyshoulders。’’
Gurthaccordinglyhastenedhispace，inordertogaintheopencommontowhichthelaneled，butwasnotsofortunateastoaccomplishhisobject。
Justashehadattainedtheupperendofthelane，wheretheunderwoodwasthickest，fourmensprunguponhim，evenashisfearsanticipated，twofromeachsideoftheroad，andseizedhimsofast，thatresistance，ifatfirstpracticable，wouldhavebeennowtoolate——``Surrenderyourcharge，’’saidoneofthem；``wearethedeliverersofthecommonwealth，whoeaseeverymanofhisburden。’’
``Youshouldnoteasemeofminesolightly，’’
mutteredGurth，whosesurlyhonestycouldnotbetamedevenbythepressureofimmediateviolence，——``hadIitbutinmypowertogivethreestrokesinitsdefence。’’