``Ay，Jew，’’saidPriorAymer；``kneeltoGod，asrepresentedintheservantofhisaltar，andwhoknows，withthysincererepentanceandduegiftstotheshrineofSaintRobert，whatgracethoumaystacquireforthyselfandthydaughterRebecca?I
grieveforthemaiden，forsheisoffairandcomelycountenance，——IbeheldherinthelistsofAshby。
AlsoBriandeBois-GuilbertisonewithwhomI
maydomuch——bethinktheehowthoumaystdeservemygoodwordwithhim。’’
``Alas！alas！’’saidtheJew，``oneveryhandthespoilersariseagainstme——IamgivenasapreyuntotheAssyrian，andapreyuntohimofEgypt。’’
``Andwhatelseshouldbethelotofthyaccursedrace?’’answeredthePrior；``forwhatsaithholywrit，_verbumDominiiprojecterunt，etsapientiaestnullaineis_——theyhavecastforththewordoftheLord，andthereisnowisdominthem；_proptereadabomuliereseorumexteris_——Iwillgivetheirwomentostrangers，thatistotheTemplar，asinthepresentmatter；_etthesauroseorumhredibusalienis_，andtheirtreasurestoothers——asinthepresentcasetothesehonestgentlemen。’’
Isaacgroaneddeeply，andbegantowringhishands，andtorelapseintohisstateofdesolationanddespair。Buttheleaderoftheyeomenledhimaside。
``Advisetheewell，Isaac，’’saidLocksley，``whatthouwiltdointhismatter；mycounseltotheeistomakeafriendofthischurchman。Heisvain，Isaac，andheiscovetous；atleastheneedsmoneytosupplyhisprofusion。Thoucansteasilygratifyhisgreed；forthinknotthatIamblindedbythypretextsofpoverty。Iamintimatelyacquainted，Isaac，withtheveryironchestinwhichthoudostkeepthymoney-bags——What！knowInotthegreatstonebeneaththeapple-tree，thatleadsintothevaultedchamberunderthygardenatYork?’’
TheJewgrewaspaleasdeath——``Butfearnothingfromme，’’continuedtheyeoman，``forweareofoldacquainted。DostthounotrememberthesickyeomanwhomthyfairdaughterRebeccaredeemedfromthegyvesatYork，andkepthiminthyhousetillhishealthwasrestored，whenthoudidstdismisshimrecovered，andwithapieceofmoney?——Usurerasthouart，thoudidstneverplacecoinatbetterinterestthanthatpoorsilvermark，forithasthisdaysavedtheefivehundredcrowns。’’
``AndthouarthewhomwecalledDicconBend-the-Bow?’’
saidIsaac；``IthoughteverIknewtheaccentofthyvoice。’’
``IamBend-the-Bow，’’saidtheCaptain，``andLocksley，andhaveagoodnamebesidesallthese。’’
``Butthouartmistaken，goodBend-the-Bow，concerningthatsamevaultedapartment。SohelpmeHeaven，asthereisnoughtinitbutsomemerchandiseswhichIwillgladlypartwithtoyou——
onehundredyardsofLincolngreentomakedoubletstothymen，andahundredstavesofSpanishyewtomakebows，andahundredsilkenbowstrings，tough，round，andsound——thesewillIsendtheeforthygood-will，honestDiccon，anthouwiltkeepsilenceaboutthevault，mygoodDiccon。’’
``Silentasadormouse，’’saidtheOutlaw；``andnevertrustmebutIamgrievedforthydaughter。
ButImaynothelpit——TheTemplarslancesaretoostrongformyarcheryintheopenfield——theywouldscatteruslikedust。HadIbutknownitwasRebeccawhenshewasborneoff，somethingmighthavebeendone；butnowthoumustneedsproceedbypolicy。Come，shallItreatfortheewiththePrior?’’
``InGod’sname，Diccon，anthoucanst，aidmetorecoverthechildofmybosom！’’
``Donotthouinterruptmewiththineill-timedavarice，’’saidtheOutlaw，``andIwilldealwithhiminthybehalf。’’
HethenturnedfromtheJew，whofollowedhim，however，ascloselyashisshadow。
``PriorAymer，’’saidtheCaptain，``comeapartwithmeunderthistree。Mensaythoudostlovewine，andalady’ssmile，betterthanbeseemsthyOrder，SirPriest；butwiththatIhavenoughttodo。Ihaveheard，too，thoudostloveabraceofgooddogsandafleethorse，anditmaywellbethat，lovingthingswhicharecostlytocomeby，thouhatestnotapurseofgold。ButIhaveneverheardthatthoudidstloveoppressionorcruelty——Now，hereisIsaacwillingtogivetheethemeansofpleasureandpastimeinabagcontainingonehundredmarksofsilver，ifthyintercessionwiththineallytheTemplarshallavailtoprocurethefreedomofhisdaughter。’’
``Insafetyandhonour，aswhentakenfromme，’’
saidtheJew，``otherwiseitisnobargain。’’
``Peace，Isaac，’’saidtheOutlaw，``orIgiveupthineinterest——Whatsayyoutothismypurpose，PriorAymer?’’
``Thematter，’’quoththePrior，``isofamixedcondition；for，ifIdoagooddealontheonehand，yet，ontheother，itgoethtothevantageofaJew，andinsomuchisagainstmyconscience。Yet，iftheIsraelitewilladvantagetheChurchbygivingmesomewhatovertothebuildingofourdortour，*
*_Dortour_，ordormitory。
Iwilltakeitonmyconsciencetoaidhiminthematterofhisdaughter。’’
``Forascoreofmarkstothedortour，’’saidtheOutlaw，——``Bestill，Isay，Isaac！——orforabraceofsilvercandlestickstothealtar，wewillnotstandwithyou。’’
``Nay，but，goodDicconBend-the-Bow’’——saidIsaac，endeavouringtointerpose。
``GoodJew——goodbeast——goodearthworm！’’
saidtheyeoman，losingpatience；``anthoudostgoontoputthyfilthylucreinthebalancewiththydaughter’slifeandhonour，byHeaven，Iwillstriptheeofeverymaravedithouhastintheworld，beforethreedaysareout！’’
Isaacshrunktogether，andwassilent。
``AndwhatpledgeamItohaveforallthis?’’
saidthePrior。
``WhenIsaacreturnssuccessfulthroughyourmediation，’’saidtheOutlaw，``IswearbySaintHubert，Iwillseethathepaystheethemoneyingoodsilver，orIwillreckonwithhimforitinsuchsort，hehadbetterhavepaidtwentysuchsums。’’
``Wellthen，Jew，’’saidAymer，``sinceImustneedsmeddleinthismatter，letmehavetheuseofthywriting-tablets——though，hold——ratherthanusethypen，Iwouldfastfortwenty-fourhours，andwhereshallIfindone?’’
``IfyourholyscruplescandispensewithusingtheJew’stablets，forthepenIcanfindaremedy，’’
saidtheyeoman；and，bendinghisbow，heaimedhisshaftatawild-goosewhichwassoaringovertheirheads，theadvanced-guardofaphalanxofhistribe，whichwerewingingtheirwaytothedistantandsolitaryfensofHolderness。Thebirdcameflutteringdown，transfixedwiththearrow。
``There，Prior，’’saidtheCaptain，``arequillsenowtosupplyallthemonksofJorvaulxforthenexthundredyears，antheytakenottowritingchronicles。’’
ThePriorsatdown，andatgreatleisureinditedanepistletoBriandeBois-Guilbert，andhavingcarefullysealedupthetablets，deliveredthemtotheJew，saying，``Thiswillbethysafe-conducttothePreceptoryofTemplestowe，and，asIthink，ismostlikelytoaccomplishthedeliveryofthydaughter，ifitbewellbackedwithproffersofadvantageandcommodityatthineownhand；for，trustmewell，thegoodKnightBois-Guilbertisoftheirconfraternitythatdonoughtfornought。’’
``Well，Prior，’’saidtheOutlaw，``IwilldetaintheenolongerherethantogivetheJewaquittanceforthesixhundredcrownsatwhichthyransomisfixed——Iacceptofhimformypay-master；
andifIhearthatyeboggleatallowinghiminhisaccomptsthesumsopaidbyhim，SaintMaryrefuseme，anIburnnottheabbeyoverthinehead，thoughIhangtenyearsthesooner！’’
WithamuchworsegracethanthatwherewithhehadpennedthelettertoBois-Guilbert，thePriorwroteanacquittance，dischargingIsaacofYorkofsixhundredcrowns，advancedtohiminhisneedforacquittalofhisransom，andfaithfullypromisingtoholdtruecomptwithhimforthatsum。
``Andnow，’’saidPriorAymer，``Iwillprayyouofrestitutionofmymulesandpalfreys，andthefreedomofthereverendbrethrenattendinguponme，andalsoofthegymmalrings，jewels，andfairvestures，ofwhichIhavebeendespoiled，havingnowsatisfiedyouformyransomasatrueprisoner。’’
``Touchingyourbrethren，SirPrior，’’saidLocksley，``theyshallhavepresentfreedom，itwereunjusttodetainthem；touchingyourhorsesandmules，theyshallalsoberestored，withsuchspending-moneyasmayenableyoutoreachYork，foritwerecrueltodepriveyouofthemeansofjourneying——
Butasconcerningrings，jewels，chains，andwhatelse，youmustunderstandthatwearemenoftenderconsciences，andwillnotyieldtoavenerablemanlikeyourself，whoshouldbedeadtothevanitiesofthislife，thestrongtemptationtobreaktheruleofhisfoundation，bywearingrings，chains，orothervaingauds。’’
``Thinkwhatyoudo，mymasters，’’saidthePrior，``ereyouputyourhandontheChurch’spatrimony——Thesethingsare_interressacras_，andIwotnotwhatjudgmentmightensueweretheytobehandledbylaicalhands。’’
``Iwilltakecareofthat，reverendPrior，’’saidtheHermitofCopmanhurst；``forIwillwearthemmyself。’’
``Friend，orbrother，’’saidthePrior，inanswertothissolutionofhisdoubts，``ifthouhastreallytakenreligiousorders，Ipraytheetolookhowthouwiltanswertothineofficialforthesharethouhasttakeninthisday’swork。’’
``FriendPrior，’’returnedtheHermit，``youaretoknowthatIbelongtoalittlediocese，whereI