``Toyoufour，sirs，’’repliedtheKnight，addressingthosewhohadlastspoken，``andtoyourhonourableandvaliantmasters，Ihaveonecommonreply。Commendmetothenobleknights，yourmasters，andsay，Ishoulddoilltodeprivethemofsteedsandarmswhichcanneverbeusedbybravercavaliers——IwouldIcouldhereendmymessagetothesegallantknights；butbeing，asI
termmyself，intruthandearnest，theDisinherited，Imustbethusfarboundtoyourmasters，thattheywill，oftheircourtesy，bepleasedtoransomtheirsteedsandarmour，sincethatwhichIwearIcanhardlytermmineown。’’
``Westandcommissioned，eachofus，’’answeredthesquireofReginaldFront-de-Buf，``toofferahundredzecchinsinransomofthesehorsesandsuitsofarmour。’’
``Itissufficient，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight。
``Halfthesummypresentnecessitiescompelmetoaccept；oftheremaininghalf，distributeonemoietyamongyourselves，sirsquires，anddividetheotherhalfbetwixttheheraldsandthepursuivants，andminstrels，andattendants。’’
Thesquires，withcapinhand，andlowreverences，expressedtheirdeepsenseofacourtesyandgenerositynotoftenpractised，atleastuponascalesoextensive。TheDisinheritedKnightthenaddressedhisdiscoursetoBaldwin，thesquireofBriandeBois-Guilbert。``Fromyourmaster，’’saidhe，``Iwillacceptneitherarmsnorransom。Saytohiminmyname，thatourstrifeisnotended——no，nottillwehavefoughtaswellwithswordsaswithlances——aswellonfootasonhorseback。Tothismortalquarrelhehashimselfdefiedme，andIshallnotforgetthechallenge——Meantime，lethimbeassured，thatIholdhimnotasoneofhiscompanions，withwhomIcanwithpleasureexchangecourtesies；butratherasonewithwhomIstandupontermsofmortaldefiance。’’
``Mymaster，’’answeredBaldwin，``knowshowtorequitescornwithscorn，andblowswithblows，aswellascourtesywithcourtesy，Sinceyoudisdaintoacceptfromhimanyshareoftheransomatwhichyouhaveratedthearmsoftheotherknights，Imustleavehisarmourandhishorsehere，beingwellassuredthathewillneverdeigntomounttheonenorweartheother。’’
``Youhavespokenwell，goodsquire，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight，``wellandboldly，asitbeseemethhimtospeakwhoanswersforanabsentmaster。Leavenot，however，thehorseandarmourhere。Restorethemtothymaster；or，ifhescornstoacceptthem，retainthem，goodfriend，forthineownuse。Sofarastheyaremine，Ibestowthemuponyoufreely。’’
Baldwinmadeadeepobeisance，andretiredwithhiscompanions；andtheDisinheritedKnightenteredthepavilion。
``Thusfar，Gurth，’’saidhe，addressinghisattendant，``thereputationofEnglishchivalryhathnotsufferedinmyhands。’’
``AndI，’’saidGurth，``foraSaxonswineherd，havenotillplayedthepersonageofaNormansquire-at-arms。’’
``Yea，but，’’answeredtheDisinheritedKnight，thouhasteverkeptmeinanxietylestthyclownishbearingshoulddiscoverthee。’’
``Tush！’’saidGurth，``Ifeardiscoveryfromnone，savingmyplayfellow，WambatheJester，ofwhomIcouldneverdiscoverwhetherheweremostknaveorfool。YetIcouldscarcechoosebutlaugh，whenmyoldmasterpassedsoneartome，dreamingallthewhilethatGurthwaskeepinghisporkersmanyamileoff，inthethicketsandswampsofRotherwood。IfIamdiscovered——’’
``Enough，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight，``thouknowestmypromise。’’
``Nay，forthatmatter，’’saidGurth，``Iwillneverfailmyfriendforfearofmyskin-cutting。I
haveatoughhide，thatwillbearknifeorscourgeaswellasanyboar’shideinmyherd。’’
``Trustme，Iwillrequitetheriskyourunformylove，Gurth，’’saidtheKnight。``Meanwhile，Iprayyoutoacceptthesetenpiecesofgold。’’
``Iamricher，’’saidGurth，puttingthemintohispouch，``thaneverwasswineherdorbondsman。’’
``TakethisbagofgoldtoAshby，’’continuedhismaster，``andfindoutIsaactheJewofYork，andlethimpayhimselfforthehorseandarmswithwhichhiscreditsuppliedme。’’
``Nay，byStDunstan，’’repliedGurth，``thatI
willnotdo。’’
``How，knave，’’repliedhismaster，``wiltthounotobeymycommands?’’
``Sotheybehonest，reasonable，andChristiancommands，’’repliedGurth；``butthisisnoneofthese。TosuffertheJewtopayhimselfwouldbedishonest，foritwouldbecheatingmymaster；andunreasonable，foritwerethepartofafool；andunchristian，sinceitwouldbeplunderingabelievertoenrichaninfidel。’’
``Seehimcontented，however，thoustubbornvarlet，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight。
``Iwilldoso，’’saidGurth，takingthebagunderhiscloak，andleavingtheapartment；``anditwillgohard，’’hemuttered，``butIcontenthimwithone-halfofhisownasking。’’Sosaying，hedeparted，andlefttheDisinheritedKnighttohisownperplexedruminations；which，uponmoreaccountsthanitisnowpossibletocommunicatetothereader，wereofanaturepeculiarlyagitatingandpainful。
WemustnowchangethescenetothevillageofAshby，orrathertoacountryhouseinitsvicinitybelongingtoawealthyIsraelite，withwhomIsaac，hisdaughter，andretinue，hadtakenuptheirquarters；
theJews，itiswellknown，beingasliberalinexercisingthedutiesofhospitalityandcharityamongtheirownpeople，astheywereallegedtobereluctantandchurlishinextendingthemtothosewhomtheytermedGentiles，andwhosetreatmentofthemcertainlymeritedlittlehospitalityattheirhand。
Inanapartment，smallindeed，butrichlyfurnishedwithdecorationsofanOrientaltaste，Rebeccawasseatedonaheapofembroideredcushions，which，piledalongalowplatformthatsurroundedthechamber，served，liketheestradaoftheSpaniards，insteadofchairsandstools。Shewaswatchingthemotionsofherfatherwithalookofanxiousandfilialaffection，whilehepacedtheapartmentwithadejectedmienanddisorderedstep；sometimesclaspinghishandstogether——sometimescastinghiseyestotheroofoftheapartment，asonewholabouredundergreatmentaltribulation。``O，Jacob！’’heexclaimed——``O，allyetwelveHolyFathersofourtribe！whatalosingventureisthisforonewhohathdulykepteveryjotandtittleofthelawofMoses——Fiftyzecchinswrenchedfrommeatoneclutch，andbythetalonsofatyrant！’’
``But，father，’’saidRebecca，``youseemedtogivethegoldtoPrinceJohnwillingly。’’
``Willingly?theblotchofEgyptuponhim！——
Willingly，saidstthou?——Ay，aswillinglyaswhen，intheGulfofLyons，Iflungovermymerchandisetolightentheship，whileshelabouredinthetempest——robedtheseethingbillowsinmychoicesilks——perfumedtheirbrinyfoamwithmyrrhandaloes——enrichedtheircavernswithgoldandsilverwork！Andwasnotthatanhourofunutterablemisery，thoughmyownhandsmadethesacrifice?’’
``ButitwasasacrificewhichHeavenexactedtosaveourlives，’’answeredRebecca，``andtheGodofourfathershassinceblessedyourstoreandyourgettings。’’
``Ay，’’answeredIsaac，``butifthetyrantlaysholdonthemashedidto-day，andcompelsmetosmilewhileheisrobbingme?——O，daughter，disinheritedandwanderingasweare，theworstevilwhichbefallsourraceis，thatwhenwearewrongedandplundered，alltheworldlaughsaround，andwearecompelledtosuppressoursenseofinjury，andtosmiletamely，whenwewouldrevengebravely。’’
``Thinknotthusofit，myfather，’’saidRebecca；
``wealsohaveadvantages。TheseGentiles，cruelandoppressiveastheyare，areinsomesortdependentonthedispersedchildrenofZion，whomtheydespiseandpersecute。Withouttheaidofourwealth，theycouldneitherfurnishforththeirhostsinwar，northeirtriumphsinpeace，andthegoldwhichwelendthemreturnswithincreasetoourcoffers。Weareliketheherbwhichflourishethmostwhenitismosttrampledon。Eventhisday’spageanthadnotproceededwithouttheconsentofthedespisedJew，whofurnishedthemeans。’’
``Daughter，’’saidIsaac，``thouhastharpeduponanotherstringofsorrow。Thegoodlysteedandthericharmour，equaltothefullprofitofmyadventurewithourKirjathJairamofLeicester——
thereisadeadlosstoo——ay，alosswhichswallowsupthegainsofaweek；ay，ofthespacebetweentwoSabaoths——andyetitmayendbetterthanI
nowthink，for’tisagoodyouth。’’
``Assuredly，’’saidRebecca，``youshallnotrepentyouofrequitingthegooddeedreceivedofthestrangerknight。’’
``Itrustso，daughter，’’saidIsaac，``andItrusttoointherebuildingofZion；butaswelldoI
hopewithmyownbodilyeyestoseethewallsandbattlementsofthenewTemple，astoseeaChristian，yea，theverybestofChristians，repayadebttoaJew，unlessundertheaweofthejudgeandjailor。’’
Sosaying，heresumedhisdiscontentedwalkthroughtheapartment；andRebecca，perceivingthatherattemptsatconsolationonlyservedtoawakennewsubjectsofcomplaint，wiselydesistedfromherunavailingefforts——aprudentiallineofconduct，andwerecommendtoallwhosetupforcomfortersandadvisers，tofollowitinthelikecircumstances。
Theeveningwasnowbecomingdark，whenaJewishservantenteredtheapartment，andplaceduponthetabletwosilverlamps，fedwithperfumedoil；therichestwines，andthemostdelicaterefreshments，wereatthesametimedisplayedbyanotherIsraelitishdomesticonasmallebonytable，inlaidwithsilver；for，intheinterioroftheirhouses，theJewsrefusedthemselvesnoexpensiveindulgences。AtthesametimetheservantinformedIsaac，thataNazarenesotheytermedChristians，whileconversingamongthemselves
desiredtospeakwithhim。Hethatwouldlivebytraffic，mustholdhimselfatthedisposalofeveryoneclaimingbusinesswithhim。IsaacatoncereplacedonthetabletheuntastedglassofGreekwinewhichhehadjustraisedtohislips，andsayinghastilytohisdaughter，``Rebecca，veilthyself，’’
commandedthestrangertobeadmitted。
JustasRebeccahaddroppedoverherfinefeaturesascreenofsilvergauzewhichreachedtoherfeet，thedooropened，andGurthentered，wraptintheamplefoldsofhisNormanmantle。Hisappearancewasrathersuspiciousthanprepossessing，especiallyas，insteadofdoffinghisbonnet，hepulleditstilldeeperoverhisruggedbrow。
``ArtthouIsaactheJewofYork?’’saidGurth，inSaxon。
``Iam，’’repliedIsaac，inthesamelanguage，forhistraffichadrenderedeverytonguespokeninBritainfamiliartohim——``andwhoartthou?’’
``Thatisnottothepurpose，’’answeredGurth。
``Asmuchasmynameistothee，’’repliedIsaac；
``forwithoutknowingthine，howcanIholdintercoursewiththee?’’
``Easily，’’answeredGurth；``I，beingtopaymoney，mustknowthatIdeliverittotherightperson；thou，whoaretoreceiveit，willnot，I
think，careverygreatlybywhosehandsitisdelivered。’’
``O，’’saidtheJew，``youarecometopaymoneys?
HolyFatherAbraham！thatalterethourrelationtoeachother。Andfromwhomdostthoubringit?’’