theJews，bytheveryfrequencyoftheirfearonalloccasions，hadtheirmindsinsomedegreepreparedforeveryeffortoftyrannywhichcouldbepractiseduponthem；sothatnoaggression，whenithadtakenplace，couldbringwithitthatsurprisewhichisthemostdisablingqualityofterror。NeitherwasitthefirsttimethatIsaachadbeenplacedincircumstancessodangerous。Hehadthereforeexperiencetoguidehim，aswellashope，thathemightagain，asformerly，bedeliveredasapreyfromthefowler。Aboveall，hehaduponhissidetheunyieldingobstinacyofhisnation，andthatunbendingresolution，withwhichIsraeliteshavebeenfrequentlyknowntosubmittotheuttermostevilswhichpowerandviolencecaninflictuponthem，ratherthangratifytheiroppressorsbygrantingtheirdemands。
Inthishumourofpassiveresistance，andwithhisgarmentcollectedbeneathhimtokeephislimbsfromthewetpavement，Isaacsatinacornerofhisdungeon，wherehisfoldedhands，hisdishevelledhairandbeard，hisfurredcloakandhighcap，seenbythewiryandbrokenlight，wouldhaveaffordedastudyforRembrandt，hadthatcelebratedpainterexistedattheperiod。TheJewremained，withoutalteringhisposition，fornearlythreehours，attheexpiryofwhichstepswereheardonthedungeonstair。Theboltsscreamedastheywerewithdrawn——thehingescreakedasthewicketopened，andReginaldFront-de-Buf，followedbythetwoSaracenslavesoftheTemplar，enteredtheprison。
Front-de-Buf，atallandstrongman，whoselifehadbeenspentinpublicwarorinprivatefeudsandbroils，andwhohadhesitatedatnomeansofextendinghisfeudalpower，hadfeaturescorrespondingtohischaracter，andwhichstronglyexpressedthefiercerandmoremalignantpassionsofthemind。Thescarswithwhichhisvisagewasseamed，would，onfeaturesofadifferentcast，haveexcitedthesympathyandvenerationduetothemarksofhonourablevalour；but，inthepeculiarcaseofFront-de-Buf，theyonlyaddedtotheferocityofhiscountenance，andtothedreadwhichhispresenceinspired。Thisformidablebaronwascladinaleatherndoublet，fittedclosetohisbody，whichwasfrayedandsoiledwiththestainsofhisarmour。Hehadnoweapon，exceptingaponiardathisbelt，whichservedtocounterbalancetheweightofthebunchofrustykeysthathungathisrightside。
TheblackslaveswhoattendedFront-de-Bufwerestrippedoftheirgorgeousapparel，andattiredinjerkinsandtrowsersofcoarselinen，theirsleevesbeingtuckedupabovetheelbow，likethoseofbutcherswhenabouttoexercisetheirfunctionintheslaughter-house。Eachhadinhishandasmallpannier；and，whentheyenteredthedungeon，theystoptatthedooruntilFront-de-Bufhimselfcarefullylockedanddouble-lockedit。Havingtakenthisprecaution，headvancedslowlyuptheapartmenttowardstheJew，uponwhomhekepthiseyefixed，asifhewishedtoparalyzehimwithhisglance，assomeanimalsaresaidtofascinatetheirprey。ItseemedindeedasifthesullenandmalignanteyeofFront-de-Bufpossessedsomeportionofthatsupposedpoweroverhisunfortunateprisoner。
TheJewsatewithhismoutha-gape，andhiseyesfixedonthesavagebaronwithsuchearnestnessofterror，thathisframeseemedliterallytoshrinktogether，andtodiminishinsizewhileencounteringthefierceNorman’sfixedandbalefulgaze。TheunhappyIsaacwasdeprivednotonlyofthepowerofrisingtomaketheobeisancewhichhisterrordictated，buthecouldnotevendoffhiscap，orutteranywordofsupplication；sostronglywasheagitatedbytheconvictionthattorturesanddeathwereimpendingoverhim。
Ontheotherhand，thestatelyformoftheNormanappearedtodilateinmagnitude，likethatoftheeagle，whichrufflesupitsplumagewhenabouttopounceonitsdefencelessprey。HepausedwithinthreestepsofthecornerinwhichtheunfortunateJewhadnow，asitwere，coiledhimselfupintothesmallestpossiblespace，andmadeasignforoneoftheslavestoapproach。Theblacksatellitecameforwardaccordingly，and，producingfromhisbasketalargepairofscalesandseveralweights，helaidthematthefeetofFront-de-Buf，andagainretiredtotherespectfuldistance，atwhichhiscompanionhadalreadytakenhisstation。
Themotionsofthesemenwereslowandsolemn，asifthereimpendedovertheirsoulssomepreconceptionofhorrorandofcruelty。Front-de-Bufhimselfopenedthescenebythusaddressinghisill-fatedcaptive。
``Mostaccurseddogofanaccursedrace，’’hesaid，awakingwithhisdeepandsullenvoicethesullenechoesofhisdungeonvault，``seestthouthesescales?’’
TheunhappyJewreturnedafeebleaffirmative。
``Intheseveryscalesshaltthouweighmeout，’’
saidtherelentlessBaron，``athousandsilverpounds，afterthejustmeasureandweightoftheTowerofLondon。’’
``HolyAbraham！’’returnedtheJew，findingvoicethroughtheveryextremityofhisdanger，``heardmaneversuchademand?——Whoeverheard，eveninaminstrel’stale，ofsuchasumasathousandpoundsofsilver?——Whathumansightwaseverblessedwiththevisionofsuchamassoftreasure?——
NotwithinthewallsofYork，ransackmyhouseandthatofallmytribe，wiltthoufindthetitheofthathugesumofsilverthatthouspeakestof。’’
``Iamreasonable，’’answeredFront-de-Buf，``andifsilverbescant，Irefusenotgold。Attherateofamarkofgoldforeachsixpoundsofsilver，thoushaltfreethyunbelievingcarcassfromsuchpunishmentasthyhearthasneverevenconceived。’’
``Havemercyonme，nobleknight！’’exclaimedIsaac；``Iamold，andpoor，andhelpless。Itwereunworthytotriumphoverme——Itisapoordeedtocrushaworm。’’
``Oldthoumaystbe，’’repliedtheknight；``moreshametotheirfollywhohavesufferedtheetogrowgreyinusuryandknavery——Feeblethoumaystbe，forwhenhadaJeweitherheartorhand——Butrichitiswellknownthouart。’’
``Isweartoyou，nobleknight，’’saidtheJew``byallwhichIbelieve，andbyallwhichwebelieveincommon——’’
``Perjurenotthyself，’’saidtheNorman，interruptinghim，``andletnotthineobstinacysealthydoom，untilthouhastseenandwellconsideredthefatethatawaitsthee。ThinknotIspeaktotheeonlytoexcitethyterror，andpractiseonthebasecowardicethouhastderivedfromthytribe。Isweartotheebythatwhichthoudost=not=believe，bythegospelwhichourchurchteaches，andbythekeyswhicharegivenhertobindandtoloose，thatmypurposeisdeepandperemptory。Thisdungeonisnoplacefortrifling。Prisonerstenthousandtimesmoredistinguishedthanthouhavediedwithinthesewalls，andtheirfatehathneverbeenknown！Butfortheeisreservedalongandlingeringdeath，towhichtheirswereluxury。’’
Heagainmadeasignalfortheslavestoapproach，andspoketothemapart，intheirownlanguage；
forhealsohadbeeninPalestine，whereperhaps，hehadlearnthislessonofcruelty。TheSaracensproducedfromtheirbasketsaquantityofcharcoal，apairofbellows，andaflaskofoil。Whiletheonestruckalightwithaflintandsteel，theotherdisposedthecharcoalinthelargerustygratewhichwehavealreadymentioned，andexercisedthebellowsuntilthefuelcametoaredglow。
``Seestthou，Isaac，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``therangeofironbarsabovetheglowingcharcoal?*——
*NoteE。Therangeofironbarsabovethatglowing*charcoal。
onthatwarmcouchthoushaltlie，strippedofthyclothesasifthouwerttorestonabedofdown。
Oneoftheseslavesshallmaintainthefirebeneaththee，whiletheothershallanointthywretchedlimbswithoil，lesttheroastshouldburn——Now，choosebetwixtsuchascorchingbedandthepaymentofathousandpoundsofsilver；for，bytheheadofmyfather，thouhastnootheroption。’’
``Itisimpossible，’’exclaimedthemiserableJew——``itisimpossiblethatyourpurposecanbereal！
ThegoodGodofnaturenevermadeaheartcapableofexercisingsuchcruelty！’’
``Trustnottothat，Isaac，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``itwereafatalerror。DostthouthinkthatI，whohaveseenatownsacked，inwhichthousandsofmyChristiancountrymenperishedbysword，byflood，andbyfire，willblenchfrommypurposefortheoutcriesorscreamsofonesinglewretchedJew?——
orthinkestthouthattheseswarthyslaves，whohaveneitherlaw，country，norconscience，buttheirmaster’swill——whousethepoison，orthestake，ortheponiard，orthecord，athisslightestwink——
thinkestthouthat_they_willhavemercy，whodonotevenunderstandthelanguageinwhichitisasked?——Bewise，oldman；dischargethyselfofaportionofthysuperfluouswealth；repaytothehandsofaChristianapartofwhatthouhastacquiredbytheusurythouhastpractisedonthoseofhisreligion。Thycunningmaysoonswelloutoncemorethyshrivelledpurse，butneitherleechnormedicinecanrestorethyscorchedhideandfleshwertthouoncestretchedonthesebars。Telldownthyransom，Isay，andrejoicethatatsuchratethoucanstredeemtheefromadungeon，thesecretsofwhichfewhavereturnedtotell。Iwastenomorewordswiththee——choosebetweenthydrossandthyfleshandblood，andasthouchoosest，soshallitbe。’’
``SomayAbraham，Jacob，andallthefathersofourpeopleassistme，’’saidIsaac，``Icannotmakethechoice，becauseIhavenotthemeansofsatisfyingyourexorbitantdemand！’’
``Seizehimandstriphim，slaves，’’saidtheknight，``andletthefathersofhisraceassisthimiftheycan。’’
Theassistants，takingtheirdirectionsmorefromtheBaron’seyeandhishandthanhistongue，oncemoresteppedforward，laidhandsontheunfortunateIsaac，pluckedhimupfromtheground，and，holdinghimbetweenthem，waitedthehard-heartedBaron’sfarthersignal。TheunhappyJeweyedtheircountenancesandthatofFront-de-Buf，inhopeofdiscoveringsomesymptomsofrelenting；
butthatoftheBaronexhibitedthesamecold，half-sullen，half-sarcasticsmilewhichhadbeenthepreludetohiscruelty；andthesavageeyesoftheSaracens，rollinggloomilyundertheirdarkbrows，acquiringayetmoresinisterexpressionbythewhitenessofthecirclewhichsurroundsthepupil，evincedratherthesecretpleasurewhichtheyexpectedfromtheapproachingscene，thananyreluctancetobeitsdirectorsoragents。TheJewthenlookedattheglowingfurnace，overwhichhewaspresentlytobestretched，andseeingnochanceofhistormentor’srelenting，hisresolutiongaveway。
``Iwillpay，’’hesaid，``thethousandpoundsofsilver——Thatis，’’headded，afteramoment’spause，``Iwillpayitwiththehelpofmybrethren；forImustbegasamendicantatthedoorofoursynagogueereImakeupsounheard-ofasum——Whenandwheremustitbedelivered?’’