``Truly，reverendfather，’’saidtheFriar，``I
knowbutonemodeinwhichthoumaystescape。
ThisisSaintAndrew’sdaywithus，wearetakingourtithes。’’
``Butnotofthechurch，then，Itrust，mygoodbrother?’’saidthePrior。
``Ofchurchandlay，’’saidtheFriar；``andtherefore，SirPrior_facitevobisamicosdeMammoneiniquitatis_——makeyourselvesfriendsoftheMammonofunrighteousness，fornootherfriendshipisliketoserveyourturn。’’
``Iloveajollywoodsmanatheart，’’saidthePrior，softeninghistone；``come，yemustnotdealtoohardwithme——Icanwellofwoodcraft，andcanwindahornclearandlustily，andhollotilleveryoakringsagain——Come，yemustnotdealtoohardwithme。’’
``Givehimahorn，’’saidtheOutlaw；``wewillprovetheskillheboastsof。’’
ThePriorAymerwindedablastaccordingly。
TheCaptainshookhishead。
``SirPrior，’’hesaid，``thoublowestamerrynote，butitmaynotransomthee——wecannotafford，asthelegendonagoodknight’sshieldhathit，tosettheefreeforablast。Moreover，Ihavefoundthee——thouartoneofthose，who，withnewFrenchgracesandTra-li-ras，disturbtheancientEnglishbuglenotes——Prior，thatlastflourishontherecheathathaddedfiftycrownstothyransom，forcorruptingthetrueoldmanlyblastsofvenerie。’’
``Well，friend，’’saidtheAbbot，peevishly，``thouartilltopleasewiththywoodcraft。Ipraytheebemoreconformableinthismatterofmyransom。
Ataword——sinceImustneeds，foronce，holdacandletothedevil——whatransomamItopayforwalkingonWatling-street，withouthavingfiftymenatmyback?’’
``Wereitnotwell，’’saidtheLieutenantofthegangaparttotheCaptain，``thatthePriorshouldnametheJew’sransom，andtheJewnamethePrior’s?’’
``Thouartamadknave，’’saidtheCaptain，``butthyplantranscends！——Here，Jew，stepforth——
LookatthatholyFatherAymer，PrioroftherichAbbeyofJorvaulx，andtellusatwhatransomweshouldholdhim?——Thouknowesttheincomeofhisconvent，Iwarrantthee。’’
``O，assuredly，’’saidIsaac。``Ihavetraffickedwiththegoodfathers，andboughtwheatandbarley，andfruitsoftheearth，andalsomuchwool。
O，itisarichabbey-stede，andtheydoliveuponthefat，anddrinkthesweetwinesuponthelees，thesegoodfathersofJorvaulx。Ah，ifanoutcastlikemehadsuchahometogoto，andsuchincomingsbytheyearandbythemonth，Iwouldpaymuchgoldandsilvertoredeemmycaptivity。’’
``HoundofaJew！’’exclaimedthePrior，``nooneknowsbetterthanthyowncursedself，thatourholyhouseofGodisindebtedforthefinishingofourchancel——’’
``AndforthestoringofyourcellarsinthelastseasonwiththedueallowanceofGasconwine，’’interruptedtheJew；``butthat——thatissmallmatters。’’
``Heartheinfideldog！’’saidthechurchman；
hejanglesasifourholycommunitydidcomeunderdebtsforthewineswehavealicensetodrink，_propternecessitatem，etadfrigusdepellendum_。Thecircumcisedvillainblasphemeththeholychurch，andChristianmenlistenandrebukehimnot！’’
``Allthishelpsnothing，’’saidtheleader——
``Isaac，pronouncewhatbemaypay，withoutflayingbothhideandhair。’’
``Ansixhundredcrowns，’’saidIsaac，``thegoodPriormightwellpaytoyourhonouredvalours，andneversitlesssoftinhisstall。’’
``Sixhundredcrowns，’’saidtheleader，gravely；
``Iamcontented——thouhastwellspoken，Isaac——
sixhundredcrowns——Itisasentence，SirPrior。’’
``Asentence！——asentence！’’exclaimedtheband；
``Solomonhadnotdoneitbetter。’’
``Thouhearestthydoom，Prior，’’saidtheleader。
``Yearemad，mymasters，’’saidthePrior；
``whereamItofindsuchasum?IfIselltheverypyxandcandlesticksonthealtaratJorvaulx，Ishallscarceraisethehalf；anditwillbenecessaryforthatpurposethatIgotoJorvaulxmyself；
yemayretainasborrows*mytwopriests。’’
*Borghs，orborrows，signifiespledges。Henceourwordto*borrow，becausewepledgeourselvestorestorewhatislent。
``Thatwillbebutblindtrust，’’saidtheOutlaw；
``wewillretainthee，Prior，andsendthemtofetchthyransom。Thoushaltnotwantacupofwineandacollopofvenisonthewhile；andifthoulovestwoodcraft，thoushaltseesuchasyournorthcountryneverwitnessed。’’
``Or，ifsopleaseyou，’’saidIsaac，willingtocurryfavourwiththeoutlaws，``IcansendtoYorkforthesixhundredcrowns，outofcertainmoniesinmyhands，ifsobethatthemostreverendPriorpresentwillgrantmeaquittance。’’
``Heshallgranttheewhateverthoudostlist，Isaac，’’saidtheCaptain；``andthoushaltlaydowntheredemptionmoneyforPriorAymeraswellasforthyself。’’
``Formyself！ah，courageoussirs，’’saidtheJew，``Iamabrokenandimpoverishedman；abeggar’sstaffmustbemyportionthroughlife，supposingIweretopayyoufiftycrowns。’’
``ThePriorshalljudgeofthatmatter，’’repliedtheCaptain——``Howsayyou，FatherAymer?
CantheJewaffordagoodransom?’’
``Canheaffordaransom?’’answeredthePrior``IshenotIsaacofYork，richenoughtoredeemthecaptivityofthetentribesofIsrael，whowereledintoAssyrianbondage?——Ihaveseenbutlittleofhimmyself，butourcellarerandtreasurerhavedealtlargelywithhim，andreportsaysthathishouseatYorkissofullofgoldandsilverasisashameinanyChristianland。MarvelitistoalllivingChristianheartsthatsuchgnawingaddersshouldbesufferedtoeatintothebowelsofthestate，andevenoftheholychurchherself，withfoulusuriesandextortions。’’
``Hold，father，’’saidtheJew，``mitigateandassuageyourcholer。IprayofyourreverencetorememberthatIforcemymoniesuponnoone。
Butwhenchurchmanandlayman，princeandprior，knightandpriest，comeknockingtoIsaac’sdoor，theyborrownothisshekelswiththeseuncivilterms。Itisthen，FriendIsaac，willyoupleasureusinthismatter，andourdayshallbetrulykept，soGodsa’me?——andKindIsaac，ifeveryouservedman，showyourselfafriendinthisneed！Andwhenthedaycomes，andIaskmyown，thenwhathearIbutDamnedJew，andThecurseofEgyptonyourtribe，andallthatmaystiruptherudeanduncivilpopulaceagainstpoorstrangers！’’
``Prior，’’saidtheCaptain，``Jewthoughhebe，hehathinthisspokenwell。Dothou，therefore，namehisransom，ashenamedthine，withoutfartherrudeterms。’’
``Nonebut_latrofamosus_——theinterpretationwhereof，’’saidthePrior，``willIgiveatsomeothertimeandtide——wouldplaceaChristianprelateandanunbaptizedJewuponthesamebench。Butsinceyerequiremetoputapriceuponthiscaitiff，Itellyouopenlythatyewillwrongyourselvesifyoutakefromhimapennyunderathousandcrowns。’’
``Asentence！——asentence！’’exclaimedthechiefOutlaw。
``Asentence！——asentence！’’shoutedhisassessors；
``theChristianhasshownhisgoodnurture，anddealtwithusmoregenerouslythantheJew。’’
``TheGodofmyfathershelpme！’’saidtheJew；``willyebeartothegroundanimpoverishedcreature?——Iamthisdaychildless，andwillyedeprivemeofthemeansoflivelihood?’’
``Thouwilthavethelesstoprovidefor，Jew，ifthouartchildless，’’saidAymer。
``Alas！mylord，’’saidIsaac，``yourlawpermitsyounottoknowhowthechildofourbosomisentwinedwiththestringsofourheart——ORebecca！
laughterofmybelovedRachel！wereeachleafonthattreeazecchin，andeachzecchinmineown，allthatmassofwealthwouldIgivetoknowwhetherthouartalive，andescapedthehandsoftheNazarene！’’
``Wasnotthydaughterdark-haired?’’saidoneoftheoutlaws；``andworeshenotaveiloftwistedsendal，broideredwithsilver?’’
``Shedid！——shedid！’’saidtheoldman，tremblingwitheagerness，asformerlywithfear。``TheblessingofJacobbeuponthee！canstthoutellmeaughtofhersafety?’’
``Itwasshe，then，’’saidtheyeoman，``whowascarriedoffbytheproudTemplar，whenhebrokethroughourranksonyester-even。Ihaddrawnmybowtosendashaftafterhim，butsparedhimevenforthesakeofthedamsel，whoIfearedmighttakeharmfromthearrow。’’
``Oh！’’answeredtheJew，``IwouldtoGodthouhadstshot，thoughthearrowhadpiercedherbosom！——BetterthetombofherfathersthanthedishonourablecouchofthelicentiousandsavageTemplar。Ichabod！Ichabod！thegloryhathdepartedfrommyhouse！’’
``Friends，’’saidtheChief，lookinground，``theoldmanisbutaJew，nathelesshisgrieftouchesme——Dealuprightlywithus，Isaac——willpayingthisransomofathousandcrownsleavetheealtogetherpenniless?’’
Isaac，recalledtothinkofhisworldlygoods，theloveofwhich，bydintofinveteratehabit，contendedevenwithhisparentalaffection，grewpale，stammered，andcouldnotdenytheremightbesomesmallsurplus。
``Well——goto——whatthoughtherebe，’’saidtheOutlaw，``wewillnotreckonwiththeetooclosely。
WithouttreasurethoumaystaswellhopetoredeemthychildfromtheclutchesofSirBriandeBois-Guilbert，astoshootastag-royalwithaheadlessshaft——WewilltaketheeatthesameransomwithPriorAymer，orratheratonehundredcrownslower，whichhundredcrownsshallbemineownpeculiarloss，andnotlightuponthisworshipfulcommunity；andsoweshallavoidtheheinousoffenceofratingaJewmerchantashighasaChristianprelate，andthouwilthavesixhundredcrownsremainingtotreatforthydaughter’sransom。Templarslovetheglitterofsilvershekelsaswellasthesparkleofblackeyes——HastentomakethycrownschinkintheearofDeBois-Guilbert，ereworsecomesofit。Thouwiltfindhim，asourscoutshavebroughtnotice，atthenextPreceptoryhouseofhisOrder——SaidIwell，mymerrymates?’’
Theyeomenexpressedtheirwontedacquiescenceintheirleader’sopinion；andIsaac，relievedofonehalfofhisapprehensions，bylearningthathisdaughterlived，andmightpossiblyberansomed，threwhimselfatthefeetofthegenerousOutlaw，and，rubbinghisbeardagainsthisbuskins，soughttokissthehemofhisgreencassock。TheCaptaindrewhimselfback，andextricatedhimselffromtheJew’sgrasp，notwithoutsomemarksofcontempt。
``Nay，beshrewthee，man，upwiththee！IamEnglishborn，andlovenosuchEasternprostrations——KneeltoGod，andnottoapoorsinner，likeme。’’