第12章

beenbornaNorman，asIthinkthouart，Iwouldhavehadluckonmyside，andbeennextdoortoawiseman。’’

AtthismomentGurthappearedontheoppositesideofthemoatwiththemules。Thetravellerscrossedtheditchuponadrawbridgeofonlytwoplanksbreadth，thenarrownessofwhichwasmatchedwiththestraitnessofthepostern，andwithalittlewicketintheexteriorpalisade，whichgaveaccesstotheforest。Nosoonerhadtheyreachedthemules，thantheJew，withhastyandtremblinghands，securedbehindthesaddleasmallbagofbluebuckram，whichhetookfromunderhiscloak，containing，asbemuttered，``achangeofraiment——onlyachangeofraiment。’’Thengettingupontheanimalwithmorealacrityandhastethancouldhavebeenanticipatedfromhisyears，helostnotimeinsodisposingoftheskirtsofhisgabardineastoconcealcompletelyfromobservationtheburdenwhichhehadthusdeposited_encroupe_。

ThePilgrimmountedwithmoredeliberation，reaching，ashedeparted，hishandtoGurth，whokisseditwiththeutmostpossibleveneration。Theswineherdstoodgazingafterthetravellersuntiltheywerelostundertheboughsoftheforestpath，whenhewasdisturbedfromhisreveriebythevoiceofWamba。

``Knowestthou，’’saidtheJester，``mygoodfriendGurth，thatthouartstrangelycourteousandmostunwontedlypiousonthissummermorning?

IwouldIwereablackPriororabarefootPalmer，toavailmyselfofthyunwontedzealandcourtesy——certes，Iwouldmakemoreoutofitthanakissofthehand。’’

``Thouartnofoolthusfar，Wamba，’’answeredGurth，``thoughthouarguestfromappearances，andthewisestofuscandonomore——Butitistimetolookaftermycharge。’’

Sosaying，heturnedbacktothemansion，attendedbytheJester。

MeanwhilethetravellerscontinuedtopressontheirjourneywithadispatchwhicharguedtheextremityoftheJew’sfears，sincepersonsathisageareseldomfondofrapidmotion，ThePalmer，towhomeverypathandoutletinthewoodappearedtobefamiliar，ledthewaythroughthemostdeviouspaths，andmorethanonceexcitedanewthesuspicionoftheIsraelite，thatheintendedtobetrayhimintosomeambuscadeofhisenemies。

Hisdoubtsmighthavebeenindeedpardoned；

for，exceptperhapstheflyingfish，therewasnoraceexistingontheearth，intheair，orthewaters，whoweretheobjectofsuchanunintermitting，general，andrelentlesspersecutionastheJewsofthisperiod。Upontheslightestandmostunreasonablepretences，aswellasuponaccusationsthemostabsurdandgroundless，theirpersonsandpropertywereexposedtoeveryturnofpopularfury；forNorman，Saxon，Dane，andBriton，howeveradversetheseracesweretoeachother，contendedwhichshouldlookwithgreatestdetestationuponapeople，whomitwasaccountedapointofreligiontohate，torevile，todespise，toplunder，andtopersecute。

ThekingsoftheNormanrace，andtheindependentnobles，whofollowedtheirexampleinallactsoftyranny，maintainedagainstthisdevotedpeopleapersecutionofamoreregular，calculated，andself-interestedkind。Itisawell-knownstoryofKingJohn，thatheconfinedawealthyJewinoneoftheroyalcastles，anddailycausedoneofhisteethtobetornout，until，whenthejawoftheunhappyIsraelitewashalfdisfurnished，heconsentedtopayalargesum，whichitwasthetyrant’sobjecttoextortfromhim。Thelittlereadymoneywhichwasinthecountrywaschieflyinpossessionofthispersecutedpeople，andthenobilityhesitatednottofollowtheexampleoftheirsovereign，inwringingitfromthembyeveryspeciesofoppression，andevenpersonaltorture。Yetthepassivecourageinspiredbytheloveofgain，inducedtheJewstodarethevariousevilstowhichtheyweresubjected，inconsiderationoftheimmenseprofitswhichtheywereenabledtorealizeinacountrynaturallysowealthyasEngland。Inspiteofeverykindofdiscouragement，andevenofthespecialcourtoftaxationsalreadymentioned，calledtheJews’Exchequer，erectedfortheverypurposeofdespoilinganddistressingthem，theJewsincreased，multiplied，andaccumulatedhugesums，whichtheytransferredfromonehandtoanotherbymeansofbillsofexchange——aninventionforwhichcommerceissaidtobeindebtedtothem，andwhichenabledthemtotransfertheirwealthfromlandtoland，thatwhenthreatenedwithoppressioninonecountry，theirtreasuremightbesecuredinanother。

TheobstinacyandavariceoftheJewsbeingthusinameasureplacedinoppositiontothefanaticismthattyrannyofthoseunderwhomtheylived，seemedtoincreaseinproportiontothepersecutionwithwhichtheywerevisited；andtheimmensewealththeyusuallyacquiredincommerce，whileitfrequentlyplacedthemindanger，wasatothertimesusedtoextendtheirinfluence，andtosecuretothemacertaindegreeofprotection。Onthesetermstheylived；andtheircharacter，influencedaccordingly，waswatchful，suspicious，andtimid——

yetobstinate，uncomplying，andskilfulinevadingthedangerstowhichtheywereexposed。

Whenthetravellershadpushedonatarapidratethroughmanydeviouspaths，thePalmeratlengthbrokesilence。

``Thatlargedecayedoak，’’hesaid，``markstheboundariesoverwhichFront-de-Bufclaimsauthority——

wearelongsincefarfromthoseofMalvoisin。

Thereisnownofearofpursuit。’’

``Maythewheelsoftheirchariotsbetakenoff，’’

saidtheJew，``likethoseofthehostofPharaoh，thattheymaydriveheavily！——Butleavemenot，goodPilgrim——ThinkbutofthatfierceandsavageTemplar，withhisSaracenslaves——theywillregardneitherterritory，normanor，norlordship。’’

``Ourroad，’’saidthePalmer，``shouldhereseparate；

foritbeseemsnotmenofmycharacterandthinetotraveltogetherlongerthanneedsmustbe。

Besides，whatsuccourcouldstthouhavefromme，apeacefulPilgrim，againsttwoarmedheathens?’’

``Ogoodyouth，’’answeredtheJew，``thoucanstdefendme，andIknowthouwouldst。PoorasIam，Iwillrequiteit——notwithmoney，formoney，sohelpmemyFatherAbraham，Ihavenone——but——’’

``Moneyandrecompense，’’saidthePalmer，interruptinghim，``IhavealreadysaidIrequirenotofthee。GuidetheeIcan；and，itmaybe，eveninsomesortdefendthee；sincetoprotectaJewagainstaSaracen，canscarcebeaccountedunworthyofaChristian。Therefore，Jew，Iwillseetheesafeundersomefittingescort。WearenownotfarfromthetownofSheffield，wherethoumayesteasilyfindmanyofthytribewithwhomtotakerefuge。’’

``TheblessingofJacobbeuponthee，goodyouth！’’saidtheJew；``inSheffieldIcanharbourwithmykinsmanZareth，andfindsomemeansoftravellingforthwithsafety。’’

``Beitso，’’saidthePalmer；``atSheffieldthenwepart，andhalf-an-hour’sridingwillbringusinsightofthattown。’’

Thehalfhourwasspentinperfectsilenceonbothparts；thePilgrimperhapsdisdainingtoaddresstheJew，exceptincaseofabsolutenecessity，andtheJewnotpresumingtoforceaconversationwithapersonwhosejourneytotheHolySepulchregaveasortofsanctitytohischaracter。Theypausedonthetopofagentlyrisingbank，andthePilgrim，pointingtothetownofSheffield，whichlaybeneaththem，repeatedthewords，``Here，then，wepart。’’

``NottillyouhavehadthepoorJew’sthanks，’’

saidIsaac；``forIpresumenottoaskyoutogowithmetomykinsmanZareth’s，whomightaidmewithsomemeansofrepayingyourgoodoffices。’’

``Ihavealreadysaid，’’answeredthePilgrim，``thatIdesirenorecompense。Ifamongthehugelistofthydebtors，thouwilt，formysake，sparethegyvesandthedungeontosomeunhappyChristianwhostandsinthydanger，Ishallholdthismorning’sservicetotheewellbestowed。’’

``Stay，stay，’’saidtheJew，layingholdofhisgarment；``somethingwouldIdomorethanthis，somethingforthyself——GodknowstheJewispoor——yes，Isaacisthebeggarofhistribe——butforgivemeshouldIguesswhatthoumostlackestatthismoment。’’

``Ifthouwerttoguesstruly，’’saidthePalmer，``itiswhatthoucanstnotsupply，wertthouaswealthyasthousaystthouartpoor。’

``AsIsay?’’echoedtheJew；``O！believeit，Isaybutthetruth；Iamaplundered，indebted，distressedman。Hardhandshavewrungfrommemygoods，mymoney，myships，andallthatIpossessed——

YetIcantelltheewhatthoulackest，and，itmaybe，supplyittoo。Thywishevennowisforahorseandarmour。’’

ThePalmerstarted，andturnedsuddenlytowardstheJew：——``Whatfiendpromptedthatguess?’’saidhe，hastily。

``Nomatter，’’saidtheJew，smiling，``sothatitbeatrueone——and，asIcanguessthywant，soIcansupplyit。’’

``Butconsider，’’saidthePalmer，``mycharacter，mydress，myvow。’’

``IknowyouChristians，’’repliedtheJew，``andthatthenoblestofyouwilltakethestaffandsandalinsuperstitiouspenance，andwalkafoottovisitthegravesofdeadmen。’’

``Blasphemenot，Jew，’’saidthePilgrim，sternly。

``Forgiveme，’’saidtheJew；``Ispokerashly。

Buttheredroptwordsfromyoulastnightandthismorning，that，likesparksfromflint，showedthemetalwithin；andinthebosomofthatPalmer’sgown，ishiddenaknight’schainandspursofgold。

Theyglancedasyoustoopedovermybedinthemorning。’’

ThePilgrimcouldnotforbearsmiling。``Werethygarmentssearchedbyascuriousaneye，Isaac，’’

saidhe，``whatdiscoveriesmightnotbemade?’’

``Nomoreofthat，’’saidtheJew，changingcolour；