第68章

ammyowndiocesan，andcareaslittlefortheBishopofYorkasIdofortheAbbotofJorvaulx，thePrior，andalltheconvent。’’

``Thouartutterlyirregular，’’saidthePrior；

``oneofthosedisorderlymen，who，takingonthemthesacredcharacterwithoutduecause，profanetheholyrites，andendangerthesoulsofthosewhotakecounselattheirhands；_lapidespropanecondonantesiis_，givingthemstonesinsteadofbreadastheVulgatehathit。’’

``Nay，’’saidtheFriar，``anmybrain-pancouldhavebeenbrokenbyLatin，ithadnotheldsolongtogether——Isay，thateasingaworldofsuchmisproudpriestsasthouartoftheirjewelsandtheirgimcracks，isalawfulspoilingoftheEgyptians。’’

``Thoube’stahedge-priest，’’*saidthePrior，in*NoteH。Hedge-Priests。

greatwrath，``_excommuicabovos_。’’

``Thoubestthyselfmorelikeathiefandaheretic，’’

saidtheFriar，equallyindignant；``Iwillpouchupnosuchaffrontbeforemyparishioners，asthouthinkestitnotshametoputuponme，althoughIbeareverendbrothertothee。_Ossaenisperfringam_，Iwillbreakyourbones，astheVulgatehathit。’’

``Hola！’’criedtheCaptain，``comethereverendbrethrentosuchterms?——Keepthineassuranceofpeace，Friar——Prior，anthouhastnotmadethypeaceperfectwithGod，provoketheFriarnofurther——

Hermit，letthereverendfatherdepartinpeace，asaransomedman。’’

Theyeomenseparatedtheincensedpriests，whocontinuedtoraisetheirvoices，vituperatingeachotherinbadLatin，whichthePriordeliveredthemorefluently，andtheHermitwiththegreatervehemence。ThePrioratlengthrecollectedhimselfsufficientlytobeawarethathewascompromisinghisdignity，bysquabblingwithsuchahedge-priestastheOutlaw’schaplain，andbeingjoinedbyhisattendants，rodeoffwithconsiderablylesspomp，andinamuchmoreapostolicalcondition，sofarasworldlymatterswereconcerned，thanhehadexhibitedbeforethisrencounter。

ItremainedthattheJewshouldproducesomesecurityfortheransomwhichhewastopayonthePrior’saccount，aswellasuponhisown。Hegave，accordingly，anordersealedwithhissignet，toabrotherofhistribeatYork，requiringhimtopaytothebearerthesumofathousandcrowns，andtodelivercertainmerchandisesspecifiedinthenote。

``MybrotherSheva，’’hesaid，groaningdeeply，``haththekeyofmywarehouses。’’

``Andofthevaultedchamber，’’whisperedLocksley。

``No，no——mayHeavenforefend！’’saidIsaac；

``evilisthehourthatletanyonewhomsoeverintothatsecret！’’

``Itissafewithme，’’saidtheOutlaw，``sobethatthisthyscrollproducethesumthereinnominatedandsetdown——Butwhatnow，Isaac?

artdead?artstupefied?haththepaymentofathousandcrownsputthydaughter’speriloutofthymind?’’

TheJewstartedtohisfeet——``No，Diccon，no——Iwillpresentlysetforth——Farewell，thouwhomImaynotcallgood，andd