第78章

Thepeasanttookthescroll，whichcontainedonlyafewlinesinHebrew。Manyofthecrowdwouldhavedissuadedhimfromtouchingadocumentsosuspicious；butHiggwasresoluteintheserviceofhisbenefactress。Shehadsavedhisbody，hesaid，andhewasconfidentshedidnotmeantoperilhissoul。

``Iwillgetme，’’hesaid，``myneighbourButhan’sgoodcapul，*andIwillbeatYorkwithinas*_Capul_，i。e。horse；inamorelimitedsense，work-horse。

briefspaceasmanandbeastmay。’’

Butasitfortuned，hehadnooccasiontogosofar，forwithinaquarterofamilefromthegateofthePreceptoryhemetwithtworiders，whom，bytheirdressandtheirhugeyellowcaps，heknewtobeJews；and，onapproachingmorenearly，discoveredthatoneofthemwashisancientemployer，IsaacofYork。TheotherwastheRabbiBenSamuel；

andbothhadapproachedasneartothePreceptoryastheydared，onhearingthattheGrandMasterhadsummonedachapterforthetrialofasorceress。

``BrotherBenSamuel，’’saidIsaac，``mysoulisdisquieted，andIwotnotwhy。Thischargeofnecromancyisrightoftenusedforcloakingevilpracticesonourpeople。’’

``Beofgoodcomfort，brother，’’saidthephysician；

``thoucanstdealwiththeNazarenesasonepossessingthemammonofunrighteousness，andcanstthereforepurchaseimmunityattheirhands——itrulesthesavagemindsofthoseungodlymen，evenasthesignetofthemightySolomonwassaidtocommandtheevilgenii——Butwhatpoorwretchcomeshitheruponhiscrutches，desiring，asIthink，somespeechofme?——Friend，’’continuedthephysician，addressingHigg，thesonofSnell，``Irefusetheenottheaidofmineart，butIrelievenotwithoneasperthosewhobegforalmsuponthehighway。Outuponthee！——Hastthouthepalsyinthylegs?thenletthyhandsworkforthylivelihood；

for，albeitthoubestunfitforaspeedypost，orforacarefulshepherd，orforthewarfare，orfortheserviceofahastymaster，yettherebeoccupations——Hownow，brother?’’saidhe，interruptinghisharanguetolooktowardsIsaac，whohadbutglancedatthescrollwhichHiggoffered，when，utteringadeepgroan，hefellfromhismulelikeadyingman，andlayforaminuteinsensible。

TheRabbinowdismountedingreatalarm，andhastilyappliedtheremedieswhichhisartsuggestedfortherecoveryofhiscompanion。Hehadeventakenfromhispocketacuppingapparatus，andwasabouttoproceedtophlebotomy，whentheobjectofhisanxioussolicitudesuddenlyrevived；butitwastodashhiscapfromhishead，andtothrowdustonhisgreyhairs。Thephysicianwasatfirstinclinedtoascribethissuddenandviolentemotiontotheeffectsofinsanity；and，adheringtohisoriginalpurpose，beganonceagaintohandlehisimplements。

ButIsaacsoonconvincedhimofhiserror。

``Childofmysorrow，’’hesaid，``wellshouldstthoubecalledBenoni，insteadofRebecca！Whyshouldthydeathbringdownmygreyhairstothegrave，till，inthebitternessofmyheart，IcurseGodanddie！’’

``Brother，’’saidtheRabbi，ingreatsurprise，``artthouafatherinIsrael，anddostthouutterwordslikeuntothese?——Itrustthatthechildofthyhouseyetliveth?’’

``Sheliveth，’’answeredIsaac；``butitisasDaniel，whowascalledBeltheshazzar，evenwhenwithinthedenofthelions。SheiscaptiveuntothosemenofBelial，andtheywillwreaktheircrueltyuponher，sparingneitherforheryouthnorhercomelyfavour。O！shewasasacrownofgreenpalmstomygreylocks；andshemustwitherinanight，likethegourdofJonah！——Childofmylove！——

childofmyoldage！——oh，Rebecca，daughterofRachel！thedarknessoftheshadowofdeathhathencompassedthee。’’

``Yetreadthescroll，’’saidtheRa