tournament?"

"I do so propose," replied Isaac, bowing in all humility, "if it
please your reverend valour."

"Ay," said the Knight, "to gnaw the bowels of our nobles with
usury, and to gull women and boys with gauds and toys---I warrant
thee store of shekels in thy Jewish scrip."

"Not a shekel, not a silver penny, not a halfling---so help me
the God of Abraham!" said the Jew, clasping his hands; "I go but
to seek the assistance of some brethren of my tribe to aid me to
pay the fine which the Exchequer of the Jews have imposed upon
me---Father Jacob be my speed! I am an impoverished wretch---the
very gaberdine I wear is borrowed from Reuben of Tadcaster."

* In those days the Jews were subjected to an Exchequer,
* specially dedicated to that purpose, and which laid them
* under the most exorbitant impositions.---L. T.


The Templar smiled sourly as he replied, "Beshrew thee for a
false-hearted liar!" and passing onward, as if disdaining farther
conference, he communed with his Moslem slaves in a language
unknown to the bystanders. The poor Israelite seemed so
staggered by the address of the military monk, that the Templar
had passed on to the extremity of the hall ere he raised his
head from the humble posture which he had assumed, so far as to
be sensible of his departure. And when he did look around, it
was with the astonished air of one at whose feet a thunderbolt