"Nay, not to kings pointed my thought."

"Well, then," resumed the king, impatiently, "thou wouldst imply that
mine own knights and nobles should yield up their coffers, and mortgage
their possessions. And so they ought; but they murmur already at what
they have yielded to our necessities."

"And in truth," rejoined the friar, "these noble warriors should not be
shorn of a splendour that well becomes the valiant champions of the
Church. Nay, listen to me, son, and I may suggest a means whereby, not
the friends, but enemies, of the Catholic faith shall contribute to the
down fall of the Paynim. In thy dominions, especially those newly won,
throughout Andalusia, in the kingdom of Cordova, are men of enormous
wealth; the very caverns of the earth are sown with the impious treasure
they have plundered from Christian hands, and consume in the furtherance
of their iniquity. Sire, I speak of the race that crucified the Lord."

"The Jews--ay, but the excuse--"

"Is before thee. This traitor, with whom thou boldest intercourse, who
vowed to thee to render up Granada, and who was found the very next
morning, fighting with the Moors, with the blood of a Spanish martyr red
upon his hands, did he not confess that his fathers were of that hateful
race? did he not bargain with thee to elevate his brethren to the rank of
Christians? and has be not left with thee, upon false pretences, a harlot
of his faith, who, by sorcery and the help of the Evil One, hath seduced
into frantic passion the heart of the heir of the most Christian king?"

"Ha! thus does that libertine boy ever scandalise us!" said the king,
bitterly.