``Itisaswellasitis，’’saidthePalmer；``thecompany，evenofaJew，canhardlyspreadcontaminationthroughanoakenpartition。’’
　　Sosaying，heenteredthecabinallottedtohim，andtakingthetorchfromthedomestic’shand，thankedhim，andwishedhimgood-night。Havingshutthedoorofhiscell，heplacedthetorchinacandlestickmadeofwood，andlookedaroundhissleepingapartment，thefurnitureofwhichwasofthemostsimplekind。Itconsistedofarudewoodenstool，andstillruderhutchorbed-frame，stuffedwithcleanstraw，andaccommodatedwithtwoorthreesheepskinsbywayofbed-clothes。
　　ThePalmer，havingextinguishedhistorch，threwhimself，withouttakingoffanypartofhisclothes，onthisrudecouch，andslept，oratleastretainedhisrecumbentposture，tilltheearliestsunbeamsfoundtheirwaythroughthelittlegratedwindow，whichservedatoncetoadmitbothairandlighttohisuncomfortablecell。Hethenstartedup，andafterrepeatinghismatins，andadjustinghisdress，heleftit，andenteredthatofIsaactheJew，liftingthelatchasgentlyashecould。
　　TheinmatewaslyingintroubledslumberuponacouchsimilartothatonwhichthePalmerhimselfhadpassedthenight。SuchpartsofhisdressastheJewhadlaidasideontheprecedingevening，weredisposedcarefullyaroundhisperson，asiftopreventthehazardoftheirbeingcarriedoffduringhisslumbers。Therewasatroubleonhisbrowamountingalmosttoagony。Hishandsandarmsmovedconvulsively，asifstrugglingwiththenightmare；andbesidesseveralejaculationsinHebrew，thefollowingweredistinctlyheardintheNorman-English，ormixedlanguageofthecountry：
　　``ForthesakeoftheGodofAbraham，spareanunhappyoldman！Iampoor，Iampenniless——shouldyourironswrenchmylimbsasunder，I
　　couldnotgratifyyou！’’
　　ThePalmerawaitednottheendoftheJew’svision，butstirredhimwithhispilgrim’sstaff。Thetouchprobablyassociated，asisusual，withsomeoftheapprehensionsexcitedbyhisdream；fortheoldmanstartedup，hisgreyhairstandingalmosterectuponhishead，andhuddlingsomepartofhisgarmentsabouthim，whileheheldthedetachedpieceswiththetenaciousgraspofafalcon，hefixeduponthePalmerhiskeenblackeyes，expressiveofwildsurpriseandofbodilyapprehension。
　　``Fearnothingfromme，Isaac，’’saidthePalmer，``Icomeasyourfriend。’’
　　``TheGodofIsraelrequiteyou，’’saidtheJew，greatlyrelieved；``Idreamed——ButFatherAbrahambepraised，itwasbutadream。’’Then，collectinghimself，headdedinhisusualtone，``AndwhatmayitbeyourpleasuretowantatsoearlyanhourwiththepoorJew?’’
　　``Itistotellyou，’’saidthePalmer，``thatifyouleavenotthismansioninstantly，andtravelnotwithsomehaste，yourjourneymayproveadangerousone。’’
　　``Holyfather！’’saidtheJew，``whomcoulditinteresttoendangersopoorawretchasIam?’’
　　``Thepurposeyoucanbestguess，’’saidthePilgrim；
　　``butrelyonthis，thatwhentheTemplarcrossedthehallyesternight，hespoketohisMussulmanslavesintheSaracenlanguage，whichIwellunderstand，andchargedthemthismorningtowatchthejourneyoftheJew，toseizeuponhimwhenataconvenientdistancefromthemansion，andtoconducthimtothecastleofPhilipdeMalvoisin，ortothatofReginaldFront-de-Buf。’’
　　ItisimpossibletodescribetheextremityofterrorwhichseizedupontheJewatthisinformation，andseemedatoncetooverpowerhiswholefaculties。
　　Hisarmsfelldowntohissides，andhisheaddroopedonhisbreast，hiskneesbentunderhisweight，everynerveandmuscleofhisframeseemedtocollapseandloseitsenergy，andhesunkatthefootofthePalmer，notinthefashionofonewhointentionallystoops，kneels，orprostrateshimselftoexcitecompassion，butlikeamanbornedownonallsidesbythepressureofsomeinvisibleforce，whichcrusheshimtotheearthwithoutthepowerofresistance。
　　``HolyGodofAbraham！’’washisfirstexclamation，foldingandelevatinghiswrinkledhands，butwithoutraisinghisgreyheadfromthepavement；
　　``Oh，holyMoses！O，blessedAaron！thedreamisnotdreamedfornought，andthevisioncomethnotinvain！Ifeeltheirironsalreadytearmysinews！Ifeeltherackpassovermybodylikethesaws，andharrows，andaxesofironoverthemenofRabbah，andofthecitiesofthechildrenofAmmon！’’
　　``Standup，Isaac，andhearkentome，’’saidthePalmer，whoviewedtheextremityofhisdistresswithacompassioninwhichcontemptwaslargelymingled；``youhavecauseforyourterror，consideringhowyourbrethrenhavebeenused，inordertoextortfromthemtheirhoards，bothbyprincesandnobles；butstandup，Isay，andIwillpointouttoyouthemeansofescape。Leavethismansioninstantly，whileitsinmatessleepsoundafterthelastnight’srevel。Iwillguideyoubythesecretpathsoftheforest，knownaswelltomeastoanyforesterthatrangesit，andIwillnotleaveyoutillyouareundersafeconductofsomechieforbarongoingtothetournament，whosegood-willyouhaveprobablythemeansofsecuring。’’
　　AstheearsofIsaacreceivedthehopesofescapewhichthisspeechintimated，hebegangradually，andinchbyinch，asitwere，toraisehimselfupfromtheground，untilhefairlyresteduponhisknees，throwingbackhislonggreyhairandbeard，andfixinghiskeenblackeyesuponthePalmer’sface，withalookexpressiveatonceofhopeandfear，notunmingledwithsuspicion。Butwhenheheardtheconcludingpartofthesentence，hisoriginalterrorappearedtoreviveinfullforce，andhedroptoncemoreonhisface，exclaiming，``_I_possessthemeansofsecuringgood-will！alas！thereisbutoneroadtothefavourofaChristian，andhowcanthepoorJewfindit，whomextortionshavealreadyreducedtothemiseryofLazarus?’’
　　Then，asifsuspicionhadoverpoweredhisotherfeelings，hesuddenlyexclaimed，``FortheloveofGod，youngman，betraymenot——forthesakeoftheGreatFatherwhomadeusall，JewaswellasGentile，IsraeliteandIshmaelite——domenotreason！
　　Ihavenotmeanstosecurethegood-willofaChristianbeggar，wereheratingitatasinglepenny。’’
　　Ashespoketheselastwords，heraisedhimself，andgraspedthePalmer’smantlewithalookofthemostearnestentreaty。Thepilgrimextricatedhimself，asiftherewerecontaminationinthetouch。
　　``Wertthouloadedwithallthewealthofthytribe，’’hesaid，``whatinteresthaveItoinjurethee?——InthisdressIamvowedtopoverty，nordoIchangeitforaughtsaveahorseandacoatofmail。YetthinknotthatIcareforthycompany，orproposemyselfadvantagebyit；remainhereifthouwilt——CedrictheSaxonmayprotectthee。’’
　　``Alas！’’saidtheJew，``hewillnotletmetravelinhistrain——SaxonorNormanwillbeequallyashamedofthepoorIsraelite；andtotravelbymyselfthroughthedomainsofPhilipdeMalvoisinandReginaldFront-de-Buf——Goodyouth，I
　　willgowithyou！——Letushaste——letusgirdupourloins——letusflee！——Hereisthystaff，whywiltthoutarry?’’
　　``Itarrynot，’’saidthePilgrim，givingwaytotheurgencyofhiscompanion；``butImustsecurethemeansofleavingthisplace——followme。’’
　　Heledthewaytotheadjoiningcell，which，asthereaderisapprised，wasoccupiedbyGurththeswineherd——``Arise，Gurth，’’saidthePilgrim，``arisequickly。Undotheposterngate，andletouttheJewandme。’’
　　Gurth，whoseoccupation，thoughnowheldsomean，gavehimasmuchconsequenceinSaxonEnglandasthatofEumaeusinIthaca，wasoffendedatthefamiliarandcommandingtoneassumedbythePalmer。``TheJewleavingRotherwood，’’
　　saidhe，raisinghimselfonhiselbow，andlookingsuperciliouslyathimwithoutquittinghispallet，``andtravellingincompanywiththePalmertoboot——’’
　　``Ishouldassoonhavedreamt，’’saidWamba，whoenteredtheapartmentattheinstant，``ofhisstealingawaywithagammonofbacon。’’
　　``Nevertheless，’’saidGurth，againlayingdownhisheadonthewoodenlogwhichservedhimforapillow，``bothJewandGentilemustbecontenttoabidetheopeningofthegreatgate——wesuffernovisitorstodepartbystealthattheseunseasonablehours。’’
　　``Nevertheless，’’saidthePilgrim，inacommandingtone，``youwillnot，Ithink，refusemethatfavour。’’
　　Sosaying，hestoopedoverthebedoftherecumbentswineherd，andwhisperedsomethinginhisearinSaxon。Gurthstartedupasifelectrified。
　　ThePilgrim，raisinghisfingerinanattitudeasiftoexpresscaution，added，``Gurth，beware——thouarewonttobeprudent。Isay，undothepostern——
　　thoushaltknowmoreanon。’’
　　WithhastyalacrityGurthobeyedhim，whileandtheJewfollowed，bothwonderingatthesuddenchangeintheswineherd’sdemeanour。
　　``Mymule，mymule！’’saidtheJew，assoonastheystoodwithoutthepostern。
　　``Fetchhimhismule，’’saidthePilgrim；``and，hearestthou，——letmehaveanother，thatImaybearhimcompanytillheisbeyondtheseparts——I
　　willreturnitsafelytosomeofCedric’strainatAshby。Anddothou’’——hewhisperedtherestinGurth’sear。
　　``Willingly，mostwillinglyshallitbedone，’’
　　saidGurth，andinstantlydepartedtoexecutethecommission。
　　``IwishIknew，’’saidWamba，whenhiscomrade’sbackwasturned，``whatyouPalmerslearnintheHolyLand。’’
　　``Tosayourorisons，fool，’’answeredthePilgrim，``torepentoursins，andtomortifyourselveswithfastings，vigils，andlongprayers。’’
　　``Somethingmorepotentthanthat，’’answeredtheJester；``forwhenwouldrepentanceorprayermakeGurthdoacourtesy，orfastingorvigilpersuadehimtolendyouamule?——ltrowyoumightaswellhavetoldhisfavouriteblackboarofthyvigilsandpenance，andwouldsthavegottenascivilananswer。’’
　　``Goto，’’saidthePilgrim，``thouartbutaSaxonfool。’’
　　``Thousaystwell。’’saidtheJester；``hadI