beenbornaNorman，asIthinkthouart，Iwouldhavehadluckonmyside，andbeennextdoortoawiseman。’’
　　AtthismomentGurthappearedontheoppositesideofthemoatwiththemules。Thetravellerscrossedtheditchuponadrawbridgeofonlytwoplanksbreadth，thenarrownessofwhichwasmatchedwiththestraitnessofthepostern，andwithalittlewicketintheexteriorpalisade，whichgaveaccesstotheforest。Nosoonerhadtheyreachedthemules，thantheJew，withhastyandtremblinghands，securedbehindthesaddleasmallbagofbluebuckram，whichhetookfromunderhiscloak，containing，asbemuttered，``achangeofraiment——onlyachangeofraiment。’’Thengettingupontheanimalwithmorealacrityandhastethancouldhavebeenanticipatedfromhisyears，helostnotimeinsodisposingoftheskirtsofhisgabardineastoconcealcompletelyfromobservationtheburdenwhichhehadthusdeposited_encroupe_。
　　ThePilgrimmountedwithmoredeliberation，reaching，ashedeparted，hishandtoGurth，whokisseditwiththeutmostpossibleveneration。Theswineherdstoodgazingafterthetravellersuntiltheywerelostundertheboughsoftheforestpath，whenhewasdisturbedfromhisreveriebythevoiceofWamba。
　　``Knowestthou，’’saidtheJester，``mygoodfriendGurth，thatthouartstrangelycourteousandmostunwontedlypiousonthissummermorning?
　　IwouldIwereablackPriororabarefootPalmer，toavailmyselfofthyunwontedzealandcourtesy——certes，Iwouldmakemoreoutofitthanakissofthehand。’’
　　``Thouartnofoolthusfar，Wamba，’’answeredGurth，``thoughthouarguestfromappearances，andthewisestofuscandonomore——Butitistimetolookaftermycharge。’’
　　Sosaying，heturnedbacktothemansion，attendedbytheJester。
　　MeanwhilethetravellerscontinuedtopressontheirjourneywithadispatchwhicharguedtheextremityoftheJew’sfears，sincepersonsathisageareseldomfondofrapidmotion，ThePalmer，towhomeverypathandoutletinthewoodappearedtobefamiliar，ledthewaythroughthemostdeviouspaths，andmorethanonceexcitedanewthesuspicionoftheIsraelite，thatheintendedtobetrayhimintosomeambuscadeofhisenemies。
　　Hisdoubtsmighthavebeenindeedpardoned；
　　for，exceptperhapstheflyingfish，therewasnoraceexistingontheearth，intheair，orthewaters，whoweretheobjectofsuchanunintermitting，general，andrelentlesspersecutionastheJewsofthisperiod。Upontheslightestandmostunreasonablepretences，aswellasuponaccusationsthemostabsurdandgroundless，theirpersonsandpropertywereexposedtoeveryturnofpopularfury；forNorman，Saxon，Dane，andBriton，howeveradversetheseracesweretoeachother，contendedwhichshouldlookwithgreatestdetestationuponapeople，whomitwasaccountedapointofreligiontohate，torevile，todespise，toplunder，andtopersecute。
　　ThekingsoftheNormanrace，andtheindependentnobles，whofollowedtheirexampleinallactsoftyranny，maintainedagainstthisdevotedpeopleapersecutionofamoreregular，calculated，andself-interestedkind。Itisawell-knownstoryofKingJohn，thatheconfinedawealthyJewinoneoftheroyalcastles，anddailycausedoneofhisteethtobetornout，until，whenthejawoftheunhappyIsraelitewashalfdisfurnished，heconsentedtopayalargesum，whichitwasthetyrant’sobjecttoextortfromhim。Thelittlereadymoneywhichwasinthecountrywaschieflyinpossessionofthispersecutedpeople，andthenobilityhesitatednottofollowtheexampleoftheirsovereign，inwringingitfromthembyeveryspeciesofoppression，andevenpersonaltorture。Yetthepassivecourageinspiredbytheloveofgain，inducedtheJewstodarethevariousevilstowhichtheyweresubjected，inconsiderationoftheimmenseprofitswhichtheywereenabledtorealizeinacountrynaturallysowealthyasEngland。Inspiteofeverykindofdiscouragement，andevenofthespecialcourtoftaxationsalreadymentioned，calledtheJews’Exchequer，erectedfortheverypurposeofdespoilinganddistressingthem，theJewsincreased，multiplied，andaccumulatedhugesums，whichtheytransferredfromonehandtoanotherbymeansofbillsofexchange——aninventionforwhichcommerceissaidtobeindebtedtothem，andwhichenabledthemtotransfertheirwealthfromlandtoland，thatwhenthreatenedwithoppressioninonecountry，theirtreasuremightbesecuredinanother。
　　TheobstinacyandavariceoftheJewsbeingthusinameasureplacedinoppositiontothefanaticismthattyrannyofthoseunderwhomtheylived，seemedtoincreaseinproportiontothepersecutionwithwhichtheywerevisited；andtheimmensewealththeyusuallyacquiredincommerce，whileitfrequentlyplacedthemindanger，wasatothertimesusedtoextendtheirinfluence，andtosecuretothemacertaindegreeofprotection。Onthesetermstheylived；andtheircharacter，influencedaccordingly，waswatchful，suspicious，andtimid——
　　yetobstinate，uncomplying，andskilfulinevadingthedangerstowhichtheywereexposed。
　　Whenthetravellershadpushedonatarapidratethroughmanydeviouspaths，thePalmeratlengthbrokesilence。
　　``Thatlargedecayedoak，’’hesaid，``markstheboundariesoverwhichFront-de-Bufclaimsauthority——
　　wearelongsincefarfromthoseofMalvoisin。
　　Thereisnownofearofpursuit。’’
　　``Maythewheelsoftheirchariotsbetakenoff，’’
　　saidtheJew，``likethoseofthehostofPharaoh，thattheymaydriveheavily！——Butleavemenot，goodPilgrim——ThinkbutofthatfierceandsavageTemplar，withhisSaracenslaves——theywillregardneitherterritory，normanor，norlordship。’’
　　``Ourroad，’’saidthePalmer，``shouldhereseparate；
　　foritbeseemsnotmenofmycharacterandthinetotraveltogetherlongerthanneedsmustbe。
　　Besides，whatsuccourcouldstthouhavefromme，apeacefulPilgrim，againsttwoarmedheathens?’’
　　``Ogoodyouth，’’answeredtheJew，``thoucanstdefendme，andIknowthouwouldst。PoorasIam，Iwillrequiteit——notwithmoney，formoney，sohelpmemyFatherAbraham，Ihavenone——but——’’
　　``Moneyandrecompense，’’saidthePalmer，interruptinghim，``IhavealreadysaidIrequirenotofthee。GuidetheeIcan；and，itmaybe，eveninsomesortdefendthee；sincetoprotectaJewagainstaSaracen，canscarcebeaccountedunworthyofaChristian。Therefore，Jew，Iwillseetheesafeundersomefittingescort。WearenownotfarfromthetownofSheffield，wherethoumayesteasilyfindmanyofthytribewithwhomtotakerefuge。’’
　　``TheblessingofJacobbeuponthee，goodyouth！’’saidtheJew；``inSheffieldIcanharbourwithmykinsmanZareth，andfindsomemeansoftravellingforthwithsafety。’’
　　``Beitso，’’saidthePalmer；``atSheffieldthenwepart，andhalf-an-hour’sridingwillbringusinsightofthattown。’’
　　Thehalfhourwasspentinperfectsilenceonbothparts；thePilgrimperhapsdisdainingtoaddresstheJew，exceptincaseofabsolutenecessity，andtheJewnotpresumingtoforceaconversationwithapersonwhosejourneytotheHolySepulchregaveasortofsanctitytohischaracter。Theypausedonthetopofagentlyrisingbank，andthePilgrim，pointingtothetownofSheffield，whichlaybeneaththem，repeatedthewords，``Here，then，wepart。’’
　　``NottillyouhavehadthepoorJew’sthanks，’’
　　saidIsaac；``forIpresumenottoaskyoutogowithmetomykinsmanZareth’s，whomightaidmewithsomemeansofrepayingyourgoodoffices。’’
　　``Ihavealreadysaid，’’answeredthePilgrim，``thatIdesirenorecompense。Ifamongthehugelistofthydebtors，thouwilt，formysake，sparethegyvesandthedungeontosomeunhappyChristianwhostandsinthydanger，Ishallholdthismorning’sservicetotheewellbestowed。’’
　　``Stay，stay，’’saidtheJew，layingholdofhisgarment；``somethingwouldIdomorethanthis，somethingforthyself——GodknowstheJewispoor——yes，Isaacisthebeggarofhistribe——butforgivemeshouldIguesswhatthoumostlackestatthismoment。’’
　　``Ifthouwerttoguesstruly，’’saidthePalmer，``itiswhatthoucanstnotsupply，wertthouaswealthyasthousaystthouartpoor。’
　　``AsIsay?’’echoedtheJew；``O！believeit，Isaybutthetruth；Iamaplundered，indebted，distressedman。Hardhandshavewrungfrommemygoods，mymoney，myships，andallthatIpossessed——
　　YetIcantelltheewhatthoulackest，and，itmaybe，supplyittoo。Thywishevennowisforahorseandarmour。’’
　　ThePalmerstarted，andturnedsuddenlytowardstheJew：——``Whatfiendpromptedthatguess?’’saidhe，hastily。
　　``Nomatter，’’saidtheJew，smiling，``sothatitbeatrueone——and，asIcanguessthywant，soIcansupplyit。’’
　　``Butconsider，’’saidthePalmer，``mycharacter，mydress，myvow。’’
　　``IknowyouChristians，’’repliedtheJew，``andthatthenoblestofyouwilltakethestaffandsandalinsuperstitiouspenance，andwalkafoottovisitthegravesofdeadmen。’’
　　``Blasphemenot，Jew，’’saidthePilgrim，sternly。
　　``Forgiveme，’’saidtheJew；``Ispokerashly。
　　Buttheredroptwordsfromyoulastnightandthismorning，that，likesparksfromflint，showedthemetalwithin；andinthebosomofthatPalmer’sgown，ishiddenaknight’schainandspursofgold。
　　Theyglancedasyoustoopedovermybedinthemorning。’’
　　ThePilgrimcouldnotforbearsmiling。``Werethygarmentssearchedbyascuriousaneye，Isaac，’’
　　saidhe，``whatdiscoveriesmightnotbemade?’’
　　``Nomoreofthat，’’saidtheJew，changingcolour；