``FromtheDisinheritedKnight，’’saidGurth，``victorinthisday’stournament。ItisthepriceofthearmoursuppliedtohimbyKirjathJairamofLeicester，onthyrecommendation。Thesteedisrestoredtothystable。IdesiretoknowtheamountofthesumwhichIamtopayforthearmour。’’
　　``Isaidhewasagoodyouth！’’exclaimedIsaacwithjoyfulexultation。``Acupofwinewilldotheenoharm，’’headded，fillingandhandingtotheswineherdaricherdroughtthanGurthhadeverbeforetasted。”Andhowmuchmoney，’’continuedIsaac，``hasthoubroughtwiththee?’’
　　``HolyVirgin！’’saidGurth，settingdownthecup，``whatnectartheseunbelievingdogsdrink，whiletrueChristiansarefaintoquaffaleasmuddyandthickasthedraffwegivetohogs！——WhatmoneyhaveIbroughtwithme?’’continuedtheSaxon，whenhehadfinishedthisuncivilejaculation，``evenbutasmallsum；somethinginhandthewhilst。What，Isaac！thoumustbearaconscience，thoughitbeaJewishone。’’
　　``Nay，but，’’saidIsaac，``thymasterhaswongoodlysteedsandricharmourswiththestrengthofhislance，andofhisrighthand——but’tisagoodyouth——theJewwilltaketheseinpresentpayment，andrenderhimbackthesurplus。’’
　　``Mymasterhasdisposedofthemalready，’’saidGurth。
　　``Ah！thatwaswrong，’’saidtheJew，``thatwasthepartofafool。NoChristiansherecouldbuysomanyhorsesandarmour——noJewexceptmyselfwouldgivehimhalfthevalues。Butthouhastahundredzecchinswiththeeinthatbag，’’saidIsaac，pryingunderGurth’scloak，``itisaheavyone。’’
　　``Ihaveheadsforcross-bowboltsinit，’’saidGurth，readily。
　　``Well，then’’——saidIsaac，pantingandhesitatingbetweenhabitualloveofgainandanew-borndesiretobeliberalinthepresentinstance，``ifIshouldsaythatIwouldtakeeightyzecchinsforthegoodsteedandthericharmour，whichleavesmenotaguilder’sprofit，haveyoumoneytopayme?’’
　　``Barely，’’saidGurth，thoughthesumdemandedwasmorereasonablethanheexpected，``anditwillleavemymasternighpenniless。Nevertheless，ifsuchbeyourleastoffer，Imustbecontent。’’
　　``Fillthyselfanothergobletofwine，’’saidtheJew。``Ah！eightyzecchinsistoolittle。Itleavethnoprofitfortheusagesofthemoneys；and，besides，thegoodhorsemayhavesufferedwronginthisday’sencounter。O，itwasahardandadangerousmeeting！manandsteedrushingoneachotherlikewildbullsofBashan！Thehorsecannotbuthavehadwrong。’’
　　``AndIsay，’’repliedGurth，``heissound，windandlimb；andyoumayseehimnow，inyourstable。
　　AndIsay，overandabove，thatseventyzecchinsisenoughforthearmour，andIhopeaChristian’swordisasgoodasaJew’s。Ifyouwillnottakeseventy，Iwillcarrythisbag’’andheshookittillthecontentsjingled``backtomymaster。’’
　　``Nay，nay！’’saidIsaac；``laydownthetalents——theshekels——theeightyzecchins，andthoushaltseeIwillconsidertheeliberally。’’
　　Gurthatlengthcomplied；andtellingouteightyzecchinsuponthetable，theJewdeliveredouttohimanacquittanceforthehorseandsuitofarmour。
　　TheJew’shandtrembledforjoyashewrappedupthefirstseventypiecesofgold。Thelasttenhetoldoverwithmuchdeliberation，pausing，andsayingsomethingashetookeachpiecefromthetable，anddroptitintohispurse。Itseemedasifhisavaricewerestrugglingwithhisbetternature，andcompellinghimtopouchzecchinafterzecchinwhilehisgenerosityurgedhimtorestoresomepartatleasttohisbenefactor，orasadonationtohisagent。
　　Hiswholespeechrannearlythus：
　　``Seventy-one——seventy-two；thymasterisagoodyouth——seventy-three，anexcellentyouth——
　　seventy-four——thatpiecehathbeencliptwithinthering——seventy-five——andthatlookethlightofweight——seventy-six——whenthymasterwantsmoney，lethimcometoIsaacofYork——seventy-seven——thatis，withreasonablesecurity。’’Herehemadeaconsiderablepause，andGurthhadgoodhopethatthelastthreepiecesmightescapethefateoftheircomrades；
　　buttheenumerationproceeded——``Seventy-eight——
　　thouartagoodfellow——seventy-nine——
　　anddeservestsomethingforthyself——’’
　　HeretheJewpausedagain，andlookedatthelastzecchin，intending，doubtless，tobestowituponGurth。Heweighedituponthetipofhisfinger，andmadeitringbydroppingituponthetable。
　　Haditrungtooflat，orhaditfeltahair’sbreadthtoolight，generosityhadcarriedtheday；but，unhappilyforGurth，thechimewasfullandtrue，thezecchinplump，newlycoined，andagrainaboveweight。Isaaccouldnotfindinhishearttopartwithit，sodroptitintohispurseasifinabsenceofmind，withthewords，``Eightycompletesthetale，andItrustthymasterwillrewardtheehandsomely——
　　Surely，’’headded，lookingearnestlyatthebag，``thouhastmorecoinsinthatpouch?’’
　　Gurthgrinned，whichwashisnearestapproachtoalaugh，ashereplied，``Aboutthesamequantitywhichthouhastjusttoldoversocarefully。’’
　　Hethenfoldedthequittance，andputitunderhiscap，adding，——``Perilofthyheard，Jew，seethatthisbefullandample！’’Hefilledhimselfunbidden，athirdgobletofwine，andlefttheapartmentwithoutceremony。
　　``Rebecca，’’saidtheJew，``thatIshmaelitehathgonesomewhatbeyondme。Neverthelesshismasterisagoodyouth——ay，andIamwellpleasedthathehathgainedshekelsofgoldandshekelsofsilver，evenbythespeedofhishorseandbythestrengthofhislance，which，likethatofGoliaththePhilistine，mightviewithaweaver’sbeam。’’
　　AsheturnedtoreceiveRebecca’sanswer，heobserved，thatduringhischatteringwithGurth，shehadlefttheapartmentunperceived。
　　Inthemeanwhile，Gurthhaddescendedthestair，and，havingreachedthedarkantechamberorhall，waspuzzlingabouttodiscovertheentrance，whenafigureinwhite，shownbyasmallsilverlampwhichsheheldinherhand，beckonedhimintoasideapartment。Gurthhadsomereluctancetoobeythesummons。Roughandimpetuousasawildboar，whereonlyearthlyforcewastobeapprehended，hehadallthecharacteristicterrorsofaSaxonrespectingfawns，forest-fiends，whitewomen，andthewholeofthesuperstitionswhichhisancestorshadbroughtwiththemfromthewildsofGermany。
　　Heremembered，moreover，thathewasinthehouseofaJew，apeoplewho，besidestheotherunamiablequalitieswhichpopularreportascribedtothem，weresupposedtobeprofoundnecromancersandcabalists。Nevertheless，afteramoment’spause，heobeyedthebeckoningsummonsoftheapparition，andfollowedherintotheapartmentwhichsheindicated，wherehefoundtohisjoyfulsurprisethathisfairguidewasthebeautifulJewesswhomhehadseenatthetournament，andashorttimeinherfather’sapartment。
　　SheaskedhimtheparticularsofhistransactionwithIsaac，whichhedetailedaccurately。
　　``Myfatherdidbutjestwiththee，goodfellow，’’
　　saidRebecca；``heowesthymasterdeeperkindnessthanthesearmsandsteedcouldpay，weretheirvaluetenfold。Whatsumdidstthoupaymyfatherevennow?’’
　　``Eightyzecchins，’’saidGurth，surprisedatthequestion。
　　``Inthispurse，’’saidRebecca，``thouwiltfindahundred。Restoretothymasterthatwhichishisdue，andenrichthyselfwiththeremainder。Haste——begone——staynottorenderthanks！andbewarehowyoupassthroughthiscrowdedtown，wherethoumaysteasilyloseboththyburdenandthylife——Reuben，’’sheadded，clappingherhandstogether，``lightforththisstranger，andfailnottodrawlockandbarbehindhim。’’
　　Reuben，adark-brow’dandblack-beardedIsraelite，obeyedhersummons，withatorchinhishand；
　　undidtheoutwarddoorofthehouse，andconductingGurthacrossapavedcourt，lethimoutthroughawicketintheentrance-gate，whichheclosedbehindhimwithsuchboltsandchainsaswouldwellhavebecomethatofaprison。
　　``ByStDunstan，’’saidGurth，ashestumbledupthedarkavenue，``thisisnoJewess，butanangelfromheaven！Tenzecchinsfrommybraveyoungmaster——twentyfromthispearlofZion——Oh，happyday！——Suchanother，Gurth，willredeemthybondage，andmaketheeabrotherasfreeofthyguildasthebest。AndthendoIlaydownmyswineherd’shornandstaff，andtakethefreeman’sswordandbuckler，andfollowmyyoungmastertothedeath，withouthidingeithermyfaceormyname。’’
　　CHAPTERXI
　　_1stOutlaw_。Stand，sir，andthrowusthatyouhaveaboutyou；
　　Ifnot，we’llmakeyousit，andrifleyou。
　　_Speed_。Sir，weareundone！thesearethevillainsThatallthetravellersdofearsomuch。
　　_Val_。Myfriends，——
　　_1stOut_。That’snotso，sir，weareyourenemies。
　　_2dOut_。Peace！we’llhearhim。
　　_3dOut_。Ay，bymybeard，willwe；
　　Forhe’saproperman。
　　_TwoGentlemenofVerona_。
　　ThenocturnaladventuresofGurthwerenotyetconcluded；indeedhehimselfbecamepartlyofthatmind，when，afterpassingoneortwostragglinghouseswhichstoodintheoutskirtsofthevillage，hefoundhimselfinadeeplane，runningbetweentwobanksovergrownwithhazelandholly，whilehereandthereadwarfoakflungitsarmsaltogetheracrossthepath。Thelanewasmoreovermuchruttedandbrokenupbythecarriageswhichhadrecentlytransportedarticlesofvariouskindstothetournament；anditwasdark，forthebanksandbushesinterceptedthelightoftheharvestmoon。
　　Fromthevillagewereheardthedistantsoundsofrevelry，mixedoccasionallywithloudlaughter，sometimesbrokenbyscreams，andsometimesbywildstrainsofdistantmusic。Allthesesounds，intimatingthedisorderlystateofthetown，crowdedwithmilitarynoblesandtheirdissoluteattendants，gaveGurthsomeuneasiness。``TheJewesswasright，’’hesaidtohimself。``ByheavenandStDunstan，IwouldIweresafeatmyjourney’sendwithallthistreasure！Herearesuchnumbers，I
　　willnotsayofarrantthieves，butoferrantknightsanderrantsquires，errantmonksanderrantminstrels，errantjugglersanderrantjesters，thatamanwithasinglemerkwouldbeindanger，muchmoreapoorswineherdwithawholebagfulofzecchins。
　　WouldIwereoutoftheshadeoftheseinfernalbushes，thatImightatleastseeanyofStNicholas’sclerksbeforetheyspringonmyshoulders。’’
　　Gurthaccordinglyhastenedhispace，inordertogaintheopencommontowhichthelaneled，butwasnotsofortunateastoaccomplishhisobject。
　　Justashehadattainedtheupperendofthelane，wheretheunderwoodwasthickest，fourmensprunguponhim，evenashisfearsanticipated，twofromeachsideoftheroad，andseizedhimsofast，thatresistance，ifatfirstpracticable，wouldhavebeennowtoolate——``Surrenderyourcharge，’’saidoneofthem；``wearethedeliverersofthecommonwealth，whoeaseeverymanofhisburden。’’
　　``Youshouldnoteasemeofminesolightly，’’
　　mutteredGurth，whosesurlyhonestycouldnotbetamedevenbythepressureofimmediateviolence，——``hadIitbutinmypowertogivethreestrokesinitsdefence。’’