``Ay，Jew，’’saidPriorAymer；``kneeltoGod，asrepresentedintheservantofhisaltar，andwhoknows，withthysincererepentanceandduegiftstotheshrineofSaintRobert，whatgracethoumaystacquireforthyselfandthydaughterRebecca?I
　　grieveforthemaiden，forsheisoffairandcomelycountenance，——IbeheldherinthelistsofAshby。
　　AlsoBriandeBois-GuilbertisonewithwhomI
　　maydomuch——bethinktheehowthoumaystdeservemygoodwordwithhim。’’
　　``Alas！alas！’’saidtheJew，``oneveryhandthespoilersariseagainstme——IamgivenasapreyuntotheAssyrian，andapreyuntohimofEgypt。’’
　　``Andwhatelseshouldbethelotofthyaccursedrace?’’answeredthePrior；``forwhatsaithholywrit，_verbumDominiiprojecterunt，etsapientiaestnullaineis_——theyhavecastforththewordoftheLord，andthereisnowisdominthem；_proptereadabomuliereseorumexteris_——Iwillgivetheirwomentostrangers，thatistotheTemplar，asinthepresentmatter；_etthesauroseorumhredibusalienis_，andtheirtreasurestoothers——asinthepresentcasetothesehonestgentlemen。’’
　　Isaacgroaneddeeply，andbegantowringhishands，andtorelapseintohisstateofdesolationanddespair。Buttheleaderoftheyeomenledhimaside。
　　``Advisetheewell，Isaac，’’saidLocksley，``whatthouwiltdointhismatter；mycounseltotheeistomakeafriendofthischurchman。Heisvain，Isaac，andheiscovetous；atleastheneedsmoneytosupplyhisprofusion。Thoucansteasilygratifyhisgreed；forthinknotthatIamblindedbythypretextsofpoverty。Iamintimatelyacquainted，Isaac，withtheveryironchestinwhichthoudostkeepthymoney-bags——What！knowInotthegreatstonebeneaththeapple-tree，thatleadsintothevaultedchamberunderthygardenatYork?’’
　　TheJewgrewaspaleasdeath——``Butfearnothingfromme，’’continuedtheyeoman，``forweareofoldacquainted。DostthounotrememberthesickyeomanwhomthyfairdaughterRebeccaredeemedfromthegyvesatYork，andkepthiminthyhousetillhishealthwasrestored，whenthoudidstdismisshimrecovered，andwithapieceofmoney?——Usurerasthouart，thoudidstneverplacecoinatbetterinterestthanthatpoorsilvermark，forithasthisdaysavedtheefivehundredcrowns。’’
　　``AndthouarthewhomwecalledDicconBend-the-Bow?’’
　　saidIsaac；``IthoughteverIknewtheaccentofthyvoice。’’
　　``IamBend-the-Bow，’’saidtheCaptain，``andLocksley，andhaveagoodnamebesidesallthese。’’
　　``Butthouartmistaken，goodBend-the-Bow，concerningthatsamevaultedapartment。SohelpmeHeaven，asthereisnoughtinitbutsomemerchandiseswhichIwillgladlypartwithtoyou——
　　onehundredyardsofLincolngreentomakedoubletstothymen，andahundredstavesofSpanishyewtomakebows，andahundredsilkenbowstrings，tough，round，andsound——thesewillIsendtheeforthygood-will，honestDiccon，anthouwiltkeepsilenceaboutthevault，mygoodDiccon。’’
　　``Silentasadormouse，’’saidtheOutlaw；``andnevertrustmebutIamgrievedforthydaughter。
　　ButImaynothelpit——TheTemplarslancesaretoostrongformyarcheryintheopenfield——theywouldscatteruslikedust。HadIbutknownitwasRebeccawhenshewasborneoff，somethingmighthavebeendone；butnowthoumustneedsproceedbypolicy。Come，shallItreatfortheewiththePrior?’’
　　``InGod’sname，Diccon，anthoucanst，aidmetorecoverthechildofmybosom！’’
　　``Donotthouinterruptmewiththineill-timedavarice，’’saidtheOutlaw，``andIwilldealwithhiminthybehalf。’’
　　HethenturnedfromtheJew，whofollowedhim，however，ascloselyashisshadow。
　　``PriorAymer，’’saidtheCaptain，``comeapartwithmeunderthistree。Mensaythoudostlovewine，andalady’ssmile，betterthanbeseemsthyOrder，SirPriest；butwiththatIhavenoughttodo。Ihaveheard，too，thoudostloveabraceofgooddogsandafleethorse，anditmaywellbethat，lovingthingswhicharecostlytocomeby，thouhatestnotapurseofgold。ButIhaveneverheardthatthoudidstloveoppressionorcruelty——Now，hereisIsaacwillingtogivetheethemeansofpleasureandpastimeinabagcontainingonehundredmarksofsilver，ifthyintercessionwiththineallytheTemplarshallavailtoprocurethefreedomofhisdaughter。’’
　　``Insafetyandhonour，aswhentakenfromme，’’
　　saidtheJew，``otherwiseitisnobargain。’’
　　``Peace，Isaac，’’saidtheOutlaw，``orIgiveupthineinterest——Whatsayyoutothismypurpose，PriorAymer?’’
　　``Thematter，’’quoththePrior，``isofamixedcondition；for，ifIdoagooddealontheonehand，yet，ontheother，itgoethtothevantageofaJew，andinsomuchisagainstmyconscience。Yet，iftheIsraelitewilladvantagetheChurchbygivingmesomewhatovertothebuildingofourdortour，*
　　*_Dortour_，ordormitory。
　　Iwilltakeitonmyconsciencetoaidhiminthematterofhisdaughter。’’
　　``Forascoreofmarkstothedortour，’’saidtheOutlaw，——``Bestill，Isay，Isaac！——orforabraceofsilvercandlestickstothealtar，wewillnotstandwithyou。’’
　　``Nay，but，goodDicconBend-the-Bow’’——saidIsaac，endeavouringtointerpose。
　　``GoodJew——goodbeast——goodearthworm！’’
　　saidtheyeoman，losingpatience；``anthoudostgoontoputthyfilthylucreinthebalancewiththydaughter’slifeandhonour，byHeaven，Iwillstriptheeofeverymaravedithouhastintheworld，beforethreedaysareout！’’
　　Isaacshrunktogether，andwassilent。
　　``AndwhatpledgeamItohaveforallthis?’’
　　saidthePrior。
　　``WhenIsaacreturnssuccessfulthroughyourmediation，’’saidtheOutlaw，``IswearbySaintHubert，Iwillseethathepaystheethemoneyingoodsilver，orIwillreckonwithhimforitinsuchsort，hehadbetterhavepaidtwentysuchsums。’’
　　``Wellthen，Jew，’’saidAymer，``sinceImustneedsmeddleinthismatter，letmehavetheuseofthywriting-tablets——though，hold——ratherthanusethypen，Iwouldfastfortwenty-fourhours，andwhereshallIfindone?’’
　　``IfyourholyscruplescandispensewithusingtheJew’stablets，forthepenIcanfindaremedy，’’
　　saidtheyeoman；and，bendinghisbow，heaimedhisshaftatawild-goosewhichwassoaringovertheirheads，theadvanced-guardofaphalanxofhistribe，whichwerewingingtheirwaytothedistantandsolitaryfensofHolderness。Thebirdcameflutteringdown，transfixedwiththearrow。
　　``There，Prior，’’saidtheCaptain，``arequillsenowtosupplyallthemonksofJorvaulxforthenexthundredyears，antheytakenottowritingchronicles。’’
　　ThePriorsatdown，andatgreatleisureinditedanepistletoBriandeBois-Guilbert，andhavingcarefullysealedupthetablets，deliveredthemtotheJew，saying，``Thiswillbethysafe-conducttothePreceptoryofTemplestowe，and，asIthink，ismostlikelytoaccomplishthedeliveryofthydaughter，ifitbewellbackedwithproffersofadvantageandcommodityatthineownhand；for，trustmewell，thegoodKnightBois-Guilbertisoftheirconfraternitythatdonoughtfornought。’’
　　``Well，Prior，’’saidtheOutlaw，``IwilldetaintheenolongerherethantogivetheJewaquittanceforthesixhundredcrownsatwhichthyransomisfixed——Iacceptofhimformypay-master；
　　andifIhearthatyeboggleatallowinghiminhisaccomptsthesumsopaidbyhim，SaintMaryrefuseme，anIburnnottheabbeyoverthinehead，thoughIhangtenyearsthesooner！’’
　　WithamuchworsegracethanthatwherewithhehadpennedthelettertoBois-Guilbert，thePriorwroteanacquittance，dischargingIsaacofYorkofsixhundredcrowns，advancedtohiminhisneedforacquittalofhisransom，andfaithfullypromisingtoholdtruecomptwithhimforthatsum。
　　``Andnow，’’saidPriorAymer，``Iwillprayyouofrestitutionofmymulesandpalfreys，andthefreedomofthereverendbrethrenattendinguponme，andalsoofthegymmalrings，jewels，andfairvestures，ofwhichIhavebeendespoiled，havingnowsatisfiedyouformyransomasatrueprisoner。’’
　　``Touchingyourbrethren，SirPrior，’’saidLocksley，``theyshallhavepresentfreedom，itwereunjusttodetainthem；touchingyourhorsesandmules，theyshallalsoberestored，withsuchspending-moneyasmayenableyoutoreachYork，foritwerecrueltodepriveyouofthemeansofjourneying——
　　Butasconcerningrings，jewels，chains，andwhatelse，youmustunderstandthatwearemenoftenderconsciences，andwillnotyieldtoavenerablemanlikeyourself，whoshouldbedeadtothevanitiesofthislife，thestrongtemptationtobreaktheruleofhisfoundation，bywearingrings，chains，orothervaingauds。’’
　　``Thinkwhatyoudo，mymasters，’’saidthePrior，``ereyouputyourhandontheChurch’spatrimony——Thesethingsare_interressacras_，andIwotnotwhatjudgmentmightensueweretheytobehandledbylaicalhands。’’
　　``Iwilltakecareofthat，reverendPrior，’’saidtheHermitofCopmanhurst；``forIwillwearthemmyself。’’
　　``Friend，orbrother，’’saidthePrior，inanswertothissolutionofhisdoubts，``ifthouhastreallytakenreligiousorders，Ipraytheetolookhowthouwiltanswertothineofficialforthesharethouhasttakeninthisday’swork。’’
　　``FriendPrior，’’returnedtheHermit，``youaretoknowthatIbelongtoalittlediocese，whereI