Ivanhoe

"Daughter," said Isaac, "thou hast harped upon another string of sorrow.

The goodly steed and the rich armour, equal to the full profit of my

adventure with our Kirjath Jairam of Leicester--there is a dead loss

too--ay, a loss which swallows up the gains of a week; ay, of the space

between two Sabbaths--and yet it may end better than I now think, for

'tis a good youth."

"Assuredly," said Rebecca, "you shall not repent you of requiting the

good deed received of the stranger knight."

"I trust so, daughter," said Isaac, "and I trust too in the rebuilding

of Zion; but as well do I hope with my own bodily eyes to see the walls

and battlements of the new Temple, as to see a Christian, yea, the very

best of Christians, repay a debt to a Jew, unless under the awe of the

judge and jailor."

So saying, he resumed his discontented walk through the apartment; and

Rebecca, perceiving that her attempts at consolation only served to

awaken new subjects of complaint, wisely desisted from her unavailing

efforts--a prudential line of conduct, and we recommend to all who set

up for comforters and advisers, to follow it in the like circumstances.

The evening was now becoming dark, when a Jewish servant entered the

apartment, and placed upon the table two silver lamps, fed with perfumed

oil; the richest wines, and the most delicate refreshments, were at the

same time displayed by another Israelitish domestic on a small ebony

table, inlaid with silver; for, in the interior of their houses, the

Jews refused themselves no expensive indulgences. At the same time the

servant informed Isaac, that a Nazarene (so they termed Christians,

while conversing among themselves) desired to speak with him. He that

would live by traffic, must hold himself at the disposal of every one

claiming business with him. Isaac at once replaced on the table the

untasted glass of Greek wine which he had just raised to his lips, and

saying hastily to his daughter, "Rebecca, veil thyself," commanded the

stranger to be admitted.

Just as Rebecca had dropped over her fine features a screen of silver

gauze which reached to her feet, the door opened, and Gurth entered,

wrapt in the ample folds of his Norman mantle. His appearance was rather

suspicious than prepossessing, especially as, instead of doffing his

bonnet, he pulled it still deeper over his rugged brow.

"Art thou Isaac the Jew of York?" said Gurth, in Saxon.

"I am," replied Isaac, in the same language, (for his traffic had

rendered every tongue spoken in Britain familiar to him)--"and who art

thou?"