"Barely," said Gurth, though the sum demanded was more reasonable than

he expected, "and it will leave my master nigh penniless. Nevertheless,

if such be your least offer, I must be content."

"Fill thyself another goblet of wine," said the Jew. "Ah! eighty

zecchins is too little. It leaveth no profit for the usages of the

moneys; and, besides, the good horse may have suffered wrong in this

day's encounter. O, it was a hard and a dangerous meeting! man and steed

rushing on each other like wild bulls of Bashan! The horse cannot but

have had wrong."

"And I say," replied Gurth, "he is sound, wind and limb; and you may

see him now, in your stable. And I say, over and above, that seventy

zecchins is enough for the armour, and I hope a Christian's word is as

good as a Jew's. If you will not take seventy, I will carry this bag"

(and he shook it till the contents jingled) "back to my master."

"Nay, nay!" said Isaac; "lay down the talents--the shekels--the eighty

zecchins, and thou shalt see I will consider thee liberally."

Gurth at length complied; and telling out eighty zecchins upon the

table, the Jew delivered out to him an acquittance for the horse and

suit of armour. The Jew's hand trembled for joy as he wrapped up the

first seventy pieces of gold. The last ten he told over with much

deliberation, pausing, and saying something as he took each piece from

the table, and dropt it into his purse. It seemed as if his avarice were

struggling with his better nature, and compelling him to pouch zecchin

after zecchin while his generosity urged him to restore some part at

least to his benefactor, or as a donation to his agent. His whole speech

ran nearly thus: "Seventy-one--seventy-two; thy master is a good youth--seventy-three,

an excellent youth--seventy-four--that piece hath been clipt

within the ring--seventy-five--and that looketh light of

weight--seventy-six--when thy master wants money, let him come to Isaac

of York--seventy-seven--that is, with reasonable security." Here he made

a considerable pause, and Gurth had good hope that the last three pieces

might escape the fate of their comrades; but the enumeration

proceeded.--"Seventy-eight--thou art a good fellow--seventy-nine--and

deservest something for thyself---"

Here the Jew paused again, and looked at the last zecchin, intending,

doubtless, to bestow it upon Gurth. He weighed it upon the tip of his

finger, and made it ring by dropping it upon the table. Had it rung too

flat, or had it felt a hair's breadth too light, generosity had carried

the day; but, unhappily for Gurth, the chime was full and true, the

zecchin plump, newly coined, and a grain above weight. Isaac could not

find in his heart to part with it, so dropt it into his purse as if in

absence of mind, with the words, "Eighty completes the tale, and I trust

thy master will reward thee handsomely.--Surely," he added, looking

earnestly at the bag, "thou hast more coins in that pouch?"




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