The Buccaneer - A Tale

"Where am I to find a place for baiting at, in my way up to that

planet?" she inquired of the Doctor.

"Madam," replied he, "of all the people in the world, I never expected

that question from you, who have built so many castles in the air, that

you may lie every night at one of your own."

As he conducted his nephew to the door, he turned back to look on Robin:

"You have not teased the poor Jew, I hope?" he said to the page.

"No; but he has worried us, uncle; you know not what a wit-snapper it

is."

"Indeed! art thou a Solomon, friend?"

"An' please ye, sir, the wisdom, as well as the glory, has departed from

our people," said Robin.

"I care little for the glory," observed the Doctor, who was Warden of

Wadham College; "I care very little for any earthly glory: but canst

tell me where the wisdom is gone--the wisdom, Jew, the wisdom! Where is

that to be found?"

"Usually at the College of Wadham," replied the crafty Robin, bowing

respectfully, "though sometimes it wanders abroad to enlighten England."

"Go to; you are a most cunning Isaac," said Doctor Wilkins, laughing;

and at the same time throwing Robin a piece of silver, which he caught,

with much dexterity, ere it touched the ground.

"This is the only unwise thing your worship ever did," continued Robin,

depositing the silver safely in his leathern purse.

"How so, most cunning Jew?"

"Bestowing money--when there can be no interest thereupon."

"You have never heard, I fear," said Doctor Wilkins, who, with true

Christian spirit, was ever ready to speak a word in season--"you have

never heard of laying up treasures in a place where neither moth nor

rust can corrupt, and where thieves cannot break through and steal?"

"I have heard some Christians speak of such a place," replied Robin,

"though I did not think they believed in its existence."

"Why so?"

"Because they seemed so little inclined to trust their property in that

same storehouse."

"You say but too truly; yet it is written 'that charity covereth a

multitude of sins.'"

"Then that is reason why so many sins are roaming abroad 'naked but not

ashamed.' Ah, sir! it is a marvellously scarce commodity that same

charity; when Christians spit upon and rail at the poor Jew, they lack

charity; when they taunt me with my deformity, they lack charity; when

they destroy the web of the spider, that toileth for its bread, and

useth what the God of Moses gave it to catch food, they lack charity.

Sir, I have walked by the way-side, and I have seen a man tread into the

smallest atoms the hill of the industrious ant, and say, it stole the

peasant's corn; and yet I have known that same man make long prayers and

devour widows' houses. I have watched the small singing-bird, trolling

its sweet song on the bough of some wild cherry-tree, and a man, whose

hair was combed over his brow, whose step was slow, whose eyes appeared

to seek commune with Heaven, killed that bird, and then devoured all the

cherries. A little of that red fruit would have served the singing-bird

for the length of a long summer's day, and it could have sung to its

mate till, when the night came, they sheltered in each other's bosom;

yet he, the man with the smooth hair and the holy eye, killed the small

bird; but mark ye, sir, he ate the cherries, all, every one. Though I am

as one lacking sense, and only a serving Jew, I trow he lacked charity!"