spirit, and the songs
she had played were the airs of paradise. But, comforting himself so,
Israel remembered the vision of Ruth, wherein Naomi had recovered her
powers. He had put it from him hitherto as the delirium of death, but
would the Lord yet bring it to pass? Would God in His mercy some day
take the angel out of his house, though so strangely gifted, so radiant
and beautiful and joyful, and give him instead for the hunger of his
heart as a man this sweet human child, his little, fair-haired Naomi,
though helpless and simple and weak?

CHAPTER VIII

THE VISION OF THE SCAPEGOAT

Israel's instinct had been sure: the coming of Katrina proved to be
the beginning of his end. He kept his office, but he lost his power. No
longer did he work his own will in Tetuan; he was required to work the
will of the woman. Katrina's will was an evil one, and Israel got the
blame of it, for still he seemed to stand in all matters of tribute and
taxation between the people and the Governor. It galled him to take the
woman's wages, but it vexed him yet more to do her work. Her work was to
burden the people with taxes beyond all their power of paying; her wages
was to be hated as the bane of the bashalic, to be clamoured against
as the tyrant of Tetuan, and to be ridiculed by the very offal of the
streets.

One day a gang of dirty Arabs in the market-place dressed up a blind
beggar in clothes such as Israel wore, and sent him abroad through the
town to beg as one that was destitute and in a miserable condition. But
nothing seemed to move Israel to pity. Men were cast into prison for no
reason save that they were rich, and the relations of such as were there
already were allowed to redeem them for money, so that no felon suffered
punishment except such as could pay nothing. People took fright and fled
to other cities. Israel's name became a curse and a reproach throughout
Barbary.

Yet all this time the man's soul was yearning with pity for the people.
Since the death of Ruth his heart had grown merciful. The care of the
child had softened him. It had brought him to look on other children
with tenderness, and looking tenderly on other children had led him to
think of other fathers with compassion. Young or old, powerful or weak,
mighty or mean, they were all as little children--helpless children who
would sleep together in the same bed soon.

Thinking so, Israel would have undone the evil work of earlier years;
but that w