s, as the scion of a most noble and most
illustrious family it was right that you should wear diamonds and
pearls. Your jewels were the treasury of the poor, and I deplore the
fact that they should have been snatched from you."

He assured her that she would certainly recover them, either in this
world or the next; he said everything possible to assuage her regret,
and soothe her sorrow, and he comforted her. For she had a tender
soul, which longed for consolation. But he himself left her full of
affliction.

On the following day, as he was about to celebrate Mass in the
cathedral, the holy Bishop saw coming towards him, in the sacristy, the
three Jews, Seligmann, Issachar, and Meyer, who, wearing green hats and
fillets upon their shoulders, very humbly presented him the notes which
Robin had made over to them. As the venerable pontiff could not pay
diem, they called up twenty porters, with baskets, sacks, picklocks,
carts, cords, and ladders, and commenced to pick the locks of the
wardrobes, coffers, and tabernacles. The holy man cast on them a look
which would have destroyed three Christians. He threatened them with the
penalties of sacrilege, both in this world and the next, he pointed
out that their mere presence in the house of the God, whom they had
crucified, called down the fire of heaven upon their heads. They
listened with the calm of people for whom anathema, reprobation,
malediction, and execration were their daily bread. He then prayed to
them, besought them, and promised to pay as soon as he could, twofold,
threefold, tenfold, a hundredfold, the debt which they had acquired.
They excused themselves politely for being unable to postpone the little
transaction. The Bishop threatened to sound the tocsin, to rouse against
them the people who would kill them like dogs for profaning, violating,
and stealing the miraculous images and holy relics. They smilingly
pointed to the sheriff's officers, who were guarding them. They were
protected by King Berln, for they lent him money. At this sight the holy
Bishop, recognizing that resistance would be rebellion, and remembering
Him who replaced the ear of Malchus, remained inert and speechless, and
bitter tears dropped from his eyes. Seligmann, Issachar, and Meyer
took away the golden shrines enriched with precious stones, enamels and
cabochons, the reliquaries in the form of chalices, lanterns, naves, and
towers, the portable altars of alabaster encased in gold and si