it not, and ever since the Christians have
killed thousands of the Jews. Now, which is the most wicked, those Jews
who killed the Man Who was a God, because He said He was a God, or those
Christians who throw a man into a fire to burn before his wife's and
children's eyes? A man who never said that he was a god, but who, they
said, put poison into their wells, which he did not do, but which they
believed he did because he was one of the race that thirteen hundred
years ago killed their God? Ah, well! Jew and Christian, I think the
same devil dwells in them all, but Murgh alone knows the truth of the
matter. If ever we meet again, I'll ask him of it. Meanwhile, we go to
Avignon in strange company, whereof all the holy priests yonder, if any
of them still live, to say nothing of the people, may demand an account
of us."

So spoke Dick as one who seeks an answer, but neither of his companions
gave him any.

On they went through the ruined land unpursued, although they had just
brought sundry men to their deaths. For now neither law nor justice
was left and those killed who could and those died who must, unwept and
unavenged. Only certain travellers, flying they knew not whither, flying
from doom to doom, eyed them with hate and loathing because of their
companions. Those who consorted with Jews must, they thought, be the
enemies of every Christian soul.

Well was it for them perhaps that the early winter night was closing
in when they reached the wonderful bridge of St. Benezet, now quite
unguarded, since a worse foe reigned in Avignon than any that it could
fear from without. They crossed it, unnoted, for here none lingered in
the gloom and rain save one poor woman, who called out to them that all
she loved were dead and that she went to seek them. Then, before they
could interfere, she scrambled to the parapet of the bridge and with a
wild cry leapt into the foaming waters that rushed beneath.

"God forgive and rest her!" muttered Hugh, crossing himself. The others
only shrugged their shoulders. Such dreadful sights fed their eyes daily
till they learned to take little note of them.

In a deserted place on the farther side of the bridge they halted, and
Hugh said to the Jewish widow:

"Woman, here is Avignon, where you tell us there are those who will
befriend you, so now let us part. We have done what we can for you and
it is not safe either for you or for us that we should be seen together
in this Christian city