e
grew dark and frowning.

"Ha! the Christian! the cursed Christian!" he growled, and clenched his
fist. "That fair Goth again, with his insufferable pride! Father Isaac,
is that the stag that suits thee for thy hind?"

"Son, speak no mocking word against Isaac! Thou knowest that the youth
has set his heart upon a Roman girl; he thinks not of the Pearl of
Judah!"

"But perhaps the Pearl of Judah thinks of him!"

"With joy and gratitude, as the lamb thinks of the strong shepherd who
has saved it from the jaws of the wolf. Hast thou forgotten, that, when
last these cursed Romans hunted for the treasures and gold-heaps of
Israel, and burnt down the synagogue with unholy fire, a band of these
wicked men chased my poor child through the streets, like a pack of
wolves after a white lamb, and tore the veil from her face, and the
kerchief from her shoulders? Where was Jochem then, my cousin's son,
who had accompanied her? He had fled from danger with swift feet, and
had left the dove in the claws of the vulture!"

"I am a man of peace," said Jochem uneasily; "my hand holds not the
sword of force."

"But Totila held it, brave as the Lion of Judah; and the Lord was with
him. Alone he sprang amid the group of impudent robbers, struck the
boldest with his sharp sword, and drove away the others as a falcon
frighten crows. He covered my trembling child carefully with her veil,
and supporting her tottering footsteps, led her home, unhurt, to the
arms of her old father. May Jehovah the Lord bless him for this deed
with long life and happiness!"

"Well," said Jochem, taking up his papers, "then I will go: this time
for a long while. I must travel over the great waters to transact an
important business."

"An important business? With whom?"

"With Justinianus, the Emperor of the East. A portion of the great
church, which he is building to the glory of God, in the golden town of
Constantine, has fallen in. I have made a plan for the restoration of
the building."

The old man sprang up hastily, and struck his stick upon the ground.

"What, Jochem, son of Rachel! wilt thou serve the Romans? Wilt thou
serve the Emperor, whose forefathers destroyed the holy city of Zion,
and reduced the Temple of the Lord to ashes? Wilt thou build a house
for the erring faith, thou, the son of the pious Manasseh? Woe, woe to
thee!"

"Why callest thou 'woe,' and knowest not wherefore? Canst thou smell
whether a gold piece comes from the hand o