ay so. Where is she?"

At a signal from Abraham, the aged woman at his side suddenly
straightened herself, and the removal of another wax mask and some false
white hair revealed the beautiful face of Belasez.

"Welcome, my maiden," said the Countess kindly. "And what troubles have
assailed thee, old Abraham, which made this disguise and flight
necessary?"

"My Lady is good to her poor servants,--may the Blessed One bind her in
the bundle of life! But not all Christians are like her. Lady, there
is this day sore trouble, and great rebuke and blasphemy, against the
sons of Israel that dwell in Norwich. They accuse us of having
kidnapped and crucified a Christian child. They lay too much to us,
Lady,--too much! We have never done such a thing, nor thought of it.
But the house of my Lady's servant is despoiled, and his son
ill-treated, and his brother in the gaol at Norwich for this cause: and
to save his beautiful Belasez he has brought her to his gracious Lady.
Will she give his bird shelter in her nest, according to her word?"

"Indeed I will," answered the Countess. "Margaret, take the maid up to
thine ante-chamber, and bid Levina bring her food. She must stay here a
while. And thou, sit thou down, old Abraham, and rest and refresh
thee."

"Truly, my Lady is as one of the angels of the Holy One to her tried
servants!" said Abraham thankfully.

Belasez kissed the hand of the Countess, and then turned and followed
Margaret to the ante-chamber.

"Art thou very tired, Belasez?"

"Very, very weary, my Damsel. We have come fourteen miles on foot since
yesterday."

Very weary Belasez looked. Now that the momentary excitement of her
arrival and reception was over, the light had died out of the languid
eyes, and her head drooped as if she could scarcely hold it up.

"Go to bed," said Margaret; "that is the best place for over-tired
people.--Levina! My Lady and mother wills thee to bring the maid some
food."

Levina appeared at the door, with an expression of undisguised
annoyance.

"_Ha, chetife_!--if here is not my Lady Countess Jew come again! What
would it please her sweetest Grace to take?"

But Levina had forgotten, as older people sometimes do, that Margaret
was no longer a child to be kept in silent subjection. Girls of
fifteen--and she was nearly that now--were virtually women in the
thirteenth century. Margaret turned to the scoffing Levina, with an air
of dignified displeasure which ra