ther startled the latter.

"Levina! thou hast forgotten thyself. Do as thou art bid."

And Levina disappeared without venturing a reply.

"What have they done to thy brother, Belasez?" asked Margaret.

"They beat him sorely. Damsel, and turned him forth into the street."

"Where did he go?"

"That is known to the Blessed One. Out in the fields somewhere. It is
not the first time that a Jew hath lain hidden for a night or more,
until the fury of the Christians should pass away."

Doucebelle de Vaux was a grave and thoughtful girl, beyond her years.
She sat silent now, trying to recall, from the stores of a memory not
too well furnished, whether Christ, whom these Christians professed to
follow, had ever treated people in such a manner as this. At length she
remembered that she had seen a picture at Thetford of His driving sundry
people out of the Temple with a scourge. But was that because they were
Jews? Doucebelle thought not. She was too ignorant to be sure, but she
fancied they had been doing something wrong.

"I should think," said Margaret warmly, "that you Jews must hate us
Christians."

"Christians are not all alike," said Belasez with a faint smile.

"But do you not hate us?" persisted Margaret.

"Delecresse does, I am afraid," replied Belasez, colouring.

"But thyself?"

"No. O my Damsel, no!" She warmed into vivid life for an instant, to
make this reply; then she sank back against the wall, apparently
overpowered by utter weariness.

"I am glad of that," said Margaret, with her usual outspoken
earnestness.--"What can Levina be doing? Doucebelle, do go and see.--
And hast thou been hard at work at Norwich all the summer, Belasez?"

"No, if it please my Damsel. I have dwelt all this summer at Lincoln,
with my mother's father."

"`The Devil overlooks Lincoln,' they say," remarked Margaret,
laughingly. "I hope he did thee no mischief, Belasez. But, perhaps
Jews do not believe in the Devil?"

"Ah! We have good cause to believe in the Devil," answered Belasez
gravely. "Nay, Damsel, he did me no mischief. Yet--what know I? The
Holy One knoweth all things."

Belasez's tone struck Margaret as hinting at some one thing in
particular. But she did not explain further. Perhaps she was too
tired.

Doucebelle returned at this point, followed by Levina, who carried a
plate of manchet-bread and a bowl of milk. And though Belasez did not
know it, she owed thanks to Doucebelle that it