again."

Abraham made no answer, unless his troubled eyes and quivering lips did
so for him. But the night closed in upon a very quiet chamber, owing to
the absence of Licorice. Delecresse sat studying, with a book open
before him: Belasez was busied with embroidery. Abraham was idle, so
far as his hands were concerned; but any one who had studied him for a
minute would have seen that his thoughts were very active, and by no
means pleasant.

Ten calm days passed over, and nothing happened. They heard, through
neighbours, that Genta was going through all the phases of a tedious
illness, and that Licorice was a most attentive and valuable nurse.

At the end of those ten days, Delecresse came in with an order for some
of the exquisite broidery which only Belasez could execute. It was
wanted for the rich usurer's wife, Rosia: and she wished Belasez to come
to her with specimens of various patterns, so that she might select the
one she preferred.

A walk through the city was an agreeable and unusual break in the
monotony of existence; and Rosia's house was quite at the other end of
the Jews' quarter. Belasez prepared to go out with much alacrity. Her
father escorted her himself, leaving Delecresse to mind the shop.

The embroidery was exhibited, the pattern chosen, and they were nearly
half-way at home, when they were overtaken by a sudden hailstorm, and
took refuge in the lych-gate of a church. It was growing dusk, and they
had not perceived the presence of a third person,--like themselves, a
refugee from the storm.

"This is heavy!" said Abraham, as the hailstones came pouring and
dancing down.

"I am afraid we shall not get home till late," was the response of his
daughter.

"No, not till late," said Abraham, absently.

"Belasez!" came softly from behind her.

She turned round quickly, her hands held out in greeting, her eyes
sparkling, delight written on every feature of her face.

"Father Bruno! I never knew you were in Norwich."

"I have not been here long, my child. I wondered if we should ever
meet."

Ah, little idea had Belasez how that meeting had been imagined, longed
for, prayed for, through all those weary weeks. She glanced at her
father, suddenly remembering that her warm welcome to the Christian
priest was not likely to be much approved by him. Bruno's eyes followed
hers.

"Abraham!" he said, in tones which sounded like a mixture of friendship
and deprecation.

Abraham had be