, give me as much of it as I want."

"As much as you want?" laughed the jeweller. "Not so fast, little maid.
Before such matters can be settled here in Egypt we must have plenty
of time, and papyrus and ink, a grand law court, sixteen witnesses, a
Kyrios..."

"Well then, buy the ring! You are such a good, kind man Gamaliel. Just
to please me. Why, you yourself do not really think that I want to buy
cakes!"

"No. But in these hard times, when so many are starving, a soft heart
may be moved to other follies."

"No indeed! Do buy the ring; and if you will do me this favor..."

"Old Gamaliel will be both a rogue and a simpleton!--Have you forgotten
the emerald? I bought that, and a pretty piece of business that was! I
can have nothing to say to the ring, my little maid." Mary withdrew her
hand, and the grief and disappointment expressed by her large, tearful
eyes were so bitter and touching, that the Jew paused, and then went on
seriously and heartily:

"I would sooner give my own old head to be an anvil than distress you,
sweet child; and Adonai! I do not mean to say--why should I--that you
should ever leave old Gamaliel without money. He has plenty, and though
he is always ready to take, he is ready to give, too, when it is
meet and fitting. I cannot buy the ring, to be sure, but do not be
down-hearted and look me well in the face, little maid. It is much to
ask, and I have handsomer things in my stores, but if you see anything
in it that gives you confidence, speak out and whisper to the man of
whom even your grandfather had some good opinion: 'I want so much, and
what is more--how did you put it?--what is more, I must have it.'"

Mary did see something in the Jew's merry round face that inspired her
with trust, and in her childlike belief in the sanctity of an oath she
made a third person--a believer too, in a third form of religion--swear
not to betray her secret, only marvelling that the administering of the
oath, in which she had now had some practice, should be so easy. Even
grown-up people will sometimes buy another's dearest secret for a light
asseveration. And when she had thus ensured the Israelite's silence, she
confided to him that she was charged by Orion to send out a messenger to
meet Amru, that he and Paula might be reprieved in time. The goldsmith
listened attentively, and even before she had ended he was busying
himself with an iron chest built into the wall, and interrupted her to
ask! "How much