essiah let him face the
Plague, let him come and prophesy in London and outdo Solomon Eagle;
let him heal the sick and disburden the death-carts."

"He should but lay his hands on the sick and they were cured!"
retorted De Castro. "But his mission is not in the isles of the West;
he establisheth the throne in Zion."

"Well for thee not in Hamburg, else would thy revenues dwindle, O wise
physician. But the Plague is wellnigh spent now; if he come now he may
take the credit of the cure."

"Rabbi as thou art, thou art an Epicurean; thou sittest in the seat of
the scorner."

"'Twas thou didst invite me thereto," murmured Sasportas, smiling.

"The Plague is but a sign of the Messianic times, and the Fire that
hath burnt thy dwelling-place is but the castigation for thine
incredulity."

"Yea, there be those who think our royal Charles the Messiah, and
petition him to declare himself," said Sasportas, with his genial
twinkle. "Hath he not also his Melisseldas?"

"Hush, thou blasphemer!" cried De Castro, looking anxiously at the
howling multitude. "But thou wilt live to eat thy words."

"Be it so," said Sasportas, with a shrug of resignation. "I eat
nothing unclean."

But it was vain for the Rabbi of the little western isle to contend by
quip or reason against the popular frenzy. England, indeed, was a
hotbed of Christian enthusiasts awaiting the Jewish Millennium, the
downfall of the Pope and Anti-Christ, and Jews and Christians caught
mutual fire.

From the far North of Scotland came a wonderful report of a ship with
silken sails and ropes, worked by sailors who spoke with one another
in the solemn syllables of the sacred tongue, and flying a flag with
the inscription, "The Twelve Tribes of Israel!" And a strange rumor
told of the march of multitudes from unknown parts into the remote
deserts of Arabia. Fronted with sceptics, believers offered wagers at
ten to one that within two years Sabbatai would be anointed King of
Jerusalem; bills of exchange were drawn in Threadneedle Street upon
the issue.

And, indeed, Sabbatai was already King of the Jews. From all the lands
of the Exile crowds of the devout came to do him homage and tender
allegiance--Turkish Jews with red fez or saffron-yellow turban;
Jerusalem Jews in striped cotton gowns and soft felt hats; Polish Jews
with foxskin caps and long caftans; sallow German Jews, gigantic
Russian Jews, high-bred Spanish Jews; and with them often their wives
and daughte