Still, in his
proselytising fervour Jean would not think himself beaten, and never a
day passed but he demonstrated with those fair words the merchant uses to
seduce a customer, the superiority of the Christian religion above the
Jewish; and although Abraham was a great master of Mosaic law, he began
to enjoy his friend's preaching, either because of the friendship he felt
for him or because the Holy Ghost descended upon the tongue of the new
apostle; still obstinate in his own belief, he would not change. The
more he persisted in his error, the more excited was Jean about
converting him, so that at last, by God's help, being somewhat shaken by
his friend's urgency, Abraham one day said--

"Listen, Jean: since you have it so much at heart that I should be
converted, behold me disposed to satisfy you; but before I go to Rome to
see him whom you call God's vicar on earth, I must study his manner of
life and his morals, as also those of his brethren the cardinals; and if,
as I doubt not, they are in harmony with what you preach, I will admit
that, as you have taken such pains to show me, your faith is better than
mine, and I will do as you desire; but if it should prove otherwise, I
shall remain a Jew, as I was before; for it is not worth while, at my
age, to change my belief for a worse one."

Jean was very sad when he heard these words; and he said mournfully to
himself, "Now I have lost my time and pains, which I thought I had spent
so well when I was hoping to convert this unhappy Abraham; for if he
unfortunately goes, as he says he will, to the court of Rome, and there
sees the shameful life led by the servants of the Church, instead of
becoming a Christian the Jew will be more of a Jew than ever." Then
turning to Abraham, he said, "Ah, friend, why do you wish to incur such
fatigue and expense by going to Rome, besides the fact that travelling by
sea or by land must be very dangerous for so rich a man as you are? Do
you suppose there is no one here to baptize you? If you have any doubts
concerning the faith I have expounded, where better than here will you
find theologians capable of contending with them and allaying them? So,
you see, this voyage seems to me quite unnecessary: just imagine that the
priests there are such as you see here, and all the better in that they
are nearer to the supreme pastor. If you are guided by my advice, you
will postpone this toil till you have committed some grave sin and need