“Holy Abraham!” he exclaimed, “he is a good youth, and my heart bleeds to see the gore trickle down his rich embroidered hacqueton, and his corslet of goodly price⁠—but to carry him to our house!⁠—damsel, hast thou well considered?⁠—he is a Christian, and by our law we may not deal with the stranger and Gentile, save for the advantage of our commerce.”

“Speak not so, my dear father,” replied Rebecca; “we may not indeed mix with them in banquet and in jollity; but in wounds and in misery, the Gentile becometh the Jew’s brother.”

“I would I knew what the Rabbi Jacob Ben Tudela would opine on it,” replied Isaac;⁠—“nevertheless, the good youth must not bleed to death. Let Seth and Reuben bear him to Ashby .”

“Nay, let them place him in my litter,” said Rebecca; “I will mount one of the palfreys.”