families from ruin--from desolation---- Yes, my lord," he exclaimed,
hastily interrupting himself--"I--I will pay you the ransom-money."

"No--by Allah!" ejaculated Ibrahim; "not a single pistole shall be thus
extorted from thee! Sooner shall the Florentine Treasury grant thee an
indemnification for the horrible tortures which thou hast endured, than
thy wealth be poured forth to furnish this ransom-money. Come, my Lord
of Orsini--come, worthy Jew," continued the grand vizier, rising from
his seat, "we will depart to the Ottoman encampment."

"Patience, your highness, for a few hours," urged the duke, "and the
hundred thousand pistoles shall be counted out before thee."

"This poor man," answered the grand vizier, indicating the Jew with a
rapid glance, "has been so racked and tortured in your accursed
prison-house, that he cannot be too speedily placed under the care of my
own chirurgeon. For this reason I depart at once; see that the ransom be
dispatched to my pavilion ere the sun shall have set behind the western
hills."

With these words the grand vizier bowed haughtily to the duke, and
quitted the council chamber. Manuel d'Orsini followed, supporting
Isaachar ben Solomon; and, on reaching the court, one of Ibrahim's
slaves took the Jew up behind him on his steed. The marquis was provided
with a horse; and the cavalcade moved rapidly away from the precincts of
the ducal palace. Profiting by the hint which Ibrahim Pasha had offered
them, the duke and the councilors instantly levied a heavy fine upon the
grand inquisitor; and the remainder of the money required to make up the
amount demanded, was furnished from the public treasury. Thus by the
hour of sunset the ransom was paid.

* * * * *

At an early hour on the ensuing morning, Francisco di Riverola and his
beautiful, blushing bride quitted the chamber where they had passed the
night in each other's arms, and repaired to the apartment where so many
terrible mysteries had been revealed to them, and so many dreadful
incidents had occurred on the preceding day. Hand in hand they had
traversed the passages and the corridors leading to that room in which
they had left Christian Rosencrux with the dead Wagner and the dying
Nisida; hand in hand and silently they went--that fine young noble and
charming bride!

On reaching the door of the chamber, Francisco knocked gently; and the
glance of intelligence which passed between himself and