nd who you are?'

'I am the widow of Ishakar Ben Hazzim, and you fainted at my door, so I
took you in.'

'A very Christian action from a Jew, and I thank you,' replied Wilhelmine
haughtily. All the unreasoning hatred of the Jewish race lay in her
withdrawal from even ordinary gratitude towards the woman who had rescued
her.

The face above her darkened, and the kind eyes changed to flickering
pin-points of anger.

'Christian? Nay, girl; it is Christian to be cruel! Christian? God of my
fathers! it is Christian to murder and oppress! Did you not hear that I
told you I am the widow of Ishakar Ben Hazzim, the son of Israel? and in
my house, when I have anointed your head with rare essences to cool you
from your sun-faint, you insult me, and you owe me no affront!' There was
a pride in the woman's manner which appealed to Wilhelmine.

'Indeed, I meant none, and I thank you for your courtesy,' she said, and
smiled.

'Well, rest you then,' replied the Jewess in a mollified tone; and again
silence fell between the two women.

'Why do Jews hate the Christians?' Wilhelmine asked, after some time. She
was interested, for this was a new and surprising view; partly, too, she
asked the question from lazy curiosity.

'Hate them? Would not you?' returned the woman harshly.

'Why should you?' the girl asked.

'Do you know anything of the story of our race, you who ask? No? Well, I
will tell you. For centuries we have been outcasts, treated like beggars,
like scum; for ages we have suffered for the acts of our ancestors of
hundreds of generations past, and always the Christian has sought to
profit by our misfortunes; and have we been credulous of their promises,
they have returned us jibes and disdain.'

'But the Jews committed a terrible wrong,' Wilhelmine interrupted; 'they
crucified the----'

'Crucified! crucified!' broke in the Jewess angrily, 'we are weary of the
very word! We crucified Him as you hang rebels, and He happened to be a
Charmer who inspired a new religion--yours! and for ever since you
Christians who rant of pardon, tenderness, moderation, love of all the
world--you have oppressed us with a vengeance so terrible, so relentless,
that we in our turn have learnt to hate and contrive vengeance.'

'But can you?' Wilhelmine smiled mockingly.

'Ah! but wait! Some day we, who have no heritage--we shall inherit the
earth!' The old Jewess's voice trailed, and into its muttered tones
thrilled the accent of the