urn, and he went forth to battle and to
victory. The very same pasha who had yoked him to the plough became
his prisoner, and was dragged to his castle. But not an hour had
passed when the knight stood before the captive pasha, and said to
him:

"What dost thou suppose awaiteth thee?"

"I know it," replied the Turk. "Retribution."

"Yes, the retribution of the Christian!" resumed the knight. "The
doctrine of Christ commands us to forgive our enemies, and to love our
fellow-man, for it teaches us that God is love. Depart in peace,
depart to thy home: I will restore thee to thy dear ones; but in
future be mild and merciful to all who are unfortunate."

Then the prisoner broke out into tears, and exclaimed:

"How could I believe in the possibility of such mercy! Misery and
torment seemed to await me, they seemed inevitable; therefore I took
poison, which I secretly carried about me, and in a few hours its
effects will slay me. I must die--there is no remedy! But before I
die, do thou expound to me the teaching which includes so great a
measure of love and mercy, for it is great and godlike! Grant me to
hear this teaching, and to die a Christian!" And his prayer was
fulfilled.

That was the legend which the master read out of the old story-book.
All the audience listened with sympathy and pleasure; but Sara, the
Jewish girl, sitting alone in her corner, listened with a burning
heart; great tears came into her gleaming black eyes, and she sat
there with a gentle and lowly spirit as she had once sat on the school
bench, and felt the grandeur of the Gospel; and the tears rolled down
over her cheeks.

But again the dying words of her mother rose up within her:

"Let not my daughter become a Christian," the voice cried; and
together with it arose the word of the Law: "Thou shalt honour thy
father and thy mother."

"I am not admitted into the community of the Christians," she said;
"they abuse me for being a Jew girl--our neighbour's boys hooted me
last Sunday, when I stood at the open church-door, and looked in at
the flaming candles on the altar, and listened to the song of the
congregation. Ever since I sat upon the school bench I have felt the
force of Christianity, a force like that of a sunbeam, which streams
into my soul, however firmly I may shut my eyes against it. But I will
not pain thee in thy grave, O my mother, I will not be unfaithful to
the oath of my father, I will not read the Bible of the Christians