l his powers, by arguments and urgent entreaties, to
persuade him to turn himself magnanimously to God. But to this Levi
would not return any satisfactory answer; and when, as evening twilight
was creeping on, the priest prepared to go home, Levi raised his eyes
to heaven, and said with a deep sigh: 'Father, where shall I be at this
time to-morrow?' Whereto the priest replied: 'My son, in heaven, if you
embrace the Christian faith; but if you die in Judaism, in hell as a
hardened Jew.' Thereupon he in the most friendly way wished him a good
night and a blessed end, and went away.

"On the following day the priest found the condemned man dressed in
white linen for the impending tragedy, as if he had prepared himself to
be baptized. After a friendly greeting the father asked him in which
faith he had at last resolved to die? Hereunto Levi returned this
answer: 'I will die in the same faith in which Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob died. And as in the olden time Abraham offered up his son, so
will I to-day sacrifice myself for my sins.' When the priest made a
further rejoinder, he said with a pleasant countenance and in a calm
manner: 'I humbly beg of you, father, not to trouble me any more about
baptism, for I will now pray from the Psalms and prepare myself for a
happy death.' Thereupon he began to repeat the Psalms, but without the
girdle called a _Tephilim_, although the Jews usually consider prayer
without binding the forehead and hands a sin. But he prayed with such
contrition of heart and such vehement beating of the breast, and
penitential tears, that his fellow-prisoners and all present were
greatly astonished at his remorse.

"After a prayer that had lasted more than two hours he gave himself up
quickly into the hands of the executioner, and thus accosted him with a
cheerful countenance: 'Do to me what God and my judges have commanded
you.' He then turned to his fellow-prisoners, took a friendly leave of
them, and humbly begged of them to forgive his past failings.

"After ten o'clock they took him, amidst the gaze of countless
multitudes, from the prison, and bound him in a hide, whereat he showed
no sign of impatience or displeasure. Only he sometimes raised his
bound hands in prayer to heaven. Thus was he dragged by a horse to the
field of action. When he perceived that the accompanying priest in the
middle of the Platz was in danger of being severely injured by a horse,
he begged with sympathizing voice that he mi