ods. She
noticed that Belasez ignored the existence of her private oratory, made
no reverence to the gilded Virgin which stood on a bracket in her
wardrobe, and passed the _benitier_ without vouchsafing the least
attention to the holy water. Manifestly, Jews did not believe in gilded
images and holy water. But then, in what did they believe? Had they
any faith in any thing? Belasez had owned to saying her prayers, and
she acknowledged the existence of some law which she felt herself bound
to obey. But whose law was it?--and to whom did she pray? These
thoughts seethed in Margaret's brain till at last, one afternoon when
she sat watching the embroidery, they burst forth into speech,
"Belasez!"

"What would my damsel?"

"Belasez, what dost thou believe?"

The Jewess looked up in surprise.

"I am not sure that I understand my damsel's question. Will she
condescend to explain?"

"I mean, what god dost thou worship?"

"There is but one God," answered Belasez, solemnly.

"That I believe, too: but we do not worship the same God, do we?"

"I think we do--to a certain extent."

"But there is a difference between us. What is the difference?"

Belasez seemed to hesitate.

"Don't be afraid, but speak out!" said Margaret, eagerly.

"If I say what my Lady would not approve, would it be right in me?"

"My Lady and mother will not mind. Go on!"

"Damsel, I think the difference touches Him who is the Sent of God, and
the Son of the Blessed. We believe in Him, as well as you. But we
believe that He is yet to come, and is to be the salvation of Israel.
You believe,"--Belasez's words came slowly, as if dragged from
her--"that He is come, long ago; and you think He will save all men."

"But that is our Lord Christ, surely?" said Margaret.

"You call Him so," was Belasez's reply. "But He did come!" said
Margaret, in a puzzled tone.

"A man came, undoubtedly, who claimed to be the Man who was to come.
But was the claim a true one?"

"I have always been told that it was!"

"And I have always been told that it was not."

"Then how are we to find out which is true?" Belasez spread her hands
out with a semi-Eastern gesture, which indicated hopeless incapacity, of
some sort.

"Damsel, do not ask me. The holy prophets told our fathers of old time
that so long as Israel walked contrary to the Holy One, so long should
they wander over the earth, forsaken exiles, and be punished seven times
for their sins. A