of these men had a wide linen band round their thighs and held
stout sticks.

The Jewess approached the wounded man and laid the two crutches near
him; then, fixing her eyes on him, she burst into tears.

'Unhappy Izouf,' she murmured, 'why do you suffer yourself to be led
into such dangerous adventures? Look at the consequences, not only to
yourself, but to your two brothers,' turning as she spoke to the men who
had come in with her, and who had sunk down on the mat at the feet of
the Jew.

The Bassa and his companions were struck both with the beauty of
the Jewess and also with her words, and begged her to give them an
explanation.

'My lords,' she said, 'my name is Sumi, and I am the daughter of Moizes,
one of our most famous rabbis. I am the victim of my love for Izaf,'
pointing to the man who had entered last, 'and in spite of his
ingratitude, I cannot tear him from my heart. Cruel enemy of my life,'
she continued turning to Izaf, 'tell these gentlemen your story and that
of your brothers, and try to gain your pardon by repentance.'

'We all three were born at the same time,' said the Jew, obeying the
command of Sumi at a sign from the Cadi, 'and are the sons of the famous
Nathan Ben-Sadi, who gave us the names of Izif, Izouf, and Izaf. From
our earliest years we were taught the secrets of magic, and as we were
all born under the same stars we shared the same happiness and the same
troubles.

'Our mother died before I can remember, and when we were fifteen our
father was seized with a dangerous illness which no spells could cure.
Feeling death draw near, he called us to his bedside and took leave of
us in these words:

'"My sons, I have no riches to bequeath to you; my only wealth was those
secrets of magic which you know. Some stones you already have, engraved
with mystic signs, and long ago I taught you how to make others. But you
still lack the most precious of all talismans--the three rings belonging
to the daughters of Siroco. Try to get possession of them, but take heed
on beholding these young girls that you do not fall under the power of
their beauty. Their religion is different from yours, and further, they
are the betrothed brides of the sons of the Bassa of the Sea. And to
preserve you from a love which can bring you nothing but sorrow, I
counsel you in time of peril to seek out the daughter of Moizes the
Rabbi, who cherishes a hidden passion for Izaf, and possesses the Book
of Spells, which her