‘He doesn’t understand,’ Una cried, watching the pale, troubled face.  ‘Oh, I wish——­’

She had scarcely said it when Puck rustled out of the hollies and spoke to the man quickly in foreign words.  Puck wore a long cloak too—­the afternoon was just frosting down—­and it changed his appearance altogether.

‘Nay, nay!’ he said at last.  ’You did not understand the boy.  A freeman was a little hurt, by pure mischance, at the hunting.’

‘I know that mischance!  What did his Lord do?  Laugh and ride over him?’ the old man sneered.

‘It was one of your own people did the hurt, Kadmiel.’  Puck’s eyes twinkled maliciously.  ’So he gave the freeman a piece of gold, and no more was said.’

‘A Jew drew blood from a Christian and no more was said?’ Kadmiel cried.  ‘Never!  When did they torture him?’

’No man may be bound, or fined, or slain till he has been judged by his peers,’ Puck insisted.  ’There is but one Law in Old England for Jew or Christian—­the Law that was signed at Runnymede.’

‘Why, that’s Magna Charta!’ Dan whispered.  It was one of the few history dates that he could remember.  Kadmiel turned on him with a sweep and a whirr of his spicy-scented gown.

‘Dost thou know of that, babe?’ he cried, and lifted his hands in wonder.

‘Yes,’ said Dan firmly.

’Magna Charta was signed by John,
That Henry the Third put his heel upon.

And old Hobden says that if it hadn’t been for her (he calls everything “her”, you know), the keepers would have him clapped in Lewes Gaol all the year round.’

Again Puck translated to Kadmiel in the strange, solemn-sounding language, and at last Kadmiel laughed.

‘Out of the mouths of babes do we learn,’ said he.  ’But tell me now, and I will not call you a babe but a Rabbi, why did the King sign the roll of the New Law at Runnymede?  For he was a King.’

Dan looked sideways at his sister.  It was her turn.

‘Because he jolly well had to,’ said Una softly.  ‘The Barons made him.’

‘Nay,’ Kadmiel answered, shaking his head.  ’You Christians always forget that gold does more than the sword.  Our good King signed because he could not borrow more money from us bad Jews.’  He curved his shoulders as he spoke.  ’A King without gold is a snake with a broken back, and’—­his nose sneered up and his eyebrows frowned down—­’it is a good deed to break a snake’s back.  That was my work,’ he cried, triumphantly, to Puck.  ‘Spirit of Earth, bear witness that that was my work!’ He shot up to his full towering height, and his words rang like a trumpet.  He had a voice that changed its tone almost as an opal changes colour—­sometimes deep and thundery, sometimes thin and waily, but always it made you listen.

‘Many people can bear witness to that,’ Puck answered.  ’Tell these babes how it was done.  Remember, Master, they do not know Doubt or Fear.’