So spoke Dick as one who seeks an answer, but neither of his companions gave him any.

On they went through the ruined land unpursued, although they had just brought sundry men to their deaths.  For now neither law nor justice was left and those killed who could and those died who must, unwept and unavenged.  Only certain travellers, flying they knew not whither, flying from doom to doom, eyed them with hate and loathing because of their companions.  Those who consorted with Jews must, they thought, be the enemies of every Christian soul.

Well was it for them perhaps that the early winter night was closing in when they reached the wonderful bridge of St. Benezet, now quite unguarded, since a worse foe reigned in Avignon than any that it could fear from without.  They crossed it, unnoted, for here none lingered in the gloom and rain save one poor woman, who called out to them that all she loved were dead and that she went to seek them.  Then, before they could interfere, she scrambled to the parapet of the bridge and with a wild cry leapt into the foaming waters that rushed beneath.

“God forgive and rest her!” muttered Hugh, crossing himself.  The others only shrugged their shoulders.  Such dreadful sights fed their eyes daily till they learned to take little note of them.

In a deserted place on the farther side of the bridge they halted, and Hugh said to the Jewish widow: 

“Woman, here is Avignon, where you tell us there are those who will befriend you, so now let us part.  We have done what we can for you and it is not safe either for you or for us that we should be seen together in this Christian city.”

“Sir, you speak well,” she answered.  “Be pleased ere we separate, to meet no more perchance, to tell me your names that I may remember them and hand them down among my people from generation to generation.”

So he told her, and thrust onto her a gift of money and the most of such food as remained to them.  Then the poor woman lifted up her arms and said: 

“I, Rebecca, daughter of Onias and wife of Nathan, call down on you, Hugh de Cressi, Richard Archer and David Day, and on your children forever, the blessings of Jehovah, because you have rescued the widow and her children from the fire and avenged the murder of the husband and the father.  O God of my people, as Thou didst save Lot and his house from the flames of Sodom, so save these true-hearted and merciful men!  Turn from them the sword of Thy wrath when it smites the sinful cities!  Cast the cloak of Thy protection about them and all they love!  Prosper their handiwork in peace and in war, fulfil their desire upon their enemies, and at last let them die full of years and honour and so be gathered into Thy eternal bosom!  Thus prayeth Rebecca, the daughter of Onias, and thus shall it be.”

Then, leading her children, she turned and vanished into the darkness.