He intended to go to the Netherlands with her, but one of the witnesses betrayed them—­denounced them to the Holy Inquisition.  This soon interposed of course, for there it interferes with everything, and in this case it was necessary; nay more—­a Christian duty.  The young wife was seized in the street with her attendant and thrown into prison; on the rack she entirely lost the power of speech.  The old physician and the doctor were warned in time, and kept closely concealed.  Through Chamberlain de Sa, her uncle—­or was it only her cousin?—­through de Sa the wife regained her liberty, and then I believe all three fled to France—­the father, son and wife.  But no, they must have come here....”

“There you have it!” cried the magistrate, interrupting the monk, and glancing triumphantly at the prelate.  “An old practitioner scents crime, as a tree frog smells rain.  Now, for the first time, I can say with certainty:  We have him, and the worst punishment is too little for his deserts.  There shall be an unparalleled execution, something wonderful, magnificent, grand!  You have given me important information, and I thank you, Father.”

“Then you knew nothing?” faltered the librarian; and, raising his neck higher than usual, the vein in the centre of his forehead swelled with wrath.

“No, Anselme!” said the abbot.  “But it was your duty to speak, as, unfortunately, it was mine to listen.  Come to me again, by and bye; I have something to say to you.”

The librarian bowed silently, coldly and proudly, and without vouchsafing the magistrate a single glance, went back, not to his books, but to his cell, where he paced up and down a long time, sorrowfully murmuring Lopez’s name, striking himself on the mouth, pressing his clenched hand to his brow, and at last throwing himself on his knees to pray for the Jew, before the image of the crucified Redeemer.

As soon as the monk had left the room, the magistrate exclaimed: 

“What unexpected aid!  What series of sins lie before us!  First the small ones.  He had never worn the Jews’ badge, and allowed himself to be served by Christians, for Caspar’s daughters were often at the House to help in sewing.  A sword was found in his dwelling, and the Jew, who carries weapons, renounces, since he uses self-protection, the aid of the authorities.  Finally, we know that Lopez used an assumed name.  Now we come to the great offences.  They are divided into four parts.  He has practised magic spells; he has sought to corrupt a Christian’s son by heresies; he has led a Christian woman into a marriage; and he has—­ I close with the worst—­he has reared the daughter of a Christian woman, I mean his wife, a Jewess!”

“Reared his child a Jewess?  Do you know that positively?” asked the abbot.

“She bears the Jewish name of Ruth.  What I have taken the liberty to make prominent are well chosen, clearly-proved crimes, worthy of death.  Your learning is great, Reverend Abbot, but I know the old writers, too.  The Emperor Constantius made marriages between Jews and Christians punishable with death.  I can show you the passage.”