The Children of Captivity 



of the prison," said he, making a salaam ; " and ye shall see 

 the children of captivity." He then poured out some 

 coffee from a pipkin which stood over a few charcoal 

 embers. He made many excuses for only having one cup 

 in his coffee-service, and lit a long chibouque, from which 

 we each smoked a few whiffs after we had taken a sip or 

 two of the coffee. 



" But who is that fair maiden whispering through the 

 hole in the door ? " 



" She is Rahab, the daughter of one Joshua, an old rogue, 

 who lately sold a donkey to one of the faithful for more 

 dirhems'^ than it was worth,ieven had it not been bewitched ; 

 but bewitched it was, and within a week was visited by the 

 annuller of possessions and the reliever of burdens ; there- 

 fore the old dog will remain in my family till the price be 

 refunded. His daughter often brings him food in her 

 basket. The ill-omened old man fares well, with redun- 

 dance ; and were he starved a little, it might hasten the 

 disgorgement of his dishonest gains ; but heretofore, when 

 I told her she must come no more, she cried so bitterly, 

 saying the old man would die, that I found it not in my 

 heart to refuse her ; for the she-wolf of an unbelieving 

 Jewess has fair eyes, and it pinches my heart to see her 

 weep. Daughter of the accursed, stand aside, and let these 

 princes of the Franks look through the door." 



A most foul, black, damp and dismal place it was ; the 

 crowded prisoners squatting about here and there on the 

 floor, which was like the pavement of a stable, on an old- 

 fashioned farm where ammonia is not economised. The 

 ancient Joshua was standing near the door, his long white 

 beard was^o-inp; as he chewed. 



While we were looking, there was a noise at the outer 

 ' Pieces of silver money. 

 177 



