Perhaps they may be another proof in favour of my story . ' Whilst Neangir was speaking , the blood from the Jew 's wound had gradually ceased to flow ; and at this moment there appeared in the doorway a lovely Jewess , about twenty-two years old , her hair and her dress all disordered , as if she had been flying from some great danger . In one hand she held two crutches of white wood , and was followed by two men . The first man Neangir knew to be the brother of the Jew he had struck with his sword , while in the second the young man thought he recognised the person who was standing by when he was changed into a pot . Both of these men had a wide linen band round their thighs and held stout sticks . -LSB- Illustration : THERE APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY A LOVELY JEWESS -RSB- 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 Moïzes , 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 can not 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 XXXXX a love which can bring you nothing but sorrow , I counsel you in time of peril to seek out the daughter of Moïzes the Rabbi , who cherishes a hidden passion for Izaf , and possesses the Book of Spells , which her father himself wrote with the sacred ink that was used for the Talmud . ''
In ago at before by from near of on under