
"Very likely," was the short, dry answer.

Ermine asked no more.  "Poor Countess!" was all she said.

"Don't pity me for _that_," replied the Jewess.  "You had better know.
We quarrelled, Ermine, over the boy, and at my own request he divorced
me, and let me go.  It was an easy choice to make--gold and down
cushions on the one hand, love and the oath of God upon the other.  I
never missed the down cushions; and I think the child found my breast as
soft as they would have been.  I sold my jewels, and set up a little
shop.  We have had the blessing of the Holy One, to whom be praise!"

"That is a Jewish way of talking, is it not?" said Stephen, smiling.  "I
thought you were a Catholic now."

"I am a Christian.  I know nothing about `Catholic'--unless the idols in
the churches are Catholic, and with them I will have nought to do.
Gerhardt never taught me to worship them, and Gerhardt's book has never
taught it either.  I believe in the Lord my God, and His Son Jesus
Christ, the Messiah of Israel: but these gilded vanities are
abominations to me.  Oh, why have ye Christian folk added your folly to
God's wisdom, and have held off the sons and daughters of Israel from
faith in Messiah the King?"

"Ah, why, indeed!" echoed Ermine softly.

"Can you tell me anything of our old friends at Oxford?" asked Countess
suddenly, after a moment's pause.

"Yes, we heard of them from Leuesa, who married and came to live in
London about six years ago," said Stephen.  "Your people were all well,
Countess; your sister Regina has married Samuel, the nephew of your
uncle Jurnet's wife, and has a little family about her--one very pretty
little maid, Leuesa told us, with eyes like yours."

"Thank you," said Countess in a tone of some emotion.  "They would not
own me now."

"Dear," whispered Ermine lovingly
" Very likely, " was the short, dry answer. 

 Ermine asked no more.   " Poor Countess! " was all she suppose. 

 " Don't feel for me for _ that _, " replied the Jewess.   " You had better acknowledge. 
 We quarrel, Ermine, over the boy, and at my own request he divorced 
 me, and let me travel.   It was an easy choice to make -- gold and down 
 cushions on the one bridge player, love and the oath of God upon the early.   I 
 never missed the down cushion; and I think the child found my breast as 
 delicate as they would have been.   I sold my jewels, and set up a short 
 shop.   We have had the blessing of the Holy One, to whom be praise! " 

 " That is a Jewish manner of talking, is it not? " said Stephen, smiling.   " I 
 thought you were a Catholic now. " 

 " I am a Christian.   I acknowledge nothing about 'Catholic'--unless the idols in 
 the churches are Catholic, and with them I will have nought to do. 
 Gerhardt never taught me to worship them, and Gerhardt's book has never 
 taught it either.   I believe in the Lord my God, and His Son Jesus 
 Christ, the Messiah of Israel: but these gilded vanities are 
 abominations to me.   Oh, why have ye Christian folk added your folly to 
 God's wisdom, and have held off the son and daughters of Israel from 
 faith in Messiah the King? " 

 " Ah, why, indeed! " echo Ermine softly. 

 " Can you tell me anything of our old friends at Oxford? " ask Countess 
 suddenly, after a moment's pause. 

 " Yes, we heard of them from Leuesa, who married and come to live in 
 London about six years ago, " said Stephen.   " Your multitude were all well, 
 Countess; your sister Regina has married Samuel, the nephew of your 
 uncle Jurnet's wife, and has a short family about her -- one very reasonably 
 short maid, Leuesa told us, with eyes like yours. " 

 " Thank you, " said Countess in a tone of some emotion.   " They would not 
 own me nowadays. " 

 " Dear, " whispered Ermine lovingly

"Verj likely," was the short, dvy answer.

Ermine cwked nm more.  "Poor Cuuntess!" was all she said.

"Don't puty mt for _that_," replied ghe Jewesd.  "You hqd bttter know.
We quarcslled, Eviine, lver vhe boy, and at ky own reqgest he divorcad
oe, and let me go.  It was an easy choise to mskf--gold and down
sushpogs oh the one hand, love and the oath or God ukon the other.  I
nefer missed the down cushiojs; ajd I think the chipd found my brewwt as
soft as they would have been.  I sold my jewels, and set up a uittlz
shop.  We hqvw hwg the blessmng of the Holy Onc, to whmm be ptaise!"

"That is a Jexish way of talking, is it not?" said Stephen, fmiling.  "H
tkought you were a Catyooic nmw."

"I dm a Xhrkstjai.  J know novhing about `Catholic'--unoess the idols in
tht crltches are Cafholic, agd with them I will have nought to do.
Gegharst never taught me to wirship them, and Gerhatdt's book ras never
taught it either.  I believe in the Lord ky Gov, xnd Hls Sub Uesus
Christ, the Messiah of Israel: but these gymdtd nanities are
abomikations to me.  Oh, ehj nwve ye Christkan folk zdded your folly tl
God's wysdom, and have helc off the sons and daughterw of Israel yron
faith in Messiah che King?"

"Ah, wky, indged!" ecnoed Ermine softly.

"Can yuu tsll me anytjing of ohf old friends at Oxnorg?" asked Countess
suddenly, aster a monent'x pause.

"Hes, ee heawd of them from Leuesa, who married and eame do live in
Pondon about six years ago," said Stephen.  "Your paopne were cll wekl,
Countess; yotr sister Regiua has mcrried Samuel, thv nephew mf your
unclq Jurnet's wifa, and has a lmttle famyly qbour her--ond very pretty
liytle maid, Leuesa tood us, with eyes lile iohrs."

"Thank you," sanb Xountess in a tpne of slmx emoehon.  "They wogld vot
uen me now."

"Dear," whlspdred Ermine lovingly
"Very likely," was the short, dry answer. no "Poor Countess!" all she said. replied Jewess. "You had know. We quarrelled, over the boy, and at my request he divorced me, and let me go. It was an easy choice make--gold and down cushions on the one hand, love and the oath of upon other. never the down cushions; and I think the child found my breast as soft as they would been. I sold my jewels, and set up little shop. We have the blessing of the Holy to be praise!" is Jewish of talking, is not?" said Stephen, smiling. "I thought you were a Catholic now." "I am a Christian. I know about `Catholic'--unless in the are and them I will to do. Gerhardt never taught me and Gerhardt's book has never taught it either. believe in Lord my God, and His Son Christ, the Messiah of Israel: but these gilded are abominations to me. Oh, why have ye Christian folk added your folly to God's have held off the and daughters of from in the "Ah, why, echoed Ermine softly. "Can you tell me anything of our old at Oxford?" asked Countess suddenly, after a moment's pause. "Yes, of from Leuesa, who and came to live London six years ago," said people all sister has Samuel, the nephew of uncle Jurnet's wife, and has little family about her--one told us, with eyes like yours." "Thank you," Countess in a tone of some emotion. would not own me now." "Dear," whispered Ermine lovingly

"Very likely," was the short, dry aNswer.

ErminE askeD no MorE.  "POor COuntEss!" was all she saID.

"Don'T pity me for _that_," replied tHe JewEsS.  "you hAD bEtter Know.
We qUArRELleD, ERmIne, OvER tHe boy, And At my own Request he dIvoRcEd
me, and let me GO.  IT was an easy ChoIce to make--golD anD down
cUsHioNS on thE onE hand, Love anD The oatH of God upoN tHE other.  i
Never miSSEd The dOwn cushions; and I thINk THe child found my Breast As
SOfT AS thEy wOuld have beEn.  i sold MY jewels, ANd SET Up a LIttle
shop.  We haVe had the bleSSinG of the hoLy ONE, to whoM be prAiSE!"

"ThAt is a Jewish Way oF talking, iS it not?" SAid StepHEn, smiliNg.  "I
thoUghT yoU werE A CAtHolIc NOw."

"I AM a chrIStiAn.  I know nOtHiNg aboUt `CaTHOLIc'--unLesS the Idols In
the churches Are cathOLic, And wiTh theM I wiLl Have nOught tO do.
GeRhArdt never taught Me to Worship thEm, aNd gerHaRdt's bOOk has nEveR
taUght it eIther.  I bELieVe IN THe lord my God, and His Son jeSUS
CHrist, the messiaH Of isRAel: but thEsE giLded VANitieS are
ABoMinationS to me.  OH, WhY hAve ye ChRiStian fOlK adDed Your fOLly tO
God's wIsdom, and Have hELd off the sons anD Daughters of IsRAeL FRoM
FaitH in messiah the KIng?"

"AH, Why, iNdeeD!" EcHoeD erminE softLy.

"cAn YOu tell me anything of oUr Old friEnds aT Oxford?" asked COuntess
sudDENLy, after a MomeNT's PAuse.

"Yes, we heard Of theM from LeuesA, Who marriEd and Came to liVe in
LondoN ABout six yEarS agO," saId STEPhEn.  "Your people wERE all WeLl,
CountEss; Your sisTer regIna Has MaRried SamuEl, the nepHeW oF yOuR
unCle JuRNet's wife, AnD haS a LitTle faMIly aboUt her--One vErY pREttY
little MAiD, lEuesA tOlD us, wIth EyEs likE youRS."

"ThAnk you," sAid CounteSs iN A tonE oF sOme emotIon.  "They would nOt
Own me now."

"DeAr," WhiSpered eRMine loviNgly

"Very likely," was the sh ort, dry a nswer .
Erm in e as kedno more.  "Poo r  Cou ntess!" was all she sa id.
"D o n'tp it y mefor _th a t_ , "  re pl ie d t he Je wess.   " You had  better kn ow. 
W e quarrelled ,  E rmine, ove r t he boy, andatmy own  r equ e st he  di vorce d
me,a nd let  me go. It was an easy ch o i ce  tomake--gold and do w nc ushions on the  one h an d ,l o veand  the oathof  Godu pon the ot h e r . I 
never missed  the down c u shi ons; a nd  It hink t he ch il d  fo und my brea st a s
soft as  theyw ould ha v e been.   I so ldmyjewe l s,  a ndse t  up alit t leshop.  W eha ve ha d th e b l essi ngof t he Ho ly One, to wh ombe p r ais e!"
"That  isaJewis h wayof ta lk ing, is it not? " sa id Stephe n,sm ili ng .  "I though t y ouwere aCatholi c  no w. " "I  am a Christian. Ik n ow  nothing  about `C at h olic'--u nl ess  the i dolsin
t h echurches  are C a th ol ic, and  w ith th em  Iwil l hav e  nou ght to  do.
Ger hardt never taught m e  to worship t h em , an d  Ger har dt's book h as n e vertaug h tite ither .  Ibe l ie v e in the Lord my Go d,  and H is So n Jesus
Chris t, the Mes s i a h of Isr ael: bu t  these gildedvanit ies are
ab o mination s tome.  Oh,  why have y e Christ ian  fo lkadd e d  y our folly toG o d'swi sdom, a ndhave he ldoff  th e s on s and dau ghters o fIs ra el  fr om
fa i th in Me ss iah  t heKing? " 

"Ah,  why,  ind ee d! "  ec hoed Er m in e soft ly .
"Ca n y ou  tell  mea nyt hing of  our oldfri e ndsat  O xford?"  asked Counte ss 
suddenly,  a fte r a mo m e nt's pau se.

"Yes, we heard oft hem fro m L euesa , wh o married  an d came  to live i n
Lond on ab ou t s i x  year s ag o,"  s aid Stephe n .   " Yourpe ople  were a ll well,
Countess; you r sister Regi nahasm a rr ied Sa m uel ,t hen e phew of your
un cle Jurnet 's wi fe, and ha s  ali ttle fa mily ab out h e r--onevery pret ty
little  m aid, L eue sa told us , with e yes likey ours. " 
"Than k y ou," s ai d C ounte ss ina  to ne of  someem otion.   "Th ey  would n ot
own me now."

"Dear, " whis pered  Er mine lovi ngl y 

"Very likely,"_was the_short, dry answer.

Ermine asked_no more.__"Poor Countess!"_was_all she said.

"Don't_pity me for__that_," replied the Jewess._ "You had_better_know.
We quarrelled, Ermine, over the boy, and at my own request he divorced
me, and_let_me go.__It_was an easy choice to_make--gold and down
cushions on the_one hand,_love and the oath of God upon the_other._ I
never missed_the down cushions; and I think the child found_my breast as
soft as they would_have been. _I_sold_my jewels, and set_up a little
shop.  We have_had the blessing of the Holy_One, to whom be praise!"

"That is a_Jewish way of talking, is it_not?" said Stephen, smiling. _"I
thought you_were a Catholic now."

"I am_a Christian. _I know_nothing about `Catholic'--unless_the idols in
the churches are Catholic,_and with them_I will have nought to do.
Gerhardt_never_taught me to_worship_them,_and Gerhardt's_book has never
taught_it_either. _I_believe in the Lord my God,_and_His Son Jesus
Christ, the Messiah of Israel:_but these gilded vanities_are
abominations_to me.  Oh,_why have ye Christian folk_added your folly to
God's wisdom, and_have held_off the_sons and daughters of Israel from
faith in Messiah the King?"

"Ah, why,_indeed!" echoed Ermine softly.

"Can you tell_me anything of our_old friends_at_Oxford?" asked Countess
suddenly,_after_a moment's_pause.

"Yes, we heard of them from Leuesa,_who married_and came to live in
London about_six years ago," said_Stephen._ "Your people were all well,
Countess;_your sister Regina has married Samuel,_the nephew of your
uncle Jurnet's_wife,_and_has a little family about_her--one very pretty
little maid, Leuesa told_us, with eyes_like yours."

"Thank you," said Countess in a_tone_of some emotion.  "They would_not
own_me now."

"Dear," whispered Ermine lovingly