“Will my damsel allow me to ask what she means? I do not understand.”
“Wilt thou not want to say thy prayers whilst thou art here?” responded Margaret, who was at least as much puzzled as Belasez.
“Most certainly! but not to an image!”
“Oh, do you Jews sometimes pray without images?”
“Does my damsel take us for idolaters?”
“Yes, I was always told so,” said Margaret, looking astonished.
The fire died out of Belasez’s eyes. She saw that Margaret had simply made an innocent mistake from sheer ignorance of the question.
“My damsel has been misinformed. We Israelites hold all images to be wicked, and abhorrent to the holy law.”
“Then thou wilt not want to set up an idol for thyself anywhere?”
“Most assuredly not.”