"I have again seen his face," he said. "I may not have speech with him at this time. But I will take upon me this other errand and see unto what it will lead me. O thou, my guide, we will depart."
"Come, O gladiator," said the Jew. "It is well for thee to have me with thee among so many crooked streets. Touch me not. But what are thy commandments?"
"Hold thou thy peace concerning them," replied the jarl. "Lead on!"
Hot wrath burned for a moment in the face of the tall Jew, but he obeyed, girding himself and striding forward, but the officer of the gate laughed derisively.
"The dog Jew," he said, "will do well not to stir the temper of a Saxon. His head were loosened from his shoulders too quickly. I will not fail to see that fellow in the circus. It mattereth not to me what work there may be for his blade in Hinnom."
"Dost thou not bear in mind," said one of the legionaries, "a certain slave dealer and the loosening of his head? This same gladiator was seen that day at the Hinnom gate, but the guards were bidden to forget him."
"Thou thyself rememberest too much," said the officer, sternly. "Forget that thou hast seen him here this day. But it is good sport to slay Jews. I would there might soon be another tumult. I have made the floor of the temple red with the blood of Galileans. The procurator may have a sharp teaching for more of them during this Passover gathering."
So talked the soldiers of Rome, but the jarl was silent and moody as he walked until he and his guide were drawing near to the southerly wall of the city. Then he spoke quietly, as a man may speak to his friend, one whom he hath known well aforetime.
"O thou," he said, "when hast thou seen thy father, Abbas, and what did he give unto thee concerning me?"
The guide turned suddenly, scowling and trembling, but he responded: