Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

'All, I wax olil, nnd can't do all 1 want, so you must
help inc. You i ! promi. In
Yes, ye.s ; go
On, and '" ijllirk
let inc.' have half?'
'Listen,' replied the Jew. 'I heard say that a Popish priest
was in the to\\ n
'
Is that all you have to tell me?' interrupted the other. '/
heard it long ago; it is no matter to inc. and ought to be none to
you, I nm sure, who are but a Jew.'
All Christians are the same to me; I hate them all,' said Isaac
scornfully; '
but there is a reward offered to any one who can tiiul
out the priests and such as harbor them. A hundred pounds is
the price.'
'/can't be looking for priests and the like; where should I
find them? they keep themselves hidden up, for good
too; they have a had chance of their life when they are caught.'
'
Hark ye,' said the Jew.
'
I have not dwelt all my life in this
miserable old house, that is falling about mine cars, like the
building that one of my fore-fathers, Samson, pulled down on
the heads of the Philistines; nay, I was rich and prosperous once,
the partner of a wealthy merchant; but the tide of fortune
went against me. My partner was a Christian of one sort, and
then he changed his religion and became another sort of a Chris-
tian, a Catholic, or Papist as they be more commonly named; lie
worshiped in secret and used much caution; but he liked and
trusted mo, and many things did he let me see that he and his
friends did. I then noticed that on their Sabbathday they try
to have a priest; and if you wcro'to watch, you would find that
all these Papists have at some time of the year a priest in their
houses. Now, Sir Reginald is one of them; watch him, and
you are sure to discover that he harbors priests.'
'
how am I to watch? I never go near the
Manor."
; Very good but
'
'Ah,' said Isaac musingly, that is
'
the serving folk?
'
No; how should I?
true; do you know any of
'
'Well, I will tell you what you must do; make friends with the
servants of the Manor; in every house there is a traitor, believe
me.'
'
I'll
try,' replied Castcrman, who seemed puzzled as to how
he was to attain the desired object.
'
'
Good-afternoon Isaac.'
' You don't forget that you are to '
give me half the money?
cried the Jew anxiously.
'
Yes, when I have it. I promise,' said the other with a
sneer. ,
So saying the wrecker took his departure. Enveloped in his
dark cloak, he hastily retraced his steps homeward. That even-
ing, Stephen intimated to Ins brother what the Jew had told him;
Mark concurred in old Isaac's opinion, that the surest, way of
knowing Sir Reginald's movements was to become acquainted
with his servants.
Any one who has read the description of a Cornish gentleman's
residence in former days will readily understand that Stephen
Casterman found no difficulty in gaining admittance to the
kitchen of the Manor. Sir Reginald lived on friendly terms with
all his poorer neighbors, and the hungry or the tired laborer or
fisherman, who passed the open door of the. spacious room which
served the double office of kitchen and servants' hall, was sure
to find a welcome from those within, and a slice of cheese and
home-baked 'bread if he needed it; and there too he might sit. by
the roaring fire of a winter's evening, chatting with the attend-
ants. One afternoon, therefore, Stephen, after an unsuccessful
day's fishing not far from the Manor, left his companions to row
back in the boats, and directed his steps towards the house.
The wrecker, as we have before remarked, was not a favorite in
nature silent and Bloomy and as his
the neighborhood, being by :
ancestors were Danes, who had c aa usual in those days,
on a smuggling expedition, and had subsequently settled in
Cornwall, the people were wont to remark amon:: themselves
'
that, it, was easy to *