“This is a strange and fearful vault,” said Isaac, quaffing a large goblet of the hot wine of the Vega; “here might the Witch of Endor have raised the dead. Yon door--whither doth it lead?” “Through passages none that I know of, save my master, hath trodden,” answered Ximen. “I have heard that they reach even to the Alhambra. Come, worthy Elias! thy form trembles with the cold: take this wine.” “Hist!” said Elias, shaking from limb to limb; “our pursuers are upon us--I hear a step!” As he spoke, the door to which Isaac had pointed slowly opened and Almamen entered the vault. Had, indeed, a new Witch of Endor conjured up the dead, the apparition would not more have startled and appalled that goodly trio. Elias, griping his knife, retreated to the farthest end of the vault. Isaac dropped the goblet he was about to drain, and fell upon his knees. Ximen, alone, growing, if possible, a shade more ghastly--retained something of self-possession, as he muttered to himself--“He lives! and his gold is not mine! Curse him!” Seemingly unconscious of the strange guests his sanctuary shrouded, Almamen stalked on, like a man walking in his sleep. Ximen roused himself--softly unbarred the door which admitted to the upper apartments, and motioned to his comrades to avail themselves of the opening, but as Isaac--the first to accept the hint--crept across, Almamen fixed upon him his terrible eye, and, appearing suddenly to awake to consciousness, shouted out, “Thou miscreant, Ximen! whom hast thou admitted to the secrets of thy lord? Close the door--these men must die!” “Mighty master!” said Ximen, calmly, “is thy servant to blame that he believed the rumour that declared thy death? These men are of our holy faith, whom I have snatched from the violence of the sacrilegious and maddened mob. No spot but this seemed safe from the popular frenzy.” “Are ye Jews?” said Almamen. “Ah, yes! I know ye now--things of the market-place and bazaar’. Oh, ye are Jews, indeed! Go, go! Leave me!” Waiting no further licence, the three vanished; but, ere he quitted the vault, Elias turned back his scowling countenance on Almamen (who had sunk again into an absorbed meditation) with a glance of vindictive ire--Almamen was alone. In less than a quarter of an hour Ximen returned to seek his master; but the place was again deserted.