Yet had a man, A man of those whom Nature daily fashions, Done you this service, he to you had seemed, Had been an angel. RECHA. No, not such a one. Indeed it was a true and real angel. And have not you yourself instructed me How possible it is there may be angels; That God for those who love him can work miracles— And I do love him, father— NATHAN. And he thee; And both for thee, and all like thee, my child, Works daily wonders, from eternity Has wrought them for you. RECHA. That I like to hear. NATHAN. Well, and although it sounds quite natural, An every day event, a simple story, That you was by a real templar saved, Is it the less a miracle? The greatest Of all is this, that true and real wonders Should happen so perpetually, so daily. Without this universal miracle A thinking man had scarcely called those such, Which only children, Recha, ought to name so, Who love to gape and stare at the unusual And hunt for novelty— DAYA. Why will you then With such vain subtleties, confuse her brain Already overheated? NATHAN. Let me manage.— And is it not enough then for my Recha To owe her preservation to a man, Whom no small miracle preserved himself. For whoe’er heard before that Saladin Let go a templar; that a templar wished it, Hoped it, or for his ransom offered more Than taunts, his leathern sword-belt, or his dagger? RECHA. That makes for me; these are so many reasons He was no real knight, but only seemed it. If in Jerusalem no captive templar, Appears alive, or freely wanders round, How could I find one, in the night, to save me? NATHAN. Ingenious! dextrous! Daya, come in aid. It was from you I learnt he was a prisoner; Doubtless you know still more about him, speak. DAYA. ’Tis but report indeed, but it is said That Saladin bestowed upon this youth His gracious pardon for the strong resemblance He bore a favourite brother—dead, I think These twenty years—his name, I know it not— He fell, I don’t know where—and all the story Sounds so incredible, that very likely The whole is mere invention, talk, romance. NATHAN.