"The Bishop will grant an indulgence to eat butter in Lent at a fee. That will raise more than is required." "The Bishop!" Levi shook his head. "You Christians are not men of your word. You will promise it--and never pay." "You lie, Jewish dog!" said Jacques Tarde. "Have I not paid you what was owing?" "Ah, you--but the Bishop!" "Is he false?" "He may think it righteous to cheat the Jew." "He will give you what security you require that the money be forthcoming," said Jean. "Will not the Christians eat butter without paying for the dispensation?" asked the Jew. "If they think that the butter-money is coming to me they will not scruple. I do not like the security. The Bishop is old; he may die before Lent; and then what chance shall I have of getting my money? The next Bishop will not allow butter, or, if he does, will pocket the money it brings in. He will not be tied by this Bishop's engagement. I will not have the butter-money." "Will you take a mortgage on Ste. Soure?" asked Jean. "I don't know. It is not on the Bishop's lands. It is face to face with the stronghold of the big Guillem. If I wanted to sell and realise, who would buy in such proximity? Whom are you under? The King of France? He is a long way off and his arm is weak. No, I will not have a mortgage on Ste. Soure. Besides, I am poor; I have no money." "You lying cur!" exclaimed Jacques Tarde; "we have paid you up all the capital lent us. We would no longer have our blood sucked at twenty-eight per cent, and we have sold the little land at Vézac to pay you." "That was easy land to sell," said the Jew. "With Beynac Castle on one side and La Roque on the other! But Ste. Soure"--he shook his head. "It is under the claw of Guillem. He has but to put down his hand from the Church and he scratches through the roofs, and picks out all that he desires." "And you refuse the Bishop's guarantee?" The Jew looked furtively at the two Tardes and at Jean and said--"Who is to guarantee the Bishop? On his lands he sees that I draw in my little _sols_, but then I pay him for that, I pay heavily, and for that heavy price he allows me to lend moneys and pick up interests. But I do not pay the King of France to ensure me against the Bishop. That is why I will not let him be in debt to me." "Our land is devoured by two evils," said Jacques Tarde. "The _routier_ and Jew, and I do not know which is worst! We shake ourselves, and kick out, and for a moment are free, and then they settle on us again. The carrion crow and the worm--and so we die."