Nay, brother, do not scold. I would that I Could thus also relieve our father's cares! SALADIN. Ah! now my joy has vanished all at once. We can want nothing; but he's destitute. And whilst he wants, we all are poor indeed. What shall I do? From Egypt we can hope For nothing--though God only knows the cause. 'Tis general peace around, and as for me, I could live sparingly, reduce, retrench, If none else suffered; but 'twould not avail. A cloak, a horse, a sword I ne'er can want. As to my God, He is not to be bought. He asks but little, only asks my heart. I had relied, Al-Hafi, on your chest, Upon the surplus there. AL-HAFI. A surplus there! Say, should I not have been impaled or hanged, If I had been detected hoarding up A surplus? Deficits I might have ventured. SALADIN. Well, but what next? Could you have found out none To borrow from, but Sittah? SITTAH. And would I Have borne it, had another been preferred? I claim that privilege. I am not yet Quite beggared. SALADIN. No, not quite. Dear Sittah, this Alone was wanting. But, Al-Hafi, go, Inquire about, take where and what you can; Borrow on promise, contract, anyhow; But, mark me, not from those I have enriched. 'Twould seem as if I wished to have it back. Go to the covetous. They gladliest lend. They know how well their money thrives with me. AL-HAFI. I know of none. SITTAH. I recollect just now, I heard, Al-Hafi, of your friend's return. AL-HAFI (_starting_). Friend! friend of mine! and who can that be, pray? SITTAH. Your boasted Jew. AL-HAFI. A Jew! and praised by me! SITTAH. On whom his God--I think I recollect The very words you used, as touching him-- On whom his God, of all the choicest goods Of earth, in full abundance, has bestowed The greatest and the least. AL-HAFI. What could I mean When I said so? SITTAH. The least of good things--wealth. The greatest--wisdom! AL-HAFI. How! and of a Jew Did I say that? SITTAH. Ay, that you did--of Nathan. AL-HAFI.