"Your Jew," observed Ippolito, "will deal kindly by your Moorish girl, for, under the western caliphs, his people were fostered by her people. The prime minister of Abderrahman the Second was a Jew of the same name as your physician, who probably claims descent from him. The two peoples promoted each other's prosperity, for the Jews extended their commerce with the East, and supplied them with the sinews of war. The Moors let them peaceably accumulate wealth, occupy high offices, build synagogues, and cultivate learning, insomuch that there was not a Jewish family without a copy of the law; and they all could read it. So that 'the Moor's last sigh' was nearly the last sigh of the Hebrew too. We are profiting by the short-sightedness of Spain and Portugal. Clement the Seventh permits even the Jews who have been forcibly baptised, to come and settle in his dominions, without any inquiry into their past lives; and owing to their industry Ancona is becoming a flourishing sea-port. But, Giulia, if this girl is about to die, she had better receive the last offices of the Church. I should like to receive her confession. Tell her, if she will confess to me, she shall receive a cardinal's absolution." "Are you in earnest?" "Quite." This was so high an honour, that the Duchess did not fail to acquaint Cynthia with it. But Cynthia had no mind for confession, nor any respect for a cardinal's absolution. She feigned lethargy, and could not be induced to admit that she heard or understood anything that was said to her while the Cardinal remained. "This looks bad," said he. "Can anything be made of the Moorish boy, think you?" "He is dumb." "True; but not deaf, I suppose?" "No." "Let us have him in, then. I should like to speak to him." The boy was sent for. He was a sad object, poor lad. The Cardinal, without any preface, said to him in the _lingua Franca_, which was commonly understood among the Moors-- "Did you send for Barbarossa?" The boy's eyes flashed fire. "If I have any reason to think you did so, you shall be flayed alive; and I shall be sure to find out." The boy looked unmoved. "Your only chance of escaping punishment is your being henceforth inviolably faithful to your mistress. There, go; and be a good boy." The boy made a salaam and retired. "There can be no harm," said the Cardinal to Giulia, "in giving him a little reminder." Next day the boy was found drowned. Whether he had tried to escape by swimming, or had intentionally ended his life, nobody knew. He could no longer be a traitor at any rate. But this is anticipating. CHAPTER V. THE CARDINAL AND THE JEW. "I should like," said Ippolito, "to speak with that Jew before I leave you. He may help me to some curious manuscripts."