No, this trick, or rather vile deceit, raises my indignation; I think that they deserve to be punished, to teach them more thought and humanity in future. The haughty baron shall pay the five guilders himself, or I am much mistaken. You may recollect that I asked the skipper if he had not heard them bargain for the basket, and an honest man, you know, also offered to bear witness: if I was to pay the money, it would be a kind of encouragement of the cheat, and perhaps heighten the jest. It is our duty, as much as we can, to assist our fellow-creatures, and to hinder one man from injuring another. WILLIAM. You excite my wonder; I had not extended my thoughts so far. CHARLES. It is not the loss of the five guilders that will affect the baron; a person so rich, as the skipper informs us he is, cannot think much of such a small sum; but he will, at least if he has any virtue, be ashamed of his foolish conduct: it shall be made public; his own companions will blush for him, and the joke will be turned against himself. WILLIAM. I did not think you had been so severe, Grandison. Your humane heart has often—— CHARLES. You are mistaken, William; indifference in this case would prove rather that I had a weak than a good heart. I may forgive a cheat practised on myself, and I would do it as far as was consistent with my honour, but I must, when I see a fellow-creature deceived, exert myself to maintain his right. WILLIAM. Many who are called Christians think there is no harm in cheating a Jew, but my mother has given me a very different definition of humanity. CHARLES. A Jew is a man as well as we are, and we ought no more to cheat a Jew or a Turk, than we would a Christian: we must not despise, much less hate, those who profess a different religion: created by the same God, we are all brethren. WILLIAM. But how will you contrive to get the five guilders from the baron? The approach of the gentlemen interrupted us, and your brother stood musing a short time. We were now to change schuit, and went into a public house, where we were to stay half an hour to get a little refreshment. Your brother called me aside, sent for Robert, and ordered him to pay the Jew five guilders. How, said I, you have changed your mind! No, said he, it shall be repaid out of the baron’s purse, if my plan succeeds according to my wish. When you, continued he to Robert, have paid the money, bring the boy into the house, the rest will follow of course.