By his costume it was at once seen that the bearer of the
flag of truce was a Jew--the people were employed continually then as
ambassadors between the two races at war in Spain.
"I come," said the old Jew (in a voice which made Sir Wilfrid start),
"from my lord the Alfaqui to my noble senor, the invincible Don Beltran
de Cuchilla, to treat for the ransom of the Moor's only daughter, the
child of his old age and the pearl of his affection."
"A pearl is a valuable jewel, Hebrew. What does the Moorish dog bid for
her?" asked Don Beltran, still smiling grimly.
"The Alfaqui offers 100,000 dinars, twenty-four horses with their
caparisons, twenty-four suits of plate-armor, and diamonds and rubies to
the amount of 1,000,000 dinars."
"Ho, slaves!" roared Don Beltran, "show the Jew my treasury of gold. How
many hundred thousand pieces are there?" And ten enormous chests were
produced in which the accountant counted 1,000 bags of 1,000 dirhems
each, and displayed several caskets of jewels containing such a treasure
of rubies, smaragds, diamonds, and jacinths, as made the eyes of the
aged ambassador twinkle with avarice.
"How many horses are there in my stable?" continued Don Beltran;
and Muley, the master of the horse, numbered three hundred fully
caparisoned; and there was, likewise, armor of the richest sort for as
many cavaliers, who followed the banner of this doughty captain.
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