in the height of his discourse, and for the first time. the Hospitaller noticed that he was preaching in Hebrew. Whether this was merely to display his profound erudition, or to captivate the inhabitants of the Ghetto by so unusual a condescension, it is certain that in Hebrew he was discoursing-and Hebrew which seemed now to excite a real and profound attention in the Jewish audience. It seemed to the Hospitaller, from the names he distinguished, that Fra Bruno was arraying the evidence of the prophecies in battering-rams-the usual course in convincing the unconvincibles of fifteen hundred years. And yet his discourse moved both himself and his audience more than the mere utterance of rabbinical glosses was likely to do. In his jealous hallucination-if such for the moment it was-Alfonso thought that the monk was much younger than he at first conjectured him to be-that the austerity and gloom of his countenance only displayed more brilliantly the irradiations of mind which illuminated it, and that his worn and gaunt figure had in it something of supernatural dignity and grandeur. He remembered the gaze with which the confessor had followed the retiring figure of his beauteous penitent; and the influence which his eloquence was likely to exercise on women was evinced in the wild and breathless attention with which the Jewish girl gazed and listened. But there was no time for reflection on the subject, for John of the Catacombs now turned his back to the crowd, knelt, and with great caution began striking a flint to kindle his matchrope.

With equal heedfulness, to avoid betraying his whereabouts, the Knight of St. John unsheathed his massive sword, and awaited the result of the worthy's labours. But the slight jar of the metal with the sheath startled the bravo's sense. He paused for an instant, and then muttering "a rat!" resumed his operation. A spark soon fell upon the tow, but as if not quite well assured as to the cause of the sound he had heard, he blew the matchrope into a glow which lighted up—not only the ruin-but the towering person of the Knight of St. John, leaning on his bare and glittering brand! With a yell as if he had seen a wild beast couched to spring at him, the bravo sprung up-and was instantly struck down with a mighty blow of the Hospitaller's gauntleted hand. He lay senseless and covered with blood on the ground; and, setting his foot on the ruffian's breast, for an instant Alfonso hesitated whether to strike the blade into it, or spare him to make a full revelation of his coadjutors' persons and purposes. The steel hung wavering over the prostrate bravo when the shrieks of a woman, and tumultuous outcries in the piazza, announced that Oliverotto had succeeded better in his part of the plan. There was no longer time for deliberation, and trampling with his crushing weight over the bravo's breast, Don Alfonso rushed forth in the piazza, shouting in a voice which would have been distinctly audible amidst the roar of a battle-" Christians and Jews! stir not-Christians, I am a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre ;-Jews, I will rebuke this licentious brawler!" And forcing his way through the increasing confusion, a sudden

hush of fear and doubt silenced the mingled mass when his powerful form was seen clambering up to the balcony, where Oliverotto held the shrieking Jewess struggling in his arms.

"Come, come, my pretty decoy-dove! what means this? I want but a little wasp of a kiss or so out of those dragon-flower lips!" said the baron, clutching the Jewish girl in spite of her struggles and continued shrieks, disregarding in his brutal eagerness all that passed below. But suddenly his shoulder was grasped as if in the teeth of a lion, and so painful was the pressure that the arm was benumbed and dropped powerlessly to his side; and before he could make a single effort at resistance, the powerful Hospitaller seized and hurled him over from the balcony, amidst a thunder of applause mingled with howls of derision and rage.

The populace immediately below, being the outskirts of the centre of conversion, were principally composed of Christians, and the rabble of the pilgrims. An insult to a Jewess was not likely to rouse their indignation against the perpetrator, though the prompt retribution excited merriment, and admiration of the chivalrous inflicter, but they offered no obstacles, when Oliverotto, who was but little hurt by his fall, turned ragingly round, and challenged his assailant to descend and meet him in mortal conflict. But the Dominican, perceiving the tumult and its cause, shouted to the people to secure the brawler, in the name of God and of the church. The mob obeyed, although with doubt and reluctance, and closed their ranks to obstruct the way. But Oliverotto, who

had sovereign reasons to dread finding himself in the custody of the church, being Vitellozzo's beloved pupil and lieutenant, gave up his contest with the Hospitaller, and took to flight. Overthrowing the first who met him, and the rest offering no very sturdy resistance, he forced his way to one of the narrow passages of the Ghetto, and fled through it. Fra Bruno was not, however, to be so easily baffled; he had already leaped from his pulpit, and waving a silver cross in the air, he led the way in tumultuous pursuit, with a general rush of the nobles, pilgrims, Jews, and populace.

END OF VOL. I.

G. Woodfall and Son, Printers, Angel Court, Skinner Street, London.