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Updated: September 2, 2025
Isaachar had taken away the lamp with him to give admission to the bandit, and the marquis had remained for a few instants in the dark. When the Jew reappeared, bearing the light, Orsini's first and natural impulse was to cast a rapid, searching glance at the brigand captain.
But while they were yet all inmates of that stronghold, this same bandit, whose name is Venturo, overheard the marquis inform Stephano Verrina that he intended to remain in Florence to obtain the liberation of a Jew who was imprisoned in the dungeons of the inquisition: and this Jew, Venturo also learnt by subsequent inquiry from Verrina, is a certain Isaachar ben Solomon."
"Not to frighten thee out of thy wits, good Isaachar," responded Stephano, laughing. "Ah! ha!" exclaimed the Jew, partially reassured: "perhaps you have come to repay me the few crowns I had the honor to lend you without security, and without interest " "By my patron saint! thou wast never more mistaken in thy life, friend Isaachar!" interrupted the robber chief.
The next case that occupied the attention of the grand inquisitor on the present occasion was that of the Jew Isaachar ben Solomon. The old man was indeed a miserable spectacle. His garments hung loosely about his wasted and attenuated form his countenance was wan and ghastly but the fire of his eyes was not altogether quenched.
"Monster!" exclaimed the Jew, suddenly recovering his speech, as that dreadful mandate warned him that he would now require all his energy all his presence of mind: "monster!" he repeated, in a voice indicative of loathing and contempt; "and thou art a Christian!" The familiars hurried Isaachar away to the torture-chamber, which, as we before stated, opened upon the tribunal.
Isaachar ben Solomon and Manuel d'Orsini accompanied the grand vizier to Constantinople, and were treated by him with every mark of distinction. But the Jew never completely recovered from the tortures which he had endured in the prison of the inquisition; and in less than two years from the date of his release, he died in the arms of the marquis, to whom he left the whole of his immense fortune.
When she acknowledged to her lover that "these diamonds were pledged to the Jew Isaachar ben Solomon, to raise the sum with which his last debt was paid," it flashed to the old nobleman's mind that his wife had exhibited some little confusion when he had spoken to her a day or two previously concerning her jewels: and now it was clear that they had been used as the means to supply the extravagances of an unprincipled spendthrift.
"Her husband suspects the fact, and has commanded her to produce her diamonds to-morrow " "Her diamonds!" articulated the Jew in a stifling tone. "Yes, her diamonds," exclaimed Manuel emphatically; "and they are in your possession. Now do you understand me?" "I I my lord " "Let us not waste time in idle words, Isaachar," cried the marquis.
"In the name of the most high inquisition, Isaachar, do I make you my prisoner!" The unhappy Jew fell upon his knees, stunned, terrified by the appalling announcement; and although he assumed this attitude of supplication, he had not the power to utter a syllable of intercession or of prayer.
But, now that suspicion, or what he chose to consider suspicion, pointed at Isaachar ben Solomon as a dreadful criminal, the lieutenant did not hesitate many moments how to act. Thus, when the Jew returned to the room with the fond hope of seeing his visitors take their speedy departure, he was met by the terrible words, uttered by the officer of the sbirri.
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