. Life in Morocco and glimpses beyond . betternext time ! and he proceeded with the cases beforehim, fining this one, imprisoning that, and bastinado-ing a third, with as little concern as an Englishregistrar would sign an order to pay a guinea , why should he do otherwise. This was hisregular mornings work. It was a month beforeMesaodah could touch the ground with her feet,and more than three before she could totter alongwith two sticks. Her children were kept alive byher neighbours till she could sit up and stitch,stitch, stitch, but there was no one to hear herbitter complaint, a
. Life in Morocco and glimpses beyond . betternext time ! and he proceeded with the cases beforehim, fining this one, imprisoning that, and bastinado-ing a third, with as little concern as an Englishregistrar would sign an order to pay a guinea , why should he do otherwise. This was hisregular mornings work. It was a month beforeMesaodah could touch the ground with her feet,and more than three before she could totter alongwith two sticks. Her children were kept alive byher neighbours till she could sit up and stitch,stitch, stitch, but there was no one to hear herbitter complaint, and no one to dry her tears. One day his faithful henchman dragged beforethe kaid a Jewish broker, whose crime of havingbid against that functionary on the market, whenpurchasing supplies for his master, had to be ex-piated by a fine of twenty dollars, or a hundredlashes. The misguided wretch chose the latter,lovine his coins too well; but after the first half-dozen had descended on his naked soles, he criedfor mercy and agreed to < ►J X H O W a JUSTICE FOR THE JEW 257 Another day it was a more wealthy member ofthe community who was summoned on a seriouscharge. The kaid produced a letter addressed tothe prisoner, which he said had been intercepted,couched in the woefully corrupted Arabic of theMoorish Jews, but in the cursive Hebrew character. Canst read, O Moses ? asked the kaid, in asurly tone. Certainly, yes, my Lord, may God protect thee,when the writing is in the sacred script. Read that aloud, then, handing him themissive. Moses commenced by rapidly glancing his eyedown the page, and as he did so his face grew pale,his hand shook, and he muttered something in theHebrew tongue as the kaid sharply ordered him toproceed. My Lord, yes, my Lord ; it is false, it is a fraud,he stammered. The Devil take thee, thou son of a dog;read what is set before thee, and let us have noneof thy impudence. The gaol is handy. With a trembling voice Moses the usurer readthe letter, p
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