G I L B L A S. 75
only one thing more to afk. Does not he fpeak alfo of Jerusalem ?” “ Very often, replied the young
man ; he relates to us the hiftory of the Jews, and in •what manner the temple of Jcrufalem was deflroy- ed.” “ Right, faid Ambrofc, mailer Secretary, let- not this piece of intelligence cfcape you : write, in large characters, that Samuel Simon breathes nothing but the refloration of the temple ; and that he meditates night and day the reeftabliffiment of his nation. I do not want to know any more ; therefore it is needlefs to alk any other queftions. What the trufty Gafpard hath depofed is enough to bring a whole fynagogue to the ltake.”
Mailer CommilTary of the holy office having interrogated the apprentice in this manner, told him he might retire : but ordered him, in the name of the holy inquiiition, to conceal from his mailer every tittle of what had paired. Gafpard, having promifed to obey, took his leave; and we did not tarry long after he went out, but leaving the public houfe, as gravely as we had entered, went and knocked at the door of Samuel Simon, who opened it with his own hand ; and if he was allonilhed to lee three fuch figures as we were, he was much more fo, when Lamela, being fpokcfman, faid to him, with an imperious tone^
“ Mr. Samuel, I command you, in the name of the holy inquifition, of which I have the honour to be commillary, to deliver into my hand, this inltant, the key of your clofet: I want to fee if I cannot find fomething to jultify the informations which have been prefented to us againfl you.”
The merchant, confounded at thefe words, reeled two (leps backward, as if he had received a blow on the floinach. Far from fufpe&ing us of any trick, he believed implicitly, that fome fecret enemy wanted to fubjeCt him to the fufpicion of the holy office; perhaps too, knowing hinifelf to be no good catholic, he had caufe to be afraid of an information. Be that as it will, I never law a man more difconcerted: he D 2 obeyed