" At what infinite expense," said he, " would the lamp revolve around the globe to produce only the same effect, and to furnish only one world with light ; while any num-ber of globes might gyrate about the lamp without loss, save an occasional eclipse." Struck with the simplicity and evident truth of the illus-tration, Eleanora gazed admiringly upon her brother, but scarcely had she essayed to frame an answer, when the con-versation was interrupted by the entrance of an individual —the expression of whose countenance awoke a painful asso-ciation in her mind, although in vain she tasked her memo-ry to decide where or when she had before beheld him. His figure, though concealed by a Spanish doublet, and slightly bent with age, had evidently been once tall and commanding, and his swarthy countenance was illuminated by keen black eyes, whose quick penetrating glance, seemed at once to fathom the purposes, and divine the thoughts of those about him ; and a long flowing beard, somewhat inclining to gray, imparted an air of dignity to his whole appearance. With a profound, though silent salutation to the royal pair, he crossed the apartment, and carefully laying aside his cloak, quietly seated himself at a side table covered with manuscripts, and commenced his labors ; while Alphonso answered the inquiring gaze of Eleanora, by remarking, " 'Tis our excellent Procida, my trusty He-brew scribe." " Hebrew or Arab," said Eleanora, in a low tone, " I have seen that face before." At the sound of her voice the stranger looked up, while Eleanora placed her hands before her eyes, as if to shut out some dreadful vision. "It cannot, cannot be," she exclaimed, "but so looked the Jew, slain at my feet on that dreadful day when I first entered London." "My good Procida," said Alphonso, misinterpreting her emotion, " I fear me we must dispense with thy presence, since my sister is too good a Christian to look upon a Jew, save with feelings of abhorrence." 422 HEROINES OF THE CRUSADES.