" My brother! knows he of thy purpose ?" inquired Elo-anora, apprehensively? "I entered Castile to secure his assistance, and devoted myself to the practice of alchemy, to gain his confidence ; but the philosopher is too intent upon the science of dull atoms to mingle in political strife." " Thank heaven ! that his studies keep him innocent of human blood," .ejaculated the queen. ""Wouldst ought with me ?" inquired she, after a pause, observing that the Jew remained silent with his eyes fixed upon her. " Let my gracious queen pardon her servant, that he hath so long detained her with his tale of horror. Some-thing I would add concerning my sweet Agnes. Call her not a Jewess. Her father hath long since abjured the burdensome rites of Judaism, and her mother—'tis enough to say that she resembled the Queen of England. Though I trust not in the pious fables of the priests, they seemed to charm her gentle spirit into peace. Let Agnes, therefore, I pray thee, be instructed in her mother's faith." " Thy wishes shall be strictly regarded," replied Eleano-ra, " and may the same peace thou covetest for thy daugh-ter, yet find its way to thy own unquiet breast." CHAPTER XIII. TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE EACH time the queen visited the laboratory of Alphonso, he made her acquainted with some new fact in philosophy, or some new device of alchemy, which awakened curiosity and gave rise to inquiry. The Spanish king, having made some discoveries in advance of the age, had fallen into the popular error of philosophers, that of repudiating all pre-established doctrines and maxims. Having laid down the theory that matter was eternal, and all external appear-ances the result of natural change, he was at infinite pains 436 HEROINES OF THE CRUSADES.