Her work was to burden the people with taxes beyond all their power of paying; her wages was to be hated as the bane of the bashalic, to be clamoured against as the tyrant of Tetuan, and to be ridiculed by the very offal of the streets.
One day a gang of dirty Arabs in the market-place dressed up a blind beggar in clothes such as Israel wore, and sent him abroad through the town to beg as one that was destitute and in a miserable condition.

But nothing seemed to move Israel to pity.

Men were cast into prison for no reason save that they were rich, and the relations of such as were there already were allowed to redeem them for money, so that no felon suffered punishment except such as could pay nothing.

People took fright and fled to other cities.

Israel's name became a curse and a reproach throughout Barbary.
Yet all this time the man's soul was yearning with pity for the people.
Since the death of Ruth his heart had grown merciful.