But Israel mastered his anger and held his peace.
Word went through the town that Israel had fallen from the favour of the Basha, and then some of the more bold and free laughed at him in the streets when they saw him relieve the miseries of the poor, thinking himself accountable to God for their sufferings.

He could have crushed the better part of his insulters to death in his brawny arms, but he was slow to anger and long-suffering.

All the heed he paid to their insults was to do his good work with more secrecy.
Remembering his Moorish jellab, and how effectually it had disguised him on the night of his return home, he had recourse to it in this difficulty.

When darkness fell he donned it again, drawing the hood well down over his black Jewish skull-cap and as far as might be over his face.

In this innocent disguise he went out night after night for many nights among the poorer Moors that lived in the dismal quarters of the grain markets near the Bab Ramooz.