He knows nothing of me.

I know nothing of him, and what I am doing now is being done for myself alone." Hearing this, and believing it, for, liars and prevaricators as were the other men about him, Israel had never yet deceived him, Ben Aboo made what poor shift he could to cover his shame at the sorry weakness he had just betrayed.

And first he gazed in a sort of stupor into Israel's steadfast face; and then he dropped his evil eyes, and laughed in scorn of his own words, as if trying to carry them off by a silly show of braggadocio, and to make believe that they had been no more than a humorous pretence, and that no man would be so simple as to think he had truly meant them.

But, after this mockery, he turned to Israel again, and, being relieved of his fears, he fell back to his savage mood once more, without disguise and without shame.
"And pray, sir," said he, with a ghastly smile, "what riches have you gathered that you are at last content to hoard no more ?" "None," said Israel shortly.
Ben Aboo laughed lustily, and exchanged looks of obvious meaning with Katrina.
"And pray, again," he said, with a curl of the lip, "without office and without riches how may you hope to live ?" "As a poor man among poor men," said Israel, "serving God and trusting to His mercy." Again Ben Aboo laughed hoarsely, and Katrina joined him, but Israel stood quiet and silent, and gave no sign.
"Serving God is hard bread," said Ben Aboo.
"Serving the devil is crust!" said Israel.
At that answer, though neither by look nor gesture had Israel pointed it, the face of Ben Aboo became suddenly discoloured and stern.
"Allah! What do you mean ?" he cried.

"Who are you that you dare wag your insolent tongue at me ?" "I am your scapegoat, Basha," said Israel, with an awful calm--"your scapegoat, who bears your iniquities before the eyes of your people.
Your scapegoat, who sins against them and oppresses them and brings them by bitter tortures to the dust and death.