‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God the Lord is One’, words which come instinctively to any Jew on beholding a marvel or a terror. Speaking through Francisco and with finger-counting on held-up hands they told Montezinos that they were the Children of Abraham, Isaac, Israel (Jacob) and Reuben. A strange formal recitation of utterances followed which to Montezinos had a cryptic-oracular tone as if from the mouth of one of the minor prophets. ‘We will bestow several places on them who have a mind to live with us.’ ‘Joseph dwells in the midst of the sea.’ ‘One day we shall all speak together saying
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