The Last Song

never see Yonah again! He is a part of my heart, Papa. I trust him completely. I don’t know how I’ll live without him.”
    The trembling of my voice revealed my misery. My father sat quietly beside me.
    “All right, Isabel,” he said. “I won’t change my mind. You must do your duty and marry Luis, but I’ll see what I can do to help your friend. After all, he is one of us,” he muttered under his breath. He stood up. “I know Natan Abenatar by his work. By repute he is said to be a decent man. We must go and see him.”
    Papa wore a simple homespun cloak. Yussuf was invisible to the townspeople because he was a slave. My fine clothes were covered with a woolen cloak I borrowed from Sofia. In this way, we walked through the teaming streets of Toledo to the Juderia.
    Yonah and his father lived in a tidy building across the street from the main square of the Aljama, the Jewish ghetto. The workshop faced the street, and behind it were several simple rooms where Yonah andhis father lived. We found father and son in the courtyard of the house, surrounded by stacked wooden furniture, household goods, and piles and piles of silver dishes. Yonah was leading two farriers around the yard, pointing out certain objects to them. When the men left, he motioned for us to join him.
    “Don Enrique, Isabel.” He bowed. “What an honor. Welcome to our home.” He glanced at me, his disquiet written all over his face. “Let me introduce you to my father.”
    Master Abenatar was a few steps away, in deep conversation with a man dressed in the uniform of an alguazil. The constable had his back to us.
    “Money is of no use to you, Abenatar,” the alguazil said. “I will trade you a donkey in exchange for your house and all of its contents. You will need the donkey to take your belongings out of the country.”
    “A donkey! The house alone is worth more than that. And there is all the silver I use for my trade,” protested Master Abenatar.
    “You can’t take your silver or gold with you. You know that. The holy Inquisition will have you drawn and quartered if you try to smuggle any of it out. Think it over carefully before you refuse my offer,” said the alguazil. “It might be the best one you’ll receive.” He sounded venomous.
    “What a scoundrel,” Papa muttered. “Master Abenatar, I will give you two donkeys and an ass for your property,” he called out loudly. “Even at that price, I will be getting a bargain!”
    Master Abenatar and the alguazil turned toward us. And that was when we recognized the constable. It was Miguel Santos, the innkeeper who had come to our house to arrest Papa on behalf of the Inquisition. Papa stepped back, bumping into me. There was no other sign of the dismay he must have felt upon meeting his jailer.
    “Don Enrique!” Santos bowed. “I am glad to see you looking so well.”
    Papa inclined his head slightly. “Why are you here, Santos? Why are you trying to take advantage of Master Abenatar’s misfortune?”
    “Are you joking, Don Enrique?” Santos laughed. “I am offering what I consider to be fair trade for the Jew’s property, but you changed my mind. I withdraw my offer. This Jew is fortunate that you have so much love for his kind. Jews!” He spat on the ground and was gone before Papa could answer him.
    “I hope that your kindness won’t cause you problems,” Yonah’s father said.
    “Don’t worry about him.” Papa extended his hand. “I am Enrique de Cardosa.”
    Master Abenatar’s eyes traveled from my father’s face to his hand and back to his face again in amazement before putting his own hand into Papa’s palm. “I am Natan Abenatar. I have heard of your healing powers, Don Enrique, how even their majesties depend upon your skill.”
    “I have been told of the greatness of your artistry, Master Abenatar. We have one of your creations, a little gold songbird in a silver cage. We admire it every day.”
    “Thank you, Don Enrique,” the goldsmith said. “Your offer for my property is most generous. Two donkeys are more than adequate. There is no need to add an ass to the price.”
    Papa held up his hands. “Indeed there is, Master Abenatar. The price I offered you is fair. I refuse to take advantage of your misfortune. I will have the animals delivered to you.”
    “Does your papa know about us?” I whispered to Yonah while our fathers were talking.
    He shook his head.
    “I told my parents everything.”
    “I guess the honest thing to do