Jamie chooses to keep his education quiet again in Virgins section 13. However, he does have to admit that he can speak Hebrew.
The D’Eglise has now learned that Jamie can speak Hebrew, and it was only a matter of time considering Jamie has done so in front of others. I do get a sense that D’Eglise realizes that he can use this to his advantage.
Breaking down Virgins section 13
The captain and four men are dressed smartly, as they are getting ready to deliver the wagon to their final location. The rest of the mercenaries are walking through the streets and looking out for any signs of an ambush. They need to be on their toes now with so many places to hide.
D’Eglise surprises Jamie by riding up next to him, asking if it’s true that he can speak Hebrew. It’s clear that everything in the tavern and when speaking it before has gotten back to the captain, but he wants to get the confirmation of it. After all, some people just learn certain phrases.
Jamie decides to remain modest about his education, and just says that he can read the Bible in Hebrew. This is probably smart, as it confirms to the D’Eglise that he is a Catholic. After all, I think it could make his life harder if people thought he was Jewish. The D’Eglise is a little turned off by the fact that Jamie can speak Hebrew, but he is also somewhat impressed I think.
To be honest, I’m sure that the captain is realizing that Jamie is going to be useful for him. By him not being Jewish, there’s a little less of a threat for D’Eglise, and it means that when it comes to speaking with other Jewish men, Jamie will be able to translate. I wonder if it’s also a way to weed out any spies.
Could this section be used in a TV adaptation?
This is definitely a section of Virgins that would need to be used if there was a TV adaptation. It’s a bit that I’m sure foreshadows things to come — just keep in mind that this is the first time I’m reading Virgins so I can’t confirm if it does. The captain is a smart man, and I’m sure he has something up his sleeve.
I also think that this is important to show how modest Jamie is. He has a higher education that the men there, but he doesn’t flaunt it. He wants to be accepted by them.
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