``takeransom，andhavemercy！——Goldwillpurchaseyoupleasure，——tomisuseus，couldonlybringtheeremorse。Myfatherwillwillinglysatiatethyutmostwishes；andifthouwiltactwisely，thoumaystpurchasewithourspoilsthyrestorationtocivilsociety——maystobtainpardonforpasterrors，andbeplacedbeyondthenecessityofcommittingmore。’’
　　``Itiswellspoken，’’repliedtheoutlawinFrench，findingitdifficultprobablytosustain，inSaxon，aconversationwhichRebeccahadopenedinthatlanguage；``butknow，brightlilyofthevaleofBaca！thatthyfatherisalreadyinthehandsofapowerfulalchemist，whoknowshowtoconvertintogoldandsilvereventherustybarsofadungeongrate。ThevenerableIsaacissubjectedtoanalembic，whichwilldistilfromhimallheholdsdear，withoutanyassistancefrommyrequestsorthyentreaty。Theransommustbepaidbyloveandbeauty，andinnoothercoinwillIacceptit。’’
　　``Thouartnooutlaw，’’saidRebecca，inthesamelanguageinwhichheaddressedher；``nooutlawhadrefusedsuchoffers。Nooutlawinthislandusesthedialectinwhichthouhastspoken。
　　Thouartnooutlaw，butaNorman——aNorman，nobleperhapsinbirth——O，besointhyactions，andcastoffthisfearfulmaskofoutrageandviolence！’’
　　``Andthou，whocanstguesssotruly，’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，droppingthemantlefromhisface，``artnotruedaughterofIsrael，butinall，saveyouthandbeauty，averywitchofEndor。I
　　amnotanoutlaw，then，fairroseofSharon。AndIamonewhowillbemoreprompttohangthyneckandarmswithpearlsanddiamonds，whichsowellbecomethem，thantodeprivetheeoftheseornaments。’’
　　``Whatwouldstthouhaveofme，’’saidRebecca，``ifnotmywealth?——Wecanhavenoughtincommonbetweenus——youareaChristian——IamaJewess——Ourunionwerecontrarytothelaws，alikeofthechurchandthesynagogue。’’
　　``Itwereso，indeed，’’repliedtheTemplar，laughing；
　　``wedwithaJewess?_Despardieux！_——NotifsheweretheQueenofSheba！Andknow，besides，sweetdaughterofZion，thatwerethemostChristiankingtooffermehismostChristiandaughter，withLanguedocforadowery，Icouldnotwedher。Itisagainstmyvowtoloveanymaiden，otherwisethan_paramours_，asIwilllovethee。I
　　amaTemplar。BeholdthecrossofmyHolyOrder。’’
　　``Darestthouappealtoit，’’saidRebecca，``onanoccasionlikethepresent?’’
　　``AndifIdoso，’’saidtheTemplar，``itconcernsnotthee，whoartnobelieverintheblessedsignofoursalvation。’’
　　``Ibelieveasmyfatherstaught，’’saidRebecca；
　　``andmayGodforgivemybeliefiferroneous！Butyou，SirKnight，whatisyours，whenyouappealwithoutscrupletothatwhichyoudeemmostholy，evenwhileyouareabouttotransgressthemostsolemnofyourvowsasaknight，andasamanofreligion?’’
　　``Itisgravelyandwellpreached，OdaughterofSirach！’’answeredtheTemplar；``but，gentleEcclesiastics，thynarrowJewishprejudicesmaketheeblindtoourhighprivilege。MarriagewereanenduringcrimeonthepartofaTemplar；butwhatlesserfollyImaypractise，IshallspeedilybeabsolvedfromatthenextPerceptoryofourOrder。
　　Notthewisestofmonarchs，nothisfather，whoseexamplesyoumustneedsallowareweighty，claimedwiderprivilegesthanwepoorsoldiersoftheTempleofZionhavewonbyourzealinitsdefence。
　　TheprotectorsofSolomon’sTemplemayclaimlicensebytheexampleofSolomon。’’
　　``IfthoureadesttheScripture，’’saidtheJewess，``andthelivesofthesaints，onlytojustifythineownlicenseandprofligacy，thycrimeislikethatofhimwhoextractspoisonfromthemosthealthfulandnecessaryherbs。’’
　　TheeyesoftheTemplarflashedfireatthisreproof——
　　``Hearken，’’hesaid，``Rebecca；Ihavehithertospokenmildlytothee，butnowmylanguageshallbethatofaconqueror。Thouartthecaptiveofmybowandspear——subjecttomywillbythelawsofallnations；norwillIabateaninchofmyright，orabstainfromtakingbyviolencewhatthourefusesttoentreatyornecessity。’’
　　``Standback，’’saidRebecca——``standback，andhearmeerethouofferesttocommitasinsodeadly！
　　MystrengththoumaystindeedoverpowerforGodmadewomenweak，andtrustedtheirdefencetoman’sgenerosity。ButIwillproclaimthyvillainy，Templar，fromoneendofEuropetotheother。Iwillowetothesuperstitionofthybrethrenwhattheircompassionmightrefuseme，EachPreceptory——eachChapterofthyOrder，shalllearn，that，likeaheretic，thouhastsinnedwithaJewess。Thosewhotremblenotatthycrime，willholdtheeaccursedforhavingsofardishonouredthecrossthouwearest，astofollowadaughterofmypeople。’’
　　``Thouartkeen-witted，Jewess，’’repliedtheTemplar，wellawareofthetruthofwhatshespoke，andthattherulesofhisOrdercondemnedinthemostpositivemanner，andunderhighpenalties，suchintriguesashenowprosecuted，andthat，insomeinstances，evendegradationhadfolloweduponit——``thouartsharp-witted，’’hesaid；``butloudmustbethyvoiceofcomplaint，ifitisheardbeyondtheironwallsofthiscastle；withinthese，murmurs，laments，appealstojustice，andscreamsforhelp，diealikesilentaway。Onethingonlycansavethee，Rebecca。Submittothyfate——embraceourreligion，andthoushaltgoforthinsuchstate，thatmanyaNormanladyshallyieldaswellinpompasinbeautytothefavouriteofthebestlanceamongthedefendersoftheTemple。’’
　　``Submittomyfate！’’saidRebecca——``and，sacredHeaven！towhatfate?——embracethyreligion！
　　andwhatreligioncanitbethatharbourssuchavillain?——_thou_thebestlanceoftheTemplars！——
　　Cravenknight！——forswornpriest！Ispitatthee，andIdefythee——TheGodofAbraham’spromisehathopenedanescapetohisdaughter——
　　evenfromthisabyssofinfamy！’’
　　Asshespoke，shethrewopenthelatticedwindowwhichledtothebartisan，andinaninstantafter，stoodontheveryvergeoftheparapet，withnottheslightestscreenbetweenherandthetremendousdepthbelow。Unpreparedforsuchadesperateeffort，forshehadhithertostoodperfectlymotionless，Bois-Guilberthadneithertimetointerceptnortostopher。Asheofferedtoadvance，sheexclaimed，``Remainwherethouart，proudTemplar，oratthychoiceadvance！——onefootnearer，andIplungemyselffromtheprecipice；mybodyshallbecrushedoutoftheveryformofhumanityuponthestonesofthatcourt-yard，ereitbecomethevictimofthybrutality！’’
　　Asshespokethis，sheclaspedherhandsandextendedthemtowardsheaven，asifimploringmercyonhersoulbeforeshemadethefinalplunge。
　　TheTemplarhesitated，andaresolutionwhichhadneveryieldedtopityordistress，gavewaytohisadmirationofherfortitude。``Comedown，’’hesaid，``rashgirl！——Iswearbyearth，andsea，andsky，Iwilloffertheenooffence。’’
　　``Iwillnottrustthee，Templar，’’saidRebecca；
　　thouhasttaughtmebetterhowtoestimatethevirtuesofthineOrder。ThenextPreceptorywouldgranttheeabsolutionforanoath，thekeepingofwhichconcernednoughtbutthehonourorthedishonourofamiserableJewishmaiden。’’
　　``Youdomeinjustice，’’exclaimedtheTemplarfervently；``IsweartoyoubythenamewhichI
　　bear——bythecrossonmybosom——bytheswordonmyside——bytheancientcrestofmyfathersdoI
　　swear，Iwilldotheenoinjurywhatsoever！Ifnotforthyself，yetforthyfather’ssakeforbear！I
　　willbehisfriend，andinthiscastlehewillneedapowerfulone。’’
　　``Alas！’’saidRebecca，``Iknowitbuttoowell——dareItrustthee?’’
　　``Maymyarmsbereversed，andmynamedishonoured，’’
　　saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，``ifthoushalthavereasontocomplainofme！Manyalaw，manyacommandmenthaveIbroken，butmywordnever。’’
　　``Iwillthentrustthee，’’saidRebecca，``thusfar；’’andshedescendedfromthevergeofthebattlement，butremainedstandingclosebyoneoftheembrasures，or_machicolles_，astheywerethencalled-
　　``Here，’’shesaid，``Itakemystand。Remainwherethouart，andifthoushaltattempttodiminishbyonestepthedistancenowbetweenus，thoushaltseethattheJewishmaidenwillrathertrusthersoulwithGod，thanherhonourtotheTemplar！’’
　　WhileRebeccaspokethus，herhighandfirmresolve，whichcorrespondedsowellwiththeexpressivebeautyofhercountenance，gavetoherlooks，air，andmanner，adignitythatseemedmorethanmortal。Herglancequailednot，hercheekblanchednot，forthefearofafatesoinstantandsohorrible；onthecontrary，thethoughtthatshehadherfateathercommand，andcouldescapeatwillfrominfamytodeath，gaveayetdeepercolourofcarnationtohercomplexion，andayetmorebrilliantfiretohereye。Bois-Guilbert，proudhimselfandhigh-spirited，thoughthehadneverbeheldbeautysoanimatedandsocommanding。
　　``Lettherebepeacebetweenus，Rebecca，’’hesaid。
　　``Peace，ifthouwilt，’’answeredRebecca——``Peace——butwiththisspacebetween。’’
　　``Thouneedstnolongerfearme，’’saidBois-Guilbert。
　　``Ifeartheenot，’’repliedshe；``thankstohimthatrearedthisdizzytowersohigh，thatnoughtcouldfallfromitandlive——thankstohim，andtotheGodofIsrael！——Ifeartheenot。’’
　　``Thoudostmeinjustice，’’saidtheTemplar；
　　``byearth，sea，andsky，thoudostmeinjustice！I