首页 >出版文学> Ivanhoe>第8章

第8章

  HathnotaJeweyes?HathnotaJewhands,organs,dimensions,senses,affections,passions?Fedwiththesamefood,hurtwiththesameweapons,subjecttothesamediseases,healedbythesamemeans,warmedandcooledbythesamewinterandsummer,asaChristianis?
  _MerchantofVenice_。
  Oswald,returning,whisperedintotheearofhismaster,``ItisaJew,whocallshimselfIsaacofYork;isitfitIshouldmarshallhimintothehall?’’
  ``LetGurthdothineoffice,Oswald,’’saidWambawithhisusualeffrontery;``theswineherdwillbeafitushertotheJew。’’
  ``StMary,’’saidtheAbbot,crossinghimself,``anunbelievingJew,andadmittedintothispresence!’’
  ``AdogJew,’’echoedtheTemplar,``toapproachadefenderoftheHolySepulchre?’’
  ``Bymyfaith,’’saidWamba,``itwouldseemtheTemplarslovetheJews’inheritancebetterthantheydotheircompany。’’
  ``Peace,myworthyguests,’’saidCedric;``myhospitalitymustnotbeboundedbyyourdislikes。
  IfHeavenborewiththewholenationofstiff-neckedunbelieversformoreyearsthanalaymancannumber,wemayendurethepresenceofoneJewforafewhours。ButIconstrainnomantoconverseortofeedwithhim——Lethimhaveaboardandamorselapart,——unless,’’hesaidsmiling,``theseturban’dstrangerswilladmithissociety。’’
  ``SirFranklin,’’answeredtheTemplar,``mySaracenslavesaretrueMoslems,andscornasmuchasanyChristiantoholdintercoursewithaJew。’’
  ``Now,infaith,’’saidWamba,``IcannotseethattheworshippersofMahoundandTermagaunthavesogreatlytheadvantageoverthepeopleoncechosenofHeaven。’’
  ``Heshallsitwiththee,Wamba,’’saidCedric;
  ``thefoolandtheknavewillbewellmet。’’
  ``Thefool,’’answeredWamba,raisingtherelicsofagammonofbacon,``willtakecaretoerectabulwarkagainsttheknave。’’
  ``Hush,’’saidCedric,``forherehecomes。’’
  Introducedwithlittleceremony,andadvancingwithfearandhesitation,andmanyabowofdeephumility,atallthinoldman,who,however,hadlostbythehabitofstoopingmuchofhisactualheight,approachedthelowerendoftheboard。Hisfeatures,keenandregular,withanaquilinenose,andpiercingblackeyes;hishighandwrinkledforehead,andlonggreyhairandbeard,wouldhavebeenconsideredashandsome,hadtheynotbeenthemarksofaphysiognomypeculiartoarace,which,duringthosedarkages,wasalikedetestedbythecredulousandprejudicedvulgar,andpersecutedbythegreedyandrapaciousnobility,andwho,perhaps,owingtothatveryhatredandpersecution,hadadoptedanationalcharacter,inwhichtherewasmuch,tosaytheleast,meanandunamiable。
  TheJew’sdress,whichappearedtohavesufferedconsiderablyfromthestorm,wasaplainrussetcloakofmanyfolds,coveringadarkpurpletunic。
  Hehadlargebootslinedwithfur,andabeltaroundhiswaist,whichsustainedasmallknife,togetherwithacaseforwritingmaterials,butnoweapon。
  Heworeahighsquareyellowcapofapeculiarfashion,assignedtohisnationtodistinguishthemfromChristians,andwhichhedoffedwithgreathumilityatthedoorofthehall。
  ThereceptionofthispersonintheballofCedrictheSaxon,wassuchasmighthavesatisfiedthemostprejudicedenemyofthetribesofIsrael。
  CedrichimselfcoldlynoddedinanswertotheJew’srepeatedsalutations,andsignedtohimtotakeplaceatthelowerendofthetable,where,however,nooneofferedtomakeroomforhim。Onthecontrary,ashepassedalongthefile,castingatimidsupplicatingglance,andturningtowardseachofthosewhooccupiedthelowerendoftheboard,theSaxondomesticssquaredtheirshoulders,andcontinuedtodevourtheirsupperwithgreatperseverance,payingnottheleastattentiontothewantsofthenewguest。TheattendantsoftheAbbotcrossedthemselves,withlooksofpioushorror,andtheveryheathenSaracens,asIsaacdrewnearthem,curleduptheirwhiskerswithindignation,andlaidtheirhandsontheirponiards,asifreadytoridthemselvesbythemostdesperatemeansfromtheapprehendedcontaminationofhisnearerapproach。
  ProbablythesamemotiveswhichinducedCedrictoopenhishalltothissonofarejectedpeople,wouldhavemadehiminsistonhisattendantsreceivingIsaacwithmorecourtesy。ButtheAbbothad,atthismoment,engagedhiminamostinterestingdiscussiononthebreedandcharacterofhisfavouritehounds,whichhewouldnothaveinterruptedformattersofmuchgreaterimportancethanthatofaJewgoingtobedsupperless。WhileIsaacthusstoodanoutcastinthepresentsociety,likehispeopleamongthenations,lookinginvainforwelcomeorrestingplace,thepilgrimwhosatbythechimneytookcompassionuponhim,andresignedhisseat,sayingbriefly,``Oldman,mygarmentsaredried,myhungerisappeased,thouartbothwetandfasting。’’Sosaying,hegatheredtogether,andbroughttoaflame,thedecayingbrandswhichlayscatteredontheamplehearth;tookfromthelargerboardamessofpottageandseethedkid,placedituponthesmalltableatwhichhehadhimselfsupped,and,withoutwaitingtheJew’sthanks,wenttotheothersideofthehall;——whetherfromunwillingnesstoholdmoreclosecommunicationwiththeobjectofhisbenevolence,orfromawishtodrawneartotheupperendofthetable,seemeduncertain。
  Hadtherebeenpaintersinthosedayscapabletoexecutesuchasubject,theJew,ashebenthiswitheredform,andexpandedhischilledandtremblinghandsoverthefire,wouldhaveformednobademblematicalpersonificationoftheWinterseason。
  Havingdispelledthecold,heturnedeagerlytothesmokingmesswhichwasplacedbeforehim,andatewithahasteandanapparentrelish,thatseemedtobetokenlongabstinencefromfood。
  MeanwhiletheAbbotandCedriccontinuedtheirdiscourseuponhunting;theLadyRowenaseemedengagedinconversationwithoneofherattendantfemales;andthehaughtyTemplar,whoseeyewanderedfromtheJewtotheSaxonbeauty,revolvedinhismindthoughtswhichappeareddeeplytointeresthim。
  ``Imarvel,worthyCedric,’’saidtheAbbot,astheirdiscourseproceeded,``that,greatasyourpredilectionisforyourownmanlylanguage,youdonotreceivetheNorman-Frenchintoyourfavour,sofaratleastasthemysteryofwood-craftandhuntingisconcerned。Surelynotongueissorichinthevariousphraseswhichthefield-sportsdemand,orfurnishesmeanstotheexperiencedwoodmansowelltoexpresshisjovialart。’’
  `GoodFatherAymer,’’saidtheSaxon,``beitknowntoyou,Icarenotforthoseover-searefinements,withoutwhichIcanwellenoughtakemypleasureinthewoods。Icanwindmyhorn,thoughIcallnottheblasteithera_recheate_ora_morte_——I
  cancheermydogsontheprey,andIcanflayandquartertheanimalwhenitisbroughtdown,withoutusingthenewfangledjargonof_curee,arbor,nombles_,andallthebabbleofthefabulousSirTristrem。’’*
  *TherewasnolanguagewhichtheNormansmoreformally*separatedfromthatofcommonlifethanthetermsofthechase。
  *Theobjectsoftheirpursuit,whetherbirdoranimal,changed*theirnameeachyear,andtherewereahundredconventional*terms,tobeignorantofwhichwastobewithoutoneofthedistinguishing*marksofagentleman。ThereadermayconsultDame*JulianaBerners’bookonthesubject。Theoriginofthisscience*wasimputedtothecelebratedSirTristrem,famousforhistragic*intriguewiththebeautifulYsolte。AstheNormansreserved*theamusementofhuntingstrictlytothemselves,theterms*ofthisformaljargonwerealltakenfromtheFrenchlanguage。
  ``TheFrench,’’saidtheTemplar,raisinghisvoicewiththepresumptuousandauthoritativetonewhichheuseduponalloccasions,``isnotonlythenaturallanguageofthechase,butthatofloveandofwar,inwhichladiesshouldbewonandenemiesdefied。’’
  ``Pledgemeinacupofwine,SirTemplar,’’
  saidCedric,``andfillanothertotheAbbot,whileIlookbacksomethirtyyearstotellyouanothertale。AsCedrictheSaxonthenwas,hisplainEnglishtaleneedednogarnishfromFrenchtroubadours,whenitwastoldintheearofbeauty;andthefieldofNorthallerton,uponthedayoftheHolyStandard,couldtellwhethertheSaxonwar-crywasnotheardasfarwithintheranksoftheScottishhostasthe_crideguerre_oftheboldestNormanbaron。
  Tothememoryofthebravewhofoughtthere!——
  Pledgeme,myguests。’’Hedrankdeep,andwentonwithincreasingwarmth。``Ay,thatwasadayofcleavingofshields,whenahundredbannerswerebentforwardsovertheheadsofthevaliant,andbloodflowedroundlikewater,anddeathwasheldbetterthanflight。ASaxonbardhadcalleditafeastoftheswords——agatheringoftheeaglestotheprey——theclashingofbillsuponshieldandhelmet,theshoutingofbattlemorejoyfulthantheclamourofabridal。Butourbardsarenomore,’’
  hesaid;``ourdeedsarelostinthoseofanotherrace——ourlanguage——ourveryname——ishasteningtodecay,andnonemournsforitsaveonesolitaryoldman——Cupbearer!knave,fillthegoblets——Tothestronginarms,SirTemplar,betheirraceorlanguagewhatitwill,whonowbearthembestinPalestineamongthechampionsoftheCross!’’
  ``Itbecomesnotonewearingthisbadgetoanswer,’’
  saidSirBriandeBois-Guilbert;``yettowhom,besidestheswornChampionsoftheHolySepulchre,canthepalmbeassignedamongthechampionsoftheCross?’’
  ``TotheKnightsHospitallers,’’saidtheAbbot;
  ``Ihaveabrotheroftheirorder。’’
  ``Iimpeachnottheirfame,’’saidtheTemplar;
  ``nevertheless-’’