首页 >出版文学> Ivanhoe>第73章

第73章

  Givenfromthisdenofthieves,aboutthehourofmatins,``AymerPr。S。M。Jorvolciencis。
  ``_Postscriptum_。Trulyyourgoldenchainhathnotlongabiddenwithme,andwillnowsustain,aroundtheneckofanoutlawdeer-stealer,thewhistlewherewithhecallethonhishounds。’’
  ``Whatsayestthoutothis,Conrade?’’saidtheGrandMaster——``Denofthieves!andafitresidenceisadenofthievesforsuchaPrior。NowonderthatthehandofGodisuponus,andthatintheHolyLandweloseplacebyplace,footbyfoot,beforetheinfidels,whenwehavesuchchurchmenasthisAymer——Andwhatmeanethhe,Itrow,bythissecondWitchofEndor?’’saidhetohisconfident,somethingapart。
  Conradewasbetteracquaintedperhapsbypractice
  withthejargonofgallantry,thanwashisSuperior;
  andheexpoundedthepassagewhichembarrassedtheGrandMaster,tobeasortoflanguageusedbyworldlymentowardsthosewhomtheyloved_paramours_;buttheexplanationdidnotsatisfythebigotedBeaumanoir。
  ``Thereismoreinitthanthoudostguess,Conrade;thysimplicityisnomatchforthisdeepabyssofwickedness。ThisRebeccaofYorkwasapupilofthatMiriamofwhomthouhastheard。
  ThoushaltheartheJewownitevennow。’’ThenturningtoIsaac,hesaidaloud,``Thydaughter,then,isprisonerwithBriandeBois-Guilbert?’’
  ``Ay,reverendvaloroussir,’’stammeredpoorIsaac,``andwhatsoeverransomapoormanmaypayforherdeliverance——’’
  ``Peace!’’saidtheGrandMaster。``Thisthydaughterhathpractisedtheartofhealing,hathshenot?’’
  ``Ay,gracioussir,’’answeredtheJew,withmoreconfidence;``andknightandyeoman,squireandvassal,mayblessthegoodlygiftwhichHeavenhathassignedtoher。Manyaonecantestifythatshehathrecoveredthembyherart,wheneveryotherhumanaidhathprovedvain;buttheblessingoftheGodofJacobwasuponher。’’
  BeaumanoirturnedtoMont-Fitchetwithagrimsmile。``See,brother,’’hesaid,``thedeceptionsofthedevouringEnemy!Beholdthebaitswithwhichhefishesforsouls,givingapoorspaceofearthlylifeinexchangeforeternalhappinesshereafter。
  Wellsaidourblessedrule,__Semperpercutiaturleovorans_——
  Uponthelion!Downwiththedestroyer!’’saidhe,shakingalofthismysticabacus,asifindefianceofthepowersofdarkness——
  ``Thydaughterworkeththecures,Idoubtnot,’’
  thushewentontoaddresstheJew,``bywordsandsighs,andperiapts,andothercabalisticalmysteries。’’
  ``Nay,reverendandbraveKnight,’’answeredIsaac,``butinchiefmeasurebyabalsamofmarvellousvirtue。’’
  ``Wherehadshethatsecret?’’saidBeaumanoir。
  ``Itwasdeliveredtoher,’’answeredIsaac,reluctantly,``byMiriam,asagematronofourtribe。’’
  ``Ah,falseJew!’’saidtheGrandMaster;``wasitnotfromthatsamewitchMiriam,theabominationofwhoseenchantmentshavebeenheardofthroughouteveryChristianland?’’exclaimedtheGrandMaster,crossinghimself。``Herbodywasburntatastake,andherasheswerescatteredtothefourwinds;andsobeitwithmeandmineOrder,ifIdonotasmuchtoherpupil,andmorealso!IwillteachhertothrowspellandincantationoverthesoldiersoftheblessedTemple——
  There,Damian,spurnthisJewfromthegate——
  shoothimdeadifheopposeorturnagain。WithhisdaughterwewilldealastheChristianlawandourownhighofficewarrant。’’
  PoorIsaacwashurriedoffaccordingly,andexpelledfromthepreceptory;allhisentreaties,andevenhisoffers,unheardanddisregarded。HecoulddonotbetterthanreturntothehouseoftheRabbi,andendeavour,throughhismeans,tolearnhowhisdaughterwastobedisposedof。Hehadhithertofearedforherhonour,hewasnowtotrembleforherlife。Meanwhile,theGrandMasterorderedtohispresencethePreceptorofTemplestowe。
  CHAPTERXXXVI
  Saynotmyartisfraud——alllivebyseeming。
  Thebeggarbegswithit,andthegaycourtierGainslandandtitle,rankandrule,byseeming;
  Theclergyscornitnot,andtheboldsoldierWillekewithithisservice——Alladmitit,Allpractiseit;andhewhoiscontentWithshowingwhatheis,shallhavesmallcreditInchurch,orcamp,orstate——Sowagstheworld。
  _OldPlay_。
  AlbertMalvoisin,President,or,inthelanguageoftheOrder,PreceptoroftheestablishmentofTemplestowe,wasbrothertothatPhilipMalvoisinwhohasbeenalreadyoccasionallymentionedinthishistory,andwas,likethatbaron,incloseleaguewithBriandeBois-Guilbert。
  Amongstdissoluteandunprincipledmen,ofwhomtheTempleOrderincludedbuttoomany,AlbertofTemplestowemightbedistinguished;
  butwiththisdifferencefromtheaudaciousBois-Guilbert,thatheknewhowtothrowoverhisvicesandhisambitiontheveilofhypocrisy,andtoassumeinhisexteriorthefanaticismwhichbeinternallydespised。HadnotthearrivaloftheGrandMasterbeensounexpectedlysudden,hewouldhaveseennothingatTemplestowewhichmighthaveappearedtoargueanyrelaxationofdiscipline。
  And,evenalthoughsurprised,and,toacertainextent,detected,AlbertMalvoisinlistenedwithsuchrespectandapparentcontritiontotherebukeofhisSuperior,andmadesuchhastetoreformtheparticularshecensured,——succeeded,infine,sowellingivinganairofasceticdevotiontoafamilywhichhadbeenlatelydevotedtolicenseandpleasure,thatLucasBeaumanoirbegantoentertainahigheropinionofthePreceptor’smorals,thanthefirstappearanceoftheestablishmenthadinclinedhimtoadopt。
  ButthesefavourablesentimentsonthepartoftheGrandMasterweregreatlyshakenbytheintelligencethatAlberthadreceivedwithinahouseofreligiontheJewishcaptive,and,aswastobefeared,theparamourofabrotheroftheOrder;
  andwhenAlbertappearedbeforehim,bewasregardedwithunwontedsternness。
  ``Thereisinthismansion,dedicatedtothepurposesoftheholyOrderoftheTemple,’’saidtheGrandMaster,inaseveretone,``aJewishwoman,broughthitherbyabrotherofreligion,byyourconnivance,SirPreceptor。’’
  AlbertMalvoisinwasoverwhelmedwithconfusion;
  fortheunfortunateRebeccahadbeenconfinedinaremoteandsecretpartofthebuilding,andeveryprecautionusedtopreventherresidencetherefrombeingknown。HereadinthelooksofBeaumanoirruintoBois-Guilbertandtohimself,unlessheshouldbeabletoaverttheimpendingstorm。
  ``Whyareyoumute?’’continuedtheGrandMaster。
  ``Isitpermittedtometoreply?’’answeredthePreceptor,inatoneofthedeepesthumility,althoughbythequestionheonlymeanttogainaninstant’sspaceforarranginghisideas。
  ``Speak,youarepermitted,’’saidtheGrandMaster——``speak,andsay,knowestthouthecapitalofourholyrule,——_DecommilitonibusTempliinsanctacivitate,quicunmiserrimismulieribusversantur,propteroblectationemcarnis?’’*
  *Theedictwhichhequotes,isagainstcommunionwith*womenoflightcharacter。
  ``Surely,mostreverendfather,’’answeredthePreceptor,``IhavenotrisentothisofficeintheOrder,beingignorantofoneofitsmostimportantprohibitions。’’
  ``Howcomesit,then,Idemandoftheeoncemore,thatthouhastsufferedabrothertobringaparamour,andthatparamouraJewishsorceress,intothisholyplace,tothestainandpollutionthereof?’’
  ``AJewishsorceress!’’echoedAlbertMalvoisin;
  ``goodangelsguardus!’’
  ``Ay,brother,aJewishsorceress!’’saidtheGrandMaster,sternly。``Ihavesaidit。DarestthoudenythatthisRebecca,thedaughterofthatwretchedusurerIsaacofYork,andthepupilofthefoulwitchMiriam,isnow——shametobethoughtorspoken!——lodgedwithinthisthyPreceptory?’’
  ``Yourwisdom,reverendfather,’’answeredthePreceptor,``hathrolledawaythedarknessfrommyunderstanding。MuchdidIwonderthatsogoodaknightasBriandeBois-Guilbertseemedsofondlybesottedonthecharmsofthisfemale,whomIreceivedintothishousemerelytoplaceabarbetwixttheirgrowingintimacy,whichelsemighthavebeencementedattheexpenseofthefallofourvaliantandreligiousbrother。’’
  ``Hathnothing,then,asyetpassedbetwixttheminbreachofhisvow?’’demandedtheGrandMaster。
  ``What!underthisroof?’’saidthePreceptor,crossinghimself;``SaintMagdaleneandthetenthousandvirginsforbid!——No!ifIhavesinnedinreceivingherhere,itwasintheerringthoughtthatImightthusbreakoffourbrother’sbesotteddevotiontothisJewess,whichseemedtomesowildandunnatural,thatIcouldnotbutascribeittosometouchofinsanity,moretobecuredbypitythanreproof。ButsinceyourreverendwisdomhathdiscoveredthisJewishqueantobeasorceress,perchanceitmayaccountfullyforhisenamouredfolly。’’
  ``Itdoth!——itdoth!’’saidBeaumanoir。``See,brotherConrade,theperilofyieldingtothefirstdevicesandblandishmentsofSatan!Welookuponwomanonlytogratifythelustoftheeye,andtotakepleasureinwhatmencallherbeauty;
  andtheAncientEnemy,thedevouringLion,obtainspoweroverus,tocomplete,bytalismanandspell,aworkwhichwasbegunbyidlenessandfolly。ItmaybethatourbrotherBois-Guilbertdoesinthismatterdeserveratherpitythanseverechastisement;
  ratherthesupportofthestaff,thanthestrokesoftherod;andthatouradmonitionsandprayersmayturnhimfromhisfolly,andrestorehimtohisbrethren。’’
  ``Itweredeeppity,’’saidConradeMont-Fitchet,tolosetotheOrderoneofitsbestlances,whentheHolyCommunitymostrequirestheaidofitssons。ThreehundredSaracenshaththisBriandeBois-Guilbertslainwithhisownhand。’’
  ``Thebloodoftheseaccurseddogs,’’saidtheGrandMaster,``shallbeasweetandacceptableofferingtothesaintsandangelswhomtheydespiseandblaspheme;andwiththeiraidwillwecounteractthespellsandcharmswithwhichourbrotherisentwinedasinanet。HeshallburstthebandsofthisDelilah,asSampsonburstthetwonewcordswithwhichthePhilistineshadboundhim,andshallslaughtertheinfidels,evenheapsuponheaps。Butconcerningthisfoulwitch,whohathflungherenchantmentsoverabrotheroftheHolyTemple,assuredlysheshalldiethedeath。’’
  ``ButthelawsofEngland,’’——saidthePreceptor,who,thoughdelightedthattheGrandMaster’sresentment,thusfortunatelyavertedfromhimselfandBois-Guilbert,hadtakenanotherdirection,begannowtofearhewascarryingittoofar。
  ``ThelawsofEngland,’’interruptedBeaumanoir,``permitandenjoineachjudgetoexecutejusticewithinhisownjurisdiction。Themostpettybaronmayarrest,try,andcondemnawitchfoundwithinhisowndomain。AndshallthatpowerbedeniedtotheGrandMasteroftheTemplewithinapreceptoryofhisOrder?——No!——wewilljudgeandcondemn。Thewitchshallbetakenoutoftheland,andthewickednessthereofshallbeforgiven。PreparetheCastle-hallforthetrialofthesorceress。’’