AlbertMalvoisinbowedandretired，——nottogivedirectionsforpreparingthehall，buttoseekoutBriandeBois-Guilbert，andcommunicatetohimhowmatterswerelikelytoterminate。Itwasnotlongerehefoundhim，foamingwithindignationatarepulsehehadanewsustainedfromthefairJewess。``Theunthinking，’’hesaid，``theungrateful，toscornhimwho，amidstbloodandflames，wouldhavesavedherlifeattheriskofhisown！
　　ByHeaven，Malvoisin！Iabodeuntilroofandrafterscrackledandcrashedaroundme。Iwasthebuttofahundredarrows；theyrattledonminearmourlikehailstonesagainstalatticedcasement，andtheonlyuseImadeofmyshieldwasforherprotection。ThisdidIendureforher；andnowtheself-willedgirlupbraidsmethatIdidnotleavehertoperish，andrefusesmenotonlytheslightestproofofgratitude，buteventhemostdistanthopethatevershewillbebroughttograntany。Thedevil，thatpossessedherracewithobstinacy，hasconcentrateditsfullforceinhersingleperson！’’
　　``Thedevil，’’saidthePreceptor，``Ithink，possessedyouboth。HowofthaveIpreachedtoyoucaution，ifnotcontinence?DidInottellyouthattherewereenoughwillingChristiandamselstobemetwith，whowouldthinkitsintorefusesobraveaknight_ledond’amoureuxmerci_，andyoumustneedsanchoryouraffectiononawilful，obstinateJewess！Bythemass，IthinkoldLucasBeaumanoirguessesright，whenhemaintainsshehathcastaspelloveryou。’’
　　``LucasBeaumanoir！’’——saidBois-Guilbertreproachfully——``Aretheseyourprecautions，Malvoisin?
　　HastthousufferedthedotardtolearnthatRebeccaisinthePreceptory?’’
　　``HowcouldIhelpit?’’saidthePreceptor。``I
　　neglectednothingthatcouldkeepsecretyourmystery；
　　butitisbetrayed，andwhetherbythedevilorno，thedevilonlycantell。ButIhaveturnedthematterasIcould；youaresafeifyourenounceRebecca。Youarepitied——thevictimofmagicaldelusion。Sheisasorceress，andmustsufferassuch。’’
　　``Sheshallnot，byHeaven！’’saidBois-Guilbert。
　　``ByHeaven，shemustandwill！’’saidMalvoisin。
　　``Neitheryounoranyoneelsecansaveher。
　　LucasBeaumanoirhathsettledthatthedeathofaJewesswillbeasin-offeringsufficienttoatoneforalltheamorousindulgencesoftheKnightsTemplars；
　　andthouknowesthehathboththepowerandwilltoexecutesoreasonableandpiousapurpose。’’
　　``Willfutureagesbelievethatsuchstupidbigotryeverexisted！’’saidBois-Guilbert，stridingupanddowntheapartment。
　　``Whattheymaybelieve，Iknownot，’’saidMalvoisin，calmly；``butIknowwell，thatinthisourday，clergyandlaymen，takeninety-ninetothehundred，willcry_amen_totheGrandMaster’ssentence。’’
　　``Ihaveit，’’saidBois-Guilbert。``Albert，thouartmyfriend。Thoumustconniveatherescape，Malvoisin，andIwilltransporthertosomeplaceofgreatersecurityandsecrecy。’’
　　``Icannot，ifIwould，’’repliedthePreceptor；
　　``themansionisfilledwiththeattendantsoftheGrandMaster，andotherswhoaredevotedtohim。
　　And，tobefrankwithyou，brother，Iwouldnotembarkwithyouinthismatter，evenifIcouldhopetobringmybarktohaven。Ihaveriskedenoughalreadyforyoursake。Ihavenomindtoencounterasentenceofdegradation，oreventolosemyPreceptory，forthesakeofapaintedpieceofJewishfleshandblood。Andyou，ifyouwillbeguidedbymycounsel，willgiveupthiswild-goosechase，andflyyourhawkatsomeothergame。
　　Think，Bois-Guilbert，——thypresentrank，thyfuturehonours，alldependonthyplaceintheOrder。
　　ShouldstthouadhereperverselytothypassionforthisRebecca，thouwiltgiveBeaumanoirthepowerofexpellingthee，andhewillnotneglectit。Heisjealousofthetruncheonwhichheholdsinhistremblinggripe，andheknowsthoustretchestthyboldhandtowardsit。Doubtnothewillruinthee，ifthouaffordesthimapretextsofairasthyprotectionofaJewishsorceress。Givehimhisscopeinthismatter，forthoucanstnotcontrolhim。
　　Whenthestaffisinthineownfirmgrasp，thoumayestcaressthedaughtersofJudah，orburnthem，asmaybestsuitthineownhumour。’’
　　``Malvoisin，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``thouartacold-blooded——’’
　　``Friend，’’saidthePreceptor，hasteningtofilluptheblank，inwhichBois-Guilbertwouldprobablyhaveplacedaworseword，——``acold-bloodedfriendIam，andthereforemorefittogivetheeadvice。
　　Itelltheeoncemore，thatthoucanstnotsaveRebecca。Itelltheeoncemore，thoucanstbutperishwithher。GohietheetotheGrandMaster——throwthyselfIthisfeetandtellhim——’’
　　``Notathisfeet，byHeaven！buttothedotard’sverybeardwillIsay——’’
　　``Saytohim，then，tohisbeard，’’continuedMalvoisin，coolly，``thatyoulovethiscaptiveJewesstodistraction；andthemorethoudostenlargeonthypassion，thegreaterwillbehishastetoenditbythedeathofthefairenchantress；whilethou，takeninflagrantdelictbytheavowalofacrimecontrarytothineoath，cansthopenoaidofthybrethren，andmustexchangeallthybrilliantvisionsofambitionandpower，toliftperhapsamercenaryspearinsomeofthepettyquarrelsbetweenFlandersandBurgundy。’’
　　``Thouspeakestthetruth，Malvoisin，’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，afteramoment’sreflection。``I
　　willgivethehoarybigotnoadvantageoverme；
　　andforRebecca，shehathnotmeritedatmyhandthatIshouldexposerankandhonourforhersake。
　　Iwillcastheroff——yes，Iwillleavehertoherfate，unless——’’
　　``Qualifynotthywiseandnecessaryresolution，’’
　　saidMalvoisin；``womenarebutthetoyswhichamuseourlighterhours——ambitionistheseriousbusinessoflife。PerishathousandsuchfrailbaublesasthisJewess，beforethymanlysteppauseinthebrilliantcareerthatliesstretchedbeforethee！
　　Forthepresentwepart，normustwebeseentoholdcloseconversation——Imustorderthehallforhisjudgment-seat。’’
　　``What！’’saidBois-Guilbert，``sosoon?’’
　　``Ay，’’repliedthePreceptor，``trialmovesrapidlyonwhenthejudgehasdeterminedthesentencebeforehand。’’
　　``Rebecca，’’saidBois-Guilbert，whenhewasleftalone，``thouartliketocostmedear——WhycannotIabandontheetothyfate，asthiscalmhypocriterecommends?——OneeffortwillImaketosavethee——butbewareofingratitude！forifIamagainrepulsed，myvengeanceshallequalmylove。ThelifeandhonourofBois-Guilbertmustnotbehazarded，wherecontemptandreproachesarehisonlyreward。’’
　　ThePreceptorhadhardlygiventhenecessaryorders，whenhewasjoinedbyConradeMont-Fitchet，whoacquaintedhimwiththeGrandMaster’sresolutiontobringtheJewesstoinstanttrialforsorcery。
　　``Itissurelyadream，’’saidthePreceptor；``wehavemanyJewishphysicians，andwecallthemnotwizardsthoughtheyworkwonderfulcures。’’
　　``TheGrandMasterthinksotherwise，’’saidMont-Fitchet；``and，Albert，Iwillbeuprightwiththee——wizardornot，itwerebetterthatthismiserabledamseldie，thanthatBriandeBois-GuilbertshouldbelosttotheOrder，ortheOrderdividedbyinternaldissension。Thouknowesthishighrank，hisfameinarms——thouknowestthezealwithwhichmanyofourbrethrenregardhim——butallthiswillnotavailhimwithourGrandMaster，shouldheconsiderBrianastheaccomplice，notthevictim，ofthisJewess。Werethesoulsofthetwelvetribesinhersinglebody，itwerebettershesufferedalone，thanthatBois-Guilbertwerepartnerinherdestruction。’’
　　``Ihavebeenworkinghimevennowtoabandonher，’’saidMalvoisin；``butstill，aretheregroundsenoughtocondemnthisRebeccaforsorcery?——
　　WillnottheGrandMasterchangehismindwhenheseesthattheproofsaresoweak?’’
　　``Theymustbestrengthened，Albert，’’repliedMont-Fitchet，``theymustbestrengthened。Dostthouunderstandme?’’
　　``Ido，’’saidthePreceptor，``nordoIscrupletodoaughtforadvancementoftheOrder——butthereislittletimetofindenginesfitting。’’
　　``Malvoisin，they_must_befound，’’saidConrade；
　　``wellwillitadvantageboththeOrderandthee。
　　ThisTemplestoweisapoorPreceptory——thatofMaison-Dieuisworthdoubleitsvalue——thouknowestmyinterestwithouroldChief——findthosewhocancarrythismatterthrough，andthouartPreceptorofMaison-DieuinthefertileKent——
　　Howsaystthou?’’
　　``Thereis，’’repliedMalvoisin，``amongthosewhocamehitherwithBois-Guilbert，twofellowswhomIwellknow；servantstheyweretomybrotherPhilipdeMalvoisin，andpassedfromhisservicetothatofFront-de-Buf——Itmaybetheyknowsomethingofthewitcheriesofthiswoman。’’
　　``Away，seekthemoutinstantly——andharkthee，ifabyzantortwowillsharpentheirmemory，letthemnotbewanting。’’
　　``Theywouldswearthemotherthatborethemasorceressforazecchin，’’saidthePreceptor。
　　``Away，then，’’saidMont-Fitchet；``atnoontheaffairwillproceed。IhavenotseenourseniorinsuchearnestpreparationsincehecondemnedtothestakeHametAlfagi，aconvertwhorelapsedtotheMoslemfaith。’’
　　Theponderouscastle-bellhadtolledthepointofnoon，whenRebeccaheardatramplingoffeetupontheprivatestairwhichledtoherplaceofconfinement。
　　Thenoiseannouncedthearrivalofseveralpersons，andthecircumstancerathergaveherjoy；
　　forshewasmoreafraidofthesolitaryvisitsofthefierceandpassionateBois-Guilbertthanofanyevilthatcouldbefallherbesides。Thedoorofthechamberwasunlocked，andConradeandthePreceptorMalvoisinentered，attendedbyfourwardersclothedinblack，andbearinghalberds。
　　``Daughterofanaccursedrace！’’saidthePreceptor，``ariseandfollowus。’’
　　``Whither，’’saidRebecca，``andforwhatpurpose?’’
　　``Damsel，’’answeredConrade，``itisnotfortheetoquestion，buttoobey。Nevertheless，beitknowntothee，thatthouarttobebroughtbeforethetribunaloftheGrandMasterofourholyOrder，theretoanswerforthineoffences。’’
　　``MaytheGodofAbrahambepraised！’’saidRebecca，foldingherhandsdevoutly；``thenameofajudge，thoughanenemytomypeople，istomeasthenameofaprotector。MostwillinglydoI
　　followthee——permitmeonlytowrapmyveilaroundmyhead。’’
　　Theydescendedthestairwithslowandsolemnstep，traversedalonggallery，and，byapairoffoldingdoorsplacedattheend，enteredthegreathallinwhichtheGrandMasterhadforthetimeestablishedhiscourtofjustice。