首页 >出版文学> Ivanhoe>第79章

第79章

  Shedrewherselfintoanattitudenotofdefiance,butofresolution,asonethatwouldavoidprovokingassault,yetwasresolutetorepelit,beingoffered,totheutmostofherpower。
  ``Youhavenoreasontofearme,Rebecca,’’saidtheTemplar;``OrifImustsoqualifymyspeech,youhaveatleast_now_noreasontofearme。’’
  ``Ifearyounot,SirKnight,’’repliedRebecca,althoughhershort-drawnbreathseemedtobelietheheroismofheraccentsmytrustisstrong,andIfeartheenot。’’
  ``Youhavenocause,’’answeredBois-Guilbert,gravely;``myformerfranticattemptsyouhavenotnowtodread。Withinyourcallareguards,overwhomIhavenoauthority。Theyaredesignedtoconductyoutodeath,Rebecca,yetwouldnotsufferyoutobeinsultedbyanyone,evenbyme,weremyfrenzy——forfrenzyitis——tourgemesofar。’’
  ``MayHeavenbepraised!’’saidtheJewess;
  ``deathistheleastofmyapprehensionsinthisdenofevil。’’
  ``Ay,’’repliedtheTemplar,``theideaofdeathiseasilyreceivedbythecourageousmind,whentheroadtoitissuddenandopen。Athrustwithalance,astrokewithasword,weretomelittle——
  Toyou,aspringfromadizzybattlement,astrokewithasharpponiard,hasnoterrors,comparedwithwhateitherthinksdisgrace。Markme——I
  saythis——perhapsmineownsentimentsofhonourarenotlessfantastic,Rebecca,thanthineare;butweknowalikehowtodieforthem。’’
  ``Unhappyman,’’saidtheJewess;``andartthoucondemnedtoexposethylifeforprinciples,ofwhichthysoberjudgmentdoesnotacknowledgethesolidity?Surelythisisapartingwithyourtreasureforthatwhichisnotbread——butdeemnotsoofme。Thyresolutionmayfluctuateonthewildandchangefulbillowsofhumanopinion,butmineisanchoredontheRockofAges。’’
  ``Silence,maiden,’’answeredtheTemplar;
  ``suchdiscoursenowavailsbutlittle。Thouartcondemnedtodienotasuddenandeasydeath,suchasmiserychooses,anddespairwelcomes,butaslow,wretched,protractedcourseoftorture,suitedtowhatthediabolicalbigotryofthesemencallsthycrime。’’
  ``Andtowhom——ifsuchmyfate——towhomdoIowethis?’’saidRebecca``surelyonlytohim,who,foramostselfishandbrutalcause,draggedmehither,andwhonow,forsomeunknownpurposeofhisown,strivestoexaggeratethewretchedfatetowhichheexposedme。’’
  ``Thinknot,’’saidtheTemplar,``thatIhavesoexposedthee;Iwouldhavebuckleredtheeagainstsuchdangerwithmyownbosom,asfreelyaseverIexposedittotheshaftswhichhadotherwisereachedthylife。’’
  ``Hadthypurposebeenthehonourableprotectionoftheinnocent,’’saidRebecca,``Ihadthankedtheeforthycare——asitis,thouhastclaimedmeritforitsooften,thatItelltheelifeisworthnothingtome,preservedatthepricewhichthouwouldstexactforit。’’
  ``Trucewiththineupbraidings,Rebecca,’’saidtheTemplar;``Ihavemyowncauseofgrief,andbrooknotthatthyreproachesshouldaddtoit。’’
  ``Whatisthypurpose,then,SirKnight?’’saidtheJewess;``speakitbriefly——Ifthouhastaughttodo,savetowitnessthemiserythouhastcaused,letmeknowit;andthen,ifsoitpleaseyou,leavemetomyself——thestepbetweentimeandeternityisshortbutterrible,andIhavefewmomentstoprepareforit。’’
  ``Iperceive,Rebecca,’’saidBois-Guilbert,``thatthoudostcontinuetoburdenmewiththechargeofdistresses,whichmostfainwouldIhaveprevented。’’
  ``SirKnight,’’saidRebecca,``Iwouldavoidreproaches——ButwhatismorecertainthanthatI
  owemydeathtothineunbridledpassion?’’
  ``Youerr——youerr,’’——saidtheTemplar,hastily,``ifyouimputewhatIcouldneitherforeseenorpreventtomypurposeoragency——CouldI
  guesstheunexpectedarrivalofyondotard,whomsomeflashesoffranticvalour,andthepraisesyieldedbyfoolstothestupidself-tormentsofanascetic,haveraisedforthepresentabovehisownmerits,abovecommonsense,aboveme,andabovethehundredsofourOrder,whothinkandfeelasmenfreefromsuchsillyandfantasticprejudicesasarethegroundsofhisopinionsandactions?’’
  ``Yet,’’saidRebecca,``yousateajudgeuponme,innocent——mostinnocent——asyouknewmetobe——youconcurredinmycondemnation,and,ifI
  arightunderstood,areyourselftoappearinarmstoassertmyguilt,andassuremypunishment。’’
  ``Thypatience,maiden,’’repliedtheTemplar。
  ``Noraceknowssowellasthineowntribeshowtosubmittothetime,andsototrimtheirbarkastomakeadvantageevenofanadversewind。’’
  ``Lamentedbethehour,’’saidRebecca,``thathastaughtsucharttotheHouseofIsrael!butadversitybendstheheartasfirebendsthestubbornsteel,andthosewhoarenolongertheirowngovernors,andthedenizensoftheirownfreeindependentstate,mustcrouchbeforestrangers。Itisourcurse,SirKnight,deserved,doubtless,byourownmisdeedsandthoseofourfathers;butyou——
  youwhoboastyourfreedomasyourbirthright,howmuchdeeperisyourdisgracewhenyoustooptosoothetheprejudicesofothers,andthatagainstyourownconviction?’’
  ``Yourwordsarebitter,Rebecca,’’saidBois-Guilbert,pacingtheapartmentwithimpatience,``butIcamenothithertobandyreproacheswithyou——KnowthatBois-Guilbertyieldsnottocreatedman,althoughcircumstancesmayforatimeinducehimtoalterhisplan。Hiswillisthemountainstream,whichmayindeedbeturnedforalittlespaceasidebytherock,butfailsnottofinditscoursetotheocean。Thatscrollwhichwarnedtheetodemandachampion,fromwhomcouldstthouthinkitcame,ifnotfromBois-Guilbert?Inwhomelsecouldstthouhaveexcitedsuchinterest?’’
  ``Abriefrespitefrominstantdeath,’’saidRebecca,``whichwilllittleavailme——wasthisallthoucouldstdoforone,onwhoseheadthouhastheapedsorrow,andwhomthouhastbroughtneareventothevergeofthetomb?’’
  ``Nomaiden,’’saidBois-Guilbert,``thiswas_not_
  allthatIpurposed。Haditnotbeenfortheaccursedinterferenceofyonfanaticaldotard,andthefoolofGoodalricke,who,beingaTemplar,affectstothinkandjudgeaccordingtotheordinaryrulesofhumanity,theofficeoftheChampionDefenderhaddevolved,notonaPreceptor,butonaCompanionoftheOrder。ThenImyself——suchwasmypurpose——had,onthesoundingofthetrumpet,appearedinthelistsasthychampion,disguisedindeedinthefashionofarovingknight,whoseeksadventurestoprovehisshieldandspear;andthen,letBeaumanoirhavechosennotone,buttwoorthreeofthebrethrenhereassembled,Ihadnotdoubtedtocastthemoutofthesaddlewithmysinglelance。
  Thus,Rebecca,shouldthineinnocencehavebeenavouched,andtothineowngratitudewouldIhavetrustedfortherewardofmyvictory。’’
  ``This,SirKnight,’’saidRebecca,``isbutidleboasting——abragofwhatyouwouldhavedonehadyounotfounditconvenienttodootherwise。
  Youreceivedmyglove,andmychampion,ifacreaturesodesolatecanfindone,mustencounteryourlanceinthelists——yetyouwouldassumetheairofmyfriendandprotector!’’
  ``Thyfriendandprotector,’’saidtheTemplar,gravely,``Iwillyetbe——butmarkatwhatrisk,orratheratwhatcertainty,ofdishonour;andthenblamemenotifImakemystipulations,beforeI
  offerupallthatIhavehithertohelddear,tosavethelifeofaJewishmaiden。’’
  ``Speak,’’saidRebecca;``Iunderstandtheenot。’’
  ``Well,then,’’saidBois-Guilbert,``Iwillspeakasfreelyaseverdiddotingpenitenttohisghostlyfather,whenplacedinthetrickyconfessional——
  Rebecca,ifIappearnotintheselistsIlosefameandrank——losethatwhichisthebreathofmynostrils,theesteem,Imean,inwhichIamheldbymybrethren,andthehopesIhaveofsucceedingtothatmightyauthority,whichisnowwieldedbythebigoteddotardLucasdeBeaumanoir,butofwhichIshouldmakeadifferentuse。Suchismycertaindoom,exceptIappearinarmsagainstthycause。AccursedbeheofGoodalricke,whobaitedthistrapforme!anddoublyaccursedAlbertdeMalvoisin,whowithheldmefromtheresolutionI
  hadformed,ofhurlingbackthegloveatthefaceofthesuperstitiousandsuperannuatedfool,wholistenedtoachargesoabsurd,andagainstacreaturesohighinmind,andsolovelyinformasthouart!’’
  ``Andwhatnowavailsrantorflattery?’’answeredRebecca。``Thouhastmadethychoicebetweencausingtobeshedthebloodofaninnocentwoman,orofendangeringthineownearthlystateandearthlyhopes——Whatavailsittoreckontogether?——thychoiceismade。’’
  ``No,Rebecca,’’saidtheknight,inasoftertone,anddrawingnearertowardsher;``mychoiceis=not=made——nay,mark,itisthinetomaketheelection。
  IfIappearinthelists,Imustmaintainmynameinarms;andifIdoso,championedorunchampioned,thoudiestbythestakeandfaggot,fortherelivesnottheknightwhohathcopedwithmeinarmsonequalissue,orontermsofvantage,saveRichardCur-de-Lion,andhisminionofIvanhoe。Ivanhoe,asthouwellknowest,isunabletobearhiscorslet,andRichardisinaforeignprison。IfIappear,thenthoudiest,evenalthoughthycharmsshouldinstigatesomehot-headedyouthtoenterthelistsinthydefence。’’
  ``Andwhatavailsrepeatingthissooften?’’saidRebecca。
  ``Much,’’repliedtheTemplar;``forthoumustlearntolookatthyfateoneveryside。’’
  ``Well,then,turnthetapestry,’’saidtheJewess,``andletmeseetheotherside。’’
  ``IfIappear,’’saidBois-Guilbert,``inthefatallists,thoudiestbyaslowandcrueldeath,inpainsuchastheysayisdestinedtotheguiltyhereafter。
  ButifIappearnot,thenamIadegradedanddishonouredknight,accusedofwitchcraftandofcommunionwithinfidels——theillustriousnamewhichbasgrownyetmoresoundermywearing,becomesahissingandareproach。Ilosefame,Ilosehonour,Ilosetheprospectofsuchgreatnessasscarceemperorsattainto——Isacrificemightyambition,I
  destroyschemesbuiltashighasthemountainswithwhichheathenssaytheirheavenwasoncenearlyscaled——andyet,Rebecca,’’headded,throwinghimselfatherfeet,``thisgreatnesswillIsacrifice,thisfamewillIrenounce,thispowerwillI
  forego,evennowwhenitishalfwithinmygrasp,ifthouwiltsay,Bois-Guilbert,Ireceivetheeformylover。’’
  ``Thinknotofsuchfoolishness,SirKnight,’’
  answeredRebecca,``buthastentotheRegent,theQueenMother,andtoPrinceJohn——theycannot,inhonourtotheEnglishcrown,allowoftheproceedingsofyourGrandMaster。Soshallyougivemeprotectionwithoutsacrificeonyourpart,orthepretextofrequiringanyrequitalfromme。’’
  ``WiththeseIdealnot,’’hecontinued,holdingthetrainofherrobe——``itistheeonlyIaddress;
  andwhatcancounterbalancethychoice?Bethinkthee,wereIafiend,yetdeathisaworse,anditisdeathwhoismyrival。’’
  ``Iweighnottheseevils,’’saidRebecca,afraidtoprovokethewildknight,yetequallydeterminedneithertoendurehispassion,norevenfeigntoendureit。``Beaman,beaChristian!Ifindeedthyfaithrecommendsthatmercywhichratheryourtonguesthanyouractionspretend,savemefromthisdreadfuldeath,withoutseekingarequitalwhichwouldchangethymagnanimityintobasebarter。’’