首页 >出版文学> Ivanhoe>第91章

第91章

  So!now’tisended,likeanoldwife’sstory。
  _Webster_。
  Whenthefirstmomentsofsurprisewereover,WilfredofIvanhoedemandedoftheGrandMaster,asjudgeofthefield,ifhehadmanfullyandrightfullydonehisdutyinthecombat?
  ``Manfullyandrightfullyhathitbeendone,’’saidtheGrandMaster。``Ipronouncethemaidenfreeandguiltless——Thearmsandthebodyofthedeceasedknightareatthewillofthevictor。’’
  ``Iwillnotdespoilhimofhisweapons,’’saidtheKnightofIvanhoe,``norcondemnhiscorpsetoshame——hehathfoughtforChristendom——God’sarm,nohumanhand,haththisdaystruckhimdown。
  Butlethisobsequiesbeprivate,asbecomesthoseofamanwhodiedinanunjustquarrel——Andforthemaiden——’’
  Hewasinterruptedbyaclatteringofhorses’feet,advancinginsuchnumbers,andsorapidly,astoshakethegroundbeforethem;andtheBlackKnightgallopedintothelists。Hewasfollowedbyanumerousbandofmen-at-arms,andseveralknightsincompletearmour。
  ``Iamtoolate,’’hesaid,lookingaroundhim。``I
  haddoomedBois-Guilbertformineownproperty——
  Ivanhoe,wasthiswell,totakeontheesuchaventure,andthouscarceabletokeepthysaddle?’’
  ``Heaven,myLiege,’’answeredIvanhoe,``hathtakenthisproudmanforitsvictim。Hewasnottobehonouredindyingasyourwillhaddesigned。’’
  ``Peacebewithhim,’’saidRichard,lookingsteadfastlyonthecorpse,``ifitmaybeso——hewasagallantknight,andhasdiedinhissteelharnessfullknightly。Butwemustwastenotime——Bohun,dothineoffice!’’
  AKnightsteppedforwardfromtheKing’sattendants,and,layinghishandontheshoulderofAlbertdeMalvoisin,said,``IarresttheeofHighTreason。’’
  TheGrandMasterhadhithertostoodastonishedattheappearanceofsomanywarriors——Henowspoke。
  ``WhodarestoarrestaKnightoftheTempleofZion,withinthegirthofhisownPreceptory,andinthepresenceoftheGrandMaster?andbywhoseauthorityisthisboldoutrageoffered?’’
  ``Imakethearrest,’’repliedtheKnight——``I,HenryBohun,EarlofEssex,LordHighConstableofEngland。’’
  ``AndhearrestsMalvoisin,’’saidtheKing,raisinghisvisor,``bytheorderofRichardPlantagenet,herepresent——ConradeMont-Fitchet,itiswellfortheethouartbornnosubjectofmine——
  Butforthee,Malvoisin,thoudiestwiththybrotherPhilip,eretheworldbeaweekolder。’’
  ``Iwillresistthydoom,’’saidtheGrandMaster。
  ``ProudTemplar,’’saidtheKing,``thoucanstnot——lookup,andbeholdtheRoyalStandardofEnglandfloatsoverthytowersinsteadofthyTemplebanner!——Bewise,Beaumanoir,andmakenobootlessopposition——Thyhandisinthelion’smouth。’’
  ``IwillappealtoRomeagainstthee,’’saidtheGrandMaster,``forusurpationontheimmunitiesandprivilegesofourOrder。’’
  ``Beitso,’’saidtheKing;``butforthineownsaketaxmenotwithusurpationnow。DissolvethyChapter,anddepartwiththyfollowerstothynextPreceptory,ifthoucanstfindone,whichhasnotbeenmadethesceneoftreasonableconspiracyagainsttheKingofEngland——Or,ifthouwilt,remain,toshareourhospitality,andbeholdourjustice。’’
  ``TobeaguestinthehousewhereIshouldcommand?’’
  saidtheTemplar;``never!——Chaplains,raisethePsalm,_QuarefremueruntGenies?_——
  Knights,squires,andfollowersoftheHolyTemple,preparetofollowthebannerof_Beau-seant!_’’
  TheGrandMasterspokewithadignitywhichconfrontedeventhatofEngland’skinghimself,andinspiredcourageintohissurprisedanddismayedfollowers。Theygatheredaroundhimlikethesheeparoundthewatch-dog,whentheyhearthebayingofthewolf。Buttheyevincednotthetimidityofthescaredflock——thereweredarkbrowsofdefiance,andlookswhichmenacedthehostilitytheydarednottoprofferinwords。Theydrewtogetherinadarklineofspears,fromwhichthewhitecloaksoftheknightswerevisibleamongtheduskygarmentsoftheirretainers,likethelighter-colourededgesofasablecloud。Themultitude,whohadraisedaclamorousshoutofreprobation,pausedandgazedinsilenceontheformidableandexperiencedbodytowhichtheyhadunwarilybadedefiance,andshrunkbackfromtheirfront。
  TheEarlofEssex,whenhebeheldthempauseintheirassembledforce,dashedtherowelsintohischarger’ssides,andgallopedbackwardsandforwardstoarrayhisfollowers,inoppositiontoabandsoformidable。Richardalone,asifhelovedthedangerhispresencehadprovoked,rodeslowlyalongthefrontoftheTemplars,callingaloud,``What,sirs!Amongsomanygallantknights,willnonedaresplinteraspearwithRichard?——SirsoftheTemple!yourladiesarebutsun-burned,iftheyarenotworththeshiverofabrokenlance?’’
  ``TheBrethrenoftheTemple,’’saidtheGrandMaster,ridingforwardinadvanceoftheirbody,``fightnotonsuchidleandprofanequarrel——andnotwiththee,RichardofEngland,shallaTemplarcrosslanceinmypresence。ThePopeandPrincesofEuropeshalljudgeourquarrel,andwhetheraChristianprincehasdonewellinbuckleringthecausewhichthouhastto-dayadopted。
  Ifunassailed,wedepartassailingnoone。TothinehonourwereferthearmourandhouseholdgoodsoftheOrderwhichweleavebehindus,andonthyconsciencewelaythescandalandoffencethouhastthisdaygiventoChristendom。’’
  Withthesewords,andwithoutwaitingareply,theGrandMastergavethesignalofdeparture。
  Theirtrumpetssoundedawildmarch,ofanOrientalcharacter,whichformedtheusualsignalfortheTemplarstoadvance。Theychangedtheirarrayfromalinetoacolumnofmarch,andmovedoffasslowlyastheirhorsescouldstep,asiftoshowitwasonlythewilloftheirGrandMaster,andnofearoftheopposingandsuperiorforce,whichcompelledthemtowithdraw。
  ``BythesplendourofOurLady’sbrow!’’saidKingRichard,``itispityoftheirlivesthattheseTemplarsarenotsotrustyastheyaredisciplinedandvaliant。’’
  Themultitude,likeatimidcurwhichwaitstobarktilltheobjectofitschallengehasturnedhisback,raisedafeebleshoutastherearofthesquadronlefttheground。
  DuringthetumultwhichattendedtheretreatoftheTemplars,Rebeccasawandheardnothing——shewaslockedinthearmsofheragedfather,giddy,andalmostsenseless,withtherapidchangeofcircumstancesaroundher。ButonewordfromIsaacatlengthrecalledherscatteredfeelings。
  ``Letusgo,’’hesaid,``mydeardaughter,myrecoveredtreasure——letusgotothrowourselvesatthefeetofthegoodyouth。’’
  ``Notso,’’saidRebecca,``Ono——no——no——I
  mustnotatthismomentdaretospeaktohim——
  Alas!Ishouldsaymorethan——No,myfather,letusinstantlyleavethisevilplace。’’
  ``But,mydaughter,’’saidIsaac,``toleavehimwhohathcomeforthlikeastrongmanwithhisspearandshield,holdinghislifeasnothing,sohemightredeemthycaptivity;andthou,too,thedaughterofapeoplestrangeuntohimandhis——
  thisisservicetobethankfullyacknowledged。’’
  ``Itis——itis——mostthankfully——mostdevoutlyacknowledged,’’saidRebecca——``itshallbestillmoreso——butnotnow——forthesakeofthybelovedRachel,father,grantmyrequest——notnow!’’
  ``Nay,but,’’saidIsaac,insisting,``theywilldeemusmorethanklessthanmeredogs!’’
  ``Butthouseest,mydearfather,thatKingRichardisinpresence,andthat——’’
  ``True,mybest——mywisestRebecca!——Letushence——letushence!——Moneyhewilllack,forhehasjustreturnedfromPalestine,and,astheysay,fromprison——andpretextforexactingit,shouldheneedany,mayariseoutofmysimpletrafficwithhisbrotherJohn。Away,away,letushence!’’
  Andhurryinghisdaughterinhisturn,heconductedherfromthelists,andbymeansofconveyancewhichhehadprovided,transportedhersafelytothehouseoftheRabbiNathan。
  TheJewess,whosefortuneshadformedtheprincipalinterestoftheday,havingnowretiredunobserved,theattentionofthepopulacewastransferredtotheBlackKnight。Theynowfilledtheairwith``LonglifetoRichardwiththeLion’sHeart,anddownwiththeusurpingTemplars!’’
  ``Notwithstandingallthislip-loyalty,’’saidIvanhoetotheEarlofEssex,``itwaswelltheKingtooktheprecautiontobringtheewithhim,nobleEarl,andsomanyofthytrustyfollowers。’’
  TheEarlsmiledandshookhishead。
  ``GallantIvanhoe,’’saidEssex,``dostthouknowourMastersowell,andyetsuspecthimoftakingsowiseaprecaution!IwasdrawingtowardsYorkhavingheardthatPrinceJohnwasmakingheadthere,whenImetKingRichard,likeatrueknight-errant,gallopinghithertoachieveinhisownpersonthisadventureoftheTemplarandtheJewess,withhisownsinglearm。Iaccompaniedhimwithmyband,almostmaugrehisconsent。’’
  ``AndwhatnewsfromYork,braveEarl?’’saidIvanhoe;``willtherebelsbideusthere?’’
  ``NomorethanDecember’ssnowwillbideJuly’ssun,’’saidtheEarl;``theyaredispersing;
  andwhoshouldcomepostingtobringusthenews,butJohnhimself!’’
  ``Thetraitor!theungratefulinsolenttraitor!’’
  saidIvanhoe;``didnotRichardorderhimintoconfinement?’’
  ``O!hereceivedhim,’’answeredtheEarl,``asiftheyhadmetafterahuntingparty;and,pointingtomeandourmen-at-arms,said,`Thouseest,brother,Ihavesomeangrymenwithme——thouwertbestgotoourmother,carryhermyduteousaffection,andabidewithheruntilmen’smindsarepacified。’’’
  ``Andthiswasallhesaid?’’enquiredIvanhoe;
  ``wouldnotanyonesaythatthisPrinceinvitesmentotreasonbyhisclemency?’’
  ``Just,’’repliedtheEarl,``asthemanmaybesaidtoinvitedeath,whoundertakestofightacombat,havingadangerouswoundunhealed。’’
  ``Iforgivetheethejest,LordEarl,’’saidIvanhoe;
  ``but,remember,Ihazardedbutmyownlife——Richard,thewelfareofhiskingdom。’’
  ``Those,’’repliedEssex,``whoarespeciallycarelessoftheirownwelfare,areseldomremarkablyattentivetothatofothers——Butletushastetothecastle,forRichardmeditatespunishingsomeofthesubordinatemembersoftheconspiracy,thoughhehaspardonedtheirprincipal。’’
  Fromthejudicialinvestigationswhichfollowedonthisoccasion,andwhicharegivenatlengthintheWardourManuscript,itappearsthatMauricedeBracyescapedbeyondseas,andwentintotheserviceofPhilipofFrance;whilePhilipdeMalvoisin,andhisbrotherAlbert,thePreceptorofTemplestowe,wereexecuted,althoughWaldemarFitzurse,thesouloftheconspiracy,escapedwithbanishment;andPrinceJohn,forwhosebehoofitwasundertaken,wasnotevencensuredbyhisgood-naturedbrother。Noone,however,pitiedthefateofthetwoMalvoisins,whoonlysufferedthedeathwhichtheyhadbothwelldeserved,bymanyactsoffalsehood,cruelty,andoppression。