``takeransom，andhavemercy！——Goldwillpurchaseyoupleasure，——tomisuseus，couldonlybringtheeremorse。Myfatherwillwillinglysatiatethyutmostwishes；andifthouwiltactwisely，thoumaystpurchasewithourspoilsthyrestorationtocivilsociety——maystobtainpardonforpasterrors，andbeplacedbeyondthenecessityofcommittingmore。’’
``Itiswellspoken，’’repliedtheoutlawinFrench，findingitdifficultprobablytosustain，inSaxon，aconversationwhichRebeccahadopenedinthatlanguage；``butknow，brightlilyofthevaleofBaca！thatthyfatherisalreadyinthehandsofapowerfulalchemist，whoknowshowtoconvertintogoldandsilvereventherustybarsofadungeongrate。ThevenerableIsaacissubjectedtoanalembic，whichwilldistilfromhimallheholdsdear，withoutanyassistancefrommyrequestsorthyentreaty。Theransommustbepaidbyloveandbeauty，andinnoothercoinwillIacceptit。’’
``Thouartnooutlaw，’’saidRebecca，inthesamelanguageinwhichheaddressedher；``nooutlawhadrefusedsuchoffers。Nooutlawinthislandusesthedialectinwhichthouhastspoken。
Thouartnooutlaw，butaNorman——aNorman，nobleperhapsinbirth——O，besointhyactions，andcastoffthisfearfulmaskofoutrageandviolence！’’
``Andthou，whocanstguesssotruly，’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，droppingthemantlefromhisface，``artnotruedaughterofIsrael，butinall，saveyouthandbeauty，averywitchofEndor。I