``Ithink，friendCedric，’’saidWamba，interfering，``thathadRichardoftheLion’sHeartbeenwiseenoughtohavetakenafool’sadvice，hemighthavestaidathomewithhismerryEnglishmen，andlefttherecoveryofJerusalemtothosesameKnightswhohadmosttodowiththelossofit。’’
``Werethere，then，noneintheEnglisharmy，’’
saidtheLadyRowena，``whosenamesareworthytobementionedwiththeKnightsoftheTemple，andofStJohn?’’
``Forgiveme，lady，’’repliedDeBois-Guilbert；
``theEnglishmonarchdid，indeed，bringtoPalestineahostofgallantwarriors，secondonlytothosewhosebreastshavebeentheunceasingbulwarkofthatblessedland。’’
``Secondto=none=，’’saidthePilgrim，whohadstoodnearenoughtohear，andhadlistenedtothisconversationwithmarkedimpatience。Allturnedtowardthespotfromwhencethisunexpectedasseverationwasheard。``Isay，’’repeatedthePilgriminafirmandstrongvoice，``thattheEnglishchivalryweresecondto=none=whoeverdrewswordindefenceoftheHolyLand。Isaybesides，forI
sawit，thatKingRichardhimself，andfiveofhisknights，heldatournamentafterthetakingofStJohn-de-Acre，aschallengersagainstallcomers。I
saythat，onthatday，eachknightranthreecourses，andcasttothegroundthreeantagonists。Iadd，thatsevenoftheseassailantswereKnightsoftheTemple——andSirBriandeBois-GuilbertwellknowsthetruthofwhatItellyou。’’
ItisimpossibleforlanguagetodescribethebitterscowlofragewhichrenderedyetdarkertheswarthycountenanceoftheTemplar。Intheextremityofhisresentmentandconfusion，hisquiveringfingersgripedtowardsthehandleofhissword，andperhapsonlywithdrew，fromtheconsciousnessthatnoactofviolencecouldbesafelyexecutedinthatplaceandpresence。Cedric，whosefeelingswereallofarightonwardandsimplekind，andwereseldomoccupiedbymorethanoneobjectatonce，omitted，inthejoyousgleewithwhichbeheardofthegloryofhiscountrymen，toremarktheangryconfusionofhisguest；``Iwouldgivetheethisgoldenbracelet，Pilgrim，’’hesaid，``couldstthoutellmethenamesofthoseknightswhoupheldsogallantlytherenownofmerryEngland。’’
``ThatwillIdoblithely，’’repliedthePilgrim，``andwithoutguerdon；myoath，foratime，prohibitsmefromtouchinggold。’’
``Iwillwearthebraceletforyou，ifyouwill，friendPalmer，’’saidWamba。
``Thefirstinhonourasinarms，inrenownasinplace，’’saidthePilgrim，``wasthebraveRichard，KingofEngland。’’
``Iforgivehim，’’saidCedric；``IforgivehimhisdescentfromthetyrantDukeWilliam。’’
``TheEarlofLeicesterwasthesecond，’’continuedthePilgrim；``SirThomasMultonofGilslandwasthethird。’’
``OfSaxondescent，heatleast，’’saidCedric，withexultation。
``SirFoulkDoillythefourth，’’proceededthePilgrim。
``Saxonalso，atleastbythemother’sside，’’continuedCedric，wholistenedwiththeutmosteagerness，andforgot，inpartatleast，hishatredtotheNormans，inthecommontriumphoftheKingofEnglandandhisislanders。``Andwhowasthefifth?’’hedemanded。
``ThefifthwasSirEdwinTurneham。’’
``GenuineSaxon，bythesoulofHengist！’’
shoutedCedric——``Andthesixth?’’hecontinuedwitheagerness——``hownameyouthesixth?’’
``Thesixth，’’saidthePalmer，afterapause，inwhichheseemedtorecollecthimself，``wasayoungknightoflesserrenownandlowerrank，assumedintothathonourablecompany，lesstoaidtheirenterprisethantomakeuptheirnumber——hisnamedwellsnotinmymemory。’’
``SirPalmer，’’saidSirBriandeBois-Guilbertscornfully，``thisassumedforgetfulness，aftersomuchhasbeenremembered，comestoolatetoserveyourpurpose。Iwillmyselftellthenameoftheknightbeforewhoselancefortuneandmyhorse’sfaultoccasionedmyfalling——itwastheKnightofIvanhoe；norwasthereoneofthesixthat，forhisyears，hadmorerenowninarms——YetthiswillI
say，andloudly——thatwereheinEngland，anddurstrepeat，inthisweek’stournament，thechallengeofStJohn-de-Acre，I，mountedandarmedasInowam，wouldgivehimeveryadvantageofweapons，andabidetheresult。’’
``Yourchallengewouldsoonbeanswered，’’repliedthePalmer，``wereyourantagonistnearyou。
Asthematteris，disturbnotthepeacefulhallwithvauntsoftheissueoftheconflict，whichyouwellknowcannottakeplace。IfIvanhoeeverreturnsfromPalestine，Iwillbehissuretythathemeetsyou。’’
``Agoodlysecurity！’’saidtheKnightTemplar；
``andwhatdoyouprofferasapledge?’’
``Thisreliquary，’’saidthePalmer，takingasmallivoryboxfromhisbosom，andcrossinghimself，``containingaportionofthetruecross，broughtfromtheMonasteryofMountCarmel。’’
ThePriorofJorvaulxcrossedhimselfandrepeatedapaternoster，inwhichalldevoutlyjoined，exceptingtheJew，theMahomedans，andtheTemplar；
thelatterofwhom，withoutvailinghisbonnet，ortestifyinganyreverencefortheallegedsanctityoftherelic，tookfromhisneckagoldchain，whichheflungontheboard，saying——``LetPriorAymerholdmypledgeandthatofthisnamelessvagrant，intokenthatwhentheKnightofIvanhoecomeswithinthefourseasofBritain，heunderliesthechallengeofBriandeBois-Guilbert，which，ifheanswernot，IwillproclaimhimasacowardonthewallsofeveryTempleCourtinEurope。’’
``Itwillnotneed，’’saidtheLadyRowena，breakingsilence；``Myvoiceshallbeheard，ifnootherinthishallisraisedinbehalfoftheabsentIvanhoe。
Iaffirmhewillmeetfairlyeveryhonourablechallenge。
Couldmyweakwarrantaddsecuritytotheinestimablepledgeofthisholypilgrim，IwouldpledgenameandfamethatIvanhoegivesthisproudknightthemeetinghedesires。’’
AcrowdofconflictingemotionsseemedtohaveoccupiedCedric，andkepthimsilentduringthisdiscussion。Gratifiedpride，resentment，embarrassment，chasedeachotheroverhisbroadandopenbrow，liketheshadowofcloudsdriftingoveraharvest-field；
whilehisattendants，onwhomthenameofthesixthknightseemedtoproduceaneffectalmostelectrical，hunginsuspenseupontheirmaster’slooks。ButwhenRowenaspoke，thesoundofhervoiceseemedtostartlehimfromhissilence。
``Lady，’’saidCedric，``thisbeseemsnot；werefurtherpledgenecessary，Imyself，offended，andjustlyoffended，asIam，wouldyetgagemyhonourforthehonourofIvanhoe。Butthewagerofbattleiscomplete，evenaccordingtothefantasticfashionsofNormanchivalry——Isitnot，FatherAymer?’’
``Itis，’’repliedthePrior；``andtheblessedrelicandrichchainwillIbestowsafelyinthetreasuryofourconvent，untilthedecisionofthis，warlikechallenge。’’
Havingthusspoken，hecrossedhimselfagainandagain，andaftermanygenuflectionsandmutteredprayers，hedeliveredthereliquarytoBrotherAmbrose，hisattendantmonk，whilehehimselfsweptupwithlessceremony，butperhapswithnolessinternalsatisfaction，thegoldenchain，andbestoweditinapouchlinedwithperfumedleather，whichopenedunderhisarm。``Andnow，SirCedric，’’hesaid，``myearsarechimingvesperswiththestrengthofyourgoodwine——permitusanotherpledgetothewelfareoftheLadyRowena，andindulgeuswithlibertytopasstoourrepose。’’
``BytheroodofBromholme，’’saidtheSaxon，``youdobutsmallcredittoyourfame，SirPrior！
Reportspeaksyouabonnymonk，thatwouldhearthematinchimeerehequittedhisbowl；and，oldasIam，Ifearedtohaveshameinencounteringyou。But，bymyfaith，aSaxonboyoftwelve，inmytime，wouldnotsosoonhaverelinquishedhisgoblet。’’
ThePriorhadhisownreasons，however，forperseveringinthecourseoftemperancewhichhehadadopted。Hewasnotonlyaprofessionalpeacemaker，butfrompracticeahaterofallfeudsandbrawls。Itwasnotaltogetherfromalovetohisneighbour，ortohimself，orfromamixtureofboth。
Onthepresentoccasion，hehadaninstinctiveapprehensionofthefierytemperoftheSaxon，andsawthedangerthattherecklessandpresumptuousspirit，ofwhichhiscompanionhadalreadygivensomanyproofs，mightatlengthproducesomedisagreeableexplosion。Hethereforegentlyinsinuatedtheincapacityofthenativeofanyothercountrytoengageinthegenialconflictofthebowlwiththehardyandstrong-headedSaxons；somethinghementioned，butslightly，abouthisownholycharacter，andendedbypressinghisproposaltodeparttorepose。
Thegrace-cupwasaccordinglyservedround，andtheguests，aftermakingdeepobeisancetotheirlandlordandtotheLadyRowena，aroseandmingledinthehall，whiletheheadsofthefamily，byseparatedoors，retiredwiththeirattendants。
``Unbelievingdog，’’saidtheTemplartoIsaactheJew，ashepassedhiminthethrong，``dostthoubendthycoursetothetournament?’’
``Idosopropose，’’repliedIsaac，bowinginallhumility，``ifitpleaseyourreverendvalour。’’
``Ay，’’saidtheKnight，``tognawthebowelsofournobleswithusury，andtogullwomenandboyswithgaudsandtoys——IwarranttheestoreofshekelsinthyJewishscrap。’’
``Notashekel，notasilverpenny，notahalfling——
sohelpmetheGodofAbraham！’’saidtheJew，claspinghishands；``IgobuttoseektheassistanceofsomebrethrenofmytribetoaidmetopaythefinewhichtheExchequeroftheJews*
*InthosedaystheJewsweresubjectedtoanExchequer，*speciallydedicatedtothatpurpose，andwhichlaidthemunder*themostexorbitantimpositions——L。T。
haveimposeduponme——FatherJacobbemyspeed！