Iamanimpoverishedwretch——theverygaberdineIwearisborrowedfromReubenofTadcaster。’’
TheTemplarsmiledsourlyashereplied，``Beshrewtheeforafalse-heartedliar！’’andpassingonward，asifdisdainingfartherconference，hecommunedwithhisMoslemslavesinalanguageunknowntothebystanders。ThepoorIsraeliteseemedsostaggeredbytheaddressofthemilitarymonk，thattheTemplarhadpassedontotheextremityofthehallereheraisedhisheadfromthehumbleposturewhichhehadassumed，sofarastobesensibleofhisdeparture。Andwhenhedidlookaround，itwaswiththeastonishedairofoneatwhosefeetathunderbolthasjustburst，andwhohearsstilltheastoundingreportringinginhisears。
TheTemplarandPriorwereshortlyaftermarshalledtotheirsleepingapartmentsbythestewardandthecupbearer，eachattendedbytwotorchbearersandtwoservantscarryingrefreshments，whileservantsofinferiorconditionindicatedtotheirretinueandtotheothergueststheirrespectiveplacesofrepose。
CHAPTERVI
TobuyhisfavourIextendthisfriendship：
Ifhewilltakeit，so；ifnot，adieu；
And，formylove，Iprayyouwrongmenot。
_MerchantofVenice_。
AsthePalmer，lightedbyadomesticwithatorch，pastthroughtheintricatecombinationofapartmentsofthislargeandirregularmansion，thecupbearercomingbehindhimwhisperedinhisear，thatifhehadnoobjectiontoacupofgoodmeadinhisapartment，thereweremanydomesticsinthatfamilywhowouldgladlyhearthenewshehadbroughtfromtheHolyLand，andparticularlythatwhichconcernedtheKnightofIvanhoe。
Wambapresentlyappearedtourgethesamerequest，observingthatacupaftermidnightwasworththreeaftercurfew。Withoutdisputingamaximurgedbysuchgraveauthority，thePalmerthankedthemfortheircourtesy，butobservedthathehadincludedinhisreligiousvow，anobligationnevertospeakinthekitchenonmatterswhichwereprohibitedinthehall。``Thatvow，’’saidWambatothecupbearer，``wouldscarcesuitaserving-man。’’
Thecupbearershruggeduphisshouldersindispleasure。
``Ithoughttohavelodgedhiminthesolerechamber，’’
saidhe；``butsinceheissounsocialtoChristians，e’enlethimtakethenextstalltoIsaactheJew’s——Anwold，’’
saidhetothetorchbearer，``carrythePilgrimtothesoutherncell——
Igiveyougood-night，’’headded，``SirPalmer，withsmallthanksforshortcourtesy。’’
``Good-night，andOurLady’sbenison，’’saidthePalmer，withcomposure；andhisguidemovedforward。
Inasmallantechamber，intowhichseveraldoorsopened，andwhichwaslightedbyasmallironlamp，theymetasecondinterruptionfromthewaiting-maidofRowena，who，sayinginatoneofauthority，thathermistressdesiredtospeakwiththePalmer，tookthetorchfromthehandofAnwold，and，biddinghimawaitherreturn，madeasigntothePalmertofollow。Apparentlyhedidnotthinkitpropertodeclinethisinvitationashehaddonetheformer；for，thoughhisgestureindicatedsomesurpriseatthesummons，heobeyeditwithoutanswerorremonstrance。
Ashortpassage，andanascentofsevensteps，eachofwhichwascomposedofasolidbeamofoak，ledhimtotheapartmentoftheLadyRowena，therudemagnificenceofwhichcorrespondedtotherespectwhichwaspaidtoherbythelordofthemansion。Thewallswerecoveredwithembroideredhangings，onwhichdifferent-colouredsilks，interwovenwithgoldandsilverthreads，hadbeenemployedwithalltheartofwhichtheagewascapable，torepresentthesportsofhuntingandhawking。
Thebedwasadornedwiththesamerichtapestry，andsurroundedwithcurtainsdyedwithpurple。Theseatshadalsotheirstainedcoverings，andone，whichwashigherthantherest，wasaccommodatedwithafootstoolofivory，curiouslycarved。
Nofewerthanfoursilvercandelabras，holdinggreatwaxentorches，servedtoilluminatethisapartment。
YetletnotmodernbeautyenvythemagnificenceofaSaxonprincess。Thewallsoftheapartmentweresoillfinishedandsofullofcrevices，thattherichhangingsshookinthenightblast，and，indespiteofasortofscreenintendedtoprotectthemfromthewind，theflameofthetorchesstreamedsidewaysintotheair，liketheunfurledpennonofachieftain。Magnificencetherewas，withsomerudeattemptattaste；butofcomforttherewaslittle，and，beingunknown，itwasunmissed。
TheLadyRowena，withthreeofherattendantsstandingatherback，andarrangingherhairereshelaydowntorest，wasseatedinthesortofthronealreadymentioned，andlookedasifborntoexactgeneralhomage。ThePilgrimacknowledgedherclaimtoitbyalowgenuflection。
``Rise，Palmer，’’saidshegraciously。``Thedefenderoftheabsenthasarighttofavourablereceptionfromallwhovaluetruth，andhonourmanhood。’’
Shethensaidtohertrain，``Retire，exceptingonlyElgitha；IwouldspeakwiththisholyPilgrim。’’
Themaidens，withoutleavingtheapartment，retiredtoitsfurtherextremity，andsatdownonasmallbenchagainstthewall，wheretheyremainedmuteasstatues，thoughatsuchadistancethattheirwhisperscouldnothaveinterruptedtheconversationoftheirmistress。
``Pilgrim，’’saidthelady，afteramoment’spause，duringwhichsheseemeduncertainhowtoaddresshim，``youthisnightmentionedaname——Imean，’’
shesaid，withadegreeofeffort，``thenameofIvanhoe，inthehallswherebynatureandkindreditshouldhavesoundedmostacceptably；andyet，suchistheperversecourseoffate，thatofmanywhoseheartsmusthavethrobbedatthesound，I，only，dareaskyouwhere，andinwhatcondition，youlefthimofwhomyouspoke?——Weheard，that，havingremainedinPalestine，onaccountofhisimpairedhealth，afterthedepartureoftheEnglisharmy，hehadexperiencedthepersecutionoftheFrenchfaction，towhomtheTemplarsareknowntobeattached。’’
``IknowlittleoftheKnightofIvanhoe，’’answeredthePalmer，withatroubledvoice。``I
wouldIknewhimbetter，sinceyou，lady，areinterestedinhisfate。Hehath，Ibelieve，surmountedthepersecutionofhisenemiesinPalestine，andisontheeveofreturningtoEngland，whereyou，lady，mustknowbetterthanI，whatishischanceofhappiness。’’
TheLadyRowenasigheddeeply，andaskedmoreparticularlywhentheKnightofIvanhoemightbeexpectedinhisnativecountry，andwhetherhewouldnotbeexposedtogreatdangersbytheroad。Onthefirstpoint，thePalmerprofessedignorance；onthesecond，hesaidthatthevoyagemightbesafelymadebythewayofVeniceandGenoa，andfromthencethroughFrancetoEngland。
``Ivanhoe，’’hesaid，``wassowellacquaintedwiththelanguageandmannersoftheFrench，thattherewasnofearofhisincurringanyhazardduringthatpartofhistravels。’’
``WouldtoGod，’’saidtheLadyRowena，``hewereheresafelyarrived，andabletobeararmsintheapproachingtourney，inwhichthechivalryofthislandareexpectedtodisplaytheiraddressandvalour。ShouldAthelstaneofConingsburghobtaintheprize，IvanhoeisliketoheareviltidingswhenhereachesEngland——Howlookedhe，stranger，whenyoulastsawhim?Haddiseaselaidherhandheavyuponhisstrengthandcomeliness?’’
``Hewasdarker，’’saidthePalmer，``andthinner，thanwhenhecamefromCyprusinthetrainofCur-de-Lion，andcareseemedtositheavyonhisbrow；butIapproachednothispresence，becauseheisunknowntome。’’
``Hewill，’’saidthelady，``Ifear，findlittleinhisnativelandtoclearthosecloudsfromhiscountenance。
Thanks，goodPilgrim，foryourinformationconcerningthecompanionofmychildhood——
Maidens，’’shesaid，``drawnear——offerthesleepingcuptothisholyman，whomIwillnolongerdetainfromrepose。’’
Oneofthemaidenspresentedasilvercup，containingarichmixtureofwineandspice，whichRowenabarelyputtoherlips。ItwasthenofferedtothePalmer，who，afteralowobeisance，tastedafewdrops。
``Acceptthisalms，friend，’’continuedthelady，offeringapieceofgold，``inacknowledgmentofthypainfultravail，andoftheshrinesthouhastvisited。’’
ThePalmerreceivedtheboonwithanotherlowreverence，andfollowedEdwinaoutoftheapartment。
IntheanteroomhefoundhisattendantAnwold，who，takingthetorchfromthehandofthewaiting-maid，conductedhimwithmorehastethanceremonytoanexteriorandignoblepartofthebuilding，whereanumberofsmallapartments，orrathercells，servedforsleepingplacestothelowerorderofdomestics，andtostrangersofmeandegree。
``InwhichofthesesleepstheJew?’’saidthePilgrim。
``Theunbelievingdog，’’answeredAnwold，kennelsinthecellnextyourholiness——StDunstan，howitmustbescrapedandcleansedereitbeagainfitforaChristian！’’
``AndwheresleepsGurththeswineherd?’’saidthestranger。
``Gurth，’’repliedthebondsman，``sleepsinthecellonyourright，astheJewonthattoyourleft；
youservetokeepthechildofcircumcisionseparatefromtheabominationofhistribe。YoumighthaveoccupiedamorehonourableplacehadyouacceptedofOswald’sinvitation。’’