amnotnaturallythatwhichyouhaveseenme，hard，selfish，andrelentless。Itwaswomanthattaughtmecruelty，andonwomanthereforeIhaveexercisedit；butnotuponsuchasthou。Hearme，Rebecca——NeverdidknighttakelanceinhishandwithaheartmoredevotedtotheladyofhislovethanBriandeBois-Guilbert。She，thedaughterofapettybaron，whoboastedforallhisdomainsbutaruinoustower，andanunproductivevineyard，andsomefewleaguesofthebarrenLandesofBourdeaux，hernamewasknownwhereverdeedsofarmsweredone，knownwiderthanthatofmanyalady’sthathadacountyforadowery——Yes，’’hecontinued，pacingupanddownthelittleplatform，withananimationinwhichheseemedtoloseallconsciousnessofRebecca’spresence——``Yes，mydeeds，mydanger，myblood，madethenameofAdelaidedeMontemareknownfromthecourtofCastiletothatofByzantium。AndhowwasIrequited?——
WhenIreturnedwithmydear-boughthonours，purchasedbytoilandblood，IfoundherweddedtoaGasconsquire，whosenamewasneverheardbeyondthelimitsofhisownpaltrydomain！TrulydidIloveher，andbitterlydidIrevengemeofherbrokenfaith！Butmyvengeancehasrecoiledonmyself。SincethatdayIhaveseparatedmyselffromlifeanditsties——Mymanhoodmustknownodomestichome——mustbesoothedbynoaffectionatewife——Myagemustknownokindlyhearth——
Mygravemustbesolitary，andnooffspringmustoutliveme，tobeartheancientnameofBois-Guilbert。
AtthefeetofmySuperiorIhavelaiddowntherightofself-action——theprivilegeofindependence。
TheTemplar，aserfinallbutthename，canpossessneitherlandsnorgoods，andlives，moves，andbreathes，butatthewillandpleasureofanother。’’
``Alas！’’saidRebecca，``whatadvantagescouldcompensateforsuchanabsolutesacrifice?’’
``Thepowerofvengeance，Rebecca，’’repliedtheTemplar，``andtheprospectsofambition。’’
``Anevilrecompense，’’saidRebecca，``forthesurrenderoftherightswhicharedearesttohumanity。’’
``Saynotso，maiden，’’answeredtheTemplar；
``revengeisafeastforthegods！Andiftheyhavereservedit，asprieststellus，tothemselves，itisbecausetheyholditanenjoymenttoopreciousforthepossessionofmeremortals——Andambition?itisatemptationwhichcoulddisturbeventheblissofheavenitself。’’——Hepausedamoment，andthenadded，``Rebecca！shewhocouldpreferdeathtodishonour，musthaveaproudandapowerfulsoul。
Minethoumustbe！——Nay，startnot，’’headded，``itmustbewiththineownconsent，andonthineownterms。Thoumustconsenttosharewithmehopesmoreextendedthancanbeviewedfromthethroneofamonarch！——Hearmeereyouanswerandjudgeereyourefuse——TheTemplarloses，asthouhastsaid，hissocialrights，hispoweroffreeagency，buthebecomesamemberandalimbofamightybody，beforewhichthronesalreadytremble，——evenasthesingledropofrainwhichmixeswiththeseabecomesanindividualpartofthatresistlessocean，whichunderminesrocksandingulfsroyalarmadas。
Suchaswellingfloodisthatpowerfulleague。
OfthismightyOrderIamnomeanmember，butalreadyoneoftheChiefCommanders，andmaywellaspireonedaytoholdthebatoonofGrandMaster。ThepoorsoldiersoftheTemplewillnotaloneplacetheirfootuponthenecksofkings——ahemp-sandall’dmonkcandothat。Ourmailedstepshallascendtheirthrone——ourgauntletshallwrenchthesceptrefromtheirgripe。Notthereignofyourvainly-expectedMessiahofferssuchpowertoyourdispersedtribesasmyambitionmayaimat。Ihavesoughtbutakindredspirittoshareit，andIhavefoundsuchinthee。’’
``Sayestthouthistooneofmypeople?’’answeredRebecca。``Bethinkthee——’’
``Answermenot，’’saidtheTemplar，``byurgingthedifferenceofourcreeds；withinoursecretconclavesweholdthesenurserytalesinderision。
Thinknotwelongremainedblindtotheidioticalfollyofourfounders，whoforsworeeverydelightoflifeforthepleasureofdyingmartyrsbyhunger，bythirst，andbypestilence，andbytheswordsofsavages，whiletheyvainlystrovetodefendabarrendesert，valuableonlyintheeyesofsuperstition。
OurOrdersoonadoptedbolderandwiderviews，andfoundoutabetterindemnificationforoursacrifices。
OurimmensepossessionsineverykingdomofEurope，ourhighmilitaryfame，whichbringswithinourcircletheflowerofchivalryfromeveryChristianclime——thesearededicatedtoendsofwhichourpiousfounderslittledreamed，andwhichareequallyconcealedfromsuchweakspiritsasembraceourOrderontheancientprinciples，andwhosesuperstitionmakesthemourpassivetools。
ButIwillnotfurtherwithdrawtheveilofourmysteries。Thatbugle-soundannouncessomethingwhichmayrequiremypresence。ThinkonwhatI
havesaid——Farewell！——IdonotsayforgivemetheviolenceIhavethreatened，foritwasnecessarytothedisplayofthycharacter。Goldcanbeonlyknownbytheapplicationofthetouchstone。I
willsoonreturn，andholdfurtherconferencewiththee。’’
Here-enteredtheturret-chamber，anddescendedthestair，leavingRebeccascarcelymoreterrifiedattheprospectofthedeathtowhichshehadbeensolatelyexposed，thanatthefuriousambitionoftheboldbadmaninwhosepowershefoundherselfsounhappilyplaced。Whensheenteredtheturret-chamber，herfirstdutywastoreturnthankstotheGodofJacobfortheprotectionwhichhehadaffordedher，andtoimploreitscontinuanceforherandforherfather。Anothernameglidedintoherpetition——itwasthatofthewoundedChristian，whomfatehadplacedinthehandsofbloodthirstymen，hisavowedenemies。Herheartindeedcheckedher，asif，evenincommuningwiththeDeityinprayer，shemingledinherdevotionstherecollectionofonewithwhosefateherscouldhavenoalliance——aNazarene，andanenemytoherfaith。
Butthepetitionwasalreadybreathed，norcouldallthenarrowprejudicesofhersectinduceRebeccatowishitrecalled。
CHAPTERXXV
Adamn’dcramppieceofpenmanshipaseverIsawinmylife！
_SheStoopstoConquer_。
WhentheTemplarreachedthehallofthecastle，hefoundDeBracyalreadythere。``Yourlove-suit，’’
saidDeBracy，``hath，Isuppose，beendisturbed，likemine，bythisobstreperoussummons。
Butyouhavecomelaterandmorereluctantly，andthereforeIpresumeyourinterviewhasprovedmoreagreeablethanmine。’’
``Hasyoursuit，then，beenunsuccessfullypaidtotheSaxonheiress?’’saidtheTemplar。
``BythebonesofThomasaBecket，’’answeredDeBracy，``theLadyRowenamusthaveheardthatIcannotendurethesightofwomen’stears。’’
``Away！’’saidtheTemplar；``thoualeaderofaFreeCompany，andregardawoman’stears！A
fewdropssprinkledonthetorchoflove，maketheflameblazethebrighter。’’
``Gramercyforthefewdropsofthysprinkling，’’
repliedDeBracy；``butthisdamselhathweptenoughtoextinguishabeacon-light。Neverwassuchwringingofhandsandsuchoverflowingofeyes，sincethedaysofStNiobe，ofwhomPriorAymertoldus。*Awater-fiendhathpossessedthe*IwishthePriorhadalsoinformedthemwhenNiobewas*sainted。Probablyduringthatenlightenedperiodwhen*
*``PantoMoseslenthispaganhorn。’’
*L。T。
fairSaxon。’’
``AlegionoffiendshaveoccupiedthebosomoftheJewess，’’repliedtheTemplar；``for，Ithinknosingleone，notevenApollyonhimself，couldhaveinspiredsuchindomitableprideandresolution——
ButwhereisFront-de-Buf?Thathornissoundedmoreandmoreclamorously。’’
``HeisnegotiatingwiththeJew，Isuppose，’’
repliedDeBracy，coolly；``probablythehowlsofIsaachavedrownedtheblastofthebugle。Thoumaystknow，byexperience，SirBrian，thataJewpartingwithhistreasuresonsuchtermsasourfriendFront-de-Bufisliketooffer，willraiseaclamourloudenoughtobeheardovertwentyhornsandtrumpetstoboot。Butwewillmakethevassalscallhim。’’
TheyweresoonafterjoinedbyFront-de-Buf，whohadbeendisturbedinhistyranniccrueltyinthemannerwithwhichthereaderisacquainted，andhadonlytarriedtogivesomenecessarydirections。
``Letusseethecauseofthiscursedclamour，’’
saidFront-de-Buf——``hereisaletter，and，ifI
mistakenot，itisinSaxon。’’
Helookedatit，turningitroundandroundasifhehadhadreallysomehopesofcomingatthemeaningbyinvertingthepositionofthepaper，andthenhandedittoDeBracy。
``ItmaybemagicspellsforaughtIknow，’’saidDeBracy，whopossessedhisfullproportionoftheignorancewhichcharacterisedthechivalryoftheperiod。``Ourchaplainattemptedtoteachmetowrite，’’hesaid，``butallmyletterswereformedlikespear-headsandsword-blades，andsotheoldshavelinggaveupthetask。’’
``Giveitme，’’saidtheTemplar。``Wehavethatofthepriestlycharacter，thatwehavesomeknowledgetoenlightenourvalour。’’
``Letusprofitbyyourmostreverendknowledge，then，’’saidDeBracy；``whatsaysthescroll?’’
``Itisaformalletterofdefiance，’’answeredtheTemplar；``but，byourLadyofBethlehem，ifitbenotafoolishjest，itisthemostextraordinarycartelthateverwassentacrossthedrawbridgeofabaronialcastle。’’
``Jest！’’saidFront-de-Buf，``Iwouldgladlyknowwhodaresjestwithmeinsuchamatter！——
Readit，SirBrian。’’
TheTemplaraccordinglyreaditasfollows：——
``I，Wamba，thesonofWitless，Jestertoanobleandfree-bornman，CedricofRotherwood，calledtheSaxon，——AndI，Gurth，thesonofBeowulph，theswineherd——’’
``Thouartmad，’’saidFront-de-Buf，interruptingthereader。
``ByStLuke，itissosetdown，’’answeredtheTemplar。Thenresuminghistask，hewenton，——
``I，Gurth，thesonofBeowulph，swineherduntothesaidCedric，withtheassistanceofouralliesandconfederates，whomakecommoncausewithusinthisourfeud，namely，thegoodknight，calledforthepresent_LeNoirFaineant_，andthestoutyeoman，RobertLocksley，calledCleave-the-wand，Doyou，ReginaldFrontde-Buf，andyouralliesandaccompliceswhomsoever，towit，thatwhereasyouhave，withoutcausegivenorfeuddeclared，wrongfullyandbymasteryseizeduponthepersonofourlordandmasterthesaidCedric；alsouponthepersonofanobleandfreeborndamsel，theLadyRowenaofHargottstandstede；alsouponthepersonofanobleandfreebornman，AthelstaneofConingsburgh；