``Iamready，’’answeredAthelstane，``tostandtheworstoftheirmalice，andshallwalktomydeathwithasmuchcomposureaseverIdidtomydinner。’’
``Letusthenuntoourholygear，father，’’saidCedric。
``Waityetamoment，gooduncle，’’saidtheJester，inhisnaturaltone；``betterlooklongbeforeyouleapinthedark。’’
``Bymyfaith，’’saidCedric，``Ishouldknowthatvoice！’’
``Itisthatofyourtrustyslaveandjester，’’answeredWamba，throwingbackhiscowl。``Hadyoutakenafool’sadviceformerly，youwouldnothavebeenhereatall。Takeafool’sadvicenow，andyouwillnotbeherelong。’’
``Howmean’stthou，knave?’’answeredtheSaxon。
``Eventhus，’’repliedWamba；``takethouthisfrockandcord，whicharealltheordersIeverhad，andmarchquietlyoutofthecastle，leavingmeyourcloakandgirdletotakethelongleapinthystead。’’
``Leavetheeinmystead！’’saidCedric，astonishedattheproposal；``why，theywouldhangthee，mypoorknave。’’
``E’enletthemdoastheyarepermitted，’’saidWamba；``Itrust——nodisparagementtoyourbirth——thatthesonofWitlessmayhanginachainwithasmuchgravityasthechainhunguponhisancestorthealderman。’’
``Well，Wamba，’’answeredCedric，``foronethingwillIgrantthyrequest。Andthatis，ifthouwiltmaketheexchangeofgarmentswithLordAthelstaneinsteadofme。’’
``No，byStDunstan，’’answeredWamba；``therewerelittlereasoninthat。Goodrightthereis，thatthesonofWitlessshouldsuffertosavethesonofHereward；butlittlewisdomtherewereinhisdyingforthebenefitofonewhosefatherswerestrangerstohis。’’
``Villain，’’saidCedric，``thefathersofAthelstaneweremonarchsofEngland！’’
``Theymightbewhomsoevertheypleased，’’repliedWamba；``butmyneckstandstoostraightuponmyshoulderstohaveittwistedfortheirsake。
Wherefore，goodmymaster，eithertakemyprofferyourself，orsuffermetoleavethisdungeonasfreeasIentered。’’
``Lettheoldtreewither，’’continuedCedric，``sothestatelyhopeoftheforestbepreserved。SavethenobleAthelstane，mytrustyWamba！itisthedutyofeachwhohasSaxonbloodinhisveins。
ThouandIwillabidetogethertheutmostrageofourinjuriousoppressors，whilehe，freeandsafe，shallarousetheawakenedspiritsofourcountrymentoavengeus。’’
``Notso，fatherCedric，’’saidAthelstane，graspinghishand，——for，whenrousedtothinkoract，hisdeedsandsentimentswerenotunbecominghishighrace——``Notso，’’hecontinued；``Iwouldratherremaininthishallaweekwithoutfoodsavetheprisoner’sstintedloaf，ordrinksavetheprisoner’smeasureofwater，thanembracetheopportunitytoescapewhichtheslave’suntaughtkindnesshaspurveyedforhismaster。’’
``Youarecalledwisemen，sirs，’’saidtheJester，``andIacrazedfool；but，uncleCedric，andcousinAthelstane，thefoolshalldecidethiscontroversyforye，andsaveyethetroubleofstrainingcourtesiesanyfarther。IamlikeJohn-a-Duck’smare，thatwillletnomanmountherbutJohn-a-Duck。
Icametosavemymaster，andifhewillnotconsent——
basta——Icanbutgoawayhomeagain。Kindservicecannotbechuckedfromhandtohandlikeashuttlecockorstool-ball。I’llhangfornomanbutmyownbornmaster。’’
``Go，then，nobleCedric，’’saidAthelstane，``neglectnotthisopportunity。Yourpresencewithoutmayencouragefriendstoourrescue——yourremainingherewouldruinusall。’’
``Andisthereanyprospect，then，ofrescuefromwithout?’’saidCedric，lookingtotheJester。
``Prospect，indeed！’’echoedWamba；``letmetellyou，whenyoufillmycloak，youarewrappedinageneral’scassock。Fivehundredmenaretherewithout，andIwasthismorningoneofthechiefleaders。Myfool’scapwasacasque，andmybaubleatruncheon。Well，weshallseewhatgoodtheywillmakebyexchangingafoolforawiseman。
Truly，Ifeartheywillloseinvalourwhattheymaygainindiscretion。Andsofarewell，master，andbekindtopoorGurthandhisdogFangs；andletmycockscombhanginthehallatRotherwood，inmemorythatIflungawaymylifeformymaster，likeafaithful——fool。’’
Thelastwordcameoutwithasortofdoubleexpression，betwixtjestandearnest。ThetearsstoodinCedric’seyes。
``Thymemoryshallbepreserved，’’hesaid，``whilefidelityandaffectionhavehonouruponearth！ButthatItrustIshallfindthemeansofsavingRowena，andthee，Athelstane，andthee，also，mypoorWamba，thoushouldstnotoverbearmeinthismatter。’’
Theexchangeofdresswasnowaccomplished，whenasuddendoubtstruckCedric。
``Iknownolanguage，’’hesaid，``butmyown，andafewwordsoftheirmincingNorman。HowshallIbearmyselflikeareverendbrother?’’
``Thespellliesintwowords，’’repliedWamba——
``_Paxvobiscum_willanswerallqueries。Ifyougoorcome，eatordrink，blessorban，_Paxvobiscum_
carriesyouthroughitall。Itisasusefultoafriarasabroomsticktoawitch，orawandtoaconjurer。
Speakitbutthus，inadeepgravetone，——_Paxvobiscum！_——itisirresistible——Watchandward，knightandsquire，footandhorse，itactsasacharmuponthemall。Ithink，iftheybringmeouttobehangedto-morrow，asismuchtobedoubtedtheymay，Iwilltryitsweightuponthefinisherofthesentence。’’
``Ifsuchprovethecase，’’saidthemaster，``myreligiousordersaresoontaken——_Paxvobiscum_。I
trustIshallrememberthepass-word——NobleAthelstane，farewell；andfarewell，mypoorboy，whoseheartmightmakeamendsforaweakerhead——Iwillsaveyou，orreturnanddiewithyou。TheroyalbloodofourSaxonkingsshallnotbespiltwhileminebeatsinmyveins；norshallonehairfallfromtheheadofthekindknavewhoriskedhimselfforhismaster，ifCedric’sperilcanpreventit——Farewell。’’
``Farewell，nobleCedric，’’saidAthelstane；``rememberitisthetruepartofafriartoacceptrefreshment，ifyouareofferedany。’’
``Farewell，uncle，’’addedWamba；``andremember_Paxvobiscum_。’’
Thusexhorted，Cedricsalliedforthuponhisexpedition；
anditwasnotlongerehehadoccasiontotrytheforceofthatspellwhichhisJesterhadrecommendedasomnipotent。Inalow-archedandduskypassage，bywhichheendeavouredtoworkhiswaytothehallofthecastle，hewasinterruptedbyafemaleform。
``_Paxvobiscum！_’’saidthepseudofriar，andwasendeavouringtohurrypast，whenasoftvoicereplied，``_Etvobis——quaso，dominereverendissime，promisericordiavestra_。’’
``Iamsomewhatdeaf，’’repliedCedric，ingoodSaxon，andatthesametimemutteredtohimself，``Acurseonthefoolandhis_Paxvobiscum！_I
havelostmyjavelinatthefirstcast。’’
Itwas，however，nounusualthingforapriestofthosedaystobedeafofhisLatinear，andthisthepersonwhonowaddressedCedricknewfullwell。
``Iprayyouofdearlove，reverendfather，’’sherepliedinhisownlanguage，``thatyouwilldeigntovisitwithyourghostlycomfortawoundedprisonerofthiscastle，andhavesuchcompassionuponhimandusasthyholyofficeteaches——Nevershallgooddeedsohighlyadvantagethyconvent。’’
``Daughter，’’answeredCedric，muchembarrassed，``mytimeinthiscastlewillnotpermitmetoexercisethedutiesofmineoffice——Imustpresentlyforth——thereislifeanddeathuponmyspeed。’’
``Yet，father，letmeentreatyoubythevowyouhavetakenonyou，’’repliedthesuppliant，``nottoleavetheoppressedandendangeredwithoutcounselorsuccour。’’
``Maythefiendflyawaywithme，andleavemeinIfrinwiththesoulsofOdinandofThor！’’answeredCedricimpatiently，andwouldprobablyhaveproceededinthesametoneoftotaldeparturefromhisspiritualcharacter，whenthecolloquywasinterruptedbytheharshvoiceofUrfried，theoldcroneoftheturret。
``How，minion，’’saidshetothefemalespeaker，``isthisthemannerinwhichyourequitethekindnesswhichpermittedtheetoleavethyprison-cellyonder?——PuttestthouthereverendmantouseungraciouslanguagetofreehimselffromtheimportunitiesofaJewess?’’
``AJewess！’’saidCedric，availinghimselfoftheinformationtogetclearoftheirinterruption，——
``Letmepass，woman！stopmenotatyourperil。
Iamfreshfrommyholyoffice，andwouldavoidpollution。’’
``Comethisway，father，’’saidtheoldhag，``thouartastrangerinthiscastle，andcanstnotleaveitwithoutaguide。Comehither，forIwouldspeakwiththee——Andyou，daughterofanaccursedrace，gotothesickman’schamber，andtendhimuntilmyreturn；andwoebetideyouifyouagainquititwithoutmypermission！’’
Rebeccaretreated。HerimportunitieshadprevaileduponUrfriedtosufferhertoquittheturret，andUrfriedhademployedherserviceswheresheherselfwouldmostgladlyhavepaidthem，bythebedsideofthewoundedIvanhoe。Withanunderstandingawaketotheirdangeroussituation，andprompttoavailherselfofeachmeansofsafetywhichoccurred，Rebeccahadhopedsomethingfromthepresenceofamanofreligion，who，shelearnedfromUrfried，hadpenetratedintothisgodlesscastle。
Shewatchedthereturnofthesupposedecclesiastic，withthepurposeofaddressinghim，andinterestinghiminfavouroftheprisoners；withwhatimperfectsuccessthereaderhasbeenjustacquainted。
CHAPTERXXVII
Fondwretch！andwhatcanstthourelate，Butdeedsofsorrow，shame，andsin?
Thydeedsareproved——thouknow’stthyfate；
Butcome，thytale——begin——begin——
ButIhavegriefsofotherkind，Troublesandsorrowsmoresevere；
Givemetoeasemytorturedmind，Lendtomywoesapatientear；
Andletme，ifImaynotfindAfriendtohelp——findonetohear。
_Crabbe’sHallofJustice。_