``Partake！’’quothAthelstane；``Ihavebeenpartakingfivetimesto-day——andyetamorselofthatsavouryhamwerenotaltogetherforeigntothematter；andIprayyou，fairsir，todomereasoninacupofwine。’’
Theguests，thoughstillagapewithastonishment，pledgedtheirresuscitatedlandlord，whothusproceededinhisstory：——Hehadindeednowmanymoreauditorsthanthosetowhomitwascommenced，forEdith，havinggivencertainnecessaryordersforarrangingmatterswithintheCastle，hadfollowedthedead-aliveuptothestranger’sapartmentattendedbyasmanyoftheguests，maleandfemale，ascouldsqueezeintothesmallroom，whileothers，crowdingthestaircase，caughtupanerroneouseditionofthestory，andtransmitteditstillmoreinaccuratelytothosebeneath，whoagainsentitforthtothevulgarwithout，inafashiontotallyirreconcilabletotherealfact。Athelstane，however，wentonasfollows，withthehistoryofhisescape：——
``Findingmyselffreedfromthestaple，Idraggedmyselfupstairsaswellasamanloadedwithshackles，andemaciatedwithfasting，might；andaftermuchgropingabout，Iwasatlengthdirected，bythesoundofajollyroundelay，totheapartmentwheretheworthySacristan，anitsopleaseye，washoldingadevil’smasswithahugebeetle-browed，broad-shoulderedbrotherofthegrey-frockandcowl，wholookedmuchmorelikeathiefthanaclergyman。Iburstinuponthem，andthefashionofmygrave-clothes，aswellastheclankingofmychains，madememoreresembleaninhabitantoftheotherworldthanofthis。Bothstoodaghast；
butwhenIknockeddowntheSacristanwithmyfist，theotherfellow，hispot-companion，fetchedablowatmewithahugequarter-staff。’’
``ThismustbeourFriarTuck，foracount’sransom，’’
saidRichard，lookingatIvanhoe。
``Hemaybethedevil，anhewill，’’saidAthelstane。
``Fortunatelybemissedtheaim；andonmyapproachingtograpplewithhim，tooktohisheelsandranforit。Ifailednottosetmyownheelsatlibertybymeansofthefetter-key，whichhungamongstothersatthesexton’sbelt；andI
hadthoughtsofbeatingouttheknavesbrainswiththebunchofkeys，butgratitudeforthenookofpastyandtheflaskofwinewhichtherascalhadimpartedtomycaptivity，cameovermyheart；so，withabraceofheartykicks，Ilefthimonthefloor，pouchedsomebakedmeat，andaleathernbottleofwine，withwhichthetwovenerablebrethrenhadbeenregaling，wenttothestable，andfoundinaprivatestallmineownbestpalfrey，which，doubtless，hadbeensetapartfortheholyFatherAbbot’sparticularuse。HitherIcamewithallthespeedthebeastcouldcompass——manandmother’ssonflyingbeforemewhereverIcame，takingmeforaspectre，themoreespeciallyas，topreventmybeingrecognised，Idrewthecorpse-hoodovermyface。
Ihadnotgainedadmittanceintomyowncastle，hadInotbeensupposedtobetheattendantofajugglerwhoismakingthepeopleinthecastle-yardverymerry，consideringtheyareassembledtocelebratetheirlord’sfuneral——IsaythesewerthoughtIwasdressedtobearapartinthetregetour’smummery，andsoIgotadmission，anddidbutdisclosemyselftomymother，andeatahastymorsel，ereI
cameinquestofyou，mynoblefriend。’’
``Andyouhavefoundme，’’saidCedric，``readytoresumeourbraveprojectsofhonourandliberty。
Itellthee，neverwilldawnamorrowsoauspiciousasthenext，forthedeliveranceofthenobleSaxonrace。’’
``Talknottomeofdeliveringanyone，’’saidAthelstane；``itiswellIamdeliveredmyself。I
ammoreintentonpunishingthatvillainAbbot。
HeshallhangonthetopofthisCastleofConingsburgh，inhiscopeandstole；andifthestairsbetoostraittoadmithisfatcarcass，Iwillhavehimcranedupfromwithout。’’
``But，myson，’’saidEdith，``considerhissacredoffice。’’
``Considermythreedays’fast，’’repliedAthelstane；
``Iwillhavetheirbloodeveryoneofthem。
Front-de-Bufwasburntaliveforalessmatter，forhekeptagoodtableforhisprisoners，onlyputtoomuchgarlicinhislastdishofpottage。Butthesehypocritical，ungratefulslaves，sooftentheself-invitedflatterersatmyboard，whogavemeneitherpottagenorgarlic，moreorless，theydie，bythesoulofHengist！’’
``ButthePope，mynoblefriend，’’——saidCedric——
``Butthedevil，mynoblefriend，’’——answeredAthelstane；``theydie，andnomoreofthem。
Weretheythebestmonksuponearth，theworldwouldgoonwithoutthem。’’
``Forshame，nobleAthelstane，’’saidCedric；
``forgetsuchwretchesinthecareerofglorywhichliesopenbeforethee。TellthisNormanprince，RichardofAnjou，that，lion-heartedasheis，heshallnotholdundisputedthethroneofAlfred，whileamaledescendantoftheHolyConfessorlivestodisputeit。’’
``How！’’saidAthelstane，``isthisthenobleKingRichard?’’
``ItisRichardPlantagenethimself，’’saidCedric；
``yetIneednotremindtheethat，cominghitheraguestoffree-will，hemayneitherbeinjurednordetainedprisoner——thouwellknowestthydutytohimashishost。’’
``Ay，bymyfaith！’’saidAthelstane；``andmydutyasasubjectbesides，forIheretenderhimmyallegiance，heartandhand。’’
``Myson，’’saidEdith，``thinkonthyroyalrights！’’
``ThinkonthefreedomofEngland，degeneratePrince！’’saidCedric。
``Motherandfriend，’’saidAthelstane，``atrucetoyourupbraidings——breadandwaterandadungeonaremarvellousmortifiersofambition，andI
risefromthetombawisermanthanIdescendedintoit。OnehalfofthosevainfollieswerepuffedintomineearbythatperfidiousAbbotWolfram，andyoumaynowjudgeifheisacounsellortobetrusted。Sincetheseplotsweresetinagitation，I
havehadnothingbuthurriedjourneys，indigestions，blowsandbruises，imprisonmentsandstarvation；
besidesthattheycanonlyendinthemurderofsomethousandsofquietfolk。Itellyou，I
willbekinginmyowndomains，andnowhereelse；
andmyfirstactofdominionshallbetohangtheAbbot。’’
``AndmywardRowena，’’saidCedric——``Itrustyouintendnottodeserther?’’
``FatherCedric，’’saidAthelstane，``bereasonable。
TheLadyRowenacaresnotforme——shelovesthelittlefingerofmykinsmanWilfred’sglovebetterthanmywholeperson。Thereshestandstoavouchit——Nay，blushnot，kinswoman，thereisnoshameinlovingacourtlyknightbetterthanacountryfranklin——anddonotlaughneither，Rowena，forgrave-clothesandathinvisageare，Godknows，nomatterofmerriment——Nay，anthouwiltneedslaugh，Iwillfindtheeabetterjest——Givemethyhand，orratherlenditme，forIbutaskitinthewayoffriendship——Here，cousinWilfredofIvanhoe，inthyfavourIrenounceandabjure——
Hey！bySaintDunstan，ourcousinWilfredhathvanished！——Yet，unlessmyeyesarestilldazzledwiththefastingIhaveundergone，Isawhimstandtherebutevennow。’’
AllnowlookedaroundandenquiredforIvanhoe，buthehadvanished。ItwasatlengthdiscoveredthataJewhadbeentoseekhim；andthat，afterverybriefconference，hehadcalledforGurthandhisarmour，andhadleftthecastle。
``Faircousin，’’saidAthelstanetoRowena，``couldIthinkthatthissuddendisappearanceofIvanhoewasoccasionedbyotherthantheweightiestreason，Iwouldmyselfresume——’’
Buthehadnosoonerletgoherhand，onfirstobservingthatIvanhoehaddisappeared，thanRowena，whohadfoundhersituationextremelyembarrassing，hadtakenthefirstopportunitytoescapefromtheapartment。
``Certainly，’’quothAthelstane，``womenaretheleasttobetrustedofallanimals，monksandabbotsexcepted。Iamaninfidel，ifIexpectednotthanksfromher，andperhapsakisstoboot——Thesecursedgrave-clotheshavesurelyaspellonthem，everyonefliesfromme——ToyouIturn，nobleKingRichard，withthevowsofallegiance，which，asaliege-subject——’’
ButKingRichardwasgonealso，andnooneknewwhither。Atlengthitwaslearnedthatbehadhastenedtothecourt-yard，summonedtohispresencetheJewwhohadspokenwithIvanhoe，andafteramoment’sspeechwithhim，hadcalledvehementlytohorse，thrownhimselfuponasteed，compelledtheJewtomountanother，andsetoffatarate，which，accordingtoWamba，renderedtheoldJew’snecknotworthapenny’spurchase。
``Bymyhalidome！’’saidAthelstane，``itiscertainthatZernebockhathpossessedhimselfofmycastleinmyabsence。Ireturninmygrave-clothes，apledgerestoredfromtheverysepulchre，andeveryoneIspeaktovanishesassoonastheyhearmyvoice！——Butitskillsnottalkingofit。Come，myfriends——suchofyouasareleft，followmetothebanquet-hall，lestanymoreofusdisappear——
itis，Itrust，asyettolerablyfurnished，asbecomestheobsequiesofanancientSaxonnoble；andshouldwetarryanylonger，whoknowsbutthedevilmayflyoffwiththesupper?’’
CHAPTERXLIII
BeMowbray’ssinssoheavyinhisbosom，Thattheymaybreakhisfoamingcourser’sback，Andthrowtheriderheadlonginthelists，Acaitiffrecreant！
_RichardII_。
OurscenenowreturnstotheexterioroftheCastle，orPreceptory，ofTemplestowe，aboutthehourwhenthebloodydiewastobecastforthelifeordeathofRebecca。Itwasasceneofbustleandlife，asifthewholevicinityhadpouredforthitsinhabitantstoavillagewake，orruralfeast。
Buttheearnestdesiretolookonbloodanddeath，isnotpeculiartothosedarkages；thoughinthegladiatorialexerciseofsinglecombatandgeneraltourney，theywerehabituatedtothebloodyspectacleofbravemenfailingbyeachother’shands。
Eveninourowndays，whenmoralsarebetterunderstood，anexecution，abruisingmatch，ariot，orameetingofradicalreformers，collects，atconsiderablehazardtothemselves，immensecrowdsofspectators，otherwiselittleinterested，excepttoseehowmattersaretobeconducted，orwhethertheheroesofthedayare，intheheroiclanguageofinsurgenttailors，flintsordunghills。
Theeyes，therefore，ofaveryconsiderablemultitude，werebentonthegateofthePreceptoryofTemplestowe，withthepurposeofwitnessingtheprocession；whilestillgreaternumbershadalreadysurroundedthetiltyardbelongingtothatestablishment。
ThisenclosurewasformedonapieceoflevelgroundadjoiningtothePreceptory，whichhadbeenlevelledwithcare，fortheexerciseofmilitaryandchivalroussports。Itoccupiedthebrowofasoftandgentleeminence，wascarefullypalisadedaround，and，astheTemplarswillinglyinvitedspectatorstobewitnessesoftheirskillinfeatsofchivalry，wasamplysuppliedwithgalleriesandbenchesfortheiruse。
Onthepresentoccasion，athronewaserectedfortheGrandMasterattheeastend，surroundedwithseatsofdistinctionforthePreceptorsandKnightsoftheOrder。Overthesefloatedthesacredstandard，called_LeBeau-seant_，whichwastheensign，asitsnamewasthebattle-cry，oftheTemplars。