Attheoppositeendofthelistswasapileoffaggots，soarrangedaroundastake，deeplyfixedintheground，astoleaveaspaceforthevictimwhomtheyweredestinedtoconsume，toenterwithinthefatalcircle，inordertobechainedtothestakebythefetterswhichhungreadyforthatpurpose。Besidethisdeadlyapparatusstoodfourblackslaves，whosecolourandAfricanfeatures，thensolittleknowninEngland，appalledthemultitude，whogazedonthemasondemonsemployedabouttheirowndiabolicalexercises。Thesemenstirrednot，exceptingnowandthen，underthedirectionofonewhoseemedtheirchief，toshiftandreplacethereadyfuel。Theylookednotonthemultitude。Infact，theyseemedinsensibleoftheirpresence，andofeverythingsavethedischargeoftheirownhorribleduty。Andwhen，inspeechwitheachother，theyexpandedtheirblubberlips，andshowedtheirwhitefangs，asiftheygrinnedatthethoughtsoftheexpectedtragedy，thestartledcommonscouldscarcelyhelpbelievingthattheywereactuallythefamiliarspiritswithwhomthewitchhadcommuned，andwho，hertimebeingout，stoodreadytoassistinherdreadfulpunishment。Theywhisperedtoeachother，andcommunicatedallthefeatswhichSatanhadperformedduringthatbusyandunhappyperiod，notfailing，ofcourse，togivethedevilrathermorethanhisdue。
``Haveyounotheard，FatherDennet，’’quothoneboortoanotheradvancedinyears，``thatthedevilhascarriedawaybodilythegreatSaxonThane，AthelstaneofConingsburgh?’’
``Ay，buthebroughthimbackthough，bytheblessingofGodandSaintDunstan。’’
``How’sthat?’’saidabriskyoungfellow，dressedinagreencassockembroideredwithgold，andhavingathisheelsastoutladbearingaharpuponhisback，whichbetrayedhisvocation。TheMinstrelseemedofnovulgarrank；for，besidesthesplendourofhisgailybraidereddoublet，heworearoundhisneckasilverchain，bywhichhungthe_wrest_，orkey，withwhichhetunedhisharp。Onhisrightarmwasasilverplate，which，insteadofbearing，asusual，thecognizanceorbadgeofthebarontowhosefamilyhebelonged，hadbarelytheword=Sherwood=engraveduponit——``Howmeanyoubythat?’’saidthegayMinstrel，minglingintheconversationofthepeasants；``Icametoseekonesubjectformyrhyme，and，by’rLady，Iweregladtofindtwo。’’
``Itiswellavouched，’’saidtheelderpeasant，``thatafterAthelstaneofConingsburghhadbeendeadfourweeks——’’
``Thatisimpossible，’’saidtheMinstrel；``IsawhiminlifeatthePassageofArmsatAshby-de-la-Zouche。’’
``Dead，however，hewas，orelsetranslated，’’
saidtheyoungerpeasant；``forIheardtheMonksofSaintEdmund’ssingingthedeath’shymnforhim；and，moreover，therewasarichdeath-mealanddoleattheCastleofConingsburgh，asrightwas；andthitherhadIgone，butforMabelParkins，who——’’
``Ay，deadwasAthelstane，’’saidtheoldman，shakinghishead，``andthemorepityitwas，fortheoldSaxonblood——’’
``But，yourstory，mymasters——yourstory，’’saidtheMinstrel，somewhatimpatiently。
``Ay，ay——construeusthestory，’’saidaburlyFriar，whostoodbesidethem，leaningonapolethatexhibitedanappearancebetweenapilgrim’sstaffandaquarter-staff，andprobablyactedaseitherwhenoccasionserved，——``Yourstory，’’saidthestalwartchurchman；``burnnotdaylightaboutit——wehaveshorttimetospare。’’
``Anpleaseyourreverence，’’saidDennet，``adrunkenpriestcametovisittheSacristanatSaintEdmund’s——’’
``Itdoesnotpleasemyreverence，’’answeredthechurchman，``thatthereshouldbesuchananimalasadrunkenpriest，or，iftherewere，thatalaymanshouldsospeakhim。Bemannerly，myfriend，andconcludetheholymanonlywraptinmeditation，whichmakestheheaddizzyandfootunsteady，asifthestomachwerefilledwithnewwine——Ihavefeltitmyself。’’
``Well，then，’’answeredFatherDennet，``aholybrothercametovisittheSacristanatSaintEdmund’s——asortofhedge-priestisthevisitor，andkillshalfthedeerthatarestolenintheforest，wholovesthetinklingofapint-potbetterthanthesacring-bell，anddeemsaflitchofbaconworthtenofhisbreviary；fortherest，agoodfellowandamerry，whowillflourishaquarter-staff，drawabow，anddanceaCheshireround，withe’eramaninYorkshire。’’
``Thatlastpartofthyspeech，Dennet，’’saidtheMinstrel，``hassavedtheearibortwain。’’
``Tush，man，Ifearhimnot，’’saidDennet；``I
amsomewhatoldandstiff，butwhenIfoughtforthebellandramatDoncaster——’’
``”Butthestory——thestory，myfriend，’’againsaidtheMinstrel。
``Why，thetaleisbutthis——AthelstaneofConingsburghwasburiedatSaintEdmund’s。’’
``That’salie，andaloudone，’’saidtheFriar，``forIsawhimbornetohisownCastleofConingsburgh。’’
``Nay，then，e’entellthestoryyourself，mymasters，’’
saidDennet，turningsulkyattheserepeatedcontradictions；anditwaswithsomedifficultythattheboorcouldbeprevailedon，bytherequestofhiscomradeandtheMinstrel，torenewhistale——
``Thesetwo_sober_friars，’’saidheatlength，``sincethisreverendmanwillneedshavethemsuch，hadcontinueddrinkinggoodale，andwine，andwhatnot，forthebestpartforasummer’sday，whentheywerearousedbyadeepgroan，andaclankingofchains，andthefigureofthedeceasedAthelstaneenteredtheapartment，saying，`Yeevilshep-herds！——’’’
``Itisfalse，’’saidtheFriar，hastily，``heneverspokeaword。’’
``Soho！FriarTuck，’’saidtheMinstrel，drawinghimapartfromtherustics；``wehavestartedanewhare，Ifind。’’
``Itellthee，Allan-a-Dale，’’saidtheHermit，``IsawAthelstaneofConingsburghasmuchasbodilyeyeseversawalivingman。Hehadhisshroudon，andallabouthimsmeltofthesepulchre——
Abuttofsackwillnotwashitoutofmymemory。’’
``Pshaw！’’answeredtheMinstrel；``thoudostbutjestwithme！’’
``Neverbelieveme，’’saidtheFriar，``anIfetchednotaknockathimwithmyquarter-staffthatwouldhavefelledanox，anditglidedthroughhisbodyasitmightthroughapillarofsmoke！’’
``BySaintHubert，’’saidtheMinstrel，``butitisawondroustale，andfittobeputinmetretotheancienttune，`SorrowcametotheoldFriar。’’’
``Laugh，ifyelist，’’saidFriarTuck；``butanyecatchmesingingonsuchatheme，maythenextghostordevilcarrymeoffwithhimheadlong！No，no——Iinstantlyformedthepurposeofassistingatsomegoodwork，suchastheburningofawitch，ajudicialcombat，orthelikematterofgodlyservice，andthereforeamIhere。’’
Astheythusconversed，theheavybellofthechurchofSaintMichaelofTemplestowe，avenerablebuilding，situatedinahamletatsomedistancefromthePreceptory，brokeshorttheirargument。
Onebyonethesullensoundsfellsuccessivelyontheear，leavingbutsufficientspaceforeachtodieawayindistantecho，eretheairwasagainfilledbyrepetitionoftheironknell。Thesesounds，thesignaloftheapproachingceremony，chilledwithawetheheartsoftheassembledmultitude，whoseeyeswerenowturnedtothePreceptory，expectingtheapproachoftheGrandMaster，thechampion，andthecriminal。
Atlengththedrawbridgefell，thegatesopened，andaknight，bearingthegreatstandardoftheOrder，salliedfromthecastle，precededbysixtrumpets，andfollowedbytheKnightsPreceptors，twoandtwo，theGrandMastercominglast，mountedonastatelyhorse，whosefurniturewasofthesimplestkind。BehindhimcameBriandeBois-Guilbert，armedcap-a-pieinbrightarmour，butwithouthislance，shield，andsword，whichwerebornebyhistwoesquiresbehindhim。Hisface，thoughpartlyhiddenbyalongplumewhichfloateddownfromhisbarrel-cap，boreastrongandmingledexpressionofpassion，inwhichprideseemedtocontendwithirresolution。Helookedghastlypale，asifhehadnotsleptforseveralnights，yetreinedhispawingwar-horsewiththehabitualeaseandgracepropertothebestlanceoftheOrderoftheTemple。Hisgeneralappearancewasgrandandcommanding；but，lookingathimwithattention，menreadthatinhisdarkfeatures，fromwhichtheywillinglywithdrewtheireyes。
OneithersiderodeConradeofMont-Fitchet，andAlbertdeMalvoisin，whoactedasgodfatherstothechampion。Theywereintheirrobesofpeace，thewhitedressoftheOrder。BehindthemfollowedotherCompanionsoftheTemple，withalongtrainofesquiresandpagescladinblack，aspirantstothehonourofbeingonedayKnightsoftheOrder。
Aftertheseneophytescameaguardofwardersonfoot，inthesamesablelivery，amidstwhosepartisansmightbeseenthepaleformoftheaccused，movingwithaslowbutundismayedsteptowardsthesceneofherfate。Shewasstriptofallherornaments，lestperchancethereshouldbeamongthemsomeofthoseamuletswhichSatanwassupposedtobestowuponhisvictims，todeprivethemofthepowerofconfessionevenwhenunderthetorture。
Acoarsewhitedress，ofthesimplestform，hadbeensubstitutedforherOrientalgarments；yettherewassuchanexquisitemixtureofcourageandresignationinherlook，thateveninthisgarb，andwithnootherornamentthanherlongblacktresses，eacheyeweptthatlookeduponher，andthemosthardenedbigotregrettedthefatethathadconvertedacreaturesogoodlyintoavesselofwrath，andawagedslaveofthedevil。
AcrowdofinferiorpersonagesbelongingtothePreceptoryfollowedthevictim，allmovingwiththeutmostorder，witharmsfolded，andlooksbentupontheground。
Thisslowprocessionmovedupthegentleeminence，onthesummitofwhichwasthetiltyard，and，enteringthelists，marchedoncearoundthemfromrighttoleft，andwhentheyhadcompletedthecircle，madeahalt。Therewasthenamomentarybustle，whiletheGrandMasterandallhisattendants，exceptingthechampionandhisgodfathers，dismountedfromtheirhorses，whichwereimmediatelyremovedoutofthelistsbytheesquires，whowereinattendanceforthatpurpose。
TheunfortunateRebeccawasconductedtotheblackchairplacednearthepile。Onherfirstglanceattheterriblespotwherepreparationsweremakingforadeathalikedismayingtothemindandpainfultothebody，shewasobservedtoshudderandshuthereyes，prayinginternallydoubtless，forherlipsmovedthoughnospeechwasheard。Inthespaceofaminutesheopenedhereyes，lookedfixedlyonthepileasiftofamiliarizehermindwiththeobject，andthenslowlyandnaturallyturnedawayherhead。
Meanwhile，theGrandMasterhadassumedhisseat；andwhenthechivalryofhisorderwasplacedaroundandbehindhim，eachinhisduerank，aloudandlongflourishofthetrumpetsannouncedthattheCourtwereseatedforjudgment。Malvoisin，then，actingasgodfatherofthechampion，steppedforward，andlaidthegloveoftheJewess，whichwasthepledgeofbattle，atthefeetoftheGrandMaster。
``ValorousLord，andreverendFather，’’saidhe，herestandeththegoodKnight，BriandeBois-Guilbert，KnightPreceptoroftheOrderoftheTemple，who，byacceptingthepledgeofbattlewhichInowlayatyourreverence’sfeet，hathbecomeboundtodohisdevoirincombatthisday，tomaintainthatthisJewishmaiden，bynameRebecca，hathjustlydeservedthedoompasseduponherinaChapterofthismostHolyOrderoftheTempleofZion，condemninghertodieasasorceress；——
here，Isay，hestandeth，suchbattletodo，knightlyandhonourable，ifsuchbeyournobleandsanctifiedpleasure。’’
``Hathhemadeoath，’’saidtheGrandMaster，``thathisquarrelisjustandhonourable?BringforwardtheCrucifixandthe_Teigitur_。’’