``Swearestthou，HolyClerk?’’saidtheBlackKnight。
``ClerkmenoClerks，’’repliedthetransformedpriest；``bySaintGeorgeandtheDragon，Iamnolongerashavelingthanwhilemyfrockisonmyback——WhenIamcasedinmygreencassock，I
willdrink，swear，andwooalass，withanyblitheforesterintheWestRiding。’’
``Comeon，JackPriest，’’saidLocksley，``andbesilent；thouartasnoisyasawholeconventonaholyeve，whentheFatherAbbothasgonetobed——
Comeonyou，too，mymasters，tarrynottotalkofit——Isay，comeon，wemustcollectallourforces，andfewenoughweshallhave，ifwearetostormtheCastleofReginaldFront-de-Buf。’’
``What！isitFront-de-Buf，’’saidtheBlackKnight，``whohasstoptontheking’shighwaytheking’sliegesubjects?——Isheturnedthiefandoppressor?’’
``Oppressorheeverwas，’’saidLocksley。
``Andforthief，’’saidthepriest，``Idoubtifeverhewereevenhalfsohonestamanasmanyathiefofmyacquaintance。’’
``Moveon，priest，andbesilent，’’saidtheyeoman；
``itwerebetteryouledthewaytotheplaceofrendezvous，thansaywhatshouldbeleftunsaid，bothindecencyandprudence。’’
CHAPTERXXI
Alas，howmanyhoursandyearshavepast，Sincehumanformshaveroundthistablesate，Orlamp，ortaper，onitssurfacegleam’d！
Methinks，Ihearthesoundoftimelongpass’dStillmurmuringo’erus，intheloftyvoidOfthesedarkarches，liketheling’ringvoicesOfthosewholongwithintheirgraveshaveslept。
_Orra，aTragedy。_
WhilethesemeasuresweretakinginbehalfofCedricandhiscompanions，thearmedmenbywhomthelatterhadbeenseized，hurriedtheircaptivesalongtowardstheplaceofsecurity，wheretheyintendedtoimprisonthem。Butdarknesscameonfast，andthepathsofthewoodseemedbutimperfectlyknowntothemarauders。Theywerecompelledtomakeseverallonghalts，andonceortwicetoreturnontheirroadtoresumethedirectionwhichtheywishedtopursue。Thesummermornhaddawneduponthemeretheycouldtravelinfullassurancethattheyheldtherightpath。Butconfidencereturnedwithlight，andthecavalcadenowmovedrapidlyforward。Meanwhile，thefollowingdialoguetookplacebetweenthetwoleadersofthebanditti。
``Itistimethoushouldstleaveus，SirMaurice，’’
saidtheTemplartoDeBracy，``inordertopreparethesecondpartofthymystery。Thouartnext，thouknowest，toacttheKnightDeliverer。’’
``Ihavethoughtbetterofit，’’saidDeBracy；``I
willnotleavetheetilltheprizeisfairlydepositedinFront-de-Buf’scastle。TherewillIappearbeforetheLadyRowenainmineownshape，andtrustthatshewillsetdowntothevehemenceofmypassiontheviolenceofwhichIhavebeenguilty。’’
``Andwhathasmadetheechangethyplan，DeBracy?’’repliedtheKnightTemplar。
``Thatconcernstheenothing，’’answeredhiscompanion。
``Iwouldhope，however，SirKnight，’’saidtheTemplar，``thatthisalterationofmeasuresarisesfromnosuspicionofmyhonourablemeaning，suchasFitzurseendeavouredtoinstilintothee?’’
``Mythoughtsaremyown，’’answeredDeBracy；
``thefiendlaughs，theysay，whenonethiefrobsanother；andweknow，thatwerehetospitfireandbrimstoneinstead，itwouldneverpreventaTemplarfromfollowinghisbent。’’
``OrtheleaderofaFreeCompany，’’answeredtheTemplar，``fromdreadingatthehandsofacomradeandfriend，theinjusticehedoestoallmankind。’’
``Thisisunprofitableandperilousrecrimination，’’
answeredDeBracy；``sufficeittosay，I
knowthemoralsoftheTemple-Order，andIwillnotgivetheethepowerofcheatingmeoutofthefairpreyforwhichIhaverunsuchrisks。’’
``Psha，’’repliedtheTemplar，``whathastthoutofear?——Thouknowestthevowsofourorder。’’
``Rightwell，’’saidDeBracy，``andalsohowtheyarekept。Come，SirTemplar，thelawsofgallantryhavealiberalinterpretationinPalestine，andthisisacaseinwhichIwilltrustnothingtoyourconscience。’’
``Hearthetruth，then，’’saidtheTemplar；``I
carenotforyourblue-eyedbeauty。Thereisinthattrainonewhowillmakemeabettermate。’’
``What！wouldstthoustooptothewaitingdamsel?’’
saidDeBracy。
``No，SirKnight，’’saidtheTemplar，haughtily。
``Tothewaiting-womanwillInotstoop。Ihaveaprizeamongthecaptivesaslovelyasthineown。’’
``Bythemass，thoumeanestthefairJewess！’’
saidDeBracy。
``AndifIdo，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``whoshallgainsayme?’’
``NoonethatIknow，’’saidDeBracy，``unlessitbeyourvowofcelibacy，oracheekofconscienceforanintriguewithaJewess。’’
``Formyvow，’’saidtheTemplar，``ourGrandMasterhathgrantedmeadispensation。Andformyconscience，amanthathasslainthreehundredSaracens，neednotreckonupeverylittlefailing，likeavillagegirlatherfirstconfessionuponGoodFridayeve。’’
``Thouknowestbestthineownprivileges，’’saidDeBracy。``Yet，Iwouldhaveswornthythoughthadbeenmoreontheoldusurer’smoneybags，thanontheblackeyesofthedaughter。’’
``Icanadmireboth，’’answeredtheTemplar；
``besides，theoldJewisbuthalf-prize。ImustsharehisspoilswithFront-de-Buf，whowillnotlendustheuseofhiscastlefornothing。ImusthavesomethingthatIcantermexclusivelymyownbythisforayofours，andIhavefixedonthelovelyJewessasmypeculiarprize。But，nowthouknowestmydrift，thouwiltresumethineownoriginalplan，wiltthounot?——Thouhastnothing，thouseest，tofearfrommyinterference。’’
``No，’’repliedDeBracy，``Iwillremainbesidemyprize。Whatthousaystispassingtrue，butIlikenottheprivilegesacquiredbythedispensationoftheGrandMaster，andthemeritacquiredbytheslaughterofthreehundredSaracens。Youhavetoogoodarighttoafreepardon，torenderyouveryscrupulousaboutpeccadilloes。’’
Whilethisdialoguewasproceeding，Cedricwasendeavouringtowringoutofthosewhoguardedhimanavowaloftheircharacterandpurpose。
``YoushouldbeEnglishmen，’’saidhe；``andyet，sacredHeaven！youpreyuponyourcountrymenasifyouwereveryNormans。Youshouldbemyneighbours，and，ifso，myfriends；forwhichofmyEnglishneighbourshavereasontobeotherwise?
Itellye，yeomen，thateventhoseamongyewhohavebeenbrandedwithoutlawryhavehadfrommeprotection；forIhavepitiedtheirmiseries，andcursttheoppressionoftheirtyrannicnobles。What，then，wouldyouhaveofme?orinwhatcanthisviolenceserveye?——Yeareworsethanbrutebeastsinyouractions，andwillyouimitatethemintheirverydumbness?’’
ItwasinvainthatCedricexpostulatedwithhisguards，whohadtoomanygoodreasonsfortheirsilencetobeinducedtobreakiteitherbyhiswrathorhisexpostulations。Theycontinuedtohurryhimalong，travellingataveryrapidrate，until，attheendofanavenueofhugetrees，aroseTorquilstone，nowthehoaryandancientcastleofReginaldFront-de-Buf。Itwasafortressofnogreatsize，consistingofadonjon，orlargeandhighsquaretower，surroundedbybuildingsofinferiorheight，whichwereencircledbyaninnercourt-yard。
Aroundtheexteriorwallwasadeepmoat，suppliedwithwaterfromaneighbouringrivulet。
Front-de-Buf，whosecharacterplacedhimoftenatfeudwithhisenemies，hadmadeconsiderableadditionstothestrengthofhiscastle，bybuildingtowersupontheoutwardwall，soastoflankitateveryangle。Theaccess，asusualincastlesoftheperiod，laythroughanarchedbarbican，oroutwork，whichwasterminatedanddefendedbyasmallturretateachcorner。
CedricnosoonersawtheturretsofFront-de-Buf’scastleraisetheirgreyandmoss-grownbattlements，glimmeringinthemorningsunabovethewoodbywhichtheyweresurrounded，thanheinstantlyauguredmoretrulyconcerningthecauseofhismisfortune。
``Ididinjustice，’’hesaid，``tothethievesandoutlawsofthesewoods，whenIsupposedsuchbandittitobelongtotheirbands；ImightasjustlyhaveconfoundedthefoxesofthesebrakeswiththeraveningwolvesofFrance。Tellme，dogs——isitmylifeormywealththatyourmasteraimsat?IsittoomuchthattwoSaxons，myselfandthenobleAthelstane，shouldholdlandinthecountrywhichwasoncethepatrimonyofourrace?——Putusthentodeath，andcompleteyourtyrannybytakingourlives，asyoubeganwithourliberties。IftheSaxonCedriccannotrescueEngland，heiswillingtodieforher。Tellyourtyrannicalmaster，IdoonlybeseechhimtodismisstheLadyRowenainhonourandsafety。Sheisawoman，andheneednotdreadher；andwithuswilldieallwhodarefightinhercause。’’
Theattendantsremainedasmutetothisaddressastotheformer，andtheynowstoodbeforethegateofthecastle。DeBracywindedhishornthreetimes，andthearchersandcross-bowmen，whohadmannedthewalluponseeingtheirapproach，hastenedtolowerthedrawbridge，andadmitthem。
Theprisonerswerecompelledbytheirguardstoalight，andwereconductedtoanapartmentwhereahastyrepastwasofferedthem，ofwhichnonebutAthelstanefeltanyinclinationtopartake。NeitherhadthedescendantoftheConfessormuchtimetodojusticetothegoodcheerplacedbeforethem，fortheirguardsgavehimandCedrictounderstandthattheyweretobeimprisonedinachamberapartfromRowena。Resistancewasvain；andtheywerecompelledtofollowtoalargeroom，which，risingonclumsySaxonpillars，resembledthoserefectoriesandchapter-houseswhichmaybestillseeninthemostancientpartsofourmostancientmonasteries。
TheLadyRowenawasnextseparatedfromhertrain，andconducted，withcourtesy，indeed，butstillwithoutconsultingherinclination，toadistantapartment。ThesamealarmingdistinctionwasconferredonRebecca，inspiteofherfather’sentreaties，whoofferedevenmoney，inthisextremityofdistress，thatshemightbepermittedtoabidewithhim。``Baseunbeliever，’’answeredoneofhisguards，``whenthouhastseenthylair，thouwiltnotwishthydaughtertopartakeit。’’And，withoutfartherdiscussion，theoldJewwasforciblydraggedoffinadifferentdirectionfromtheotherprisoners。
Thedomestics，afterbeingcarefullysearchedanddisarmed，wereconfinedinanotherpartofthecastle；andRowenawasrefusedeventhecomfortshemighthavederivedfromtheattendanceofherhandmaidenElgitha。