``Youareunjust，LadyRowena，’’saidtheknight，bitinghislipsinsomeconfusion，andspeakinginatonemorenaturaltohimthanthatofaffectedgallantry，whichhehadatfirstadopted；``yourselffreefrompassion，youcanallownoexcuseforthefrenzyofanother，althoughcausedbyyourownbeauty。’’
``Iprayyou，SirKnight，’’saidRowena，``toceasealanguagesocommonlyusedbystrollingminstrels，thatitbecomesnotthemouthofknightsornobles。Certes，youconstrainmetositdown，sinceyouenteruponsuchcommonplaceterms，ofwhicheachvilecrowderhathastockthatmightlastfromhencetoChristmas。’’
``Prouddamsel，’’saidDeBracy，incensedatfindinghisgallantstyleprocuredhimnothingbutcontempt——``prouddamsel，thoushaltbeasproudlyencountered。Knowthen，thatIhavesupportedmypretensionstoyourhandinthewaythatbestsuitedthycharacter。Itismeeterforthyhumourtobewooedwithbowandbill，thaninsetterms，andincourtlylanguage。’’
``Courtesyoftongue，’’saidRowena，``whenitisusedtoveilchurlishnessofdeed，isbutaknight’sgirdlearoundthebreastofabaseclown。Iwondernotthattherestraintappearstogallyou——
moreitwereforyourhonourtohaveretainedthedressandlanguageofanoutlaw，thantoveilthedeedsofoneunderanaffectationofgentlelanguageanddemeanour。’’
``Youcounselwell，lady，’’saidtheNorman；
``andintheboldlanguagewhichbestjustifiesboldactionItellthee，thoushaltneverleavethiscastle，orthoushaltleaveitasMauricedeBracy’swife。
Iamnotwonttobebaffledinmyenterprises，norneedsaNormannoblescrupulouslytovindicatehisconducttotheSaxonmaidenwhombedistinguishesbytheofferofhishand。Thouartproud，Rowena，andthouartthefittertobemywife。Bywhatothermeanscouldstthouberaisedtohighhonourandtoprincelyplace，savingbymyalliance?
Howelsewouldstthouescapefromthemeanprecinctsofacountrygrange，whereSaxonsherdwiththeswinewhichformtheirwealth，totakethyseat，honouredasthoushouldstbe，andshaltbe，amidallinEnglandthatisdistinguishedbybeauty，ordignifiedbypower?’’
``SirKnight，’’repliedRowena，``thegrangewhichyoucontemnhathbeenmyshelterfrominfancy；
and，trustme，whenIleaveit——shouldthatdayeverarrive——itshallbewithonewhohasnotlearnttodespisethedwellingandmannersinwhichIhavebeenbroughtup。’’
``Iguessyourmeaning，lady，’’saidDeBracy，``thoughyoumaythinkitliestooobscureformyapprehension。Butdreamnot，thatRichardCurdeLionwilleverresumehisthrone，farlessthatWilfredofIvanhoe，hisminion，willeverleadtheetohisfootstool，tobetherewelcomedasthebrideofafavourite。Anothersuitormightfeeljealousywhilehetouchedthisstring；butmyfirmpurposecannotbechangedbyapassionsochildishandsohopeless。Know，lady，thatthisrivalisinmypower，andthatitrestsbutwithmetobetraythesecretofhisbeingwithinthecastletoFront-de-Buf，whosejealousywillbemorefatalthanmine。’’
``Wilfredhere?’’saidRowena，indisdain；``thatisastrueasthatFront-de-Bufishisrival。’’
DeBracylookedathersteadilyforaninstant。
``Wertthoureallyignorantofthis?’’saidhe；
``didstthounotknowthatWilfredofIvanhoetravelledinthelitteroftheJew?——ameetconveyanceforthecrusader，whosedoughtyarmwastoreconquertheHolySepulchre！’’Andhelaughedscornfully。
``Andifheishere，’’saidRowena，compellingherselftoatoneofindifference，thoughtremblingwithanagonyofapprehensionwhichshecouldnotsuppress，``inwhatishetherivalofFront-de-Buf?
orwhathashetofearbeyondashortimprisonment，andanhonourableransom，accordingtotheuseofchivalry?’’
``Rowena，’’saidDeBracy，``artthou，too，deceivedbythecommonerrorofthysex，whothinktherecanbenorivalrybutthatrespectingtheirowncharms?Knowestthounotthereisajealousyofambitionandofwealth，aswellasoflove；andthatthisourhost，Front-de-Buf，willpushfromhisroadhimwhoopposeshisclaimtothefairbaronyofIvanhoe，asreadily，eagerly，andunscrupulously，asifhewerepreferredtohimbysomeblue-eyeddamsel?Butsmileonmysuit，lady，andthewoundedchampionshallhavenothingtofearfromFront-de-Buf，whomelsethoumaystmournfor，asinthehandsofonewhohasnevershowncompassion。’’
``Savehim，fortheloveofHeaven！’’saidRowena，herfirmnessgivingwayunderterrorforherlover’simpendingfate。
``Ican——Iwill——itismypurpose，’’saidDeBracy；`for，whenRowenaconsentstobethebrideofDeBracy，whoisitshalldaretoputforthaviolenthanduponherkinsman——thesonofherguardian——thecompanionofheryouth?Butitisthylovemustbuyhisprotection。Iamnotromanticfoolenoughtofurtherthefortune，oravertthefate，ofonewhoislikelytobeasuccessfulobstaclebetweenmeandmywishes。Usethineinfluencewithmeinhisbehalf，andheissafe，——refusetoemployit，Wilfreddies，andthouthyselfartnotthenearertofreedom。’’
``Thylanguage，’’answeredRowena，``hathinitsindifferentbluntnesssomethingwhichcannotbereconciledwiththehorrorsitseemstoexpress。I
believenotthatthypurposeissowicked，orthypowersogreat。’’
``Flatterthyself，then，withthatbelief，’’saidDeBracy，``untiltimeshallproveitfalse。Thyloverlieswoundedinthiscastle——thypreferredlover。HeisabarbetwixtFront-de-BufandthatwhichFront-de-Buflovesbetterthaneitherambitionorbeauty。Whatwillitcostbeyondtheblowofaponiard，orthethrustofajavelin，tosilencehisoppositionforever?Nay，wereFront-de-Bufafraidtojustifyadeedsoopen，lettheleechbutgivehispatientawrongdraught——letthechamberlain，orthenursewhotendshim，butpluckthepillowfromhishead，andWilfredinhispresentcondition，isspedwithouttheeffusionofblood。
Cedricalso——’’
``AndCedricalso，’’saidRowena，repeatinghiswords；``mynoble——mygenerousguardian！IdeservedtheevilIhaveencountered，forforgettinghisfateeveninthatofhisson！’’
``Cedric’sfatealsodependsuponthydetermination，’’
saidDeBracy；``andIleavetheetoformit。’’
Hitherto，Rowenahadsustainedherpartinthistryingscenewithundismayedcourage，butitwasbecauseshehadnotconsideredthedangerasseriousandimminent。Herdispositionwasnaturallythatwhichphysiognomistsconsideraspropertofaircomplexions，mild，timid，andgentle；butithadbeentempered，and，asitwere，hardened，bythecircumstancesofhereducation。Accustomedtoseethewillofall，evenofCedrichimself，sufficientlyarbitrarywithothers，givewaybeforeherwishes，shehadacquiredthatsortofcourageandself-confidencewhicharisesfromthehabitualandconstantdeferenceofthecircleinwhichwemove。
Shecouldscarceconceivethepossibilityofherwillbeingopposed，farlessthatofitsbeingtreatedwithtotaldisregard。
Herhaughtinessandhabitofdominationwas，therefore，afictitiouscharacter，inducedoverthatwhichwasnaturaltoher，anditdesertedherwhenhereyeswereopenedtotheextentofherowndanger，aswellasthatofherloverandherguardian；
andwhenshefoundherwill，theslightestexpressionofwhichwaswonttocommandrespectandattention，nowplacedinoppositiontothatofamanofastrong，fierce，anddeterminedmind，whopossessedtheadvantageoverher，andwasresolvedtouseit，shequailedbeforehim。
Aftercastinghereyesaround，asiftolookfortheaidwhichwasnowheretobefound，andafterafewbrokeninterjections，sheraisedherhandstoheaven，andburstintoapassionofuncontrolledvexationandsorrow。Itwasimpossibletoseesobeautifulacreatureinsuchextremitywithoutfeelingforher，andDeBracywasnotunmoved，thoughhewasyetmoreembarrassedthantouched。Hehad，intruth，gonetoofartorecede；andyet，inRowena’spresentcondition，shecouldnotbeactedoneitherbyargumentorthreats。Hepacedtheapartmenttoandfro，nowvainlyexhortingtheterrifiedmaidentocomposeherself，nowhesitatingconcerninghisownlineofconduct。
If，thoughthe，Ishouldbemovedbythetearsandsorrowofthisdisconsolatedamsel，whatshouldIreapbutthelossofthesefairhopesforwhichI
haveencounteredsomuchrisk，andtheridiculeofPrinceJohnandhisjovialcomrades?``Andyet，’’
hesaidtohimself，``IfeelmyselfillframedforthepartwhichIamplaying。Icannotlookonsofairafacewhileitisdisturbedwithagony，oronthoseeyeswhentheyaredrownedintears。Iwouldshehadretainedheroriginalhaughtinessofdisposition，orthatIhadalargershareofFront-de-Buf’sthrice-temperedhardnessofheart！’’
Agitatedbythesethoughts，hecouldonlybidtheunfortunateRowenabecomforted，andassureher，thatasyetshehadnoreasonfortheexcessofdespairtowhichshewasnowgivingway。ButinthistaskofconsolationDeBracywasinterruptedbythehorn，``hoarse-windedblowingfarandkeen，’’
whichhadatthesametimealarmedtheotherinmatesofthecastle，andinterruptedtheirseveralplansofavariceandoflicense。Ofthemall，perhaps，DeBracyleastregrettedtheinterruption；
forhisconferencewiththeLadyRowenahadarrivedatapoint，wherehefounditequallydifficulttoprosecuteortoresignhisenterprise。
Andherewecannotbutthinkitnecessarytooffersomebetterproofthantheincidentsofanidletale，tovindicatethemelancholyrepresentationofmannerswhichhasbeenjustlaidbeforethereader。
Itisgrievoustothinkthatthosevaliantbarons，towhosestandagainstthecrownthelibertiesofEnglandwereindebtedfortheirexistence，shouldthemselveshavebeensuchdreadfuloppressors，andcapableofexcessescontrarynotonlytothelawsofEngland，buttothoseofnatureandhumanity。
But，alas！wehaveonlytoextractfromtheindustriousHenryoneofthosenumerouspassageswhichhehascollectedfromcontemporaryhistorians，toprovethatfictionitselfcanhardlyreachthedarkrealityofthehorrorsoftheperiod。
ThedescriptiongivenbytheauthoroftheSaxonChronicleofthecrueltiesexercisedinthereignofKingStephenbythegreatbaronsandlordsofcastles，whowereallNormans，affordsastrongproofoftheexcessesofwhichtheywerecapablewhentheirpassionswereinflamed。``Theygrievouslyoppressedthepoorpeoplebybuildingcastles；andwhentheywerebuilt，theyfilledthemwithwickedmen，orratherdevils，whoseizedbothmenandwomenwhotheyimaginedhadanymoney，threwthemintoprison，andputthemtomorecrueltorturesthanthemartyrseverendured。Theysuffocatedsomeinmud，andsuspendedothersbythefeet，orthehead，orthethumbs，kindlingfiresbelowthem。Theysqueezedtheheadsofsomewithknottedcordstilltheypiercedtheirbrains，whiletheythrewothersintodungeonsswarmingwithserpents，snakes，andtoads。’’Butitwouldbecrueltoputthereadertothepainofperusingtheremainderofthisdescription。*
*Henry’sHist。edit。1805，vol。vii。p……146。
Asanotherinstanceofthesebitterfruitsofconquest，andperhapsthestrongestthatcanbequoted，wemaymention，thatthePrincessMatilda，thoughadaughteroftheKingofScotland，andafterwardsbothQueenofEngland，niecetoEdgarAtheling，andmothertotheEmpressofGermany，thedaughter，thewife，andthemotherofmonarchs，wasobliged，duringherearlyresidenceforeducationinEngland，toassumetheveilofanun，astheonlymeansofescapingthelicentiouspursuitoftheNormannobles。ThisexcuseshestatedbeforeagreatcounciloftheclergyofEngland，asthesolereasonforherhavingtakenthereligioushabit。Theassembledclergyadmittedthevalidityoftheplea，andthenotorietyofthecircumstancesuponwhichitwasfounded；
givingthusanindubitableandmostremarkabletestimonytotheexistenceofthatdisgracefullicensebywhichthatagewasstained。Itwasamatterofpublicknowledge，theysaid，thataftertheconquestofKingWilliam，hisNormanfollowers，elatedbysogreatavictory，acknowledgednolawbuttheirownwickedpleasure，andnotonlydespoiledtheconqueredSaxonsoftheirlandsandtheirgoods，butinvadedthehonouroftheirwivesandoftheirdaughterswiththemostunbridledlicense；andhenceitwasthencommonformatronsandmaidensofnoblefamiliestoassumetheveil，andtakeshelterinconvents，notascalledthitherbythevocationofGod，butsolelytopreservetheirhonourfromtheunbridledwickednessofman。
Suchandsolicentiouswerethetimes，asannouncedbythepublicdeclarationoftheassembledclergy，recordedbyEadmer；andweneedaddnothingmoretovindicatetheprobabilityofthesceneswhichwehavedetailed，andareabouttodetail，uponthemoreapocryphalauthorityoftheWardourMS。
CHAPTERXXIV