``Tothebattlements！’’criedDeBracy，``andletusmarkwhattheseknavesdowithout；’’andsosaying，heopenedalatticedwindowwhichledtoasortofbartisanorprojectingbalcony，andimmediatelycalledfromthencetothoseintheapartment——
``SaintDennis，buttheoldmonkhathbroughttruetidings！——Theybringforwardmanteletsandpavisses，*andthearchersmusteronthe*Manteletsweretemporaryandmovabledefencesformed*ofplanks，undercoverofwhichtheassailantsadvancedtothe*attackoffortifiedplacesofold。Pavisseswereaspeciesoflarge*shieldscoveringthewholeperson，employedonthesameoccasions。
skirtsofthewoodlikeadarkcloudbeforeahailstorm。’’
ReginaldFront-de-Bufalsolookedoutuponthefield，andimmediatelysnatchedhisbugle；and，afterwindingalongandloudblast，commandedhismentotheirpostsonthewalls。
``DeBracy，looktotheeasternside，wherethewallsarelowest——NobleBois-Guilbert，thytradehathwelltaughttheehowtoattackanddefend，lookthoutothewesternside——Imyselfwilltakepostatthebarbican。Yet，donotconfineyourexertionstoanyonespot，noblefriends！——wemustthisdaybeeverywhere，andmultiplyourselves，wereitpossible，soastocarrybyourpresencesuccourandreliefwherevertheattackishottest。
Ournumbersarefew，butactivityandcouragemaysupplythatdefect，sincewehaveonlytodowithrascalclowns。’’
``But，nobleknights，’’exclaimedFatherAmbrose，amidstthebustleandconfusionoccasionedbythepreparationsfordefence，``willnoneofyehearthemessageofthereverendfatherinGodAymer，PriorofJorvaulx?——Ibeseechtheetohearme，nobleSirReginald！’’
``Gopatterthypetitionstoheaven，’’saidthefierceNorman，``forweonearthhavenotimetolistentothem——Ho！there，AnselmIseethatseethingpitchandoilarereadytopourontheheadsoftheseaudacioustraitors——Lookthatthecross-bowmenlacknotbolts。*——Flingabroadmybannerwith*Theboltwasthearrowpeculiarlyfittedtothecross-bow，*asthatofthelong-bowwascalledashaft。HencetheEnglish*proverb——``Iwilleithermakeashaftorboltofit，’’signifyinga*determinationtomakeoneuseorotherofthethingspokenof。
theoldbull’shead——theknavesshallsoonfindwithwhomtheyhavetodothisday！’’
``But，noblesir，’’continuedthemonk，perseveringinhisendeavourstodrawattention，``considermyvowofobedience，andletmedischargemyselfofmySuperior’serrand。’’
``Awaywiththispratingdotard，’’saidFront-deBuf，``lockhimupinthechapel，totellhisbeadstillthebroilbeover。ItwillbeanewthingtothesaintsinTorquilstonetohearavesandpaters；
theyhavenotbeensohonoured，Itrow，sincetheywerecutoutofstone。’’
``Blasphemenottheholysaints，SirReginald，’’
saidDeBracy，``weshallhaveneedoftheiraidto-daybeforeyonrascalroutdisband。’’
``Iexpectlittleaidfromtheirhand，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``unlessweweretohurlthemfromthebattlementsontheheadsofthevillains。ThereisahugelumberingSaintChristopheryonder，sufficienttobearawholecompanytotheearth。’’
TheTemplarhadinthemeantimebeenlookingoutontheproceedingsofthebesiegers，withrathermoreattentionthanthebrutalFront-de-Buforhisgiddycompanion。
``Bythefaithofmineorder，’’hesaid，``thesemenapproachwithmoretouchofdisciplinethancouldhavebeenjudged，howevertheycomebyit。
Seeyehowdexterouslytheyavailthemselvesofeverycoverwhichatreeorbushaffords，andshunexposingthemselvestotheshotofourcross-bows?
Ispyneitherbannernorpennonamongthem，andyetwillIgagemygoldenchain，thattheyareledonbysomenobleknightorgentleman，skilfulinthepracticeofwars。’’
``Iespyhim，’’saidDeBracy；``Iseethewavingofaknight’screst，andthegleamofhisarmour。
Seeyontallmanintheblackmail，whoisbusiedmarshallingthefarthertroopoftherascailleyeomen——bySaintDennis，Iholdhimtobethesamewhomwecalled_LeNoirFaineant_，whooverthrewthee，Front-de-Buf，inthelistsatAshby。’’
``Somuchthebetter，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``thathecomesheretogivememyrevenge。Somehildingfellowhemustbe，whodarednotstaytoasserthisclaimtothetourneyprizewhichchancehadassignedhim。Ishouldinvainhavesoughtforhimwhereknightsandnoblesseektheirfoes，andrightgladamIhehathhereshownhimselfamongyonvillainyeomanry。’’
Thedemonstrationsoftheenemy’simmediateapproachcutoffallfartherdiscourse。Eachknightrepairedtohispost，andattheheadofthefewfollowerswhomtheywereabletomuster，andwhowereinnumbersinadequatetodefendthewholeextentofthewalls，theyawaitedwithcalmdeterminationthethreatenedassault。
CHAPTERXXVIII
Thiswanderingrace，sever’dfromothermen，Boastyettheirintercoursewithhumanarts；
Theseas，thewoods，thedeserts，whichtheyhaunt，Findthemacquaintedwiththeirsecrettreasures：
Andunregardedherbs，andflowers，andblossoms，Displayundreamt-ofpowerswhengather’dbythem。
_TheJew。_
Ourhistorymustneedsretrogradeforthespaceofafewpages，toinformthereaderofcertainpassagesmaterialtohisunderstandingtherestofthisimportantnarrative。Hisownintelligencemayindeedhaveeasilyanticipatedthat，whenIvanhoesunkdown，andseemedabandonedbyalltheworld，itwastheimportunityofRebeccawhichprevailedonherfathertohavethegallantyoungwarriortransportedfromtheliststothehousewhichforthetimetheJewsinhabitedinthesuburbsofAshby。
ItwouldnothavebeendifficulttohavepersuadedIsaactothisstepinanyothercircumstances，forhisdispositionwaskindandgrateful。Buthehadalsotheprejudicesandscrupuloustimidityofhispersecutedpeople，andthoseweretobeconquered。
``HolyAbraham！’’heexclaimed，``heisagoodyouth，andmyheartbleedstoseethegoretrickledownhisrichembroideredhacqueton，andhiscorsletofgoodlyprice——buttocarryhimtoourhouse！——
damsel，hastthouwellconsidered?——heisaChristian，andbyourlawwemaynotdealwiththestrangerandGentile，savefortheadvantageofourcommerce。’’
``Speaknotso，mydearfather，’’repliedRebecca；
``wemaynotindeedmixwiththeminbanquetandinjollity；butinwoundsandinmisery，theGentilebecomeththeJew’sbrother。’’
``IwouldIknewwhattheRabbiJacobBenTudelawouldopineonit，’’repliedIsaac；——``nevertheless，thegoodyouthmustnotbleedtodeath。
LetSethandReubenbearhimtoAshby。’’
``Nay，letthemplacehiminmylitter，’’saidRebecca；``Iwillmountoneofthepalfreys。’’
``ThatweretoexposetheetothegazeofthosedogsofIshmaelandofEdom，’’whisperedIsaac，withasuspiciousglancetowardsthecrowdofknightsandsquires。ButRebeccawasalreadybusiedincarryinghercharitablepurposeintoeffect，andlistednotwhathesaid，untilIsaac，seizingthesleeveofhermantle，againexclaimed，inahurriedvoice——``BeardofAaron！——whatiftheyouthperish！——
ifhedieinourcustody，shallwenotbeheldguiltyofhisblood，andbetorntopiecesbythemultitude?’’
``Hewillnotdie，myfather，’’saidRebecca，gentlyextricatingherselffromthegraspofIsaac``hewillnotdieunlessweabandonhim；andifso，weareindeedanswerableforhisbloodtoGodandtoman。’’
``Nay，’’saidIsaac，releasinghishold，``itgrievethmeasmuchtoseethedropsofhisblood，asiftheyweresomanygoldenbyzantsfrommineownpurse；andIwellknow，thatthelessonsofMiriam，daughteroftheRabbiManassesofByzantiumwhosesoulisinParadise，havemadetheeskilfulintheartofhealing，andthatthouknowestthecraftofherbs，andtheforceofelixirs。Therefore，doasthymindgiveththee——thouartagooddamsel，ablessing，andacrown，andasongofrejoicinguntomeanduntomyhouse，anduntothepeopleofmyfathers。’’
TheapprehensionsofIsaac，however，werenotillfounded；andthegenerousandgratefulbenevolenceofhisdaughterexposedher，onherreturntoAshby，totheunhallowedgazeofBriandeBois-Guilbert。
TheTemplartwicepassedandrepassedthemontheroad，fixinghisboldandardentlookonthebeautifulJewess；andwehavealreadyseentheconsequencesoftheadmirationwhichhercharmsexcitedwhenaccidentthrewherintothepowerofthatunprincipledvoluptuary。
Rebeccalostnotimeincausingthepatienttobetransportedtotheirtemporarydwelling，andproceededwithherownhandstoexamineandtobinduphiswounds。Theyoungestreaderofromancesandromanticballads，mustrecollecthowoftenthefemales，duringthedarkages，astheyarecalled，wereinitiatedintothemysteriesofsurgery，andhowfrequentlythegallantknightsubmittedthewoundsofhispersontohercure，whoseeyeshadyetmoredeeplypenetratedhisheart。
ButtheJews，bothmaleandfemale，possessedandpractisedthemedicalscienceinallitsbranches，andthemonarchsandpowerfulbaronsofthetimefrequentlycommittedthemselvestothechargeofsomeexperiencedsageamongthisdespisedpeople，whenwoundedorinsickness。TheaidoftheJewishphysicianswasnotthelesseagerlysoughtafter，thoughageneralbeliefprevailedamongtheChristians，thattheJewishRabbinsweredeeplyacquaintedwiththeoccultsciences，andparticularlywiththecabalisticalart，whichhaditsnameandorigininthestudiesofthesagesofIsrael。
NeitherdidtheRabbinsdisownsuchacquaintancewithsupernaturalarts，whichaddednothingforwhatcouldaddaught?tothehatredwithwhichtheirnationwasregarded，whileitdiminishedthecontemptwithwhichthatmalevolencewasmingled。
AJewishmagicianmightbethesubjectofequalabhorrencewithaJewishusurer，buthecouldnotbeequallydespised。Itisbesidesprobable，consideringthewonderfulcurestheyaresaidtohaveperformed，thattheJewspossessedsomesecretsofthehealingartpeculiartothemselves，andwhich，withtheexclusivespiritarisingoutoftheircondition，theytookgreatcaretoconcealfromtheChristiansamongstwhomtheydwelt。
ThebeautifulRebeccahadbeenheedfullybroughtupinalltheknowledgepropertohernation，whichheraptandpowerfulmindhadretained，arranged，andenlarged，inthecourseofaprogressbeyondheryears，hersex，andeventheageinwhichshelived。HerknowledgeofmedicineandofthehealingarthadbeenacquiredunderanagedJewess，thedaughterofoneoftheirmostcelebrateddoctors，wholovedRebeccaasherownchild，andwasbelievedtohavecommunicatedtohersecrets，whichhadbeenlefttoherselfbyhersagefatheratthesametime，andunderthesamecircumstances。ThefateofMiriamhadindeedbeentofallasacrificetothefanaticismofthetimes；buthersecretshadsurvivedinheraptpupil。