repliedIvanhoe，``Iwillgrantthyboonblithelyandthankfully。’’
``Nay，’’answeredRebecca，``IwillbutprayoftheetobelievehenceforwardthataJewmaydogoodservicetoaChristian，withoutdesiringotherguerdonthantheblessingoftheGreatFatherwhomadebothJewandGentile。’’
``Itweresintodoubtit，maiden，’’repliedIvanhoe；
``andIreposemyselfonthyskillwithoutfurtherscrupleorquestion，welltrustingyouwillenablemetobearmycorsletontheeighthday。
Andnow，mykindleech，letmeenquireofthenewsabroad。WhatofthenobleSaxonCedricandhishousehold?——whatofthelovelyLady——’’Hestopt，asifunwillingtospeakRowena’snameinthehouseofaJew——``Ofher，Imean，whowasnamedQueenofthetournament?’’
``Andwhowasselectedbyyou，SirKnight，toholdthatdignity，withjudgmentwhichwasadmiredasmuchasyourvalour，’’repliedRebecca。
ThebloodwhichIvanhoehadlostdidnotpreventaflushfromcrossinghischeek，feelingthathehadincautiouslybetrayedadeepinterestinRowenabytheawkwardattempthehadmadetoconcealit。’’
``ItwaslessofherIwouldspeak，’’saidhe，``thanofPrinceJohn；andIwouldfainknowsomewhatofafaithfulsquire，andwhyhenowattendsmenot?’’
``Letmeusemyauthorityasaleech，’’answeredRebecca，``andenjoinyoutokeepsilence，andavoidagitatingreflections，whilstIapprizeyouofwhatyoudesiretoknow。PrinceJohnhathbrokenoffthetournament，andsetforwardinallhastetowardsYork，withthenobles，knights，andchurchmenofhisparty，aftercollectingsuchsumsastheycouldwring，byfairmeansorfoul，fromthosewhoareesteemedthewealthyoftheland。Itissaidbedesignstoassumehisbrother’scrown。’’
``Notwithoutablowstruckinitsdefence，’’
saidIvanhoe，raisinghimselfuponthecouch，``iftherewerebutonetruesubjectinEnglandIwillfightforRichard’stitlewiththebestofthem——
ay，oneortwo，inhisjustquarrel！’’
``Butthatyoumaybeabletodoso，’’saidRebeccatouchinghisshoulderwithherhand，``youmustnowobservemydirections，andremainquiet。’’
``True，maiden，’’saidIvanhoe，``asquietasthesedisquietedtimeswillpermit——AndofCedricandhishousehold?’’
``Hisstewardcamebutbriefwhilesince，’’saidtheJewess，``pantingwithhaste，toaskmyfatherforcertainmonies，thepriceofwoolthegrowthofCedric’sflocks，andfromhimIlearnedthatCedricandAthelstaneofConingsburghhadleftPrinceJohn’slodginginhighdispleasure，andwereabouttosetforthontheirreturnhomeward。’’
``Wentanyladywiththemtothebanquet?’’
saidWilfred。
``TheLadyRowena，’’saidRebecca，answeringthequestionwithmoreprecisionthanithadbeenasked——``TheLadyRowenawentnottothePrince’sfeast，and，asthestewardreportedtous，sheisnowonherjourneybacktoRotherwood，withherguardianCedric。AndtouchingyourfaithfulsquireGurth——’’
``Ha！’’exclaimedtheknight，``knowestthouhisname?——Butthoudost，’’heimmediatelyadded，``andwellthoumayst，foritwasfromthyhand，and，asIamnowconvinced，fromthineowngenerosityofspirit，thathereceivedbutyesterdayahundredzecchins。’’
``Speaknotofthat，’’saidRebecca，blushingdeeply；``Iseehoweasyitisforthetonguetobetraywhattheheartwouldgladlyconceal。’’
``Butthissumofgold，’’saidIvanhoe，gravely，``myhonourisconcernedinrepayingittoyourfather。’’
``Letitbeasthouwilt，’’saidRebecca，``wheneightdayshavepassedaway；butthinknot，andspeaknotnow，ofaughtthatmayretardthyrecovery。’’
``Beitso，kindmaiden，’’saidIvanhoe；``Iweremostungratefultodisputethycommands。ButonewordofthefateofpoorGurth，andIhavedonewithquestioningthee。’’
``Igrievetotellthee，SirKnight，’’answeredtheJewess，``thatheisincustodybytheorderofCedric。’’——AndthenobservingthedistresswhichhercommunicationgavetoWilfred，sheinstantlyadded，``ButthestewardOswaldsaid，thatifnothingoccurredtorenewhismaster’sdispleasureagainsthim，hewassurethatCedricwouldpardonGurth，afaithfulserf，andonewhostoodhighinfavour，andwhohadbutcommittedthiserroroutofthelovewhichheboretoCedric’sson。Andhesaid，moreover，thatheandhiscomrades，andespeciallyWambatheJester，wereresolvedtowarnGurthtomakehisescapebytheway，incaseCedric’sireagainsthimcouldnotbemitigated。’’
``WouldtoGodtheymaykeeptheirpurpose！’’
saidIvanhoe；``butitseemsasifIweredestinedtobringruinonwhomsoeverhathshownkindnesstome。Myking，bywhomIwashonouredanddistinguished，thouseestthatthebrothermostindebtedtohimisraisinghisarmstograsphiscrown；——myregardhathbroughtrestraintandtroubleonthefairestofhersex；——andnowmyfatherinhismoodmayslaythispoorbondsmanbutforhisloveandloyalservicetome！——Thouseest，maiden，whatanill-fatedwretchthoudostlabourtoassist；bewise，andletmego，erethemisfortuneswhichtrackmyfootstepslikeslot-hounds，shallinvolvetheealsointheirpursuit。’’
``Nay，’’saidRebecca，``thyweaknessandthygrief，SirKnight，maketheemiscalculatethepurposesofHeaven。Thouhastbeenrestoredtothycountrywhenitmostneededtheassistanceofastronghandandatrueheart，andthouhasthumbledtheprideofthineenemiesandthoseofthyking，whentheirhornwasmosthighlyexalted。
andfortheevilwhichthouhastsustained，seestthounotthatHeavenhasraisedtheeahelperandaphysician，evenamongthemostdespisedoftheland?——Therefore，beofgoodcourage，andtrustthatthouartpreservedforsomemarvelwhichthinearmshallworkbeforethispeople。Adieu——andhavingtakenthemedicinewhichIshallsendtheebythehandofReuben，composethyselfagaintorest，thatthoumayestbethemoreabletoendurethejourneyonthesucceedingday。’’
Ivanhoewasconvincedbythereasoning，andobeyedthedirections，ofRebecca。ThedroughtwhichReubenadministeredwasofasedativeandnarcoticquality，andsecuredthepatientsoundandundisturbedslumbers。Inthemorninghiskindphysicianfoundhimentirelyfreefromfeverishsymptoms，andfittoundergothefatigueofajourney。
Hewasdepositedinthehorse-litterwhichhadbroughthimfromthelists，andeveryprecautiontakenforhistravellingwithease。InonecircumstanceonlyeventheentreatiesofRebeccawereunabletosecuresufficientattentiontotheaccommodationofthewoundedknight。Isaac，liketheenrichedtravellerofJuvenal’stenthsatire，hadeverthefearofrobberybeforehiseyes，consciousthathewouldbealikeaccountedfairgamebythemaraudingNormannoble，andbytheSaxonoutlaw。
Hethereforejourneyedatagreatrate，andmadeshorthalts，andshorterrepasts，sothathepassedbyCedricandAthelstanewhohadseveralhoursthestartofhim，butwhohadbeendelayedbytheirprotractedfeastingattheconventofSaintWithold’s。YetsuchwasthevirtueofMiriam’sbalsam，orsuchthestrengthofIvanhoe’sconstitution，thathedidnotsustainfromthehurriedjourneythatinconveniencewhichhiskindphysicianhadapprehended。
Inanotherpointofview，however，theJew’shasteprovedsomewhatmorethangoodspeed。Therapiditywithwhichheinsistedontravelling，bredseveraldisputesbetweenhimandthepartywhomhehadhiredtoattendhimasaguard。ThesemenwereSaxons，andnotfreebyanymeansfromthenationalloveofeaseandgoodlivingwhichtheNormansstigmatizedaslazinessandgluttony。ReversingShylock’sposition，theyhadacceptedtheemploymentinhopesoffeedinguponthewealthyJew，andwereverymuchdispleasedwhentheyfoundthemselvesdisappointed，bytherapiditywithwhichheinsistedontheirproceeding。Theyremonstratedalsoupontheriskofdamagetotheirhorsesbytheseforcedmarches。Finally，therearosebetwixtIsaacandhissatellitesadeadlyfeud，concerningthequantityofwineandaletobeallowedforconsumptionateachmeal。Andthusithappened，thatwhenthealarmofdangerapproached，andthatwhichIsaacfearedwaslikelytocomeuponhim，hewasdesertedbythediscontentedmercenariesonwhoseprotectionhehadrelied，withoutusingthemeansnecessarytosecuretheirattachment。
InthisdeplorableconditiontheJew，withhisdaughterandherwoundedpatient，werefoundbyCedric，ashasalreadybeennoticed，andsoonafterwardsfellintothepowerofDeBracyandhisconfederates。
Littlenoticewasatfirsttakenofthehorse-litter，anditmighthaveremainedbehindbutforthecuriosityofDeBracy，wholookedintoitundertheimpressionthatitmightcontaintheobjectofhisenterprise，forRowenahadnotunveiledherself。ButDeBracy’sastonishmentwasconsiderable，whenhediscoveredthatthelittercontainedawoundedman，who，conceivinghimselftohavefallenintothepowerofSaxonoutlaws，withwhomhisnamemightbeaprotectionforhimselfandhisfriends，franklyavowedhimselftobeWilfredofIvanhoe。
Theideasofchivalroushonour，which，amidsthiswildnessandlevity，neverutterlyabandonedDeBracy，prohibitedhimfromdoingtheknightanyinjuryinhisdefencelesscondition，andequallyinterdictedhisbetrayinghimtoFront-de-Buf，whowouldhavehadnoscruplestoputtodeath，underanycircumstances，therivalclaimantofthefiefofIvanhoe。Ontheotherhand，toliberateasuitorpreferredbytheLadyRowena，astheeventsofthetournament，andindeedWilfred’spreviousbanishmentfromhisfather’shouse，hadmadematterofnotoriety，wasapitchfarabovetheflightofDeBracy’sgenerosity。Amiddlecoursebetwixtgoodandevilwasallwhichhefoundhimselfcapableofadopting，andhecommandedtwoofhisownsquirestokeepclosebythelitter，andtosuffernoonetoapproachit。Ifquestioned，theyweredirectedbytheirmastertosay，thattheemptylitteroftheLadyRowenawasemployedtotransportoneoftheircomradeswhohadbeenwoundedinthescuffle。
OnarrivingatTorquilstone，whiletheKnightTemplarandthelordofthatcastlewereeachintentupontheirownschemes，theoneontheJew’streasure，andtheotheronhisdaughter，DeBracy’ssquiresconveyedIvanhoe，stillunderthenameofawoundedcomrade，toadistantapartment。ThisexplanationwasaccordinglyreturnedbythesementoFront-de-Buf，whenhequestionedthemwhytheydidnotmakeforthebattlementsuponthealarm。
``Awoundedcompanion！’’herepliedingreatwrathandastonishment。``Nowonderthatchurlsandyeomenwaxsopresumptuousaseventolayleaguerbeforecastles，andthatclownsandswineherdssenddefiancestonobles，sincemen-at-armshaveturnedsickmen’snurses，andFreeCompanionsaregrownkeepersofdyingfolk’scurtains，whenthecastleisabouttobeassailed——Tothebattlements，yeloiteringvillains！’’heexclaimed，raisinghisstentorianvoicetillthearchesaroundrungagain，``tothebattlements，orIwillsplinteryourboneswiththistruncheon！’’