``Ourfriends，’’saidWilfred，``willsurelynotabandonanenterprisesogloriouslybegunandsohappilyattained——Ono！Iwillputmyfaithinthegoodknightwhoseaxehathrentheart-of-oakandbarsofiron——Singular，’’heagainmutteredtohimself，``iftherebetwowhocandoadeedofsuch_derring-do！_*——afetterlock，andashacklebolton*_Derring-do_——desperatecourage。
afieldsable——whatmaythatmean?——seestthounoughtelse，Rebecca，bywhichtheBlackKnightmaybedistinguished?’’
``Nothing，’’saidtheJewess；``allabouthimisblackasthewingofthenightraven。NothingcanIspythatcanmarkhimfurther——buthavingonceseenhimputforthhisstrengthinbattle，methinksIcouldknowhimagainamongathousandwarriors。
Herushestothefrayasifheweresummonedtoabanquet。Thereismorethanmerestrength，thereseemsasifthewholesoulandspiritofthechampionweregiventoeveryblowwhichhedealsuponhisenemies。Godassoilziehimofthesinofbloodshed！——itisfearful，yetmagnificent，tobeholdbowthearmandheartofonemancantriumphoverhundreds。’’
``Rebecca，’’saidIvanhoe，``thouhastpaintedahero；surelytheyrestbuttorefreshtheirforce，ortoprovidethemeansofcrossingthemoat——Undersuchaleaderasthouhastspokenthisknighttobe，therearenocravenfears，nocold-bloodeddelays，noyieldingupagallantemprize；sincethedifficultieswhichrenderitarduousrenderitalsoglorious。
Iswearbythehonourofmyhouse——Ivowbythenameofmybrightlady-love，Iwouldenduretenyears’captivitytofightonedaybythatgoodknight’ssideinsuchaquarrelasthis！’’
``Alas，’’saidRebecca，leavingherstationatthewindow，andapproachingthecouchofthewoundedknight，``thisimpatientyearningafteraction——
thisstrugglingwithandrepiningatyourpresentweakness，willnotfailtoinjureyourreturninghealth——Howcouldstthouhopetoinflictwoundsonothers，erethatbehealedwhichthouthyselfhastreceived?’’
``Rebecca，’’hereplied，``thouknowestnothowimpossibleitisforonetrainedtoactionsofchivalrytoremainpassiveasapriest，orawoman，whentheyareactingdeedsofhonouraroundhim。
Theloveofbattleisthefooduponwhichwelive——thedustofthe_mle_isthebreathofournostrils！
Welivenot——wewishnottolive——longerthanwhilewearevictoriousandrenowned——Such，maiden，arethelawsofchivalrytowhichwearesworn，andtowhichweofferallthatweholddear。’’
``Alas！’’saidthefairJewess，``andwhatisit，valiantknight，saveanofferingofsacrificetoademonofvainglory，andapassingthroughthefiretoMoloch?——Whatremainstoyouastheprizeofallthebloodyouhavespilled——ofallthetravailandpainyouhaveendured——ofallthetearswhichyourdeedshavecaused，whendeathhathbrokenthestrongman’sspear，andovertakenthespeedofhiswar-horse?’’
``Whatremains?’’criedIvanhoe；``Glory，maiden，glory！whichgildsoursepulchreandembalmsourname。’’
``Glory?’’continuedRebecca；``alas，istherustedmailwhichhangsasahatchmentoverthechampion’sdimandmoulderingtomb——isthedefacedsculptureoftheinscriptionwhichtheignorantmonkcanhardlyreadtotheenquiringpilgrim——arethesesufficientrewardsforthesacrificeofeverykindlyaffection，foralifespentmiserablythatyemaymakeothersmiserable?Oristheresuchvirtueintheruderhymesofawanderingbard，thatdomesticlove，kindlyaffection，peaceandhappiness，aresowildlybartered，tobecometheheroofthoseballadswhichvagabondminstrelssingtodrunkenchurlsovertheireveningale?’’
``BythesoulofHereward?’’repliedtheknightimpatiently，``thouspeakest，maiden，ofthouknowestnotwhat。Thouwouldstquenchthepurelightofchivalry，whichalonedistinguishesthenoblefromthebase，thegentleknightfromthechurlandthesavage；whichratesourlifefar，farbeneaththepitchofourhonour；raisesusvictoriousoverpain，toil，andsuffering，andteachesustofearno，evilbutdisgrace。ThouartnoChristian，Rebecca；
andtotheeareunknownthosehighfeelingswhichswellthebosomofanoblemaidenwhenherloverhathdonesomedeedofemprizewhichsanctionshisflame。Chivalry！——why，maiden，sheisthenurseofpureandhighaffection——thestayoftheoppressed，theredresserofgrievances，thecurbofthepowerofthetyrant——Nobilitywerebutanemptynamewithouther，andlibertyfindsthebestprotectioninherlanceandhersword。’’
``Iam，indeed，’’saidRebecca，``sprungfromaracewhosecouragewasdistinguishedinthedefenceoftheirownland，butwhowarrednot，evenwhileyetanation，saveatthecommandoftheDeity，orindefendingtheircountryfromoppression。ThesoundofthetrumpetwakesJudahnolonger，andherdespisedchildrenarenowbuttheunresistingvictimsofhostileandmilitaryoppression。Wellhastthouspoken，SirKnight，——untiltheGodofJacobshallraiseupforhischosenpeopleasecondGideon，oranewMaccabeus，itillbeseemeththeJewishdamseltospeakofbattleorofwar。’’
Thehigh-mindedmaidenconcludedtheargumentinatoneofsorrow，whichdeeplyexpressedhersenseofthedegradationofherpeople，embitteredperhapsbytheideathatIvanhoeconsideredherasonenotentitledtointerfereinacaseofhonour，andincapableofentertainingorexpressingsentimentsofhonourandgenerosity。
``Howlittleheknowsthisbosom，’’shesaid，``toimaginethatcowardiceormeannessofsoulmustneedsbeitsguests，becauseIhavecensuredthefantasticchivalryoftheNazarenes！Wouldtoheaventhatthesheddingofmineownblood，dropbydrop，couldredeemthecaptivityofJudah！Nay，wouldtoGoditcouldavailtosetfreemyfather，andthishisbenefactor，fromthechainsoftheoppressor！
TheproudChristianshouldthenseewhetherthedaughterofGod’schosenpeopledarednottodieasbravelyasthevainestNazarenemaiden，thatboastsherdescentfromsomepettychieftainoftherudeandfrozennorth！’’
Shethenlookedtowardsthecouchofthewoundedknight。
``Hesleeps，’’shesaid；``natureexhaustedbysufferanceandthewasteofspirits，hisweariedframeembracesthefirstmomentoftemporaryrelaxationtosinkintoslumber。Alas！isitacrimethatIshouldlookuponhim，whenitmaybeforthelasttime?——Whenyetbutashortspace，andthosefairfeatureswillbenolongeranimatedbytheboldandbuoyantspiritwhichforsakesthemnoteveninsleep！——Whenthenostrilshallbedistended，themouthagape，theeyesfixedandbloodshot；
andwhentheproudandnobleknightmaybetroddenonbythelowestcaitiffofthisaccursedcastle，yetstirnotwhentheheelisliftedupagainsthim！——
Andmyfather！——oh，myfather！evilisitwithhisdaughter，whenhisgreyhairsarenotrememberedbecauseofthegoldenlocksofyouth！——
WhatknowIbutthattheseevilsarethemessengersofJehovah’swrathtotheunnaturalchild，whothinksofastranger’scaptivitybeforeaparent’s?
whoforgetsthedesolationofJudah，andlooksuponthecomelinessofaGentileandastranger?——
ButIwilltearthisfollyfrommyheart，thougheveryfibrebleedasIrenditaway！’’
Shewrappedherselfcloselyinherveil，andsatdownatadistancefromthecouchofthewoundedknight，withherbackturnedtowardsit，fortifying，orendeavouringtofortifyhermind，notonlyagainsttheimpendingevilsfromwithout，butalsoagainstthosetreacherousfeelingswhichassailedherfromwithin。
AdditiontoNoteattachedtopage**。
IncorroborationofwhatisabovestatedinNoteatpage**，itmaybeobserved，thatthearms，whichwereassumedbyGodfreyofBoulognehimself，aftertheconquestofJerusalem，wasacrosscounterpatentcantonedwithfourlittlecrossesor，uponafieldazure，displayingthusmetaluponmetal。Theheraldshavetriedtoexplainthisundeniablefactindifferentmodes——
butFernegallantlycontends，thataprinceofGodfrey’squalitiesshouldnotbeboundbytheordinaryrules。TheScottishNisbet，andthesameFerne，insistthatthechiefsoftheCrusademusthaveassignedtoGodfreythisextraordinaryandunwontedcoat-of-arms，inordertoinducethosewhoshouldbeholdthemtomakeenquiries；andhencegivethemthenameof_armainquirenda_。
Butwithreverencetothesegraveauthorities，itseemsunlikelythattheassembledprincesofEuropeshouldhaveadjudgedtoGodfreyacoatarmorialsomuchcontrarytothegeneralrule，ifsuchrulehadthenexisted；atanyrate，itprovesthatmetaluponmetal，nowaccountedasolecisminheraldry，wasadmittedinothercasessimilartothatinthetext。
SeeFerne’s_BlazonofGentrie_，p。238。Edition1586。Nisbet’s_Heraldry_，vol。i。p。113。SecondEdition。
CHAPTERXXX
Approachthechamber，lookuponhisbed。
Hisisthepassingofnopeacefulghost，Which，asthelarkarisestothesky，’Midmorning’ssweetestbreezeandsoftestdew，Iswing’dtoheavenbygoodmen’ssighsandtears！——
Anselmpartsotherwise。
_OldPlay。_
Duringtheintervalofquietwhichfollowedthefirstsuccessofthebesiegers，whiletheonepartywaspreparingtopursuetheiradvantage，andtheothertostrengthentheirmeansofdefence，theTemplarandDeBracyheldbriefcounciltogetherinthehallofthecastle。
``WhereisFront-de-Buf?’’saidthelatter，whohadsuperintendedthedefenceofthefortressontheotherside；``mensayhehathbeenslain。’’
``Helives，’’saidtheTemplar，coolly，``livesasyet；buthadhewornthebull’sheadofwhichhebearsthename，andtenplatesofirontofenceitwithal，hemusthavegonedownbeforeyonderfatalaxe。Yetafewhours，andFront-de-Bufiswithhisfathers——apowerfullimbloppedoffPrinceJohn’senterprise。’’
``AndabraveadditiontothekingdomofSatan，’’