``WilfredofIvanhoe！’’exclaimedtheBlackKnight——``prisoner，andperish！——Thelifeofeverymaninthecastleshallansweritifahairofhisheadbesinged——Showmehischamber！’’
``Ascendyonderwindingstair，’’saidDeBracy；
``itleadstohisapartment——Wiltthounotacceptmyguidance?’’headded，inasubmissivevoice。
``No。Tothebarbican，andtherewaitmyorders。
Itrusttheenot，DeBracy。’’
Duringthiscombatandthebriefconversationwhichensued，Cedric，attheheadofabodyofmen，amongwhomtheFriarwasconspicuous，hadpushedacrossthebridgeassoonastheysawtheposternopen，anddrovebackthedispiritedanddespairingfollowersofDeBracy，ofwhomsomeaskedquarter，someofferedvainresistance，andthegreaterpartfledtowardsthecourt-yard。DeBracyhimselfarosefromtheground，andcastasorrowfulglanceafterhisconqueror。``Hetrustsmenot！’’herepeated；``buthaveIdeservedhistrust?’’
Hethenliftedhisswordfromthefloor，tookoffhishelmetintokenofsubmission，and，goingtothebarbican，gaveuphisswordtoLocksley，whomhemetbytheway。
Asthefireaugmented，symptomsofitbecamesoonapparentinthechamber，whereIvanhoewaswatchedandtendedbytheJewessRebecca。Hehadbeenawakenedfromhisbriefslumberbythenoiseofthebattle；andhisattendant，whohad，athisanxiousdesire，againplacedherselfatthewindowtowatchandreporttohimthefateoftheattack，wasforsometimepreventedfromobservingeither，bytheincreaseofthesmoulderingandstiflingvapour。Atlengththevolumesofsmokewhichrolledintotheapartment——thecriesforwater，whichwereheardevenabovethedinofthebattlemadethemsensibleoftheprogressofthisnewdanger。
``Thecastleburns，’’saidRebecca；``itburns！——
Whatcanwedotosaveourselves?’’
``Fly，Rebecca，andsavethineownlife，’’saidIvanhoe，``fornohumanaidcanavailme。’’
``Iwillnotfly，’’answeredRebecca；``wewillbesavedorperishtogether——Andyet，greatGod！——
myfather，myfather——whatwillbehisfate！’’
Atthismomentthedooroftheapartmentflewopen，andtheTemplarpresentedhimself，——aghastlyfigure，forhisgildedarmourwasbrokenandbloody，andtheplumewaspartlyshornaway，partlyburntfromhiscasque。``Ihavefoundthee，’’saidhetoRebecca；``thoushaltproveI
willkeepmywordtosharewealandwoewiththee——Thereisbutonepathtosafety，Ihavecutmywaythroughfiftydangerstopointittothee——up，andinstantlyfollowme！’’*
*Theauthorhassomeideathatthispassageisimitatedfrom*theappearanceofPhilidaspes，beforethedivineMandane，when*thecityofBabylonisonfire，andheproposestocarryherfrom*theflames。Butthetheft，iftherebeone，wouldberathertoo*severelypunishedbythepenanceofsearchingfortheoriginal*passagethroughtheinterminablevolumesoftheGrandCyrus。
``Alone，’’answeredRebecca，``Iwillnotfollowthee。Ifthouwertbornofwoman——ifthouhastbutatouchofhumancharityinthee——ifthyheartbenothardasthybreastplate——savemyagedfather——savethiswoundedknight！’’
``Aknight，’’answeredtheTemplar，withhischaracteristiccalmness，``aknight，Rebecca，mustencounterhisfate，whetheritmeethimintheshapeofswordorflame——andwhoreckshoworwhereaJewmeetswithhis?’’
``Savagewarrior，’’saidRebecca，``ratherwillI
perishintheflamesthanacceptsafetyfromthee！’’
``Thoushaltnotchoose，Rebecca——oncedidstthoufoilme，butnevermortaldidsotwice。’’
Sosaying，heseizedontheterrifiedmaiden，whofilledtheairwithhershrieks，andboreheroutoftheroominhisarmsinspiteofhercries，andwithoutregardingthemenacesanddefiancewhichIvanhoethunderedagainsthim。``HoundoftheTemple——staintothineOrder——setfreethedamsel！TraitorofBois-Guilbert，itisIvanhoecommandsthee！——Villain，Iwillhavethyheart’sblood！’’
``Ihadnotfoundthee，Wilfred，’’saidtheBlackKnight，whoatthatinstantenteredtheapartment，``butforthyshouts。’’
``Ifthoubesttrueknight，’’saidWilfred，``thinknotofme——pursueyonravisher——savetheLadyRowena——looktothenobleCedric！’’
``Intheirturn，’’answeredheoftheFetterlock，``butthineisfirst。’’
AndseizinguponIvanhoe，heborehimoffwithasmucheaseastheTemplarhadcarriedoffRebecca，rushedwithhimtothepostern，andhavingtheredeliveredhisburdentothecareoftwoyeomen，heagainenteredthecastletoassistintherescueoftheotherprisoners。
Oneturretwasnowinbrightflames，whichflashedoutfuriouslyfromwindowandshot-hole。
Butinotherparts，thegreatthicknessofthewallsandthevaultedroofsoftheapartments，resistedtheprogressoftheflames，andtheretherageofmanstilltriumphed，asthescarcemoredreadfulelementheldmasteryelsewhere；forthebesiegerspursuedthedefendersofthecastlefromchambertochamber，andsatiatedintheirbloodthevengeancewhichhadlonganimatedthemagainstthesoldiersofthetyrantFront-de-Buf。Mostofthegarrisonresistedtotheuttermost——fewofthemaskedquarter——nonereceivedit。Theairwasfilledwithgroansandclashingofarms——thefloorswereslipperywiththebloodofdespairingandexpiringwretches。
Throughthissceneofconfusion，CedricrushedinquestofRowena，whilethefaithfulGurth，followinghimcloselythroughthe_mele_，neglectedhisownsafetywhilehestrovetoaverttheblowsthatwereaimedathismaster。ThenobleSaxonwassofortunateastoreachhisward’sapartmentjustasshehadabandonedallhopeofsafety，and，withacrucifixclaspedinagonytoherbosom，satinexpectationofinstantdeath。HecommittedhertothechargeofGurth，tobeconductedinsafetytothebarbican，theroadtowhichwasnowclearedoftheenemy，andnotyetinterruptedbytheflames。Thisaccomplished，theloyalCedrichastenedinquestofhisfriendAthelstane，determined，ateveryrisktohimself，tosavethatlastscionofSaxonroyalty。ButereCedricpenetratedasfarastheoldhallinwhichhehadhimselfbeenaprisoner，theinventivegeniusofWambahadprocuredliberationforhimselfandhiscompanioninadversity。
Whenthenoiseoftheconflictannouncedthatitwasatthehottest，theJesterbegantoshout，withtheutmostpowerofhislungs，``SaintGeorgeandthedragon！——BonnySaintGeorgeformerryEngland！——Thecastleiswon！’’Andthesesoundsherenderedyetmorefearful，bybangingagainsteachothertwoorthreepiecesofrustyarmourwhichlayscatteredaroundthehall。
Aguard，whichhadbeenstationedintheouter，oranteroom，andwhosespiritswerealreadyinastateofalarm，tookfrightatWamba’sclamour，and，leavingthedooropenbehindthem，rantotelltheTemplarthatfoemenhadenteredtheoldhall。
Meantimetheprisonersfoundnodifficultyinmakingtheirescapeintotheanteroom，andfromthenceintothecourtofthecastle，whichwasnowthelastsceneofcontest。HeresatthefierceTemplar，mountedonhorseback，surroundedbyseveralofthegarrisonbothonhorseandfoot，whohadunitedtheirstrengthtothatofthisrenownedleader，inordertosecurethelastchanceofsafetyandretreatwhichremainedtothem。Thedrawbridgehadbeenloweredbyhisorders，butthepassagewasbeset；forthearchers，whohadhithertoonlyannoyedthecastleonthatsidebytheirmissiles，nosoonersawtheflamesbreakingout，andthebridgelowered，thantheythrongedtotheentrance，aswelltopreventtheescapeofthegarrison，astosecuretheirownshareofbootyerethecastleshouldbeburntdown。Ontheotherhand，apartyofthebesiegerswhohadenteredbytheposternwerenowissuingoutintothecourt-yard，andattackingwithfurytheremnantofthedefenderswhowerethusassaultedonbothsidesatonce。
Animated，however，bydespair，andsupportedbytheexampleoftheirindomitableleader，theremainingsoldiersofthecastlefoughtwiththeutmostvalour；and，beingwell-armed，succeededmorethanonceindrivingbacktheassailants，thoughmuchinferiorinnumbers。Rebecca，placedonhorsebackbeforeoneoftheTemplar’sSaracenslaves，wasinthemidstofthelittleparty；andBois-Guilbert，notwithstandingtheconfusionofthebloodyfray，showedeveryattentiontohersafety。Repeatedlyhewasbyherside，and，neglectinghisowndefence，heldbeforeherthefenceofhistriangularsteel-platedshield；andanonstartingfromhispositionbyher，hecriedhiswar-cry，dashedforward，strucktoearththemostforwardoftheassailants，andwasonthesameinstantoncemoreatherbridlerein。
Athelstane，who，asthereaderknows，wasslothful，butnotcowardly，beheldthefemaleformwhomtheTemplarprotectedthussedulously，anddoubtednotthatitwasRowenawhomtheknightwascarryingoff，indespiteofallresistancewhichcouldbeoffered。
``BythesoulofSaintEdward，’’hesaid，``Iwillrescueherfromyonderover-proudknight，andheshalldiebymyhand！’’
``Thinkwhatyoudo！’’criedWamba；``hastyhandcatchesfrogforfish——bymybauble，yonderisnoneofmyLadyRowena——seebutherlongdarklocks！——Nay，anyewillnotknowblackfromwhite，yemaybeleader，butIwillbenofollower——nobonesofmineshallbebrokenunlessIknowforwhom——Andyouwithoutarmourtoo！——Bethinkyou，silkbonnetneverkeptoutsteelblade——
Nay，then，ifwilfulwilltowater，wilfulmustdrench——_Deusvobiscum_，mostdoughtyAthelstane！’’——
heconcluded，looseningtheholdwhichhehadhithertokeptupontheSaxon’stunic。
Tosnatchamacefromthepavement，onwhichitlaybesideonewhosedyinggrasphadjustrelinquishedit——torushontheTemplar’sband，andtostrikeinquicksuccessiontotherightandleft，levellingawarriorateachblow，was，forAthelstane’sgreatstrength，nowanimatedwithunusualfury，buttheworkofasinglemoment；hewassoonwithintwoyardsofBois-Guilbert，whomhedefiedinhisloudesttone。
``Turn，false-heartedTemplar！letgoherwhomthouartunworthytotouch——turn，limbofahandofmurderingandhypocriticalrobbers！’’
``Dog！’’saidtheTemplar，grindinghisteeth，``IwillteachtheetoblasphemetheholyOrderoftheTempleofZion；’’andwiththesewords，half-wheelinghissteed，hemadeademi-courbettetowardstheSaxon，andrisinginthestirrups，soastotakefulladvantageofthedescentofthehorse，hedischargedafearfulblowupontheheadofAthelstane。
WellsaidWamba，thatsilkenbonnetkeepsoutnosteelblade。SotrenchantwastheTemplar’sweapon，thatitshoreasunder，asithadbeenawillowtwig，thetoughandplaitedhandleofthemace，whichtheill-fatedSaxonrearedtoparrytheblow，and，descendingonhishead，levelledhimwiththeearth。
``_Ha！Beau-seant！_’’exclaimedBois-Guilbert，``thusbeittothemalignersoftheTemple-knights！’’
TakingadvantageofthedismaywhichwasspreadbythefallofAthelstane，andcallingaloud，``Thosewhowouldsavethemselves，followme！’’hepushedacrossthedrawbridge，dispersingthearcherswhowouldhaveinterceptedthem。HewasfollowedbyhisSaracens，andsomefiveorsixmen-at-arms，whohadmountedtheirhorses。TheTemplar’sretreatwasrenderedperilousbythenumbersofarrowsshotoffathimandhisparty；
butthisdidnotpreventhimfromgallopingroundtothebarbican，ofwhich，accordingtohispreviousplan，hesupposeditpossibleDeBracymighthavebeeninpossession。
``DeBracy！DeBracy！’’heshouted，``artthouthere?’’
``Iamhere，’’repliedDeBracy，``butIamaprisoner。’’
``CanIrescuethee?’’criedBois-Guilbert。
``No，’’repliedDeBracy；``Ihaverenderedme，rescueornorescue。Iwillbetrueprisoner。Savethyself——therearehawksabroad——puttheseasbetwixtyouandEngland——Idarenotsaymore。’’