``Ay，butIpromiseyou，’’saidDeBracy，``thatneitherTristramnorLancelotwouldhavebeenmatch，handtohand，forRichardPlantagenet，andIthinkitwasnottheirwonttotakeoddsagainstasingleman。’’
``Thouartmad，DeBracy——whatisitweproposetothee，ahiredandretainedcaptainofFreeCompanions，whoseswordsarepurchasedforPrinceJohn’sservice?Thouartapprizedofourenemy，andthenthouscruplest，thoughthypatron’sfortunes，thoseofthycomrades，thineown，andthelifeandhonourofeveryoneamongstus，beatstake！’’
``Itellyou，’’saidDeBracy，sullenly，``thathegavememylife。True，hesentmefromhispresence，andrefusedmyhomage——sofarIowehimneitherfavournorallegiance——butIwillnotlifthandagainsthim。’’
``Itneedsnot——sendLouisWinkelbrandandascoreofthylances。’’
``Yehavesufficientruffiansofyourown，’’saidDeBracy；``notoneofmineshallbudgeonsuchanerrand。’’
``Artthousoobstinate，DeBracy?’’saidPrinceJohn；``andwiltthouforsakeme，aftersomanyprotestationsofzealformyservice?’’
``Imeanitnot，’’saidDeBracy；``Iwillabidebyyouinaughtthatbecomesaknight，whetherinthelistsorinthecamp；butthishighwaypracticecomesnotwithinmyvow。’’
``Comehither，Waldemar，’’saidPrinceJohn。
``AnunhappyprinceamI。Myfather，KingHenry，hadfaithfulservants——Hehadbuttosaythathewasplaguedwithafactiouspriest，andthebloodofThomas-a-Becket，saintthoughhewas，stainedthestepsofhisownaltar——Tracy，Morville，Brito*loyalanddaringsubjects，yournames，your*ReginaldFitzurse，WilliamdeTracy，HughdeMorville，*andRichardBrito，werethegentlemenofHenrytheSecond’s*household，who，instigatedbysomepassionateexpressionsof*theirsovereign，slewthecelebratedThomas-a-Becket。
spirit，areextinct！andalthoughReginaldFitzursehathleftason，hehathfallenofffromhisfather’sfidelityandcourage。’’
``Hehasfallenofffromneither，’’saidWaldemarFitzurse；``andsinceitmaynotbetterbe，I
willtakeonmetheconductofthisperilousenterprise。
Dearly，however，didmyfatherpurchasethepraiseofazealousfriend；andyetdidhisproofofloyaltytoHenryfallfarshortofwhatIamabouttoafford；forratherwouldIassailawholecalendarofsaints，thanputspearinrestagainstCur-de-Lion——
DeBracy，totheeImusttrusttokeepupthespiritsofthedoubtful，andtoguardPrinceJohn’sperson。IfyoureceivesuchnewsasItrusttosendyou，ourenterprisewillnolongerwearadoubtfulaspect——Page，’’hesaid，``hietomylodgings，andtellmyarmourertobethereinreadiness；
andbidStephenWetheral，BroadThoresby，andtheThreeSpearsofSpyinghow，cometomeinstantly；
andletthescout-master，HughBardon，attendmealso——Adieu，myPrince，tillbettertimes。’’Thusspeaking，helefttheapartment。
``Hegoestomakemybrotherprisoner，’’saidPrinceJohntoDeBracy，``withaslittletouchofcompunction，asifitbutconcernedthelibertyofaSaxonfranklin。Itrusthewillobserveourorders，anduseourdearRichard’spersonwithallduerespect。’’
DeBracyonlyansweredbyasmile。
``BythelightofOurLady’sbrow，’’saidPrinceJohn，``ourorderstohimweremostprecise——
thoughitmaybeyouheardthemnot，aswestoodtogetherintheorielwindow——MostclearandpositivewasourchargethatRichard’ssafetyshouldbecaredfor，andwoetoWaldemar’sheadifhetransgressit！’’
``Ihadbetterpasstohislodgings，’’saidDeBracy，``andmakehimfullyawareofyourGrace’spleasure；for，asitquiteescapedmyear，itmaynotperchancehavereachedthatofWaldemar。’’
``Nay，nay，’’saidPrinceJohn，impatiently，``I
promisetheeheheardme；and，besides，Ihavefartheroccupationforthee。Maurice，comehither；
letmeleanonthyshoulder。’’
Theywalkedaturnthroughthehallinthisfamiliarposture，andPrinceJohn，withanairofthemostconfidentialintimacy，proceededtosay，``WhatthinkestthouofthisWaldemarFitzurse，myDeBracy?——HetruststobeourChancellor。
Surelywewillpauseerewegiveanofficesohightoonewhoshowsevidentlyhowlittlehereverencesourblood，byhissoreadilyundertakingthisenterpriseagainstRichard。Thoudostthink，Iwarrant，thatthouhastlostsomewhatofourregard，bythyboldlydecliningthisunpleasingtask——Butno，Maurice！Iratherhonourtheeforthyvirtuousconstancy。Therearethingsmostnecessarytobedone，theperpetratorofwhichweneitherlovenorhonour；andtheremayberefusalstoserveus，whichshallratherexaltinourestimationthosewhodenyourrequest。ThearrestofmyunfortunatebrotherformsnosuchgoodtitletothehighofficeofChancellor，asthychivalrousandcourageousdenialestablishesintheetothetruncheonofHighMarshal。Thinkofthis，DeBracy，andbegonetothycharge。’’
``Fickletyrant！’’mutteredDeBracy，asheleftthepresenceofthePrince；``evilluckhavetheywhotrustthee。ThyChancellor，indeed！——Hewhohaththekeepingofthyconscienceshallhaveaneasycharge，Itrow。ButHighMarshalofEngland！that，’’hesaid，extendinghisarm，asiftograspthebatonofoffice，andassumingaloftierstridealongtheantechamber，``thatisindeedaprizeworthplayingfor！’’
DeBracyhadnosoonerlefttheapartmentthanPrinceJohnsummonedanattendant。
``BidHughBardon，ourscout-master，comehither，assoonasheshallhavespokenwithWaldemarFitzurse。’’
Thescout-masterarrivedafterabriefdelay，duringwhichJohntraversedtheapartmentwith，unequalanddisorderedsteps。
``Bardon，’’saidhe，``whatdidWaldemardesireofthee?’’
``Tworesolutemen，wellacquaintedwiththesenorthernwilds，andskilfulintrackingthetreadofmanandhorse。’’
``Andthouhastfittedhim?’’
``Letyourgracenevertrustmeelse，’’answeredthemasterofthespies。``OneisfromHexamshire；
heiswonttotracetheTynedaleandTeviotdalethieves，asabloodhoundfollowstheslotofahurtdeer。TheotherisYorkshirebred，andhastwangedhisbowstringrightoftinmerrySherwood；
heknowseachgladeanddingle，copseandhigh-wood，betwixtthisandRichmond。’’
``’Tiswell，’’saidthePrince——``GoesWaldemarforthwiththem?’’
``Instantly，’’saidBardon。
``Withwhatattendance?’’askedJohn，carelessly。
``BroadThoresbygoeswithhim，andWetheral，whomtheycall，forhiscruelty，StephenSteel-heart；
andthreenorthernmen-at-armsthatbelongedtoRalphMiddleton’sgang——theyarecalledtheSpearsofSpyinghow。’’
``’Tiswell，’’saidPrinceJohn；thenadded，afteramoment’spause，``Bardon，itimportsourservicethatthoukeepastrictwatchonMauriceDeBracy——sothatheshallnotobserveit，however——Andletusknowofhismotionsfromtimetotime——
withwhomheconverses，whatheproposeth。Failnotinthis，asthouwiltbeanswerable。’’
HughBardonbowed，andretired。
``IfMauricebetraysme，’’saidPrinceJohn——
``ifhebetraysme，ashisbearingleadsmetofear，Iwillhavehishead，wereRichardthunderingatthegatesofYork。’’
CHAPTERXXXV
ArousethetigerofHyrcaniandeserts，Strivewiththehalf-starvedlionforhisprey；
Lessertherisk，thanrousetheslumberingfireOfwildFanaticism。
_Anonymus_。
OurtalenowreturnstoIsaacofYork——Mounteduponamule，thegiftoftheOutlaw，withtwotallyeomentoactashisguardandguides，theJewhadsetoutforthePreceptoryofTemplestowe，forthepurposeofnegotiatinghisdaughter’sredemption。
ThePreceptorywasbutaday’sjourneyfromthedemolishedcastleofTorquilstone，andtheJewhadhopedtoreachitbeforenightfall；accordingly，havingdismissedhisguidesatthevergeoftheforest，andrewardedthemwithapieceofsilver，hebegantopressonwithsuchspeedashiswearinesspermittedhimtoexert。ButhisstrengthfailedhimtotallyerehehadreachedwithinfourmilesoftheTemple-Court；rackingpainsshotalonghisbackandthroughhislimbs，andtheexcessiveanguishwhichhefeltatheartbeingnowaugmentedbybodilysuffering，hewasrenderedaltogetherincapableofproceedingfartherthanasmallmarket-town，weredweltaJewishRabbiofhistribe，eminentinthemedicalprofession，andtowhomIsaacwaswellknown。NathanBenIsraelreceivedhissufferingcountrymanwiththatkindnesswhichthelawprescribed，andwhichtheJewspractisedtoeachother。Heinsistedonhisbetakinghimselftorepose，andusedsuchremediesasweretheninmostreputetochecktheprogressofthefever，whichterror，fatigue，illusage，andsorrow，hadbroughtuponthepooroldJew。
Onthemorrow，whenIsaacproposedtoariseandpursuehisjourney，Nathanremonstratedagainsthispurpose，bothashishostandashisphysician。
Itmightcosthim，hesaid，hislife。ButIsaacreplied，thatmorethanlifeanddeathdependeduponhisgoingthatmorningtoTemplestowe。
``ToTemplestowe！’’saidhishostwithsurpriseagainfelthispulse，andthenmutteredtohimself，``Hisfeverisabated，yetseemshismindsomewhatalienatedanddisturbed。’’
``AndwhynottoTemplestowe?’’answeredhispatient。``Igrantthee，Nathan，thatitisadwellingofthosetowhomthedespisedChildrenofthePromiseareastumbling-blockandanabomination；
yetthouknowestthatpressingaffairsoftrafficsometimescarryusamongthesebloodthirstyNazarenesoldiers，andthatwevisitthePreceptoriesoftheTemplars，aswellastheCommanderiesoftheKnightsHospitallers，astheyarecalled。’’*
*TheestablishmentsoftheKnightTemplarswerecalled*Preceptories，andthetitleofthosewhopresidedintheOrder*wasPreceptor；astheprincipalKnightsofSaintJohnwere*termedCommanders，andtheirhousesCommanderies。But*thesetermsweresometimes，itwouldseem，usedindiscriminately。
``Iknowitwell，’’saidNathan；``butwottestthouthatLucasdeBeaumanoir，thechiefoftheirOrder，andwhomtheytermGrandMaster，isnowhimselfatTemplestowe?’’
``Iknowitnot，’’saidIsaac；``ourlastlettersfromourbrethrenatParisadvisedusthathewasatthatcity，beseechingPhilipforaidagainsttheSultanSaladine。’’