``HehathsincecometoEngland，unexpectedbyhisbrethren，’’saidBenIsrael；``andhecomethamongthemwithastrongandoutstretchedarmtocorrectandtopunish。Hiscountenanceiskindledinangeragainstthosewhohavedepartedfromthevowwhichtheyhavemade，andgreatisthefearofthosesonsofBelial。Thoumusthaveheardofhisname?’’
``Itiswellknownuntome，’’saidIsaac；``theGentilesdeliverthisLucasBeaumanoirasamanzealoustoslayingforeverypointoftheNazarenelaw；andourbrethrenhavetermedhimafiercedestroyeroftheSaracens，andacrueltyranttotheChildrenofthePromise。’’
``Andtrulyhavetheytermedhim，’’saidNathanthephysician。``OtherTemplarsmaybemovedfromthepurposeoftheirheartbypleasure，orbribedbypromiseofgoldandsilver；butBeaumanoirisofadifferentstamp——hatingsensuality，despisingtreasure，andpressingforwardtothatwhichtheycallthecrownofmartyrdom——TheGodofJacobspeedilysendituntohim，anduntothemall！SpeciallyhaththisproudmanextendedhisgloveoverthechildrenofJudah，asholyDavidoverEdom，holdingthemurderofaJewtobeallofferingofassweetsavourasthedeathofaSaracen。
Impiousandfalsethingshashesaidevenofthevirtuesofourmedicines，asiftheywerethedevicesofSatan——TheLordrebukehim！’’
``Nevertheless，’’saidIsaac，``ImustpresentmyselfatTemplestowe，thoughhehathmadehisfacelikeuntoafieryfurnaceseventimesheated。’’
HethenexplainedtoNathanthepressingcauseofhisjourney。TheRabbilistenedwithinterest，andtestifiedhissympathyafterthefashionofhispeople，rendinghisclothes，andsaying，``Ah，mydaughter！——ah，mydaughter！——Alas！forthebeautyofZion！——Alas！forthecaptivityofIsrael！’’
``Thouseest，’’saidIsaac，``howitstandswithme，andthatImaynottarry。Peradventure，thepresenceofthisLucasBeaumanoir，beingthechiefmanoverthem，mayturnBriandeBois-Guilbertfromtheillwhichhedothmeditate，andthathemaydelivertomemybeloveddaughterRebecca。’’
``Gothou，’’saidNathanBenIsrael，``andbewise，forwisdomavailedDanielinthedenoflionsintowhichhewascast；andmayitgowellwiththee，evenasthineheartwisheth。Yet，ifthoucanst，keeptheefromthepresenceoftheGrandMaster，fortodofoulscorntoourpeopleishismorningandeveningdelight。ItmaybeifthoucouldstspeakwithBois-Guilbertinprivate，thoushaltthebetterprevailwithhim；formensaythattheseaccursedNazarenesarenotofonemindinthePreceptory——
Maytheircounselsbeconfoundedandbroughttoshame！Butdothou，brother，returntomeasifitweretothehouseofthyfather，andbringmewordhowithasspedwiththee；andwelldoIhopethouwiltbringwiththeeRebecca，eventhescholarofthewiseMiriam，whosecurestheGentilesslanderedasiftheyhadbeenwroughtbynecromancy。’’
Isaacaccordinglybadehisfriendfarewell，andaboutanhour’sridingbroughthimbeforethePreceptoryofTemplestowe。
ThisestablishmentoftheTemplarswasseatedamidstfairmeadowsandpastures，whichthedevotionoftheformerPreceptorhadbestowedupontheirOrder。Itwasstrongandwellfortified，apointneverneglectedbytheseknights，andwhichthedisorderedstateofEnglandrenderedpeculiarlynecessary。Twohalberdiers，cladinblack，guardedthedrawbridge，andothers，inthesamesadlivery，glidedtoandfrouponthewallswithafunerealpace，resemblingspectresmorethansoldiers。TheinferiorofficersoftheOrderwerethusdressed，eversincetheiruseofwhitegarments，similartothoseoftheknightsandesquires，hadgivenrisetoacombinationofcertainfalsebrethreninthemountainsofPalestine，termingthemselvesTemplars，andbringinggreatdishonourontheOrder。A
knightwasnowandthenseentocrossthecourtinhislongwhitecloak，hisheaddepressedonhisbreast，andhisarmsfolded。Theypassedeachother，iftheychancedtomeet，withaslow，solemn，andmutegreeting；forsuchwastheruleoftheirOrder，quotingthereupontheholytexts，``Inmanywordsthoushaltnotavoidsin，’’and``Lifeanddeathareinthepowerofthetongue。’’Inaword，thesternasceticrigouroftheTemplediscipline，whichhadbeensolongexchangedforprodigalandlicentiousindulgence，seemedatoncetohaverevivedatTemplestoweunderthesevereeyeofLucasBeaumanoir。
Isaacpausedatthegate，toconsiderhowhemightseekentranceinthemannermostlikelytobespeakfavour；forhewaswellaware，thattohisunhappyracetherevivingfanaticismoftheOrderwasnotlessdangerousthantheirunprincipledlicentiousness；
andthathisreligionwouldbetheobjectofhateandpersecutionintheonecase，ashiswealthwouldhaveexposedhimintheothertotheextortionsofunrelentingoppression。
MeantimeLucasBeaumanoirwalkedinasmallgardenbelongingtothePreceptory，includedwithintheprecinctsofitsexteriorfortification，andheldsadandconfidentialcommunicationwithabrotherofhisOrder，whohadcomeinhiscompanyfromPalestine。
TheGrandMasterwasamanadvancedinage，aswastestifiedbyhislonggreybeard，andtheshaggygreyeyebrowsoverhangingeyes，ofwhich，however，yearshadbeenunabletoquenchthefire。
Aformidablewarrior，histhinandseverefeaturesretainedthesoldier’sfiercenessofexpression；anasceticbigot，theywerenolessmarkedbytheemaciationofabstinence，andthespiritualprideoftheself-satisfieddevotee。Yetwiththeseseverertraitsofphysiognomy，therewasmixedsomewhatstrikingandnoble，arising，doubtless，fromthegreatpartwhichhishighofficecalleduponhimtoactamongmonarchsandprinces，andfromthehabitualexerciseofsupremeauthorityoverthevaliantandhigh-bornknights，whowereunitedbytherulesoftheOrder。Hisstaturewastall，andhisgait，undepressedbyageandtoil，waserectandstately。
Hiswhitemantlewasshapedwithsevereregularity，accordingtotheruleofSaintBernardhimself，beingcomposedofwhatwasthencalledBurrelcloth，exactlyfittedtothesizeofthewearer，andbearingontheleftshouldertheoctangularcrosspeculiartotheOrder，formedofredcloth。Novairorerminedeckedthisgarment；butinrespectofhisage，theGrandMaster，aspermittedbytherules，worehisdoubletlinedandtrimmedwiththesoftestlambskin，dressedwiththewooloutwards，whichwasthenearestapproachhecouldregularlymaketotheuseoffur，thenthegreatestluxuryofdress。Inhishandheborethatsingular_abacus_，orstaffofoffice，withwhichTemplarsareusuallyrepresented，havingattheupperendaroundplate，onwhichwasengravedthecrossoftheOrder，inscribedwithinacircleororle，asheraldstermit。
Hiscompanion，whoattendedonthisgreatpersonage，hadnearlythesamedressinallrespects，buthisextremedeferencetowardshisSuperiorshowedthatnootherequalitysubsistedbetweenthem。ThePreceptor，forsuchhewasinrank，walkednotinalinewiththeGrandMaster，butjustsofarbehindthatBeaumanoircouldspeaktohimwithoutturningroundhishead。
``Conrade，’’saidtheGrandMaster，``dearcompanionofmybattlesandmytoils，tothyfaithfulbosomaloneIcanconfidemysorrows。TotheealonecanItellhowoft，sinceIcametothiskingdom，Ihavedesiredtobedissolvedandtobewiththejust。NotoneobjectinEnglandhathmetmineeyewhichitcouldrestuponwithpleasure，savethetombsofourbrethren，beneaththemassiveroofofourTempleChurchinyonderproudcapital。O，valiantRobertdeRos！didIexclaiminternally，asIgazeduponthesegoodsoldiersofthecross，wheretheyliesculpturedontheirsepulchres，——O，worthyWilliamdeMareschal！openyourmarblecells，andtaketoyourreposeawearybrother，whowouldratherstrivewithahundredthousandpagansthanwitnessthedecayofourHolyOrder！’’
``Itisbuttrue，’’answeredConradeMont-Fitchet；
``itisbuttootrue；andtheirregularitiesofourbrethreninEnglandareevenmoregrossthanthoseinFrance。’’
``Becausetheyaremorewealthy，’’answeredtheGrandMaster。``Bearwithme，brother，althoughIshouldsomethingvauntmyself。ThouknowestthelifeIhaveled，keepingeachpointofmyOrder，strivingwithdevilsembodiedanddisembodied，strikingdowntheroaringlion，whogoethaboutseekingwhombemaydevour，likeagoodknightanddevoutpriest，wheresoeverImetwithhim——
evenasblessedSaintBernardhathprescribedtousintheforty-fifthcapitalofourrule，_UtLeosemperferiatur_。*ButbytheHolyTemple！thezeal*IntheordinancesoftheKnightsoftheTemple，thisphrase*isrepeatedinavarietyofforms，andoccursinalmostevery*chapter，asifitwerethesignal-wordoftheOrder；whichmay*accountforitsbeingsofrequentlyputintheGrandMaster’s*month。
whichhathdevouredmysubstanceandmylife，yea，theverynervesandmarrowofmybones；bythatveryHolyTempleIsweartothee，thatsavethyselfandsomefewthatstillretaintheancientseverityofourOrder，IlookuponnobrethrenwhomIcanbringmysoultoembraceunderthatholyname。Whatsayourstatutes，andhowdoourbrethrenobservethem?Theyshouldwearnovainorworldlyornament，nocrestupontheirhelmet，nogolduponstirruporbridle-bit；yetwhonowgoprankedoutsoproudlyandsogailyasthepoorsoldiersoftheTemple?Theyareforbiddenbyourstatutestotakeonebirdbymeansofanother，toshootbeastswithboworarblast，tohallootoahunting-horn，ortospurthehorseaftergame。Butnow，athuntingandhawking，andeachidlesportofwoodandriver，whosopromptastheTemplarsinallthesefondvanities?Theyareforbiddentoread，savewhattheirSuperiorpermitted，orlistentowhatisread，savesuchholythingsasmayberecitedaloudduringthehoursofrefaction；butlo！
theirearsareatthecommandofidleminstrels，andtheireyesstudyemptyromaunts。Theywerecommandedtoextirpatemagicandheresy。Lo！theyarechargedwithstudyingtheaccursedcabalisticalsecretsoftheJews，andthemagicofthePaynimSaracens。Simplenessofdietwasprescribedtothem，roots，pottage，gruels，eatingfleshbutthricea-week，becausetheaccustomedfeedingonfleshisadishonourablecorruptionofthebody；andbehold，theirtablesgroanunderdelicatefare！Theirdrinkwastobewater，andnow，todrinklikeaTemplar，istheboastofeachjollybooncompanion！
Thisverygarden，filledasitiswithcuriousherbsandtreessentfromtheEasternclimes，betterbecomestheharemofanunbelievingEmir，thantheplotwhichChristianMonksshoulddevotetoraisetheirhomelypot-herbs——AndO，Conrade！wellitwerethattherelaxationofdisciplinestoppedevenhere！——Wellthouknowestthatwewereforbiddentoreceivethosedevoutwomen，whoatthebeginningwereassociatedassistersofourOrder，because，saiththeforty-sixthchapter，theAncientEnemyhath，byfemalesociety，withdrawnmanyfromtherightpathtoparadise。Nay，inthelastcapital，being，asitwere，thecope-stonewhichourblessedfounderplacedonthepureandundefileddoctrinewhichhehadenjoined，weareprohibitedfromoffering，eventooursistersandourmothers，thekissofaffection——_-utomniummulierumfugianturoscula_——Ishametospeak——Ishametothink