AlbertMalvoisinbowedandretired，——nottogivedirectionsforpreparingthehall，buttoseekoutBriandeBois-Guilbert，andcommunicatetohimhowmatterswerelikelytoterminate。Itwasnotlongerehefoundhim，foamingwithindignationatarepulsehehadanewsustainedfromthefairJewess。``Theunthinking，’’hesaid，``theungrateful，toscornhimwho，amidstbloodandflames，wouldhavesavedherlifeattheriskofhisown！
ByHeaven，Malvoisin！Iabodeuntilroofandrafterscrackledandcrashedaroundme。Iwasthebuttofahundredarrows；theyrattledonminearmourlikehailstonesagainstalatticedcasement，andtheonlyuseImadeofmyshieldwasforherprotection。ThisdidIendureforher；andnowtheself-willedgirlupbraidsmethatIdidnotleavehertoperish，andrefusesmenotonlytheslightestproofofgratitude，buteventhemostdistanthopethatevershewillbebroughttograntany。Thedevil，thatpossessedherracewithobstinacy，hasconcentrateditsfullforceinhersingleperson！’’
``Thedevil，’’saidthePreceptor，``Ithink，possessedyouboth。HowofthaveIpreachedtoyoucaution，ifnotcontinence?DidInottellyouthattherewereenoughwillingChristiandamselstobemetwith，whowouldthinkitsintorefusesobraveaknight_ledond’amoureuxmerci_，andyoumustneedsanchoryouraffectiononawilful，obstinateJewess！Bythemass，IthinkoldLucasBeaumanoirguessesright，whenhemaintainsshehathcastaspelloveryou。’’
``LucasBeaumanoir！’’——saidBois-Guilbertreproachfully——``Aretheseyourprecautions，Malvoisin?
HastthousufferedthedotardtolearnthatRebeccaisinthePreceptory?’’
``HowcouldIhelpit?’’saidthePreceptor。``I
neglectednothingthatcouldkeepsecretyourmystery；
butitisbetrayed，andwhetherbythedevilorno，thedevilonlycantell。ButIhaveturnedthematterasIcould；youaresafeifyourenounceRebecca。Youarepitied——thevictimofmagicaldelusion。Sheisasorceress，andmustsufferassuch。’’
``Sheshallnot，byHeaven！’’saidBois-Guilbert。
``ByHeaven，shemustandwill！’’saidMalvoisin。
``Neitheryounoranyoneelsecansaveher。
LucasBeaumanoirhathsettledthatthedeathofaJewesswillbeasin-offeringsufficienttoatoneforalltheamorousindulgencesoftheKnightsTemplars；
andthouknowesthehathboththepowerandwilltoexecutesoreasonableandpiousapurpose。’’
``Willfutureagesbelievethatsuchstupidbigotryeverexisted！’’saidBois-Guilbert，stridingupanddowntheapartment。
``Whattheymaybelieve，Iknownot，’’saidMalvoisin，calmly；``butIknowwell，thatinthisourday，clergyandlaymen，takeninety-ninetothehundred，willcry_amen_totheGrandMaster’ssentence。’’
``Ihaveit，’’saidBois-Guilbert。``Albert，thouartmyfriend。Thoumustconniveatherescape，Malvoisin，andIwilltransporthertosomeplaceofgreatersecurityandsecrecy。’’
``Icannot，ifIwould，’’repliedthePreceptor；
``themansionisfilledwiththeattendantsoftheGrandMaster，andotherswhoaredevotedtohim。
And，tobefrankwithyou，brother，Iwouldnotembarkwithyouinthismatter，evenifIcouldhopetobringmybarktohaven。Ihaveriskedenoughalreadyforyoursake。Ihavenomindtoencounterasentenceofdegradation，oreventolosemyPreceptory，forthesakeofapaintedpieceofJewishfleshandblood。Andyou，ifyouwillbeguidedbymycounsel，willgiveupthiswild-goosechase，andflyyourhawkatsomeothergame。
Think，Bois-Guilbert，——thypresentrank，thyfuturehonours，alldependonthyplaceintheOrder。
ShouldstthouadhereperverselytothypassionforthisRebecca，thouwiltgiveBeaumanoirthepowerofexpellingthee，andhewillnotneglectit。Heisjealousofthetruncheonwhichheholdsinhistremblinggripe，andheknowsthoustretchestthyboldhandtowardsit。Doubtnothewillruinthee，ifthouaffordesthimapretextsofairasthyprotectionofaJewishsorceress。Givehimhisscopeinthismatter，forthoucanstnotcontrolhim。
Whenthestaffisinthineownfirmgrasp，thoumayestcaressthedaughtersofJudah，orburnthem，asmaybestsuitthineownhumour。’’
``Malvoisin，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``thouartacold-blooded——’’
``Friend，’’saidthePreceptor，hasteningtofilluptheblank，inwhichBois-Guilbertwouldprobablyhaveplacedaworseword，——``acold-bloodedfriendIam，andthereforemorefittogivetheeadvice。
Itelltheeoncemore，thatthoucanstnotsaveRebecca。Itelltheeoncemore，thoucanstbutperishwithher。GohietheetotheGrandMaster——throwthyselfIthisfeetandtellhim——’’
``Notathisfeet，byHeaven！buttothedotard’sverybeardwillIsay——’’
``Saytohim，then，tohisbeard，’’continuedMalvoisin，coolly，``thatyoulovethiscaptiveJewesstodistraction；andthemorethoudostenlargeonthypassion，thegreaterwillbehishastetoenditbythedeathofthefairenchantress；whilethou，takeninflagrantdelictbytheavowalofacrimecontrarytothineoath，cansthopenoaidofthybrethren，andmustexchangeallthybrilliantvisionsofambitionandpower，toliftperhapsamercenaryspearinsomeofthepettyquarrelsbetweenFlandersandBurgundy。’’
``Thouspeakestthetruth，Malvoisin，’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，afteramoment’sreflection。``I
willgivethehoarybigotnoadvantageoverme；
andforRebecca，shehathnotmeritedatmyhandthatIshouldexposerankandhonourforhersake。
Iwillcastheroff——yes，Iwillleavehertoherfate，unless——’’
``Qualifynotthywiseandnecessaryresolution，’’
saidMalvoisin；``womenarebutthetoyswhichamuseourlighterhours——ambitionistheseriousbusinessoflife。PerishathousandsuchfrailbaublesasthisJewess，beforethymanlysteppauseinthebrilliantcareerthatliesstretchedbeforethee！
Forthepresentwepart，normustwebeseentoholdcloseconversation——Imustorderthehallforhisjudgment-seat。’’
``What！’’saidBois-Guilbert，``sosoon?’’
``Ay，’’repliedthePreceptor，``trialmovesrapidlyonwhenthejudgehasdeterminedthesentencebeforehand。’’
``Rebecca，’’saidBois-Guilbert，whenhewasleftalone，``thouartliketocostmedear——WhycannotIabandontheetothyfate，asthiscalmhypocriterecommends?——OneeffortwillImaketosavethee——butbewareofingratitude！forifIamagainrepulsed，myvengeanceshallequalmylove。ThelifeandhonourofBois-Guilbertmustnotbehazarded，wherecontemptandreproachesarehisonlyreward。’’
ThePreceptorhadhardlygiventhenecessaryorders，whenhewasjoinedbyConradeMont-Fitchet，whoacquaintedhimwiththeGrandMaster’sresolutiontobringtheJewesstoinstanttrialforsorcery。
``Itissurelyadream，’’saidthePreceptor；``wehavemanyJewishphysicians，andwecallthemnotwizardsthoughtheyworkwonderfulcures。’’
``TheGrandMasterthinksotherwise，’’saidMont-Fitchet；``and，Albert，Iwillbeuprightwiththee——wizardornot，itwerebetterthatthismiserabledamseldie，thanthatBriandeBois-GuilbertshouldbelosttotheOrder，ortheOrderdividedbyinternaldissension。Thouknowesthishighrank，hisfameinarms——thouknowestthezealwithwhichmanyofourbrethrenregardhim——butallthiswillnotavailhimwithourGrandMaster，shouldheconsiderBrianastheaccomplice，notthevictim，ofthisJewess。Werethesoulsofthetwelvetribesinhersinglebody，itwerebettershesufferedalone，thanthatBois-Guilbertwerepartnerinherdestruction。’’
``Ihavebeenworkinghimevennowtoabandonher，’’saidMalvoisin；``butstill，aretheregroundsenoughtocondemnthisRebeccaforsorcery?——
WillnottheGrandMasterchangehismindwhenheseesthattheproofsaresoweak?’’
``Theymustbestrengthened，Albert，’’repliedMont-Fitchet，``theymustbestrengthened。Dostthouunderstandme?’’
``Ido，’’saidthePreceptor，``nordoIscrupletodoaughtforadvancementoftheOrder——butthereislittletimetofindenginesfitting。’’
``Malvoisin，they_must_befound，’’saidConrade；
``wellwillitadvantageboththeOrderandthee。
ThisTemplestoweisapoorPreceptory——thatofMaison-Dieuisworthdoubleitsvalue——thouknowestmyinterestwithouroldChief——findthosewhocancarrythismatterthrough，andthouartPreceptorofMaison-DieuinthefertileKent——
Howsaystthou?’’
``Thereis，’’repliedMalvoisin，``amongthosewhocamehitherwithBois-Guilbert，twofellowswhomIwellknow；servantstheyweretomybrotherPhilipdeMalvoisin，andpassedfromhisservicetothatofFront-de-Buf——Itmaybetheyknowsomethingofthewitcheriesofthiswoman。’’
``Away，seekthemoutinstantly——andharkthee，ifabyzantortwowillsharpentheirmemory，letthemnotbewanting。’’
``Theywouldswearthemotherthatborethemasorceressforazecchin，’’saidthePreceptor。
``Away，then，’’saidMont-Fitchet；``atnoontheaffairwillproceed。IhavenotseenourseniorinsuchearnestpreparationsincehecondemnedtothestakeHametAlfagi，aconvertwhorelapsedtotheMoslemfaith。’’
Theponderouscastle-bellhadtolledthepointofnoon，whenRebeccaheardatramplingoffeetupontheprivatestairwhichledtoherplaceofconfinement。
Thenoiseannouncedthearrivalofseveralpersons，andthecircumstancerathergaveherjoy；
forshewasmoreafraidofthesolitaryvisitsofthefierceandpassionateBois-Guilbertthanofanyevilthatcouldbefallherbesides。Thedoorofthechamberwasunlocked，andConradeandthePreceptorMalvoisinentered，attendedbyfourwardersclothedinblack，andbearinghalberds。
``Daughterofanaccursedrace！’’saidthePreceptor，``ariseandfollowus。’’
``Whither，’’saidRebecca，``andforwhatpurpose?’’
``Damsel，’’answeredConrade，``itisnotfortheetoquestion，buttoobey。Nevertheless，beitknowntothee，thatthouarttobebroughtbeforethetribunaloftheGrandMasterofourholyOrder，theretoanswerforthineoffences。’’
``MaytheGodofAbrahambepraised！’’saidRebecca，foldingherhandsdevoutly；``thenameofajudge，thoughanenemytomypeople，istomeasthenameofaprotector。MostwillinglydoI
followthee——permitmeonlytowrapmyveilaroundmyhead。’’
Theydescendedthestairwithslowandsolemnstep，traversedalonggallery，and，byapairoffoldingdoorsplacedattheend，enteredthegreathallinwhichtheGrandMasterhadforthetimeestablishedhiscourtofjustice。