Thevictimofherwitcheriescanonlynamethefatalscroll，thespellinscribedonwhichis，doubtless，thecauseofhissilence。’’
ButRebeccaputanotherinterpretationonthewordsextortedasitwerefromBois-Guilbert，andglancinghereyeupontheslipofparchmentwhichshecontinuedtoholdinherhand，shereadwrittenthereuponintheArabiancharacter，_DemandaChampion！_ThemurmuringcommentarywhichranthroughtheassemblyatthestrangereplyofBois-Guilbert，gaveRebeccaleisuretoexamineandinstantlytodestroythescrollunobserved。Whenthewhisperhadceased，theGrandMasterspoke。
``Rebecca，thoucanstderivenobenefitfromtheevidenceofthisunhappyknight，forwhom，aswewellperceive，theEnemyisyettoopowerful。Hastthouaughtelsetosay?’’
``Thereisyetonechanceoflifelefttome，’’saidRebecca，``evenbyyourownfiercelaws。Lifehasbeenmiserable——miserable，atleast，oflate——butI
willnotcastawaythegiftofGod，whileheaffordsmethemeansofdefendingit。Idenythischarge——Imaintainmyinnocence，andIdeclarethefalsehoodofthisaccusation——Ichallengetheprivilegeoftrialbycombat，andwillappearbymychampion。’’
``Andwho，Rebecca，’’repliedtheGrandMaster，``willlaylanceinrestforasorceress?whowillbethechampionofaJewess?’’
``Godwillraisemeupachampion，’’saidRebecca——
``ItcannotbethatinmerryEngland——thehospitable，thegenerous，thefree，wheresomanyarereadytoperiltheirlivesforhonour，therewillnotbefoundonetofightforjustice。ButitisenoughthatIchallengethetrialbycombat——thereliesmygage。’’
Shetookherembroideredglovefromherhand，andflungitdownbeforetheGrandMasterwithanairofmingledsimplicityanddignity，whichexciteduniversalsurpriseandadmiration。
CHAPTERXXXVIII——
ThereIthrowmygage，ToproveitontheetotheextremestpointOfmartialdaring。
_RichardII。_
EvenLucasBeaumanoirhimselfwasaffectedbythemienandappearanceofRebecca。Hewasnotoriginallyacruelorevenasevereman；butwithpassionsbynaturecold，andwithahigh，thoughmistaken，senseofduty，hishearthadbeengraduallyhardenedbytheasceticlifewhichhepursued，thesupremepowerwhichheenjoyed，andthesupposednecessityofsubduinginfidelityanderadicatingheresy，whichheconceivedpeculiarlyincumbentonhim。Hisfeaturesrelaxedintheirusualseverityashegazeduponthebeautifulcreaturebeforehim，alone，unfriended，anddefendingherselfwithsomuchspiritandcourage。Hecrossedhimselftwice，asdoubtingwhencearosetheunwontedsofteningofaheart，whichonsuchoccasionsusedtoresembleinhardnessthesteelofhissword。Atlengthhespoke。
``Damsel，’’hesaid，``ifthepityIfeelfortheearisefromanypracticethineevilartshavemadeonme，greatisthyguilt。ButIratherjudgeitthekinderfeelingsofnature，whichgrievesthatsogoodlyaformshouldbeavesselofperdition。Repent，mydaughter——confessthywitchcrafts——turntheefromthineevilfaith——embracethisholyemblem，andallshallyetbewellwiththeehereandhereafter。Insomesisterhoodofthestrictestorder，shaltthouhavetimeforprayerandfittingpenance，andthatrepentancenottoberepentedof。Thisdoandlive——whathasthelawofMosesdonefortheethatthoushouldestdieforit?’’
``Itwasthelawofmyfathers，’’saidRebecca；
``itwasdeliveredinthundersandinstormsuponthemountainofSinai，incloudandinfire。This，ifyeareChristians，yebelieve——itis，yousay，recalled；
butsomyteachershavenottaughtme。’’
``Letourchaplain，’’saidBeaumanoir，``standforth，andtellthisobstinateinfidel——’’
``Forgivetheinterruption，’’saidRebecca，meekly；
``Iamamaiden，unskilledtodisputeformyreligion，butIcandieforit，ifitbeGod’swill——
Letmeprayyouranswertomydemandofachampion。’’
``Givemeherglove，’’saidBeaumanoir。``Thisisindeed，’’hecontinued，ashelookedattheflimsytextureandslenderfingers，``aslightandfrailgageforapurposesodeadly！——Seestthou，Rebecca，asthisthinandlightgloveofthineistooneofourheavysteelgauntlets，soisthycausetothatoftheTemple，foritisourOrderwhichthouhastdefied。’’
``Castmyinnocenceintothescale，’’answeredRebecca，``andthegloveofsilkshalloutweighthegloveofiron。’’
``Thenthoudostpersistinthyrefusaltoconfessthyguilt，andinthatboldchallengewhichthouhastmade?’’
``Idopersist，noblesir，’’answeredRebecca。
``Sobeitthen，inthenameofHeaven，’’saidtheGrandMaster；``andmayGodshowtheright！’’
``Amen，’’repliedthePreceptorsaroundhim，andthewordwasdeeplyechoedbythewholeassembly。
``Brethren，’’saidBeaumanoir，``youareawarethatwemightwellhaverefusedtothiswomanthebenefitofthetrialbycombat——butthoughaJewessandanunbeliever，sheisalsoastrangeranddefenceless，andGodforbidthatsheshouldaskthebenefitofourmildlaws，andthatitshouldberefusedtoher。Moreover，weareknightsandsoldiersaswellasmenofreligion，andshameitweretousuponanypretence，torefuseprofferedcombat。
Thus，therefore，standsthecase。Rebecca，thedaughterofIsaacofYork，is，bymanyfrequentandsuspiciouscircumstances，defamedofsorcerypractisedonthepersonofanobleknightofourholyOrder，andhathchallengedthecombatinproofofherinnocence。Towhom，reverendbrethren，isityouropinionthatweshoulddeliverthegageofbattle，naminghim，atthesametime，tobeourchampiononthefield?’’
``ToBriandeBois-Guilbert，whomitchieflyconcerns，’’saidthePreceptorofGoodalricke，``andwho，moreover，bestknowshowthetruthstandsinthismatter。’’
``Butif，’’saidtheGrandMaster，``ourbrotherBrianbeundertheinfluenceofacharmoraspell——wespeakbutforthesakeofprecaution，fortothearmofnoneofourholyOrderwouldwemorewillinglyconfidethisoramoreweightycause。’’
``Reverendfather，’’answeredthePreceptorofGoodalricke，``nospellcaneffectthechampionwhocomesforwardtofightforthejudgmentofGod。’’
``Thousayestright，brother，’’saidtheGrandMaster。``AlbertMalvoisin，givethisgageofbattletoBriandeBois-Guilbert——Itisourchargetothee，brother，’’hecontinued，addressinghimselftoBois-Guilbert，``thatthoudothybattlemanfully，nothingdoubtingthatthegoodcauseshalltriumph——
Anddothou，Rebecca，attend，thatweassigntheethethirddayfromthepresenttofindachampion。’’
``Thatisbutbriefspace，’’answeredRebecca，``forastranger，whoisalsoofanotherfaith，tofindonewhowilldobattle，wageringlifeandhonourforhercause，againstaknightwhoiscalledanapprovedsoldier。’’
``Wemaynotextendit，’’answeredtheGrandMaster；``thefieldmustbefoughteninourownpresence，anddiversweightycausescallusonthefourthdayfromhence。’’
``God’swillbedone！’’saidRebecca；``IputmytrustinHim，towhomaninstantisaseffectualtosaveasawholeage。’’
``Thouhastspokenwell，damsel，’’saidtheGrandMaster；``butwellknowwewhocanarrayhimselflikeanangeloflight。Itremainsbuttonameafittingplaceofcombat，and，ifitsohap，alsoofexecution——
WhereisthePreceptorofthishouse?’’
AlbertMalvoisin，stillholdingRebecca’sgloveinhishand，wasspeakingtoBois-Guilbertveryearnestly，butinalowvoice。
``How！’’saidtheGrandMaster，``willhenotreceivethegage?’’
``Hewill——hedoth，mostReverendFather，’’
saidMalvoisin，slippingthegloveunderhisownmantle。``Andfortheplaceofcombat，IholdthefittesttobethelistsofSaintGeorgebelongingtothisPreceptory，andusedbyusformilitaryexercise。’’
``Itiswell，’’saidtheGrandMaster——``Rebecca，inthoselistsshaltthouproducethychampion；andifthoufailesttodoso，orifthychampionshallbediscomfitedbythejudgmentofGod，thoushaltthendiethedeathofasorceress，accordingtodoom——Letthisourjudgmentberecorded，andtherecordreadaloud，thatnoonemaypretendignorance。’’
Oneofthechaplains，whoactedasclerkstothechapter，immediatelyengrossedtheorderinahugevolume，whichcontainedtheproceedingsoftheTemplarKnightswhensolemnlyassembledonsuchoccasions；andwhenhehadfinishedwriting，theotherreadaloudthesentenceoftheGrandMaster，which，whentranslatedfromtheNorman-Frenchinwhichitwascouched，wasexpressedasfollows——
``Rebecca，aJewess，daughterofIsaacofYork，beingattaintedofsorcery，seduction，andotherdamnablepractices，practisedonaKnightofthemostHolyOrderoftheTempleofZion，dothdenythesame；andsaith，thatthetestimonydeliveredagainstherthisdayisfalse，wicked，anddisloyal；
andthatbylawful_essoine_*ofherbodyasbeing*_Essoine_signifiesexcuse，andhererelatestotheappellant’s*privilegeofappearingbyherchampion，inexcuseofherown*persononaccountofhersex。
unabletocombatinherownbehalf，shedothoffer，byachampioninsteadthereof，toavouchhercase，heperforminghisloyal_devoir_inallknightlysort，withsucharmsastogageofbattledofullyappertain，andthatatherperilandcost。Andtherewithsheprofferedhergage。AndthegagehavingbeendeliveredtothenobleLordandKnight，BriandeBois-Guilbert，oftheHolyOrderoftheTempleofZion，hewasappointedtodothisbattle，inbehalfofhisOrderandhimself，asinjuredandimpairedbythepracticesoftheappellant。WhereforethemostreverendFatherandpuissantLord，LucasMarquisofBeaumanoir，didallowofthesaidchallenge，andofthesaid_essoine_oftheappellant’sbody，andassignedthethirddayforthesaidcombat，theplacebeingtheenclosurecalledthelistsofSaintGeorge，neartothePreceptoryofTemplestowe。
AndtheGrandMasterappointstheappellanttoappeartherebyherchampion，onpainofdoom，asapersonconvictedofsorceryorseduction；andalsothedefendantsotoappear，underthepenaltyofbeingheldandadjudgedrecreantincaseofdefault；
andthenobleLordandmostreverendFatheraforesaidappointedthebattletobedoneinhisownpresence，andaccordingtoallthatiscommendableandprofitableinsuchacase。AndmayGodaidthejustcause！’’
``Amen！’’saidtheGrandMaster；andthewordwasechoedbyallaround。Rebeccaspokenot，butshelookeduptoheaven，and，foldingherhands，remainedforaminutewithoutchangeofattitude。
ShethenmodestlyremindedtheGrandMaster，thatsheoughttobepermittedsomeopportunityoffreecommunicationwithherfriends，forthepurposeofmakingherconditionknowntothem，andprocuring，ifpossible，somechampiontofightinherbehalf。
``Itisjustandlawful，’’saidtheGrandMaster；
``choosewhatmessengerthoushalttrust，andheshallhavefreecommunicationwiththeeinthyprison-chamber。’’
``Isthere，’’saidRebecca，``anyonehere，who，eitherforloveofagoodcause，orforamplehire，willdotheerrandofadistressedbeing?’’
Allweresilent；fornonethoughtitsafe，inthepresenceoftheGrandMaster，toavowanyinterestinthecalumniatedprisoner，lestheshouldbesuspectedofleaningtowardsJudaism。Noteventheprospectofreward，farlessanyfeelingsofcompassionalone，couldsurmountthisapprehension。
Rebeccastoodforafewmomentsinindescribableanxiety，andthenexclaimed，``Isitreallythus?——
And，inEnglishland，amItobedeprivedofthepoorchanceofsafetywhichremainstome，forwantofanactofcharitywhichwouldnotberefusedtotheworstcriminal?’’
Higg，thesonofSnell，atlengthreplied，``Iambutamaimedman，butthatIcanatallstirormovewasowingtohercharitableassistance——Iwilldothineerrand，’’headded，addressingRebecca，``aswellasacrippledobjectcan，andhappyweremylimbsfleetenoughtorepairthemischiefdonebymytongue。Alas！whenIboastedofthycharity，IlittlethoughtIwasleadingtheeintodanger！’’
``God，’’saidRebecca，``isthedisposerofall。
HecanturnbackthecaptivityofJudah，evenbytheweakestinstrument。Toexecutehismessagethesnailisassureamessengerasthefalcon。SeekoutIsaacofYork——hereisthatwillpayforhorseandman——lethimhavethisscroll——IknownotifitbeofHeaventhespiritwhichinspiresme，butmosttrulydoIjudgethatIamnottodiethisdeath，andthatachampionwillberaisedupforme。Farewell！——Lifeanddeathareinthyhaste。’’