Shedrewherselfintoanattitudenotofdefiance，butofresolution，asonethatwouldavoidprovokingassault，yetwasresolutetorepelit，beingoffered，totheutmostofherpower。
``Youhavenoreasontofearme，Rebecca，’’saidtheTemplar；``OrifImustsoqualifymyspeech，youhaveatleast_now_noreasontofearme。’’
``Ifearyounot，SirKnight，’’repliedRebecca，althoughhershort-drawnbreathseemedtobelietheheroismofheraccentsmytrustisstrong，andIfeartheenot。’’
``Youhavenocause，’’answeredBois-Guilbert，gravely；``myformerfranticattemptsyouhavenotnowtodread。Withinyourcallareguards，overwhomIhavenoauthority。Theyaredesignedtoconductyoutodeath，Rebecca，yetwouldnotsufferyoutobeinsultedbyanyone，evenbyme，weremyfrenzy——forfrenzyitis——tourgemesofar。’’
``MayHeavenbepraised！’’saidtheJewess；
``deathistheleastofmyapprehensionsinthisdenofevil。’’
``Ay，’’repliedtheTemplar，``theideaofdeathiseasilyreceivedbythecourageousmind，whentheroadtoitissuddenandopen。Athrustwithalance，astrokewithasword，weretomelittle——
Toyou，aspringfromadizzybattlement，astrokewithasharpponiard，hasnoterrors，comparedwithwhateitherthinksdisgrace。Markme——I
saythis——perhapsmineownsentimentsofhonourarenotlessfantastic，Rebecca，thanthineare；butweknowalikehowtodieforthem。’’
``Unhappyman，’’saidtheJewess；``andartthoucondemnedtoexposethylifeforprinciples，ofwhichthysoberjudgmentdoesnotacknowledgethesolidity?Surelythisisapartingwithyourtreasureforthatwhichisnotbread——butdeemnotsoofme。Thyresolutionmayfluctuateonthewildandchangefulbillowsofhumanopinion，butmineisanchoredontheRockofAges。’’
``Silence，maiden，’’answeredtheTemplar；
``suchdiscoursenowavailsbutlittle。Thouartcondemnedtodienotasuddenandeasydeath，suchasmiserychooses，anddespairwelcomes，butaslow，wretched，protractedcourseoftorture，suitedtowhatthediabolicalbigotryofthesemencallsthycrime。’’
``Andtowhom——ifsuchmyfate——towhomdoIowethis?’’saidRebecca``surelyonlytohim，who，foramostselfishandbrutalcause，draggedmehither，andwhonow，forsomeunknownpurposeofhisown，strivestoexaggeratethewretchedfatetowhichheexposedme。’’
``Thinknot，’’saidtheTemplar，``thatIhavesoexposedthee；Iwouldhavebuckleredtheeagainstsuchdangerwithmyownbosom，asfreelyaseverIexposedittotheshaftswhichhadotherwisereachedthylife。’’
``Hadthypurposebeenthehonourableprotectionoftheinnocent，’’saidRebecca，``Ihadthankedtheeforthycare——asitis，thouhastclaimedmeritforitsooften，thatItelltheelifeisworthnothingtome，preservedatthepricewhichthouwouldstexactforit。’’
``Trucewiththineupbraidings，Rebecca，’’saidtheTemplar；``Ihavemyowncauseofgrief，andbrooknotthatthyreproachesshouldaddtoit。’’
``Whatisthypurpose，then，SirKnight?’’saidtheJewess；``speakitbriefly——Ifthouhastaughttodo，savetowitnessthemiserythouhastcaused，letmeknowit；andthen，ifsoitpleaseyou，leavemetomyself——thestepbetweentimeandeternityisshortbutterrible，andIhavefewmomentstoprepareforit。’’
``Iperceive，Rebecca，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``thatthoudostcontinuetoburdenmewiththechargeofdistresses，whichmostfainwouldIhaveprevented。’’
``SirKnight，’’saidRebecca，``Iwouldavoidreproaches——ButwhatismorecertainthanthatI
owemydeathtothineunbridledpassion?’’
``Youerr——youerr，’’——saidtheTemplar，hastily，``ifyouimputewhatIcouldneitherforeseenorpreventtomypurposeoragency——CouldI
guesstheunexpectedarrivalofyondotard，whomsomeflashesoffranticvalour，andthepraisesyieldedbyfoolstothestupidself-tormentsofanascetic，haveraisedforthepresentabovehisownmerits，abovecommonsense，aboveme，andabovethehundredsofourOrder，whothinkandfeelasmenfreefromsuchsillyandfantasticprejudicesasarethegroundsofhisopinionsandactions?’’
``Yet，’’saidRebecca，``yousateajudgeuponme，innocent——mostinnocent——asyouknewmetobe——youconcurredinmycondemnation，and，ifI
arightunderstood，areyourselftoappearinarmstoassertmyguilt，andassuremypunishment。’’
``Thypatience，maiden，’’repliedtheTemplar。
``Noraceknowssowellasthineowntribeshowtosubmittothetime，andsototrimtheirbarkastomakeadvantageevenofanadversewind。’’
``Lamentedbethehour，’’saidRebecca，``thathastaughtsucharttotheHouseofIsrael！butadversitybendstheheartasfirebendsthestubbornsteel，andthosewhoarenolongertheirowngovernors，andthedenizensoftheirownfreeindependentstate，mustcrouchbeforestrangers。Itisourcurse，SirKnight，deserved，doubtless，byourownmisdeedsandthoseofourfathers；butyou——
youwhoboastyourfreedomasyourbirthright，howmuchdeeperisyourdisgracewhenyoustooptosoothetheprejudicesofothers，andthatagainstyourownconviction?’’
``Yourwordsarebitter，Rebecca，’’saidBois-Guilbert，pacingtheapartmentwithimpatience，``butIcamenothithertobandyreproacheswithyou——KnowthatBois-Guilbertyieldsnottocreatedman，althoughcircumstancesmayforatimeinducehimtoalterhisplan。Hiswillisthemountainstream，whichmayindeedbeturnedforalittlespaceasidebytherock，butfailsnottofinditscoursetotheocean。Thatscrollwhichwarnedtheetodemandachampion，fromwhomcouldstthouthinkitcame，ifnotfromBois-Guilbert?Inwhomelsecouldstthouhaveexcitedsuchinterest?’’
``Abriefrespitefrominstantdeath，’’saidRebecca，``whichwilllittleavailme——wasthisallthoucouldstdoforone，onwhoseheadthouhastheapedsorrow，andwhomthouhastbroughtneareventothevergeofthetomb?’’
``Nomaiden，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``thiswas_not_
allthatIpurposed。Haditnotbeenfortheaccursedinterferenceofyonfanaticaldotard，andthefoolofGoodalricke，who，beingaTemplar，affectstothinkandjudgeaccordingtotheordinaryrulesofhumanity，theofficeoftheChampionDefenderhaddevolved，notonaPreceptor，butonaCompanionoftheOrder。ThenImyself——suchwasmypurpose——had，onthesoundingofthetrumpet，appearedinthelistsasthychampion，disguisedindeedinthefashionofarovingknight，whoseeksadventurestoprovehisshieldandspear；andthen，letBeaumanoirhavechosennotone，buttwoorthreeofthebrethrenhereassembled，Ihadnotdoubtedtocastthemoutofthesaddlewithmysinglelance。
Thus，Rebecca，shouldthineinnocencehavebeenavouched，andtothineowngratitudewouldIhavetrustedfortherewardofmyvictory。’’
``This，SirKnight，’’saidRebecca，``isbutidleboasting——abragofwhatyouwouldhavedonehadyounotfounditconvenienttodootherwise。
Youreceivedmyglove，andmychampion，ifacreaturesodesolatecanfindone，mustencounteryourlanceinthelists——yetyouwouldassumetheairofmyfriendandprotector！’’
``Thyfriendandprotector，’’saidtheTemplar，gravely，``Iwillyetbe——butmarkatwhatrisk，orratheratwhatcertainty，ofdishonour；andthenblamemenotifImakemystipulations，beforeI
offerupallthatIhavehithertohelddear，tosavethelifeofaJewishmaiden。’’
``Speak，’’saidRebecca；``Iunderstandtheenot。’’
``Well，then，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``Iwillspeakasfreelyaseverdiddotingpenitenttohisghostlyfather，whenplacedinthetrickyconfessional——
Rebecca，ifIappearnotintheselistsIlosefameandrank——losethatwhichisthebreathofmynostrils，theesteem，Imean，inwhichIamheldbymybrethren，andthehopesIhaveofsucceedingtothatmightyauthority，whichisnowwieldedbythebigoteddotardLucasdeBeaumanoir，butofwhichIshouldmakeadifferentuse。Suchismycertaindoom，exceptIappearinarmsagainstthycause。AccursedbeheofGoodalricke，whobaitedthistrapforme！anddoublyaccursedAlbertdeMalvoisin，whowithheldmefromtheresolutionI
hadformed，ofhurlingbackthegloveatthefaceofthesuperstitiousandsuperannuatedfool，wholistenedtoachargesoabsurd，andagainstacreaturesohighinmind，andsolovelyinformasthouart！’’
``Andwhatnowavailsrantorflattery?’’answeredRebecca。``Thouhastmadethychoicebetweencausingtobeshedthebloodofaninnocentwoman，orofendangeringthineownearthlystateandearthlyhopes——Whatavailsittoreckontogether?——thychoiceismade。’’
``No，Rebecca，’’saidtheknight，inasoftertone，anddrawingnearertowardsher；``mychoiceis=not=made——nay，mark，itisthinetomaketheelection。
IfIappearinthelists，Imustmaintainmynameinarms；andifIdoso，championedorunchampioned，thoudiestbythestakeandfaggot，fortherelivesnottheknightwhohathcopedwithmeinarmsonequalissue，orontermsofvantage，saveRichardCur-de-Lion，andhisminionofIvanhoe。Ivanhoe，asthouwellknowest，isunabletobearhiscorslet，andRichardisinaforeignprison。IfIappear，thenthoudiest，evenalthoughthycharmsshouldinstigatesomehot-headedyouthtoenterthelistsinthydefence。’’
``Andwhatavailsrepeatingthissooften?’’saidRebecca。
``Much，’’repliedtheTemplar；``forthoumustlearntolookatthyfateoneveryside。’’
``Well，then，turnthetapestry，’’saidtheJewess，``andletmeseetheotherside。’’
``IfIappear，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``inthefatallists，thoudiestbyaslowandcrueldeath，inpainsuchastheysayisdestinedtotheguiltyhereafter。
ButifIappearnot，thenamIadegradedanddishonouredknight，accusedofwitchcraftandofcommunionwithinfidels——theillustriousnamewhichbasgrownyetmoresoundermywearing，becomesahissingandareproach。Ilosefame，Ilosehonour，Ilosetheprospectofsuchgreatnessasscarceemperorsattainto——Isacrificemightyambition，I
destroyschemesbuiltashighasthemountainswithwhichheathenssaytheirheavenwasoncenearlyscaled——andyet，Rebecca，’’headded，throwinghimselfatherfeet，``thisgreatnesswillIsacrifice，thisfamewillIrenounce，thispowerwillI
forego，evennowwhenitishalfwithinmygrasp，ifthouwiltsay，Bois-Guilbert，Ireceivetheeformylover。’’
``Thinknotofsuchfoolishness，SirKnight，’’
answeredRebecca，``buthastentotheRegent，theQueenMother，andtoPrinceJohn——theycannot，inhonourtotheEnglishcrown，allowoftheproceedingsofyourGrandMaster。Soshallyougivemeprotectionwithoutsacrificeonyourpart，orthepretextofrequiringanyrequitalfromme。’’
``WiththeseIdealnot，’’hecontinued，holdingthetrainofherrobe——``itistheeonlyIaddress；
andwhatcancounterbalancethychoice?Bethinkthee，wereIafiend，yetdeathisaworse，anditisdeathwhoismyrival。’’
``Iweighnottheseevils，’’saidRebecca，afraidtoprovokethewildknight，yetequallydeterminedneithertoendurehispassion，norevenfeigntoendureit。``Beaman，beaChristian！Ifindeedthyfaithrecommendsthatmercywhichratheryourtonguesthanyouractionspretend，savemefromthisdreadfuldeath，withoutseekingarequitalwhichwouldchangethymagnanimityintobasebarter。’’