HavingthusformallyintroducedthegueststothedifferentchambersinwhichtheobsequiesofAthelstanewerecelebratedunderdifferentforms，Cedricconductedthemintoasmallroom，destined，asheinformedthem，fortheexclusiveaccomodationofhonourableguests，whosemoreslightconnexionwiththedeceasedmightrenderthemunwillingtojointhosewhowereimmediatelyeffectedbytheunhappyevent。Heassuredthemofeveryaccommodation，andwasabouttowithdrawwhentheBlackKnighttookhishand。
``Icravetoremindyou，nobleThane，’’hesaid，thatwhenwelastparted，youpromised，fortheserviceIhadthefortunetorenderyou，tograntmeaboon。’’
``Itisgrantederenamed，nobleKnight，’’saidCedric；``yet，atthissadmoment——’’
``Ofthatalso，’’saidtheKing，``Ihavebethoughtme——butmytimeisbrief——neitherdoesitseemtomeunfit，that，whenclosingthegraveonthenobleAthelstane，weshoulddepositthereincertainprejudicesandhastyopinions。’’
``SirKnightoftheFetterlock，’’saidCedric，colouring，andinterruptingtheKinginhisturn，``Itrustyourboonregardsyourselfandnoother；
forinthatwhichconcernsthehonourofmyhouse，itisscarcefittingthatastrangershouldmingle。’’
``NordoIwishtomingle，’’saidtheKing，mildly，``unlessinsofarasyouwilladmitmetohaveaninterest。AsyetyouhaveknownmebutastheBlackKnightoftheFetterlock——KnowmenowasRichardPlantagenet。’’
``RichardofAnjou！’’exclaimedCedric，steppingbackwardwiththeutmostastonishment。
``No，nobleCedric——RichardofEngland！——
whosedeepestinterest——whosedeepestwish，istoseehersonsunitedwitheachother——And，hownow，worthyThane！hastthounokneeforthyprince?’’
``ToNormanblood，’’saidCedric，``ithathneverbended。’’
``Reservethinehomagethen，’’saidtheMonarch，``untilIshallprovemyrighttoitbymyequalprotectionofNormansandEnglish。’’
``Prince，’’answeredCedric，``Ihaveeverdonejusticetothybraveryandthyworth——NoramI
ignorantofthyclaimtothecrownthroughthydescentfromMatilda，niecetoEdgarAtheling，anddaughtertoMalcolmofScotland。ButMatilda，thoughoftheroyalSaxonblood，wasnottheheirtothemonarchy。’’
``Iwillnotdisputemytitlewiththee，nobleThane，’’saidRichard，calmly；``butIwillbidtheelookaroundthee，andseewherethouwiltfindanothertobeputintothescaleagainstit。’’
``Andhastthouwanderedhither，Prince，totellmeso?’’saidCedric——``Toupbraidmewiththeruinofmyrace，erethegravehasclosedo’erthelastscionofSaxonroyalty?’’——Hiscountenancedarkenedashespoke——``Itwasboldly——itwasrashlydone！’’
``Notso，bytheholyrood！’’repliedtheKing；
``itwasdoneinthefrankconfidencewhichonebravemanmayreposeinanother，withoutashadowofdanger。’’
``Thousayestwell，SirKing——forKingIownthouart，andwiltbe，despiteofmyfeebleopposition——
Idarenottaketheonlymodetopreventit，thoughthouhastplacedthestrongtemptationwithinmyreach！’’
``Andnowtomyboon，’’saidtheKing，``whichIasknotwithonejotthelossconfidence，thatthouhastrefusedtoacknowledgemylawfulsovereignty。
Irequireofthee，asamanofthyword，onpainofbeingheldfaithless，man-sworn，and_nidering_，*
*Infamous。
toforgiveandreceivetothypaternalaffectionthegoodknight，WilfredofIvanhoe。InthisreconciliationthouwiltownIhaveaninterest——
thehappinessofmyfriend，andthequellingofdissensionamongmyfaithfulpeople。’’
``AndthisisWilfred！’’saidCedric，pointingtohisson。
``Myfather！——myfather！’’saidIvanhoe，prostratinghimselfatCedric’sfeet，``grantmethyforgiveness！’’
``Thouhastit，myson，’’saidCedric，raisinghimup。``ThesonofHerewardknowshowtokeephisword，evenwhenithasbeenpassedtoaNorman。
ButletmeseetheeusethedressandcostumeofthyEnglishancestry——noshortcloaks，nogaybonnets，nofantasticplumageinmydecenthousehold。HethatwouldbethesonofCedric，mustshowhimselfofEnglishancestry——Thouartabouttospeak，’’headded，sternly，``andIguessthetopic。TheLadyRowenamustcompletetwoyears’mourning，asforabetrothedhusband——allourSaxonancestorswoulddisownuswerewetotreatofanewunionforhererethegraveofhimsheshouldhavewedded——
him，somuchthemostworthyofherhandbybirthandancestry——isyetclosed。TheghostofAthelstanehimselfwouldbursthisbloodycerementsandstandbeforeustoforbidsuchdishonourtohismemory。’’
ItseemedasifCedric’swordshadraisedaspectre；for，scarcehadheutteredthemerethedoorflewopen，andAthelstane，arrayedinthegarmentsofthegrave，stoodbeforethem，pale，haggard，andlikesomethingarisenfromthedead！*
*TheresuscitationofAthelstanehasbeenmuchcriticised，*astooviolentabreachofprobability，evenforaworkofsuch*fantasticcharacter。Itwasa_tour-de-force_，towhichtheauthor*wascompelledtohaverecourse，bythevehemententreatiesofhis*friendandprinter，whowasinconsolableontheSaxonbeing*conveyedtothetomb。
Theeffectofthisapparitiononthepersonspresentwasutterlyappalling。Cedricstartedbackasfarasthewalloftheapartmentwouldpermit，and，leaningagainstitasoneunabletosupporthimself，gazedonthefigureofhisfriendwitheyesthatseemedfixed，andamouthwhichheappearedincapableofshutting。Ivanhoecrossedhimself，repeatingprayersinSaxon，Latin，orNorman-French，astheyoccurredtohismemory，whileRichardalternatelysaid，_Benedicite_，andswore，_Mortdemavie！_
Inthemeantime，ahorriblenoisewasheardbelowstairs，somecrying，``Securethetreacherousmonks！’’——others，``Downwiththemintothedungeon！’’——
others，``Pitchthemfromthehighestbattlements！’’
``InthenameofGod！’’saidCedric，addressingwhatseemedthespectreofhisdepartedfriend，``ifthouartmortal，speak！——ifadepartedspirit，sayforwhatcausethoudostrevisitus，orifIcandoaughtthatcansetthyspiritatrepose——Livingordead，nobleAthelstane，speaktoCedric！’’
``Iwill，’’saidthespectre，verycomposedly，``whenIhavecollectedbreath，andwhenyougivemetime——Alive，saidstthou?——Iamasmuchaliveashecanbewhohasfedonbreadandwaterforthreedays，whichseemthreeages——Yes，breadandwater，FatherCedric！ByHeaven，andallsaintsinit，betterfoodhathnotpassedmyweasandforthreelivelongdays，andbyGod’sprovidenceitisthatI
amnowheretotellit。’’
``Why，nobleAthelstane，’’saidtheBlackKnight，``ImyselfsawyoustruckdownbythefierceTemplartowardstheendofthestormatTorquilstone，andasIthought，andWambareported，yourskullwascloventhroughtheteeth。’’
``Youthoughtamiss，SirKnight，’’saidAthelstane，``andWambalied。Myteethareingoodorder，andthatmysuppershallpresentlyfind——NothankstotheTemplarthough，whoseswordturnedinhishand，sothatthebladestruckmeflatlings，beingavertedbythehandleofthegoodmacewithwhichIwardedtheblow；hadmysteel-capbeenon，Ihadnotvalueditarush，andhaddealthimsuchacounter-buffaswouldhavespoilthisretreat。
Butasitwas，downIwent，stunned，indeed，butunwounded。Others，ofbothsides，werebeatendownandslaughteredaboveme，sothatIneverrecoveredmysensesuntilIfoundmyselfinacoffin——anopenone，bygoodluck——placedbeforethealtarofthechurchofSaintEdmund’s。Isneezedrepeatedly——groaned——awakenedandwouldhavearisen，whentheSacristanandAbbot，fullofterror，camerunningatthenoise，surprised，doubtless，andnowaypleasedtofindthemanalive，whoseheirstheyhadproposedthemselvestobe。Iaskedforwine——theygavemesome，butitmusthavebeenhighlymedicated，forIsleptyetmoredeeplythanbefore，andwakenednotformanyhours。I
foundmyarmsswatheddown——myfeettiedsofastthatmineanklesacheattheveryremembrance——
theplacewasutterlydark——theoubliette，asIsuppose，oftheiraccursedconvent，andfromtheclose，stifled，dampsmell，Iconceiveitisalsousedforaplaceofsepulture。Ihadstrangethoughtsofwhathadbefallenme，whenthedoorofmydungeoncreaked，andtwovillainmonksentered。TheywouldhavepersuadedmeIwasinpurgatory，butIknewtoowellthepursyshort-breathedvoiceoftheFatherAbbot——SaintJeremy！howdifferentfromthattonewithwhichheusedtoaskmeforanothersliceofthehaunch！——thedoghasfeastedwithmefromChristmastoTwelfth-night。’’
``Havepatience，nobleAthelstane，’’saidtheKing，``takebreath——tellyourstoryatleisure——
beshrewmebutsuchataleisaswellworthlisteningtoasaromance。’’
``Aybut，bytheroodofBromeholm，therewasnoromanceinthematter！’’saidAthelstane——``A
barleyloafandapitcherofwater——that_they_gaveme，theniggardlytraitors，whommyfather，andI
myself，hadenriched，whentheirbestresourcesweretheflitchesofbaconandmeasuresofcorn，outofwhichtheywheedledpoorserfsandbondsmen，inexchangefortheirprayers——thenestoffoulungratefulvipers——barleybreadandditchwaterto，suchapatronasIhadbeen！Iwillsmokethemoutoftheirnest，thoughIbeexcommunicated！’’
``But，inthenameofOurLady，nobleAthelstane，’’
saidCedric，graspingthehandofhisfriend，``howdidstthouescapethisimminentdanger——
didtheirheartsrelent?’’
``Didtheirheartsrelent！’’echoedAthelstane——
``Dorocksmeltwiththesun?Ishouldhavebeentherestill，hadnotsomestirintheConvent，whichIfindwastheirprocessionhitherwardtoeatmyfuneralfeast，whentheywellknewhowandwhereIhadbeenburiedalive，summonedtheswarmoutoftheirhive。Iheardthemdroningouttheirdeath-psalms，littlejudgingtheyweresunginrespectformysoulbythosewhowerethusfamishingmybody。Theywent，however，andI
waitedlongforfood——nowonder——thegoutySacristanwaseventoobusywithhisownprovendertomindmine。Atlengthdownhecame，withanunstablestepandastrongflavourofwineandspicesabouthisperson。Goodcheerhadopenedhisheart，forheleftmeanookofpastyandaflaskofwine，insteadofmyformerfare。Iate，drank，andwasinvigorated；when，toaddtomygoodluck，theSacristan，tootottytodischargehisdutyofturnkeyfitly，lockedthedoorbesidethestaple，sothatitfellajar。Thelight，thefood，thewine，setmyinventiontowork。Thestapletowhichmychainswerefixed，wasmorerustedthanIorthevillainAbbothadsupposed。Evenironcouldnotremainwithoutconsuminginthedampsofthatinfernaldungeon。’’
``Takebreath，nobleAthelstane，’saidRichard，``andpartakeofsomerefreshment，ereyouproceedwithatalesodreadful。’’