amnotnaturallythatwhichyouhaveseenme，hard，selfish，andrelentless。Itwaswomanthattaughtmecruelty，andonwomanthereforeIhaveexercisedit；butnotuponsuchasthou。Hearme，Rebecca——NeverdidknighttakelanceinhishandwithaheartmoredevotedtotheladyofhislovethanBriandeBois-Guilbert。She，thedaughterofapettybaron，whoboastedforallhisdomainsbutaruinoustower，andanunproductivevineyard，andsomefewleaguesofthebarrenLandesofBourdeaux，hernamewasknownwhereverdeedsofarmsweredone，knownwiderthanthatofmanyalady’sthathadacountyforadowery——Yes，’’hecontinued，pacingupanddownthelittleplatform，withananimationinwhichheseemedtoloseallconsciousnessofRebecca’spresence——``Yes，mydeeds，mydanger，myblood，madethenameofAdelaidedeMontemareknownfromthecourtofCastiletothatofByzantium。AndhowwasIrequited?——
　　WhenIreturnedwithmydear-boughthonours，purchasedbytoilandblood，IfoundherweddedtoaGasconsquire，whosenamewasneverheardbeyondthelimitsofhisownpaltrydomain！TrulydidIloveher，andbitterlydidIrevengemeofherbrokenfaith！Butmyvengeancehasrecoiledonmyself。SincethatdayIhaveseparatedmyselffromlifeanditsties——Mymanhoodmustknownodomestichome——mustbesoothedbynoaffectionatewife——Myagemustknownokindlyhearth——
　　Mygravemustbesolitary，andnooffspringmustoutliveme，tobeartheancientnameofBois-Guilbert。
　　AtthefeetofmySuperiorIhavelaiddowntherightofself-action——theprivilegeofindependence。
　　TheTemplar，aserfinallbutthename，canpossessneitherlandsnorgoods，andlives，moves，andbreathes，butatthewillandpleasureofanother。’’
　　``Alas！’’saidRebecca，``whatadvantagescouldcompensateforsuchanabsolutesacrifice?’’
　　``Thepowerofvengeance，Rebecca，’’repliedtheTemplar，``andtheprospectsofambition。’’
　　``Anevilrecompense，’’saidRebecca，``forthesurrenderoftherightswhicharedearesttohumanity。’’
　　``Saynotso，maiden，’’answeredtheTemplar；
　　``revengeisafeastforthegods！Andiftheyhavereservedit，asprieststellus，tothemselves，itisbecausetheyholditanenjoymenttoopreciousforthepossessionofmeremortals——Andambition?itisatemptationwhichcoulddisturbeventheblissofheavenitself。’’——Hepausedamoment，andthenadded，``Rebecca！shewhocouldpreferdeathtodishonour，musthaveaproudandapowerfulsoul。
　　Minethoumustbe！——Nay，startnot，’’headded，``itmustbewiththineownconsent，andonthineownterms。Thoumustconsenttosharewithmehopesmoreextendedthancanbeviewedfromthethroneofamonarch！——Hearmeereyouanswerandjudgeereyourefuse——TheTemplarloses，asthouhastsaid，hissocialrights，hispoweroffreeagency，buthebecomesamemberandalimbofamightybody，beforewhichthronesalreadytremble，——evenasthesingledropofrainwhichmixeswiththeseabecomesanindividualpartofthatresistlessocean，whichunderminesrocksandingulfsroyalarmadas。
　　Suchaswellingfloodisthatpowerfulleague。
　　OfthismightyOrderIamnomeanmember，butalreadyoneoftheChiefCommanders，andmaywellaspireonedaytoholdthebatoonofGrandMaster。ThepoorsoldiersoftheTemplewillnotaloneplacetheirfootuponthenecksofkings——ahemp-sandall’dmonkcandothat。Ourmailedstepshallascendtheirthrone——ourgauntletshallwrenchthesceptrefromtheirgripe。Notthereignofyourvainly-expectedMessiahofferssuchpowertoyourdispersedtribesasmyambitionmayaimat。Ihavesoughtbutakindredspirittoshareit，andIhavefoundsuchinthee。’’
　　``Sayestthouthistooneofmypeople?’’answeredRebecca。``Bethinkthee——’’
　　``Answermenot，’’saidtheTemplar，``byurgingthedifferenceofourcreeds；withinoursecretconclavesweholdthesenurserytalesinderision。
　　Thinknotwelongremainedblindtotheidioticalfollyofourfounders，whoforsworeeverydelightoflifeforthepleasureofdyingmartyrsbyhunger，bythirst，andbypestilence，andbytheswordsofsavages，whiletheyvainlystrovetodefendabarrendesert，valuableonlyintheeyesofsuperstition。
　　OurOrdersoonadoptedbolderandwiderviews，andfoundoutabetterindemnificationforoursacrifices。
　　OurimmensepossessionsineverykingdomofEurope，ourhighmilitaryfame，whichbringswithinourcircletheflowerofchivalryfromeveryChristianclime——thesearededicatedtoendsofwhichourpiousfounderslittledreamed，andwhichareequallyconcealedfromsuchweakspiritsasembraceourOrderontheancientprinciples，andwhosesuperstitionmakesthemourpassivetools。
　　ButIwillnotfurtherwithdrawtheveilofourmysteries。Thatbugle-soundannouncessomethingwhichmayrequiremypresence。ThinkonwhatI
　　havesaid——Farewell！——IdonotsayforgivemetheviolenceIhavethreatened，foritwasnecessarytothedisplayofthycharacter。Goldcanbeonlyknownbytheapplicationofthetouchstone。I
　　willsoonreturn，andholdfurtherconferencewiththee。’’
　　Here-enteredtheturret-chamber，anddescendedthestair，leavingRebeccascarcelymoreterrifiedattheprospectofthedeathtowhichshehadbeensolatelyexposed，thanatthefuriousambitionoftheboldbadmaninwhosepowershefoundherselfsounhappilyplaced。Whensheenteredtheturret-chamber，herfirstdutywastoreturnthankstotheGodofJacobfortheprotectionwhichhehadaffordedher，andtoimploreitscontinuanceforherandforherfather。Anothernameglidedintoherpetition——itwasthatofthewoundedChristian，whomfatehadplacedinthehandsofbloodthirstymen，hisavowedenemies。Herheartindeedcheckedher，asif，evenincommuningwiththeDeityinprayer，shemingledinherdevotionstherecollectionofonewithwhosefateherscouldhavenoalliance——aNazarene，andanenemytoherfaith。
　　Butthepetitionwasalreadybreathed，norcouldallthenarrowprejudicesofhersectinduceRebeccatowishitrecalled。
　　CHAPTERXXV
　　Adamn’dcramppieceofpenmanshipaseverIsawinmylife！
　　_SheStoopstoConquer_。
　　WhentheTemplarreachedthehallofthecastle，hefoundDeBracyalreadythere。``Yourlove-suit，’’
　　saidDeBracy，``hath，Isuppose，beendisturbed，likemine，bythisobstreperoussummons。
　　Butyouhavecomelaterandmorereluctantly，andthereforeIpresumeyourinterviewhasprovedmoreagreeablethanmine。’’
　　``Hasyoursuit，then，beenunsuccessfullypaidtotheSaxonheiress?’’saidtheTemplar。
　　``BythebonesofThomasaBecket，’’answeredDeBracy，``theLadyRowenamusthaveheardthatIcannotendurethesightofwomen’stears。’’
　　``Away！’’saidtheTemplar；``thoualeaderofaFreeCompany，andregardawoman’stears！A
　　fewdropssprinkledonthetorchoflove，maketheflameblazethebrighter。’’
　　``Gramercyforthefewdropsofthysprinkling，’’
　　repliedDeBracy；``butthisdamselhathweptenoughtoextinguishabeacon-light。Neverwassuchwringingofhandsandsuchoverflowingofeyes，sincethedaysofStNiobe，ofwhomPriorAymertoldus。*Awater-fiendhathpossessedthe*IwishthePriorhadalsoinformedthemwhenNiobewas*sainted。Probablyduringthatenlightenedperiodwhen*
　　*``PantoMoseslenthispaganhorn。’’
　　*L。T。
　　fairSaxon。’’
　　``AlegionoffiendshaveoccupiedthebosomoftheJewess，’’repliedtheTemplar；``for，Ithinknosingleone，notevenApollyonhimself，couldhaveinspiredsuchindomitableprideandresolution——
　　ButwhereisFront-de-Buf?Thathornissoundedmoreandmoreclamorously。’’
　　``HeisnegotiatingwiththeJew，Isuppose，’’
　　repliedDeBracy，coolly；``probablythehowlsofIsaachavedrownedtheblastofthebugle。Thoumaystknow，byexperience，SirBrian，thataJewpartingwithhistreasuresonsuchtermsasourfriendFront-de-Bufisliketooffer，willraiseaclamourloudenoughtobeheardovertwentyhornsandtrumpetstoboot。Butwewillmakethevassalscallhim。’’
　　TheyweresoonafterjoinedbyFront-de-Buf，whohadbeendisturbedinhistyranniccrueltyinthemannerwithwhichthereaderisacquainted，andhadonlytarriedtogivesomenecessarydirections。
　　``Letusseethecauseofthiscursedclamour，’’
　　saidFront-de-Buf——``hereisaletter，and，ifI
　　mistakenot，itisinSaxon。’’
　　Helookedatit，turningitroundandroundasifhehadhadreallysomehopesofcomingatthemeaningbyinvertingthepositionofthepaper，andthenhandedittoDeBracy。
　　``ItmaybemagicspellsforaughtIknow，’’saidDeBracy，whopossessedhisfullproportionoftheignorancewhichcharacterisedthechivalryoftheperiod。``Ourchaplainattemptedtoteachmetowrite，’’hesaid，``butallmyletterswereformedlikespear-headsandsword-blades，andsotheoldshavelinggaveupthetask。’’
　　``Giveitme，’’saidtheTemplar。``Wehavethatofthepriestlycharacter，thatwehavesomeknowledgetoenlightenourvalour。’’
　　``Letusprofitbyyourmostreverendknowledge，then，’’saidDeBracy；``whatsaysthescroll?’’
　　``Itisaformalletterofdefiance，’’answeredtheTemplar；``but，byourLadyofBethlehem，ifitbenotafoolishjest，itisthemostextraordinarycartelthateverwassentacrossthedrawbridgeofabaronialcastle。’’
　　``Jest！’’saidFront-de-Buf，``Iwouldgladlyknowwhodaresjestwithmeinsuchamatter！——
　　Readit，SirBrian。’’
　　TheTemplaraccordinglyreaditasfollows：——
　　``I，Wamba，thesonofWitless，Jestertoanobleandfree-bornman，CedricofRotherwood，calledtheSaxon，——AndI，Gurth，thesonofBeowulph，theswineherd——’’
　　``Thouartmad，’’saidFront-de-Buf，interruptingthereader。
　　``ByStLuke，itissosetdown，’’answeredtheTemplar。Thenresuminghistask，hewenton，——
　　``I，Gurth，thesonofBeowulph，swineherduntothesaidCedric，withtheassistanceofouralliesandconfederates，whomakecommoncausewithusinthisourfeud，namely，thegoodknight，calledforthepresent_LeNoirFaineant_，andthestoutyeoman，RobertLocksley，calledCleave-the-wand，Doyou，ReginaldFrontde-Buf，andyouralliesandaccompliceswhomsoever，towit，thatwhereasyouhave，withoutcausegivenorfeuddeclared，wrongfullyandbymasteryseizeduponthepersonofourlordandmasterthesaidCedric；alsouponthepersonofanobleandfreeborndamsel，theLadyRowenaofHargottstandstede；alsouponthepersonofanobleandfreebornman，AthelstaneofConingsburgh；