``Iamready，’’answeredAthelstane，``tostandtheworstoftheirmalice，andshallwalktomydeathwithasmuchcomposureaseverIdidtomydinner。’’
　　``Letusthenuntoourholygear，father，’’saidCedric。
　　``Waityetamoment，gooduncle，’’saidtheJester，inhisnaturaltone；``betterlooklongbeforeyouleapinthedark。’’
　　``Bymyfaith，’’saidCedric，``Ishouldknowthatvoice！’’
　　``Itisthatofyourtrustyslaveandjester，’’answeredWamba，throwingbackhiscowl。``Hadyoutakenafool’sadviceformerly，youwouldnothavebeenhereatall。Takeafool’sadvicenow，andyouwillnotbeherelong。’’
　　``Howmean’stthou，knave?’’answeredtheSaxon。
　　``Eventhus，’’repliedWamba；``takethouthisfrockandcord，whicharealltheordersIeverhad，andmarchquietlyoutofthecastle，leavingmeyourcloakandgirdletotakethelongleapinthystead。’’
　　``Leavetheeinmystead！’’saidCedric，astonishedattheproposal；``why，theywouldhangthee，mypoorknave。’’
　　``E’enletthemdoastheyarepermitted，’’saidWamba；``Itrust——nodisparagementtoyourbirth——thatthesonofWitlessmayhanginachainwithasmuchgravityasthechainhunguponhisancestorthealderman。’’
　　``Well，Wamba，’’answeredCedric，``foronethingwillIgrantthyrequest。Andthatis，ifthouwiltmaketheexchangeofgarmentswithLordAthelstaneinsteadofme。’’
　　``No，byStDunstan，’’answeredWamba；``therewerelittlereasoninthat。Goodrightthereis，thatthesonofWitlessshouldsuffertosavethesonofHereward；butlittlewisdomtherewereinhisdyingforthebenefitofonewhosefatherswerestrangerstohis。’’
　　``Villain，’’saidCedric，``thefathersofAthelstaneweremonarchsofEngland！’’
　　``Theymightbewhomsoevertheypleased，’’repliedWamba；``butmyneckstandstoostraightuponmyshoulderstohaveittwistedfortheirsake。
　　Wherefore，goodmymaster，eithertakemyprofferyourself，orsuffermetoleavethisdungeonasfreeasIentered。’’
　　``Lettheoldtreewither，’’continuedCedric，``sothestatelyhopeoftheforestbepreserved。SavethenobleAthelstane，mytrustyWamba！itisthedutyofeachwhohasSaxonbloodinhisveins。
　　ThouandIwillabidetogethertheutmostrageofourinjuriousoppressors，whilehe，freeandsafe，shallarousetheawakenedspiritsofourcountrymentoavengeus。’’
　　``Notso，fatherCedric，’’saidAthelstane，graspinghishand，——for，whenrousedtothinkoract，hisdeedsandsentimentswerenotunbecominghishighrace——``Notso，’’hecontinued；``Iwouldratherremaininthishallaweekwithoutfoodsavetheprisoner’sstintedloaf，ordrinksavetheprisoner’smeasureofwater，thanembracetheopportunitytoescapewhichtheslave’suntaughtkindnesshaspurveyedforhismaster。’’
　　``Youarecalledwisemen，sirs，’’saidtheJester，``andIacrazedfool；but，uncleCedric，andcousinAthelstane，thefoolshalldecidethiscontroversyforye，andsaveyethetroubleofstrainingcourtesiesanyfarther。IamlikeJohn-a-Duck’smare，thatwillletnomanmountherbutJohn-a-Duck。
　　Icametosavemymaster，andifhewillnotconsent——
　　basta——Icanbutgoawayhomeagain。Kindservicecannotbechuckedfromhandtohandlikeashuttlecockorstool-ball。I’llhangfornomanbutmyownbornmaster。’’
　　``Go，then，nobleCedric，’’saidAthelstane，``neglectnotthisopportunity。Yourpresencewithoutmayencouragefriendstoourrescue——yourremainingherewouldruinusall。’’
　　``Andisthereanyprospect，then，ofrescuefromwithout?’’saidCedric，lookingtotheJester。
　　``Prospect，indeed！’’echoedWamba；``letmetellyou，whenyoufillmycloak，youarewrappedinageneral’scassock。Fivehundredmenaretherewithout，andIwasthismorningoneofthechiefleaders。Myfool’scapwasacasque，andmybaubleatruncheon。Well，weshallseewhatgoodtheywillmakebyexchangingafoolforawiseman。
　　Truly，Ifeartheywillloseinvalourwhattheymaygainindiscretion。Andsofarewell，master，andbekindtopoorGurthandhisdogFangs；andletmycockscombhanginthehallatRotherwood，inmemorythatIflungawaymylifeformymaster，likeafaithful——fool。’’
　　Thelastwordcameoutwithasortofdoubleexpression，betwixtjestandearnest。ThetearsstoodinCedric’seyes。
　　``Thymemoryshallbepreserved，’’hesaid，``whilefidelityandaffectionhavehonouruponearth！ButthatItrustIshallfindthemeansofsavingRowena，andthee，Athelstane，andthee，also，mypoorWamba，thoushouldstnotoverbearmeinthismatter。’’
　　Theexchangeofdresswasnowaccomplished，whenasuddendoubtstruckCedric。
　　``Iknownolanguage，’’hesaid，``butmyown，andafewwordsoftheirmincingNorman。HowshallIbearmyselflikeareverendbrother?’’
　　``Thespellliesintwowords，’’repliedWamba——
　　``_Paxvobiscum_willanswerallqueries。Ifyougoorcome，eatordrink，blessorban，_Paxvobiscum_
　　carriesyouthroughitall。Itisasusefultoafriarasabroomsticktoawitch，orawandtoaconjurer。
　　Speakitbutthus，inadeepgravetone，——_Paxvobiscum！_——itisirresistible——Watchandward，knightandsquire，footandhorse，itactsasacharmuponthemall。Ithink，iftheybringmeouttobehangedto-morrow，asismuchtobedoubtedtheymay，Iwilltryitsweightuponthefinisherofthesentence。’’
　　``Ifsuchprovethecase，’’saidthemaster，``myreligiousordersaresoontaken——_Paxvobiscum_。I
　　trustIshallrememberthepass-word——NobleAthelstane，farewell；andfarewell，mypoorboy，whoseheartmightmakeamendsforaweakerhead——Iwillsaveyou，orreturnanddiewithyou。TheroyalbloodofourSaxonkingsshallnotbespiltwhileminebeatsinmyveins；norshallonehairfallfromtheheadofthekindknavewhoriskedhimselfforhismaster，ifCedric’sperilcanpreventit——Farewell。’’
　　``Farewell，nobleCedric，’’saidAthelstane；``rememberitisthetruepartofafriartoacceptrefreshment，ifyouareofferedany。’’
　　``Farewell，uncle，’’addedWamba；``andremember_Paxvobiscum_。’’
　　Thusexhorted，Cedricsalliedforthuponhisexpedition；
　　anditwasnotlongerehehadoccasiontotrytheforceofthatspellwhichhisJesterhadrecommendedasomnipotent。Inalow-archedandduskypassage，bywhichheendeavouredtoworkhiswaytothehallofthecastle，hewasinterruptedbyafemaleform。
　　``_Paxvobiscum！_’’saidthepseudofriar，andwasendeavouringtohurrypast，whenasoftvoicereplied，``_Etvobis——quaso，dominereverendissime，promisericordiavestra_。’’
　　``Iamsomewhatdeaf，’’repliedCedric，ingoodSaxon，andatthesametimemutteredtohimself，``Acurseonthefoolandhis_Paxvobiscum！_I
　　havelostmyjavelinatthefirstcast。’’
　　Itwas，however，nounusualthingforapriestofthosedaystobedeafofhisLatinear，andthisthepersonwhonowaddressedCedricknewfullwell。
　　``Iprayyouofdearlove，reverendfather，’’sherepliedinhisownlanguage，``thatyouwilldeigntovisitwithyourghostlycomfortawoundedprisonerofthiscastle，andhavesuchcompassionuponhimandusasthyholyofficeteaches——Nevershallgooddeedsohighlyadvantagethyconvent。’’
　　``Daughter，’’answeredCedric，muchembarrassed，``mytimeinthiscastlewillnotpermitmetoexercisethedutiesofmineoffice——Imustpresentlyforth——thereislifeanddeathuponmyspeed。’’
　　``Yet，father，letmeentreatyoubythevowyouhavetakenonyou，’’repliedthesuppliant，``nottoleavetheoppressedandendangeredwithoutcounselorsuccour。’’
　　``Maythefiendflyawaywithme，andleavemeinIfrinwiththesoulsofOdinandofThor！’’answeredCedricimpatiently，andwouldprobablyhaveproceededinthesametoneoftotaldeparturefromhisspiritualcharacter，whenthecolloquywasinterruptedbytheharshvoiceofUrfried，theoldcroneoftheturret。
　　``How，minion，’’saidshetothefemalespeaker，``isthisthemannerinwhichyourequitethekindnesswhichpermittedtheetoleavethyprison-cellyonder?——PuttestthouthereverendmantouseungraciouslanguagetofreehimselffromtheimportunitiesofaJewess?’’
　　``AJewess！’’saidCedric，availinghimselfoftheinformationtogetclearoftheirinterruption，——
　　``Letmepass，woman！stopmenotatyourperil。
　　Iamfreshfrommyholyoffice，andwouldavoidpollution。’’
　　``Comethisway，father，’’saidtheoldhag，``thouartastrangerinthiscastle，andcanstnotleaveitwithoutaguide。Comehither，forIwouldspeakwiththee——Andyou，daughterofanaccursedrace，gotothesickman’schamber，andtendhimuntilmyreturn；andwoebetideyouifyouagainquititwithoutmypermission！’’
　　Rebeccaretreated。HerimportunitieshadprevaileduponUrfriedtosufferhertoquittheturret，andUrfriedhademployedherserviceswheresheherselfwouldmostgladlyhavepaidthem，bythebedsideofthewoundedIvanhoe。Withanunderstandingawaketotheirdangeroussituation，andprompttoavailherselfofeachmeansofsafetywhichoccurred，Rebeccahadhopedsomethingfromthepresenceofamanofreligion，who，shelearnedfromUrfried，hadpenetratedintothisgodlesscastle。
　　Shewatchedthereturnofthesupposedecclesiastic，withthepurposeofaddressinghim，andinterestinghiminfavouroftheprisoners；withwhatimperfectsuccessthereaderhasbeenjustacquainted。
　　CHAPTERXXVII
　　Fondwretch！andwhatcanstthourelate，Butdeedsofsorrow，shame，andsin?
　　Thydeedsareproved——thouknow’stthyfate；
　　Butcome，thytale——begin——begin——
　　ButIhavegriefsofotherkind，Troublesandsorrowsmoresevere；
　　Givemetoeasemytorturedmind，Lendtomywoesapatientear；
　　Andletme，ifImaynotfindAfriendtohelp——findonetohear。
　　_Crabbe’sHallofJustice。_