``Tothebattlements！’’criedDeBracy，``andletusmarkwhattheseknavesdowithout；’’andsosaying，heopenedalatticedwindowwhichledtoasortofbartisanorprojectingbalcony，andimmediatelycalledfromthencetothoseintheapartment——
　　``SaintDennis，buttheoldmonkhathbroughttruetidings！——Theybringforwardmanteletsandpavisses，*andthearchersmusteronthe*Manteletsweretemporaryandmovabledefencesformed*ofplanks，undercoverofwhichtheassailantsadvancedtothe*attackoffortifiedplacesofold。Pavisseswereaspeciesoflarge*shieldscoveringthewholeperson，employedonthesameoccasions。
　　skirtsofthewoodlikeadarkcloudbeforeahailstorm。’’
　　ReginaldFront-de-Bufalsolookedoutuponthefield，andimmediatelysnatchedhisbugle；and，afterwindingalongandloudblast，commandedhismentotheirpostsonthewalls。
　　``DeBracy，looktotheeasternside，wherethewallsarelowest——NobleBois-Guilbert，thytradehathwelltaughttheehowtoattackanddefend，lookthoutothewesternside——Imyselfwilltakepostatthebarbican。Yet，donotconfineyourexertionstoanyonespot，noblefriends！——wemustthisdaybeeverywhere，andmultiplyourselves，wereitpossible，soastocarrybyourpresencesuccourandreliefwherevertheattackishottest。
　　Ournumbersarefew，butactivityandcouragemaysupplythatdefect，sincewehaveonlytodowithrascalclowns。’’
　　``But，nobleknights，’’exclaimedFatherAmbrose，amidstthebustleandconfusionoccasionedbythepreparationsfordefence，``willnoneofyehearthemessageofthereverendfatherinGodAymer，PriorofJorvaulx?——Ibeseechtheetohearme，nobleSirReginald！’’
　　``Gopatterthypetitionstoheaven，’’saidthefierceNorman，``forweonearthhavenotimetolistentothem——Ho！there，AnselmIseethatseethingpitchandoilarereadytopourontheheadsoftheseaudacioustraitors——Lookthatthecross-bowmenlacknotbolts。*——Flingabroadmybannerwith*Theboltwasthearrowpeculiarlyfittedtothecross-bow，*asthatofthelong-bowwascalledashaft。HencetheEnglish*proverb——``Iwilleithermakeashaftorboltofit，’’signifyinga*determinationtomakeoneuseorotherofthethingspokenof。
　　theoldbull’shead——theknavesshallsoonfindwithwhomtheyhavetodothisday！’’
　　``But，noblesir，’’continuedthemonk，perseveringinhisendeavourstodrawattention，``considermyvowofobedience，andletmedischargemyselfofmySuperior’serrand。’’
　　``Awaywiththispratingdotard，’’saidFront-deBuf，``lockhimupinthechapel，totellhisbeadstillthebroilbeover。ItwillbeanewthingtothesaintsinTorquilstonetohearavesandpaters；
　　theyhavenotbeensohonoured，Itrow，sincetheywerecutoutofstone。’’
　　``Blasphemenottheholysaints，SirReginald，’’
　　saidDeBracy，``weshallhaveneedoftheiraidto-daybeforeyonrascalroutdisband。’’
　　``Iexpectlittleaidfromtheirhand，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``unlessweweretohurlthemfromthebattlementsontheheadsofthevillains。ThereisahugelumberingSaintChristopheryonder，sufficienttobearawholecompanytotheearth。’’
　　TheTemplarhadinthemeantimebeenlookingoutontheproceedingsofthebesiegers，withrathermoreattentionthanthebrutalFront-de-Buforhisgiddycompanion。
　　``Bythefaithofmineorder，’’hesaid，``thesemenapproachwithmoretouchofdisciplinethancouldhavebeenjudged，howevertheycomebyit。
　　Seeyehowdexterouslytheyavailthemselvesofeverycoverwhichatreeorbushaffords，andshunexposingthemselvestotheshotofourcross-bows?
　　Ispyneitherbannernorpennonamongthem，andyetwillIgagemygoldenchain，thattheyareledonbysomenobleknightorgentleman，skilfulinthepracticeofwars。’’
　　``Iespyhim，’’saidDeBracy；``Iseethewavingofaknight’screst，andthegleamofhisarmour。
　　Seeyontallmanintheblackmail，whoisbusiedmarshallingthefarthertroopoftherascailleyeomen——bySaintDennis，Iholdhimtobethesamewhomwecalled_LeNoirFaineant_，whooverthrewthee，Front-de-Buf，inthelistsatAshby。’’
　　``Somuchthebetter，’’saidFront-de-Buf，``thathecomesheretogivememyrevenge。Somehildingfellowhemustbe，whodarednotstaytoasserthisclaimtothetourneyprizewhichchancehadassignedhim。Ishouldinvainhavesoughtforhimwhereknightsandnoblesseektheirfoes，andrightgladamIhehathhereshownhimselfamongyonvillainyeomanry。’’
　　Thedemonstrationsoftheenemy’simmediateapproachcutoffallfartherdiscourse。Eachknightrepairedtohispost，andattheheadofthefewfollowerswhomtheywereabletomuster，andwhowereinnumbersinadequatetodefendthewholeextentofthewalls，theyawaitedwithcalmdeterminationthethreatenedassault。
　　CHAPTERXXVIII
　　Thiswanderingrace，sever’dfromothermen，Boastyettheirintercoursewithhumanarts；
　　Theseas，thewoods，thedeserts，whichtheyhaunt，Findthemacquaintedwiththeirsecrettreasures：
　　Andunregardedherbs，andflowers，andblossoms，Displayundreamt-ofpowerswhengather’dbythem。
　　_TheJew。_
　　Ourhistorymustneedsretrogradeforthespaceofafewpages，toinformthereaderofcertainpassagesmaterialtohisunderstandingtherestofthisimportantnarrative。Hisownintelligencemayindeedhaveeasilyanticipatedthat，whenIvanhoesunkdown，andseemedabandonedbyalltheworld，itwastheimportunityofRebeccawhichprevailedonherfathertohavethegallantyoungwarriortransportedfromtheliststothehousewhichforthetimetheJewsinhabitedinthesuburbsofAshby。
　　ItwouldnothavebeendifficulttohavepersuadedIsaactothisstepinanyothercircumstances，forhisdispositionwaskindandgrateful。Buthehadalsotheprejudicesandscrupuloustimidityofhispersecutedpeople，andthoseweretobeconquered。
　　``HolyAbraham！’’heexclaimed，``heisagoodyouth，andmyheartbleedstoseethegoretrickledownhisrichembroideredhacqueton，andhiscorsletofgoodlyprice——buttocarryhimtoourhouse！——
　　damsel，hastthouwellconsidered?——heisaChristian，andbyourlawwemaynotdealwiththestrangerandGentile，savefortheadvantageofourcommerce。’’
　　``Speaknotso，mydearfather，’’repliedRebecca；
　　``wemaynotindeedmixwiththeminbanquetandinjollity；butinwoundsandinmisery，theGentilebecomeththeJew’sbrother。’’
　　``IwouldIknewwhattheRabbiJacobBenTudelawouldopineonit，’’repliedIsaac；——``nevertheless，thegoodyouthmustnotbleedtodeath。
　　LetSethandReubenbearhimtoAshby。’’
　　``Nay，letthemplacehiminmylitter，’’saidRebecca；``Iwillmountoneofthepalfreys。’’
　　``ThatweretoexposetheetothegazeofthosedogsofIshmaelandofEdom，’’whisperedIsaac，withasuspiciousglancetowardsthecrowdofknightsandsquires。ButRebeccawasalreadybusiedincarryinghercharitablepurposeintoeffect，andlistednotwhathesaid，untilIsaac，seizingthesleeveofhermantle，againexclaimed，inahurriedvoice——``BeardofAaron！——whatiftheyouthperish！——
　　ifhedieinourcustody，shallwenotbeheldguiltyofhisblood，andbetorntopiecesbythemultitude?’’
　　``Hewillnotdie，myfather，’’saidRebecca，gentlyextricatingherselffromthegraspofIsaac``hewillnotdieunlessweabandonhim；andifso，weareindeedanswerableforhisbloodtoGodandtoman。’’
　　``Nay，’’saidIsaac，releasinghishold，``itgrievethmeasmuchtoseethedropsofhisblood，asiftheyweresomanygoldenbyzantsfrommineownpurse；andIwellknow，thatthelessonsofMiriam，daughteroftheRabbiManassesofByzantiumwhosesoulisinParadise，havemadetheeskilfulintheartofhealing，andthatthouknowestthecraftofherbs，andtheforceofelixirs。Therefore，doasthymindgiveththee——thouartagooddamsel，ablessing，andacrown，andasongofrejoicinguntomeanduntomyhouse，anduntothepeopleofmyfathers。’’
　　TheapprehensionsofIsaac，however，werenotillfounded；andthegenerousandgratefulbenevolenceofhisdaughterexposedher，onherreturntoAshby，totheunhallowedgazeofBriandeBois-Guilbert。
　　TheTemplartwicepassedandrepassedthemontheroad，fixinghisboldandardentlookonthebeautifulJewess；andwehavealreadyseentheconsequencesoftheadmirationwhichhercharmsexcitedwhenaccidentthrewherintothepowerofthatunprincipledvoluptuary。
　　Rebeccalostnotimeincausingthepatienttobetransportedtotheirtemporarydwelling，andproceededwithherownhandstoexamineandtobinduphiswounds。Theyoungestreaderofromancesandromanticballads，mustrecollecthowoftenthefemales，duringthedarkages，astheyarecalled，wereinitiatedintothemysteriesofsurgery，andhowfrequentlythegallantknightsubmittedthewoundsofhispersontohercure，whoseeyeshadyetmoredeeplypenetratedhisheart。
　　ButtheJews，bothmaleandfemale，possessedandpractisedthemedicalscienceinallitsbranches，andthemonarchsandpowerfulbaronsofthetimefrequentlycommittedthemselvestothechargeofsomeexperiencedsageamongthisdespisedpeople，whenwoundedorinsickness。TheaidoftheJewishphysicianswasnotthelesseagerlysoughtafter，thoughageneralbeliefprevailedamongtheChristians，thattheJewishRabbinsweredeeplyacquaintedwiththeoccultsciences，andparticularlywiththecabalisticalart，whichhaditsnameandorigininthestudiesofthesagesofIsrael。
　　NeitherdidtheRabbinsdisownsuchacquaintancewithsupernaturalarts，whichaddednothingforwhatcouldaddaught?tothehatredwithwhichtheirnationwasregarded，whileitdiminishedthecontemptwithwhichthatmalevolencewasmingled。
　　AJewishmagicianmightbethesubjectofequalabhorrencewithaJewishusurer，buthecouldnotbeequallydespised。Itisbesidesprobable，consideringthewonderfulcurestheyaresaidtohaveperformed，thattheJewspossessedsomesecretsofthehealingartpeculiartothemselves，andwhich，withtheexclusivespiritarisingoutoftheircondition，theytookgreatcaretoconcealfromtheChristiansamongstwhomtheydwelt。
　　ThebeautifulRebeccahadbeenheedfullybroughtupinalltheknowledgepropertohernation，whichheraptandpowerfulmindhadretained，arranged，andenlarged，inthecourseofaprogressbeyondheryears，hersex，andeventheageinwhichshelived。HerknowledgeofmedicineandofthehealingarthadbeenacquiredunderanagedJewess，thedaughterofoneoftheirmostcelebrateddoctors，wholovedRebeccaasherownchild，andwasbelievedtohavecommunicatedtohersecrets，whichhadbeenlefttoherselfbyhersagefatheratthesametime，andunderthesamecircumstances。ThefateofMiriamhadindeedbeentofallasacrificetothefanaticismofthetimes；buthersecretshadsurvivedinheraptpupil。