Rebecca,thusendowedwithknowledgeaswithbeauty,wasuniversallyreveredandadmiredbyherowntribe,whoalmostregardedherasoneofthosegiftedwomenmentionedinthesacredhistory。Herfatherhimself,outofreverenceforhertalents,whichinvoluntarilymingleditselfwithhisunboundedaffection,permittedthemaidenagreaterlibertythanwasusuallyindulgedtothoseofhersexbythehabitsofherpeople,andwas,aswehavejustseen,frequentlyguidedbyheropinion,eveninpreferencetohisown。
WhenIvanhoereachedthehabitationofIsaac,hewasstillinastateofunconsciousness,owingtotheprofuselossofbloodwhichhadtakenplaceduringhisexertionsinthelists。Rebeccaexaminedthewound,andhavingappliedtoitsuchvulneraryremediesasherartprescribed,informedherfatherthatiffevercouldbeaverted,ofwhichthegreatbleedingrenderedherlittleapprehensive,andifthehealingbalsamofMiriamretaineditsvirtue,therewasnothingtofearforhisguest’slife,andthathemightwithsafetytraveltoYorkwiththemontheensuingday。Isaaclookedalittleblankatthisannunciation。HischaritywouldwillinglyhavestoppedshortatAshby,oratmostwouldhaveleftthewoundedChristiantobetendedinthehousewherehewasresidingatpresent,withanassurancetotheHebrewtowhomitbelonged,thatallexpensesshouldbedulydischarged。Tothis,however,Rebeccaopposedmanyreasons,ofwhichweshallonlymentiontwothathadpeculiarweightwithIsaac。Theonewas,thatshewouldonnoaccountputthephialofpreciousbalsamintothehandsofanotherphysicianevenofherowntribe,lestthatvaluablemysteryshouldbediscovered;
theother,thatthiswoundedknight,WilfredofIvanhoe,wasanintimatefavouriteofRichardCur-de-Lion,andthat,incasethemonarchshouldreturn,Isaac,whohadsuppliedhisbrotherJohnwithtreasuretoprosecutehisrebelliouspurposes,wouldstandinnosmallneedofapowerfulprotectorwhoenjoyedRichard’sfavour。
``Thouartspeakingbutsooth,Rebecca,’’saidIsaac,givingwaytotheseweightyarguments——``itwereanoffendingofHeaventobetraythesecretsoftheblessedMiriam;forthegoodwhichHeavengiveth,isnotrashlytobesquandereduponothers,whetheritbetalentsofgoldandshekelsofsilver,orwhetheritbethesecretmysteriesofawisephysician——assuredlytheyshouldbepreservedtothosetowhomProvidencehathvouchsafedthem。
AndhimwhomtheNazarenesofEnglandcalltheLion’sHeart,assuredlyitwerebetterformetofallintothehandsofastronglionofIdumeathanintohis,ifheshallhavegotassuranceofmydealingwithhisbrother。WhereforeIwilllendeartothycounsel,andthisyouthshalljourneywithusuntoYork,andourhouseshallbeasahometohimuntilhiswoundsshallbehealed。AndifheoftheLionHeartshallreturntotheland,asisnownoisedabroad,thenshallthisWilfredofIvanhoebeuntomeasawallofdefence,whentheking’sdispleasureshallburnhighagainstthyfather。Andifhedothnotreturn,thisWilfredmaynathelessrepayusourchargeswhenheshallgaintreasurebythestrengthofhisspearandofhissword,evenashedidyesterdayandthisdayalso。Fortheyouthisagoodyouth,andkeepeththedaywhichheappointeth,andrestoreththatwhichheborroweth,andsuccoureththeIsraelite,eventhechildofmyfather’shouse,whenheisencompassedbystrongthievesandsonsofBelial。’’
ItwasnotuntileveningwasnearlyclosedthatIvanhoewasrestoredtoconsciousnessofhissituation。
Heawokefromabrokenslumber,undertheconfusedimpressionswhicharenaturallyattendantontherecoveryfromastateofinsensibility。Hewasunableforsometimetorecallexactlytomemorythecircumstanceswhichhadprecededhisfallinthelists,ortomakeoutanyconnectedchainoftheeventsinwhichhehadbeenengagedupontheyesterday。Asenseofwoundsandinjury,joinedtogreatweaknessandexhaustion,wasmingledwiththerecollectionofblowsdealtandreceived,ofsteedsrushinguponeachother,overthrowingandoverthrown——ofshoutsandclashingofarms,andalltheheadytumultofaconfusedfight。Anefforttodrawasidethecurtainofhisconchwasinsomedegreesuccessful,althoughrendereddifficultbythepainofhiswound。
Tohisgreatsurprisehefoundhimselfinaroommagnificentlyfurnished,buthavingcushionsinsteadofchairstorestupon,andinotherrespectspartakingsomuchofOrientalcostume,thathebegantodoubtwhetherhehadnot,duringhissleep,beentransportedbackagaintothelandofPalestine。Theimpressionwasincreased,when,thetapestrybeingdrawnaside,afemaleform,dressedinarichhabit,whichpartookmoreoftheEasterntastethanthatofEurope,glidedthroughthedoorwhichitconcealed,andwasfollowedbyaswarthydomestic。
Asthewoundedknightwasabouttoaddressthisfairapparition,sheimposedsilencebyplacingherslenderfingeruponherrubylips,whiletheattendant,approachinghim,proceededtouncoverIvanhoe’sside,andthelovelyJewesssatisfiedherselfthatthebandagewasinitsplace,andthewounddoingwell。Sheperformedhertaskwithagracefulanddignifiedsimplicityandmodesty,whichmight,eveninmorecivilizeddays,haveservedtoredeemitfromwhatevermightseemrepugnanttofemaledelicacy。Theideaofsoyoungandbeautifulapersonengagedinattendanceonasick-bed,orindressingthewoundofoneofadifferentsex,wasmeltedawayandlostinthatofabeneficentbeingcontributinghereffectualaidtorelievepain,andtoavertthestrokeofdeath。Rebecca’sfewandbriefdirectionsweregivenintheHebrewlanguagetotheolddomestic;andhe,whohadbeenfrequentlyherassistantinsimilarcases,obeyedthemwithoutreply。
Theaccentsofanunknowntongue,howeverharshtheymighthavesoundedwhenutteredbyanother,had,comingfromthebeautifulRebecca,theromanticandpleasingeffectwhichfancyascribestothecharmspronouncedbysomebeneficentfairy,unintelligible,indeed,totheear,but,fromthesweetnessofutterance,andbenignityofaspect,whichaccompaniedthem,touchingandaffectingtotheheart。Withoutmakinganattemptatfurtherquestion,Ivanhoesufferedtheminsilencetotakethemeasurestheythoughtmostproperforhisrecovery;
anditwasnotuntilthosewerecompleted,andthiskindphysicianabouttoretire。thathiscuriositycouldnolongerbesuppressed——``Gentlemaiden,’’bebeganintheArabiantongue,withwhichhisEasterntravelshadrenderedhimfamiliar,andwhichhethoughtmostlikelytobeunderstoodbytheturban’dandcaftan’ddamselwhostoodbeforehim——``Iprayyou,gentlemaiden,ofyourcourtesy——’’
Butherehewasinterruptedbyhisfairphysician,asmilewhichshecouldscarcesuppressdimplingforaninstantaface,whosegeneralexpressionwasthatofcontemplativemelancholy。``IamofEngland,SirKnight,andspeaktheEnglishtongue,althoughmydressandmylineagebelongtoanotherclimate。’’
``Nobledamsel,’’——againtheKnightofIvanhoebegan;andagainRebeccahastenedtointerrupthim。
``Bestownotonme,SirKnight,’’shesaid,``theepithetofnoble。ItiswellyoushouldspeedilyknowthatyourhandmaidenisapoorJewess,thedaughterofthatIsaacofYork,towhomyouweresolatelyagoodandkindlord。Itwellbecomeshim,andthoseofhishousehold,torendertoyousuchcarefultendanceasyourpresentstatenecessarilydemands。’’
IknownotwhetherthefairRowenawouldhavebeenaltogethersatisfiedwiththespeciesofemotionwithwhichherdevotedknighthadhithertogazedonthebeautifulfeatures,andfairform,andlustrouseyes,ofthelovelyRebecca;eyeswhosebrilliancywasshaded,and,asitwere,mellowed,bythefringeofherlongsilkeneyelashes,andwhichaminstrelwouldhavecomparedtotheeveningstardartingitsraysthroughabowerofjessamine。
ButIvanhoewastoogoodaCatholictoretainthesameclassoffeelingstowardsaJewess。ThisRebeccahadforeseen,andforthisverypurposeshehadhastenedtomentionherfather’snameandlineage;
yet——forthefairandwisedaughterofIsaacwasnotwithoutatouchoffemaleweakness——shecouldnotbutsighinternallywhentheglanceofrespectfuladmiration,notaltogetherunmixedwithtenderness,withwhichIvanhoehadhithertoregardedhisunknownbenefactress,wasexchangedatonceforamannercold,composed,andcollected,andfraughtwithnodeeperfeelingthanthatwhichexpressedagratefulsenseofcourtesyreceivedfromanunexpectedquarter,andfromoneofaninferiorrace。ItwasnotthatIvanhoe’sformercarriageexpressedmorethanthatgeneraldevotionalhomagewhichyouthalwayspaystobeauty;yetitwasmortifyingthatonewordshouldoperateasaspelltoremovepoorRebecca,whocouldnotbesupposedaltogetherignorantofhertitletosuchhomage,intoadegradedclass,towhomitcouldnotbehonourablyrendered。
ButthegentlenessandcandourofRebecca’snatureimputednofaulttoIvanhoeforsharingintheuniversalprejudicesofhisageandreligion。OnthecontrarythefairJewess,thoughsensibleherpatientnowregardedherasoneofaraceofreprobation,withwhomitwasdisgracefultoholdanybeyondthemostnecessaryintercourse,ceasednottopaythesamepatientanddevotedattentiontohissafetyandconvalescence。SheinformedhimofthenecessitytheywereunderofremovingtoYork,andofherfather’sresolutiontotransporthimthither,andtendhiminhisownhouseuntilhishealthshouldberestored。Ivanhoeexpressedgreatrepugnancetothisplan,whichhegroundedonunwillingnesstogivefarthertroubletohisbenefactors。
``Wastherenot,’’hesaid,``inAshby,ornearit,someSaxonfranklin,orevensomewealthypeasant,whowouldenduretheburdenofawoundedcountryman’sresidencewithhimuntilheshouldbeagainabletobearhisarmour?——WastherenoconventofSaxonendowment,wherehecouldbereceived?——OrcouldhenotbetransportedasfarasBurton,wherehewassuretofindhospitalitywithWaltheoff,theAbbotofStWithold’s,towhomhewasrelated?’’
``Any,theworstoftheseharbourages,’’saidRebecca,withamelancholysmile,``wouldunquestionablybemorefittingforyourresidencethantheabodeofadespisedJew;yet,SirKnight,unlessyouwoulddismissyourphysician,youcannotchangeyourlodging。Ournation,asyouwellknow,cancurewounds,thoughwedealnotininflictingthem;andinourownfamily,inparticular,aresecretswhichhavebeenhandeddownsincethedaysofSolomon,andofwhichyouhavealreadyexperiencedtheadvantages。NoNazarene——I
craveyourforgiveness,SirKnight——noChristianleech,withinthefourseasofBritain,couldenableyoutobearyourcorsletwithinamonth。’’
``Andhowsoonwiltthouenablemetobrookit?’’saidIvanhoe,impatiently。
``Withineightdays,ifthouwiltbepatientandconformabletomydirections,’’repliedRebecca。
``ByOurBlessedLady,’’saidWilfred,``ifitbenotasintonameherhere,itisnotimeformeoranytrueknighttobebedridden;andifthouaccomplishthypromise,maiden,Iwillpaytheewithmycasquefullofcrowns,comebythemasI
may。’’
``Iwillaccomplishmypromise,’’saidRebecca,andthoushaltbearthinearmourontheeighthdayfromhence,ifthouwillgrantmebutonebooninthesteadofthesilverthoudostpromiseme。’’
`Ifitbewithinmypower,andsuchasatrueChristianknightmayyieldtooneofthypeople,’’