repliedIvanhoe，``Iwillgrantthyboonblithelyandthankfully。’’
　　``Nay，’’answeredRebecca，``IwillbutprayoftheetobelievehenceforwardthataJewmaydogoodservicetoaChristian，withoutdesiringotherguerdonthantheblessingoftheGreatFatherwhomadebothJewandGentile。’’
　　``Itweresintodoubtit，maiden，’’repliedIvanhoe；
　　``andIreposemyselfonthyskillwithoutfurtherscrupleorquestion，welltrustingyouwillenablemetobearmycorsletontheeighthday。
　　Andnow，mykindleech，letmeenquireofthenewsabroad。WhatofthenobleSaxonCedricandhishousehold?——whatofthelovelyLady——’’Hestopt，asifunwillingtospeakRowena’snameinthehouseofaJew——``Ofher，Imean，whowasnamedQueenofthetournament?’’
　　``Andwhowasselectedbyyou，SirKnight，toholdthatdignity，withjudgmentwhichwasadmiredasmuchasyourvalour，’’repliedRebecca。
　　ThebloodwhichIvanhoehadlostdidnotpreventaflushfromcrossinghischeek，feelingthathehadincautiouslybetrayedadeepinterestinRowenabytheawkwardattempthehadmadetoconcealit。’’
　　``ItwaslessofherIwouldspeak，’’saidhe，``thanofPrinceJohn；andIwouldfainknowsomewhatofafaithfulsquire，andwhyhenowattendsmenot?’’
　　``Letmeusemyauthorityasaleech，’’answeredRebecca，``andenjoinyoutokeepsilence，andavoidagitatingreflections，whilstIapprizeyouofwhatyoudesiretoknow。PrinceJohnhathbrokenoffthetournament，andsetforwardinallhastetowardsYork，withthenobles，knights，andchurchmenofhisparty，aftercollectingsuchsumsastheycouldwring，byfairmeansorfoul，fromthosewhoareesteemedthewealthyoftheland。Itissaidbedesignstoassumehisbrother’scrown。’’
　　``Notwithoutablowstruckinitsdefence，’’
　　saidIvanhoe，raisinghimselfuponthecouch，``iftherewerebutonetruesubjectinEnglandIwillfightforRichard’stitlewiththebestofthem——
　　ay，oneortwo，inhisjustquarrel！’’
　　``Butthatyoumaybeabletodoso，’’saidRebeccatouchinghisshoulderwithherhand，``youmustnowobservemydirections，andremainquiet。’’
　　``True，maiden，’’saidIvanhoe，``asquietasthesedisquietedtimeswillpermit——AndofCedricandhishousehold?’’
　　``Hisstewardcamebutbriefwhilesince，’’saidtheJewess，``pantingwithhaste，toaskmyfatherforcertainmonies，thepriceofwoolthegrowthofCedric’sflocks，andfromhimIlearnedthatCedricandAthelstaneofConingsburghhadleftPrinceJohn’slodginginhighdispleasure，andwereabouttosetforthontheirreturnhomeward。’’
　　``Wentanyladywiththemtothebanquet?’’
　　saidWilfred。
　　``TheLadyRowena，’’saidRebecca，answeringthequestionwithmoreprecisionthanithadbeenasked——``TheLadyRowenawentnottothePrince’sfeast，and，asthestewardreportedtous，sheisnowonherjourneybacktoRotherwood，withherguardianCedric。AndtouchingyourfaithfulsquireGurth——’’
　　``Ha！’’exclaimedtheknight，``knowestthouhisname?——Butthoudost，’’heimmediatelyadded，``andwellthoumayst，foritwasfromthyhand，and，asIamnowconvinced，fromthineowngenerosityofspirit，thathereceivedbutyesterdayahundredzecchins。’’
　　``Speaknotofthat，’’saidRebecca，blushingdeeply；``Iseehoweasyitisforthetonguetobetraywhattheheartwouldgladlyconceal。’’
　　``Butthissumofgold，’’saidIvanhoe，gravely，``myhonourisconcernedinrepayingittoyourfather。’’
　　``Letitbeasthouwilt，’’saidRebecca，``wheneightdayshavepassedaway；butthinknot，andspeaknotnow，ofaughtthatmayretardthyrecovery。’’
　　``Beitso，kindmaiden，’’saidIvanhoe；``Iweremostungratefultodisputethycommands。ButonewordofthefateofpoorGurth，andIhavedonewithquestioningthee。’’
　　``Igrievetotellthee，SirKnight，’’answeredtheJewess，``thatheisincustodybytheorderofCedric。’’——AndthenobservingthedistresswhichhercommunicationgavetoWilfred，sheinstantlyadded，``ButthestewardOswaldsaid，thatifnothingoccurredtorenewhismaster’sdispleasureagainsthim，hewassurethatCedricwouldpardonGurth，afaithfulserf，andonewhostoodhighinfavour，andwhohadbutcommittedthiserroroutofthelovewhichheboretoCedric’sson。Andhesaid，moreover，thatheandhiscomrades，andespeciallyWambatheJester，wereresolvedtowarnGurthtomakehisescapebytheway，incaseCedric’sireagainsthimcouldnotbemitigated。’’
　　``WouldtoGodtheymaykeeptheirpurpose！’’
　　saidIvanhoe；``butitseemsasifIweredestinedtobringruinonwhomsoeverhathshownkindnesstome。Myking，bywhomIwashonouredanddistinguished，thouseestthatthebrothermostindebtedtohimisraisinghisarmstograsphiscrown；——myregardhathbroughtrestraintandtroubleonthefairestofhersex；——andnowmyfatherinhismoodmayslaythispoorbondsmanbutforhisloveandloyalservicetome！——Thouseest，maiden，whatanill-fatedwretchthoudostlabourtoassist；bewise，andletmego，erethemisfortuneswhichtrackmyfootstepslikeslot-hounds，shallinvolvetheealsointheirpursuit。’’
　　``Nay，’’saidRebecca，``thyweaknessandthygrief，SirKnight，maketheemiscalculatethepurposesofHeaven。Thouhastbeenrestoredtothycountrywhenitmostneededtheassistanceofastronghandandatrueheart，andthouhasthumbledtheprideofthineenemiesandthoseofthyking，whentheirhornwasmosthighlyexalted。
　　andfortheevilwhichthouhastsustained，seestthounotthatHeavenhasraisedtheeahelperandaphysician，evenamongthemostdespisedoftheland?——Therefore，beofgoodcourage，andtrustthatthouartpreservedforsomemarvelwhichthinearmshallworkbeforethispeople。Adieu——andhavingtakenthemedicinewhichIshallsendtheebythehandofReuben，composethyselfagaintorest，thatthoumayestbethemoreabletoendurethejourneyonthesucceedingday。’’
　　Ivanhoewasconvincedbythereasoning，andobeyedthedirections，ofRebecca。ThedroughtwhichReubenadministeredwasofasedativeandnarcoticquality，andsecuredthepatientsoundandundisturbedslumbers。Inthemorninghiskindphysicianfoundhimentirelyfreefromfeverishsymptoms，andfittoundergothefatigueofajourney。
　　Hewasdepositedinthehorse-litterwhichhadbroughthimfromthelists，andeveryprecautiontakenforhistravellingwithease。InonecircumstanceonlyeventheentreatiesofRebeccawereunabletosecuresufficientattentiontotheaccommodationofthewoundedknight。Isaac，liketheenrichedtravellerofJuvenal’stenthsatire，hadeverthefearofrobberybeforehiseyes，consciousthathewouldbealikeaccountedfairgamebythemaraudingNormannoble，andbytheSaxonoutlaw。
　　Hethereforejourneyedatagreatrate，andmadeshorthalts，andshorterrepasts，sothathepassedbyCedricandAthelstanewhohadseveralhoursthestartofhim，butwhohadbeendelayedbytheirprotractedfeastingattheconventofSaintWithold’s。YetsuchwasthevirtueofMiriam’sbalsam，orsuchthestrengthofIvanhoe’sconstitution，thathedidnotsustainfromthehurriedjourneythatinconveniencewhichhiskindphysicianhadapprehended。
　　Inanotherpointofview，however，theJew’shasteprovedsomewhatmorethangoodspeed。Therapiditywithwhichheinsistedontravelling，bredseveraldisputesbetweenhimandthepartywhomhehadhiredtoattendhimasaguard。ThesemenwereSaxons，andnotfreebyanymeansfromthenationalloveofeaseandgoodlivingwhichtheNormansstigmatizedaslazinessandgluttony。ReversingShylock’sposition，theyhadacceptedtheemploymentinhopesoffeedinguponthewealthyJew，andwereverymuchdispleasedwhentheyfoundthemselvesdisappointed，bytherapiditywithwhichheinsistedontheirproceeding。Theyremonstratedalsoupontheriskofdamagetotheirhorsesbytheseforcedmarches。Finally，therearosebetwixtIsaacandhissatellitesadeadlyfeud，concerningthequantityofwineandaletobeallowedforconsumptionateachmeal。Andthusithappened，thatwhenthealarmofdangerapproached，andthatwhichIsaacfearedwaslikelytocomeuponhim，hewasdesertedbythediscontentedmercenariesonwhoseprotectionhehadrelied，withoutusingthemeansnecessarytosecuretheirattachment。
　　InthisdeplorableconditiontheJew，withhisdaughterandherwoundedpatient，werefoundbyCedric，ashasalreadybeennoticed，andsoonafterwardsfellintothepowerofDeBracyandhisconfederates。
　　Littlenoticewasatfirsttakenofthehorse-litter，anditmighthaveremainedbehindbutforthecuriosityofDeBracy，wholookedintoitundertheimpressionthatitmightcontaintheobjectofhisenterprise，forRowenahadnotunveiledherself。ButDeBracy’sastonishmentwasconsiderable，whenhediscoveredthatthelittercontainedawoundedman，who，conceivinghimselftohavefallenintothepowerofSaxonoutlaws，withwhomhisnamemightbeaprotectionforhimselfandhisfriends，franklyavowedhimselftobeWilfredofIvanhoe。
　　Theideasofchivalroushonour，which，amidsthiswildnessandlevity，neverutterlyabandonedDeBracy，prohibitedhimfromdoingtheknightanyinjuryinhisdefencelesscondition，andequallyinterdictedhisbetrayinghimtoFront-de-Buf，whowouldhavehadnoscruplestoputtodeath，underanycircumstances，therivalclaimantofthefiefofIvanhoe。Ontheotherhand，toliberateasuitorpreferredbytheLadyRowena，astheeventsofthetournament，andindeedWilfred’spreviousbanishmentfromhisfather’shouse，hadmadematterofnotoriety，wasapitchfarabovetheflightofDeBracy’sgenerosity。Amiddlecoursebetwixtgoodandevilwasallwhichhefoundhimselfcapableofadopting，andhecommandedtwoofhisownsquirestokeepclosebythelitter，andtosuffernoonetoapproachit。Ifquestioned，theyweredirectedbytheirmastertosay，thattheemptylitteroftheLadyRowenawasemployedtotransportoneoftheircomradeswhohadbeenwoundedinthescuffle。
　　OnarrivingatTorquilstone，whiletheKnightTemplarandthelordofthatcastlewereeachintentupontheirownschemes，theoneontheJew’streasure，andtheotheronhisdaughter，DeBracy’ssquiresconveyedIvanhoe，stillunderthenameofawoundedcomrade，toadistantapartment。ThisexplanationwasaccordinglyreturnedbythesementoFront-de-Buf，whenhequestionedthemwhytheydidnotmakeforthebattlementsuponthealarm。
　　``Awoundedcompanion！’’herepliedingreatwrathandastonishment。``Nowonderthatchurlsandyeomenwaxsopresumptuousaseventolayleaguerbeforecastles，andthatclownsandswineherdssenddefiancestonobles，sincemen-at-armshaveturnedsickmen’snurses，andFreeCompanionsaregrownkeepersofdyingfolk’scurtains，whenthecastleisabouttobeassailed——Tothebattlements，yeloiteringvillains！’’heexclaimed，raisinghisstentorianvoicetillthearchesaroundrungagain，``tothebattlements，orIwillsplinteryourboneswiththistruncheon！’’