``WilfredofIvanhoe!’’exclaimedtheBlackKnight——``prisoner,andperish!——Thelifeofeverymaninthecastleshallansweritifahairofhisheadbesinged——Showmehischamber!’’
  ``Ascendyonderwindingstair,’’saidDeBracy;
  ``itleadstohisapartment——Wiltthounotacceptmyguidance?’’headded,inasubmissivevoice。
  ``No。Tothebarbican,andtherewaitmyorders。
  Itrusttheenot,DeBracy。’’
  Duringthiscombatandthebriefconversationwhichensued,Cedric,attheheadofabodyofmen,amongwhomtheFriarwasconspicuous,hadpushedacrossthebridgeassoonastheysawtheposternopen,anddrovebackthedispiritedanddespairingfollowersofDeBracy,ofwhomsomeaskedquarter,someofferedvainresistance,andthegreaterpartfledtowardsthecourt-yard。DeBracyhimselfarosefromtheground,andcastasorrowfulglanceafterhisconqueror。``Hetrustsmenot!’’herepeated;``buthaveIdeservedhistrust?’’
  Hethenliftedhisswordfromthefloor,tookoffhishelmetintokenofsubmission,and,goingtothebarbican,gaveuphisswordtoLocksley,whomhemetbytheway。
  Asthefireaugmented,symptomsofitbecamesoonapparentinthechamber,whereIvanhoewaswatchedandtendedbytheJewessRebecca。Hehadbeenawakenedfromhisbriefslumberbythenoiseofthebattle;andhisattendant,whohad,athisanxiousdesire,againplacedherselfatthewindowtowatchandreporttohimthefateoftheattack,wasforsometimepreventedfromobservingeither,bytheincreaseofthesmoulderingandstiflingvapour。Atlengththevolumesofsmokewhichrolledintotheapartment——thecriesforwater,whichwereheardevenabovethedinofthebattlemadethemsensibleoftheprogressofthisnewdanger。
  ``Thecastleburns,’’saidRebecca;``itburns!——
  Whatcanwedotosaveourselves?’’
  ``Fly,Rebecca,andsavethineownlife,’’saidIvanhoe,``fornohumanaidcanavailme。’’
  ``Iwillnotfly,’’answeredRebecca;``wewillbesavedorperishtogether——Andyet,greatGod!——
  myfather,myfather——whatwillbehisfate!’’
  Atthismomentthedooroftheapartmentflewopen,andtheTemplarpresentedhimself,——aghastlyfigure,forhisgildedarmourwasbrokenandbloody,andtheplumewaspartlyshornaway,partlyburntfromhiscasque。``Ihavefoundthee,’’saidhetoRebecca;``thoushaltproveI
  willkeepmywordtosharewealandwoewiththee——Thereisbutonepathtosafety,Ihavecutmywaythroughfiftydangerstopointittothee——up,andinstantlyfollowme!’’*
  *Theauthorhassomeideathatthispassageisimitatedfrom*theappearanceofPhilidaspes,beforethedivineMandane,when*thecityofBabylonisonfire,andheproposestocarryherfrom*theflames。Butthetheft,iftherebeone,wouldberathertoo*severelypunishedbythepenanceofsearchingfortheoriginal*passagethroughtheinterminablevolumesoftheGrandCyrus。
  ``Alone,’’answeredRebecca,``Iwillnotfollowthee。Ifthouwertbornofwoman——ifthouhastbutatouchofhumancharityinthee——ifthyheartbenothardasthybreastplate——savemyagedfather——savethiswoundedknight!’’
  ``Aknight,’’answeredtheTemplar,withhischaracteristiccalmness,``aknight,Rebecca,mustencounterhisfate,whetheritmeethimintheshapeofswordorflame——andwhoreckshoworwhereaJewmeetswithhis?’’
  ``Savagewarrior,’’saidRebecca,``ratherwillI
  perishintheflamesthanacceptsafetyfromthee!’’
  ``Thoushaltnotchoose,Rebecca——oncedidstthoufoilme,butnevermortaldidsotwice。’’
  Sosaying,heseizedontheterrifiedmaiden,whofilledtheairwithhershrieks,andboreheroutoftheroominhisarmsinspiteofhercries,andwithoutregardingthemenacesanddefiancewhichIvanhoethunderedagainsthim。``HoundoftheTemple——staintothineOrder——setfreethedamsel!TraitorofBois-Guilbert,itisIvanhoecommandsthee!——Villain,Iwillhavethyheart’sblood!’’
  ``Ihadnotfoundthee,Wilfred,’’saidtheBlackKnight,whoatthatinstantenteredtheapartment,``butforthyshouts。’’
  ``Ifthoubesttrueknight,’’saidWilfred,``thinknotofme——pursueyonravisher——savetheLadyRowena——looktothenobleCedric!’’
  ``Intheirturn,’’answeredheoftheFetterlock,``butthineisfirst。’’
  AndseizinguponIvanhoe,heborehimoffwithasmucheaseastheTemplarhadcarriedoffRebecca,rushedwithhimtothepostern,andhavingtheredeliveredhisburdentothecareoftwoyeomen,heagainenteredthecastletoassistintherescueoftheotherprisoners。
  Oneturretwasnowinbrightflames,whichflashedoutfuriouslyfromwindowandshot-hole。
  Butinotherparts,thegreatthicknessofthewallsandthevaultedroofsoftheapartments,resistedtheprogressoftheflames,andtheretherageofmanstilltriumphed,asthescarcemoredreadfulelementheldmasteryelsewhere;forthebesiegerspursuedthedefendersofthecastlefromchambertochamber,andsatiatedintheirbloodthevengeancewhichhadlonganimatedthemagainstthesoldiersofthetyrantFront-de-Buf。Mostofthegarrisonresistedtotheuttermost——fewofthemaskedquarter——nonereceivedit。Theairwasfilledwithgroansandclashingofarms——thefloorswereslipperywiththebloodofdespairingandexpiringwretches。
  Throughthissceneofconfusion,CedricrushedinquestofRowena,whilethefaithfulGurth,followinghimcloselythroughthe_mele_,neglectedhisownsafetywhilehestrovetoaverttheblowsthatwereaimedathismaster。ThenobleSaxonwassofortunateastoreachhisward’sapartmentjustasshehadabandonedallhopeofsafety,and,withacrucifixclaspedinagonytoherbosom,satinexpectationofinstantdeath。HecommittedhertothechargeofGurth,tobeconductedinsafetytothebarbican,theroadtowhichwasnowclearedoftheenemy,andnotyetinterruptedbytheflames。Thisaccomplished,theloyalCedrichastenedinquestofhisfriendAthelstane,determined,ateveryrisktohimself,tosavethatlastscionofSaxonroyalty。ButereCedricpenetratedasfarastheoldhallinwhichhehadhimselfbeenaprisoner,theinventivegeniusofWambahadprocuredliberationforhimselfandhiscompanioninadversity。
  Whenthenoiseoftheconflictannouncedthatitwasatthehottest,theJesterbegantoshout,withtheutmostpowerofhislungs,``SaintGeorgeandthedragon!——BonnySaintGeorgeformerryEngland!——Thecastleiswon!’’Andthesesoundsherenderedyetmorefearful,bybangingagainsteachothertwoorthreepiecesofrustyarmourwhichlayscatteredaroundthehall。
  Aguard,whichhadbeenstationedintheouter,oranteroom,andwhosespiritswerealreadyinastateofalarm,tookfrightatWamba’sclamour,and,leavingthedooropenbehindthem,rantotelltheTemplarthatfoemenhadenteredtheoldhall。
  Meantimetheprisonersfoundnodifficultyinmakingtheirescapeintotheanteroom,andfromthenceintothecourtofthecastle,whichwasnowthelastsceneofcontest。HeresatthefierceTemplar,mountedonhorseback,surroundedbyseveralofthegarrisonbothonhorseandfoot,whohadunitedtheirstrengthtothatofthisrenownedleader,inordertosecurethelastchanceofsafetyandretreatwhichremainedtothem。Thedrawbridgehadbeenloweredbyhisorders,butthepassagewasbeset;forthearchers,whohadhithertoonlyannoyedthecastleonthatsidebytheirmissiles,nosoonersawtheflamesbreakingout,andthebridgelowered,thantheythrongedtotheentrance,aswelltopreventtheescapeofthegarrison,astosecuretheirownshareofbootyerethecastleshouldbeburntdown。Ontheotherhand,apartyofthebesiegerswhohadenteredbytheposternwerenowissuingoutintothecourt-yard,andattackingwithfurytheremnantofthedefenderswhowerethusassaultedonbothsidesatonce。
  Animated,however,bydespair,andsupportedbytheexampleoftheirindomitableleader,theremainingsoldiersofthecastlefoughtwiththeutmostvalour;and,beingwell-armed,succeededmorethanonceindrivingbacktheassailants,thoughmuchinferiorinnumbers。Rebecca,placedonhorsebackbeforeoneoftheTemplar’sSaracenslaves,wasinthemidstofthelittleparty;andBois-Guilbert,notwithstandingtheconfusionofthebloodyfray,showedeveryattentiontohersafety。Repeatedlyhewasbyherside,and,neglectinghisowndefence,heldbeforeherthefenceofhistriangularsteel-platedshield;andanonstartingfromhispositionbyher,hecriedhiswar-cry,dashedforward,strucktoearththemostforwardoftheassailants,andwasonthesameinstantoncemoreatherbridlerein。
  Athelstane,who,asthereaderknows,wasslothful,butnotcowardly,beheldthefemaleformwhomtheTemplarprotectedthussedulously,anddoubtednotthatitwasRowenawhomtheknightwascarryingoff,indespiteofallresistancewhichcouldbeoffered。
  ``BythesoulofSaintEdward,’’hesaid,``Iwillrescueherfromyonderover-proudknight,andheshalldiebymyhand!’’
  ``Thinkwhatyoudo!’’criedWamba;``hastyhandcatchesfrogforfish——bymybauble,yonderisnoneofmyLadyRowena——seebutherlongdarklocks!——Nay,anyewillnotknowblackfromwhite,yemaybeleader,butIwillbenofollower——nobonesofmineshallbebrokenunlessIknowforwhom——Andyouwithoutarmourtoo!——Bethinkyou,silkbonnetneverkeptoutsteelblade——
  Nay,then,ifwilfulwilltowater,wilfulmustdrench——_Deusvobiscum_,mostdoughtyAthelstane!’’——
  heconcluded,looseningtheholdwhichhehadhithertokeptupontheSaxon’stunic。
  Tosnatchamacefromthepavement,onwhichitlaybesideonewhosedyinggrasphadjustrelinquishedit——torushontheTemplar’sband,andtostrikeinquicksuccessiontotherightandleft,levellingawarriorateachblow,was,forAthelstane’sgreatstrength,nowanimatedwithunusualfury,buttheworkofasinglemoment;hewassoonwithintwoyardsofBois-Guilbert,whomhedefiedinhisloudesttone。
  ``Turn,false-heartedTemplar!letgoherwhomthouartunworthytotouch——turn,limbofahandofmurderingandhypocriticalrobbers!’’
  ``Dog!’’saidtheTemplar,grindinghisteeth,``IwillteachtheetoblasphemetheholyOrderoftheTempleofZion;’’andwiththesewords,half-wheelinghissteed,hemadeademi-courbettetowardstheSaxon,andrisinginthestirrups,soastotakefulladvantageofthedescentofthehorse,hedischargedafearfulblowupontheheadofAthelstane。
  WellsaidWamba,thatsilkenbonnetkeepsoutnosteelblade。SotrenchantwastheTemplar’sweapon,thatitshoreasunder,asithadbeenawillowtwig,thetoughandplaitedhandleofthemace,whichtheill-fatedSaxonrearedtoparrytheblow,and,descendingonhishead,levelledhimwiththeearth。
  ``_Ha!Beau-seant!_’’exclaimedBois-Guilbert,``thusbeittothemalignersoftheTemple-knights!’’
  TakingadvantageofthedismaywhichwasspreadbythefallofAthelstane,andcallingaloud,``Thosewhowouldsavethemselves,followme!’’hepushedacrossthedrawbridge,dispersingthearcherswhowouldhaveinterceptedthem。HewasfollowedbyhisSaracens,andsomefiveorsixmen-at-arms,whohadmountedtheirhorses。TheTemplar’sretreatwasrenderedperilousbythenumbersofarrowsshotoffathimandhisparty;
  butthisdidnotpreventhimfromgallopingroundtothebarbican,ofwhich,accordingtohispreviousplan,hesupposeditpossibleDeBracymighthavebeeninpossession。
  ``DeBracy!DeBracy!’’heshouted,``artthouthere?’’
  ``Iamhere,’’repliedDeBracy,``butIamaprisoner。’’
  ``CanIrescuethee?’’criedBois-Guilbert。
  ``No,’’repliedDeBracy;``Ihaverenderedme,rescueornorescue。Iwillbetrueprisoner。Savethyself——therearehawksabroad——puttheseasbetwixtyouandEngland——Idarenotsaymore。’’