``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。’’