AlbertMalvoisinbowedandretired,——nottogivedirectionsforpreparingthehall,buttoseekoutBriandeBois-Guilbert,andcommunicatetohimhowmatterswerelikelytoterminate。Itwasnotlongerehefoundhim,foamingwithindignationatarepulsehehadanewsustainedfromthefairJewess。``Theunthinking,’’hesaid,``theungrateful,toscornhimwho,amidstbloodandflames,wouldhavesavedherlifeattheriskofhisown!
  ByHeaven,Malvoisin!Iabodeuntilroofandrafterscrackledandcrashedaroundme。Iwasthebuttofahundredarrows;theyrattledonminearmourlikehailstonesagainstalatticedcasement,andtheonlyuseImadeofmyshieldwasforherprotection。ThisdidIendureforher;andnowtheself-willedgirlupbraidsmethatIdidnotleavehertoperish,andrefusesmenotonlytheslightestproofofgratitude,buteventhemostdistanthopethatevershewillbebroughttograntany。Thedevil,thatpossessedherracewithobstinacy,hasconcentrateditsfullforceinhersingleperson!’’
  ``Thedevil,’’saidthePreceptor,``Ithink,possessedyouboth。HowofthaveIpreachedtoyoucaution,ifnotcontinence?DidInottellyouthattherewereenoughwillingChristiandamselstobemetwith,whowouldthinkitsintorefusesobraveaknight_ledond’amoureuxmerci_,andyoumustneedsanchoryouraffectiononawilful,obstinateJewess!Bythemass,IthinkoldLucasBeaumanoirguessesright,whenhemaintainsshehathcastaspelloveryou。’’
  ``LucasBeaumanoir!’’——saidBois-Guilbertreproachfully——``Aretheseyourprecautions,Malvoisin?
  HastthousufferedthedotardtolearnthatRebeccaisinthePreceptory?’’
  ``HowcouldIhelpit?’’saidthePreceptor。``I
  neglectednothingthatcouldkeepsecretyourmystery;
  butitisbetrayed,andwhetherbythedevilorno,thedevilonlycantell。ButIhaveturnedthematterasIcould;youaresafeifyourenounceRebecca。Youarepitied——thevictimofmagicaldelusion。Sheisasorceress,andmustsufferassuch。’’
  ``Sheshallnot,byHeaven!’’saidBois-Guilbert。
  ``ByHeaven,shemustandwill!’’saidMalvoisin。
  ``Neitheryounoranyoneelsecansaveher。
  LucasBeaumanoirhathsettledthatthedeathofaJewesswillbeasin-offeringsufficienttoatoneforalltheamorousindulgencesoftheKnightsTemplars;
  andthouknowesthehathboththepowerandwilltoexecutesoreasonableandpiousapurpose。’’
  ``Willfutureagesbelievethatsuchstupidbigotryeverexisted!’’saidBois-Guilbert,stridingupanddowntheapartment。
  ``Whattheymaybelieve,Iknownot,’’saidMalvoisin,calmly;``butIknowwell,thatinthisourday,clergyandlaymen,takeninety-ninetothehundred,willcry_amen_totheGrandMaster’ssentence。’’
  ``Ihaveit,’’saidBois-Guilbert。``Albert,thouartmyfriend。Thoumustconniveatherescape,Malvoisin,andIwilltransporthertosomeplaceofgreatersecurityandsecrecy。’’
  ``Icannot,ifIwould,’’repliedthePreceptor;
  ``themansionisfilledwiththeattendantsoftheGrandMaster,andotherswhoaredevotedtohim。
  And,tobefrankwithyou,brother,Iwouldnotembarkwithyouinthismatter,evenifIcouldhopetobringmybarktohaven。Ihaveriskedenoughalreadyforyoursake。Ihavenomindtoencounterasentenceofdegradation,oreventolosemyPreceptory,forthesakeofapaintedpieceofJewishfleshandblood。Andyou,ifyouwillbeguidedbymycounsel,willgiveupthiswild-goosechase,andflyyourhawkatsomeothergame。
  Think,Bois-Guilbert,——thypresentrank,thyfuturehonours,alldependonthyplaceintheOrder。
  ShouldstthouadhereperverselytothypassionforthisRebecca,thouwiltgiveBeaumanoirthepowerofexpellingthee,andhewillnotneglectit。Heisjealousofthetruncheonwhichheholdsinhistremblinggripe,andheknowsthoustretchestthyboldhandtowardsit。Doubtnothewillruinthee,ifthouaffordesthimapretextsofairasthyprotectionofaJewishsorceress。Givehimhisscopeinthismatter,forthoucanstnotcontrolhim。
  Whenthestaffisinthineownfirmgrasp,thoumayestcaressthedaughtersofJudah,orburnthem,asmaybestsuitthineownhumour。’’
  ``Malvoisin,’’saidBois-Guilbert,``thouartacold-blooded——’’
  ``Friend,’’saidthePreceptor,hasteningtofilluptheblank,inwhichBois-Guilbertwouldprobablyhaveplacedaworseword,——``acold-bloodedfriendIam,andthereforemorefittogivetheeadvice。
  Itelltheeoncemore,thatthoucanstnotsaveRebecca。Itelltheeoncemore,thoucanstbutperishwithher。GohietheetotheGrandMaster——throwthyselfIthisfeetandtellhim——’’
  ``Notathisfeet,byHeaven!buttothedotard’sverybeardwillIsay——’’
  ``Saytohim,then,tohisbeard,’’continuedMalvoisin,coolly,``thatyoulovethiscaptiveJewesstodistraction;andthemorethoudostenlargeonthypassion,thegreaterwillbehishastetoenditbythedeathofthefairenchantress;whilethou,takeninflagrantdelictbytheavowalofacrimecontrarytothineoath,cansthopenoaidofthybrethren,andmustexchangeallthybrilliantvisionsofambitionandpower,toliftperhapsamercenaryspearinsomeofthepettyquarrelsbetweenFlandersandBurgundy。’’
  ``Thouspeakestthetruth,Malvoisin,’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert,afteramoment’sreflection。``I
  willgivethehoarybigotnoadvantageoverme;
  andforRebecca,shehathnotmeritedatmyhandthatIshouldexposerankandhonourforhersake。
  Iwillcastheroff——yes,Iwillleavehertoherfate,unless——’’
  ``Qualifynotthywiseandnecessaryresolution,’’
  saidMalvoisin;``womenarebutthetoyswhichamuseourlighterhours——ambitionistheseriousbusinessoflife。PerishathousandsuchfrailbaublesasthisJewess,beforethymanlysteppauseinthebrilliantcareerthatliesstretchedbeforethee!
  Forthepresentwepart,normustwebeseentoholdcloseconversation——Imustorderthehallforhisjudgment-seat。’’
  ``What!’’saidBois-Guilbert,``sosoon?’’
  ``Ay,’’repliedthePreceptor,``trialmovesrapidlyonwhenthejudgehasdeterminedthesentencebeforehand。’’
  ``Rebecca,’’saidBois-Guilbert,whenhewasleftalone,``thouartliketocostmedear——WhycannotIabandontheetothyfate,asthiscalmhypocriterecommends?——OneeffortwillImaketosavethee——butbewareofingratitude!forifIamagainrepulsed,myvengeanceshallequalmylove。ThelifeandhonourofBois-Guilbertmustnotbehazarded,wherecontemptandreproachesarehisonlyreward。’’
  ThePreceptorhadhardlygiventhenecessaryorders,whenhewasjoinedbyConradeMont-Fitchet,whoacquaintedhimwiththeGrandMaster’sresolutiontobringtheJewesstoinstanttrialforsorcery。
  ``Itissurelyadream,’’saidthePreceptor;``wehavemanyJewishphysicians,andwecallthemnotwizardsthoughtheyworkwonderfulcures。’’
  ``TheGrandMasterthinksotherwise,’’saidMont-Fitchet;``and,Albert,Iwillbeuprightwiththee——wizardornot,itwerebetterthatthismiserabledamseldie,thanthatBriandeBois-GuilbertshouldbelosttotheOrder,ortheOrderdividedbyinternaldissension。Thouknowesthishighrank,hisfameinarms——thouknowestthezealwithwhichmanyofourbrethrenregardhim——butallthiswillnotavailhimwithourGrandMaster,shouldheconsiderBrianastheaccomplice,notthevictim,ofthisJewess。Werethesoulsofthetwelvetribesinhersinglebody,itwerebettershesufferedalone,thanthatBois-Guilbertwerepartnerinherdestruction。’’
  ``Ihavebeenworkinghimevennowtoabandonher,’’saidMalvoisin;``butstill,aretheregroundsenoughtocondemnthisRebeccaforsorcery?——
  WillnottheGrandMasterchangehismindwhenheseesthattheproofsaresoweak?’’
  ``Theymustbestrengthened,Albert,’’repliedMont-Fitchet,``theymustbestrengthened。Dostthouunderstandme?’’
  ``Ido,’’saidthePreceptor,``nordoIscrupletodoaughtforadvancementoftheOrder——butthereislittletimetofindenginesfitting。’’
  ``Malvoisin,they_must_befound,’’saidConrade;
  ``wellwillitadvantageboththeOrderandthee。
  ThisTemplestoweisapoorPreceptory——thatofMaison-Dieuisworthdoubleitsvalue——thouknowestmyinterestwithouroldChief——findthosewhocancarrythismatterthrough,andthouartPreceptorofMaison-DieuinthefertileKent——
  Howsaystthou?’’
  ``Thereis,’’repliedMalvoisin,``amongthosewhocamehitherwithBois-Guilbert,twofellowswhomIwellknow;servantstheyweretomybrotherPhilipdeMalvoisin,andpassedfromhisservicetothatofFront-de-Buf——Itmaybetheyknowsomethingofthewitcheriesofthiswoman。’’
  ``Away,seekthemoutinstantly——andharkthee,ifabyzantortwowillsharpentheirmemory,letthemnotbewanting。’’
  ``Theywouldswearthemotherthatborethemasorceressforazecchin,’’saidthePreceptor。
  ``Away,then,’’saidMont-Fitchet;``atnoontheaffairwillproceed。IhavenotseenourseniorinsuchearnestpreparationsincehecondemnedtothestakeHametAlfagi,aconvertwhorelapsedtotheMoslemfaith。’’
  Theponderouscastle-bellhadtolledthepointofnoon,whenRebeccaheardatramplingoffeetupontheprivatestairwhichledtoherplaceofconfinement。
  Thenoiseannouncedthearrivalofseveralpersons,andthecircumstancerathergaveherjoy;
  forshewasmoreafraidofthesolitaryvisitsofthefierceandpassionateBois-Guilbertthanofanyevilthatcouldbefallherbesides。Thedoorofthechamberwasunlocked,andConradeandthePreceptorMalvoisinentered,attendedbyfourwardersclothedinblack,andbearinghalberds。
  ``Daughterofanaccursedrace!’’saidthePreceptor,``ariseandfollowus。’’
  ``Whither,’’saidRebecca,``andforwhatpurpose?’’
  ``Damsel,’’answeredConrade,``itisnotfortheetoquestion,buttoobey。Nevertheless,beitknowntothee,thatthouarttobebroughtbeforethetribunaloftheGrandMasterofourholyOrder,theretoanswerforthineoffences。’’
  ``MaytheGodofAbrahambepraised!’’saidRebecca,foldingherhandsdevoutly;``thenameofajudge,thoughanenemytomypeople,istomeasthenameofaprotector。MostwillinglydoI
  followthee——permitmeonlytowrapmyveilaroundmyhead。’’
  Theydescendedthestairwithslowandsolemnstep,traversedalonggallery,and,byapairoffoldingdoorsplacedattheend,enteredthegreathallinwhichtheGrandMasterhadforthetimeestablishedhiscourtofjustice。