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。