``Ithink，friendCedric，’’saidWamba，interfering，``thathadRichardoftheLion’sHeartbeenwiseenoughtohavetakenafool’sadvice，hemighthavestaidathomewithhismerryEnglishmen，andlefttherecoveryofJerusalemtothosesameKnightswhohadmosttodowiththelossofit。’’
　　``Werethere，then，noneintheEnglisharmy，’’
　　saidtheLadyRowena，``whosenamesareworthytobementionedwiththeKnightsoftheTemple，andofStJohn?’’
　　``Forgiveme，lady，’’repliedDeBois-Guilbert；
　　``theEnglishmonarchdid，indeed，bringtoPalestineahostofgallantwarriors，secondonlytothosewhosebreastshavebeentheunceasingbulwarkofthatblessedland。’’
　　``Secondto=none=，’’saidthePilgrim，whohadstoodnearenoughtohear，andhadlistenedtothisconversationwithmarkedimpatience。Allturnedtowardthespotfromwhencethisunexpectedasseverationwasheard。``Isay，’’repeatedthePilgriminafirmandstrongvoice，``thattheEnglishchivalryweresecondto=none=whoeverdrewswordindefenceoftheHolyLand。Isaybesides，forI
　　sawit，thatKingRichardhimself，andfiveofhisknights，heldatournamentafterthetakingofStJohn-de-Acre，aschallengersagainstallcomers。I
　　saythat，onthatday，eachknightranthreecourses，andcasttothegroundthreeantagonists。Iadd，thatsevenoftheseassailantswereKnightsoftheTemple——andSirBriandeBois-GuilbertwellknowsthetruthofwhatItellyou。’’
　　ItisimpossibleforlanguagetodescribethebitterscowlofragewhichrenderedyetdarkertheswarthycountenanceoftheTemplar。Intheextremityofhisresentmentandconfusion，hisquiveringfingersgripedtowardsthehandleofhissword，andperhapsonlywithdrew，fromtheconsciousnessthatnoactofviolencecouldbesafelyexecutedinthatplaceandpresence。Cedric，whosefeelingswereallofarightonwardandsimplekind，andwereseldomoccupiedbymorethanoneobjectatonce，omitted，inthejoyousgleewithwhichbeheardofthegloryofhiscountrymen，toremarktheangryconfusionofhisguest；``Iwouldgivetheethisgoldenbracelet，Pilgrim，’’hesaid，``couldstthoutellmethenamesofthoseknightswhoupheldsogallantlytherenownofmerryEngland。’’
　　``ThatwillIdoblithely，’’repliedthePilgrim，``andwithoutguerdon；myoath，foratime，prohibitsmefromtouchinggold。’’
　　``Iwillwearthebraceletforyou，ifyouwill，friendPalmer，’’saidWamba。
　　``Thefirstinhonourasinarms，inrenownasinplace，’’saidthePilgrim，``wasthebraveRichard，KingofEngland。’’
　　``Iforgivehim，’’saidCedric；``IforgivehimhisdescentfromthetyrantDukeWilliam。’’
　　``TheEarlofLeicesterwasthesecond，’’continuedthePilgrim；``SirThomasMultonofGilslandwasthethird。’’
　　``OfSaxondescent，heatleast，’’saidCedric，withexultation。
　　``SirFoulkDoillythefourth，’’proceededthePilgrim。
　　``Saxonalso，atleastbythemother’sside，’’continuedCedric，wholistenedwiththeutmosteagerness，andforgot，inpartatleast，hishatredtotheNormans，inthecommontriumphoftheKingofEnglandandhisislanders。``Andwhowasthefifth?’’hedemanded。
　　``ThefifthwasSirEdwinTurneham。’’
　　``GenuineSaxon，bythesoulofHengist！’’
　　shoutedCedric——``Andthesixth?’’hecontinuedwitheagerness——``hownameyouthesixth?’’
　　``Thesixth，’’saidthePalmer，afterapause，inwhichheseemedtorecollecthimself，``wasayoungknightoflesserrenownandlowerrank，assumedintothathonourablecompany，lesstoaidtheirenterprisethantomakeuptheirnumber——hisnamedwellsnotinmymemory。’’
　　``SirPalmer，’’saidSirBriandeBois-Guilbertscornfully，``thisassumedforgetfulness，aftersomuchhasbeenremembered，comestoolatetoserveyourpurpose。Iwillmyselftellthenameoftheknightbeforewhoselancefortuneandmyhorse’sfaultoccasionedmyfalling——itwastheKnightofIvanhoe；norwasthereoneofthesixthat，forhisyears，hadmorerenowninarms——YetthiswillI
　　say，andloudly——thatwereheinEngland，anddurstrepeat，inthisweek’stournament，thechallengeofStJohn-de-Acre，I，mountedandarmedasInowam，wouldgivehimeveryadvantageofweapons，andabidetheresult。’’
　　``Yourchallengewouldsoonbeanswered，’’repliedthePalmer，``wereyourantagonistnearyou。
　　Asthematteris，disturbnotthepeacefulhallwithvauntsoftheissueoftheconflict，whichyouwellknowcannottakeplace。IfIvanhoeeverreturnsfromPalestine，Iwillbehissuretythathemeetsyou。’’
　　``Agoodlysecurity！’’saidtheKnightTemplar；
　　``andwhatdoyouprofferasapledge?’’
　　``Thisreliquary，’’saidthePalmer，takingasmallivoryboxfromhisbosom，andcrossinghimself，``containingaportionofthetruecross，broughtfromtheMonasteryofMountCarmel。’’
　　ThePriorofJorvaulxcrossedhimselfandrepeatedapaternoster，inwhichalldevoutlyjoined，exceptingtheJew，theMahomedans，andtheTemplar；
　　thelatterofwhom，withoutvailinghisbonnet，ortestifyinganyreverencefortheallegedsanctityoftherelic，tookfromhisneckagoldchain，whichheflungontheboard，saying——``LetPriorAymerholdmypledgeandthatofthisnamelessvagrant，intokenthatwhentheKnightofIvanhoecomeswithinthefourseasofBritain，heunderliesthechallengeofBriandeBois-Guilbert，which，ifheanswernot，IwillproclaimhimasacowardonthewallsofeveryTempleCourtinEurope。’’
　　``Itwillnotneed，’’saidtheLadyRowena，breakingsilence；``Myvoiceshallbeheard，ifnootherinthishallisraisedinbehalfoftheabsentIvanhoe。
　　Iaffirmhewillmeetfairlyeveryhonourablechallenge。
　　Couldmyweakwarrantaddsecuritytotheinestimablepledgeofthisholypilgrim，IwouldpledgenameandfamethatIvanhoegivesthisproudknightthemeetinghedesires。’’
　　AcrowdofconflictingemotionsseemedtohaveoccupiedCedric，andkepthimsilentduringthisdiscussion。Gratifiedpride，resentment，embarrassment，chasedeachotheroverhisbroadandopenbrow，liketheshadowofcloudsdriftingoveraharvest-field；
　　whilehisattendants，onwhomthenameofthesixthknightseemedtoproduceaneffectalmostelectrical，hunginsuspenseupontheirmaster’slooks。ButwhenRowenaspoke，thesoundofhervoiceseemedtostartlehimfromhissilence。
　　``Lady，’’saidCedric，``thisbeseemsnot；werefurtherpledgenecessary，Imyself，offended，andjustlyoffended，asIam，wouldyetgagemyhonourforthehonourofIvanhoe。Butthewagerofbattleiscomplete，evenaccordingtothefantasticfashionsofNormanchivalry——Isitnot，FatherAymer?’’
　　``Itis，’’repliedthePrior；``andtheblessedrelicandrichchainwillIbestowsafelyinthetreasuryofourconvent，untilthedecisionofthis，warlikechallenge。’’
　　Havingthusspoken，hecrossedhimselfagainandagain，andaftermanygenuflectionsandmutteredprayers，hedeliveredthereliquarytoBrotherAmbrose，hisattendantmonk，whilehehimselfsweptupwithlessceremony，butperhapswithnolessinternalsatisfaction，thegoldenchain，andbestoweditinapouchlinedwithperfumedleather，whichopenedunderhisarm。``Andnow，SirCedric，’’hesaid，``myearsarechimingvesperswiththestrengthofyourgoodwine——permitusanotherpledgetothewelfareoftheLadyRowena，andindulgeuswithlibertytopasstoourrepose。’’
　　``BytheroodofBromholme，’’saidtheSaxon，``youdobutsmallcredittoyourfame，SirPrior！
　　Reportspeaksyouabonnymonk，thatwouldhearthematinchimeerehequittedhisbowl；and，oldasIam，Ifearedtohaveshameinencounteringyou。But，bymyfaith，aSaxonboyoftwelve，inmytime，wouldnotsosoonhaverelinquishedhisgoblet。’’
　　ThePriorhadhisownreasons，however，forperseveringinthecourseoftemperancewhichhehadadopted。Hewasnotonlyaprofessionalpeacemaker，butfrompracticeahaterofallfeudsandbrawls。Itwasnotaltogetherfromalovetohisneighbour，ortohimself，orfromamixtureofboth。
　　Onthepresentoccasion，hehadaninstinctiveapprehensionofthefierytemperoftheSaxon，andsawthedangerthattherecklessandpresumptuousspirit，ofwhichhiscompanionhadalreadygivensomanyproofs，mightatlengthproducesomedisagreeableexplosion。Hethereforegentlyinsinuatedtheincapacityofthenativeofanyothercountrytoengageinthegenialconflictofthebowlwiththehardyandstrong-headedSaxons；somethinghementioned，butslightly，abouthisownholycharacter，andendedbypressinghisproposaltodeparttorepose。
　　Thegrace-cupwasaccordinglyservedround，andtheguests，aftermakingdeepobeisancetotheirlandlordandtotheLadyRowena，aroseandmingledinthehall，whiletheheadsofthefamily，byseparatedoors，retiredwiththeirattendants。
　　``Unbelievingdog，’’saidtheTemplartoIsaactheJew，ashepassedhiminthethrong，``dostthoubendthycoursetothetournament?’’
　　``Idosopropose，’’repliedIsaac，bowinginallhumility，``ifitpleaseyourreverendvalour。’’
　　``Ay，’’saidtheKnight，``tognawthebowelsofournobleswithusury，andtogullwomenandboyswithgaudsandtoys——IwarranttheestoreofshekelsinthyJewishscrap。’’
　　``Notashekel，notasilverpenny，notahalfling——
　　sohelpmetheGodofAbraham！’’saidtheJew，claspinghishands；``IgobuttoseektheassistanceofsomebrethrenofmytribetoaidmetopaythefinewhichtheExchequeroftheJews*
　　*InthosedaystheJewsweresubjectedtoanExchequer，*speciallydedicatedtothatpurpose，andwhichlaidthemunder*themostexorbitantimpositions——L。T。
　　haveimposeduponme——FatherJacobbemyspeed！