第9章

``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！