第10章

Iamanimpoverishedwretch——theverygaberdineIwearisborrowedfromReubenofTadcaster。’’

TheTemplarsmiledsourlyashereplied，``Beshrewtheeforafalse-heartedliar！’’andpassingonward，asifdisdainingfartherconference，hecommunedwithhisMoslemslavesinalanguageunknowntothebystanders。ThepoorIsraeliteseemedsostaggeredbytheaddressofthemilitarymonk，thattheTemplarhadpassedontotheextremityofthehallereheraisedhisheadfromthehumbleposturewhichhehadassumed，sofarastobesensibleofhisdeparture。Andwhenhedidlookaround，itwaswiththeastonishedairofoneatwhosefeetathunderbolthasjustburst，andwhohearsstilltheastoundingreportringinginhisears。

TheTemplarandPriorwereshortlyaftermarshalledtotheirsleepingapartmentsbythestewardandthecupbearer，eachattendedbytwotorchbearersandtwoservantscarryingrefreshments，whileservantsofinferiorconditionindicatedtotheirretinueandtotheothergueststheirrespectiveplacesofrepose。

CHAPTERVI

TobuyhisfavourIextendthisfriendship：

Ifhewilltakeit，so；ifnot，adieu；

And，formylove，Iprayyouwrongmenot。

_MerchantofVenice_。

AsthePalmer，lightedbyadomesticwithatorch，pastthroughtheintricatecombinationofapartmentsofthislargeandirregularmansion，thecupbearercomingbehindhimwhisperedinhisear，thatifhehadnoobjectiontoacupofgoodmeadinhisapartment，thereweremanydomesticsinthatfamilywhowouldgladlyhearthenewshehadbroughtfromtheHolyLand，andparticularlythatwhichconcernedtheKnightofIvanhoe。

Wambapresentlyappearedtourgethesamerequest，observingthatacupaftermidnightwasworththreeaftercurfew。Withoutdisputingamaximurgedbysuchgraveauthority，thePalmerthankedthemfortheircourtesy，butobservedthathehadincludedinhisreligiousvow，anobligationnevertospeakinthekitchenonmatterswhichwereprohibitedinthehall。``Thatvow，’’saidWambatothecupbearer，``wouldscarcesuitaserving-man。’’

Thecupbearershruggeduphisshouldersindispleasure。

``Ithoughttohavelodgedhiminthesolerechamber，’’

saidhe；``butsinceheissounsocialtoChristians，e’enlethimtakethenextstalltoIsaactheJew’s——Anwold，’’

saidhetothetorchbearer，``carrythePilgrimtothesoutherncell——

Igiveyougood-night，’’headded，``SirPalmer，withsmallthanksforshortcourtesy。’’

``Good-night，andOurLady’sbenison，’’saidthePalmer，withcomposure；andhisguidemovedforward。

Inasmallantechamber，intowhichseveraldoorsopened，andwhichwaslightedbyasmallironlamp，theymetasecondinterruptionfromthewaiting-maidofRowena，who，sayinginatoneofauthority，thathermistressdesiredtospeakwiththePalmer，tookthetorchfromthehandofAnwold，and，biddinghimawaitherreturn，madeasigntothePalmertofollow。Apparentlyhedidnotthinkitpropertodeclinethisinvitationashehaddonetheformer；for，thoughhisgestureindicatedsomesurpriseatthesummons，heobeyeditwithoutanswerorremonstrance。

Ashortpassage，andanascentofsevensteps，eachofwhichwascomposedofasolidbeamofoak，ledhimtotheapartmentoftheLadyRowena，therudemagnificenceofwhichcorrespondedtotherespectwhichwaspaidtoherbythelordofthemansion。Thewallswerecoveredwithembroideredhangings，onwhichdifferent-colouredsilks，interwovenwithgoldandsilverthreads，hadbeenemployedwithalltheartofwhichtheagewascapable，torepresentthesportsofhuntingandhawking。

Thebedwasadornedwiththesamerichtapestry，andsurroundedwithcurtainsdyedwithpurple。Theseatshadalsotheirstainedcoverings，andone，whichwashigherthantherest，wasaccommodatedwithafootstoolofivory，curiouslycarved。

Nofewerthanfoursilvercandelabras，holdinggreatwaxentorches，servedtoilluminatethisapartment。

YetletnotmodernbeautyenvythemagnificenceofaSaxonprincess。Thewallsoftheapartmentweresoillfinishedandsofullofcrevices，thattherichhangingsshookinthenightblast，and，indespiteofasortofscreenintendedtoprotectthemfromthewind，theflameofthetorchesstreamedsidewaysintotheair，liketheunfurledpennonofachieftain。Magnificencetherewas，withsomerudeattemptattaste；butofcomforttherewaslittle，and，beingunknown，itwasunmissed。

TheLadyRowena，withthreeofherattendantsstandingatherback，andarrangingherhairereshelaydowntorest，wasseatedinthesortofthronealreadymentioned，andlookedasifborntoexactgeneralhomage。ThePilgrimacknowledgedherclaimtoitbyalowgenuflection。

``Rise，Palmer，’’saidshegraciously。``Thedefenderoftheabsenthasarighttofavourablereceptionfromallwhovaluetruth，andhonourmanhood。’’

Shethensaidtohertrain，``Retire，exceptingonlyElgitha；IwouldspeakwiththisholyPilgrim。’’

Themaidens，withoutleavingtheapartment，retiredtoitsfurtherextremity，andsatdownonasmallbenchagainstthewall，wheretheyremainedmuteasstatues，thoughatsuchadistancethattheirwhisperscouldnothaveinterruptedtheconversationoftheirmistress。

``Pilgrim，’’saidthelady，afteramoment’spause，duringwhichsheseemeduncertainhowtoaddresshim，``youthisnightmentionedaname——Imean，’’

shesaid，withadegreeofeffort，``thenameofIvanhoe，inthehallswherebynatureandkindreditshouldhavesoundedmostacceptably；andyet，suchistheperversecourseoffate，thatofmanywhoseheartsmusthavethrobbedatthesound，I，only，dareaskyouwhere，andinwhatcondition，youlefthimofwhomyouspoke?——Weheard，that，havingremainedinPalestine，onaccountofhisimpairedhealth，afterthedepartureoftheEnglisharmy，hehadexperiencedthepersecutionoftheFrenchfaction，towhomtheTemplarsareknowntobeattached。’’

``IknowlittleoftheKnightofIvanhoe，’’answeredthePalmer，withatroubledvoice。``I

wouldIknewhimbetter，sinceyou，lady，areinterestedinhisfate。Hehath，Ibelieve，surmountedthepersecutionofhisenemiesinPalestine，andisontheeveofreturningtoEngland，whereyou，lady，mustknowbetterthanI，whatishischanceofhappiness。’’

TheLadyRowenasigheddeeply，andaskedmoreparticularlywhentheKnightofIvanhoemightbeexpectedinhisnativecountry，andwhetherhewouldnotbeexposedtogreatdangersbytheroad。Onthefirstpoint，thePalmerprofessedignorance；onthesecond，hesaidthatthevoyagemightbesafelymadebythewayofVeniceandGenoa，andfromthencethroughFrancetoEngland。

``Ivanhoe，’’hesaid，``wassowellacquaintedwiththelanguageandmannersoftheFrench，thattherewasnofearofhisincurringanyhazardduringthatpartofhistravels。’’

``WouldtoGod，’’saidtheLadyRowena，``hewereheresafelyarrived，andabletobeararmsintheapproachingtourney，inwhichthechivalryofthislandareexpectedtodisplaytheiraddressandvalour。ShouldAthelstaneofConingsburghobtaintheprize，IvanhoeisliketoheareviltidingswhenhereachesEngland——Howlookedhe，stranger，whenyoulastsawhim?Haddiseaselaidherhandheavyuponhisstrengthandcomeliness?’’

``Hewasdarker，’’saidthePalmer，``andthinner，thanwhenhecamefromCyprusinthetrainofCur-de-Lion，andcareseemedtositheavyonhisbrow；butIapproachednothispresence，becauseheisunknowntome。’’

``Hewill，’’saidthelady，``Ifear，findlittleinhisnativelandtoclearthosecloudsfromhiscountenance。

Thanks，goodPilgrim，foryourinformationconcerningthecompanionofmychildhood——

Maidens，’’shesaid，``drawnear——offerthesleepingcuptothisholyman，whomIwillnolongerdetainfromrepose。’’

Oneofthemaidenspresentedasilvercup，containingarichmixtureofwineandspice，whichRowenabarelyputtoherlips。ItwasthenofferedtothePalmer，who，afteralowobeisance，tastedafewdrops。

``Acceptthisalms，friend，’’continuedthelady，offeringapieceofgold，``inacknowledgmentofthypainfultravail，andoftheshrinesthouhastvisited。’’

ThePalmerreceivedtheboonwithanotherlowreverence，andfollowedEdwinaoutoftheapartment。

IntheanteroomhefoundhisattendantAnwold，who，takingthetorchfromthehandofthewaiting-maid，conductedhimwithmorehastethanceremonytoanexteriorandignoblepartofthebuilding，whereanumberofsmallapartments，orrathercells，servedforsleepingplacestothelowerorderofdomestics，andtostrangersofmeandegree。

``InwhichofthesesleepstheJew?’’saidthePilgrim。

``Theunbelievingdog，’’answeredAnwold，kennelsinthecellnextyourholiness——StDunstan，howitmustbescrapedandcleansedereitbeagainfitforaChristian！’’

``AndwheresleepsGurththeswineherd?’’saidthestranger。

``Gurth，’’repliedthebondsman，``sleepsinthecellonyourright，astheJewonthattoyourleft；

youservetokeepthechildofcircumcisionseparatefromtheabominationofhistribe。YoumighthaveoccupiedamorehonourableplacehadyouacceptedofOswald’sinvitation。’’