第11章

``Itisaswellasitis，’’saidthePalmer；``thecompany，evenofaJew，canhardlyspreadcontaminationthroughanoakenpartition。’’

Sosaying，heenteredthecabinallottedtohim，andtakingthetorchfromthedomestic’shand，thankedhim，andwishedhimgood-night。Havingshutthedoorofhiscell，heplacedthetorchinacandlestickmadeofwood，andlookedaroundhissleepingapartment，thefurnitureofwhichwasofthemostsimplekind。Itconsistedofarudewoodenstool，andstillruderhutchorbed-frame，stuffedwithcleanstraw，andaccommodatedwithtwoorthreesheepskinsbywayofbed-clothes。

ThePalmer，havingextinguishedhistorch，threwhimself，withouttakingoffanypartofhisclothes，onthisrudecouch，andslept，oratleastretainedhisrecumbentposture，tilltheearliestsunbeamsfoundtheirwaythroughthelittlegratedwindow，whichservedatoncetoadmitbothairandlighttohisuncomfortablecell。Hethenstartedup，andafterrepeatinghismatins，andadjustinghisdress，heleftit，andenteredthatofIsaactheJew，liftingthelatchasgentlyashecould。

TheinmatewaslyingintroubledslumberuponacouchsimilartothatonwhichthePalmerhimselfhadpassedthenight。SuchpartsofhisdressastheJewhadlaidasideontheprecedingevening，weredisposedcarefullyaroundhisperson，asiftopreventthehazardoftheirbeingcarriedoffduringhisslumbers。Therewasatroubleonhisbrowamountingalmosttoagony。Hishandsandarmsmovedconvulsively，asifstrugglingwiththenightmare；andbesidesseveralejaculationsinHebrew，thefollowingweredistinctlyheardintheNorman-English，ormixedlanguageofthecountry：

``ForthesakeoftheGodofAbraham，spareanunhappyoldman！Iampoor，Iampenniless——shouldyourironswrenchmylimbsasunder，I

couldnotgratifyyou！’’

ThePalmerawaitednottheendoftheJew’svision，butstirredhimwithhispilgrim’sstaff。Thetouchprobablyassociated，asisusual，withsomeoftheapprehensionsexcitedbyhisdream；fortheoldmanstartedup，hisgreyhairstandingalmosterectuponhishead，andhuddlingsomepartofhisgarmentsabouthim，whileheheldthedetachedpieceswiththetenaciousgraspofafalcon，hefixeduponthePalmerhiskeenblackeyes，expressiveofwildsurpriseandofbodilyapprehension。

``Fearnothingfromme，Isaac，’’saidthePalmer，``Icomeasyourfriend。’’

``TheGodofIsraelrequiteyou，’’saidtheJew，greatlyrelieved；``Idreamed——ButFatherAbrahambepraised，itwasbutadream。’’Then，collectinghimself，headdedinhisusualtone，``AndwhatmayitbeyourpleasuretowantatsoearlyanhourwiththepoorJew?’’

``Itistotellyou，’’saidthePalmer，``thatifyouleavenotthismansioninstantly，andtravelnotwithsomehaste，yourjourneymayproveadangerousone。’’

``Holyfather！’’saidtheJew，``whomcoulditinteresttoendangersopoorawretchasIam?’’

``Thepurposeyoucanbestguess，’’saidthePilgrim；

``butrelyonthis，thatwhentheTemplarcrossedthehallyesternight，hespoketohisMussulmanslavesintheSaracenlanguage，whichIwellunderstand，andchargedthemthismorningtowatchthejourneyoftheJew，toseizeuponhimwhenataconvenientdistancefromthemansion，andtoconducthimtothecastleofPhilipdeMalvoisin，ortothatofReginaldFront-de-Buf。’’

ItisimpossibletodescribetheextremityofterrorwhichseizedupontheJewatthisinformation，andseemedatoncetooverpowerhiswholefaculties。

Hisarmsfelldowntohissides，andhisheaddroopedonhisbreast，hiskneesbentunderhisweight，everynerveandmuscleofhisframeseemedtocollapseandloseitsenergy，andhesunkatthefootofthePalmer，notinthefashionofonewhointentionallystoops，kneels，orprostrateshimselftoexcitecompassion，butlikeamanbornedownonallsidesbythepressureofsomeinvisibleforce，whichcrusheshimtotheearthwithoutthepowerofresistance。

``HolyGodofAbraham！’’washisfirstexclamation，foldingandelevatinghiswrinkledhands，butwithoutraisinghisgreyheadfromthepavement；

``Oh，holyMoses！O，blessedAaron！thedreamisnotdreamedfornought，andthevisioncomethnotinvain！Ifeeltheirironsalreadytearmysinews！Ifeeltherackpassovermybodylikethesaws，andharrows，andaxesofironoverthemenofRabbah，andofthecitiesofthechildrenofAmmon！’’

``Standup，Isaac，andhearkentome，’’saidthePalmer，whoviewedtheextremityofhisdistresswithacompassioninwhichcontemptwaslargelymingled；``youhavecauseforyourterror，consideringhowyourbrethrenhavebeenused，inordertoextortfromthemtheirhoards，bothbyprincesandnobles；butstandup，Isay，andIwillpointouttoyouthemeansofescape。Leavethismansioninstantly，whileitsinmatessleepsoundafterthelastnight’srevel。Iwillguideyoubythesecretpathsoftheforest，knownaswelltomeastoanyforesterthatrangesit，andIwillnotleaveyoutillyouareundersafeconductofsomechieforbarongoingtothetournament，whosegood-willyouhaveprobablythemeansofsecuring。’’

AstheearsofIsaacreceivedthehopesofescapewhichthisspeechintimated，hebegangradually，andinchbyinch，asitwere，toraisehimselfupfromtheground，untilhefairlyresteduponhisknees，throwingbackhislonggreyhairandbeard，andfixinghiskeenblackeyesuponthePalmer’sface，withalookexpressiveatonceofhopeandfear，notunmingledwithsuspicion。Butwhenheheardtheconcludingpartofthesentence，hisoriginalterrorappearedtoreviveinfullforce，andhedroptoncemoreonhisface，exclaiming，``_I_possessthemeansofsecuringgood-will！alas！thereisbutoneroadtothefavourofaChristian，andhowcanthepoorJewfindit，whomextortionshavealreadyreducedtothemiseryofLazarus?’’

Then，asifsuspicionhadoverpoweredhisotherfeelings，hesuddenlyexclaimed，``FortheloveofGod，youngman，betraymenot——forthesakeoftheGreatFatherwhomadeusall，JewaswellasGentile，IsraeliteandIshmaelite——domenotreason！

Ihavenotmeanstosecurethegood-willofaChristianbeggar，wereheratingitatasinglepenny。’’

Ashespoketheselastwords，heraisedhimself，andgraspedthePalmer’smantlewithalookofthemostearnestentreaty。Thepilgrimextricatedhimself，asiftherewerecontaminationinthetouch。

``Wertthouloadedwithallthewealthofthytribe，’’hesaid，``whatinteresthaveItoinjurethee?——InthisdressIamvowedtopoverty，nordoIchangeitforaughtsaveahorseandacoatofmail。YetthinknotthatIcareforthycompany，orproposemyselfadvantagebyit；remainhereifthouwilt——CedrictheSaxonmayprotectthee。’’

``Alas！’’saidtheJew，``hewillnotletmetravelinhistrain——SaxonorNormanwillbeequallyashamedofthepoorIsraelite；andtotravelbymyselfthroughthedomainsofPhilipdeMalvoisinandReginaldFront-de-Buf——Goodyouth，I

willgowithyou！——Letushaste——letusgirdupourloins——letusflee！——Hereisthystaff，whywiltthoutarry?’’

``Itarrynot，’’saidthePilgrim，givingwaytotheurgencyofhiscompanion；``butImustsecurethemeansofleavingthisplace——followme。’’

Heledthewaytotheadjoiningcell，which，asthereaderisapprised，wasoccupiedbyGurththeswineherd——``Arise，Gurth，’’saidthePilgrim，``arisequickly。Undotheposterngate，andletouttheJewandme。’’

Gurth，whoseoccupation，thoughnowheldsomean，gavehimasmuchconsequenceinSaxonEnglandasthatofEumaeusinIthaca，wasoffendedatthefamiliarandcommandingtoneassumedbythePalmer。``TheJewleavingRotherwood，’’

saidhe，raisinghimselfonhiselbow，andlookingsuperciliouslyathimwithoutquittinghispallet，``andtravellingincompanywiththePalmertoboot——’’

``Ishouldassoonhavedreamt，’’saidWamba，whoenteredtheapartmentattheinstant，``ofhisstealingawaywithagammonofbacon。’’

``Nevertheless，’’saidGurth，againlayingdownhisheadonthewoodenlogwhichservedhimforapillow，``bothJewandGentilemustbecontenttoabidetheopeningofthegreatgate——wesuffernovisitorstodepartbystealthattheseunseasonablehours。’’

``Nevertheless，’’saidthePilgrim，inacommandingtone，``youwillnot，Ithink，refusemethatfavour。’’

Sosaying，hestoopedoverthebedoftherecumbentswineherd，andwhisperedsomethinginhisearinSaxon。Gurthstartedupasifelectrified。

ThePilgrim，raisinghisfingerinanattitudeasiftoexpresscaution，added，``Gurth，beware——thouarewonttobeprudent。Isay，undothepostern——

thoushaltknowmoreanon。’’

WithhastyalacrityGurthobeyedhim，whileandtheJewfollowed，bothwonderingatthesuddenchangeintheswineherd’sdemeanour。

``Mymule，mymule！’’saidtheJew，assoonastheystoodwithoutthepostern。

``Fetchhimhismule，’’saidthePilgrim；``and，hearestthou，——letmehaveanother，thatImaybearhimcompanytillheisbeyondtheseparts——I

willreturnitsafelytosomeofCedric’strainatAshby。Anddothou’’——hewhisperedtherestinGurth’sear。

``Willingly，mostwillinglyshallitbedone，’’

saidGurth，andinstantlydepartedtoexecutethecommission。

``IwishIknew，’’saidWamba，whenhiscomrade’sbackwasturned，``whatyouPalmerslearnintheHolyLand。’’

``Tosayourorisons，fool，’’answeredthePilgrim，``torepentoursins，andtomortifyourselveswithfastings，vigils，andlongprayers。’’

``Somethingmorepotentthanthat，’’answeredtheJester；``forwhenwouldrepentanceorprayermakeGurthdoacourtesy，orfastingorvigilpersuadehimtolendyouamule?——ltrowyoumightaswellhavetoldhisfavouriteblackboarofthyvigilsandpenance，andwouldsthavegottenascivilananswer。’’

``Goto，’’saidthePilgrim，``thouartbutaSaxonfool。’’

``Thousaystwell。’’saidtheJester；``hadI