第20章

``Toyoufour，sirs，’’repliedtheKnight，addressingthosewhohadlastspoken，``andtoyourhonourableandvaliantmasters，Ihaveonecommonreply。Commendmetothenobleknights，yourmasters，andsay，Ishoulddoilltodeprivethemofsteedsandarmswhichcanneverbeusedbybravercavaliers——IwouldIcouldhereendmymessagetothesegallantknights；butbeing，asI

termmyself，intruthandearnest，theDisinherited，Imustbethusfarboundtoyourmasters，thattheywill，oftheircourtesy，bepleasedtoransomtheirsteedsandarmour，sincethatwhichIwearIcanhardlytermmineown。’’

``Westandcommissioned，eachofus，’’answeredthesquireofReginaldFront-de-Buf，``toofferahundredzecchinsinransomofthesehorsesandsuitsofarmour。’’

``Itissufficient，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight。

``Halfthesummypresentnecessitiescompelmetoaccept；oftheremaininghalf，distributeonemoietyamongyourselves，sirsquires，anddividetheotherhalfbetwixttheheraldsandthepursuivants，andminstrels，andattendants。’’

Thesquires，withcapinhand，andlowreverences，expressedtheirdeepsenseofacourtesyandgenerositynotoftenpractised，atleastuponascalesoextensive。TheDisinheritedKnightthenaddressedhisdiscoursetoBaldwin，thesquireofBriandeBois-Guilbert。``Fromyourmaster，’’saidhe，``Iwillacceptneitherarmsnorransom。Saytohiminmyname，thatourstrifeisnotended——no，nottillwehavefoughtaswellwithswordsaswithlances——aswellonfootasonhorseback。Tothismortalquarrelhehashimselfdefiedme，andIshallnotforgetthechallenge——Meantime，lethimbeassured，thatIholdhimnotasoneofhiscompanions，withwhomIcanwithpleasureexchangecourtesies；butratherasonewithwhomIstandupontermsofmortaldefiance。’’

``Mymaster，’’answeredBaldwin，``knowshowtorequitescornwithscorn，andblowswithblows，aswellascourtesywithcourtesy，Sinceyoudisdaintoacceptfromhimanyshareoftheransomatwhichyouhaveratedthearmsoftheotherknights，Imustleavehisarmourandhishorsehere，beingwellassuredthathewillneverdeigntomounttheonenorweartheother。’’

``Youhavespokenwell，goodsquire，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight，``wellandboldly，asitbeseemethhimtospeakwhoanswersforanabsentmaster。Leavenot，however，thehorseandarmourhere。Restorethemtothymaster；or，ifhescornstoacceptthem，retainthem，goodfriend，forthineownuse。Sofarastheyaremine，Ibestowthemuponyoufreely。’’

Baldwinmadeadeepobeisance，andretiredwithhiscompanions；andtheDisinheritedKnightenteredthepavilion。

``Thusfar，Gurth，’’saidhe，addressinghisattendant，``thereputationofEnglishchivalryhathnotsufferedinmyhands。’’

``AndI，’’saidGurth，``foraSaxonswineherd，havenotillplayedthepersonageofaNormansquire-at-arms。’’

``Yea，but，’’answeredtheDisinheritedKnight，thouhasteverkeptmeinanxietylestthyclownishbearingshoulddiscoverthee。’’

``Tush！’’saidGurth，``Ifeardiscoveryfromnone，savingmyplayfellow，WambatheJester，ofwhomIcouldneverdiscoverwhetherheweremostknaveorfool。YetIcouldscarcechoosebutlaugh，whenmyoldmasterpassedsoneartome，dreamingallthewhilethatGurthwaskeepinghisporkersmanyamileoff，inthethicketsandswampsofRotherwood。IfIamdiscovered——’’

``Enough，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight，``thouknowestmypromise。’’

``Nay，forthatmatter，’’saidGurth，``Iwillneverfailmyfriendforfearofmyskin-cutting。I

haveatoughhide，thatwillbearknifeorscourgeaswellasanyboar’shideinmyherd。’’

``Trustme，Iwillrequitetheriskyourunformylove，Gurth，’’saidtheKnight。``Meanwhile，Iprayyoutoacceptthesetenpiecesofgold。’’

``Iamricher，’’saidGurth，puttingthemintohispouch，``thaneverwasswineherdorbondsman。’’

``TakethisbagofgoldtoAshby，’’continuedhismaster，``andfindoutIsaactheJewofYork，andlethimpayhimselfforthehorseandarmswithwhichhiscreditsuppliedme。’’

``Nay，byStDunstan，’’repliedGurth，``thatI

willnotdo。’’

``How，knave，’’repliedhismaster，``wiltthounotobeymycommands?’’

``Sotheybehonest，reasonable，andChristiancommands，’’repliedGurth；``butthisisnoneofthese。TosuffertheJewtopayhimselfwouldbedishonest，foritwouldbecheatingmymaster；andunreasonable，foritwerethepartofafool；andunchristian，sinceitwouldbeplunderingabelievertoenrichaninfidel。’’

``Seehimcontented，however，thoustubbornvarlet，’’saidtheDisinheritedKnight。

``Iwilldoso，’’saidGurth，takingthebagunderhiscloak，andleavingtheapartment；``anditwillgohard，’’hemuttered，``butIcontenthimwithone-halfofhisownasking。’’Sosaying，hedeparted，andlefttheDisinheritedKnighttohisownperplexedruminations；which，uponmoreaccountsthanitisnowpossibletocommunicatetothereader，wereofanaturepeculiarlyagitatingandpainful。

WemustnowchangethescenetothevillageofAshby，orrathertoacountryhouseinitsvicinitybelongingtoawealthyIsraelite，withwhomIsaac，hisdaughter，andretinue，hadtakenuptheirquarters；

theJews，itiswellknown，beingasliberalinexercisingthedutiesofhospitalityandcharityamongtheirownpeople，astheywereallegedtobereluctantandchurlishinextendingthemtothosewhomtheytermedGentiles，andwhosetreatmentofthemcertainlymeritedlittlehospitalityattheirhand。

Inanapartment，smallindeed，butrichlyfurnishedwithdecorationsofanOrientaltaste，Rebeccawasseatedonaheapofembroideredcushions，which，piledalongalowplatformthatsurroundedthechamber，served，liketheestradaoftheSpaniards，insteadofchairsandstools。Shewaswatchingthemotionsofherfatherwithalookofanxiousandfilialaffection，whilehepacedtheapartmentwithadejectedmienanddisorderedstep；sometimesclaspinghishandstogether——sometimescastinghiseyestotheroofoftheapartment，asonewholabouredundergreatmentaltribulation。``O，Jacob！’’heexclaimed——``O，allyetwelveHolyFathersofourtribe！whatalosingventureisthisforonewhohathdulykepteveryjotandtittleofthelawofMoses——Fiftyzecchinswrenchedfrommeatoneclutch，andbythetalonsofatyrant！’’

``But，father，’’saidRebecca，``youseemedtogivethegoldtoPrinceJohnwillingly。’’

``Willingly?theblotchofEgyptuponhim！——

Willingly，saidstthou?——Ay，aswillinglyaswhen，intheGulfofLyons，Iflungovermymerchandisetolightentheship，whileshelabouredinthetempest——robedtheseethingbillowsinmychoicesilks——perfumedtheirbrinyfoamwithmyrrhandaloes——enrichedtheircavernswithgoldandsilverwork！Andwasnotthatanhourofunutterablemisery，thoughmyownhandsmadethesacrifice?’’

``ButitwasasacrificewhichHeavenexactedtosaveourlives，’’answeredRebecca，``andtheGodofourfathershassinceblessedyourstoreandyourgettings。’’

``Ay，’’answeredIsaac，``butifthetyrantlaysholdonthemashedidto-day，andcompelsmetosmilewhileheisrobbingme?——O，daughter，disinheritedandwanderingasweare，theworstevilwhichbefallsourraceis，thatwhenwearewrongedandplundered，alltheworldlaughsaround，andwearecompelledtosuppressoursenseofinjury，andtosmiletamely，whenwewouldrevengebravely。’’

``Thinknotthusofit，myfather，’’saidRebecca；

``wealsohaveadvantages。TheseGentiles，cruelandoppressiveastheyare，areinsomesortdependentonthedispersedchildrenofZion，whomtheydespiseandpersecute。Withouttheaidofourwealth，theycouldneitherfurnishforththeirhostsinwar，northeirtriumphsinpeace，andthegoldwhichwelendthemreturnswithincreasetoourcoffers。Weareliketheherbwhichflourishethmostwhenitismosttrampledon。Eventhisday’spageanthadnotproceededwithouttheconsentofthedespisedJew，whofurnishedthemeans。’’

``Daughter，’’saidIsaac，``thouhastharpeduponanotherstringofsorrow。Thegoodlysteedandthericharmour，equaltothefullprofitofmyadventurewithourKirjathJairamofLeicester——

thereisadeadlosstoo——ay，alosswhichswallowsupthegainsofaweek；ay，ofthespacebetweentwoSabaoths——andyetitmayendbetterthanI

nowthink，for’tisagoodyouth。’’

``Assuredly，’’saidRebecca，``youshallnotrepentyouofrequitingthegooddeedreceivedofthestrangerknight。’’

``Itrustso，daughter，’’saidIsaac，``andItrusttoointherebuildingofZion；butaswelldoI

hopewithmyownbodilyeyestoseethewallsandbattlementsofthenewTemple，astoseeaChristian，yea，theverybestofChristians，repayadebttoaJew，unlessundertheaweofthejudgeandjailor。’’

Sosaying，heresumedhisdiscontentedwalkthroughtheapartment；andRebecca，perceivingthatherattemptsatconsolationonlyservedtoawakennewsubjectsofcomplaint，wiselydesistedfromherunavailingefforts——aprudentiallineofconduct，andwerecommendtoallwhosetupforcomfortersandadvisers，tofollowitinthelikecircumstances。

Theeveningwasnowbecomingdark，whenaJewishservantenteredtheapartment，andplaceduponthetabletwosilverlamps，fedwithperfumedoil；therichestwines，andthemostdelicaterefreshments，wereatthesametimedisplayedbyanotherIsraelitishdomesticonasmallebonytable，inlaidwithsilver；for，intheinterioroftheirhouses，theJewsrefusedthemselvesnoexpensiveindulgences。AtthesametimetheservantinformedIsaac，thataNazarene(sotheytermedChristians，whileconversingamongthemselves)

desiredtospeakwithhim。Hethatwouldlivebytraffic，mustholdhimselfatthedisposalofeveryoneclaimingbusinesswithhim。IsaacatoncereplacedonthetabletheuntastedglassofGreekwinewhichhehadjustraisedtohislips，andsayinghastilytohisdaughter，``Rebecca，veilthyself，’’

commandedthestrangertobeadmitted。

JustasRebeccahaddroppedoverherfinefeaturesascreenofsilvergauzewhichreachedtoherfeet，thedooropened，andGurthentered，wraptintheamplefoldsofhisNormanmantle。Hisappearancewasrathersuspiciousthanprepossessing，especiallyas，insteadofdoffinghisbonnet，hepulleditstilldeeperoverhisruggedbrow。

``ArtthouIsaactheJewofYork?’’saidGurth，inSaxon。

``Iam，’’repliedIsaac，inthesamelanguage，(forhistraffichadrenderedeverytonguespokeninBritainfamiliartohim)——``andwhoartthou?’’

``Thatisnottothepurpose，’’answeredGurth。

``Asmuchasmynameistothee，’’repliedIsaac；

``forwithoutknowingthine，howcanIholdintercoursewiththee?’’

``Easily，’’answeredGurth；``I，beingtopaymoney，mustknowthatIdeliverittotherightperson；thou，whoaretoreceiveit，willnot，I

think，careverygreatlybywhosehandsitisdelivered。’’

``O，’’saidtheJew，``youarecometopaymoneys?

HolyFatherAbraham！thatalterethourrelationtoeachother。Andfromwhomdostthoubringit?’’