第40章

theJews，bytheveryfrequencyoftheirfearonalloccasions，hadtheirmindsinsomedegreepreparedforeveryeffortoftyrannywhichcouldbepractiseduponthem；sothatnoaggression，whenithadtakenplace，couldbringwithitthatsurprisewhichisthemostdisablingqualityofterror。NeitherwasitthefirsttimethatIsaachadbeenplacedincircumstancessodangerous。Hehadthereforeexperiencetoguidehim，aswellashope，thathemightagain，asformerly，bedeliveredasapreyfromthefowler。Aboveall，hehaduponhissidetheunyieldingobstinacyofhisnation，andthatunbendingresolution，withwhichIsraeliteshavebeenfrequentlyknowntosubmittotheuttermostevilswhichpowerandviolencecaninflictuponthem，ratherthangratifytheiroppressorsbygrantingtheirdemands。

Inthishumourofpassiveresistance，andwithhisgarmentcollectedbeneathhimtokeephislimbsfromthewetpavement，Isaacsatinacornerofhisdungeon，wherehisfoldedhands，hisdishevelledhairandbeard，hisfurredcloakandhighcap，seenbythewiryandbrokenlight，wouldhaveaffordedastudyforRembrandt，hadthatcelebratedpainterexistedattheperiod。TheJewremained，withoutalteringhisposition，fornearlythreehours，attheexpiryofwhichstepswereheardonthedungeonstair。Theboltsscreamedastheywerewithdrawn——thehingescreakedasthewicketopened，andReginaldFront-de-Buf，followedbythetwoSaracenslavesoftheTemplar，enteredtheprison。

Front-de-Buf，atallandstrongman，whoselifehadbeenspentinpublicwarorinprivatefeudsandbroils，andwhohadhesitatedatnomeansofextendinghisfeudalpower，hadfeaturescorrespondingtohischaracter，andwhichstronglyexpressedthefiercerandmoremalignantpassionsofthemind。Thescarswithwhichhisvisagewasseamed，would，onfeaturesofadifferentcast，haveexcitedthesympathyandvenerationduetothemarksofhonourablevalour；but，inthepeculiarcaseofFront-de-Buf，theyonlyaddedtotheferocityofhiscountenance，andtothedreadwhichhispresenceinspired。Thisformidablebaronwascladinaleatherndoublet，fittedclosetohisbody，whichwasfrayedandsoiledwiththestainsofhisarmour。Hehadnoweapon，exceptingaponiardathisbelt，whichservedtocounterbalancetheweightofthebunchofrustykeysthathungathisrightside。

TheblackslaveswhoattendedFront-de-Bufwerestrippedoftheirgorgeousapparel，andattiredinjerkinsandtrowsersofcoarselinen，theirsleevesbeingtuckedupabovetheelbow，likethoseofbutcherswhenabouttoexercisetheirfunctionintheslaughter-house。Eachhadinhishandasmallpannier；and，whentheyenteredthedungeon，theystoptatthedooruntilFront-de-Bufhimselfcarefullylockedanddouble-lockedit。Havingtakenthisprecaution，headvancedslowlyuptheapartmenttowardstheJew，uponwhomhekepthiseyefixed，asifhewishedtoparalyzehimwithhisglance，assomeanimalsaresaidtofascinatetheirprey。ItseemedindeedasifthesullenandmalignanteyeofFront-de-Bufpossessedsomeportionofthatsupposedpoweroverhisunfortunateprisoner。

TheJewsatewithhismoutha-gape，andhiseyesfixedonthesavagebaronwithsuchearnestnessofterror，thathisframeseemedliterallytoshrinktogether，andtodiminishinsizewhileencounteringthefierceNorman’sfixedandbalefulgaze。TheunhappyIsaacwasdeprivednotonlyofthepowerofrisingtomaketheobeisancewhichhisterrordictated，buthecouldnotevendoffhiscap，orutteranywordofsupplication；sostronglywasheagita