第44章

``takeransom，andhavemercy！——Goldwillpurchaseyoupleasure，——tomisuseus，couldonlybringtheeremorse。Myfatherwillwillinglysatiatethyutmostwishes；andifthouwiltactwisely，thoumaystpurchasewithourspoilsthyrestorationtocivilsociety——maystobtainpardonforpasterrors，andbeplacedbeyondthenecessityofcommittingmore。’’

``Itiswellspoken，’’repliedtheoutlawinFrench，findingitdifficultprobablytosustain，inSaxon，aconversationwhichRebeccahadopenedinthatlanguage；``butknow，brightlilyofthevaleofBaca！thatthyfatherisalreadyinthehandsofapowerfulalchemist，whoknowshowtoconvertintogoldandsilvereventherustybarsofadungeongrate。ThevenerableIsaacissubjectedtoanalembic，whichwilldistilfromhimallheholdsdear，withoutanyassistancefrommyrequestsorthyentreaty。Theransommustbepaidbyloveandbeauty，andinnoothercoinwillIacceptit。’’

``Thouartnooutlaw，’’saidRebecca，inthesamelanguageinwhichheaddressedher；``nooutlawhadrefusedsuchoffers。Nooutlawinthislandusesthedialectinwhichthouhastspoken。

Thouartnooutlaw，butaNorman——aNorman，nobleperhapsinbirth——O，besointhyactions，andcastoffthisfearfulmaskofoutrageandviolence！’’

``Andthou，whocanstguesssotruly，’’saidBriandeBois-Guilbert，droppingthemantlefromhisface，``artnotruedaughterofIsrael，butinall，saveyouthandbeauty，averywitchofEndor。I

amnotanoutlaw，then，fairroseofSharon。AndIamonewhowillbemoreprompttohangthyneckandarmswithpearlsanddiamonds，whichsowellbecomethem，thantodeprivetheeoftheseornaments。’’

``Whatwouldstthouhaveofme，’’saidRebecca，``ifnotmywealth?——Wecanhavenoughtincommonbetweenus——youareaChristian——IamaJewess——Ourunionwerecontrarytothelaws，alikeofthechurchandthesynagogue。’’

``Itwereso，indeed，’’repliedtheTemplar，laughing；

``wedwithaJewess?_Despardieux！_——NotifsheweretheQueenofSheba！Andknow，besides，sweetdaughterofZion，thatwerethemostChristiankingtooffermehismostChristiandaughter，withLanguedocforadowery，Icouldnotwedher。Itisagainstmyvowtoloveanymaiden，otherwisethan_paramours_，asIwilllovethee。I

amaTemplar。BeholdthecrossofmyHolyOrder。’’

``Darestthouappealtoit，’’saidRebecca，``onanoccasionlikethepresent?’’

``AndifIdoso，’’saidtheTemplar，``itconcernsnotthee，whoartnobelieverintheblessedsignofoursalvation。’’

``Ibelieveasmyfatherstaught，’’saidRebecca；

``andmayGodforgivemybeliefiferroneous！Butyou，SirKnight，whatisyours，whenyouappealwithoutscrupletothatwhichyoudeemmostholy，evenwhileyouareabouttotransgressthemostsolemnofyourvowsasaknight，andasamanofreligion?’’

``Itisgravelyandwellpreached，OdaughterofSirach！’’answeredtheTemplar；``but，gentleEcclesiastics，thynarrowJewishprejudicesmaketheeblindtoourhighprivilege。MarriagewereanenduringcrimeonthepartofaTemplar；butwhatlesserfollyImaypractise，Ishallspeed