第53章

Rebecca，thusendowedwithknowledgeaswithbeauty，wasuniversallyreveredandadmiredbyherowntribe，whoalmostregardedherasoneofthosegiftedwomenmentionedinthesacredhistory。Herfatherhimself，outofreverenceforhertalents，whichinvoluntarilymingleditselfwithhisunboundedaffection，permittedthemaidenagreaterlibertythanwasusuallyindulgedtothoseofhersexbythehabitsofherpeople，andwas，aswehavejustseen，frequentlyguidedbyheropinion，eveninpreferencetohisown。

WhenIvanhoereachedthehabitationofIsaac，hewasstillinastateofunconsciousness，owingtotheprofuselossofbloodwhichhadtakenplaceduringhisexertionsinthelists。Rebeccaexaminedthewound，andhavingappliedtoitsuchvulneraryremediesasherartprescribed，informedherfatherthatiffevercouldbeaverted，ofwhichthegreatbleedingrenderedherlittleapprehensive，andifthehealingbalsamofMiriamretaineditsvirtue，therewasnothingtofearforhisguest’slife，andthathemightwithsafetytraveltoYorkwiththemontheensuingday。Isaaclookedalittleblankatthisannunciation。HischaritywouldwillinglyhavestoppedshortatAshby，oratmostwouldhaveleftthewoundedChristiantobetendedinthehousewherehewasresidingatpresent，withanassurancetotheHebrewtowhomitbelonged，thatallexpensesshouldbedulydischarged。Tothis，however，Rebeccaopposedmanyreasons，ofwhichweshallonlymentiontwothathadpeculiarweightwithIsaac。Theonewas，thatshewouldonnoaccountputthephialofpreciousbalsamintothehandsofanotherphysicianevenofherowntribe，lestthatvaluablemysteryshouldbediscovered；

theother，thatthiswoundedknight，WilfredofIvanhoe，wasanintimatefavouriteofRichardCur-de-Lion，andthat，incasethemonarchshouldreturn，Isaac，whohadsuppliedhisbrotherJohnwithtreasuretoprosecutehisrebelliouspurposes，wouldstandinnosmallneedofapowerfulprotectorwhoenjoyedRichard’sfavour。

``Thouartspeakingbutsooth，Rebecca，’’saidIsaac，givingwaytotheseweightyarguments——``itwereanoffendingofHeaventobetraythesecretsoftheblessedMiriam；forthegoodwhichHeavengiveth，isnotrashlytobesquandereduponothers，whetheritbetalentsofgoldandshekelsofsilver，orwhetheritbethesecretmysteriesofawisephysician——assuredlytheyshouldbepreservedtothosetowhomProvidencehathvouchsafedthem。

AndhimwhomtheNazarenesofEnglandcalltheLion’sHeart，assuredlyitwerebetterformetofallintothehandsofastronglionofIdumeathanintohis，ifheshallhavegotassuranceofmydealingwithhisbrother。WhereforeIwilllendeartothycounsel，andthisyouthshalljourneywithusuntoYork，andourhouseshallbeasahometohimuntilhiswoundsshallbehealed。AndifheoftheLionHeartshallreturntotheland，asisnownoisedabroad，thenshallthisWilfredofIvanhoebeuntomeasawallofdefence，whentheking’sdispleasureshallburnhighagainstthyfather。Andifhedothnotreturn，thisWilfredmaynathelessrepayusourchargeswhenheshallgaintreasurebythestrengthofhisspearandofhissword，evenashedidyesterdayandthisdayalso。Fortheyouthisagoodyouth，andkeepeththedaywhichheappointeth，andrestoreththatwhichheborroweth，andsuccoureththeIsraelite，eventhechildofmyfather’shouse，whenheisencompassedbystrongthievesandsonsofBelial。’’

ItwasnotuntileveningwasnearlyclosedthatIvanhoewasrestoredtoconsciousnessofhissituation。

Heawokefromabrokenslumber，undertheconfusedimpressionswhicharenaturallyattendantontherecoveryfromastateofinsensibility。Hewasunableforsometimetorecallexactlytomemorythecircumstanceswhichhadprecededhisfallinthelists，ortomakeoutanyconnectedchainoftheevents