第55章

Themensulkilyreplied，``thattheydesirednothingbetterthantogotothebattlements，providingFront-de-Bufwouldbearthemoutwiththeirmaster，whohadcommandedthemtotendthedyingman。’’

``Thedyingman，knaves！’’rejoinedtheBaron；

``Ipromisetheeweshallallbedyingmenanwestandnottoitthemorestoutly。ButIwillrelievetheguarduponthiscaitiffcompanionofyours——

Here，Urfried——hag——fiendofaSaxonwitch——

hearestmenot?——tendmethisbedriddenfellowsincehemustneedsbetended，whilsttheseknavesusetheirweapons——Herebetwoarblasts，comrades，withwindlacesandquarrells*——tothebarbicanwith*Thearblastwasacross-bow，thewindlacethemachine*usedinbendingthatweapon，andthequarrell，socalledfrom*itssquareordiamond-shapedhead，wastheboltadaptedtoit。

you，andseeyoudriveeachboltthroughaSaxonbrain。’’

Themen，who，likemostoftheirdescription，werefondofenterpriseanddetestedinaction，wentjoyfullytothesceneofdangerastheywerecommanded，andthusthechargeofIvanhoewastransferredtoUrfried，orUlrica。Butshe，whosebrainwasburningwithremembranceofinjuriesandwithhopesofvengeance，wasreadilyinducedtodevolveuponRebeccathecareofherpatient。

CHAPTERXXIX

Ascendthewatch-toweryonder，valiantsoldier，Lookonthefield，andsayhowgoesthebattle。

Schiller’s_MaidofOrleans_。

Amomentofperilisoftenalsoamomentofopen-heartedkindnessandaffection。Wearethrownoffourguardbythegeneralagitationofourfeelings，andbetraytheintensityofthose，which，atmoretranquilperiods，ourprudenceatleastconceals，ifitcannotaltogethersuppressthem。InfindingherselfoncemorebythesideofIvanhoe，Rebeccawasastonishedatthekeensensationofpleasurewhichsheexperienced，evenatatimewhenallaroundthembothwasdanger，ifnotdespair。

Asshefelthispulse，andenquiredafterhishealth，therewasasoftnessinhertouchandinheraccentsimplyingakinderinterestthanshewouldherselfhavebeenpleasedtohavevoluntarilyexpressed。

Hervoicefalteredandherhandtrembled，anditwasonlythecoldquestionofIvanhoe，``Isityou，gentlemaiden?’’whichrecalledhertoherself，andremindedherthesensationswhichshefeltwerenotandcouldnotbemutual。Asighescaped，butitwasscarceaudible；andthequestionswhichsheaskedtheknightconcerninghisstateofhealthwereputinthetoneofcalmfriendship。Ivanhoeansweredherhastilythathewas，inpointofhealth，aswell，andbetterthanhecouldhaveexpected——

``Thanks，’’hesaid，``dearRebecca，tothyhelpfulskill。’’

``Hecallsme_dear_Rebecca，’’saidthemaidentoherself，``butitisinthecoldandcarelesstonewhichillsuitstheword。Hiswar-horse——hishuntinghound，aredearertohimthanthedespisedJewess！’’

``Mymind，gentlemaiden，’’continuedIvanhoe，``ismoredisturbedbyanxiety，thanmybodywithpain。Fromthespeechesofthosemenwhoweremywardersjustnow，IlearnthatIamaprisoner，and，ifIjudgearightoftheloudhoarsevoicewhichevennowdispatchedthemhenceonsomemilitaryduty，IaminthecastleofFront-de-Buf——Ifso，howwillthisend，orhowcanIprotectRowenaandmyfather?’’

``HenamesnottheJeworJewess，’’saidRebeccainternally；``yetwhatisourportioninhim，andhowjustlyamIpunishedbyHeaven