第61章

``WilfredofIvanhoe！’’exclaimedtheBlackKnight——``prisoner，andperish！——Thelifeofeverymaninthecastleshallansweritifahairofhisheadbesinged——Showmehischamber！’’

``Ascendyonderwindingstair，’’saidDeBracy；

``itleadstohisapartment——Wiltthounotacceptmyguidance?’’headded，inasubmissivevoice。

``No。Tothebarbican，andtherewaitmyorders。

Itrusttheenot，DeBracy。’’

Duringthiscombatandthebriefconversationwhichensued，Cedric，attheheadofabodyofmen，amongwhomtheFriarwasconspicuous，hadpushedacrossthebridgeassoonastheysawtheposternopen，anddrovebackthedispiritedanddespairingfollowersofDeBracy，ofwhomsomeaskedquarter，someofferedvainresistance，andthegreaterpartfledtowardsthecourt-yard。DeBracyhimselfarosefromtheground，andcastasorrowfulglanceafterhisconqueror。``Hetrustsmenot！’’herepeated；``buthaveIdeservedhistrust?’’

Hethenliftedhisswordfromthefloor，tookoffhishelmetintokenofsubmission，and，goingtothebarbican，gaveuphisswordtoLocksley，whomhemetbytheway。

Asthefireaugmented，symptomsofitbecamesoonapparentinthechamber，whereIvanhoewaswatchedandtendedbytheJewessRebecca。Hehadbeenawakenedfromhisbriefslumberbythenoiseofthebattle；andhisattendant，whohad，athisanxiousdesire，againplacedherselfatthewindowtowatchandreporttohimthefateoftheattack，wasforsometimepreventedfromobservingeither，bytheincreaseofthesmoulderingandstiflingvapour。Atlengththevolumesofsmokewhichrolledintotheapartment——thecriesforwater，whichwereheardevenabovethedinofthebattlemadethemsensibleoftheprogressofthisnewdanger。

``Thecastleburns，’’saidRebecca；``itburns！——

Whatcanwedotosaveourselves?’’

``Fly，Rebecca，andsavethineownlife，’’saidIvanhoe，``fornohumanaidcanavailme。’’

``Iwillnotfly，’’answeredRebecca；``wewillbesavedorperishtogether——Andyet，greatGod！——

myfather，myfather——whatwillbehisfate！’’

Atthismomentthedooroftheapartmentflewopen，andtheTemplarpresentedhimself，——aghastlyfigure，forhisgildedarmourwasbrokenandbloody，andtheplumewaspartlyshornaway，partlyburntfromhiscasque。``Ihavefoundthee，’’saidhetoRebecca；``thoushaltproveI

willkeepmywordtosharewealandwoewiththee——Thereisbutonepathtosafety，Ihavecutmywaythroughfiftydangerstopointittothee——up，andinstantlyfollowme！’’*

*Theauthorhassomeideathatthispassageisimitatedfrom*theappearanceofPhilidaspes，beforethedivineMandane，when*thecityofBabylonisonfire，andheproposestocarryherfrom*theflames。Butthetheft，iftherebeone，wouldberathertoo*severelypunishedbythepenanceofsearchingfortheoriginal*passagethroughtheinterminablevolumesoftheGrandCyrus。

``Alone，’’answeredRebecca，``Iwillnotfollowthee。Ifthouwertbornofwoman——ifthouhastbutatouchofhumancharityinthee——ifthyheartbenothardasthybreastplate——savemyagedfather——savethiswoundedknight！’’

``Aknight，’’answeredtheTemplar，withhischaracteristiccalmness，``aknight，Rebecca，mustencounterhisfate，whetheritmeethimintheshapeofswordorflame——andwhoreckshoworwhereaJewmeetswithhis?’’

``Savagewarrior，’’saidRebecca，``ratherwillI

perishintheflamesthanacceptsafetyfromthee！’’

``Thoushaltnotchoose，Rebecca——oncedidstthoufoilme，butnevermortaldidsotwice。’’

Sosaying，heseizedontheterrifiedmaiden，whofilledtheairwithhershrieks，andboreheroutoftheroominhisarmsinspiteofhercries，andwithoutregardingthemenacesanddefiancewhichIvanhoethunderedagainsthim。``HoundoftheTemple——staintothineOrder——setfreethedamsel！TraitorofBois-Guilbert，itisIvanhoecommandsthee！——Villain，Iwillhavethyheart’sblood！’’

``Ihad