第75章

Thelowerpartofthisampleapartmentwasfilledwithsquiresandyeomen，whomadewaynotwithoutsomedifficultyforRebecca，attendedbythePreceptorandMont-Fitchet，andfollowedbytheguardofhalberdiers，tomoveforwardtotheseatappointedforher。Asshepassedthroughthecrowd，herarmsfoldedandherheaddepressed，ascrapofpaperwasthrustintoherhand，whichshereceivedalmostunconsciously，andcontinuedtoholdwithoutexaminingitscontents。Theassurancethatshepossessedsomefriendinthisawfulassemblygavehercouragetolookaround，andtomarkintowhosepresenceshehadbeenconducted。

Shegazed，accordingly，uponthescene，whichweshallendeavourtodescribeinthenextchapter。

CHAPTERXXXVII

Sternwasthelawwhichbadeitsvot’riesleaveAthumanwoeswithhumanheartstogrieve；

Sternwasthelaw，whichatthewinningwileOffrankandharmlessmirthforbadetosmile；

Butsternerstill，whenhightheiron-rodOftyrantpowersheshook，andcall’dthatpowerofGod。

_TheMiddleAges。_

TheTribunal，erectedforthetrialoftheinnocentandunhappyRebecca，occupiedthedaisorelevatedpartoftheupperendofthegreathall——aplatform，whichwehavealreadydescribedastheplaceofhonour，destinedtobeoccupiedbythemostdistinguishedinhabitantsorguestsofanancientmansion。

Onanelevatedseat，directlybeforetheaccused，sattheGrandMasteroftheTemple，infullandamplerobesofflowingwhite，holdinginhishandthemysticstaff，whichborethesymboloftheOrder。

Athisfeetwasplacedatable，occupiedbytwoscribes，chaplainsoftheOrder，whosedutyitwastoreducetoformalrecordtheproceedingsoftheday。Theblackdresses，barescalps，anddemurelooksofthesechurch-men，formedastrongcontrasttothewarlikeappearanceoftheknightswhoattended，eitherasresidinginthePreceptory，orascomethithertoattendupontheirGrandMaster。

ThePreceptors，ofwhomtherewerefourpresent，occupiedseatslowerinheight，andsomewhatdrawnbackbehindthatoftheirsuperior；andtheknights，whoenjoyednosuchrankintheOrder，wereplacedonbenchesstilllower，andpreservingthesamedistancefromthePreceptorsasthesefromtheGrandMaster。Behindthem，butstilluponthedaisorelevatedportionofthehall，stoodtheesquiresoftheOrder，inwhitedressesofaninferiorquality。

Thewholeassemblyworeanaspectofthemostprofoundgravity；andinthefacesoftheknightsmightbeperceivedtracesofmilitarydaring，unitedwiththesolemncarriagebecomingmenofareligiousprofession，andwhich，inthepresenceoftheirGrandMaster，failednottosituponeverybrow。

Theremainingandlowerpartofthehallwasfilledwithguards，holdingpartisans，andwithotherattendantswhomcuriosityhaddrawnthither，toseeatonceaGrandMasterandaJewishsorceress。

Byfarthegreaterpartofthoseinferiorpersonswere，inonerankorother，connectedwiththeOrder，andwereaccordinglydistinguishedbytheirblackdresses。Butpeasantsfromtheneighbouringcountrywerenotrefusedadmittance；foritwastheprideofBeaumanoirtorendertheedifyingspectacleofthejusticewhichheadministeredaspublicaspossible。Hislargeblueeyesseemedtoexpandasbegazedaroundtheassembly，andhiscountenanceappearedelatedbytheconsciousdignity，andimaginarymerit，ofthepartwhichhewasabouttoperform。Apsalm，whichhehimselfaccompaniedwithadeepmellowvoice，whichagehadnotdeprivedofitspowers，commencedtheproceedingsoftheday；andthesolemnsounds，_VeniteexultemusDomino_，sooftensungbytheTemplarsbeforeengagingwithearthlyadversaries，wasjudgedbyLucasmostappropriatetointroducetheapproachingtriumph，forsuchhedeemedit，overthepowersofdarkness。Thedeepprolongednotes，raisedbyahundredmasculinevoicesaccustomedtocombineinthechoralchant，arosetothevaultedroofofthehill，androlledonamongstitsarcheswiththepleasingyetsolemnsoundoftherushingofmightywaters。

Whenthesoundsceased，theGrandMasterglancedhiseyeslowlyaroundthecircle，andobservedthattheseatofoneofthePreceptorswasvacant。

BriandeBois-Guilbert，bywhomithadbeenoccupied，hadlefthisplace，andwasnowstandingneartheextremecornerofoneofthebenchesoccupiedbytheKnightsCompanionsoftheTemple，onehandextendinghislongmantle，soasinsomedegreetohidehisface；whiletheotherheldhiscross-handledsword，withthepointofwhich，sheathedasitwas，hewasslowlydrawinglinesupontheoakenfloor。

``Unhappyman！’’saidtheGrandMaster，afterfavouringhimwithaglanceofcompassion。``Thouseest，Conrade，howthisholyworkdistresseshim。

Tothiscanthelightlookofwoman，aidedbythePrinceofthePowersofthisworld，bringavali