第76章

Bois-GuilbertturnedhisheadtowardstheGrandMasterwhenthusaddressed，andremainedsilent。

``Heispossessedbyadumbdevil，’’saidtheGrandMaster。``Avoidthee，Sathanus！——Speak，BriandeBois-Guilbert，Iconjurethee，bythissymbolofourHolyOrder。’’

Bois-Guilbertmadeanefforttosuppresshisrisingscornandindignation，theexpressionofwhich，hewaswellaware，wouldhavelittleavailedhim。

``BriandeBois-Guilbert，’’heanswered，``repliesnot，mostReverendFather，tosuchwildandvaguecharges。Ifhishonourbeimpeached，hewilldefenditwithhisbody，andwiththatswordwhichhasoftenfoughtforChristendom。’’

``Weforgivethee，BrotherBrian，’’saidtheGrandMaster；``thoughthatthouhastboastedthywarlikeachievementsbeforeus，isaglorifyingofthineowndeeds，andcomethoftheEnemy，whotemptethustoexaltourownworship。Butthouhastourpardon，judgingthouspeakestlessofthineownsuggestionthanfromtheimpulseofhimwhombyHeaven’sleave，wewillquellanddriveforthfromourassembly。’’AglanceofdisdainflashedfromthedarkfierceeyesofBois-Guilbert，buthemadenoreply——``Andnow，’’pursuedtheGrandMaster，``sinceourBrotherofGoodalricke’squestionhasbeenthusimperfectlyanswered，pursueweourquest，brethren，andwithourpatron’sassistance，wewillsearchtothebottomthismysteryofiniquity——LetthosewhohaveaughttowitnessofthelifeandconversationofthisJewishwoman，standforthbeforeus。’’Therewasabustleinthelowerpartofthehall，andwhentheGrandMasterenquiredthereason，itwasreplied，therewasinthecrowdabedriddenman，whomtheprisonerhadrestoredtotheperfectuseofhislimbs，byamiraculousbalsam。

Thepoorpeasant，aSaxonbybirth，wasdraggedforwardtothebar，terrifiedatthepenalconsequenceswhichhemighthaveincurredbytheguiltofhavingbeencuredofthepalsybyaJewishdamsel。Perfectlycuredbecertainlywasnot，forhesupportedhimselfforwardoncrutchestogiveevidence。Mostunwillingwashistestimony，andgivenwithmanytears；butheadmittedthattwoyearssince，whenresidingatYork，hewassuddenlyafflictedwithasoredisease，whilelabouringforIsaactherichJew，inhisvocationofajoiner；thathehadbeenunabletostirfromhisbeduntiltheremediesappliedbyRebecca’sdirections，andespeciallyawarmingandspicy-smellingbalsam，hadinsomedegreerestoredhimtotheuseofhislimbs。

Moreover，hesaid，shehadgivenhimapotofthatpreciousointment，andfurnishedhimwithapieceofmoneywithal，toreturntothehouseofhisfather，neartoTemplestowe。``AndmayitpleaseyourgraciousReverence，’’saidtheman，``Icannotthinkthedamselmeantharmbyme，thoughshehaththeillhaptobeaJewess；forevenwhenIusedherremedy，IsaidthePaterandtheCreed，anditneveroperatedawhitlesskindly——’’

``Peace，slave，’’saidtheGrandMaster，``andbegone！Itwellsuitsbrutesliketheetobetamperingandtrinketingwithhellishcures，andtobegivingyourlabourtothesonsofmischief。I

tellthee，thefiendcanimposediseasesfortheverypurposeofremovingthem，inordertobringintocreditsomediabolicalfashionofcure。Hastthouthatunguentofwhichthouspeakest?’’

Thepeasant，fumblinginhisbosomwithatremblinghand，producedasmallbox，bearingsomeHebrewcharactersonthelid，whichwas，withmostoftheaudience，asureproofthatthedevilhadstoodapothecary。Beaumanoir，aftercrossinghimself，tooktheboxintohishand，and，learnedinmostoftheEasterntongues，readwitheasethemottoonthelid，——_TheLionofthetribeofJudahhathconquered_。``StrangepowersofSathanas。’’

saidhe，``whichcanconvertScriptureintoblasphemy，minglingpoisonwithournecessaryfood！——Istherenoleechherewhocantellustheingredientsofthismysticunguent?’’

Twomediciners，astheycalledthemselves，theoneamonk，theotherabarber，appeared，andavouchedtheyknewnothingofthematerials，exceptingthattheysavouredofmyrrhandcamphire，whichtheytooktobeOrientalherbs。Butwiththetrueprofessionalhatredtoasuccessfulpractitioneroftheirart，theyinsinuatedthat，sincethemedicinewasbeyondtheirownknowledge，itmustnecessarilyhavebeencompoundedfromanunlawfulandmagicalpharmacopeia；sincetheythemselves，thoughnoconjurors，fullyunderstoodeverybranchoftheirart，sofarasitmightbeexercisedwiththegoodfaithofaChristian。Whenthismedicalresearchwasended，theSaxonpeasantdesiredhumblytohavebackthemedicinewhichhehadfoundsosalutary；buttheGrandMasterfrownedseverelyattherequest。``Whatisthyname，fellow?’’

saidhetothecri