第79章

Shedrewherselfintoanattitudenotofdefiance，butofresolution，asonethatwouldavoidprovokingassault，yetwasresolutetorepelit，beingoffered，totheutmostofherpower。

``Youhavenoreasontofearme，Rebecca，’’saidtheTemplar；``OrifImustsoqualifymyspeech，youhaveatleast_now_noreasontofearme。’’

``Ifearyounot，SirKnight，’’repliedRebecca，althoughhershort-drawnbreathseemedtobelietheheroismofheraccentsmytrustisstrong，andIfeartheenot。’’

``Youhavenocause，’’answeredBois-Guilbert，gravely；``myformerfranticattemptsyouhavenotnowtodread。Withinyourcallareguards，overwhomIhavenoauthority。Theyaredesignedtoconductyoutodeath，Rebecca，yetwouldnotsufferyoutobeinsultedbyanyone，evenbyme，weremyfrenzy——forfrenzyitis——tourgemesofar。’’

``MayHeavenbepraised！’’saidtheJewess；

``deathistheleastofmyapprehensionsinthisdenofevil。’’

``Ay，’’repliedtheTemplar，``theideaofdeathiseasilyreceivedbythecourageousmind，whentheroadtoitissuddenandopen。Athrustwithalance，astrokewithasword，weretomelittle——

Toyou，aspringfromadizzybattlement，astrokewithasharpponiard，hasnoterrors，comparedwithwhateitherthinksdisgrace。Markme——I

saythis——perhapsmineownsentimentsofhonourarenotlessfantastic，Rebecca，thanthineare；butweknowalikehowtodieforthem。’’

``Unhappyman，’’saidtheJewess；``andartthoucondemnedtoexposethylifeforprinciples，ofwhichthysoberjudgmentdoesnotacknowledgethesolidity?Surelythisisapartingwithyourtreasureforthatwhichisnotbread——butdeemnotsoofme。Thyresolutionmayfluctuateonthewildandchangefulbillowsofhumanopinion，butmineisanchoredontheRockofAges。’’

``Silence，maiden，’’answeredtheTemplar；

``suchdiscoursenowavailsbutlittle。Thouartcondemnedtodienotasuddenandeasydeath，suchasmiserychooses，anddespairwelcomes，butaslow，wretched，protractedcourseoftorture，suitedtowhatthediabolicalbigotryofthesemencallsthycrime。’’

``Andtowhom——ifsuchmyfate——towhomdoIowethis?’’saidRebecca``surelyonlytohim，who，foramostselfishandbrutalcause，draggedmehither，andwhonow，forsomeunknownpurposeofhisown，strivestoexaggeratethewretchedfatetowhichheexposedme。’’

``Thinknot，’’saidtheTemplar，``thatIhavesoexposedthee；Iwouldhavebuckleredtheeagainstsuchdangerwithmyownbosom，asfreelyaseverIexposedittotheshaftswhichhadotherwisereachedthylife。’’

``Hadthypurposebeenthehonourableprotectionoftheinnocent，’’saidRebecca，``Ihadthankedtheeforthycare——asitis，thouhastclaimedmeritforitsooften，thatItelltheelifeisworthnothingtome，preservedatthepricewhichthouwouldstexactforit。’’

``Trucewiththineupbraidings，Rebecca，’’saidtheTemplar；``Ihavemyowncauseofgrief，andbrooknotthatthyreproachesshouldaddtoit。’’

``Whatisthypurpose，then，SirKnight?’’saidtheJewess；``speakitbriefly——Ifthouhastaughttodo，savetowitnessthemiserythouhastcaused，letmeknowit；andthen，ifsoitpleaseyou，leavemetomyself——thestepbetweentimeandeternityisshortbutterrible，andIhavefewmomentstoprepareforit。’’

``Iperceive，Rebecca，’’saidBois-Guilbert，``thatthoudostcontinuetoburdenmewiththechargeofdistresses，whichmostfainwouldIhaveprevented。’’

``SirKnight，’’saidRebecca，``Iwouldavoidreproaches——ButwhatismorecertainthanthatI

owemydeathtothineunbridledpassion?’’

``Youerr——youerr，’’——saidtheTemplar，hastily，``ifyouimputewhatIcouldneitherforeseenorpreventtomypurposeoragency——CouldI

guesstheunexpectedarrivalofyon