"Submit to my fate!" said Rebecca--"and, sacred Heaven! to what

fate?--embrace thy religion! and what religion can it be that

harbours such a villain?--THOU the best lance of the Templars!--Craven

knight!--forsworn priest! I spit at thee, and I defy thee.--The God of

Abraham's promise hath opened an escape to his daughter--even from this

abyss of infamy!"

As she spoke, she threw open the latticed window which led to the

bartisan, and in an instant after, stood on the very verge of the

parapet, with not the slightest screen between her and the tremendous

depth below. Unprepared for such a desperate effort, for she had

hitherto stood perfectly motionless, Bois-Guilbert had neither time

to intercept nor to stop her. As he offered to advance, she exclaimed,

"Remain where thou art, proud Templar, or at thy choice advance!--one

foot nearer, and I plunge myself from the precipice; my body shall

be crushed out of the very form of humanity upon the stones of that

court-yard, ere it become the victim of thy brutality!"

As she spoke this, she clasped her hands and extended them towards

heaven, as if imploring mercy on her soul before she made the final

plunge. The Templar hesitated, and a resolution which had never yielded

to pity or distress, gave way to his admiration of her fortitude. "Come

down," he said, "rash girl!--I swear by earth, and sea, and sky, I will

offer thee no offence."

"I will not trust thee, Templar," said Rebecca; "thou hast taught me

better how to estimate the virtues of thine Order. The next Preceptory

would grant thee absolution for an oath, the keeping of which concerned

nought but the honour or the dishonour of a miserable Jewish maiden."

"You do me injustice," exclaimed the Templar fervently; "I swear to you

by the name which I bear--by the cross on my bosom--by the sword on my

side--by the ancient crest of my fathers do I swear, I will do thee

no injury whatsoever! If not for thyself, yet for thy father's sake

forbear! I will be his friend, and in this castle he will need a

powerful one."

"Alas!" said Rebecca, "I know it but too well--dare I trust thee?"

"May my arms be reversed, and my name dishonoured," said Brian de

Bois-Guilbert, "if thou shalt have reason to complain of me! Many a law,

many a commandment have I broken, but my word never."

"I will then trust thee," said Rebecca, "thus far;" and she descended

from the verge of the battlement, but remained standing close by one of

the embrasures, or "machicolles", as they were then called.--"Here," she

said, "I take my stand. Remain where thou art, and if thou shalt attempt

to diminish by one step the distance now between us, thou shalt see that

the Jewish maiden will rather trust her soul with God, than her honour

to the Templar!"




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