Читать «Айвенго / Ivanhoe» онлайн - страница 25

“If you allow us to come with you,” added Isaac, in a tone of deep humiliation, “we will be very grateful.”

Athelstane remembered the Jew from Ashby and didn’t want to take him, but Cedric said, “We should leave them two of our servants and two horses to bring them back to the next village”.

At this moment Rebecca suddenly ran to Rowena’s horse, knelt down, and kissed Rowena’s dress. Then she begged her in the great name of the God whom they both worshipped, that she would have compassion upon them, and let them go forward under their protection. “It is not for myself that I ask this,” said Rebecca, “but for the sake of our sick friend.”

“The man is old and weak,” said Rowena to her guardian, “the maiden young and beautiful, their friend sick—even though they are Jews, we cannot as Christians leave them here. We should give them two mules to transport the litter and two horses for themselves.” Cedric agreed to this.

This was the reason Gurth had to get down from his horse, and when Wamba untied him for that reason, he ran into the forest and disappeared.

The road now became very narrow, so that only two riders could ride together, and crossed a small river with swampy banks. Cedric and Athelstane, who were at the head of their party, saw the risk of being attacked at this place and they decided to cross the river quickly. They had just crossed it with a part of their followers, when they were attacked from all sides at once so quickly that they could not defend themselves. Both Saxon nobles were made prisoners at the same moment. The servants, the Lady Rowena, and the Jew and his daughter in the rear all fell into the hands of the attackers.

Nobody escaped except for Wamba, who showed in that situation much more courage than those who pretended to be wise. He took a sword from one of the servants, drove back several who approached him, and made a brave though ineffectual attempt to rescue his master. When he saw that he couldn’t do it, he jumped from his horse and ran into the forest.

“I have heard men talk about the blessings of freedom,” he said to himself, “but I wish any wise man would teach me how to use it now when I have it.”

He pronounced these words aloud, and a voice very near him called out in a low and cautious tone, “Wamba!”

“Gurth!” answered Wamba, with the same caution, and the swineherd immediately stood before him.

“What is the matter?” said he, “what do these cries mean?”

“They are prisoners to green cloaks and black masks,” said Wamba.

At this moment a third person suddenly appeared and commanded them both to stop. Wamba recognised Locksley the yeoman, who had been victorious in the contest for the prize of archery.