Читать «Айвенго / Ivanhoe» онлайн - страница 30

“Kill you, girl?” answered the hag; “Why would they want to kill you? – Trust me, your life is in no danger. Look at me—I was as young and twice as beautiful as you, when Front-de-Boeuf, the father of this baron, stormed this castle. My father and his seven sons died defending it—and before their bodies were cold, I belonged to the conqueror!”

“Is there no help? – Are there no means of escape?” said Rebecca.

“Don’t think about it,” said the hag; “there is no escape except through the gates of death”.

She left the room as she spoke.

Rebecca was now expecting a fate more terrible than that of Rowena, but she was better prepared by habits of thought, and by natural strength of mind, to face the dangers to which she was exposed.

First she inspected the apartment, but the only door didn’t have a bar and the only window opened upon an isolated balcony.

Rebecca trembled, when she heard steps on the stair. The door of the turret-chamber slowly opened, and a tall man entered and shut the door behind him.

“Do not lose good money,” said Rebecca; “take ransom, and have mercy! – My father will give as much gold as you ask; and if you use it wisely, you can buy yourself a normal life – not that of a robber.”

“It is well spoken,” replied the man, “but know, bright flower of Palestine, that your father is already in the hands of someone who can get gold out of him without your help. The ransom must be paid by love and beauty.”

“You are not a robber,” said Rebecca, “you are a Norman noble—o, be noble in your actions! What can you take from me, if not my money? I am Jewish, you cannot marry me”.

“Marry you? No!” replied the Templar, laughing, “I cannot marry anyone, I am a Templar. But my mistakes will be forgiven by my Order. I have won you with my bow and spear, you belong to me.”

“Stand back,” said Rebecca. She threw open the window which led to the balcony, and in an instant she stood on the parapet, one step from falling down. Unprepared for such a desperate effort, Bois-Guilbert didn’t have time to stop her. She exclaimed, “Stay where you are, proud Templar, one foot nearer, and I die!”

The Templar hesitated, he admired her courage. “Come down,” he said, “I swear I will do nothing against you, and I have never broken my word.”

“I will then trust you thus far,” said Rebecca and came down from the parapet but remained standing close to it.

The thought that she had her fate in her hands, and could escape from dishonour to death, gave colour to her cheeks and fire to her eyes. Bois-Guilbert, who was a proud man himself, thought he had never seen such beauty.

“Rebecca!” he exclaimed, “she who could prefer death to dishonour, must have a proud and powerful soul. You must be mine! You must be mine when you want to be mine. You must share with me my hopes! Listen to me—the Templar loses his social rights, his freedom of action, but he becomes a member and a part of a powerful body, before which thrones tremble. And I am already one of the Chief Commanders and one day I will be the Grand Master. The Order will take power from the hands of kings! Share my adventure, I have found a proud soul in you. Think about it! That sound of horn announces something which may require my presence. I will soon return.”