burlesques-第66章

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smile　lighted　up　Don　Beltran's　features　as　he　bade　the　black　slave

admit　the　messenger。　　He　entered。　　By　his　costume　it　was　at　once

seen　that　the　bearer　of　the　flag　of　truce　was　a　Jewthe　people

were　employed　continually　then　as　ambassadors　between　the　two　races

at　war　in　Spain。



〃I　come；〃　said　the　old　Jew　（in　a　voice　which　made　Sir　Wilfrid

start）；　〃from　my　lord　the　Alfaqui　to　my　noble　senor；　the　invincible

Don　Beltran　de　Cuchilla；　to　treat　for　the　ransom　of　the　Moor's　only

daughter；　the　child　of　his　old　age　and　the　pearl　of　his　affection。〃



〃A　pearl　is　a　valuable　jewel；　Hebrew。　　What　does　the　Moorish　dog

bid　for　her？〃　asked　Don　Beltran；　still　smiling　grimly。



〃The　Alfaqui　offers　100；000　dinars；　twenty…four　horses　with　their

caparisons；　twenty…four　suits　of　plate…armor；　and　diamonds　and

rubies　to　the　amount　of　1；000；000　dinars。〃



〃Ho；　slaves！〃　roared　Don　Beltran；　〃show　the　Jew　my　treasury　of

gold。　　How　many　hundred　thousand　pieces　are　there？〃　　And　ten

enormous　chests　were　produced　in　which　the　accountant　counted　1；000

bags　of　1；000　dirhems　each；　and　displayed　several　caskets　of　jewels

containing　such　a　treasure　of　rubies；　smaragds；　diamonds；　and

jacinths；　as　made　the　eyes　of　the　aged　ambassador　twinkle　with

avarice。



〃How　many　horses　are　there　in　my　stable？〃　continued　Don　Beltran；

and　Muley；　the　master　of　the　horse；　numbered　three　hundred　fully

caparisoned；　and　there　was；　likewise；　armor　of　the　richest　sort　for

as　many　cavaliers；　who　followed　the　banner　of　this　doughty　captain。



〃I　want　neither　money　nor　armor；〃　said　the　ferocious　knight；　〃tell

this　to　the　Alfaqui；　Jew。　　And　I　will　keep　the　child；　his　daughter；

to　serve　the　messes　for　my　dogs；　and　clean　the　platters　for　my

scullions。〃



〃Deprive　not　the　old　man　of　his　child；〃　here　interposed　the　Knight

of　Ivanhoe；　〃bethink　thee；　brave　Don　Beltran；　she　is　but　an　infant

in　years。〃



〃She　is　my　captive；　Sir　Knight；〃　replied　the　surly　Don　Beltran；　〃I

will　do　with　my　own　as　becomes　me。〃



〃Take　200；000　dirhems；〃　cried　the　Jew；　〃more！anything！　　The

Alfaqui　will　give　his　life　for　his　child！〃



〃Come　hither；　Zutulbe！come　hither；　thou　Moorish　pearl！〃　yelled

the　ferocious　warrior；　〃come　closer；　my　pretty　black…eyed　houri　of

heathenesse！　　Hast　heard　the　name　of　Beltran　de　Espada　y　Trabuco？〃



〃There　were　three　brothers　of　that　name　at　Alarcos；　and　my　brothers

slew　the　Christian　dogs！〃　said　the　proud　young　girl；　looking　boldly

at　Don　Beltran；　who　foamed　with　rage。



〃The　Moors　butchered　my　mother　and　her　little　ones；　at　midnight；　in

our　castle　of　Murcia；〃　Beltran　said。



〃Thy　father　fled　like　a　craven；　as　thou　didst；　Don　Beltran！〃　cried

the　high…spirited　girl。



〃By　Saint　Jago；　this　is　too　much！〃　screamed　the　infuriated

nobleman；　and　the　next　moment　there　was　a　shriek；　and　the　maiden

fell　to　the　ground　with　Don　Beltran's　dagger　in　her　side。



〃Death　is　better　than　dishonor！〃　cried　the　child；　rolling　on　the

blood…stained　marble　pavement。　　〃II　spit　upon　thee；　dog　of　a

Christian！〃　and　with　this；　and　with　a　savage　laugh；　she　fell　back

and　died。



〃Bear　back　this　news；　Jew；　to　the　Alfaqui；〃　howled　the　Don；

spurning　the　beauteous　corpse　with　his　foot。　　〃I　would　not　have

ransomed　her　for　all　the　gold　in　Barbary！〃　　And　shuddering；　the　old

Jew　left　the　apartment；　which　Ivanhoe　quitted　likewise。



When　they　were　in　the　outer　court；　the　knight　said　to　the　Jew；

〃Isaac　of　York；　dost　thou　not　know　me？〃　and　threw　back　his　hood；

and　looked　at　the　old　man。



The　old　Jew　stared　wildly；　rushed　forward　as　if　to　seize　his　hand；

then　started　back；　trembling　convulsively；　and　clutching　his

withered　hands　over　his　face；　said；　with　a　burst　of　grief；　〃Sir

Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe！no；　no！I　do　not　know　thee！〃



〃Holy　mother！　what　has　chanced？〃　said　Ivanhoe；　in　his　turn　becoming

ghastly　pale；　〃where　is　thy　daughterwhere　is　Rebecca？〃



〃Away　from　me！〃　said　the　old　Jew；　tottering。　　〃Away　Rebecca　is

dead！〃



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



When　the　Disinherited　Knight　heard　that　fatal　announcement；　he　fell

to　the　ground　senseless；　and　was　for　some　days　as　one　perfectly

distraught　with　grief。　　He　took　no　nourishment　and　uttered　no　word。

For　weeks　he　did　not　relapse　out　of　his　moody　silence；　and　when　he

came　partially　to　himself　again；　it　was　to　bid　his　people　to　horse；

in　a　hollow　voice；　and　to　make　a　foray　against　the　Moors。　　Day

after　day　he　issued　out　against　these　infidels；　and　did　nought　but

slay　and　slay。　　He　took　no　plunder　as　other　knights　did；　but　left

that　to　his　followers；　he　uttered　no　war…cry；　as　was　the　manner　of

chivalry；　and　he　gave　no　quarter；　insomuch　that　the　〃silent　knight〃

became　the　dread　of　all　the　Paynims　of　Granada　and　Andalusia；　and

more　fell　by　his　lance　than　by　that　of　any　the　most　clamorous

captains　of　the　troops　in　arms　against　them。　　Thus　the　tide　of

battle　turned；　and　the　Arab　historian；　El　Makary；　recounts　how；　at

the　great　battle　of　Al　Akab；　called　by　the　Spaniards　Las　Navas；　the

Christians　retrieved　their　defeat　at　Alarcos；　and　absolutely　killed

half　a　milllion　of　Mahometans。　　Fifty　thousand　of　these；　of　course；

Don　Wilfrid　took　to　his　own　lance；　and　it　was　remarked　that　the

melancholy　warrior　seemed　somewhat　more　easy　in　spirits　after　that

famous　feat　of　arms。





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　END　OF　THE　PERFORMANCE。





In　a　short　time　the　terrible　Sir　Wilfrid　of　Ivanhoe　had　killed　off

so　many　of　the　Moors；　that　though　those　unbelieving　miscreants

poured　continual　reinforcements　into　Spain　from　Barbary；　they　could

make　no　head　against　the　Christian　forces；　and　in　fact　came　into

battle　quite　discouraged　at　the　notion　of　meeting　the　dreadful

silent　knight。　　It　was　commonly　believed　amongst　them；　that　the

famous　Malek　Ric；　Richard　of　England；　the　conqueror　of　Saladin；　had

come　to　life　again；　and　was　battling　in　the　Spanish　hoststhat

this；　his　second　life；　was　a　charmed　one；　and　his　body　inaccessible

to　blow　of　scimitar　or　thrust　of　spearthat　after　battle　he　ate

the　hearts　and　drank　the　blood　of　many　young　Moors　for　his　supper：

a　thousand　wild　legends　were　told　of　Ivanhoe；　indeed；　so　that　the

Morisco　warriors　came　half　vanquished　into　the　field；　and　fell　an

easy　prey　to　the　Spaniards；　who　cut　away　among　them　without　mercy。

And　although　none　of　the　Spanish　historians　whom　I　have　consulted

make　mention　of　Sir　Wilfrid　as　the　real　author　of　the　numerous

triumphs　which　now　graced　the　arms　of　the　good　cause；　this　is　not

in　the　least　to　be　wondered　at；　in　a　nation　that　has　always　been

notorious　for　bragging；　and　for　the　non…payment　of　their　debts　of

gratitude　as　of　their　other　obligations；　and　that　writes　histories

of　the　Peninsular　war　with　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　without　making　the

slightest　mention　of　his　Grace　the　Duke　of　Wellington；　or　of　the

part　taken　by　BRITISH　VALOR　in　that　transaction。　　Well；　it　must　be

confessed；　on　the　other　hand；　that　we　brag　enough　of　our　fathers'

feats　in　those　campaigns：　but　this　is　not　the　subject　at　present

under　consideration。



To　be　brief；　Ivanhoe　made　such　short　work　with　the　unbelievers；

that　the　monarch　of　Aragon；　King　Don　Jayme；　saw　himself　speedily

enabled　to　besiege　the　city　of　Valencia；　the　last　stronghold　which

the　Moors　had　in　his　dominions；　and　garrisoned　by　many　thousands　of

those　infidels　under　the　command　of　their　King　Aboo　Abdallah

Mahommed；　son　of　Yakoobal…Mansoor。　　The　Arabian　historian　El　Makary

gives　a　full　account　of　the　military　precautions　taken　by　Aboo

Abdallah　to　defend　his　city；　but　as　I　do　not　wish　to　make　a　parade

of　my　learning；　or　to　write　a　costume　novel；　I　shall　pretermit　any

description　of　the　city　under　its　Moorish　governors。



Besides　the　Turks　who　inhabited　it；　there　dwelt　within　its　walls

great　store　of　those　of　the　Hebrew　nation；　who　were　always

protected　by　the　Moors　during　their　unbelieving　reign　in　Spain；　and

who　were；　as　we　very　well　know；　the　chief　physicians；　the　chief

bankers；　the　chief　statesmen；　the　chief　artists　and　musicians；　the

chief　everything；　under　the　Moorish　kings。　　Thus　it　is　not

surprising　that　the　Hebrews；　having　their　money；　their　liberty；

their　teeth；　their　lives；　secure　under　the　Mahometan　domination；

should　infinitely　prefer　it　to　the　Christian　sway；　beneath　which

they　were　liable　to　be　deprived　of　every　one　of　these　benefits。



Among　these　Hebrews　of　Valencia；　lived　a　very　ancient　Israeliteno

other　than　Isaac　of　York　before　mentioned；　who　came　into　Spain　with

his　daughter；　soon　after　Ivanhoe's　marriage；　in　the　third　volume　of

the　first　part　of　this　history。　　Isaac　was　respected　by　his　people

for　the　money　which　he　possessed；　and　his　daughter　for　her　admirable

good　qualities；　her　beauty；　her　charities；　and　her　remarkable

medical　skill。



The　young　Emir　Aboo　Abdallah　was　so　struck　by　her　charms；　that

though　she　was　considerably　older　than　his　Highness；　he　offered　to

marry　her；　and　install　her　as　Number　1　of　his　wives；　and　Isaac　of

York　would　not　have　objected　to　the　union；　（for　such　mixed　marriages

were　not　uncommon　between　the　Hebrews　and　Moors　in　those　days；）　but

Rebecca　firmly　yet　respectfully　declined　the　proposals　of　the

prince；　saying　that　it　was　impossible　she　should　unite　herself　with

a　man　of　a　creed　different　to　her　own。



Although　Isaac　was；　probably；　not　over…well　pleased　at　losing　this

chance　of　being　father…in…law　to　a　royal　highness；　yet　as　he　passed

among　his　people　for　a　very　strict　character；　and　there　were　in　his

family　several　rabbis　of　great　reputation　and　severity　of　conduct；

the　old　gentleman　was　silenced　by　this　objection　of　Rebecca's；　and

the　young　lady　herself　applauded　by　her　relatives　for　her　resolute

behavior。　　She　took　their　congratulations　in　a　very　frigid　manner；

and　said　that　it　was　her　wish　not　to　marry　at　all；　but　to　devote

herself　to　the　practice　of　medicine　altogether；　and　to　helping　the

sick　and　needy　of　her　people。　　Indeed；　although　she　did　not　go　to

any　public　meetings；　she　was　as　benevolent　a　creature　as　the　world

ever　saw：　the　poor　blessed　her　wherever　they　knew　her；　and　many

benefited　by　her　who　guessed　not　whence　her　gentle　bounty　came。



But　there　are　men　in　Jewry　who　admire　beauty；　and；　as　I　have　even

heard；　appreciate　money　too；　and　Rebecca　had　such　a　quantity　of

both；　that　all　the　most　desirable　bachelors　of　the　people　were

ready　to　bid　for　her。　　Ambassadors　came　from　all　quarters　to

propose　for　her。　　Her　own　uncle；　the　venerable　Ben　Solomons；　with　a

beard　as　long　as　a　cashmere　goat's；　and　a　reputation　for　learning

and　piety　which　still　lives　in　his　nation；　quarrelled　with　his　son

Moses；　the　red…haired　diamond…merchant　of　Trebizond；　and　his　son

Simeon；　the　bald　bill…broker　of　Bagdad；　each　putting　in　a　claim　for

their　cousin。　　Ben　Minories　came　from　London　and　knelt　at　her　feet；

Ben　Jochanan　arrived　from　Paris；　and　thought　to　dazzle　her　with　the

latest　waistcoats　from　the　Palai