Chapter 44 Chapter Forty-Four

Now it's over like a ridiculous story. Webster [Note: John.Webster, English playwright and poet. 】 After the first few minutes of amazement had passed, Wilfred of Ivanhoe asked the Grand Master whether, as judge of the tournament, he thought the duel was fair and valid. Yes, the duel was just and valid, replied the Grand Master, and I now acquit the woman.The weapons and remains of the deceased knight were at the disposal of the victor. I don't want to confiscate his weapons, said the Knight of Ivanhoe, or insult his body, since he fought for Christendom.Today it was God's hand, not man's, that brought him down.But as a man who had died in an unjust dispute, his funeral could only be held in secret.As for this woman

But a loud sound of horseshoes interrupted his words. They approached from a distance, and there were so many people that they came so fiercely that even the ground shook.The black-armored knight rushed into the arena first, followed by a large group of cavalry and several fully-clad warriors. I came too late, he said, looking around. It was my right to execute Bois-guibert.Ivanhoe, is it right to take such a risk when you can't ride a horse? "Your Majesty, God bless, the proud man is dead," Ivanhoe replied. "You don't need to do it yourself. He doesn't deserve the honor."

Well, if he can rest in peace, let him rest in peace, said Richard, looking at the body for a while. He was a brave knight, and died like a knight.But we can't waste time.Do your duty, Bohun! A knight stepped out from the king's retinue and laid a hand on Albert.Malvosin's shoulder, and said: You are under arrest for treason. Grandmaster was stunned when he saw so many warriors appearing.Now he speaks: Who dares to arrest a knight of the Knights Templar in the halls of the Knights Templar, in the presence of its Grand Master?Who granted him this audacious right? This is my arrest, replied the knight, and I am Henry Earl of Essex.Bohun, Chief Police Officer of the United Kingdom.

He arrested Malvorcin, on the orders of Richard the Plantagenet, said the King, unmasked, and I am Richard.Conrad.Montefiore, you are not my subject, and that is your luck.But you, Malvorcin, you are to be executed within a week, along with your brother Philip. I do not recognize your verdict.said the grand master. Mad knight Templar, said the king, you can't do it; look up, it's no longer your Templar standard flying over your castle, but the standard of the King of England!Be smart, Bomano, and don't make useless resistance.Your hand has fallen into the lion's mouth. I have to accuse you of Rome, said the Grand Master, for violating our privileges, which are not subject to trial by secular powers.

"Do as you please," said the king, but for your own sake you had better not haggle with me.Disband your synagogue, and leave here with your servants, and if you can find a synagogue that has not participated in the treacherous plot against the King of England, you may go there.But if you will stay, we can receive you, and our laws are just. A guest where I should rule?It will never be done, said the Templars!Priests, sing a hymn: Why do the Gentiles quarrel? [Note: "Old Testament.Psalm II. ] Knights, retinues, all those who follow the Knights Templar, get ready to follow the black and white flag!

The Grand Master spoke with such dignity that he seemed to rival the King of England, and this acted as a morale boost to his bewildered and dejected subordinates.They gathered around him like a flock of sheep hearing the howling of a wolf and gathering around a collie dog.But they were not as panic-stricken as the sheep, but their faces were gloomy, unwilling to give in, and their eyes showed a hostility that they dared not express in words.Armed with spears, they gathered together in a long line, and the white robes of the knights stood beside the black uniforms of these attendants, like dark clouds with light-colored edges.The crowd present were noisy and scolded them loudly, but now they stopped making a sound and silently looked at this group of strong and battle-tested warriors, regretting that they accidentally offended them just now, and retreated one after another.

The Earl of Essex saw that the people in the temple hall were so prepared, he immediately kicked his mount and summoned his men back and forth to prepare to deal with this group of powerful enemies.Only Richard seemed to be quite proud of the crisis he had provoked. He rode slowly in front of the Templars' team and shouted loudly: "Everyone, how are you doing!"Look at your valiant and high-spirited looks. Doesn't any of you dare to challenge Richard?Gentlemen of the Knights Templar!Presumably your wives are only dark women, so you don't think it's worth fighting for their honor?

Brethren of the Temple, the Grand Master rode his horse ahead of his ranks, and said, We do not fight over such pointless and sacrilegious quarrels.Richard of England, no Templar will fight you in my presence.The Pope and the monarchs of Europe will adjudicate our differences as to whether your provocation today qualifies as a Christian monarch.As long as we are not attacked, we will not attack anyone, so get out of here.We trust you to leave here the weapons and estates of the Order; we also trust your conscience to punish the insult and damage you have done to Christendom today. After saying these words, without waiting for an answer, the great master made a gesture of departure.Their horns blew frantically again, an Eastern march, usually the sound of a Templar attack.Their ranks changed from horizontal formation to column formation, and then let their horses leave here as slowly as possible, as if to say that they were only obeying the orders of the Grand Master, not facing the pressure of the superior enemy and being afraid, so they had to retreated.

By the glory of the Holy Mother, Richard said, these Templars were well trained and fought bravely, but unfortunately they were not reliable. The crowd now gave a faint cry to the procession leaving the arena, like a cowardly dog ​​which waits until the man it hates has turned away before barking. As the Templars retreated, there was chaos and voices, but Rebecca saw nothing, heard nothing, and sobbed in her elderly father's arms, barely aware of the rapid changes around her.It was only Isaac's words that woke her up from the messy feeling. Let's go, he said, dear daughter, my lost treasure, let us kneel before that kind young man and thank him.

No need, said Rebecca, oh no, no, I can't see him at this hour.well!I have too much to say. No, father, let us leave this ominous place at once. But, my daughter, said Isaac, who, like a strong man, took up his gun and shield to rescue you at his own peril, and you were but the daughter of another race, a race different from his, whose This kindness should be appreciated. Yes, yes, thank you the greatest thanks, said Rebecca, and not only that but not now for your beloved Rachel, father, answer my request not now! No, said Isaac, still insisting, they'll think us ungrateful, like a dog!

But you see, dear father, King Richard is here, he Really, my best and brightest Rebecca.So let's go, let's go!He may be short of money, for he has just returned from Palestine, and, it is said, from prison; and if he needs money, my simple dealings with his brother John may be an excuse for him to extort money from me.Come on, let's go, let's get out of here! Now it was his turn to push his daughter, and he led her out of the tournament ring, into the car he was going to be there, and drove her safely to Rabbi Nathan's house. The fate of the Jewish girl, who had become the focus of people's concern that day, had slipped away without anyone noticing, because everyone's attention had been shifted to the knight in black armor.They were shouting loudly at this time: Long live Richard the Lionheart!Down with the treacherous Templars! In spite of all these professed loyalties, Ivanhoe said to the Earl of Essex, the Majesty has done a good job in taking precautions to bring you and many of your loyal subjects here, my lord. . The Count smiled and shook his head. Valorous Ivanhoe, said the count, you know our lord well enough to think he would take such wise precautions!The fact is that I heard that Prince John was going to start an uprising in York, so I led the team there. On the way, I met King Richard, who was coming here like a ranger, and wanted to deal with the Templars by himself. What about the dispute with the Jewish girl?I came here with him almost in disobedience to his orders. Brave earl, what news from York?Ivanhoe asked, are the rebels still not giving up? Already crumbling as December snow meets July sun, said the Count, who, guess what, came to report the news?None other than John himself! The traitor, the ungrateful, the megalomaniac liar!Ivanhoe said Richard didn't order him to be sent to jail? where!He received him, replied the count, as if meeting him again after hunting.He pointed to me and my cavalrymen and said: You see, brother, these people around me are very angry, you'd better go to our mother, and greet her for me; you stay with her, and wait for these people. Let's talk after the anger subsides. Is that all he said?Ivanhoe asked, don't people say that this king is calling everyone to commit crimes by being so reckless? It's the same with you, the earl said with a smile, people will say that if this person has not recovered from his serious injury, he will take part in a duel regardless of the danger, which is tantamount to courting his own death. You make fun of me, I don't care, count, Ivanhoe replied, but don't forget, I only risk my own life, and Richard's risk is related to the rise and fall of the country. However, Essex said that people who don't care about their own safety probably don't care about the safety of others.But let us go quickly to the castle, for though Richard spared the master of the plot, some of its accomplices were to be punished. The judicial investigation carried out after this incident was later recorded in the "Vaudur Manuscript", which is roughly as follows: Morris.De Blasey fled overseas and defected to King Philip II of France; Philip.Malvorsin and Temple Church Bishop Albert.The two Malvorsin brothers were executed; but the core figure of the rebellion, Waldemar.Fizzy was exiled, but not executed; Prince John, though the chief culprit in instigating the rebellion, was not convicted because of the generosity of his brother.However, the execution of the two Malvosins did not arouse anyone's sympathy. They committed a lot of evil, cruel and tyrannical, and now it is clear that the punishment is what they deserve. Not long after that duel, Richard summoned Cedric the Saxon; for the reassurance of the confusion which his brother's schemes had caused in several counties, his court was then in York.Cedric was very dissatisfied and refused the call several times, but finally obeyed.In fact, Richard's return has dashed all hopes of re-establishing the Saxon dynasty in England; for it is clear that, once civil war breaks out, no matter how desperate the Saxons are, they will not be able to overthrow Richard's unshakable rule. Personal virtue and military reputation have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, although he has no far-sighted policy in politics, sometimes magnanimous, sometimes bordering on dictatorship. Besides, Cedric, though unwilling, could not fail to see that his plan to unite the Saxons through the marriage of Rowena and Athelstan had reached the point of being unsustainable because it was contrary to the wishes of both parties.Indeed, the fact that he had only the cause of the Saxon nation in mind was beyond his considerations.Even if the incompatibility of the two parties had been quite fully and clearly shown, he still refused to believe that the two descendants of the Saxon royal family would, out of personal motives and unwilling to make concessions for the common good of the nation, agree to the union he advocated.But facts remain facts.Rowena has always expressed her reluctance to marry Athelstan, and now Athelstan has clearly and firmly stated that he has decided to renounce his marriage to Miss Rowena.It is true that Cedric is stubborn by nature, and he has no choice but to bow his head and admit defeat when encountering these difficulties. He feels like he is standing at a three-way intersection holding two people, one is going to the left and the other is going to the right, but he is desperately trying to pull them together .Yet he made a violent final attack on Athelstan, and found that the revived scion, like our little country gentleman to-day, had nothing but a life-and-death struggle with the priest in his mind. But Athelstan, after threatening to kill the Abbot of St. Edmund, partly because of his naturally lazy and loyal temperament, partly because of his mother Edith's advice to persuade most women of the time The vengeance of the priests, who respected him so much, ended by imprisoning the abbot and the monks for three days in the dungeons of Königsberg, and giving them a taste of what it was like to live on bread and water.For this atrocity, the abbot threatened to expel him from the church, and also listed a long list of various stomach diseases caused by poor diet during the illegal imprisonment of him and the monks.Thus Cedric found that these disputes, and the measures which had to be taken in response to the clergyman's appeal, occupied his friend Athelstan too much to think of other matters.As soon as he mentioned Rowena's name, the lord Uthelstan asked him to join him in a toast to her health, and wished her soon to be married to his kinsman, Wilfred.From this point of view, the matter was hopeless.Obviously, it is just delusional to expect Athelstan to do anything, or like Wang Ba, to borrow the saying that has been handed down from Saxon times to today, he is just a rooster who cannot fight. So now there remained only two obstacles between Cedric and his lovers' aims: his own obstinacy and his hatred of the Normans.The former sentiment gradually died away under the influence of the caresses of the adoptive daughter and the pride which his son's reputation aroused in him.Besides, now that the best hopes of the descendants of Edward the Confessor were utterly shattered, he could not fail to realize that it would be the honor of his family to marry his son to the descendants of King Alfred the Great.At the same time, his antipathy towards the Norman king was now greatly weakened. Firstly, the impossibility of driving the new dynasty out of England had grown so deep that allegiance to the de facto king was compelled; Cedric's bold style won Richard's favor, and he was very concerned about him. According to the "Vaudur Manuscript", the king always treated this noble Saxon with courtesy, so that he was in his palace. He has been a guest for less than seven days, and he has agreed to marry his adopted daughter Rowena and his son Ivanhoe. Our hero's wedding, with his father's official sanction, took place in the majestic York Minster.The King himself was present at the wedding, and the courtesies he accorded in this and other events to the Saxons, who had suffered and had never held their heads up, made them see their future, and feel their legal rights secured, which was more than It is safer and more secure to fight through the vagaries of civil war.The church gave the wedding ceremony with great splendor, with all the splendor of the Church of Rome that could offer. Ge Si wore beautiful clothes and attended the wedding as a follower of the Shaodong family. He was always loyal to him; the noble and upright Wang Ba wore a new hat and hung a string of dazzling silver bells.They had all suffered with Wilfred, and they had a right to expect to share their prosperity with him. But in addition to these servants of the house, there were Normans and Saxons of high birth who came to this lively wedding, and they celebrated here with the lesser, which marked the two people. The marriage of the two peoples has become the guarantee of the future unity of the two peoples;Cedric lived until this fusion was nearly complete; for as the two peoples socially mixed and intermarried, the Normans no longer looked down upon the Saxons as before, and the Saxon manners improved.But it was not until the reign of Edward III that the mixed language now called English became common at the court in London, and the antagonism between Normans and Saxons completely disappeared. On the morning after the happy wedding, Miss Rowena's handmaiden Elgisa came to report that a girl wanted to see her and talk to her alone.Rowena wondered, hesitated, and wanted to know what was going on, and finally ordered the girl to come in; the girl went away. The girl entered the room, she looked dignified and dignified, wearing a long white veil, which draped over her body, but did not cover her elegant, dignified, graceful and luxurious figure, but made it seem to be shrouded in a thin layer of cloud middle.Her demeanor was respectful, but without a hint of awe or flattery.Rowena has always been approachable, gentle and considerate.She stood up, ready to ask the lovely guest to take a seat.But the strange girl looked at Algisha, and hinted again that she wished to have a private conversation with Miss Rowena.As soon as Eljisa walked out of the room with reluctant steps, Mrs. Ivanhoe was taken aback. The beautiful guest suddenly knelt down, put her hands on her forehead, and bent her head to the ground, ignoring Rowena's obstruction. , kissing the lace under her skirt. Miss, what does this mean?The bride asked in amazement, why did she do this unusual gift to me? For, Mrs. Ivanhoe, said Rebecca, rising to her usual delicacy, Wilfred of Ivanhoe has saved my life, and I believe it is my duty to thank you. , will not be blamed.Forgive me for saluting you in our national way, I am the unfortunate Jew for whom your husband risked his life in the joust of the Temple, despite the disparity of strength. Said Rowena, girl, what you did in the Temple was but a small repayment for the care and healing of Wilfred of Ivanhoe when he was wounded and captured.Tell me, what else do you need our help with? No, said Rebecca quietly, I just want you to convey my regards and farewell to him. So you are leaving the UK?Rowena said the unexpected visit surprised her again. Yes, leaving the UK in the middle of this month.My father has a brother in Granada [Note: An Islamic kingdom established in Spain in the Middle Ages. ] King Muhammad.Bob Dill was very trusted, so we went there, and we could live and work there securely for a payment as Muslims demanded. So you are not guaranteed in the UK?Rowena said, my husband is trusted by the king, and the king himself is just and generous. I do not doubt it, madam, said Rebecca, but the people of England are a warlike people, always quarreling with their neighbours, or among themselves, and ready to plunge a sword into another's heart.This is not a safe place for my people.Ephraim is a cowardly dove, Issachar is an overworked drudge, weighed down by a double burden [Note: Ephraim is the son of Joseph, Issachar is the son of Jacob; Israelites. 】.In a land of war and bloodshed, surrounded by enemies and in a country that is torn apart, Israelis cannot expect to live in peace and contentment, no longer living a life of displacement. But, girl, you needn't worry about all that, no doubt, said Rowena, and went on enthusiastically, a man who nursed Ivanhoe at his bedside has nothing to fear in England, Saxons and The Normans will all be vying to court you. You speak very eloquently, ma'am, said Rebecca, and you mean better, but that is impossible There is a gulf between us.Neither our education nor our religion allows us to cross this divide.Goodbye; but before I go, allow me to make one request.You have covered your face with your wedding dress, please lift it up and let me see your face, everyone praises your beauty. That's not worth looking at, said Rowena, but I can brush it off and hope you will too. So she lifted her veil, and partly from awareness of her own beauty, partly from shame, she blushed from her brow to her neck and bosom.Rebecca blushed too, but only for a moment, and gradually faded from her face under the domination of a higher emotion, like a fiery cloud changing gradually as the sun sinks below the horizon. color. Ma'am, she said, the face you showed me will forever remain in my memory.I see tenderness and kindness in your face; and if there is a trace of worldly pride or vanity in such a lovely face, then what is earthly has a little of its original Color, how can that be blamed?I will always, always remember your looks and thank God for my esteemed benefactor to marry a She stopped suddenly and her eyes filled with tears.She wiped them off hastily, and answered Rowena's anxious inquiry: I am all right, madam, all right, but my heart beats so fast at the thought of Torquaystone and the tournament pit at Temple Hall.goodbye.In order to express my heart, there is still one small thing that has not been done.Please accept this little box and don't refuse. Rowena opened the silver-encrusted locket and saw a diamond necklace and a pair of jeweled earrings, which were obviously very expensive. No way, she said, pushing back the casket, I cannot accept such a precious gift. Please keep it, madam, replied Rebecca, for you have power, station, position, and influence; we have money, and it is from it that we derive our strength and our weakness.Even if the value of these gadgets increases tenfold, it will not be worth as much as a small wish of yours.Therefore this gift is of little value to you, and it is even less to me that I offer these things.Please convince me that you do not think so badly of my people as your countrymen do.You don't think I value these shining jewels more than my freedom, or that my father values ​​them more than the honor of his only daughter?Please take these things, ma'am, they are of no value to me.I will never wear jewelry again. Then you are not happy!Rowena said that she was a little surprised to hear Rebecca's last words, ah, stay here, our priest will help you, turn you from the wrong path, and I can become a sister with you. No, ma'am, replied Rebecca, it was impossible that her soft voice and her pretty face should always look so peaceful and melancholy.I cannot change the beliefs of my ancestors that this is not a garment that I can take off if it is not suitable for the climate where I am going to live.Madam, I will not be unhappy in the future.I have committed my future life to the Lord that He will comfort me if I do His will. So you are planning to enter a monastery, do you have a monastery too?Rowena asked. No, ma'am, said the Jewish girl, but among our people, from the time of Abraham, there are women who think only of God, who do good deeds to men, tend to the sick, feed the hungry, and help the poor people.Rebecca will be one of those people.If your husband asks about the man he rescued, tell him so. Rebecca's voice couldn't help trembling, and her tone became tender, which might have revealed a feeling she didn't want to express.So she hastened to say goodbye to Rowena. Goodbye, she said, God made Jews and Christians alike, may He bless you with His best!Our ship is about to sail, and we must get to port early. She walked out of the room lightly, and Rowena looked at her back in amazement, as if she had a dream.The Saxon beauty later told her husband about this strange meeting, which made a deep impression on him.He and Rowena had lived a long and happy life, for they had been heart-to-heart from childhood, and the memory of the experiences which had hindered their union only made them love each other more.But whether the memory of the beautiful and noble Rebecca came to his mind more often than Alfred's handsome descendant would have liked, it is impossible to know. Ivanhoe has made outstanding achievements in Richard's court, and has repeatedly received awards and rewards from the king.He could have continued to advance, but unfortunately the heroic Lionheart died in front of the castle of Chalouze near Limoges soon He was shot and killed near Limoges, France, in nine years. 】.With the end of the king's rich, but reckless and romantic life, all the plans conceived by his ambition and magnanimity were in vain.About this man, Johnson [Note: Samuel.Johnson, English literary critic and poet. ] A few lines of verse written for King Charles of Sweden could be applied to him with a slight modification: Destiny destined him to run in foreign lands, To give life for little castles and little powers; His reputation is enough to shock the whole world, It is thought-provoking and a colorful story. (End of the book)