burlesques- 第73部分

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　Palais　Royal；　and　Ben　Jonah　brought　her

a　present　of　Dutch　herrings；　and　besought　her　to　come　back　and　be

Mrs。　Ben　Jonah　at　the　Hague。



Rebecca　temporized　as　best　she　might。　　She　thought　her　uncle　was

too　old。　　She　besought　dear　Moses　and　dear　Simeon　not　to　quarrel

with　each　other；　and　offend　their　father　by　pressing　their　suit。

Ben　Minories　from　London；　she　said；　was　too　young；　and　Jochanan

from　Paris；　she　pointed　out　to　Isaac　of　York；　must　be　a　spendthrift；

or　he　would　not　wear　those　absurd　waistcoats。　　As　for　Ben　Jonah；　she

said；　she　could　not　bear　the　notion　of　tobacco　and　Dutch　herrings：

she　wished　to　stay　with　her　papa；　her　dear　papa。　　In　fine；　she

invented　a　thousand　excuses　for　delay；　and　it　was　plain　that

marriage　was　odious　to　her。　　The　only　man　whom　she　received　with

anything　like　favor；　was　young　Bevis　Marks　of　London；　with　whom　she

was　very　familiar。　　But　Bevis　had　come　to　her　with　a　certain　token

that　had　been　given　to　him　by　an　English　knight；　who　saved　him　from

a　fagot　to　which　the　ferocious　Hospitaller　Folko　of　Heydenbraten　was

about　to　condemn　him。　　It　was　but　a　ring；　with　an　emerald　in　it；

that　Bevis　knew　to　be　sham；　and　not　worth　a　groat。　　Rebecca　knew

about　the　value　of　jewels　too；　but　ah！　she　valued　this　one　more　than

all　the　diamonds　in　Prester　John's　turban。　　She　kissed　it；　she　cried

over　it；　she　wore　it　in　her　bosom　always　and　when　she　knelt　down

at　night　and　morning；　she　held　it　between　her　folded　hands　on　her

neck。　。　。　。　　Young　Bevis　Marks　went　away　finally　no　better　off　than

the　others；　the　rascal　sold　to　the　King　of　France　a　handsome　ruby；

the　very　size　of　the　bit　of　glass　in　Rebecca's　ring；　but　he　always

said　he　would　rather　have　had　her　than　ten　thousand　pounds：　and　very

likely　he　would；　for　it　was　known　she　would　at　once　have　a　plum　to

her　fortune。



These　delays；　however；　could　not　continue　for　ever；　and　at　a　great

family　meeting　held　at　Passover…time；　Rebecca　was　solemnly　ordered

to　choose　a　husband　out　of　the　gentlemen　there　present；　her　aunts

pointing　out　the　great　kindness　which　had　been　shown　to　her　by　her

father；　in　permitting　her　to　choose　for　herself。　　One　aunt　was　of

the　Solomon　faction；　another　aunt　took　Simeon's　side；　a　third　most

venerable　old　ladythe　head　of　the　family；　and　a　hundred　and

forty…four　years　of　agewas　ready　to　pronounce　a　curse　upon　her；

and　cast　her　out；　unless　she　married　before　the　month　was　over。

All　the　jewelled　heads　of　all　the　old　ladies　in　council；　all　the

beards　of　all　the　family；　wagged　against　her：　it　must　have　been　an

awful　sight　to　witness。



At　last；　then；　Rebecca　was　forced　to　speak。　　〃Kinsmen！〃　she　said；

turning　pale；　〃when　the　Prince　Abou　Abdil　asked　me　in　marriage；　I

told　you　I　would　not　wed　but　with　one　of　my　own　faith。〃



〃She　has　turned　Turk；〃　screamed　out　the　ladies。　　〃She　wants　to　be　a

princess；　and　has　turned　Turk；〃　roared　the　rabbis。



〃Well；　well；〃　said　Isaac；　in　rather　an　appeased　tone；　〃let　us　hear

what　the　poor　girl　has　got　to　say。　　Do　you　want　to　marry　his　royal

highness；　Rebecca？　　Say　the　word；　yes　or　no。〃



Another　groan　burst　from　the　rabbisthey　cried；　shrieked；

chattered；　gesticulated；　furious　to　lose　such　a　prize；　as　were　the

women；　that　she　should　reign　over　them　a　second　Esther。



〃Silence；〃　cried　out　Isaac；　〃let　the　girl　speak。　　Speak　boldly；

Rebecca　dear；　there's　a　good　girl。〃



Rebecca　was　as　pale　as　a　stone。　　She　folded　her　arms　on　her　breast；

and　felt　the　ring　there。　　She　looked　round　all　the　assembly；　and

then　at　Isaac。　　〃Father；〃　she　said；　in　a　thrilling　low　steady

voice；　〃I　am　not　of　your　religionI　am　not　of　the　Prince　Boabdil's

religionII　am　of　HIS　religion。〃



〃His！　whose；　in　the　name　of　Moses；　girl？〃　cried　Isaac。



Rebecca　clasped　her　hands　on　her　beating　chest　and　looked　round

with　dauntless　eyes。　　〃Of　his；〃　she　said；　〃who　saved　my　life　and

your　honor：　of　my　dear；　dear　champion's。　　I　never　can　be　his；　but　I

will　be　no　other's。　　Give　my　money　to　my　kinsm