Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

SCENE FROM IVANHOE.

The scene is a turret chamber of Torquilstone castle. The characters are Ivanhoe, who has been so severely wounded that he cannot leave his couch, and the Jewess Rebecca, who is caring for him. Both have been made captive by Front-de-Boeuf, the lord of the castle. The incident is the siege of the stronghold by King Richard in the disguise of the Black Knight. Rebecca stands at a lattice window, protecting herself with an ancient buckler, and reports the progress of the attack to the wounded knight.

[ocr errors]

"The skirts of the wood seem lined with archers, although only a few are advanced from its dark shadow.' "Under what banner?" asked Ivanhoe.

"Under no ensign of war which I can observe," answered Rebecca.

"A singular novelty," muttered the knight, "to advance to storm such a castle without pennon or banner displayed! Seest thou who they be that act as leaders?" "A knight, clad in sable armor, is the most conspicuous, said the Jewess; "he alone is armed from head to heel, and seems to assume the direction of all around him."

[ocr errors]

"What device does he bear on his shield?" replied Ivanhoe.

"Something resembling a bar of iron, and a padlock painted blue on the black shield.''

"A fetterlock and shacklebolt azure," said Ivanhoe; "I know not who may bear the device, but well I ween it might now be mine own. Canst thou not see the motto?"

"Scarce the device itself at this distance," replied Rebecca; "but when the sun glances fair upon his shield, it shows as I tell you.

[ocr errors]

"Seem there no other leaders?" exclaimed the anxious inquirer.

"None of mark and distinction that I can behold from this station," said Rebecca; "but, doubtless, the other side of the castle is also assailed. They appear even now to be preparing to advance-God of Zion protect us! What a dreadful sight! Those who advance first bear huge shields and defenses made of plank; the others fol

low, bending their bows as they come on. They raise their bows! God of Moses, forgive the creatures thou hast made!"

"And I must lie here like a bed-ridden monk," exclaimed Ivanhoe, "while the game that gives me freedom or death is played out by the hand of others! Look from the window once again, kind maiden, but beware that you are not marked by the archers beneath. Look out once more and tell me if they yet advance to the storm."

"What dost thou see, Rebecca?" again demanded the wounded knight.

"Nothing but the cloud of arrows flying so thick as to dazzle mine eyes, and to hide the bowmen who shoot them."

"That cannot endure," said Ivanhoe; "if they press not right on to carry the castle by pure force of arms, the archery may avail little against stone walls and bulwarks. Look for the Knight of the Fetterlock, fair Rebecca, and see how he bears himself; for as the leader is, so will his followers be.

[ocr errors]

"I see him not," said Rebecca.

"Foul craven!" exclaimed Ivanhoe; "does he blench from the helm when the wind blows highest?"

"He blenches not! he blenches not!" said Rebecca. "I see him now; he leads a body of men close under the outer barrier of the Barbican. They pull down the piles and palisades; they hew down the barriers with axes. His high black plume floats abroad over the throng, like a raven over the field of the slain. They have made a breach in the barriers-they rush in-they are thrust back! Front-de-Boeuf heads the defenders; I see his gigantic form above the press. They throng again to the breach, and the pass is disputed hand to hand, and man to man. God of Jacob! it is the meeting of two fierce tides the conflict of two oceans moved by adverse winds!"

She turned her head from the lattice, as if unable longer to endure a sight so terrible.

"Look forth again, Rebecca," said Ivanhoe, mistaking the cause of her retiring; "the archery must in some degree have ceased, since they are now fighting hand to hand. Look again; there is now less danger.

Rebecca again looked forth, and almost immediately exclaimed, "Holy prophets of the law! Front-de-Boeuf and the Black Knight fight hand to hand on the breach, amid the roar of their followers, who watch the progress of the strife Heaven strike with the cause of the oppressed and of the captive!" She then uttered a loud shriek, and exclaimed, "He is down!-he is down!"

"Who is down?" cried Ivanhoe; "for our dear Lady's sake, tell me which has fallen!"

"The Black Knight," answered Rebecca, faintly; then instantly again shouted with joyful eagerness-"But no! -but no!-the name of the Lord of Hosts be blessed!he is on foot again, and fights as if there were twenty men's strength in his single arm. His sword is brokenhe snatches an ax from a yeoman-he presses Front-deBoeuf with blow on blow. The giant stoops and totters like an oak under the steel of the woodman-he falls-he falls.

[ocr errors]

"Front-de-Bœuf?" exclaimed Ivanhoe.

"Front-de-Boeuf!" answered the Jewess; "his men rush to the rescue, headed by the haughty Templar-their united force compels the champion to pause. They drag Front-de-Boeuf within the walls."

"The assailants have won the barriers, have they not?" said Ivanhoe.

"They have-they have!" exclaimed Rebecca-"and they press the besieged hard upon the outer wall; some plant ladders, some swarm like bees, and endeavor to ascend upon the shoulders of each other-down go stones, beams, and trunks of trees upon their heads, and as fast as they bear the wounded to the rear, fresh men supply their places in the assault-Great God! hast Thou given men Thine own image, that it should be thus cruelly defaced by the hands of their brethren!"

"Think not of that," said Ivanhoe; "this is no time for such thoughts-Who yield?—who push their way?"

"The ladders are thrown down," replied Rebecca, shuddering; "the soldiers lie groveling over them like crushed reptiles-The besieged have the better.

"Saint George strike for us!" exclaimed the knight; "do the false yeomen give way?"

"No!" exclaimed Rebecca, "they bear themselves right yeomanly-the Black Knight approaches the postern

with his huge ax-the thundering blows which he deals, you may hear them above all the din and shouts of the battle. Stones and beams are hailed down on the bold champion-he regards them no more than if they were thistle-down or feathers!"

"By Saint John of Acre," said Ivanhoe, raising himself joyfully on his couch, "methought there was but one man in England that might do such a deed!"

"The postern gate shakes," continued Rebecca; “it crashes-it is splintered by his blows-they rush in-the outwork is won-Oh, God!—they hurl the defenders from the battlements-they throw them into the moat-Oh, men, if ye be indeed men, spare them that can resist no longer!"

"The bridge-the bridge which communicates with the castle-have they won the bridge?" exclaimed Ivanhoe.

"No," replied Rebecca, "the Templar has destroyed the plank on which they crossed-few of the defenders escaped with him into the castle-the shrieks and cries which you hear tell the fate of the others-Alas! I see it is still more difficult to look upon victory than upon battle."

"What do they now, maiden?" said Ivanhoe; "look forth yet again—this is no time to faint at bloodshed.

[ocr errors]

"It is over for the time," answered Rebecca; "our friends strengthen themselves within the outwork which they have mastered, and it affords them so good a shelter from the foemen's shot, that the garrison only bestow a few bolts on it from interval to interval, as if rather to disquiet than effectually to injure them."

"Our friends," said Ivanhoe, "will surely not abandon an enterprise so gloriously begun and so happily attained. O no! I will put my faith in the good knight whose ax hath rent heart-of-oak and bars of iron. Singular," he again muttered to himself, "if there be two who can do a deed of such derring-do!* a fetterlock, and a shacklebolt on a field-sable—what may that mean? Seest thou naught else, Rebecca, by which the Black Knight may be distinguished?"

"Nothing," said the Jewess; "all about him is black. as the wing of the night raven. Nothing can I spy that can mark him further--but having once seen him put forth *Derring-do-desperate courage.

his strength in battle, methinks I could know him again among a thousand warriors. He rushes to the fray as if he were summoned to a banquet. There is more than mere strength, there seems as if the whole soul and spirit of the champion were given to every blow which he deals upon his enemies. God assoilzie him of the sin of bloodshed! it is fearful, yet magnificent, to behold how the arm and heart of one man can triumph over hundreds."

"Rebecca," said Ivanhoe, "thou hast painted a hero; surely they rest but to refresh their force, or to provide the means of crossing the moat. Under such a leader as thou hast spoken this knight to be, there are no craven fears, no cold-blooded delays, no yielding up a gallant emprize; since the difficulties which render it arduous, render it also glorious. I swear by the honor of my house -I vow by the name of my bright lady-love, I would endure ten years' captivity to fight one day by that good knight's side in such a quarrel as this!"'

At this moment the door of the apartment flew open, and the Black Knight rushed in, seized upon Ivanhoe, and bore him off in his arms.

Sir Walter Scott.

INTERVIEW BETWEEN AARON BURR AND
MARY SCUDDER.

Mary entered the room where Burr was seated, and wished him good morning, in a serious and placid manner, in which there was not the slightest trace of embarrassment or discomposure.

"Shall I have the pleasure of seeing your fair companion this morning?" said Burr, after some moments of indifferent conversation.

"No, sir; Madame de Frontignac desires me to excuse her to you.

[ocr errors]

"Is she ill?" said Burr with a look of concern.

"No, Mr. Burr, she prefers not to see you.

[ocr errors]

Burr gave a start of well-bred surprise, and Mary added, "Madame de Frontignac has made me familiar with the history of your acquaintance with her, and you

« AnteriorContinuar »