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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 kinsmen； it is that they
long for。 Take the dross； Simeon and Solomon； Jonah and Jochanan；
and divide it among you； and leave me。 I will never be yours； I
tell you； never。 Do you think； after knowing him and hearing him
speak；after watching him wounded on his pillow； and glorious in
battle〃 （her eyes melted and kindled again as she spoke these
words）； 〃I can mate with such as you？ Go。 Leave me to myself。 I
am none of yours。 I love himI love him。 Fate divides uslong；
long miles separate us； and I know we may never meet again。 But I
love and bless him always。 Yes； always。 My prayers are his； my
faith is his。 Yes； my faith is your faith； WilfridWilfrid！ I
have no kindred more；I am a Christian！〃
At this last word there was such a row in the assembly； as my
feeble pen would in vain endeavor to depict。 Old Isaac staggered
back in a fit； and nobody took the least notice of him。 Groans；
curses； yells of men； shrieks of women； filled the room with such a
furious jabbering； as might have appalled any heart less stout than
Rebecca's； but that brave woman was prepared for all； expecting；
and perhaps hoping； that death would be her instant lot。 There was
but one creature who pitied her； and that was her cousin and
father's clerk； little Ben Davids； who was but thirteen； and had
only just begun to carry a bag； and whose crying and boo…hooing； as
she finished speaking； was drowned in the screams and maledictions
of the elder Israelites。 Ben Davids was madly in love with his
cousin （as boys often are with ladies of twice their age）； and he
had presence of mind suddenly to knock over the large brazen lamp
on the table； which illuminated the angry conclave； then；
whispering to Rebecca to go up to her own room and lock herself in；
or they would kill her else； he took her hand and led her out。
From that day she disappeared from among her people。 The poor and
the wretched missed her； and asked for her in vain。 Had any
violence been done to her； the poorer Jews would have risen and put
all Isaac's family to death； and besides； her old flame； Prince
Boabdil； would have also been exceedingly wrathful。 She was not
killed then； but； so to speak； buried alive； and locked up in
Isaac's back…kitchen： an apartment into which scarcely any light
entered； and where she was fed upon scanty portions of the most
mouldy bread and water。 Little Ben Davids was the only person who
visited her； and her sole consolation was to talk to him about
Ivanhoe； and how good and how gentle he was； how brave and how
true； and how he slew the tremendous knight of the Templars； and
how he married a lady whom Rebecca scarcely thought worthy of him；
but with whom she prayed he might be happy； and of what color his
eyes were； and what were the arms on his shieldviz； a tree with
the word 〃Desdichado〃 written underneath； &c。 &c。 &c。： all which
talk would not have interested little Davids； had it come from
anybody else's mouth； but to which he never tired of listening as
it fell from her sweet lips。
So； in fact； when old Isaac of York came to negotiate with Don
Beltran de Cuchilla for the ransom of the Alfaqui's daughter of
Xixona； our dearest Rebecca was no more dead than you and I； and it
was in his rage and fury against Ivanhoe that Isaac told that
cavalier the falsehood which caused the knight so much pain and
such a prodigious deal of bloodshed to the Moors： and who knows；
trivial as it may seem； whether it was not that very circumstance
which caused the destruction in Spain of the Moorish power？
Although Isaac； we may be sure； never told his daughter that
Ivanhoe had cast up again； yet Master Ben Davids did； who heard it
from his employer； and he saved Rebecca's life by communicating the
intelligence； for the poor thing would have infallibly perished but
for this good news。 She had now been in prison four years three
months and twenty…four days； during which time she had partaken of
nothing but bread and water （except such occasional tit…bits as
Davids could bring herand these were few indeed； for old Isaac
was always a curmudgeon； and seldom had more than a pair of eggs
for his own and Davids' dinner）； and she was languishing away； when
the news came suddenly to revive her。 Then； though in the darkness
you could not see her cheeks； they began to bloom again： then her
heart began to beat and her blood to flow； and she kissed the ring
on her neck a thousand times a day at least； and her constant
question was； 〃Ben Davids！ Ben Davids！ when is he coming to besiege
Valencia？〃 She knew he would come： and； indeed； the Christians
were encamped before the town ere a month was over。
。 。 。 。 。 。
And now； my dear boys and girls； I think I perceive behind that
dark scene of the back…kitchen （which is just a simple flat；
painted stone…color； that shifts in a minute；） bright streaks of
light flashing out； as though they were preparing a most brilliant；
gorgeous； and altogether dazzling illumination； with effects never
before attempted on any stage。 Yes； the fairy in the pretty pink
tights and spangled muslin is getting into the brilliant revolving
chariot of the realms of bliss。Yes； most of the fiddlers and
trumpeters have gone round from the orchestra to join in the grand
triumphal procession； where the whole strength of the company is
already assembled； arrayed in costumes of Moorish and Christian
chivalry； to celebrate the 〃Terrible Escalade；〃 the 〃Rescue of
Virtuous Innocence〃the 〃Grand Entry of the Christians into
Valencia〃〃Appearance of the Fairy Day…Star；〃 and 〃Unexampled
displays of pyrotechnic festivity。〃 Do you not； I say； perceive
that we are come to the end of our history； and； after a quantity
of rapid and terrific fighting； brilliant change of scenery； and
songs； appropriate or otherwise； are bringing our hero and heroine
together？ Who wants a long scene at the last？ Mammas are putting
the girls' cloaks and boas on； papas have gone out to look for the
carriage； and left the box…door swinging open； and letting in the
cold air： if there WERE any stage…conversation； you could not hear
it； for the scuffling of the people who are leaving the pit。 See；
the orange…women are preparing to retire。 To…morrow their play…
bills will be as so much waste…paperso will some of our
masterpieces； woe is me： but lo！ here we come to Scene the last；
and Valencia is besieged and captured by the Christians。
Who is the first on the wall； and who hurls down the green standard
of the Prophet？ Who chops off the head of the Emir Aboo What…d'ye…
call'im； just as the latter has cut over the cruel Don Beltran de
Cuchillay &c。？ Who； attracted to the Jewish quarter by the shrieks
of the inhabitants who are being slain by the Moorish soldiery； and
by a little boy by the name of Ben Davids； who recognizes the
knight by his shield； finds Isaac of York egorge on a threshold；
and clasping a large back…kitchen key？ Who but Ivanhoewho but
Wilfrid？ 〃An Ivanhoe to the rescue；〃 he bellows out； he has heard
that news from little Ben Davids which makes him sing。 And who is
it that comes out of the housetremblingpantingwith her arms
outin a white dresswith her hair downwho is it but dear
Rebecca？ Look； they rush together； and Master Wamba is waving an
immense banner over them； and knocks down a circumambient Jew with
a ham； which he happens to have in his pocket。 。 。 。 As for
Rebecca； now her head is laid upon Ivanhoe's heart； I shall not ask
to hear what she is whispering； or describe further that scene of
meeting； though I declare I am quite affected when I think of it。
Indeed I have thought of it any time these five…and…twenty years
ever since； as a boy at school； I commenced the noble study of
novelsever since the