ariondas/full_text_dataset · Datasets at Hugging Face

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all sides by the pressure of some invisible force, which crushes him to
the earth without the power of resistance.

"Holy God of Abraham!" was his first exclamation, folding and elevating
his wrinkled hands, but without raising his grey head from the pavement;
"Oh, holy Moses! O, blessed Aaron! the dream is not dreamed for nought,
and the vision cometh not in vain! I feel their irons already tear my
sinews! I feel the rack pass over my body like the saws, and harrows,
and axes of iron over the men of Rabbah, and of the cities of the
children of Ammon!"

"Stand up, Isaac, and hearken to me," said the Palmer, who viewed
the extremity of his distress with a compassion in which contempt was
largely mingled; "you have cause for your terror, considering how your
brethren have been used, in order to extort from them their hoards, both
by princes and nobles; but stand up, I say, and I will point out to you
the means of escape. Leave this mansion instantly, while its inmates
sleep sound after the last night's revel. I will guide you by the secret
paths of the forest, known as well to me as to any forester that ranges
it, and I will not leave you till you are under safe conduct of some
chief or baron going to the tournament, whose good-will you have
probably the means of securing."

As the ears of Isaac received the hopes of escape which this speech
intimated, he began gradually, and inch by inch, as it were, to raise
himself up from the ground, until he fairly rested upon his knees,
throwing back his long grey hair and beard, and fixing his keen black
eyes upon the Palmer's face, with a look expressive at once of hope and
fear, not unmingled with suspicion. But when he heard the concluding
part of the sentence, his original terror appeared to revive in full
force, and he dropt once more on his face, exclaiming, "'I' possess the
means of securing good-will! alas! there is but one road to the favour
of a Christian, and how can the poor Jew find it, whom extortions have
already reduced to the misery of Lazarus?" Then, as if suspicion had
overpowered his other feelings, he suddenly exclaimed, "For the love of
God, young man, betray me not--for the sake of the Great Father who
made us all, Jew as well as Gentile, Israelite and Ishmaelite--do me no
treason! I have not means to secure the good-will of a Christian beggar,
were he rating it at a single penny." As he spoke these last words, he
raised himself, and grasped the Palmer's mantle with a look of the
most earnest entreaty. The pilgrim extricated himself, as if there were
contamination in the touch.

"Wert thou loaded with all the wealth of thy tribe," he said, "what
interest have I to injure thee?--In this dress I am vowed to poverty,
nor do I change it for aught save a horse and a coat of mail. Yet think
not that I care for thy company, or propose myself advantage by it;
remain here if thou wilt--Cedric the Saxon may protect thee."

"Alas!" said the Jew, "he will not let me travel in his train--Saxon or
Norman will be equally ashamed of the poor Israelite; and to travel
by myself through the domains of Philip de Malvoisin and Reginald
Front-de-Boeuf--Good youth, I will go with you!--Let us haste--let
us gird up our loins--let us flee!--Here is thy staff, why wilt thou
tarry?"

"I tarry not," said the Pilgrim, giving way to the urgency of his
companion; "but I must secure the means of leaving this place--follow
me."

He led the way to the adjoining cell, which, as the reader is apprised,
was occupied by Gurth the swineherd.--"Arise, Gurth," said the Pilgrim,
"arise quickly. Undo the postern gate, and let out the Jew and me."

Gurth, whose occupation, though now held so mean, gave him as much
consequence in Saxon England as that of Eumaeus in Ithaca, was offended
at the familiar and commanding tone assumed by the Palmer. "The Jew
leaving Rotherwood," said he, raising himself on his elbow, and looking
superciliously at him without quitting his pallet, "and travelling in
company with the Palmer to boot--"

"I should as soon have dreamt," said Wamba, who entered the apartment at
the instant, "of his stealing away with a gammon of bacon."

"Nevertheless," said Gurth, again laying down his head on the wooden log
which served him for a pillow, "both Jew and Gentile must be content to
abide the opening of the great gate--we suffer no visitors to depart by
stealth at these unseasonable hours."

"Nevertheless," said the Pilgrim, in a commanding tone, "you will not, I
think, refuse me that favour."

So saying, he stooped over the bed of the recumbent swineherd, and
whispered something in his ear in Saxon. Gurth started up as if
electrified. The Pilgrim, raising his finger in an attitude as if to
express caution, added, "Gurth, beware--thou are wont to be prudent. I
say, undo the postern--thou shalt know more anon."

With hasty alacrity Gurth obeyed him, while Wamba and the Jew followed,
both wondering at the sudden change in the swineherd's demeanour. "My
mule, my mule!" said the Jew, as soon as they stood without the postern.

"Fetch him his mule," said the Pilgrim; "and, hearest thou,--let me have
another, that I may bear him company till he is beyond these parts--I
will return it safely to some of Cedric's train at Ashby. And do
thou"--he whispered the rest in Gurth's ear.

"Willingly, most willingly shall it be done," said Gurth, and instantly
departed to execute the commission.

all sides by the pressure of some invisible force, which crushes him to

the earth without the power of resistance.

"Holy God of Abraham!" was his first exclamation, folding and elevating

his wrinkled hands, but without raising his grey head from the pavement;

"Oh, holy Moses! O, blessed Aaron! the dream is not dreamed for nought,

and the vision cometh not in vain! I feel their irons already tear my

sinews! I feel the rack pass over my body like the saws, and harrows,

and axes of iron over the men of Rabbah, and of the cities of the

children of Ammon!"

"Stand up, Isaac, and hearken to me," said the Palmer, who viewed

the extremity of his distress with a compassion in which contempt was

largely mingled; "you have cause for your terror, considering how your

brethren have been used, in order to extort from them their hoards, both

by princes and nobles; but stand up, I say, and I will point out to you

the means of escape. Leave this mansion instantly, while its inmates

sleep sound after the last night's revel. I will guide you by the secret

paths of the forest, known as well to me as to any forester that ranges

it, and I will not leave you till you are under safe conduct of some

chief or baron going to the tournament, whose good-will you have

probably the means of securing."

As the ears of Isaac received the hopes of escape which this speech

intimated, he began gradually, and inch by inch, as it were, to raise

himself up from the ground, until he fairly rested upon his knees,

throwing back his long grey hair and beard, and fixing his keen black

eyes upon the Palmer's face, with a look expressive at once of hope and

fear, not unmingled with suspicion. But when he heard the concluding

part of the sentence, his original terror appeared to revive in full

force, and he dropt once more on his face, exclaiming, "'I' possess the

means of securing good-will! alas! there is but one road to the favour

of a Christian, and how can the poor Jew find it, whom extortions have

already reduced to the misery of Lazarus?" Then, as if suspicion had

overpowered his other feelings, he suddenly exclaimed, "For the love of

God, young man, betray me not--for the sake of the Great Father who

made us all, Jew as well as Gentile, Israelite and Ishmaelite--do me no

treason! I have not means to secure the good-will of a Christian beggar,

were he rating it at a single penny." As he spoke these last words, he

raised himself, and grasped the Palmer's mantle with a look of the

most earnest entreaty. The pilgrim extricated himself, as if there were

contamination in the touch.

"Wert thou loaded with all the wealth of thy tribe," he said, "what

interest have I to injure thee?--In this dress I am vowed to poverty,

nor do I change it for aught save a horse and a coat of mail. Yet think

not that I care for thy company, or propose myself advantage by it;

remain here if thou wilt--Cedric the Saxon may protect thee."

"Alas!" said the Jew, "he will not let me travel in his train--Saxon or

Norman will be equally ashamed of the poor Israelite; and to travel

by myself through the domains of Philip de Malvoisin and Reginald

Front-de-Boeuf--Good youth, I will go with you!--Let us haste--let

us gird up our loins--let us flee!--Here is thy staff, why wilt thou

tarry?"

"I tarry not," said the Pilgrim, giving way to the urgency of his

companion; "but I must secure the means of leaving this place--follow

me."

He led the way to the adjoining cell, which, as the reader is apprised,

was occupied by Gurth the swineherd.--"Arise, Gurth," said the Pilgrim,

"arise quickly. Undo the postern gate, and let out the Jew and me."

Gurth, whose occupation, though now held so mean, gave him as much

consequence in Saxon England as that of Eumaeus in Ithaca, was offended

at the familiar and commanding tone assumed by the Palmer. "The Jew

leaving Rotherwood," said he, raising himself on his elbow, and looking

superciliously at him without quitting his pallet, "and travelling in

company with the Palmer to boot--"

"I should as soon have dreamt," said Wamba, who entered the apartment at

the instant, "of his stealing away with a gammon of bacon."

"Nevertheless," said Gurth, again laying down his head on the wooden log

which served him for a pillow, "both Jew and Gentile must be content to

abide the opening of the great gate--we suffer no visitors to depart by

stealth at these unseasonable hours."

"Nevertheless," said the Pilgrim, in a commanding tone, "you will not, I

think, refuse me that favour."

So saying, he stooped over the bed of the recumbent swineherd, and

whispered something in his ear in Saxon. Gurth started up as if

electrified. The Pilgrim, raising his finger in an attitude as if to

express caution, added, "Gurth, beware--thou are wont to be prudent. I

say, undo the postern--thou shalt know more anon."

With hasty alacrity Gurth obeyed him, while Wamba and the Jew followed,

both wondering at the sudden change in the swineherd's demeanour. "My

mule, my mule!" said the Jew, as soon as they stood without the postern.

"Fetch him his mule," said the Pilgrim; "and, hearest thou,--let me have

another, that I may bear him company till he is beyond these parts--I

will return it safely to some of Cedric's train at Ashby. And do

thou"--he whispered the rest in Gurth's ear.

"Willingly, most willingly shall it be done," said Gurth, and instantly

departed to execute the commission.