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Chapter XXXVI
The Grand Master rebukes Albert Malvoisin, the Preceptor of
the Order, for allowing Rebecca, whom he calls a Jewess sorceress,
to stay at their establishment. Malvoisin claims that he admitted
her only so he might be able to break De Bois-Guilbert’s
infatuation for her. The Grand Master says that the knight deserves
pity more than punishment. He orders the hall to be prepared
for Rebecca’s trial. Malvoisin goes straight to De Bois-Guilbert
to inform him of the situation. He tells De Bois-Guilbert that
he must give up Rebecca, but the knight is unwilling to do so.
He resolves to make one final effort to save her, but says that
if she continues to reject him, she will have to face his vengeance.
Meanwhile, the Grand Master’s assistant, the Preceptor
Conrade Mont-Fitchet, aware that any evidence against Rebecca
will be weak, tells Malvoisin to use whatever means necessary
to strengthen it. Rebecca is then taken to the great hall for
the trial.
Chapter XXXVII
The Grand Master makes a speech in which he explains that if
De Bois-Guilbert had deliberately broken the laws of the Order
regarding his association with Rebecca, he would merit serious
punishment. But if he had been bewitched, then he had fallen
into Satan’s hands, and needed only penance to purify
himself. The punishment should fall instead on the person who
had put the spell on him. Accounts are then given by various
witnesses of the extent of De Bois-Guilbert’s devotion
to Rebecca. Then a man named Higg is called. He is a peasant
who was cured of the palsy by Rebecca. He produces a small box
which contains the balsam she gave him, and which he continues
to use. On the dubious testimony of two Christian healing practitioners,
the ointment is declared to be magical, and therefore unlawful
to a Christian. The Grand Master confiscates the ointment and
dismisses Higg. Two men-at-arms, persuaded by Malvoisin, then
give blatantly false testimony against Rebecca. Invited to respond,
Rebecca calls on De Bois-Guilbert to confirm that the allegations
against her are false. He gives an answer which no one understands,
but which directs Rebecca to look at a scroll that someone thrust
into her hands as she was being led to the hall. The scroll
(which was written by De Bois-Guilbert) tells her to demand
a champion. She acts on this message, declaring her innocence
and demanding trial by combat, with a champion fighting on her
behalf.
Chapter XXXVIII
The Grand Master assigns De Bois-Guilbert to be the champion
who defends the Order. He gives Rebecca three days to find a
champion for herself. Rebecca is allowed to send a message to
Isaac, and she declares that a champion will emerge who will
vindicate her. Higg, the messenger, meets Isaac and his companion
Samuel only a quarter of a mile away. Samuel reads Isaac the
message Rebecca has sent. She explains her situation, and asks
that Isaac contact Ivanhoe. Even though Ivanhoe will not yet
have recovered from his wounds, he may be able to find someone
else who will act as her champion.
Chapter
XXXIX
In the evening, De Bois-Guilbert visits Rebecca in the apartment
where she is being held. He tries to reason with her, saying
that he is not responsible for her predicament, since he did
not know that the Grand Master would be at the Preceptory. Rebecca
does not accept his argument, saying that he concurred in her
condemnation and is set to be the champion who asserts her guilt.
De Bois-Guilbert replies that it was he who gave her the scroll
that told her to demand a champion. She says that was merely
a brief respite from instant death. De Bois-Guilbert responds
that he had in fact intended to disguise himself and emerge
as her champion. He says he would have had little difficulty
in showing her innocence by defeating any opponent. Rebecca
is skeptical. De Bois-Guilbert goes on to say that unless he
appears as her accuser he will lose all chance of attaining
the position he desires within the Order, that of Grand Master.
His ambitions will be in ruins. But he says he will accept this
if she will accept him. They will flee to Palestine where he
will win fame and glory and she will be his queen. Rebecca wants
no part of this scheme. De Bois-Guilbert says that nothing can
save her, but he wants them to part as friends. She forgives
him for his part in her death. He leaves her apartment. Outside,
he tells Malvoisin that he is inclined to go to the Grand Master
and refuse the task that has fallen to him. Malvoisin advises
him not to do so, since he will be imprisoned or put on trial.
Malvoisin also advises him not to flee. De Bois-Guilbert hopes
that no champion emerges for Rebecca; then he will not have
to fight and will not be responsible for her death.
Analysis
The
anti-Semitism noticeable in the presentation of Isaac is entirely
absent from the portrayal of Rebecca. Indeed, like Shakespeare
in The Merchant of Venice, Scott now turns his guns on the Christians,
who are seen, in the characters of the Grand Master and Malvoisin,
to be intolerant, dishonest, vengeful, and lacking in all sense
of decency. The perjury of the witnesses who testify against
Rebecca with fantastic tales echo the way Jews were persecuted
in medieval Europe. Rebecca, on the other hand, is a shining
example of courage and dignity when under severe duress.
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