Page:Ivanhoe (1820 Volume 3).pdf/64

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besides a commodity of rusted chains and this dog of a Jew, who presently rendered himself my prisoner, rescue or no rescue. I did but refresh myself, after the fatigue of the action, with the unbeliever, with one humming cup of sack, and was proceeding to lead forth my captive, when, crash after crash, as with wild thunder-dint and levin-fire, down toppled the masonry of an outer tower, (marry beshrew their hands that built it not the firmer!) and blocked up the passage. The roar of one falling tower followed another—I gave up thought of life, and deeming it a dishonour to one of my profession to pass out of this world in company with a Jew, I heaved up my halbert to beat his brains out; but I took pity on his grey hairs, and deemed it better to lay down the partizan, and take up my spiritual weapons for his conversion. And truly, by the blessing of Saint Dunstan, the seed has been sown in good soil, only that, with speaking to him of mysteries through the whole night (for the few draughts of sack which I sharpened my wits with were not worth marking) my head is well nigh dizzied, I trow.—But I was clean exhausted—Gilbert