Айвенго

Chapter 35

           Twohalberdiers,cladinblack,guardedthedrawbridge,andothers,inthesamesadlivery,glidedtoandfrouponthewallswithafunerealpace,resemblingspectresmorethansoldiers.TheinferiorofficersoftheOrderwerethusdressed,eversincetheiruseofwhitegarments,similartothoseoftheknightsandesquires,hadgivenrisetoacombinationofcertainfalsebrethreninthemountainsofPalestine,termingthemselvesTemplars,andbringinggreatdishonourontheOrder.Aknightwasnowandthenseentocrossthecourtinhislongwhitecloak,hisheaddepressedonhisbreast,andhisarmsfolded.Theypassedeachother,iftheychancedtomeet,withaslow,solemn,andmutegreeting;forsuchwastheruleoftheirOrder,quotingthereupontheholytexts,"Inmanywordsthoushaltnotavoidsin,"and"Lifeanddeathareinthepowerofthetongue."Inaword,thesternasceticrigouroftheTemplediscipline,whichhadbeensolongexchangedforprodigalandlicentiousindulgence,seemedatoncetohaverevivedatTemplestoweunderthesevereeyeofLucasBeaumanoir.

           Isaacpausedatthegate,toconsiderhowhemightseekentranceinthemannermostlikelytobespeakfavour;forhewaswellaware,thattohisunhappyracetherevivingfanaticismoftheOrderwasnotlessdangerousthantheirunprincipledlicentiousness;andthathisreligionwouldbetheobjectofhateandpersecutionintheonecase,ashiswealthwouldhaveexposedhimintheothertotheextortionsofunrelentingoppression.

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