Ivanhoe

Urfried shepherds Rebecca back into a castle room, then leads the monk—the disguised Cedric—to another little chamber. After locking the door, she begs him, as a fellow Saxon, to hear her woeful tale. Her name is Ulrica, not Urfried, and although everyone thought that she died with her father, the Thane of Torquilstone, she survived her family’s massacre and lived for many years as the lover of Front-de-Boeuf’s father. For playing paramour to her family’s murderer, she feels unbearable guilt. Cedric agrees she should, and curses her for failing to kill herself before sharing a Norman’s bed.

Disgusted by what he considers her betrayal of the Saxon cause, Cedric tells Ulrica to as God, not him, for forgiveness. She threatens him that she can easily tell Front-de-Boeuf about his escape. Cedric retorts that he would rather face Front-de-Boeuf’s wrath than sully himself by remaining in her presence. Fine, she replies. She will take her revenge on the Normans herself. This mollifies Cedric somewhat. He pauses long enough for Ulrica to promise that she will create a diversion in the castle. The attackers should charge when a red flag flies from the eastern turret.

Ulrica vanishes through a hidden door just as Front-de-Boeuf enters the apartment, demanding to know whether the priest has finished hearing his prisoners’ confessions. In halting Norman, Cedric says he has. Noting his Saxon accent, Front-de-Boeuf promises to spare the friar from coming Norman violence if he will agree to take a message to Philip de Malvoisin.

After escorting Cedric from the castle walls, Front-de-Boeuf returns to his hall and orders his servants to bring him Athelstane and Cedric. He doesn’t realize that “Cedric” is really Wamba in disguise until the jester opens his mouth to speak. Front-de-Boeuf pulls back Wamba’s hood as De Bracy enters the room and recognizes “Cedric’s fool.” Slowly, it dawns on Front-de-Boeuf and De Bracy that Cedric has escaped. Realizing that they’ve inadvertently betrayed their plans to their enemies, the defenders know they will face the impending attack alone.

De Bracy, Front-de-Boeuf, and Sir Brian belatedly try to negotiate a ransom of 1,000 marks for Athelstane and the minor members of Cedric’s party, but they refuse to consider releasing Isaac, Rebecca, Wamba, or Rowena. Athelstane could not care less about Isaac and Rebecca, but he refuses to leave his fiancée Rowena or his uncle Cedric’s beloved servant Wamba. Furthermore, he demands to be kept in a manner befitting his noble rank and he reissues his challenge of armed combat to Front-de-Boeuf. Front-de-Boeuf casually replies that he doesn’t duel with his prisoners, but he will accept a challenge from Athelstane if he ever has the luck to escape.

A monk with a message from Aymer interrupts the negotiations. The prior has also been captured by Saxons and wants Front-de-Boeuf to pay his ransom or rescue him. Front-de-Boeuf refuses, declaring that he’s too busy with his own problems. This reminds the monk that, in all the excitement of delivering his message, he forgot to warn the baron that he saw the Saxon forces building ramps to scale the walls on his way to the castle. From the window, De Bracy confirms the monk’s news. Front-de-Boeuf shouts for Sir Brian and De Bracy to defend the castle walls as they realize that the Black Knight leads the Saxon forces with the skill of an experienced general. All the better, Front-de-Boeuf exclaims—now they can get their revenge on him for his part in the tournament.