amnotnaturallythatwhichyouhaveseenme，hard，selfish，andrelentless。Itwaswomanthattaughtmecruelty，andonwomanthereforeIhaveexercisedit；butnotuponsuchasthou。Hearme，Rebecca——NeverdidknighttakelanceinhishandwithaheartmoredevotedtotheladyofhislovethanBriandeBois-Guilbert。She，thedaughterofapettybaron，whoboastedforallhisdomainsbutaruinoustower，andanunproductivevineyard，andsomefewleaguesofthebarrenLandesofBourdeaux，hernamewasknownwhereverdeedsofarmsweredone，knownwiderthanthatofmanyalady’sthathadacountyforadowery——Yes，’’hecontinued，pacingupanddownthelittleplatform，withananimationinwhichheseemedtoloseallconsciousnessofRebecca’spresence——``Yes，mydeeds，mydanger，myblood，madethenameofAdelaidedeMontemareknownfromthecourtofCastiletothatofByzantium。AndhowwasIrequited?——
WhenIreturnedwithmydear-boughthonours，purchasedbytoilandblood，IfoundherweddedtoaGasconsquire，whosenamewasneverheardbeyondthelimitsofhisownpaltrydomain！TrulydidIloveher，andbitterlydidIrevengemeofherbrokenfaith！Butmyvengeancehasrecoiledonmyself。SincethatdayIhaveseparatedmyselffromlifeanditsties——Mymanhoodmustknownodomestichome——mustbesoothedbynoaffectionatewife——Myagemustknownokindlyhearth——
Mygravemustbesolitary，andnooffspringmustoutliveme，tobeartheancientnameofBois-Guilbert。
AtthefeetofmySuperiorIhavelaiddowntherightofself-action——theprivilegeofindependence。
TheTemplar，aserfinallbutthename，canpossessneitherlandsnorgoods，andlives，moves，andbreathes，butatthewillandpleasureofanother。’’