It was an exterior fortification of no great height or strength, intended to protect the postern gate, through which Cedric had been recently dismissed by Front-de-Bœuf. The castle moat divided this species of barbican from the rest of the fortress; so that, in case of its being taken, it was easy to cut off the communication with the main building by withdrawing the temporary bridge. In the outwork was a sally-port, corresponding to the postern of the castle; and the whole was surrounded by a strong palisade. Rebecca could observe, from the number of men placed for the defence of this post, that the besieged entertained apprehensions for its safety; and from the mustering of the assailants in a direction nearly opposite to the outwork, it seemed no less plain that it had been selected as a vulnerable point of attack.
這座外部的碉堡并不是很高，也并不大，它只是用來保護城堡的邊門，也就是之前牛面將軍送走塞德里克的那扇門。有一道壕溝將碉堡于主堡隔開，就算她被敵方攻占，也隨時可以拉起臨時的吊橋，切斷它與主堡的通道。碉堡有一個攻擊口，與城堡的邊門處在一條直線上，它的周圍還筑造了一道堅固的柵欄。從駐守這個據點的士兵人數上，麗貝卡可以知道守城部隊還是比較擔心這里的。進攻部隊幾乎就聚集在對面，很顯然，這里已經被他們選為進攻的突破口。
These appearances she hastily communicated to Ivanhoe, and added, "The skirts of the wood seem lined with archers, although only a few are advanced from its dark shadow."
她馬上把這些情況告訴了艾凡赫，還告訴他:“樹林里應該還埋伏著弓箭手，盡管在樹蔭外只能看到幾個人影。”
"Under what banner?" asked Ivanhoe.
“他們打的什么旗幟？”艾凡赫問道。
"Under no ensign of war which I can observe," answered Rebecca.
“我還沒看到什么旗幟”，麗貝卡回答。
"A singular novelty," muttered the knight, "to advance to storm such a castle without pennon or banner displayed!—Seest thou who they be who act as leaders?"
“這就有點怪了”，騎士喃喃自語道，“要進攻這樣的一座城堡，卻沒有打旗幟！你能看到指揮的人嗎？“
"A knight clad in sable armour is the most conspicuous," said the Jewess. "He alone is armed from head to heel, and seems to assume the direction of all around him."
“是一個穿一身黑色盔甲的騎士，非常醒目。“猶太姑娘說，”只有他一個人是從頭到腳全副武裝，整個行動應該是由他指揮的。”
"What device does he bear on his shield?" replied Ivanhoe.
“他的盾牌有什么圖案？”艾凡赫問。
"Something resembling a bar of iron and a padlock, painted blue on the black shield."
“他的盾牌是黑色的，上面好像紋有藍色的鐵條和掛鎖。”
"A fetterlock and shacklebolt azure," said Ivanhoe. "I know not who may bear the device, but well I ween it might now be mine own. Canst thou not see the motto?"
“那是手銬和腳鐐的標志。”艾凡赫說，“我不知道什么人會用這種圖案，不過這和我現在的情況倒是挺像。你能看到上面的字嗎？”
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