第4章

and，settingspurstohishorse，hecausedhimmakeademivolteacrossthepath，raisingatthesametimetheridingrodwhichheheldinhishand，withapurposeofchastisingwhatheconsideredastheinsolenceofthepeasant。

Gurthdartedathimasavageandrevengefulscowl，andwithafierce，yethesitatingmotion，laidhishandonthehaftofhisknife；buttheinterferenceofPriorAymer，whopushedhismulebetwixthiscompanionandtheswineherd，preventedthemeditatedviolence。

``Nay，byStMary，brotherBrian，youmustnotthinkyouarenowinPalestine，predominatingoverheathenTurksandinfidelSaracens；weislanderslovenotblows，savethoseofholyChurch，whochastenethwhomsheloveth——Tellme，goodfellow，’’

saidhetoWamba，andsecondedhisspeechbyasmallpieceofsilvercoin，``thewaytoCedrictheSaxon’s；youcannotbeignorantofit，anditisyourdutytodirectthewandererevenwhenhischaracterislesssanctifiedthanours。’’

``Intruth，venerablefather，’’answeredtheJester，``theSaracenheadofyourrightreverendcompanionhasfrightenedoutofminethewayhome——I

amnotsureIshallgetthereto-nightmyself。’’

``Tush，’’saidtheAbbot，``thoucansttellusifthouwilt。ThisreverendbrotherhasbeenallhislifeengagedinfightingamongtheSaracensfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre；heisoftheorderofKnightsTemplars，whomyoumayhaveheardof；heishalfamonk，halfasoldier。’’

``Ifheisbuthalfamonk，’’saidtheJester，``heshouldnotbewhollyunreasonablewiththosewhomhemeetsupontheroad，eveniftheyshouldbeinnohurrytoanswerquestionsthatnowayconcernthem。’’

``Iforgivethywit，’’repliedtheAbbot，``onconditionthouwiltshowmethewaytoCedric’smansion。’’

``Well，then，’’answeredWamba，``yourreverencesmustholdonthispathtillyoucometoasunkencross，ofwhichscarceacubit’slengthremainsaboveground；thentakethepathtotheleft，fortherearefourwhichmeetatSunkenCross，andItrustyourreverenceswillobtainshelterbeforethestormcomeson。’’

TheAbbotthankedhissageadviser；andthecavalcade，settingspurstotheirhorses，rodeonasmendowhowishtoreachtheirinnbeforetheburstingofanight-storm。Astheirhorses’hoofsdiedaway，Gurthsaidtohiscompanion，``Iftheyfollowthywisedirection，thereverendfatherswillhardlyreachRotherwoodthisnight。’’

``No，’’saidtheJester，grinning，``buttheymayreachSheffieldiftheyhavegoodluck，andthatisasfitaplaceforthem。Iamnotsobadawoodsmanastoshowthedogwherethedeerlies，ifI

havenomindheshouldchasehim。’’

``Thouartright，’’saidGurth；``itwereillthatAymersawtheLadyRowena；anditwereworse，itmaybe，forCedrictoquarrel，asismostlikelyhewould，withthismilitarymonk。But，likegoodservantsletushearandsee，andsaynothing。’’

Wereturntotheriders，whohadsoonleftthebondsmenfarbehindthem，andwhomaintainedthefollowingconversationintheNorman-Frenchlanguage，usuallyemployedbythesuperiorclasses，withtheexceptionofthefewwhowerestillinclinedtoboasttheirSaxondescent。

``Whatmeanthesefellowsbytheircapriciousinsolence?’’saidtheTemplartotheBenedictine，``andwhydidyoupreventmefromchastisingit?’’

``Marry，brotherBrian，’’repliedthePrior，``touchingtheoneofthem，itwerehardformetorenderareasonforafoolspeakingaccordingtohisfolly；andtheotherchurlisofthatsavage，fierce，intractablerace，someofwhom，asIhaveoftentoldyou，arestilltobefoundamongthedescendantsoftheconqueredSaxons，andwhosesupremepleasureitistotestify，byallmeansintheirpower，theiraversiontotheirconquerors。’’

``Iwouldsoonhavebeathimintocourtesy，’’

observedBrian；``Iamaccustomedtodealwithsuchspirits：OurTurkishyoushallsoonbejudge；andifthepurityofhercomplexion，andthemajestic，yetsoftexpressionofamildblueeye，donotchasefromyourmemorytheblack-tressedgirlsofPalestine，ay，orthehourisofoldMahound’sparadise，Iamaninfidel，andnotruesonofthechurch。’’

``Shouldyourboastedbeauty，’’saidtheTemplar，``beweighedinthebalanceandfoundwanting，youknowourwager?’’

``Mygoldcollar，’’answeredthePrior，``againsttenbutsofChianwine；——theyaremineassecurelyasiftheywerealreadyintheconventvaults，underthekeyofoldDennisthecellarer。’’

``AndIammyselftobejudge，’’saidtheTemplar，``andamonlytobeconvictedonmyownadmission，thatIhaveseennomaidensobeautifulsincePentecostwasatwelvemonth。Ranitnotso?——Prior，yourcollarisindanger；IwillwearitovermygorgetinthelistsofAshby-de-la-Zouche。’’

``Winitfairly，’’saidthePrior，``andwearitasyewill；Iwilltrustyourgivingtrueresponse，onyourwordasaknightandasachurchman。

Yet，brother，takemyadvice，andfileyourtonguetoalittlemorecourtesythanyourhabitsofpredominatingoverinfidelcaptivesandEasternbondsmenhaveaccustomedyou。CedrictheSaxon，ifoffended，——andheisnowayslackintakingoffence，——isamanwho，withoutrespecttoyourknighthood，myhighoffice，orthesanctityofeither，wouldclearhishouseofus，andsendustolodgewiththelarks，thoughthehourweremidnight。

AndbecarefulhowyoulookonRowena，whomhecherisheswiththemostjealouscare；anhetaketheleastalarminthatquarterwearebutlostmen。

Itissaidhebanishedhisonlysonfromhisfamilyforliftinghiseyesinthewayofaffectiontowardsthisbeauty，whomaybeworshipped，itseems，atadistance，butisnottobeapproachedwithotherthoughtsthansuchaswebringtotheshrineoftheBlessedVirgin。’’

``Well，youhavesaidenough，’’answeredtheTemplar；``Iwillforanightputontheneedfulrestraint，anddeportmeasmeeklyasamaiden；

butasforthefearofhisexpellingusbyviolence，myselfandsquires，withHametandAbdalla，willwarrantyouagainstthatdisgrace。Doubtnotthatweshallbestrongenoughtomakegoodourquarters。’’

``Wemustnotletitcomesofar，’’answeredthePrior；``buthereistheclown’ssunkencross，andthenightissodarkthatwecanhardlyseewhichoftheroadswearetofollow。Hebidusturn，I

thinktotheleft。’’

``Totheright，’’saidBrian，``tothebestofmyremembrance。’’

``Totheleft，certainly，theleft；Irememberhispointingwithhiswoodensword。’’

``Ay，butheheldhisswordinhislefthand，andsopointedacrosshisbodywithit，’’saidtheTemplar。

Eachmaintainedhisopinionwithsufficientobstinacy，asisusualinallsuchcases；theattendantswereappealedto，buttheyhadnotbeennearenoughtohearWamba’sdirections。AtlengthBrianremarked，whathadatfirstescapedhiminthetwilight；``Hereissomeoneeitherasleep，orlyingdeadatthefootofthiscross——Hugo，stirhimwiththebut-endofthylance。’’

Thiswasnosoonerdonethanthefigurearose，exclaimingingoodFrench，``Whosoeverthouart，itisdiscourteousinyoutodisturbmythoughts。’’

``Wedidbutwishtoaskyou，’’saidthePrior，``theroadtoRotherwood，theabodeofCedrictheSaxon。’’

``Imyselfamboundthither，’’repliedthestranger；

``andifIhadahorse，Iwouldbeyourguide，forthewayissomewhatintricate，thoughperfectlywellknowntome。’’

``Thoushalthaveboththanksandreward，myfriend，’’saidthePrior，``ifthouwiltbringustoCedric’sinsafety。’’

Andhecausedoneofhisattendantstomounthisownledhorse，andgivethatuponwhichhehadhithertoriddentothestranger，whowastoserveforaguide。

TheirconductorpursuedanoppositeroadfromthatwhichWambahadrecommended，forthepurposeofmisleadingthem。Thepathsoonleddeeperintothewoodland，andcrossedmorethanonebrook，theapproachtowhichwasrenderedperilousbythemarshesthroughwhichitflowed；butthestrangerseemedtoknow，asifbyinstinct，thesoundestgroundandthesafestpointsofpassage；andbydintofcautionandattention，broughtthepartysafelyintoawilderavenuethananytheyhadyetseen；and，pointingtoalargelowirregularbuildingattheupperextremity，hesaidtothePrior，``YonderisRotherwood，thedwellingofCedrictheSaxon。’’

ThiswasajoyfulintimationtoAymer，whosenerveswerenoneofthestrongest，andwhohadsufferedsuchagitationandalarminthecourseofpassingthroughthedangerousbogs，thathehadnotyethadthecuriositytoaskhisguideasinglequestion。Findinghimselfnowathiseaseandnearshelter，hiscuriositybegantoawake，andhedemandedoftheguidewhoandwhathewas。

``APalmer，justreturnedfromtheHolyLand，’’

wastheanswer。

``YouhadbetterhavetarriedtheretofightfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre，’’saidtheTemplar。

``True，ReverendSirKnight，’’answeredthePalmer，towhomtheappearanceoftheTemplarseemedperfectlyfamiliar；``butwhenthosewhoareunderoathtorecovertheholycity，arefoundtravellingatsuchadistancefromthesceneoftheirduties，canyouwonderthatapeacefulpeasantlikemeshoulddeclinethetaskwhichtheyhaveabandoned?’’

TheTemplarwouldhavemadeanangryreply，butwasinterruptedbythePrior，whoagainexpressedhisastonishment，thattheirguide，aftersuchlongabsence，shouldbesoperfectlyacquaintedwiththepassesoftheforest。

``Iwasbornanativeoftheseparts，’’answeredtheirguide，andashemadethereplytheystoodbeforethemansionofCedric；——alowirregularbuilding，containingseveralcourt-yardsorenclosures，extendingoveraconsiderablespaceofground，andwhich，thoughitssizearguedtheinhabitanttobeapersonofwealth，differedentirelyfromthetall，turretted，andcastellatedbuildingsinwhichtheNormannobilityresided，andwhichhadbecometheuniversalstyleofarchitecturethroughoutEngland。

Rotherwoodwasnot，however，withoutdefences；

nohabitation，inthatdisturbedperiod，couldhavebeenso，withouttheriskofbeingplunderedandburntbeforethenextmorning。Adeepfosse，orditch，wasdrawnroundthewholebuilding，andfilledwithwaterfromaneighbouringstream。A

doublestockade，orpalisade，composedofpointedbeams，whichtheadjacentforestsupplied，defendedtheouterandinnerbankofthetrench。Therewasanentrancefromthewestthroughtheouterstockade，whichcommunicatedbyadrawbridge，withasimilaropeningintheinteriordefences。

Someprecautionshadbeentakentoplacethoseentrancesundertheprotectionofprojectingangles，bywhichtheymightbeflankedincaseofneedbyarchersorslingers。

BeforethisentrancetheTemplarwoundhishornloudly；fortherain，whichhadlongthreatened，begannowtodescendwithgreatviolence。

CHAPTERIII