第6章

Ay?whythisisbetterandbetter！heiscarriedofftoo，theSaxonfool，toservetheNormanlord。Foolsareweallindeedthatservethem，andfittersubjectsfortheirscornandlaughter，thanifwewerebornwithbuthalfourwits。ButIwillbeavenged，’’headded，startingfromhischarinimpatienceatthesupposedinjury，andcatchingholdofhisboar-spear；``Iwillgowithmycomplainttothegreatcouncil；Ihavefriends，Ihavefollowers——mantomanwillIappealtheNormantothelists；lethimcomeinhisplateandhismail，andallthatcanrendercowardicebold；Ihavesentsuchajavelinasthisthroughastrongerfencethanthreeoftheirwarshields！——Haplytheythinkmeold；buttheyshallfind，aloneandchildlessasI

am，thebloodofHerewardisintheveinsofCedric——

Ah，Wilfred，Wilfred！’’heexclaimedinalowertone，``couldstthouhaveruledthineunreasonablepassion，thyfatherhadnotbeenleftinhisagelikethesolitaryoakthatthrowsoutitsshatteredandunprotectedbranchesagainstthefullsweepofthetempest！’’Thereflectionseemedtoconjureintosadnesshisirritatedfeelings。Replacinghisjavelin，heresumedhisseat，benthislooksdownward，andappearedtobeabsorbedinmelancholyreflection。

Fromhismusing，Cedricwassuddenlyawakenedbytheblastofaborn，whichwasrepliedtobytheclamorousyellsandbarkingofallthedogsinthehall，andsometwentyorthirtywhichwerequarteredinotherpartsofthebuilding。Itcostsomeexerciseofthewhitetruncheon，wellsecondedbytheexertionsofthedomestics，tosilencethiscanineclamour。

``Tothegate，knaves！’’saidtheSaxon，hastily，assoonasthetumultwassomuchappeasedthatthedependantscouldhearhisvoice。``Seewhattidingsthathorntellsusof——toannounce，Iween，somehership*androbberywhichhasbeendone*Pillage。

uponmylands。’’

Returninginlessthanthreeminutes，awarderannounced``thatthePriorAymerofJorvaulx，andthegoodknightBriandeBois-Guilbert，commanderofthevaliantandvenerableorderofKnightsTemplars，withasmallretinue，requestedhospitalityandlodgingforthenight，beingontheirwaytoatournamentwhichwastobeheldnotfarfromAshby-de-la-Zouche，ontheseconddayfromthepresent。’’

``Aymer，thePriorAymer?BriandeBois-Guilbert?’’——

mutteredCedric；``Normansboth；——

butNormanorSaxon，thehospitalityofRotherwoodmustnotbeimpeached；theyarewelcome，sincetheyhavechosentohalt——morewelcomewouldtheyhavebeentohaveriddenfurtherontheirway——Butitwereunworthytomurmurforanight’slodgingandanight’sfood；inthequalityofguests，atleast，evenNormansmustsuppresstheirinsolence——Go，Hundebert，’’headded，toasortofmajor-domowhostoodbehindhimwithawhitewand；``takesixoftheattendants，andintroducethestrangerstotheguests’lodging。Lookaftertheirhorsesandmules，andseetheirtrainlacknothing。Letthemhavechangeofvestmentsiftheyrequireit，andfire，andwatertowash，andwineandale；andbidthecooksaddwhattheyhastilycantooureveningmeal；andletitbeputontheboardwhenthosestrangersarereadytoshareit。Saytothem，Hundebert，thatCedricwouldhimselfbidthemwelcome，butheisunderavownevertostepmorethanthreestepsfromthedaisofhisownhalltomeetanywhosharesnotthebloodofSaxonroyalty。Begone！seethemcarefullytended；letthemnotsayintheirpride，theSaxonchurlhasshownatoncehispovertyandhisavarice。’’

Themajor-domodepartedwithseveralattendants，toexecutehismaster’scommands。``ThePriorAymer！’’repeatedCedric，lookingtoOswald，``thebrother，ifImistakenot，ofGilesdeMauleverer，nowlordofMiddleham?’’

Oswaldmadearespectfulsignofassent。``Hisbrothersitsintheseat，andusurpsthepatrimony，ofabetterrace，theraceofUlfgarofMiddleham；

butwhatNormanlorddothnotthesame?ThisPrioris，theysay，afreeandjovialpriest，wholovesthewine-cupandthebugle-hornbetterthanbellandbook：Good；lethimcome，heshallbewelcome。HownamedyetheTemplar?’’

``BriandeBois-Guilbert。’’

``Bois-Guilbert，’’saidCedric，stillinthemusing，half-arguingtone，whichthehabitoflivingamongdependantshadaccustomedhimtoemploy，andwhichresembledamanwhotalkstohimselfratherthantothosearoundhim——``Bois-Guilbert?thatnamehasbeenspreadwidebothforgoodandevil。

Theysayheisvaliantasthebravestofhisorder；

butstainedwiththeirusualvices，pride，arrogance，cruelty，andvoluptuousness；ahard-heartedman，whoknowsneitherfearofearth，noraweofheaven。SosaythefewwarriorswhohavereturnedfromPalestine——Well；itisbutforonenight；heshallbewelcometoo——Oswald，broachtheoldestwine-cask；placethebestmead，themightiestale，therichestmorat，themostsparklingcider，themostodoriferouspigments，upontheboard；fillthelargesthorns*——TemplarsandAbbots*TheseweredrinksusedbytheSaxons，asweareinformed*byMrTurner：Moratwasmadeofhoneyflavouredwiththe*juiceofmulberries；Pigmentwasasweetandrichliquor，composed*ofwinehighlyspiced，andsweetenedalsowithhoney；

*theotherliquorsneednoexplanation。L。T。

lovegoodwinesandgoodmeasure——Elgitha，letthyLadyRowena，knowweshallnotthisnightexpectherinthehall，unlesssuchbeherespecialpleasure。’’

``Butitwillbeherespecialpleasure，’’answeredElgitha，withgreatreadiness，``forsheiseverdesiroustohearthelatestnewsfromPalestine。’’

Cedricdartedattheforwarddamselaglanceofhastyresentment；butRowena，andwhateverbelongedtoher，wereprivilegedandsecurefromhisanger。Heonlyreplied，``Silence，maiden；thytongueoutrunsthydiscretion。Saymymessagetothymistress，andletherdoherpleasure。Here，atleast，thedescendantofAlfredstillreignsaprincess。’’Elgithalefttheapartment。

``Palestine！’’repeatedtheSaxon；``Palestine！

howmanyearsareturnedtothetaleswhichdissolutecrusaders，orhypocriticalpilgrims，bringfromthatfatalland！Itoomightask——Itoomightenquire——

Itoomightlistenwithabeatinghearttofableswhichthewilystrollersdevisetocheatusintohospitality——butno——Thesonwhohasdisobeyedmeisnolongermine；norwillIconcernmyselfmoreforhisfatethanforthatofthemostworthlessamongthemillionsthatevershapedthecrossontheirshoulder，rushedintoexcessandblood-guiltiness，andcalleditanaccomplishmentofthewillofGod。’’

Heknithisbrows，andfixedhiseyesforaninstantontheground；asheraisedthem，thefoldingdoorsatthebottomofthehallwerecastwide，and，precededbythemajor-domowithhiswand，andfourdomesticsbearingblazingtorches，theguestsoftheeveningenteredtheapartment。

CHAPTERIV

Withsheepandshaggygoatstheporkersbled，Andtheproudsteerwasonthemarblespread；

Withfireprepared，theydealthemorselsround，Winerosybrightthebrimminggobletscrown’d——

Disposedapart，Ulyssessharesthetreat；

Atrivettableandignoblerseat，ThePrinceassigns——

_Odyssey，Book_21。

ThePriorAymerhadtakentheopportunityaffordedhim，ofchanginghisridingrobeforoneofyetmorecostlymaterials，overwhichheworeacopecuriouslyembroidered。Besidesthemassivegoldensignetring，whichmarkedhisecclesiasticaldignity，hisfingers，thoughcontrarytothecanon，wereloadedwithpreciousgems；hissandalswereofthefinestleatherwhichwasimportedfromSpain；hisbeardtrimmedtoassmalldimensionsashisorderwouldpossiblypermit，andhisshavencrownconcealedbyascarletcaprichlyembroidered。

TheappearanceoftheKnightTemplarwasalsochanged；and，thoughlessstudiouslybedeckedwithornament，hisdresswasasrich，andhisappearancefarmorecommanding，thanthatofhiscompanion。

Hehadexchangedhisshirtofmailforanundertunicofdarkpurplesilk，garnishedwithfurs，overwhichflowedhislongrobeofspotlesswhite，inamplefolds。Theeight-pointedcrossofhisorderwascutontheshoulderofhismantleinblackvelvet。

Thehighcapnolongerinvestedhisbrows，whichwereonlyshadedbyshortandthickcurledhairofaravenblackness，correspondingtohisunusuallyswartcomplexion。Nothingcouldbemoregracefullymajesticthanhisstepandmanner，hadtheynotbeenmarkedbyapredominantairofhaughtiness，easilyacquiredbytheexerciseofunresistedauthority。

Thesetwodignifiedpersonswerefollowedbytheirrespectiveattendants，andatamorehumbledistancebytheirguide，whosefigurehadnothingmoreremarkablethanitderivedfromtheusualweedsofapilgrim。Acloakormantleofcoarseblackserge，envelopedhiswholebody。Itwasinshapesomethinglikethecloakofamodernhussar，havingsimilarflapsforcoveringthearms，andwascalleda_Sclaveyn_，or_Sclavonian_。Coarsesandals，boundwiththongs，onhisbarefeet；abroadandshadowyhat，withcockle-shellsstitchedonitsbrim，andalongstaffshodwithiron，totheupperendofwhichwasattachedabranchofpalm，completedthepalmer’sattire。Hefollowedmodestlythelastofthetrainwhichenteredthehall，and，observingthatthelowertablescarceaffordedroomsufficientforthedomesticsofCedricandtheretinueofhisguests，hewithdrewtoasettleplacedbesideandalmostunderoneofthelargechimneys，andseemedtoemployhimselfindryinghisgarments，untiltheretreatofsomeoneshouldmakeroomattheboard，orthehospitalityofthestewardshouldsupplyhimwithrefreshmentsintheplacehehadchosenapart。

Cedricrosetoreceivehisguestswithanairofdignifiedhospitality，and，descendingfromthedais，orelevatedpartofhishall，madethreestepstowardsthem，andthenawaitedtheirapproach。

``Igrieve，’’hesaid，``reverendPrior，thatmyvowbindsmetoadvancenofartheruponthisfloorofmyfathers，eventoreceivesuchguestsasyou，andthisvaliantKnightoftheHolyTemple。Butmystewardhasexpoundedtoyouthecauseofmyseemingdiscourtesy。Letmealsopray，thatyouwillexcusemyspeakingtoyouinmynativelanguage，andthatyouwillreplyinthesameifyourknowledgeofitpermits；ifnot，IsufficientlyunderstandNormantofollowyourmeaning。’’

``Vows，’’saidtheAbbot，``mustbeunloosed，worthyFranklin，orpermitmerathertosay，worthyThane，thoughthetitleisantiquated。VowsaretheknotswhichtieustoHeaven——theyarethecordswhichbindthesacrificetothehornsofthealtar，——andaretherefore，——asIsaidbefore，——tobeunloosenedanddischarged，unlessourholyMotherChurchshallpronouncethecontrary。Andrespectinglanguage，Iwillinglyholdcommunicationinthatspokenbymyrespectedgrandmother，HildaofMiddleham，whodiedinodourofsanctity，littleshort，ifwemaypresumetosayso，ofhergloriousnamesake，theblessedSaintHildaofWhitby，Godbegracioustohersoul！’’

WhenthePriorhadceasedwhathemeantasaconciliatoryharangue，hiscompanionsaidbrieflyandemphatically，``IspeakeverFrench，thelanguageofKingRichardandhisnobles；butIunderstandEnglishsufficientlytocommunicatewiththenativesofthecountry。’’

Cedricdartedatthespeakeroneofthosehastyandimpatientglances，whichcomparisonsbetweenthetworivalnationsseldomfailedtocallforth；

but，recollectingthedutiesofhospitality，hesuppressedfurthershowofresentment，and，motioningwithhishand，causedhisgueststoassumetwoseatsalittlelowerthanhisown，butplacedclosebesidehim，andgaveasignalthattheeveningmealshouldbeplacedupontheboard。

WhiletheattendantshastenedtoobeyCedric’scommands，hiseyedistinguishedGurththeswineherd，who，withhiscompanionWamba，hadjustenteredthehall。``Sendtheseloiteringknavesuphither，’’saidtheSaxon，impatiently。Andwhentheculpritscamebeforethedais，——``Howcomesit，villains！thatyouhaveloiteredabroadsolateasthis?Hastthoubroughthomethycharge，sirrahGurth，orhastthouleftthemtorobbersandmarauders?’’

Theherdissafe，sopleaseye，’’saidGurth。