第19章

see，heisagainabouttogouptobattleagainstthePhilistine——Pray，child——prayforthesafetyofthegoodyouth，——andofthespeedyhorse，andthericharmour——Godofmyfathers！’’heagainexclaimed，``hehathconquered，andtheuncircumcisedPhilistinehathfallenbeforehislance，——evenasOgtheKingofBashan，andSihon，KingoftheAmorites，fellbeforetheswordofourfathers！——Surelyheshalltaketheirgoldandtheirsilver，andtheirwar-horses，andtheirarmourofbrassandofsteel，forapreyandforaspoil。’’

ThesameanxietydidtheworthyJewdisplayduringeverycoursethatwasrun，seldomfailingtohazardahastycalculationconcerningthevalueofthehorseandarmourwhichwasforfeitedtothechampionuponeachnewsuccess。TherehadbeenthereforenosmallinteresttakeninthesuccessoftheDisinheritedKnight，bythosewhooccupiedthepartofthelistsbeforewhichhenowpaused。

Whetherfromindecision，orsomeothermotiveofhesitation，thechampionofthedayremainedstationaryformorethanaminute，whiletheeyesofthesilentaudiencewereriveteduponhismotions；

andthen，graduallyandgracefullysinkingthepointofhislance，hedepositedthecoronetWhichitsupportedatthefeetofthefairRowena。

Thetrumpetsinstantlysounded，whiletheheraldsproclaimedtheLadyRowenatheQueenofBeautyandofLovefortheensuingday，menacingwithsuitablepenaltiesthosewhoshouldbedisobedienttoherauthority。TheythenrepeatedtheircryofLargesse，towhichCedric，intheheightofhisjoy，repliedbyanampledonative，andtowhichAthelstane，thoughlesspromptly，addedoneequallylarge。

TherewassomemurmuringamongthedamselsofNormandescent，whowereasmuchunusedtoseethepreferencegiventoaSaxonbeauty，astheNormannoblesweretosustaindefeatinthegamesofchivalrywhichtheythemselveshadintroduced。

Butthesesoundsofdisaffectionweredrownedbythepopularshoutof``LonglivetheLadyRowena，thechosenandlawfulQueenofLoveandofBeauty！’’

Towhichmanyinthelowerareaadded，``LonglivetheSaxonPrincess！longlivetheraceoftheimmortalAlfred！’’

HoweverunacceptablethesesoundsmightbetoPrinceJohn，andtothosearoundhim，hesawhimselfneverthelessobligedtoconfirmthenominationofthevictor，andaccordinglycallingtohorse，helefthisthrone；andmountinghisjennet，accompaniedbyhistrain，heagainenteredthelists。

ThePrincepausedamomentbeneaththegalleryoftheLadyAlicia，towhomhepaidhiscompliments，observing，atthesametime，tothosearoundhim——``Bymyhalidome，sirs！iftheKnight’sfeatsinarmshaveshownthathehathlimbsandsinews，hischoicehathnolessprovedthathiseyesarenoneoftheclearest。’’

Itwasonthisoccasion，asduringhiswholelife，John’smisfortune，notperfectlytounderstandthecharactersofthosewhomhewishedtoconciliate。

WaldemarFitzursewasratheroffendedthanpleasedatthePrincestatingthusbroadlyanopinion，thathisdaughterhadbeenslighted。

``Iknownorightofchivalry，’’hesaid，``morepreciousorinalienablethanthatofeachfreeknighttochoosehislady-lovebyhisownjudgment。Mydaughtercourtsdistinctionfromnoone；andinherowncharacter，andinherownsphere，willneverfailtoreceivethefullproportionofthatwhichisherdue。’’

PrinceJohnrepliednot；but，spurringhishorse，asiftogiveventtohisvexation，hemadetheanimalboundforwardtothegallerywhereRowenawasseated，withthecrownstillatherfeet。

``Assume，’’hesaid，``fairlady，themarkofyoursovereignty，towhichnonevowshomagemoresincerelythanourself，JohnofAnjou；andifitpleaseyouto-day，withyournoblesireandfriends，tograceourbanquetintheCastleofAshby，weshalllearntoknowtheempresstowhoseservicewedevoteto-morrow。’’

Rowenaremainedsilent，andCedricansweredforherinhisnativeSaxon。

``TheLadyRowena，’’hesaid，``possessesnotthelanguageinwhichtoreplytoyourcourtesy，ortosustainherpartinyourfestival。Ialso，andthenobleAthelstaneofConingsburgh，speakonlythelanguage，andpractiseonlythemanners，ofourfathers。WethereforedeclinewiththanksyourHighness’scourteousinvitationtothebanquet。

To-morrow，theLadyRowenawilltakeuponherthestatetowhichshehasbeencalledbythefreeelectionofthevictorKnight，confirmedbytheacclamationsofthepeople。’’

Sosaying，heliftedthecoronet，andplacedituponRowena’shead，intokenofheracceptanceofthetemporaryauthorityassignedtoher。

``Whatsayshe?’’saidPrinceJohn，affectingnottounderstandtheSaxonlanguage，inwhich，however，hewaswellskilled。ThepurportofCedric’sspeechwasrepeatedtohiminFrench。``Itiswell，’’hesaid；``to-morrowwewillourselfconductthismutesovereigntoherseatofdignity——

You，atleast，SirKnight，’’headded，turningtothevictor，whohadremainednearthegallery，``willthisdayshareourbanquet?’’

TheKnight，speakingforthefirsttime，inalowandhurriedvoice，excusedhimselfbypleadingfatigue，andthenecessityofpreparingforto-morrow’sencounter。

``Itiswell，’’saidPrinceJohn，haughtily；``althoughunusedtosuchrefusals，wewillendeavourtodigestourbanquetaswemay，thoughungracedbythemostsuccessfulinarms，andhiselectedQueenofBeauty。’’

Sosaying，hepreparedtoleavethelistswithhisglitteringtrain，andhisturninghissteedforthatpurpose，wasthesignalforthebreakingupanddispersionofthespectators。

Yet，withthevindictivememorypropertooffendedpride，especiallywhencombinedwithconsciouswantofdesert，Johnhadhardlyproceededthreepaces，ereagain，turningaround，hefixedaneyeofsternresentmentupontheyeomanwhohaddispleasedhimintheearlypartoftheday，andissuedhiscommandstothemen-at-armswhostoodnear——``Onyourlife，suffernotthatfellowtoescape。’’

TheyeomanstoodtheangryglanceofthePrincewiththesameunvariedsteadinesswhichhadmarkedhisformerdeportment，saying，withasmile，``I

havenointentiontoleaveAshbyuntilthedayafterto-morrow——ImustseehowStaffordshireandLeicestershirecandrawtheirbows——theforestsofNeedwoodandCharnwoodmustreargoodarchers。’’

``l，’’saidPrinceJohntohisattendants，butnotindirectreply，——``Iwillseehowhecandrawhisown；andwoebetidehimunlesshisskillshouldprovesomeapologyforhisinsolence！’’

``Itisfulltime，’’saidDeBracy，``thatthe_outrecuidance_*

*Presumption，insolence。

ofthesepeasantsshouldberestrainedbysomestrikingexample。’’

WaldemarFitzurse，whoprobablythoughthispatronwasnottakingthereadiestroadtopopularity，shruggeduphisshouldersandwassilent。

PrinceJohnresumedhisretreatfromthelists，andthedispersionofthemultitudebecamegeneral。

Invariousroutes，accordingtothedifferentquartersfromwhichtheycame，andingroupsofvariousnumbers，thespectatorswereseenretiringovertheplain。ByfarthemostnumerouspartstreamedtowardsthetownofAshby，wheremanyofthedistinguishedpersonswerelodgedinthecastle，andwhereothersfoundaccommodationinthetownitself。Amongtheseweremostoftheknightswhohadalreadyappearedinthetournament，orwhoproposedtofighttheretheensuingday，andwho，astheyrodeslowlyalong，talkingovertheeventsoftheday，weregreetedwithloudshoutsbythepopulace。ThesameacclamationswerebestoweduponPrinceJohn，althoughhewasindebtedforthemrathertothesplendourofhisappearanceandtrain，thantothepopularityofhischaracter。

Amoresincereandmoregeneral，aswellasabetter-meritedacclamation，attendedthevictoroftheday，until，anxioustowithdrawhimselffrompopularnotice，heacceptedtheaccommodationofoneofthosepavilionspitchedattheextremitiesofthelists，theuseofwhichwascourteouslytenderedhimbythemarshalsofthefield。Onhisretiringtohistent，manywhohadlingeredinthelists，tolookuponandformconjecturesconcerninghim，alsodispersed。

Thesignsandsoundsofatumultuousconcourseofmenlatelycrowdedtogetherinoneplace，andagitatedbythesamepassingevents，werenowexchangedforthedistanthumofvoicesofdifferentgroupsretreatinginalldirections，andthesespeedilydiedawayinsilence。Noothersoundswereheardsavethevoicesofthemenialswhostrippedthegalleriesoftheircushionsandtapestry，inordertoputtheminsafetyforthenight，andwrangledamongthemselvesforthehalf-usedbottlesofwineandrelicsoftherefreshmentwhichhadbeenservedroundtothespectators。

Beyondtheprecinctsofthelistsmorethanoneforgewaserected；andthesenowbegantoglimmerthroughthetwilight，announcingthetoilofthearmourers，whichwastocontinuethroughthewholenight，inordertorepairoralterthesuitsofarmourtobeusedagainonthemorrow。

Astrongguardofmen-at-arms，renewedatintervals，fromtwohourstotwohours，surroundedthelists，andkeptwatchduringthenight。

CHAPTERX

Thus，likethesadpresagingraven，thattollsThesickman’spassportinherhollowbeak，AndintheshadowofthesilentnightDothshakecontagionfromhersablewings；

Vex’dandtormented，runspoorBarrabas，WithfatalcursestowardstheseChristians。

_JewofMalta_。

TheDisinheritedKnighthadnosoonerreachedhispavilion，thansquiresandpagesinabundancetenderedtheirservicestodisarmhim，tobringfreshattire，andtoofferhimtherefreshmentofthebath。

Theirzealonthisoccasionwasperhapssharpenedbycuriosity，sinceeveryonedesiredtoknowwhotheknightwasthathadgainedsomanylaurels，yethadrefused，evenatthecommandofPrinceJohn，tolifthisvisorortonamehisname。Buttheirofficiousinquisitivenesswasnotgratified。TheDisinheritedKnightrefusedallotherassistancesavethatofhisownsquire，orratheryeoman——aclownish-lookingman，who，wraptinacloakofdark-colouredfelt，andhavinghisheadandfacehalf-buriedinaNormanbonnetmadeofblackfur，seemedtoaffecttheincognitoasmuchashismaster。

Allothersbeingexcludedfromthetent，thisattendantrelievedhismasterfromthemoreburdensomepartsofhisarmour，andplacedfoodandwinebeforehim，whichtheexertionsofthedayrenderedveryacceptable。

TheKnighthadscarcelyfinishedahastymeal，erehismenialannouncedtohimthatfivemen，eachleadingabarbedsteed，desiredtospeakwithhim。

TheDisinheritedKnighthadexchangedhisarmourforthelongrobeusuallywornbythoseofhiscondition，which，beingfurnishedwithahood，concealedthefeatures，whensuchwasthepleasureofthewearer，almostascompletelyasthevisorofthehelmetitself，butthetwilight，whichwasnowfastdarkening，wouldofitselfhaverenderedadisguiseunnecessary，unlesstopersonstowhomthefaceofanindividualchancedtobeparticularlywellknown。

TheDisinheritedKnight，therefore，steptboldlyforthtothefrontofhistent，andfoundinattendancethesquiresofthechallengers，whomheeasilyknewbytheirrussetandblackdresses，eachofwhomledhismaster’scharger，loadedwiththearmourinwhichhehadthatdayfought。

``Accordingtothelawsofchivalry，’’saidtheforemostofthesemen，``I，BaldwindeOyley，squiretotheredoubtedKnightBriandeBois-Guilbert，makeoffertoyou，stylingyourself，forthepresent，theDisinheritedKnight，ofthehorseandarmourusedbythesaidBriandeBois-Guilbertinthisday’sPassageofArms，leavingitwithyournoblenesstoretainortoransomthesame，accordingtoyourpleasure；forsuchisthelawofarms。’’

Theothersquiresrepeatednearlythesameformula，andthenstoodtoawaitthedecisionoftheDisinheritedKnight。