第34章

Thecrowddispersed，indeed，buttheknightwasnowheretobeseen。

ItwasinvainthatCedric’scupbearerlookedaroundforhisyoungmaster——hesawthebloodyspotonwhichhehadlatelysunkdown，buthimselfhesawnolonger；itseemedasifthefairieshadconveyedhimfromthespot。PerhapsOswald(fortheSaxonswereverysuperstitious)mighthaveadoptedsomesuchhypothesis，toaccountforIvanhoe’sdisappearance，hadhenotsuddenlycasthiseyeuponapersonattiredlikeasquire，inwhomherecognisedthefeaturesofhisfellow-servantGurth。

Anxiousconcerninghismaster’sfate，andindespairathissuddendisappearance，thetranslatedswineherdwassearchingforhimeverywhere，andhadneglected，indoingso，theconcealmentonwhichhisownsafetydepended。OswalddeemedithisdutytosecureGurth，asafugitiveofwhosefatehismasterwastojudge。

RenewinghisenquiriesconcerningthefateofIvanhoe，theonlyinformationwhichthecupbearercouldcollectfromthebystanderswas，thattheknighthadbeenraisedwithcarebycertainwell-attiredgrooms，andplacedinalitterbelongingtoaladyamongthespectators，whichhadimmediatelytransportedhimoutofthepress。Oswald，onreceivingthisintelligence，resolvedtoreturntohismasterforfartherinstructions，carryingalongwithhimGurth，whomheconsideredinsomesortasadeserterfromtheserviceofCedric。

TheSaxonhadbeenunderveryintenseandagonizingapprehensionsconcerninghisson；forNaturehadassertedherrights，inspiteofthepatrioticstoicismwhichlabouredtodisownher。ButnosoonerwasheinformedthatIvanhoewasincareful，andprobablyinfriendlyhands，thanthepaternalanxietywhichhadbeenexcitedbythedubietyofhisfate，gavewayanewtothefeelingofinjuredprideandresentment，atwhathetermedWilfred’sfilialdisobedience。``Lethimwanderhisway，’’saidhe——``letthoseleechhiswoundsforwhosesakeheencounteredthem。HeisfittertodothejugglingtricksoftheNormanchivalrythantomaintainthefameandhonourofhisEnglishancestrywiththeglaiveandbrown-bill，thegoodoldweaponsofhiscountry。’’

``Iftomaintainthehonourofancestry，’’saidRowena，whowaspresent，``itissufficienttobewiseincouncilandbraveinexecution——tobeboldestamongthebold，andgentlestamongthegentle，Iknownovoice，savehisfather’s——’’

``Besilent，LadyRowena！——onthissubjectonlyIhearyounot。PrepareyourselfforthePrince’sfestival：wehavebeensummonedthitherwithunwontedcircumstanceofhonourandofcourtesy，suchasthehaughtyNormanshaverarelyusedtoourracesincethefataldayofHastings。ThitherwillIgo，wereitonlytoshowtheseproudNormanshowlittlethefateofason，whocoulddefeattheirbravest，canaffectaSaxon。’’

``Thither，’’saidRowena，``doI=not=go；andIprayyoutobeware，lestwhatyoumeanforcourageandconstancy，shallbeaccountedhardnessofheart。’’

``Remainathome，then，ungratefullady，’’answeredCedric；``thineisthehardheart，whichcansacrificethewealofanoppressedpeopletoanidleandunauthorizedattachment。IseekthenobleAthelstane，andwithhimattendthebanquetofJohnofAnjou。’’

Hewentaccordinglytothebanquet，ofwhichwehavealreadymentionedtheprincipalevents。

Immediatelyuponretiringfromthecastle，theSaxonthanes，withtheirattendants，tookhorse；

anditwasduringthebustlewhichattendedtheirdoingso，thatCedric，forthefirsttime，casthiseyesuponthedeserterGurth。ThenobleSaxonhadreturnedfromthebanquet，aswehaveseen，innoveryplacidhumour，andwantedbutapretextforwreakinghisangeruponsomeone。``Thegyves！’’hesaid，``thegyves！——Oswald——Hundibert！——

Dogsandvillains！——whyleaveyetheknaveunfettered?’’

Withoutdaringtoremonstrate，thecompanionsofGurthboundhimwithahalter，asthereadiestcordwhichoccurred。Hesubmittedtotheoperationwithoutremonstrance，exceptthat，dartingareproachfullookathismaster，hesaid，``Thiscomesoflovingyourfleshandbloodbetterthanmineown。’’