第92章

Brieflyafterthejudicialcombat，CedrictheSaxonwassummonedtothecourtofRichard，which，forthepurposeofquietingthecountiesthathadbeendisturbedbytheambitionofhisbrother，wasthenheldatYork。Cedrictushedandpshawedmorethanonceatthemessage——butherefusednotobedience。Infact，thereturnofRichardhadquenchedeveryhopethathehadentertainedofrestoringaSaxondynastyinEngland；for，whateverheadtheSaxonsmighthavemadeintheeventofacivilwar，itwasplainthatnothingcouldbedoneundertheundisputeddominionofRichard，popularashewasbyhispersonalgoodqualitiesandmilitaryfame，althoughhisadministrationwaswilfullycareless，nowtooindulgent，andnowalliedtodespotism。

But，moreover，itcouldnotescapeevenCedric’sreluctantobservation，thathisprojectforanabsoluteunionamongtheSaxons，bythemarriageofRowenaandAthelstane，wasnowcompletelyatanend，bythemutualdissentofbothpartiesconcerned。

Thiswas，indeed，aneventwhich，inhisardourfortheSaxoncause，hecouldnothaveanticipated，andevenwhenthedisinclinationofbothwasbroadlyandplainlymanifested，hecouldscarcebringhimselftobelievethattwoSaxonsofroyaldescentshouldscruple，onpersonalgrounds，atanalliancesonecessaryforthepublicwealofthenation。Butitwasnotthelesscertain：RowenahadalwaysexpressedherrepugnancetoAthelstane，andnowAthelstanewasnolessplainandpositiveinproclaiminghisresolutionnevertopursuehisaddressestotheLadyRowena。EventhenaturalobstinacyofCedricsunkbeneaththeseobstacles，wherehe，remainingonthepointofjunction，hadthetaskofdraggingareluctantpairuptoit，onewitheachhand。Hemade，however，alastvigorousattackonAthelstane，andhefoundthatresuscitatedsproutofSaxonroyaltyengaged，likecountrysquiresofourownday，inafuriouswarwiththeclergy。

Itseemsthat，afterallhisdeadlymenacesagainsttheAbbotofSaintEdmund’s，Athelstane’sspiritofrevenge，whatbetweenthenaturalindolentkindnessofhisowndisposition，whatthroughtheprayersofhismotherEdith，attached，likemostladies，(oftheperiod，)totheclericalorder，hadterminatedinhiskeepingtheAbbotandhismonksinthedungeonsofConingsburghforthreedaysonameagrediet。ForthisatrocitytheAbbotmenacedhimwithexcommunication，andmadeoutadreadfullistofcomplaintsinthebowelsandstomach，sufferedbyhimselfandhismonks，inconsequenceofthetyrannicalandunjustimprisonmenttheyhadsustained。Withthiscontroversy，andwiththemeanshehadadoptedtocounteractthisclericalpersecution，CedricfoundthemindofhisfriendAthelstanesofullyoccupied，thatithadnoroomforanotheridea。AndwhenRowena’snamewasmentionedthenobleAthelstaneprayedleavetoquaffafullgoblettoherhealth，andthatshemightsoonbethebrideofhiskinsmanWilfred。Itwasadesperatecasetherefore。TherewasobviouslynomoretobemadeofAthelstane；or，asWambaexpressedit，inaphrasewhichhasdescendedfromSaxontimestoours，hewasacockthatwouldnotfight。

ThereremainedbetwixtCedricandthedeterminationwhichtheloversdesiredtocometo，onlytwoobstacles——hisownobstinacy，andhisdislikeoftheNormandynasty。Theformerfeelinggraduallygavewaybeforetheendearmentsofhisward，andthepridewhichhecouldnothelpnourishinginthefameofhisson。Besides，hewasnotinsensibletothehonourofallyinghisownlinetothatofAlfred，whenthesuperiorclaimsofthedescendantofEdwardtheConfessorwereabandonedforever。Cedric’saversiontotheNormanraceofkingswasalsomuchundermined，——first，byconsiderationoftheimpossibilityofriddingEnglandofthenewdynasty，afeelingwhichgoesfartocreateloyaltyinthesubjecttotheking_defacto_；and，secondly，bythepersonalattentionofKingRichard，whodelightedintheblunthumourofCedric，and，tousethelanguageoftheWardourManuscript，sodealtwiththenobleSaxon，that，erehehadbeenaguestatcourtforsevendays，hehadgivenhisconsenttothemarriageofh