Ivanhoe by Walter Scott (world best books to read .TXT) 📖

be her especial pleasure,” answered Elgitha, with

great readiness, “for she is ever desirous to hear the latest

news from Palestine.”

Cedric darted at the forward damsel a glance of hasty resentment;

but Rowena, and whatever belonged to her, were privileged and

secure from his anger. He only replied, “Silence, maiden; thy

tongue outruns thy discretion. Say my message to thy mistress,

and let her do her pleasure. Here, at least, the descendant of

Alfred still reigns a princess.” Elgitha left the apartment.

“Palestine!” repeated the Saxon; “Palestine! how many ears are

turned to the tales which dissolute crusaders, or hypocritical

pilgrims, bring from that fatal land! I too might ask---I too

might enquire---I too might listen with a beating heart to fables

which the wily strollers devise to cheat us into hospitality

---but no---The son who has disobeyed me is no longer mine; nor

will I concern myself more for his fate than for that of the most

worthless among the millions that ever shaped the cross on their

shoulder, rushed into excess and blood-guiltiness, and called it

an accomplishment of the will of God.”

He knit his brows, and fixed his eyes for an instant on the

ground; as he raised them, the folding doors at the bottom of the

hall were cast wide, and, preceded by the major-domo with his

wand, and four domestics bearing blazing torches, the guests of

the evening entered the apartment.

CHAPTER IV

With sheep and shaggy goats the porkers bled,

And the proud steer was on the marble spread;

With fire prepared, they deal the morsels round,

Wine rosy bright the brimming goblets crown’d.

*

Disposed apart, Ulysses shares the treat;

A trivet table and ignobler seat,

The Prince assigns---

Odyssey, Book XXI

The Prior Aymer had taken the opportunity afforded him, of

changing his riding robe for one of yet more costly materials,

over which he wore a cope curiously embroidered. Besides the

massive golden signet ring, which marked his ecclesiastical

dignity, his fingers, though contrary to the canon, were loaded

with precious gems; his sandals were of the finest leather which

was imported from Spain; his beard trimmed to as small dimensions

as his order would possibly permit, and his shaven crown

concealed by a scarlet cap richly embroidered.

The appearance of the Knight Templar was also changed; and,

though less studiously bedecked with ornament, his dress was as

rich, and his appearance far more commanding, than that of his

companion. He had exchanged his shirt of mail for an under tunic

of dark purple silk, garnished with furs, over which flowed his

long robe of spotless white, in ample folds. The eight-pointed

cross of his order was cut on the shoulder of his mantle in black

velvet. The high cap no longer invested his brows, which were

only shaded by short and thick curled hair of a raven blackness,

corresponding to his unusually swart complexion. Nothing could

be more gracefully majestic than his step and manner, had they

not been marked by a predominant air of haughtiness, easily

acquired by the exercise of unresisted authority.

These two dignified persons were followed by their respective

attendants, and at a more humble distance by their guide, whose

figure had nothing more remarkable than it derived from the usual

weeds of a pilgrim. A cloak or mantle of coarse black serge,

enveloped his whole body. It was in shape something like the

cloak of a modern hussar, having similar flaps for covering the

arms, and was called a “Sclaveyn”, or “Sclavonian”. Coarse

sandals, bound with thongs, on his bare feet; a broad and shadowy

hat, with cockle-shells stitched on its brim, and a long staff

shod with iron, to the upper end of which was attached a branch

of palm, completed the palmer’s attire. He followed modestly the

last of the train which entered the hall, and, observing that the

lower table scarce afforded room sufficient for the domestics of

Cedric and the retinue of his guests, he withdrew to a settle

placed beside and almost under one of the large chimneys, and

seemed to employ himself in drying his garments, until the

retreat of some one should make room at the board, or the

hospitality of the steward should supply him with refreshments in

the place he had chosen apart.

Cedric rose to receive his guests with an air of dignified

hospitality, and, descending from the dais, or elevated part of

his hall, made three steps towards them, and then awaited their

approach.

“I grieve,” he said, “reverend Prior, that my vow binds me to

advance no farther upon this floor of my fathers, even to receive

such guests as you, and this valiant Knight of the Holy Temple.

But my steward has expounded to you the cause of my seeming

discourtesy. Let me also pray, that you will excuse my speaking

to you in my native language, and that you will reply in the same

if your knowledge of it permits; if not, I sufficiently

understand Norman to follow your meaning.”

“Vows,” said the Abbot, “must be unloosed, worthy Franklin, or

permit me rather to say, worthy Thane, though the title is

antiquated. Vows are the knots which tie us to Heaven---they are

the cords which bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar,

---and are therefore,---as I said before,---to be unloosened and

discharged, unless our holy Mother Church shall pronounce the

contrary. And respecting language, I willingly hold

communication in that spoken by my respected grandmother, Hilda

of Middleham, who died in odour of sanctity, little short, if we

may presume to say so, of her glorious namesake, the blessed

Saint Hilda of Whitby, God be gracious to her soul!”

When the Prior had ceased what he meant as a conciliatory

harangue, his companion said briefly and emphatically, “I speak

ever French, the language of King Richard and his nobles; but I

understand English sufficiently to communicate with the natives

of the country.”

Cedric darted at the speaker one of those hasty and impatient

glances, which comparisons between the two rival nations seldom

failed to call forth; but, recollecting the duties of

hospitality, he suppressed further show of resentment, and,

motioning with his hand, caused his guests to assume two seats a

little lower than his own, but placed close beside him, and gave

a signal that the evening meal should be placed upon the board.

While the attendants hastened to obey Cedric’s commands, his eye

distinguished Gurth the swineherd, who, with his companion Wamba,

had just entered the hall. “Send these loitering knaves up

hither,” said the Saxon, impatiently. And when the culprits came

before the dais,---“How comes it, villains! that you have

loitered abroad so late as this? Hast thou brought home thy

charge, sirrah Gurth, or hast thou left them to robbers and

marauders?”

“The herd is safe, so please ye,” said Gurth.

“But it does not please me, thou knave,” said Cedric, “that I

should be made to suppose otherwise for two hours, and sit here

devising vengeance against my neighbours for wrongs they have not

done me. I tell thee, shackles and the prison-house shall punish

the next offence of this kind.”

Gurth, knowing his master’s irritable temper, attempted no

exculpation; but the Jester, who could presume upon Cedric’s

tolerance, by virtue of his privileges as a fool, replied for

them both; “In troth, uncle Cedric, you are neither wise nor

reasonable to-night.”

“‘How, sir?” said his master; “you shall to the porter’s lodge,

and taste of the discipline there, if you give your foolery such

license.”

“First let your wisdom tell me,” said Wamba, “is it just and

reasonable to punish one person for the fault of another?”

“Certainly not, fool,” answered Cedric.

“Then why should you shackle poor Gurth, uncle, for the fault of

his dog Fangs? for I dare be sworn we lost not a minute by the

way, when we had got our herd together, which Fangs did not

manage until we heard the vesper-bell.”

“Then hang up Fangs,” said Cedric, turning hastily towards the

swineherd, “if the fault is his, and get thee another dog.”

“Under favour, uncle,” said the Jester, “that were still somewhat

on the bow-hand of fair justice; for it was no fault of Fangs

that he was lame and could not gather the herd, but the fault of

those that struck off two of his fore-claws, an operation for

which, if the poor fellow had been consulted, he would scarce

have given his voice.”

“And who dared to lame an animal which belonged to my bondsman?”

said the Saxon, kindling in wrath.

“Marry, that did old Hubert,” said Wamba, “Sir Philip de

Malvoisin’s keeper of the chase. He caught Fangs strolling in

the forest, and said he chased the deer contrary to his master’s

right, as warden of the walk.”

“The foul fiend take Malvoisin,” answered the Saxon, “and his

keeper both! I will teach them that the wood was disforested in

terms of the great Forest Charter. But enough of this. Go to,

knave, go to thy place---and thou, Gurth, get thee another dog,

and should the keeper dare to touch it, I will mar his archery;

the curse of a coward on my head, if I strike not off the

forefinger of his right hand!---he shall draw bowstring no more.

---I crave your pardon, my worthy guests. I am beset here with

neighbours that match your infidels, Sir Knight, in Holy Land.

But your homely fare is before you; feed, and let welcome make

amends for hard fare.”

The feast, however, which was spread upon the board, needed no

apologies from the lord of the mansion. Swine’s flesh, dressed

in several modes, appeared on the lower part of the board, as

also that of fowls, deer, goats, and hares, and various kinds of

fish, together with huge loaves and cakes of bread, and sundry

confections made of fruits and honey. The smaller sorts of

wild-fowl, of which there was abundance, were not served up in

platters, but brought in upon small wooden spits or broaches, and

offered by the pages and domestics who bore them, to each guest

in succession, who cut from them such a portion as he pleased.

Beside each person of rank was placed a goblet of silver; the

lower board was accommodated with large drinking horns.

When the repast was about to commence, the major-domo, or

steward, suddenly raising his wand, said aloud,---“Forbear!

---Place for the Lady Rowena.”

A side-door at the upper end of the hall now opened behind the

banquet table, and Rowena, followed by four female attendants,

entered the apartment. Cedric, though surprised, and perhaps not

altogether agreeably so, at his ward appearing in public on this

occasion, hastened to meet her, and to conduct her, with

respectful ceremony, to the elevated seat at his own right hand,

appropriated to the lady of the mansion. All stood up to receive

her; and, replying to their courtesy by a mute gesture of

salutation, she moved gracefully forward to assume her place at

the board. Ere she had time to do so, the Templar whispered to

the Prior, “I shall wear no collar of gold of yours at the

tournament. The Chian wine is your own.”

“Said I not so?” answered the Prior; “but check your raptures,

the Franklin observes you.”

Unheeding this remonstrance, and accustomed only to act upon the

immediate impulse of his own wishes, Brian de Bois-Guilbert kept

his eyes riveted on the Saxon beauty, more striking perhaps to

his imagination, because differing widely from those of the

Eastern sultanas.

Formed in the best proportions of her sex, Rowena was tall in

stature, yet not so much so as to attract observation on account

of superior height. Her complexion was exquisitely fair, but the

noble cast of her