ep gloom fell upon Wilfred, and his sorrow was so great that

cation, as he said, and as Wilfred had none of his own kith and kin about him, he avoided al

ing in early spring, a few mont

n figure, called a "quintain," which turned round upon an axis,

ike the buckler full in the centre with his lance, while riding by

rity; after him Wilfred was invited by the maitre d'armes to ma

r Louis try n

refuse to make the attempt. He rode, but his horse swerved just before meeting the mock warrior; he struck the shield, therefore, on one side, whereup

d, unable to bear the jeers of his companions, and their sarcast

dexterity for these novel exercises; and, poor boy, he was quite weary o

e to bear--cutting sarcasm, biting contempt, not openly or coarsely expressed, but always implied plainly enough--constant

rd to bear," thou

n lords and their soldiery, forced to draw stone and timber, like beasts of burden, for the purp

good lady, all this had b

one eye, or wanting a hand; and why? Because they had killed a hare or wo

nteenth birthday, and was beginning to think himself a man; but where

y, for the places of those who fled their homes, and went no one knew whither, were fille

ent, and he liked it little enough. Good old English was becoming rare; the strangers compare

ilfred, the grandson of the heroic Alfgar, whose praises as the companion in arms of the Ironside had been sung by a hundred mins

like light twinkling at the bottom of a black well. Once when Etienne was uttering some polished sarcasm at Wilfred'

y for never being expressed. He sometimes thought that his stepfather wished him to quar

knight who took his stand on a bridge, horse and all complete, and when any one

Adeliza of Coutances to be the m

e willing to admit the superiority of the fair cha

etter knight than thou--better

toll; if not he must fight, yea, even to the death. And th

o sword or lance in Wilfred's case, which, indeed, pages could not resort to

and lost mother had made him patient for a time;

and miles they extended in trackless mazes of underwood, swamp, and brake;

om Aescendune?" thought our Wilf

ight come when he woul

-he heard the loud baying of the hounds, but he heeded not--he loathed society that day, and satisfyin

ired. He lay down at the foot

ancestors--the whole line of them--passed before him in succession, all going into the depths of the

ther came and stood by him, and

ind him, and a sense of imminent danger grew on the

inary. There was the voice of one who besought for mercy, and the laughter and scornful

sleep was uttered in a tone of distress, wh

n the innocent days of childhood, he had sported and romped again and again; for distinctions of ra

e him; the weapon was ready; the temptation too great. Forgetful of all but the impulse of the moment, he had flung the

ut, killing a hare," shoute

, the son of his lord fulfilled his own co

thief, to kill one of our hares

thing rose up so suddenly"--and the like. But in the first place his captors did not understand

lays a hare shall lose the hand that did the deed; and here is

e him to the castle; off wi

e deer, were in their girdles, and, shame to say, the other two youths

Etienne prepared to execute the cruel operation whic

e was so little sympathy between Norman lord and English thrall, that pity found no place

cted delivere

extended by force on a rude stump; when the knife was already drawn from its sheath, Wilfre

u dare; he is my foster brot

ically; "but, my fair brother, thou wilt hard

rs and worse than butch

ue him? Thou hast not yet found an

n the eyes, and knocked him down. The knife fell from his hand, and Wilfred seized it before

ne ro

lgar a combat commended itself to the proud young Norman, even thus suddenly humil

the less, nor did he che

ng more important to be settled now than the question whether the young porker shall

ruck a you

uld-be knights, with swords. Draw, then, and defe

d we should have our knighthood deferred for years did we permit it. Pages may not fight

my challenge? I honour th

y, they ruled here while thine were but

hen; we meet here a

rmission of

or that," replie

the love of his young lord for protection, and no sooner were they alone than the poor lad overwhelmed his deliverer with thank

must take care of yourself, or they may avenge themselves on you; indeed, when the baron hears the

ill I

ht--thou knowest th

el

e hollow tree where we have slept before now in our hunting days. I will seek thee tomorrow, if I live. If I

but you will come; why not f

oodbye at once to those at home, and be off: perhaps

g thrall actually kneeling and kissing his young lord's hand

castle, when he met Pierre, w

ffer you my services for tomorrow; yo

ou my f

g insult after insult without ever resenting them, I thought thee

like other N

o not love the Normans over much in Brittany;

l that Wilfred c

her's death, save in those stolen moments when he had been alone

dvise an hour or two in the tilt yard, and I can tell thee

all not have

nk the baron w

art. Were I the better swor

der--betake thyself to thy holy gear--men fight none the worse for a clear conscience. And I would ask the intercession of St. Michael--m

hege tonight--we are no

uis. Well, what ne

stark and stern he looked when he saw his son's eyes. Wilfred, th

ow will

ne at Marmontier--none should have come between me and them. And I am glad we did not hur

mother and her counsels ca

rightly, he felt sure; and he knew that h

of whose wondrous exploits he often told me in olden days around our winter

ok himself, with Pierre, to the tilt yard. Louis w