naked sword or the poisoned cup."" I will return with thee!" said Reginald. "Of a surety," said Robin, "there is a venture both ways. If we advance, life is perilled; and if we retreat, the lady is lost.""I know not whether to go or to return!" said Reginald. "I will return to my master," said the messenger, "peradventure he will send to thee that shall remove thine apprehensions. Hasten not on the way. Marry! it is well that the Lady Elfrida should wait the leisure of Reginald d'Arennes ;" and, turning his horse's head, he was preparing to depart, when Naylis seized his reins, exclaiming, Not so, Sir Discourteous! by our Lady thou departest not so lightly; Sir Reginald wendeth to Kennet-hold, and if a hair of his head be injured thou diest, an thou wert Leofwyn's first-born!" 66 "Norman hound!" cried the messenger, with an exclamation of surprise, "hast thou divined-but no! thy thoughts were no parties to thy lips, and I war not for a random word. I will go with ye-rather than your master should lose his bride. By the soul of Hengist, it were pity!" As he spoke he removed his hand, which he had laid upon the hilt of his dagger, and bent upon Reginald a look in which there was much and deep signification, although the standers-by were unable to read its import. Naylis led his young Lord apart, and spoke a few words in an earnest whisper. Reginald still seemed irresolute; he began to reply hastily in a tone between soliloquy and expostulation. "Thou sayest right well, Roger, and with discretion; yet, by my spurs, a younger head had given warmer counsel! How think you, my masters, were it not a pleasant tale to tell that Reginald d'Arennes fled from the bright eyes of his bride? Yet, as thou sayest, Roger, there is danger in this adventure! Not that I heed shaft or spear, bill or battle-axe, in the hand of a Saxon; thou knowest I am no craven, Roger !--but then, as thou sayest, Roger--my father, I do believe my death-wound would be his! I will return to him-yet would he be shamed by my return! I will go on-or rather, I will not; thou shalt hasten back to him, Roger!-and tell him-hum! I doubt!" How long the contest might have lasted it is impossible to determine ;-the remaining attendants were beginning to hazard surmises respecting the eligibility of a night lodging sub dio, when Robin the Wily sprung with a kind of harlequin step before his patron, and, throwing himself into the attitude of a despairing maiden, sang, in a ludicrously plaintive voice, some stanzas of a popular air, which may be thus modernized :— "Oh! I am drest in my bridal vest, And whither fleeth my father's guest? I look to the East, and I look to the West, Why am I dight in my kirtle of white, My silken snood withal? For not to-night that craven knight Will cross my father's hall." She hath torn outright her kirtle of white, And not to-night that craven knight Will cross her father's hall! "I will go on to Kennet-hold," said Reginald. There was something in the look of the Page more than in the words he uttered, which had so deeply inspired his master with that strongest of all incentives, the dread of ridicule, that his determination was now inflexible. Well was it said by the learned monk, Bedo Camerarius, "the resolution of a strong mind giveth way to argument,---but the obstinacy of a weak one never!" Naylis was of the same opinion: he held another conference with his master in whispers; the result of which was, that Reginald exchanged his loose robe for the rich suit of armour which was borne after him by his attendants. They were preparing to separate upon their respective journeys, when they discovered the first fruits of Reginald's hesitation in the departure of their purposed hostage. No orders had been given for his forcible detention; and he had accordingly taken advantage of the consultation which had engaged the attention of the party, to effect his retreat. The hawk without a collar hath but brief thraldom," said Robin. "Thou art right, Knave," said Naylis: "had thy counsel been earlier, yon slave should have made experiment of the weight of a Norman gyve. But it matters not. Though the Saxon have the temper of his own Zernbock, and the Furies to boot, he dare not,--surely he dare not! Well I wot our master would work so deep a requital, that the heads of twenty such miscreants should appear cheap ransom !" "Fare thee well, good Naylis," said Reginald; "bid my father be of good cheer, and do honour to his son's bridal! Ha! ha! thou hast still thy misdoubtings and thine apprehensions-I know thy mind!"" Would thou didst know thine own but half as well!" muttered the old man, as he turned slowly round, followed by the Norman attendants. The steeds, as if rejoicing to be again in motion, arched their proud necks, and flung back their thick manes in the wind: the clattering of their hoofs arose, and sank, and died into silence. Reginald, and the Knave, Robin, journeyed some miles without converse. The latter seemed to be thinking of nothing but his new doublet, and the former seemed to be thinking of nothing at all. After a considerable pause the Knight began the conversation." I am doubting, Robin,-" "It is a wise man that solveth his own doubts!" returned his attendant. "I am doubting, Robin," continued Reginald, "whether thou or I be the greater fool!" "A gibe! a gibe!" cried the jester, "thy reasons, most convincing disputant? thy proofs, most inventive master? thine arguments, most incontrovertible Knight? Marry, an thou make me the greater fool, it will ill become the servant to be greater than his master." 66 Imprimis! thou art a fool by thy name, which is Witless!" "I will have license to make reply," said the jester; "Thou art a fool, to call a wise man by a fool's name." Secondly," resumed Reginald, "thou art a fool by thy face!" 66 "Who is to choose," said his antagonist, "between the folly that is seen on the face, and the folly which is spoken from the tongue ?" 66 66 Thirdly, thou art foolish in thy designs." By Saint Swithin," cried the respondent, "thou hast the better of me there, for designs formest thou none." "Fourthly, thou art a fool by thine occupation!" “There thou hast spoken well," said the Page; “I am serving-man to Sir Reginald d'Arennes." "Finally, Robin," said Reginald, relapsing into taciturnity, "thou knowest that thou art a fool positive!" "Thou hast the better of me again, Reginald," said the complaisant lackey, "for thou art greatly a fool, and surpassingly a fool, but never a positive one." Reginald did not hear the import of his follower's reply; or at least made no answer to it. They proceeded for some minutes in silence, at a brisk pace, when Reginald suddenly stopped, and exclaimed, "We have wandered from our track!" "Not a whit, not a whit," replied his companion, " do not I know the turnings and the windings of the way? Is it not the fourth time that I have journeyed with thee on this path ?-Firstly, when thou didst do penance at the Abbey of Brixhelm; secondly, when thou didst pillage the fat friar of Torney Low; thirdly, when thou wert, at thine own pleasure, a suitor to the Miller's daughter of Nesselray; fourthly, when thou art, at thy father's pleasure, a suitor to the Thane's daughter of Kennet-hold. Truly the fool's counsel is nought; but I hold the pillage more profitable than the penance, and the Miller a cheaper bargain than the Thane. Trust me, if there be in the Hall of the Saxon another giant such as he that escaped from us even now, there will be stronger trust in the speed of black Launcelot than in the plating of thy Milan corselet." "He was, indeed," said Reginald, "firm of sinew and large of bone; he was, withal, free in his deportment, and ruled that sorrel courser full knightly; and, as thou sayest, Robin, he bore in his hand a battle-axe, against which ribs of steel were but weak protection." They had now proceeded far on their journey, and were winding round a thick forest; the extremities of which were skirted by brushwood to a very considerable extent. Reginald continued to discuss the personal appearance of the herald of his father-in-law, in a manner which showed he was by no means deficient in natural observation. "He had the tone of one not unused to command, and an eye right noble and piercing; nevertheless, he is but a Saxon; and ill betide the day when Reginald d'Arennes shall fear to cope with twenty Saxons." 66 Especially," said Robin, with an expression of countenance more than usually arch, "when Reginald d'Arennes hath by his side so true an esquire. Well thou knowest I am a shrewd Knave, and a wily !" At this moment a shrill whistle rung in their ears, and five or six stout yeomen rushed from the thicket, seized |