“What! is it Front-de-Boeuf,” said the
Black Knight, “who has stopt on the king’s
highway the king’s liege subjects?—–Is
he turned thief and oppressor?”
“Oppressor he ever was,” said Locksley.
“And for thief,” said the priest, “I
doubt if ever he were even half so honest a man as
many a thief of my acquaintance.”
“Move on, priest, and be silent,” said
the yeoman; “it were better you led the way
to the place of rendezvous, than say what should be
left unsaid, both in decency and prudence.”
Alas, how many hours and years have past,
Since human forms have round this table sate,
Or lamp, or taper, on its surface gleam’d!
Methinks, I hear the sound of time long pass’d
Still murmuring o’er us, in the lofty void
Of these dark arches, like the ling’ring voices
Of those who long within their graves have slept.
Orra, a Tragedy
While these measures were taking in behalf of Cedric
and his companions, the armed men by whom the latter
had been seized, hurried their captives along towards
the place of security, where they intended to imprison
them. But darkness came on fast, and the paths
of the wood seemed but imperfectly known to the marauders.
They were compelled to make several long halts, and
once or twice to return on their road to resume the
direction which they wished to pursue. The summer
morn had dawned upon them ere they could travel in
full assurance that they held the right path.
But confidence returned with light, and the cavalcade
now moved rapidly forward. Meanwhile, the following
dialogue took place between the two leaders of the
banditti.
“It is time thou shouldst leave us, Sir Maurice,”
said the Templar to De Bracy, “in order to prepare
the second part of thy mystery. Thou art next,
thou knowest, to act the Knight Deliverer.”
“I have thought better of it,” said De
Bracy; “I will not leave thee till the prize
is fairly deposited in Front-de-Boeuf’s castle.
There will I appear before the Lady Rowena in mine
own shape, and trust that she will set down to the
vehemence of my passion the violence of which I have
been guilty.”
“And what has made thee change thy plan, De
Bracy?” replied the Knight Templar.
“That concerns thee nothing,” answered
his companion.
“I would hope, however, Sir Knight,” said
the Templar, “that this alteration of measures
arises from no suspicion of my honourable meaning,
such as Fitzurse endeavoured to instil into thee?”
“My thoughts are my own,” answered De
Bracy; “the fiend laughs, they say, when one
thief robs another; and we know, that were he to spit
fire and brimstone instead, it would never prevent
a Templar from following his bent.”
“Or the leader of a Free Company,” answered
the Templar, “from dreading at the hands of
a comrade and friend, the injustice he does to all
mankind.”
