TheapartmentinwhichtheSaxonchiefswereconfined，fortothemweturnourfirstattention，althoughatpresentusedasasortofguard-room，hadformerlybeenthegreathallofthecastle。Itwasnowabandonedtomeanerpurposes，becausethepresentlord，amongotheradditionstotheconvenience，security，andbeautyofhisbaronialresidence，haderectedanewandnoblehall，whosevaultedroofwassupportedbylighterandmoreelegantpillars，andfittedupwiththathigherdegreeofornament，whichtheNormanshadalreadyintroducedintoarchitecture。
Cedricpacedtheapartment，filledwithindignantreflectionsonthepastandonthepresent，whiletheapathyofhiscompanionserved，insteadofpatienceandphilosophy，todefendhimagainsteverythingsavetheinconvenienceofthepresentmoment；andsolittledidhefeeleventhislast，thathewasonlyfromtimetotimerousedtoareplybyCedric’sanimatedandimpassionedappealtohim。
``Yes，’’saidCedric，halfspeakingtohimself，andhalfaddressinghimselftoAthelstane，``itwasinthisveryhallthatmyfatherfeastedwithTorquilWolfganger，whenheentertainedthevaliantandunfortunateHarold，thenadvancingagainsttheNorwegians，whohadunitedthemselvestotherebelTosti。ItwasinthishallthatHaroldreturnedthemagnanimousanswertotheambassadorofhisrebelbrother。OfthaveIheardmyfatherkindleashetoldthetale。TheenvoyofTostiwasadmitted，whenthisampleroomcouldscarcecontainthecrowdofnobleSaxonleaders，whowerequaffingtheblood-redwinearoundtheirmonarch。’’
``Ihope，’’saidAthelstane，somewhatmovedbythispartofhisfriend’sdiscourse，``theywillnotforgettosendussomewineandrefactionsatnoon——wehadscarceabreathing-spaceallowedtobreakourfast，andIneverhavethebenefitofmyfoodwhenIeatimmediatelyafterdismountingfromhorseback，thoughtheleechesrecommendthatpractice。’’
Cedricwentonwithhisstorywithoutnoticingthisinterjectionalobservationofhisfriend。