and，settingspurstohishorse，hecausedhimmakeademivolteacrossthepath，raisingatthesametimetheridingrodwhichheheldinhishand，withapurposeofchastisingwhatheconsideredastheinsolenceofthepeasant。
Gurthdartedathimasavageandrevengefulscowl，andwithafierce，yethesitatingmotion，laidhishandonthehaftofhisknife；buttheinterferenceofPriorAymer，whopushedhismulebetwixthiscompanionandtheswineherd，preventedthemeditatedviolence。
``Nay，byStMary，brotherBrian，youmustnotthinkyouarenowinPalestine，predominatingoverheathenTurksandinfidelSaracens；weislanderslovenotblows，savethoseofholyChurch，whochastenethwhomsheloveth——Tellme，goodfellow，’’
saidhetoWamba，andsecondedhisspeechbyasmallpieceofsilvercoin，``thewaytoCedrictheSaxon’s；youcannotbeignorantofit，anditisyourdutytodirectthewandererevenwhenhischaracterislesssanctifiedthanours。’’
``Intruth，venerablefather，’’answeredtheJester，``theSaracenheadofyourrightreverendcompanionhasfrightenedoutofminethewayhome——I
amnotsureIshallgetthereto-nightmyself。’’
``Tush，’’saidtheAbbot，``thoucansttellusifthouwilt。ThisreverendbrotherhasbeenallhislifeengagedinfightingamongtheSaracensfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre；heisoftheorderofKnightsTemplars，whomyoumayhaveheardof；heishalfamonk，halfasoldier。’’
``Ifheisbuthalfamonk，’’saidtheJester，``heshouldnotbewhollyunreasonablewiththosewhomhemeetsupontheroad，eveniftheyshouldbeinnohurrytoanswerquestionsthatnowayconcernthem。’’
``Iforgivethywit，’’repliedtheAbbot，``onconditionthouwiltshowmethewaytoCedric’smansion。’’
``Well，then，’’answeredWamba，``yourreverencesmustholdonthispathtillyoucometoasunkencross，ofwhichscarceacubit’slengthremainsaboveground；thentakethepathtotheleft，fortherearefourwhichmeetatSunkenCross，andItrustyourreverenceswillobtainshelterbeforethestormcomeson。’’
TheAbbotthankedhissageadviser；andthecavalcade，settingspurstotheirhorses，rodeonasmendowhowishtoreachtheirinnbeforetheburstingofanight-storm。Astheirhorses’hoofsdiedaway，Gurthsaidtohiscompanion，``Iftheyfollowthywisedirection，thereverendfatherswillhardlyreachRotherwoodthisnight。’’
``No，’’saidtheJester，grinning，``buttheymayreachSheffieldiftheyhavegoodluck，andthatisasfitaplaceforthem。Iamnotsobadawoodsmanastoshowthedogwherethedeerlies，ifI
havenomindheshouldchasehim。’’
``Thouartright，’’saidGurth；``itwereillthatAymersawtheLadyRowena；anditwereworse，itmaybe，forCedrictoquarrel，asismostlikelyhewould，withthismilitarymonk。But，likegoodservantsletushearandsee，andsaynothing。’’
Wereturntotheriders，whohadsoonleftthebondsmenfarbehindthem，andwhomaintainedthefollowingconversationintheNorman-Frenchlanguage，usuallyemployedbythesuperiorclasses，withtheexceptionofthefewwhowerestillinclinedtoboasttheirSaxondescent。
``Whatmeanthesefellowsbytheircapriciousinsolence?’’saidtheTemplartotheBenedictine，``andwhydidyoupreventmefromchastisingit?’’
``Marry，brotherBrian，’’repliedthePrior，``touchingtheoneofthem，itwerehardformetorenderareasonforafoolspeakingaccordingtohisfolly；andtheotherchurlisofthatsavage，fierce，intractablerace，someofwhom，asIhaveoftentoldyou，arestilltobefoundamongthedescendantsoftheconqueredSaxons，andwhosesupremepleasureitistotestify，byallmeansintheirpower，theiraversiontotheirconquerors。’’
``Iwouldsoonhavebeathimintocourtesy，’’
observedBrian；``Iamaccustomedtodealwithsuchspirits：OurTurkishyoushallsoonbejudge；andifthepurityofhercomplexion，andthemajestic，yetsoftexpressionofamildblueeye，donotchasefromyourmemorytheblack-tressedgirlsofPalestine，ay，orthehourisofoldMahound’sparadise，Iamaninfidel，andnotruesonofthechurch。’’
``Shouldyourboastedbeauty，’’saidtheTemplar，``beweighedinthebalanceandfoundwanting，youknowourwager?’’
``Mygoldcollar，’’answeredthePrior，``againsttenbutsofChianwine；——theyaremineassecurelyasiftheywerealreadyintheconventvaults，underthekeyofoldDennisthecellarer。’’
``AndIammyselftobejudge，’’saidtheTemplar，``andamonlytobeconvictedonmyownadmission，thatIhaveseennomaidensobeautifulsincePentecostwasatwelvemonth。Ranitnotso?——Prior，yourcollarisindanger；IwillwearitovermygorgetinthelistsofAshby-de-la-Zouche。’’
``Winitfairly，’’saidthePrior，``andwearitasyewill；Iwilltrustyourgivingtrueresponse，onyourwordasaknightandasachurchman。
Yet，brother，takemyadvice，andfileyourtonguetoalittlemorecourtesythanyourhabitsofpredominatingoverinfidelcaptivesandEasternbondsmenhaveaccustomedyou。CedrictheSaxon，ifoffended，——andheisnowayslackintakingoffence，——isamanwho，withoutrespecttoyourknighthood，myhighoffice，orthesanctityofeither，wouldclearhishouseofus，andsendustolodgewiththelarks，thoughthehourweremidnight。
AndbecarefulhowyoulookonRowena，whomhecherisheswiththemostjealouscare；anhetaketheleastalarminthatquarterwearebutlostmen。
Itissaidhebanishedhisonlysonfromhisfamilyforliftinghiseyesinthewayofaffectiontowardsthisbeauty，whomaybeworshipped，itseems，atadistance，butisnottobeapproachedwithotherthoughtsthansuchaswebringtotheshrineoftheBlessedVirgin。’’
``Well，youhavesaidenough，’’answeredtheTemplar；``Iwillforanightputontheneedfulrestraint，anddeportmeasmeeklyasamaiden；
butasforthefearofhisexpellingusbyviolence，myselfandsquires，withHametandAbdalla，willwarrantyouagainstthatdisgrace。Doubtnotthatweshallbestrongenoughtomakegoodourquarters。’’
``Wemustnotletitcomesofar，’’answeredthePrior；``buthereistheclown’ssunkencross，andthenightissodarkthatwecanhardlyseewhichoftheroadswearetofollow。Hebidusturn，I
thinktotheleft。’’
``Totheright，’’saidBrian，``tothebestofmyremembrance。’’
``Totheleft，certainly，theleft；Irememberhispointingwithhiswoodensword。’’
``Ay，butheheldhisswordinhislefthand，andsopointedacrosshisbodywithit，’’saidtheTemplar。
Eachmaintainedhisopinionwithsufficientobstinacy，asisusualinallsuchcases；theattendantswereappealedto，buttheyhadnotbeennearenoughtohearWamba’sdirections。AtlengthBrianremarked，whathadatfirstescapedhiminthetwilight；``Hereissomeoneeitherasleep，orlyingdeadatthefootofthiscross——Hugo，stirhimwiththebut-endofthylance。’’
Thiswasnosoonerdonethanthefigurearose，exclaimingingoodFrench，``Whosoeverthouart，itisdiscourteousinyoutodisturbmythoughts。’’
``Wedidbutwishtoaskyou，’’saidthePrior，``theroadtoRotherwood，theabodeofCedrictheSaxon。’’
``Imyselfamboundthither，’’repliedthestranger；
``andifIhadahorse，Iwouldbeyourguide，forthewayissomewhatintricate，thoughperfectlywellknowntome。’’
``Thoushalthaveboththanksandreward，myfriend，’’saidthePrior，``ifthouwiltbringustoCedric’sinsafety。’’
Andhecausedoneofhisattendantstomounthisownledhorse，andgivethatuponwhichhehadhithertoriddentothestranger，whowastoserveforaguide。
TheirconductorpursuedanoppositeroadfromthatwhichWambahadrecommended，forthepurposeofmisleadingthem。Thepathsoonleddeeperintothewoodland，andcrossedmorethanonebrook，theapproachtowhichwasrenderedperilousbythemarshesthroughwhichitflowed；butthestrangerseemedtoknow，asifbyinstinct，thesoundestgroundandthesafestpointsofpassage；andbydintofcautionandattention，broughtthepartysafelyintoawilderavenuethananytheyhadyetseen；and，pointingtoalargelowirregularbuildingattheupperextremity，hesaidtothePrior，``YonderisRotherwood，thedwellingofCedrictheSaxon。’’
ThiswasajoyfulintimationtoAymer，whosenerveswerenoneofthestrongest，andwhohadsufferedsuchagitationandalarminthecourseofpassingthroughthedangerousbogs，thathehadnotyethadthecuriositytoaskhisguideasinglequestion。Findinghimselfnowathiseaseandnearshelter，hiscuriositybegantoawake，andhedemandedoftheguidewhoandwhathewas。
``APalmer，justreturnedfromtheHolyLand，’’
wastheanswer。
``YouhadbetterhavetarriedtheretofightfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre，’’saidtheTemplar。
``True，ReverendSirKnight，’’answeredthePalmer，towhomtheappearanceoftheTemplarseemedperfectlyfamiliar；``butwhenthosewhoareunderoathtorecovertheholycity，arefoundtravellingatsuchadistancefromthesceneoftheirduties，canyouwonderthatapeacefulpeasantlikemeshoulddeclinethetaskwhichtheyhaveabandoned?’’
TheTemplarwouldhavemadeanangryreply，butwasinterruptedbythePrior，whoagainexpressedhisastonishment，thattheirguide，aftersuchlongabsence，shouldbesoperfectlyacquaintedwiththepassesoftheforest。
``Iwasbornanativeoftheseparts，’’answeredtheirguide，andashemadethereplytheystoodbeforethemansionofCedric；——alowirregularbuilding，containingseveralcourt-yardsorenclosures，extendingoveraconsiderablespaceofground，andwhich，thoughitssizearguedtheinhabitanttobeapersonofwealth，differedentirelyfromthetall，turretted，andcastellatedbuildingsinwhichtheNormannobilityresided，andwhichhadbecometheuniversalstyleofarchitecturethroughoutEngland。
Rotherwoodwasnot，however，withoutdefences；
nohabitation，inthatdisturbedperiod，couldhavebeenso，withouttheriskofbeingplunderedandburntbeforethenextmorning。Adeepfosse，orditch，wasdrawnroundthewholebuilding，andfilledwithwaterfromaneighbouringstream。A
doublestockade，orpalisade，composedofpointedbeams，whichtheadjacentforestsupplied，defendedtheouterandinnerbankofthetrench。Therewasanentrancefromthewestthroughtheouterstockade，whichcommunicatedbyadrawbridge，withasimilaropeningintheinteriordefences。
Someprecautionshadbeentakentoplacethoseentrancesundertheprotectionofprojectingangles，bywhichtheymightbeflankedincaseofneedbyarchersorslingers。
BeforethisentrancetheTemplarwoundhishornloudly；fortherain，whichhadlongthreatened，begannowtodescendwithgreatviolence。
CHAPTERIII