Thecrowddispersed，indeed，buttheknightwasnowheretobeseen。
ItwasinvainthatCedric’scupbearerlookedaroundforhisyoungmaster——hesawthebloodyspotonwhichhehadlatelysunkdown，buthimselfhesawnolonger；itseemedasifthefairieshadconveyedhimfromthespot。PerhapsOswaldfortheSaxonswereverysuperstitiousmighthaveadoptedsomesuchhypothesis，toaccountforIvanhoe’sdisappearance，hadhenotsuddenlycasthiseyeuponapersonattiredlikeasquire，inwhomherecognisedthefeaturesofhisfellow-servantGurth。
Anxiousconcerninghismaster’sfate，andindespairathissuddendisappearance，thetranslatedswineherdwassearchingforhimeverywhere，andhadneglected，indoingso，theconcealmentonwhichhisownsafetydepended。OswalddeemedithisdutytosecureGurth，asafugitiveofwhosefatehismasterwastojudge。
RenewinghisenquiriesconcerningthefateofIvanhoe，theonlyinformationwhichthecupbearercouldcollectfromthebystanderswas，thattheknighthadbeenraisedwithcarebycertainwell-attiredgrooms，andplacedinalitterbelongingtoaladyamongthespectators，whichhadimmediatelytransportedhimoutofthepress。Oswald，onreceivingthisintelligence，resolvedtoreturntohismasterforfartherinstructions，carryingalongwithhimGurth，whomheconsideredinsomesortasadeserterfromtheserviceofCedric。
TheSaxonhadbeenunderveryintenseandagonizingapprehensionsconcerninghisson；forNaturehadassertedherrights，inspiteofthepatrioticstoicismwhichlabouredtodisownher。ButnosoonerwasheinformedthatIvanhoewasincareful，andprobablyinfriendlyhands，thanthepaternalanxietywhichhadbeenexcitedbythedubietyofhisfate，gavewayanewtothefeelingofinjuredprideandresentment，atwhathetermedWilfred’sfilialdisobedience。``Lethimwanderhisway，’’saidhe——``letthoseleechhiswoundsforwhosesakeheencounteredthem。HeisfittertodothejugglingtricksoftheNormanchivalrythantomaintainthefameandhonourofhisEnglishancestrywiththeglaiveandbrown-bill，thegoodoldweaponsofhiscountry。’’
``Iftomaintainthehonourofancestry，’’saidRowena，whowaspresent，``itissufficienttobewiseincouncilandbraveinexecution——tobeboldestamongthebold，andgentlestamongthegentle，Iknownovoice，savehisfather’s——’’
``Besilent，LadyRowena！——onthissubjectonlyIhearyounot。PrepareyourselfforthePrince’sfestival：wehavebeensummonedthitherwithunwontedcircumstanceofhonourandofcourtesy，suchasthehaughtyNormanshaverarelyusedtoourracesincethefataldayofHastings。ThitherwillIgo，wereitonlytoshowtheseproudNormanshowlittlethefateofason，whocoulddefeattheirbravest，canaffectaSaxon。’’
``Thither，’’saidRowena，``doI=not=go；andIprayyoutobeware，lestwhatyoumeanforcourageandconstancy，shallbeaccountedhardnessofheart。’’
``Remainathome，then，ungratefullady，’’answeredCedric；``thineisthehardheart，whichcansacrificethewealofanoppressedpeopletoanidleandunauthorizedattachment。IseekthenobleAthelstane，andwithhimattendthebanquetofJohnofAnjou。’’
Hewentaccordinglytothebanquet，ofwhichwehavealreadymentionedtheprincipalevents。
Immediatelyuponretiringfromthecastle，theSaxonthanes，withtheirattendants，tookhorse；
anditwasduringthebustlewhichattendedtheirdoingso，thatCedric，forthefirsttime，casthiseyesuponthedeserterGurth。ThenobleSaxonhadreturnedfromthebanquet，aswehaveseen，innoveryplacidhumour，andwantedbutapretextforwreakinghisangeruponsomeone。``Thegyves！’’hesaid，``thegyves！——Oswald——Hundibert！——
Dogsandvillains！——whyleaveyetheknaveunfettered?’’
Withoutdaringtoremonstrate，thecompanionsofGurthboundhimwithahalter，asthereadiestcordwhichoccurred。Hesubmittedtotheoperationwithoutremonstrance，exceptthat，dartingareproachfullookathismaster，hesaid，``Thiscomesoflovingyourfleshandbloodbetterthanmineown。’’
``Tohorse，andforward！’’saidCedric。
``Itisindeedfulltime，’’saidthenobleAthelstane；
``for，ifweridenotthefaster，theworthyAbbotWaltheoff’spreparationsforarere-supper*
*Arere-supperwasanight-meal，andsometimessignifieda*collation，whichwasgivenatalatehour，aftertheregularsupper*hadmadeitsappearance。L。T。
willbealtogetherspoiled。’’
Thetravellers，however，usedsuchspeedastoreachtheconventofStWithold’sbeforetheapprehendedeviltookplace。TheAbbot，himselfofancientSaxondescent，receivedthenobleSaxonswiththeprofuseandexuberanthospitalityoftheirnation，whereintheyindulgedtoalate，orratheranearlyhour；nordidtheytakeleaveoftheirreverendhostthenextmorninguntiltheyhadsharedwithhimasumptuousrefection。
Asthecavalcadeleftthecourtofthemonastery，anincidenthappenedsomewhatalarmingto，theSaxons，who，ofallpeopleofEurope，weremostaddictedtoasuperstitiousobservanceofomens，andtowhoseopinionscanbetracedmostofthosenotionsuponsuchsubjects，stilltobefoundamongourpopularantiquities。FortheNormansbeingamixedrace，andbetterinformedaccordingtotheinformationofthetimes，hadlostmostofthesuperstitiousprejudiceswhichtheirancestorshadbroughtfromScandinavia，andpiquedthemselvesuponthinkingfreelyonsuchtopics。
Inthepresentinstance，theapprehensionofimpendingevilwasinspiredbynolessrespectableaprophetthanalargeleanblackdog，which，sittingupright，howledmostpiteouslyastheforemostridersleftthegate，andpresentlyafterwards，barkingwildly，andjumpingtoandfro，seemedbentuponattachingitselftotheparty。
``Ilikenotthatmusic，fatherCedric，’’saidAthelstane；
forbythistitleofrespecthewasaccustomedtoaddresshim。
``NorIeither，uncle，’’saidWamba；``Igreatlyfearweshallhavetopaythepiper。’’
``Inmymind，’’saidAthelstane，uponwhosememorytheAbbot’sgoodaleforBurtonwasalreadyfamousforthatgenialliquorhadmadeafavourableimpression，——``inmymindwehadbetterturnback，andabidewiththeAbbotuntiltheafternoon。
Itisunluckytotravelwhereyourpathiscrossedbyamonk，ahare，orahowlingdog，untilyouhaveeatenyournextmeal。’’
``Away！’’saidCedric，impatiently；``thedayisalreadytooshortforourjourney。Forthedog，IknowittobethecuroftherunawayslaveGurth，auselessfugitivelikeitsmaster。’’
Sosaying，andrisingatthesametimeinhisstirrups，impatientattheinterruptionofhisjourney，helaunchedhisjavelinatpoorFangs——forFangsitwas，who，havingtracedhismasterthusfaruponhisstolenexpedition，hadherelosthim，andwasnow，inhisuncouthway，rejoicingathisreappearance。Thejavelininflictedawoundupontheanimal’sshoulder，andnarrowlymissedpinninghimtotheearth；andFangsfledhowlingfromthepresenceoftheenragedthane。Gurth’sheartswelledwithinhim；forhefeltthismeditatedslaughterofhisfaithfuladherentinadegreemuchdeeperthantheharshtreatmenthehadhimselfreceived。Havinginvainattemptedtoraisehishandtohiseyes，hesaidtoWamba，who，seeinghismaster’sillhumourhadprudentlyretreatedtotherear，``Ipraythee，domethekindnesstowipemyeyeswiththeskirtofthymantle；thedustoffendsme，andthesebondswillnotletmehelpmyselfonewayoranother。’’
Wambadidhimtheserviceherequired，andtheyrodesidebysideforsometime，duringwhichGurthmaintainedamoodysilence。Atlengthhecouldrepresshisfeelingsnolonger。
``FriendWamba，’’saidhe，``ofallthosewhoarefoolsenoughtoserveCedric，thoualonehastdexterityenoughtomakethyfollyacceptabletohim。Gotohim，therefore，andtellhimthatneitherforlovenorfearwillGurthservehimlonger。
Hemaystriketheheadfromme——hemayscourgeme——hemayloadmewithirons——buthenceforthheshallnevercompelmeeithertoloveortoobeyhim。Gotohim，then，andtellhimthatGurththesonofBeowulphrenounceshisservice。’’
``Assuredly，’’saidWamba，``foolasIam，I
shallnotdoyourfool’serrand。Cedrichathanotherjavelinstuckintohisgirdle，andthouknowesthedoesnotalwaysmisshismark。’’
``Icarenot，’’repliedGurth，``howsoonhemakesamarkofme。YesterdayheleftWilfred，myyoungmaster，inhisblood。To-dayhehasstriventokillbeforemyfacetheonlyotherlivingcreaturethatevershowedmekindness。ByStEdmund，StDunstan，StWithold，StEdwardtheConfessor，andeveryotherSaxonsaintinthecalendar，’’forCedricneversworebyanythatwasnotofSaxonlineage，andallhishouseholdhadthesamelimiteddevotion，``Iwillneverforgivehim！’’
``Tomythinkingnow，’’saidtheJester，whowasfrequentlywonttoactaspeace-makerinthefamily，``ourmasterdidnotproposetohurtFangs，butonlytoaffrighthim。For，ifyouobserved，heroseinhisstirrups，astherebymeaningtoovercastthemark；andsohewouldhavedone，butFangshappeningtoboundupattheverymoment，receivedascratch，whichIwillbeboundtohealwithapenny’sbreadthoftar。’’
``IfIthoughtso，’’saidGurth-`ifIcouldbutthinkso——butno——Isawthejavelinwaswellaimed——
Ihearditwhizzthroughtheairwithallthewrathfulmalevolenceofhimwhocastit，anditquiveredafterithadpitchedintheground，asifwithregretforhavingmisseditsmark。BythehogdeartoStAnthony，Irenouncehim！’’
Andtheindignantswineherdresumedhissullensilence，whichnoeffortsoftheJestercouldagaininducehimtobreak。
MeanwhileCedricandAthelstane，theleadersofthetroop，conversedtogetheronthestateoftheland，onthedissensionsoftheroyalfamily，onthefeudsandquarrelsamongtheNormannobles，andonthechancewhichtherewasthattheoppressedSaxonsmightbeabletofreethemselvesfromtheyokeoftheNormans，oratleasttoelevatethemselvesintonationalconsequenceandindependence，duringthecivilconvulsionswhichwerelikelytoensue。OnthissubjectCedricwasallanimation。
Therestorationoftheindependenceofhisracewastheidolofhisheart，towhichhehadwillinglysacrificeddomestichappinessandtheinterestsofhisownson。But，inordertoachievethisgreatrevolutioninfavourofthenativeEnglish，itwasnecessarythattheyshouldbeunitedamongthemselves，andactunderanacknowledgedhead。ThenecessityofchoosingtheirchieffromtheSaxonblood-royalwasnotonlyevidentinitself，buthadbeenmadeasolemnconditionbythosewhomCedrichadintrustedwithhissecretplansandhopes。Athelstanehadthisqualityatleast；andthoughhehadfewmentalaccomplishmentsortalentstorecommendhimasaleader，hehadstillagoodlyperson，wasnocoward，hadbeenaccustomedtomartialexercises，andseemedwillingtodefertotheadviceofcounsellorsmorewisethanhimself。
Aboveall，hewasknowntobeliberalandhospitable，andbelievedtobegood-natured。ButwhateverpretensionsAthelstanehadtobeconsideredasheadoftheSaxonconfederacy，manyofthatnationweredisposedtoprefertohisthetitleoftheLadyRowena，whodrewherdescentfromAlfred，andwhosefatherhavingbeenachiefrenownedforwisdom，courage，andgenerosity，hismemorywashighlyhonouredbyhisoppressedcountrymen。
ItwouldhavebeennodifficultthingforCedric，hadhebeensodisposed，tohaveplacedhimselfattheheadofathirdparty，asformidableatleastasanyoftheothers。Tocounterbalancetheirroyaldescent，hehadcourage，activity，energy，and，aboveall，thatdevotedattachmenttothecausewhichhadprocuredhimtheepithetofTheSaxon，andhisbirthwasinferiortonone，exceptingonlythatofAthelstaneandhisward。Thesequalities，however，wereunalloyedbytheslightestshadeofselfishness；and，insteadofdividingyetfartherhisweakenednationbyformingafactionofhisown，itwasaleadingpartofCedric’splantoextinguishthatwhichalreadyexisted，bypromotingamarriagebetwixtRowenaandAthelstane。
Anobstacleoccurredtothishisfavouriteproject，inthemutualattachmentofhiswardandhissonandhencetheoriginalcauseofthebanishmentofWilfredfromthehouseofhisfather。