``Andsome，’’saidWamba，``havebeenwiseenoughtorewardthemselves；theydonotmarchoffempty-handedaltogether。Wedonotallwearmotley。’’
``Theyarewelcome，’’saidLocksley；``ourlawsbindnonebutourselves。’’
``But，thou，mypoorknave，’’saidCedric，turningaboutandembracinghisJester，``howshallI
rewardthee，whofearednottogivethybodytochainsanddeathinsteadofmine！——Allforsookme，whenthepoorfoolwasfaithful！’’
AtearstoodintheeyeoftheroughThaneashespoke——amarkoffeelingwhicheventhedeathofAthelstanehadnotextracted；buttherewassomethinginthehalf-instinctiveattachmentofhisclown，thatwakedhisnaturemorekeenlythanevengriefitself。
``Nay，’’saidtheJester，extricatinghimselffrommaster’scaress，``ifyoupaymyservicewiththewaterofyoureye，theJestermustweepforcompany，andthenwhatbecomesofhisvocation?——
But，uncle，ifyouwouldindeedpleasureme，I
prayyoutopardonmyplayfellowGurth，whostoleaweekfromyourservicetobestowitonyourson。’’
``Pardonhim！’’exclaimedCedric；``Iwillbothpardonandrewardhim——Kneeldown，Gurth。’’——
Theswineherdwasinaninstantathismaster’sfeet——``=Theow=and=Esne=*artthounolonger，’’
*Thrallandbondsman。
saidCedrictouchinghimwithawand；``=Folkfree=
and=Sacless=*artthouintownandfrom*Alawfulfreeman。
town，intheforestasinthefield。AhideoflandIgivetotheeinmysteadsofWalbrugham，frommeandminetotheeandthineayeandforever；
andGod’smalisononhisheadwhothisgainsays！’’
Nolongeraserf，butafreemanandalandholder，Gurthsprunguponhisfeet，andtwiceboundedalofttoalmosthisownheightfromtheground。
``Asmithandafile，’’hecried，``todoawaythecollarfromtheneckofafreeman！——Noblemaster！
doubledismystrengthbyyourgift，anddoublywillIfightforyou！——Thereisafreespiritinmybreast——Iamamanchangedtomyselfandallaround——Ha，Fangs！’’hecontinued，——forthatfaithfulcur，seeinghismasterthustransported，begantojumpuponhim，toexpresshissympathy，——
``knowestthouthymasterstill?’’
``Ay，’’saidWamba，``FangsandIstillknowthee，Gurth，thoughwemustneedsabidebythecollar；itisonlythouartlikelytoforgetbothusandthyself。’’
``IshallforgetmyselfindeedereIforgetthee，truecomrade，’’saidGurth；``andwerefreedomfitforthee，Wamba，themasterwouldnotlettheewantit。’’
``Nay，’’saidWamba，``neverthinkIenvythee，brotherGurth；theserfsitsbythehall-firewhenthefreemanmustforthtothefieldofbattle——AndwhatsaithOldhelmofMalmsbury——Betterafoolatafeastthanawisemanatafray。’’
Thetrampofhorseswasnowheard，andtheLadyRowenaappeared，surroundedbyseveralriders，andamuchstrongerpartyoffootmen，whojoyfullyshooktheirpikesandclashedtheirbrown-billsforjoyofherfreedom。Sheherself，richlyattired，andmountedonadarkchestnutpalfrey，hadrecoveredallthedignityofhermanner，andonlyanunwonteddegreeofpalenessshowedthesufferingsshehadundergone。Herlovelybrow，thoughsorrowful，boreonitacastofrevivinghopeforthefuture，aswellasofgratefulthankfulnessforthepastdeliverance——SheknewthatIvanhoewassafe，andsheknewthatAthelstanewasdead。Theformerassurancefilledherwiththemostsinceredelight；andifshedidnotabsolutelyrejoiceatthelatter，shemightbepardonedforfeelingthefulladvantageofbeingfreedfromfurtherpersecutionontheonlysubjectinwhichshehadeverbeencontradictedbyherguardianCedric。
AsRowenabenthersteedtowardsLocksley’sseat，thatboldyeoman，withallhisfollowers，rosetoreceiveher，asifbyageneralinstinctofcourtesy。
Thebloodrosetohercheeks，as，courteouslywavingherhand，andbendingsolowthatherbeautifulandloosetresseswereforaninstantmixedwiththeflowingmaneofherpalfrey，sheexpressedinfewbutaptwordsherobligationsandhergratitudetoLocksleyandherotherdeliverers——
``Godblessyou，bravemen，’’sheconcluded，``GodandOurLadyblessyouandrequiteyouforgallantlyperillingyourselvesinthecauseoftheoppressed！——Ifanyofyoushouldhunger，rememberRowenahasfood——ifyoushouldthirst，shehasmanyabuttofwineandbrownale——andiftheNormansdriveyefromthesewalks，Rowenahasforestsofherown，wherehergallantdeliverersmayrangeatfullfreedom，andneverrangeraskwhosearrowhathstruckdownthedeer。’’
``Thanks，gentlelady，’’saidLocksley；``thanksfrommycompanyandmyself。But，tohavesavedyourequitesitself。Wewhowalkthegreenwooddomanyawilddeed，andtheLadyRowena’sdeliverancemaybereceivedasanatonement。’’
Againbowingfromherpalfrey，Rowenaturnedtodepart；butpausingamoment，whileCedric，whowastoattendher，wasalsotakinghisleave，shefoundherselfunexpectedlyclosebytheprisonerDeBracy。Hestoodunderatreeindeepmeditation，hisarmscrosseduponhisbreast，andRowenawasinhopesshemightpasshimunobserved。
Helookedup，however，and，whenawareofherpresence，adeepflushofshamesuffusedhishandsomecountenance。Hestoodamomentmostirresolute；then，steppingforward，tookherpalfreybytherein，andbenthiskneebeforeher。
``WilltheLadyRowenadeigntocastaneye——onacaptiveknight——onadishonouredsoldier?’’
``SirKnight，’’answeredRowena，``inenterprisessuchasyours，therealdishonourliesnotinfailure，butinsuccess。’’
``Conquest，lady，shouldsoftentheheart，’’answeredDeBracy；``letmebutknowthattheLadyRowenaforgivestheviolenceoccasionedbyanill-fatedpassion，andsheshallsoonlearnthatDeBracyknowshowtoserveherinnoblerways。’’
``Iforgiveyou，SirKnight，’’saidRowena，``asaChristian。’’
``Thatmeans，’’saidWamba，``thatshedoesnotforgivehimatall。’’
``ButIcanneverforgivethemiseryanddesolationyourmadnesshasoccasioned，’’continuedRowena。
``Unlooseyourholdonthelady’srein，’’saidCedric，comingup。``Bythebrightsunaboveus，butitwereshame，Iwouldpintheetotheearthwithmyjavelin——butbewellassured，thoushaltsmart，MauricedeBracy，forthyshareinthisfouldeed。’’
``Hethreatenssafelywhothreatensaprisoner，’’
saidDeBracy；``butwhenhadaSaxonanytouchofcourtesy?’’
Thenretiringtwostepsbackward，hepermittedtheladytomoveon。
Cedric，eretheydeparted，expressedhispeculiargratitudetotheBlackChampion，andearnestlyentreatedhimtoaccompanyhimtoRotherwood。
``Iknow，’’hesaid，``thatyeerrantknightsdesiretocarryyourfortunesonthepointofyourlance，andrecknotoflandorgoods；butwarisachangefulmistress，andahomeissometimesdesirableeventothechampionwhosetradeiswandering。
ThouhastearnedoneinthehallsofRotherwood，nobleknight。Cedrichaswealthenoughtorepairtheinjuriesoffortune，andallhehasishisdeliverer’s——Come，therefore，toRotherwood，notasaguest，butasasonorbrother。’’
``Cedrichasalreadymademerich，’’saidtheKnight，——``hehastaughtmethevalueofSaxonvirtue。ToRotherwoodwillIcome，braveSaxon，andthatspeedily；but，asnow，pressingmattersofmomentdetainmefromyourhalls。PeradventurewhenIcomehither，Iwillasksuchaboonaswillputeventhygenerositytothetest。’’
``Itisgrantederespokenout，’’saidCedric，strikinghisreadyhandintothegauntletedpalmoftheBlackKnight，——``itisgrantedalready，wereittoaffecthalfmyfortune。’’
``Gagenotthypromisesolightly，’’saidtheKnightoftheFetterlock；``yetwellIhopetogaintheboonIshallask。Meanwhile，adieu。’’
``Ihavebuttosay，’’addedtheSaxon，``that，duringthefuneralritesofthenobleAthelstane，I
shallbeaninhabitantofthehallsofhiscastleofConingsburgh——Theywillbeopentoallwhochoosetopartakeofthefuneralbanqueting；and，IspeakinnameofthenobleEdith，motherofthefallenprince，theywillneverbeshutagainsthimwholabouredsobravely，thoughunsuccessfully，tosaveAthelstanefromNormanchainsandNormansteel。’’
``Ay，ay，’’saidWamba，whohadresumedhisattendanceonhismaster，``rarefeedingtherewillbe——pitythatthenobleAthelstanecannotbanquetathisownfuneral——Buthe，’’continuedtheJester，liftinguphiseyesgravely，``issuppinginParadise，anddoubtlessdoeshonourtothecheer。’’
``Peace，andmoveon，’’saidCedric，hisangeratthisuntimelyjestbeingcheckedbytherecollectionofWamba’srecentservices。RowenawavedagracefuladieutohimoftheFetterlock——theSaxonbadeGodspeedhim，andontheymovedthroughawidegladeoftheforest。
Theyhadscarcedeparted，ereasuddenprocessionmovedfromunderthegreenwoodbranches，sweptslowlyroundthesilvanamphitheatre，andtookthesamedirectionwithRowenaandherfollowers。
Thepriestsofaneighbouringconvent，inexpectationoftheampledonation，or_soul-scat_，whichCedrichadpropined，attendeduponthecarinwhichthebodyofAthelstanewaslaid，andsanghymnsasitwassadlyandslowlyborneontheshouldersofhisvassalstohiscastleofConingsburgh，tobetheredepositedinthegraveofHengist，fromwhomthedeceasedderivedhislongdescent。
Manyofhisvassalshadassembledatthenewsofhisdeath，andfollowedthebierwithalltheexternalmarks，atleast，ofdejectionandsorrow。
Againtheoutlawsarose，andpaidthesamerudeandspontaneoushomagetodeath，whichtheyhadsolatelyrenderedtobeauty——theslowchantandmournfulstepofthepriestsbroughtbacktotheirremembrancesuchoftheircomradesashadfallenintheyesterday’sarray。Butsuchrecollectionsdwellnotlongwiththosewholeadalifeofdangerandenterprise，anderethesoundofthedeath-hymnhaddiedonthewind，theoutlawswereagainbusiedinthedistributionoftheirspoil。
``Valiantknight，’’saidLocksleytotheBlackChampion，``withoutwhosegoodheartandmightyarmourenterprisemustaltogetherhavefailed，willitpleaseyoutotakefromthatmassofspoilwhatevermaybestservetopleasureyou，andtoremindyouofthismyTrysting-tree?’’
``Iaccepttheoffer，’’saidtheKnight，``asfranklyasitisgiven；andIaskpermissiontodisposeofSirMauricedeBracyatmyownpleasure。’’
``Heisthinealready，’’saidLocksley，``andwellforhim！elsethetyranthadgracedthehighestboughofthisoak，withasmanyofhisFree-Companionsaswecouldgather，hangingthickasacornsaroundhim——Butheisthyprisoner，andheissafe，thoughhehadslainmyfather。’’
``DeBracy，’’saidtheKnight，``thouartfree——
depart。Hewhoseprisonerthouartscornstotakemeanrevengeforwhatispast。Butbewareofthefuture，lestaworsethingbefallthee——MauricedeBracy，Isay=beware=！’’