ammyowndiocesan，andcareaslittlefortheBishopofYorkasIdofortheAbbotofJorvaulx，thePrior，andalltheconvent。’’
``Thouartutterlyirregular，’’saidthePrior；
``oneofthosedisorderlymen，who，takingonthemthesacredcharacterwithoutduecause，profanetheholyrites，andendangerthesoulsofthosewhotakecounselattheirhands；_lapidespropanecondonantesiis_，givingthemstonesinsteadofbreadastheVulgatehathit。’’
``Nay，’’saidtheFriar，``anmybrain-pancouldhavebeenbrokenbyLatin，ithadnotheldsolongtogether——Isay，thateasingaworldofsuchmisproudpriestsasthouartoftheirjewelsandtheirgimcracks，isalawfulspoilingoftheEgyptians。’’
``Thoube’stahedge-priest，’’*saidthePrior，in*NoteH。Hedge-Priests。
greatwrath，``_excommuicabovos_。’’
``Thoubestthyselfmorelikeathiefandaheretic，’’
saidtheFriar，equallyindignant；``Iwillpouchupnosuchaffrontbeforemyparishioners，asthouthinkestitnotshametoputuponme，althoughIbeareverendbrothertothee。_Ossaenisperfringam_，Iwillbreakyourbones，astheVulgatehathit。’’
``Hola！’’criedtheCaptain，``comethereverendbrethrentosuchterms?——Keepthineassuranceofpeace，Friar——Prior，anthouhastnotmadethypeaceperfectwithGod，provoketheFriarnofurther——
Hermit，letthereverendfatherdepartinpeace，asaransomedman。’’
Theyeomenseparatedtheincensedpriests，whocontinuedtoraisetheirvoices，vituperatingeachotherinbadLatin，whichthePriordeliveredthemorefluently，andtheHermitwiththegreatervehemence。ThePrioratlengthrecollectedhimselfsufficientlytobeawarethathewascompromisinghisdignity，bysquabblingwithsuchahedge-priestastheOutlaw’schaplain，andbeingjoinedbyhisattendants，rodeoffwithconsiderablylesspomp，andinamuchmoreapostolicalcondition，sofarasworldlymatterswereconcerned，thanhehadexhibitedbeforethisrencounter。
ItremainedthattheJewshouldproducesomesecurityfortheransomwhichhewastopayonthePrior’saccount，aswellasuponhisown。Hegave，accordingly，anordersealedwithhissignet，toabrotherofhistribeatYork，requiringhimtopaytothebearerthesumofathousandcrowns，andtodelivercertainmerchandisesspecifiedinthenote。
``MybrotherSheva，’’hesaid，groaningdeeply，``haththekeyofmywarehouses。’’
``Andofthevaultedchamber，’’whisperedLocksley。
``No，no——mayHeavenforefend！’’saidIsaac；
``evilisthehourthatletanyonewhomsoeverintothatsecret！’’
``Itissafewithme，’’saidtheOutlaw，``sobethatthisthyscrollproducethesumthereinnominatedandsetdown——Butwhatnow，Isaac?
artdead?artstupefied?haththepaymentofathousandcrownsputthydaughter’speriloutofthymind?’’
TheJewstartedtohisfeet——``No，Diccon，no——Iwillpresentlysetforth——Farewell，thouwhomImaynotcallgood，anddarenotandwillnotcallevil。’’
YetereIsaacdeparted，theOutlawChiefbestowedonhimthispartingadvice：——``Beliberalofthineoffers，Isaac，andsparenotthypurseforthydaughter’ssafety。Creditme，thatthegoldthoushaltspareinhercause，willhereaftergivetheeasmuchagonyasifitwerepouredmoltendownthythroat。’’
Isaacacquiescedwithadeepgroan，andsetforthonhisjourney，accompaniedbytwotallforesters，whoweretobehisguides，andatthesametimehisguards，throughthewood。
TheBlackKnight，whohadseenwithnosmallinterestthesevariousproceedings，nowtookhisleaveoftheOutlawinturn；norcouldheavoidexpressinghissurpriseathavingwitnessedsomuchofcivilpolicyamongstpersonscastoutfromalltheordinaryprotectionandinfluenceofthelaws。
``Goodfruit，SirKnight，’’saidtheyeoman，``willsometimesgrowonasorrytree；andeviltimesarenotalwaysproductiveofevilaloneandunmixed。Amongstthosewhoaredrawnintothislawlessstate，thereare，doubtless，numberswhowishtoexerciseitslicensewithsomemoderation，andsomewhoregret，itmaybe，thattheyareobligedtofollowsuchatradeatall。’’
``Andtooneofthose，’’saidtheKnight，``Iamnow，Ipresume，speaking?’’
``SirKnight，’’saidtheOutlaw，``wehaveeachoursecret。Youarewelcometoformyourjudgmentofme，andImayusemyconjecturestouchingyou，thoughneitherofourshaftsmayhitthemarktheyareshotat。ButasIdonotpraytobeadmittedintoyourmystery，benotoffendedthatI
preservemyown。’’
``Icravepardon，braveOutlaw，’’saidtheKnight，``yourreproofisjust。Butitmaybeweshallmeethereafterwithlessofconcealmentoneitherside——
Meanwhilewepartfriends，dowenot?’’
``Thereismyhanduponit，’’saidLocksley；
``andIwillcallitthehandofatrueEnglishman，thoughanoutlawforthepresent。’’
``Andthereismineinreturn，’’saidtheKnight，``andIholdithonouredbybeingclaspedwithyours。Forhethatdoesgood，havingtheunlimitedpowertodoevil，deservespraisenotonlyforthegoodwhichheperforms，butfortheevilwhichheforbears。Faretheewell，gallantOutlaw！’’
Thuspartedthatfairfellowship；andHeoftheFetterlock，mountinguponhisstrongwar-horse，rodeoffthroughtheforest。
CHAPTERXXXIV
_KingJohn_。I’lltelltheewhat，myfriend，Heisaveryserpentinmyway；
Andwheresoe’erthisfootofminedothtread，Heliesbeforeme——Dostthouunderstandme?
_KingJohn。_
TherewasbravefeastingintheCastleofYork，towhichPrinceJohnhadinvitedthosenobles，prelates，andleaders，bywhoseassistancehehopedtocarrythroughhisambitiousprojectsuponhisbrother’sthrone。
WaldemarFitzurse，hisableandpoliticagent，wasatsecretworkamongthem，temperingalltothatpitchofcouragewhichwasnecessaryinmakinganopendeclarationoftheirpurpose。
Buttheirenterprisewasdelayedbytheabsenceofmorethanonemainlimboftheconfederacy。
Thestubbornanddaring，thoughbrutalcourageofFront-de-Buf；thebuoyantspiritsandboldbearingofDeBracy；thesagacity，martialexperience，andrenownedvalourofBriandeBois-Guilbert，wereimportanttothesuccessoftheirconspiracy；and，whilecursinginsecrettheirunnecessaryandunmeaningabsence，neitherJohnnorhisadviserdaredtoproceedwithoutthem。
IsaactheJewalsoseemedtohavevanished，andwithhimthehopeofcertainsumsofmoney，makingupthesubsidyforwhichPrinceJohnhadcontractedwiththatIsraeliteandhisbrethren。Thisdeficiencywaslikelytoproveperilousinanemergencysocritical。
ItwasonthemorningafterthefallofTorquilstone，thataconfusedreportbegantospreadabroadinthecityofYork，thatDeBracyandBois-Guilbert，withtheirconfederateFront-de-Buf，hadbeentakenorslain。WaldemarbroughttherumourtoPrinceJohn，announcing，thathefeareditstruththemorethattheyhadsetoutwithasmallattendance，forthepurposeofcommittinganassaultontheSaxonCedricandhisattendants。
AtanothertimethePrincewouldhavetreatedthisdeedofviolenceasagoodjest；butnow，thatitinterferedwithandimpededhisownplans，heexclaimedagainsttheperpetrators，andspokeofthebrokenlaws，andtheinfringementofpublicorderandofprivateproperty，inatonewhichmighthavebecomeKingAlfred。
``Theunprincipledmarauders，’’hesaid——``wereIevertobecomemonarchofEngland，Iwouldhangsuchtransgressorsoverthedrawbridgesoftheirowncastles。’’
``ButtobecomemonarchofEngland，’’saidhisAhithophelcoolly，``itisnecessarynotonlythatyourGraceshouldendurethetransgressionsoftheseunprincipledmarauders，butthatyoushouldaffordthemyourprotection，notwithstandingyourlaudablezealforthelawstheyareinthehabitofinfringing。
Weshallbefinelyhelped，ifthechurlSaxonsshouldhaverealizedyourGrace’svision，ofconvertingfeudaldrawbridgesintogibbets；andyonderbold-spiritedCedricseemethonetowhomsuchanimaginationmightoccur。YourGraceiswellaware，itwillbedangeroustostirwithoutFront-de-Buf，DeBracy，andtheTemplar；andyetwehavegonetoofartorecedewithsafety。’’
PrinceJohnstruckhisforeheadwithimpatience，andthenbegantostrideupanddowntheapartment。
``Thevillains，’’hesaid，``thebasetreacherousvillains，todesertmeatthispinch！’’
``Nay，sayratherthefeather-patedgiddymadmen，’’
saidWaldemar，``whomustbetoyingwithfollieswhensuchbusinesswasinhand。’’
``Whatistobedone?’’saidthePrince，stoppingshortbeforeWaldemar。
``Iknownothingwhichcanbedone，’’answeredhiscounsellor，``savethatwhichIhavealreadytakenorderfor——IcamenottobewailthisevilchancewithyourGrace，untilIhaddonemybesttoremedyit。’’
``Thouartevermybetterangel，Waldemar，’’