Part 2

 

I

In a long low hall a long wooden table stood ready prepared for the supper of Cedric the Saxon. There was a huge fireplace at each end of the hall, and, as the chimneys were bad, there was a lot of smoke in the hall. The floor was of earth. At one end the floor was raised by a step, and this place was occupied by the members of the family and important guests. A table covered with red cloth stood on this platform. From the middle of this table a longer and lower table ran towards the other end of the hall. This long table was for domestics and less important guests. Together the two tables had the form of the letter T.

At the centre of the upper table there were two chairs, higher than the others, for the master and the mistress of the family. One of these chairs was now occupied by Cedric the Saxon, He was not very tall, with broad shoulders; his face was broad, with large blue eyes. He had long yellow hair reaching down to his shoulders. He was about sixty years old, but looked very strong. There was pride and displeasure in his eyes.

"Where is the Lady Rowena?" he asked.

"She is changing after her visit to the church," said her maid. "She will soon be here."

At this time some noise was heard from the outside. Cedric sent a servant to find out what the matter was. In three minutes the man returned.

"The Prior Aymer and the good knight Brian de Bois-Guilbert, commander of the order of Knights Templars, ask permission to stop for the night," he said. "They are on the way to a tournament, which will be held the day after tomorrow."

"The Prior Aymer? Brian de Bois-Guilbert?" said Cedric. "Normans both. But Norman or Saxon, the hospitality of Rotherwood must always be the same. They are welcome. Go," he said to the servant, "take care of their horses, lead them to their rooms, give them water to wash, and tell the cooks to add to our supper what they can."

The servant went out.

"Brian de Bois-Guilbert?" said Cedric half to himself. "He has returned from Palestine. They say he is a brave but very wicked man," and, turning to the maid, he said, "tell your Lady Rowena, that she can have supper in her rooms today if she does not wish to come to the hall."

"But she will wish to come," said the maid, "because she always wants to hear the latest news⁹ from Palestine."

"Palestine!" repeated Cedric. "Palestine! I too might¹⁰ ask, I too might listen with a beating heart - but not the son who did not obey me is not my son!"

He looked at the ground for a moment. When he raised his eyes, the doors at the end of the hall opened, and the guests entered.

 

II

The Prior Aymer and Brian de Bois-Guilbert were welcomed and placed at the upper table near Cedric the Saxon. They were ready to begin supper, when a servant, standing at the side door at the upper end of the hall, said in a loud voice, "Place for the Lady Rowena!" and Rowena, followed by four maids, entered. Cedric stood up to meet her and led her to the high chair at his own right hand. All stood up to receive her. She walked to her chair and sat down.

Rowena was tall and very beautiful. She was wearing a rich red dress and a thin veil on her head. The Templar, who had never taken his eyes off her from the time she entered, raised his glass of wine.

"I drink," he said, "to the fair Rowena¹¹, who is more beautiful than anyone in England."

"Sir Knight," said Rowena, "your French compliments are not pleasant to our English ears. Instead of them I ask you to tell us the latest news from Palestine."

"I have little to say, lady," answered Brian de Bois-Guilbert.

"Why? Didn't Richard the Lion-Hearted bring any brave knights there?"

"It is not modest of me to say so," said the Templar, "but the K-nights Templars were the best."

"Were there, then, none in the English army," said the Lady Rowena, "whose names are worthy to be mentioned¹² with the Knights Templars?"

"Forgive me, lady," said de Bois-Guilbert "the English king, indeed, brought to Palestine some brave knights who are second only to the Knights Templars¹³."

"Second to none¹⁴," said the stranger who had brought the Prior and Bois-Guilbert to Rotherwood and now was sitting at the low tabled "I say," repeated the young man in a strong voice, "that the English knights were second to none in Palestine. I say, besides, because I saw it, that King Richard himself, and five of his knights, held a tournament against the Knights Templars, and each knight cast to the ground three antagonists. I add that Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert knows very well the truth of what I tell you."

It is impossible to describe the rage which showed on the face of de Bois-Guilbert. But Cedric did not notice it. He was looking at the young man.

"Can you tell me, stranger," he said, "the names of these brave knights?"

The young man stood up and said, "The first was the brave Richard, King of England." Then he mentioned the names of four other knights.

"And the sixth?"

"The sixth," said the young man, "was a young knight, whose name I have forgotten."

"Stranger," said Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert scornfully, "I myself will tell the name of the knight before whom I fell because of my horse. It was the knight of Ivanhoe. But I will say loudly, that if he were in England now, I would fight with him¹⁵."

"If Ivanhoe returns from Palestine," replied the young man, "your challenge will soon be answered. I will take care that he meets you."

"All right," said Brian de Bois-Guilbert, "if the Knight of Ivanhoe does not answer my challenge when he returns to England, I will proclaim him as a coward."

"That shall not be¹⁶," said the Lady Rowena, "my voice shall be heard¹⁷ if no other in this hall is raised for the absent Ivanhoe. I promise you that Ivanhoe will meet your challenge, Sir Templar."