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The poor knight had his wish； and yet his face was a yard long and
as yellow as a lawyer's parchment； and having longed to quit home
any time these three years past； he found himself envying
Athelstane； because； forsooth； he was going to Rotherwood： which
symptoms of discontent being observed by the witless Wamba； caused
that absurd madman to bring his rebeck over his shoulder from his
back； and to sing
〃ATRA CURA。
〃Before I lost my five poor wits；
I mind me of a Romish clerk；
Who sang how Care； the phantom dark；
Beside the belted horseman sits。
Methought I saw the griesly sprite
Jump up but now behind my Knight。〃
〃Perhaps thou didst； knave；〃 said Ivanhoe； looking over his
shoulder； and the knave went on with his jingle：
〃And though he gallop as he may；
I mark that cursed monster black
Still sits behind his honor's back；
Tight squeezing of his heart alway。
Like two black Templars sit they there；
Beside one crupper； Knight and Care。
〃No knight am I with pennoned spear；
To prance upon a bold destrere：
I will not have black Care prevail
Upon my long…eared charger's tail；
For lo； I am a witless fool；
And laugh at Grief and ride a mule。〃
And his bells rattled as he kicked his mule's sides。
〃Silence； fool！〃 said Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe； in a voice both
majestic and wrathful。 〃If thou knowest not care and grief； it is
because thou knowest not love； whereof they are the companions。
Who can love without an anxious heart？ How shall there be joy at
meeting； without tears at parting？〃 （〃I did not see that his honor
or my lady shed many anon；〃 thought Wamba the Fool； but he was only
a zany； and his mind was not right。） 〃I would not exchange my very
sorrows for thine indifference；〃 the knight continued。 〃Where
there is a sun； there must be a shadow。 If the shadow offend me；
shall I put out my eyes and live in the dark？ No！ I am content
with my fate； even such as it is。 The Care of which thou speakest；
hard though it may vex him； never yet rode down an honest man。 I
can bear him on my shoulders； and make my way through the world's
press in spite of him； for my arm is strong； and my sword is keen；
and my shield has no stain on it； and my heart； though it is sad；
knows no guile。〃 And here； taking a locket out of his waistcoat
（which was made of chain…mail）； the knight kissed the token； put it
back under the waistcoat again； heaved a profound sigh； and stuck
spurs into his horse。
As for Wamba； he was munching a black pudding whilst Sir Wilfrid
was making the above speech； （which implied some secret grief on
the knight's part； that must have been perfectly unintelligible to
the fool；） and so did not listen to a single word of Ivanhoe's
pompous remarks。 They travelled on by slow stages through the
whole kingdom； until they came to Dover； whence they took shipping
for Calais。 And in this little voyage； being exceedingly sea…sick；
and besides elated at the thought of meeting his sovereign； the
good knight cast away that profound melancholy which had
accompanied him during the whole of his land journey。
CHAPTER II。
THE LAST DAYS OF THE LION。
From Calais Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe took the diligence across
country to Limoges； sending on Gurth； his squire； with the horses
and the rest of his attendants： with the exception of Wamba； who
travelled not only as the knight's fool； but as his valet； and who；
perched on the roof of the carriage； amused himself by blowing
tunes upon the conducteur's French horn。 The good King Richard
was； as Ivanhoe learned； in the Limousin； encamped before a little
place called Chalus； the lord whereof； though a vassal of the
King's； was holding the castle against his sovereign with a
resolution and valor which caused a great fury and annoyance on the
part of the Monarch with the Lion Heart。 For brave and magnanimous
as he was； the Lion…hearted one did not love to be balked any more
than another； and； like the royal animal whom he was said to
resemble； he commonly tore his adversary to pieces； and then；
perchance； had leisure to think how brave the latter had been。 The
Count of Chalus had found； it was said； a pot of money； the royal
Richard wanted it。 As the count denied that he had it； why did he
not open the gates of his castle at once？ It was a clear proof
that he was guilty； and the King was determined to punish this
rebel； and have his money and his life too。
He had naturally brought no breaching guns with him； because those
instruments were not yet invented： and though he had assaulted the
place a score of times with the utmost fury； his Majesty had been
beaten back on every occasion； until he was so savage that it was
dangerous to approach the British Lion。 The Lion's wife； the
lovely Berengaria； scarcely ventured to come near him。 He flung
the joint…stools in his tent at the heads of the officers of state；
and kicked his aides…de…camp round his pavilion； and； in fact； a
maid of honor； who brought a sack…posset in to his Majesty from the
Queen after he came in from the assault； came spinning like a
football out of the royal tent just as Ivanhoe entered it。
〃Send me my drum…major to flog that woman！〃 roared out the
infuriate King。 〃By the bones of St。 Barnabas she has burned the
sack！ By St。 Wittikind； I will have her flayed alive。 Ha； St。
George！ ha； St。 Richard！ whom have we here？〃 And he lifted up his
demi…culverin； or curtal…axea weapon weighing about thirteen
hundredweightand was about to fling it at the intruder's head；
when the latter； kneeling gracefully on one knee； said calmly； 〃It
is I； my good liege； Wilfrid of Ivanhoe。〃
〃What； Wilfrid of Templestowe； Wilfrid the married man； Wilfrid the
henpecked！〃 cried the King with a sudden burst of good…humor；
flinging away the culverin from him； as though it had been a reed
（it lighted three hundred yards off； on the foot of Hugo de Bunyon；
who was smoking a cigar at the door of his tent； and caused that
redoubted warrior to limp for some days after）。 〃What； Wilfrid my
gossip？ Art come to see the lion's den？ There are bones in it；
man； bones and carcasses； and the lion is angry；〃 said the King；
with a terrific glare of his eyes。 〃But tush！ we will talk of that
anon。 Ho！ bring two gallons of hypocras for the King and the good
Knight； Wilfrid of Ivanhoe。 Thou art come in time； Wilfrid；
for； by St。 Richard and St。 George； we will give a grand assault
to…morrow。 There will be bones broken； ha！〃
〃I care not； my liege；〃 said Ivanhoe； pledging the sovereign
respectfully； and tossing off the whole contents of the bowl of
hypocras to his Highness's good health。 And he at once appeared to
be taken into high favor； not a little to the envy of many of the
persons surrounding the King。
As his Majesty said； there was fighting and feasting in plenty
before Chalus。 Day after day； the besiegers made assaults upon the
castle； but it was held so stoutly by the Count of Chalus and his
gallant garrison； that each afternoon beheld the attacking…parties
returning disconsolately to their tents； leaving behind them many
of their own slain； and bringing back with them store of broken
heads and maimed limbs； received in the unsuccessful onset。 The
valor displayed by Ivanhoe in all these contests was prodigious；
and the way in which he escaped death from the discharges of
mangonels； catapults； battering…rams； twenty…four pounders； boiling
oil； and other artillery； with which the besieged received their
enemies； was remarkable。 After a day's fighting； Gurth and Wamba
used to pick the arrows out of their intrepid master's coat…of…
mail； as if they had been so many almonds in a pudding。 'Twas well
for the good knight； that under his first coat…of armor he wore a
choice suit of Toledan steel； perfectly impervious to arrow…shots；
and given to him by a certain Jew； named Isaac of York； to whom he
had done some considerable services a few years back。
If King Richard had not been in such a rage at the repeated
failures of his attacks upon the castle； that all sense of justice
was blinded in the lion…hearted monarch； he would have been the
first to acknowledge the valor of Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe； and would
have given him a Peerage and the Grand Cross of the Bath at least a
dozen times in the course of the siege： for Ivanhoe led more than a
dozen storming parties； and with his own hand killed as many men
（viz； two thousand three hundred and fifty…one） within six； as were
slain by the lion…hearted monarch himself。 But his Majesty was
rather disgusted than pleased by his faithful servant's prowess；
and all the courtiers； who hated Ivanhoe for his superior valor and
dexterity （for he would kill you off a couple of hundreds of them
of Chalus； w