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I have fought and I have conquered！ Where was glory like to mine？'
Loudly all the courtiers echoed： 'Where is glory like to thine？'
〃'What avail me all my kingdoms？ Weary am I now； and old；
Those fair sons I have begotten； long to see me dead and cold；
Would I were； and quiet buried； underneath the silent mould！
〃'Oh； remorse； the writhing serpent！ at my bosom tears and bites；
Horrid； horrid things I look on； though I put out all the lights；
Ghosts of ghastly recollections troop about my bed of nights。
〃'Cities burning； convents blazing； red with sacrilegious fires；
Mothers weeping； virgins screaming； vainly for their slaughtered
sires。'
Such a tender conscience；' cries the Bishop； 'every one admires。
〃'But for such unpleasant bygones； cease； my gracious lord； to
search；
They're forgotten and forgiven by our Holy Mother Church；
Never； never does she leave her benefactors in the lurch。
〃'Look！ the land is crowned with minsters； which your Grace's bounty
raised；
Abbeys filled with holy men； where you and Heaven are daily praised：
YOU； my lord； to think of dying？ on my conscience I'm amazed！'
〃'Nay； I feel；' replied King Canute； 'that my end is drawing near。'
'Don't say so；' exclaimed the courtiers （striving each to squeeze a
tear）。
'Sure your Grace is strong and lusty； and may live this fifty year。'
〃'Live these fifty years！' the Bishop roared； with actions made to
suit。
'Are you mad； my good Lord Keeper； thus to speak of King Canute！
Men have lived a thousand years； and sure his Majesty will do't。
〃'Adam； Enoch； Lamech； Cainan； Mahaleel； Methusela；
Lived nine hundred years apiece； and mayn't the King as well as
they？'
'Fervently；' exclaimed the Keeper； 'fervently I trust he may。'
〃'HE to die？' resumed the Bishop。 'He a mortal like to US？
Death was not for him intended； though communis omnibus：
Keeper； you are irreligious； for to talk and cavil thus。
〃'With his wondrous skill in healing ne'er a doctor can compete；
Loathsome lepers； if he touch them； start up clean upon their feet；
Surely he could raise the dead up； did his Highness think it meet。
〃'Did not once the Jewish captain stay the sun upon the hill；
And； the while he slew the foemen； bid the silver moon stand still？
So； no doubt； could gracious Canute； if it were his sacred will。'
〃'Might I stay the sun above us； good Sir Bishop？' Canute cried；
'Could I bid the silver moon to pause upon her heavenly ride？
If the moon obeys my orders； sure I can command the tide。
〃'Will the advancing waves obey me； Bishop； if I make the sign？'
Said the Bishop； bowing lowly； 'Land and sea； my lord； are thine。'
Canute turned towards the ocean'Back！' he said； 'thou foaming
brine
〃'From the sacred shore I stand on； I command thee to retreat；
Venture not； thou stormy rebel； to approach thy master's seat：
Ocean； be thou still！ I bid thee come not nearer to my feet！'
〃But the sullen ocean answered with a louder； deeper roar；
And the rapid waves drew nearer； falling sounding on the shore；
Back the Keeper and the Bishop； back the King and courtiers bore。
〃And he sternly bade them never more to kneel to human clay；
But alone to praise and worship That which earth and seas obey：
And his golden crown of empire never wore he from that day。
King Canute is dead and gone： Parasites exist alway。〃
At this ballad； which； to be sure； was awfully long； and as grave as
a sermon； some of the courtiers tittered； some yawned； and some
affected to be asleep and snore outright。 But Roger de Backbite
thinking to curry favor with the King by this piece of vulgarity；
his Majesty fetched him a knock on the nose and a buffet on the ear；
which； I warrant me； wakened Master Roger； to whom the King said；
〃Listen and be civil； slave； Wilfrid is singing about thee。
Wilfrid； thy ballad is long； but it is to the purpose； and I have
grown cool during thy homily。 Give me thy hand； honest friend。
Ladies； good night。 Gentlemen； we give the grand assault to…morrow；
when I promise thee； Wilfrid； thy banner shall not be before mine。〃
And the King； giving his arm to her Majesty； retired into the
private pavilion。
CHAPTER III。
ST。 GEORGE FOR ENGLAND。
Whilst the royal Richard and his court were feasting in the camp
outside the walls of Chalus； they of the castle were in the most
miserable plight that may be conceived。 Hunger； as well as the
fierce assaults of the besiegers； had made dire ravages in the
place。 The garrison's provisions of corn and cattle； their very
horses； dogs； and donkeys had been eaten upso that it might well
be said by Wamba 〃that famine； as well as slaughter； had THINNED
the garrison。〃 When the men of Chalus came on the walls to defend
it against the scaling…parties of King Richard； they were like so
many skeletons in armor； they could hardly pull their bowstrings at
last； or pitch down stones on the heads of his Majesty's party； so
weak had their arms become； and the gigantic Count of Chalusa
warrior as redoubtable for his size and strength as Richard
Plantagenet himselfwas scarcely able to lift up his battle…axe
upon the day of that last assault； when Sir Wilfrid of Ivanhoe ran
him through thebut we are advancing matters。
What should prevent me from describing the agonies of hunger which
the Count （a man of large appetite） suffered in company with his
heroic sons and garrison？Nothing； but that Dante has already done
the business in the notorious history of Count Ugolino； so that my
efforts might be considered as mere imitations。 Why should I not；
if I were minded to revel in horrifying details； show you how the
famished garrison drew lots； and ate themselves during the siege；
and how the unlucky lot falling upon the Countess of Chalus； that
heroic woman； taking an affectionate leave of her family； caused
her large caldron in the castle kitchen to be set a…boiling； had
onions； carrots and herbs； pepper and salt made ready； to make a
savory soup； as the French like it； and when all things were quite
completed； kissed her children； jumped into the caldron from off a
kitchen stool； and so was stewed down in her flannel bed…gown？
Dear friends； it is not from want of imagination； or from having no
turn for the terrible or pathetic； that I spare you these details。
I could give you some description that would spoil your dinner and
night's rest； and make your hair stand on end。 But why harrow your
feelings？ Fancy all the tortures and horrors that possibly can
occur in a beleaguered and famished castle： fancy the feelings of
men who know that no more quarter will be given them than they
would get if they were peaceful Hungarian citizens kidnapped and
brought to trial by his Majesty the Emperor of Austria； and then
let us rush on to the breach and prepare once more to meet the
assault of dreadful King Richard and his men。
On the 29th of March in the year 1199； the good King； having
copiously partaken of breakfast； caused his trumpets to blow； and
advanced with his host upon the breach of the castle of Chalus。
Arthur de Pendennis bore his banner； Wilfrid of Ivanhoe fought on
the King's right hand。 Molyneux； Bishop of Bullocksmithy； doffed
crosier and mitre for that day； and though fat and pursy； panted up
the breach with the most resolute spirit； roaring out war…cries and
curses； and wielding a prodigious mace of iron； with which he did
good execution。 Roger de Backbite was forced to come in attendance
upon the sovereign； but took care to keep in the rear of his august
master； and to shelter behind his huge triangular shield as much as
possible。 Many lords of note followed the King and bore the
ladders； and as they were placed against the wall； the air was
perfectly dark with the shower of arrows which the French archers
poured out at the besiegers； and the cataract of stones； kettles；
bootjacks； chests of drawers； crockery； umbrellas； congreve…
rockets； bombshells； bolts and arrows and other missiles which the
desperate garrison flung out on the storming…party。 The King
received a copper coal…scuttle right over his eyes； and a mahogany
wardrobe was discharged at his morion； which would have felled an
ox； and would have done for the King had not Ivanhoe warded it off
skilfully。 Still they advanced； the warriors falling around them
like grass beneath the scythe of the mower。
The ladders were placed in spite of the hail of death raining
round： the King and Ivanhoe were； of course； the first to mount
them。 Chalus stood in the breach； borrowing strength from despair；
and roaring out； 〃Ha！ Plantagenet； St。 Barbacue for Chalus！〃 he
dealt the King a crack across the helmet with his battle…axe； which
shore off the gilt lion and crown that surmounted the steel cap。
The King bent and reeled back； the besiegers were dismayed； the
garrison and the Count of Chalus set up a shout of triumph：