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sky。
〃Indeed； no；〃 said Sir Ralph； 〃but I shall be very happy to get rid of
my ignorance。〃
〃And so shall I；〃 said his squire； 〃for it seems that in this case
knowledge will for once be a cure for hunger； wherewith I am grievously
afflicted。〃
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〃And why are you so busy； my pretty damsels； weaving these
garlands？〃 said the knight。
〃Why； do you not know； sir；〃 said one of the young women； 〃that to…
morrow is Gamwell feast？〃
The knight was again obliged； with all humility； to confess his
ignorance。
〃Oh！ sir；〃 said his informant； 〃then you will have something to see；
that I can tell you； for we shall choose a Queen of the May； and we shall
crown her with flowers； and place her in a chariot of flowers； and draw it
with lines of flowers； and we shall hang all the trees with flowers； and we
shall strew all the ground with flowers； and we shall dance with flowers；
and in flowers； and on flowers； and we shall be all flowers。〃
〃That you will；〃 said the knight； 〃and the sweetest and brightest of all
the flowers of the May； my pretty damsels。〃 On which all the pretty
damsels smiled at him and each other。
〃And there will be all sorts of May…games； and there will be prizes for
archery； and there will be the knight's ale； and the foresters' venison； and
there will be Kit Scrapesqueak with his fiddle； and little Tom Whistlerap
with his fife and tabor； and Sam Trumtwang with his harp； and Peter
Muggledrone with his bagpipe； and how I shall dance with Will
Whitethorn！〃 added the girl； clapping her hands as she spoke； and
bounding from the ground with the pleasure of the anticipation。
A tall athletic young man approached； to whom the rustic maidens
courtesied with great respect； and one of them informed Sir Ralph that it
was young Master William Gamwell。 The young gentleman invited and
conducted the knight to the hall； where he introduced him to the old knight
his father； and to the old lady his mother； and to the young lady his sister；
and to a number of bold yeomen； who were laying siege to beef； brawn；
and plum pie around a ponderous table； and taking copious draughts of old
October。 A motto was inscribed over the interior door；
EAT； DRINK； AND BE MERRY：
an injunction which Sir Ralph and his squire showed remarkable
alacrity in obeying。 Old Sir Guy of Gamwell gave Sir Ralph a very
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cordial welcome； and entertained him during supper with several of his
best stories； enforced with an occasional slap on the back； and pointed
with a peg in the ribs； a species of vivacious eloquence in which the； old
gentleman excelled； and which is supposed by many of that pleasant
variety of the human spectes； known by the name of choice fellows and
comical dogs； to be the genuine tangible shape of the cream of a good
joke。
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CHAPTER VI
What！ shall we have incision？ shall we embrew？ Henry IV。
Old Sir Guy of Gamwell； and young William Gamwell； and fair Alice
Gamwell； and Sir Ralph Montfaucon and his squire； rode together the next
morning to the scene of the feast。 They arrived on a village green；
surrounded with cottages peeping from among the trees by which the
green was completely encircled。 The whole circle was hung round with
one continuous garland of flowers； depending in irregular festoons from
the branches。 In the centre of the green was a May…pole hidden in boughs
and garlands； and a multitude of round…faced bumpkins and cherry…
checked lasses were dancing around it； to the quadruple melody of
Scrapesqueak； Whistlerap； Trumtwang； and Muggledrone： harmony we
must not call it； for； though they had agreed to a partnership in point of
tune； each； like a true painstaking man； seemed determined to have his
time to himself： Muggledrone played allegretto； Trumtwang allegro；
Whistlerap presto； and Scrapesqueak prestissimo。 There was a kind of
mathematical proportion in their discrepancy： while Muggledrone played
the tune four times； Trumtwang played it five； Whistlerap six； and
Scrapesqueak eight； for the latter completely distanced all his competitors；
and indeed worked his elbow so nimbly that its outline was scarcely
distinguishable through the mistiness of its rapid vibration。
While the knight was delighting his eyes and ears with these pleasant
sights and sounds； all eyes were turned in one direction； and Sir Ralph；
looking round； saw a fair lady in green and gold come riding through the
trees； accompanied by a portly friar in grey； and several fair damsels and
gallant grooms。 On their nearer approach； he recognised the lady Matilda
and her ghostly adviser； brother Michael。 A party of foresters arrived
from another direction； and then ensued cordial interchanges of greeting；
and collisions of hands and lips； among the Gamwells and the new…
comers；〃How does my fair coz； Mawd？〃 and 〃How does my sweet coz；
Mawd？〃 and 〃How does my wild coz； Mawd？〃 And 〃Eh！ jolly friar；
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your hand； old boy：〃 and 〃Here； honest friar：〃 and 〃To me； merry friar：〃
and 〃By your favour； mistress Alice：〃 and 〃Hey！ cousin Robin：〃 and
〃Hey！ cousin Will：〃 and 〃Od's life！ merry Sir Guy； you grow younger
every year；〃 as the old knight shook them all in turn with one hand； and
slapped them on the back with the other； in token of his affection。 A
number of young men and women advanced； some drawing； and others
dancing round； a floral car； and having placed a crown of flowers on
Matilda's head； they saluted her Queen of the May； and drew her to the
place appointed for the rural sports。
A hogshead of ale was abroach under an oak； and a fire was blazing in
an open space before the trees to roast the fat deer which the foresters
brought。 The sports commenced； and； after an agreeable series of
bowling； coiling； pitching； hurling； racing； leaping； grinning； wrestling or
friendly dislocation of joints； and cudgel…playing or amicable cracking of
skulls； the trial of archery ensued。 The conqueror was to be rewarded with
a golden arrow from the hand of the Queen of the May； who was to be his
partner in the dance till the close of the feast。 This stimulated the
knight's emulation： young Gamwell supplied him with a bow and arrow；
and he took his station among the foresters； but had the mortification to be
out…shot by them all； and to see one of them lodge the point of his arrow in
the golden ring of the centre； and receive the prize from the hand of the
beautiful Matilda； who smiled on him with particular grace。 The jealous
knight scrutinised the successful champion with great attention； and surely
thought he had seen that face before。 In the mean time the forester led the
lady to the station。 The luckless Sir Ralph drank deep draughts of love
from the matchless grace of her attitudes； as； taking the bow in her left
hand； and adjusting the arrow with her right； advancing her left foot； and
gently curving her beautiful figure with a slight motion of her head that
waved her black feathers and her ringleted hair； she drew the arrow to its
head； and loosed it from her open fingers。 The arrow struck within the
ring of gold； so close to that of the victorious forester that the points were
in contact； and the feathers were intermingled。 Great acclamations
succeeded； and the foreste