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him not。〃
〃He has such an engine at his back； Nigel； that even the bravest
must fear him。 The ban which blasts a man's soul is in the
keeping of his church； and what have we to place against it？ I
pray you to speak him fair； Nigel。〃
〃Nay； dear lady； it is both my duty and my pleasure to do what you
bid me； but I would die ere I ask as a favor that which we can
claim as a right。 Never can I cast my eyes from yonder window
that I do not see the swelling down…lands and the rich meadows；
glade and dingle； copse and wood； which have been ours since
Norman…William gave them to that Loring who bore his shield at
Senlac。 Now； by trick and fraud； they have passed away from us；
and many a franklin is a richer man than I； but never shall it be
said that I saved the rest by bending my neck to their yoke。 Let
them do their worst； and let me endure it or fight it as best I
may。〃
The old lady sighed and shook her head。 〃You speak as a Loring
should； and yet I fear that some great trouble will befall us。
But let us talk no more of such matters； since we cannot mend
them。 Where is your citole； Nigel？ Will you not play and sing to
me？〃
The gentleman of those days could scarce read and write； but he
spoke in two languages； played at least one musical instrument as
a matter of course； and possessed a number of other
accomplishments； from the imping of hawk's feathers； to the
mystery of venery； with knowledge of every beast and bird； its
time of grace and when it was seasonable。 As far as physical
feats went； to vault barebacked upon a horse； to hit a running
hare with a crossbow…bolt； or to climb the angle of a castle
courtyard； were feats which had come by nature to the young
Squire； but it was very different with music； which had called for
many a weary hour of irksome work。 Now at last he could master
the strings； but both his ear and his voice were not of the best；
so that it was well perhaps that there was so small and so
unprejudiced an audience to the Norman…French chanson； which he
sang in a high reedy voice with great earnestness of feeling； but
with many a slip and quaver； waving his yellow head in cadence to
the music：
A sword！ A sword！ Ah； give me a sword！
For the world is all to win。
Though the way be hard and the door be barred；
The strong man enters in。
If Chance and Fate still hold the gate；
Give me the iron key；
And turret high my plume shall fly；
Or you may weep for me！
A horse！ A horse！ Ah； give me a horse！
To bear me out afar；
Where blackest need and grimmest deed
And sweetest perils are。
Hold thou my ways from glutted days
Where poisoned leisure lies；
And point the path of tears and wrath
Which mounts to high emprise！
A heart！ A heart！ Ah； give me a heart
To rise to circumstance！
Serene and high and bold to try
The hazard of the chance；
With strength to wait； but fixed as fate
To plan and dare and do；
The peer of all； and only thrall；
Sweet lady mine； to you！
It may have been that the sentiment went for more than the music；
or it may have been the nicety of her own ears had been dulled by
age； but old Dame Ermyntrude clapped her lean hands together and
cried out in shrill applause。
〃Weathercote has indeed had an apt pupil！〃 she said。 〃I pray you
that you will sing again。〃
〃Nay； dear dame； it is turn and turn betwixt you and me。 I beg
that you will recite a romance； you who know them all。 For all
the years that I have listened I have never yet come to the end of
them； and I dare swear that there are more in your head than in
all the great books which they showed me at Guildford Castle。 I
would fain hear ‘Doon of Mayence；' or ‘The Song of Roland；' or
‘Sir Isumbras。'〃
So the old dame broke into a long poem； slow and dull in the
inception； but quickening as the interest grew； until with darting
hands and glowing face she poured forth the verses which told of
the emptiness of sordid life； the beauty of heroic death； the high
sacredness of love and the bondage of honor。 Nigel； with set；
still features and brooding eyes； drank in the fiery words； until
at last they died upon the old woman's lips and she sank back
weary in her chair。
Nigel stooped over her and kissed her brow。 〃Your words will ever
be as a star upon my path；〃 said he。 Then； carrying over the
small table and the chessmen； he proposed that they should play
their usual game before they sought their rooms for the night。
But a sudden and rude interruption broke in upon their gentle
contest。 A dog pricked its ears and barked。 The others ran
growling to the door。 And then there came a sharp clash of arms；
a dull heavy blow as from a club or sword…pommel； and a deep voice
from without summoned them to open in the King's name。 The old
dame and Nigel had both sprung to their feet； their table
overturned and their chessmen scattered among the rushes。 Nigel's
hand had sought his crossbow； but the Lady Ermyntrude grasped his
arm。
〃Nay； fair son！ Have you not heard that it is in the King's
name？〃 said she。 〃Down； Talbot！ Down； Bayard！ ！ Open the door
and let his messenger in！〃
Nigel undid the bolt； and the heavy wooden door swung outward upon
its hinges。 The light from the flaring cressets beat upon steel
caps and fierce bearded faces； with the glimmer of drawn swords
and the yellow gleam of bowstaves。 A dozen armed archers forced
their way into the room。 At their head were the gaunt sacrist of
Waverley and a stout elderly man clad in a red velvet doublet and
breeches much stained and mottled with mud and clay。 He bore a
great sheet of parchment with a fringe of dangling seals； which he
held aloft as he entered。
〃I call on Nigel Loring！〃 he cried。 〃I； the officer of the King's
law and the lay summoner of Waverley； call upon the man named
Nigel Loring！〃
〃I am he。〃
〃Yes； it is he！〃 cried the sacrist。 〃Archers； do as you were
ordered！〃
In an instant the band threw themselves upon him like the hounds
on a stag。 Desperately Nigel strove to gain his sword which lay
upon the iron coffer。 With the convulsive strength which comes
from the spirit rather than from the body； he bore them all in
that direction； but the sacrist snatched the weapon from its
place； and the rest dragged the writhing Squire to the ground and
swathed him in a cord。
〃Hold him fast； good archers！ Keep a stout grip on him！〃 cried
the summoner。 〃I pray you； one of you； prick off these great dogs
which snarl at my heels。 Stand off； I say； in the name of the
King！ Watkin； come betwixt me and these creatures who have as
little regard for the law as their master。〃
One of the archers kicked off the faithful dogs。 But there were
others of the household who were equally ready to show their teeth
in defense of the old house of Loring。 From the door which led to
their quarters there emerged the pitiful muster of Nigel's
threadbare retainers。 There was a time when ten knights； forty
men…at…arms and two hundred archers would march behind the scarlet
roses。 Now at this last rally when the young head of the house
lay bound in his own hall； there mustered at his call the page
Charles with a cudgel； John the cook with his longest spit； Red
Swire the aged man…at…arms with a formidable ax swung over his
snowy head； and Weathercote the minstrel with a boar…spear。 Yet
this motley array was fired with the spirit of the house； and
under the lead of the fierce old soldier they would certainly have
flung themselves upon the ready swords of the archers； had the
Lady Ermyntrude not swept between them：
〃Stand back； Swire！〃 she cried。 〃Back； Weathercote Charles； put a
leash on Talbot； and hold Bayard back！〃 Her black eyes blazed
upon the invaders until they shrank from that baleful gaze。 〃Who
are you； you rascal robbers； who dare to misuse the King's name
and to lay hands upon one whose smallest drop of blood has more
worth than all your thrall and caitiff bodies？〃
〃Nay； not so fast； dame； not so fast； I pray you！〃 cried the stout
summoner； whose face had resumed its natural color； now that he
had a woman to deal with。 〃There is a law of England； mark you；
and there are those who serve and uphold it； who are the true men
and the King's own lieges。 Such a one am I。 Then again； there
are those who take such as me and transfer； carry or convey us
into a bog or morass。 Such a one is this graceless old man with
the ax； whom I have seen already this day。 There are also those
who tear； destroy or scatter the papers of the law； of which this
young man is the chief。 Therefore； I would rede you； dame； not to
rail against us； but to understand that we are the King's men on
the King's own service。〃
〃What then is your errand in this house at this hour of the
night？〃
The summoner cleared his throat pompously； and turning his
parchment to the light of the cressets he read out a long document
in Norman…French； couched in such a style and such a language that
the most