THE BOY KNIGHT. 

A TALE OF THE CRUSADES. 

BY G. A. HENTY, _Author of "The Young Buglers, " "Through the Fray, " "The Cornet ofHorse, " "The Young Colonists, " "In Times of Peril, " etc. , etc. _

CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER I. The Outlaws. 

CHAPTER II. A Rescue. 

CHAPTER III. The Capture of Wortham Hold. 

CHAPTER IV. The Crusades. 

CHAPTER V. Preparations. 

CHAPTER VI. The Lists. 

CHAPTER VII. Revenge. 

CHAPTER VIII. The Attack. 

CHAPTER IX. The Princess Berengaria. 

CHAPTER X. Pirates. 

CHAPTER XI. In the Holy Land. 

CHAPTER XII. The Accolade. 

CHAPTER XIII. In the Hands of the Saracens. 

CHAPTER XIV. An Effort for Freedom. 

CHAPTER XV. A Hermit's Tale. 

CHAPTER XVI. A Fight of Heroes. 

CHAPTER XVII. An Alpine Storm. 

CHAPTER XVIII. Sentenced to Death. 

CHAPTER XIX. Dresden. 

CHAPTER XX. Under the Greenwood. 

CHAPTER XXI. The Attempt on the Convent. 

CHAPTER XXII. A Dastardly Stratagem. 

CHAPTER XXIII. The False and Perjured Knight. 

CHAPTER XXIV. The Siege of Evesham Castle. 

CHAPTER XXV. In Search of the King. 

CHAPTER XXVI. King Richard's Return to England. 

THE BOY KNIGHT. 

CHAPTER I. 

THE OUTLAWS. 

It was a bright morning in the month of August, when a lad of somefifteen years of age, sitting on a low wall, watched party after partyof armed men riding up to the castle of the Earl of Evesham. A casualobserver glancing at his curling hair and bright open face, as also atthe fashion of his dress, would at once have assigned to him a purelySaxon origin; but a keener eye would have detected signs that Normanblood ran also in his veins, for his figure was lither and lighter, hisfeatures more straightly and shapely cut, than was common among Saxons. His dress consisted of a tight-fitting jerkin, descending nearly to hisknees. The material was a light-blue cloth, while over his shoulder hunga short cloak of a darker hue. His cap was of Saxon fashion, and he woreon one side a little plume of a heron. In a somewhat costly belt hung alight short sword, while across his knees lay a crossbow, in itselfalmost a sure sign of its bearer being of other than Saxon blood. Theboy looked anxiously as party after party rode past toward the castle. 

"I would give something, " he said, "to know what wind blows these knaveshere. From every petty castle in the Earl's feu the retainers seemhurrying here. Is he bent, I wonder, on settling once and for all hisquarrels with the Baron of Wortham? or can he be intending to make aclear sweep of the woods? Ah! here comes my gossip Hubert; he may tellme the meaning of this gathering. "

Leaping to his feet, the speaker started at a brisk walk to meet ajovial-looking personage coming down from the direction of the castle. The newcomer was dressed in the attire of a falconer, and two dogsfollowed at his heels. 

"Ah, Master Cuthbert, " he said, "what brings you so near to the castle?It is not often that you favor us with your presence. "

"I am happier in the woods, as you well know, and was on my way thitherbut now, when I paused at the sight of all these troopers flocking in toEvesham. What enterprise has Sir Walter on hand now, think you?"

"The earl keeps his own counsel, " said the falconer, "but methinks ashrewd guess might be made at the purport of the gathering. It was butthree days since that his foresters were beaten back by the landlessmen, whom they caught in the very act of cutting up a fat buck. As thouknowest, my lord though easy and well-disposed to all, and not fond ofharassing and driving the people as are many of his neighbors, is yet tothe full as fanatical anent his forest privileges as the worst of them. They tell me that when the news came in of the poor figure that hisforesters cut with broken bows and draggled plumes--for the varlets hadsoused them in a pond of not over savory water--he swore a great oaththat he would clear the forest of the bands. It may be, indeed, thatthis gathering is for the purpose of falling in force upon thatevil-disposed and most treacherous baron, Sir John of Wortham, who hasalready begun to harry some of the outlying lands, and has driven off, Ihear, many heads of cattle. It is a quarrel which will have to be foughtout sooner or later, and the sooner the better, say I. Although I am noman of war, and love looking after my falcons or giving food to my dogsfar more than exchanging hard blows, yet would I gladly don the buff andsteel coat to aid in leveling the keep of that robber and tyrant, SirJohn of Wortham. "

"Thanks, good Hubert, " said the lad. "I must not stand gossiping here. The news you have told me, as you know, touches me closely, for I wouldnot that harm should come to the forest men. "

"Let it not out, I beseech thee, Cuthbert, that the news came from me, for temperate as Sir Walter is at most times, he would, methinks, giveme short shift did he know that the wagging of my tongue might havegiven warning through which the outlaws of the Chase should slip throughhis fingers. "

"Fear not, Hubert; I can be mum when the occasion needs. Can you tellme further, when the bands now gathering are likely to set forth?"

"In brief breathing space, " the falconer replied. "Those who firstarrived I left swilling beer, and devouring pies and other provisionscooked for them last night, and from what I hear, they will set forth assoon as the last comer has arrived. Whichever be their quarry, they willtry to fall upon it before the news of their arrival is bruited abroad. "

With a wave of his hand to the falconer the boy started. Leaving theroad, and striking across the slightly undulated country dotted here andthere by groups of trees, the lad ran at a brisk trot, without stoppingto halt or breathe, until after half an hour's run he arrived at theentrance of a building, whose aspect proclaimed it to be the abode of aSaxon franklin of some importance. It would not be called a castle, butwas rather a fortified house, with a few windows looking without, andsurrounded by a moat crossed by a drawbridge, and capable of sustaininganything short of a real attack. Erstwood had but lately passed intoNorman hands, and was indeed at present owned by a Saxon. Sir William deLance, the father of the lad who is now entering its portals, was afriend and follower of the Earl of Evesham; and soon after his lord hadmarried Gweneth, the heiress of all these fair lands--given to him bythe will of the king, to whom by the death of her father she became award--Sir William had married Editha, the daughter and heiress of thefranklin of Erstwood, a cousin and dear friend of the new Countess ofEvesham. 

In neither couple could the marriage at first have been called one ofinclination on the part of the ladies, but love came after marriage. Although the knights and barons of the Norman invasion would, no doubt, be considered rude and rough in these days of broadcloth andcivilization, yet their manners were gentle and polished by the side ofthose of the rough though kindly Saxon franklins; and although the Saxonmaids were doubtless as patriotic as their fathers and mothers, yet thefemale mind is greatly led by gentle manners and courteous address. Thus, then, when bidden or forced to give their hands to the Normanknights, they speedily accepted their lot, and for the most part grewcontented and happy enough. In their changed circumstances it waspleasanter to ride by the side of their Norman husbands, surrounded by agay cavalcade, to hawk and to hunt, than to discharge the quiet dutiesof mistress of a Saxon farmhouse. In many cases, of course, their lotwas rendered wretched by the violence and brutality of their lords; butin the majority they were well satisfied with their lot, and these mixedmarriages did more to bring the peoples together and weld them in onethan all the laws and decrees of the Norman sovereigns. 

This had certainly been the case with Editha, whose marriage with SirWilliam had been one of the greatest happiness. She had lost him threeyears before the story begins, fighting in Normandy, in one of theinnumerable wars in which our first Norman kings were constantlyinvolved. On entering the gates of Erstwood Cuthbert had rushed hastilyto the room where his mother was sitting, with three or four of hermaidens, engaged in work. 

"I want to speak to you at once, mother, " he said. 

"What is it now, my son?" said his mother, who was still young and verycomely. Waving her hand to the girls they left her. 

"Mother, " he said, when they were alone, "I fear me that Sir Walter isabout to make a great raid upon the outlaws. Armed men have been comingin all the morning from the castles round, and if it be not against theBaron de Wortham that these preparations are intended, and methinks itis not, it must needs be against the landless men. "

"What would you do, Cuthbert?" his mother asked anxiously. "It will notdo for you to be found meddling in these matters. At present you standwell in the favor of the earl, who loves you for the sake of his wife, to whom you are kin, and of your father, who did him good liegeman'sservice. "

"But, mother, I have many friends in the wood. There is Cnut, theirchief, your own first cousin, and many others of our friends, all goodmen and true, though forced by the cruel Norman laws to refuge in thewoods. "

"What would you do?" again his mother asked. 

"I would take Ronald my pony and ride to warn them of the danger thatthreatens. "

"You had best go on foot, my son. Doubtless men have been set to seethat none from the Saxon homesteads carry the warning to the woods. Thedistance is not beyond your reach, for you have often wandered there, and on foot you can evade the eye of the watchers; but one thing, myson, you must promise, and that is, that in no case, should the earl andhis bands meet with the outlaws, will you take part in any fray orstruggle. "

"That will I willingly, mother, " he said. "I have no cause for offenseagainst the castle or the forest, and my blood and my kin are with both. I would fain save shedding of blood in a quarrel like this. I hope thatthe time may come when Saxon and Norman may fight side by side, and Imay be there to see. "

A few minutes later, having changed his blue doublet for one of moresober and less noticeable color, Cuthbert started for the great forest, which then stretched to within a mile of Erstwood. In those days a largepart of the country was covered with forest, and the policy of theNormans in preserving these woods for the chase tended to prevent theincrease of cultivation. 

The farms and cultivated lands were all held by Saxons, who althoughnominally handed over to the nobles to whom William and his successorshad given the fiefs, saw but little of their Norman masters. Thesestood, indeed, much in the position in which landlords stand to theirtenants, payment being made, for the most part, in produce. At the edgeof the wood the trees grew comparatively far apart, but as Cuthbertproceeded further into its recesses, the trees in the virgin foreststood thick and close together. Here and there open glades ran acrosseach other, and in these his sharp eye, accustomed to the forest, couldoften see the stags starting away at the sound of his footsteps. 

It was a full hour's journey before Cuthbert reached the point for whichhe was bound. Here, in an open space, probably cleared by a storm agesbefore, and overshadowed by giant trees, was a group of men of all agesand appearances. Some were occupied in stripping the skin off a buckwhich hung from the bough of one of the trees. Others were roastingportions of the carcass of another deer. A few sat apart, some talking, others busy in making arrows, while a few lay asleep on the greensward. As Cuthbert entered the clearing several of the party rose to theirfeet. 

"Ah, Cuthbert, " shouted a man of almost gigantic stature, who appearedto be one of the leaders of the party, "what brings you here, lad, soearly? You are not wont to visit us till even, when you can lay yourcrossbow at a stag by moonlight. "

"No, no, Cousin Cnut, " Cuthbert said, "thou canst not say that I haveever broken the forest laws, though I have looked on often and often, while you have done so. "

"The abettor is as bad as the thief, " laughed Cnut, "and if theforesters caught us in the act, I wot they would make but littledifference whether it was the shaft of my longbow or the quarrel fromthy crossbow which brought down the quarry. But again, lad, why comestthou here? for I see by the sweat on your face and by the heaving ofyour sides that you have run fast and far. "

"I have, Cnut; I have not once stopped for breathing since I leftErstwood. I have come to warn you of danger. The earl is preparing for araid. "

Cnut laughed somewhat disdainfully. 

"He has raided here before, and I trow has carried off no game. Thelandless men of the forest can hold their own against a handful ofNorman knights and retainers in their own home. "

"Ay, " said Cuthbert, "but this will be no common raid. This morningbands from all the holds within miles round are riding in, and at leastfive hundred men-at-arms are likely to do chase to-day. "

"Is it so?" said Cnut, while exclamations of surprise, but not ofapprehension, broke from those standing round. "If that be so, lad, youhave done us good service indeed. With fair warning we can slip throughthe fingers of ten times five hundred men, but if they came upon usunawares, and hemmed us in, it would fare but badly with us, though weshould, I doubt not, give a good account of them before theirbattle-axes and maces ended the strife. Have you any idea by which roadthey will enter the forest, or what are their intentions?"

"I know not, " Cuthbert said; "all that I gathered was that the earlintended to sweep the forest, and to put an end to the breaches of thelaws, not to say of the rough treatment that his foresters have met withat your hands. You had best, methinks, be off before Sir Walter and hisheavily-armed men are here. The forest, large as it is, will scarce holdyou both, and methinks you had best shift your quarters to LangholmChase until the storm has passed. "

"To Langholm be it, then, " said Cnut, "though I love not the place. SirJohn of Wortham is a worse neighbor by far than the earl. Against thelatter we bear no malice, he is a good knight and a fair lord; and couldhe free himself of the Norman notions that the birds of the air, and thebeasts of the field, and the fishes of the water, all belong to Normans, and that we Saxons have no share in them, I should have no quarrel withhim. He grinds not his neighbors, he is content with a fair tithe of theproduce, and as between man and man is a fair judge without favor. Thebaron is a fiend incarnate; did he not fear that he would lose by sodoing, he would gladly cut the throats, or burn, or drown, or hang everySaxon within twenty miles of his hold. He is a disgrace to his order, and some day, when our band gathers a little stronger, we will burn hisnest about his ears. "

"It will be a hard nut to crack, " Cuthbert said, laughing. "With sucharms as you have in the forest the enterprise would be something akin toscaling the skies. "

"Ladders and axes will go far, lad, and the Norman men-at-arms havelearned to dread our shafts. But enough of the baron; if we must be hisneighbors for a time, so be it. "

"You have heard, my mates, " he said, turning to his comrades gatheredaround him, "what Cuthbert tells us. Are you of my opinion, that it isbetter to move away till the storm is past than to fight against heavyodds, without much chance of either booty or victory?"

A general chorus proclaimed that the outlaws approved of the proposalfor a move to Langholm Chase. The preparations were simple. Bows weretaken down from the boughs on which they were hanging, quivers slungacross the backs, short cloaks thrown over the shoulders. The deer washurriedly dismembered, and the joints fastened to a pole slung on theshoulders of two of the men. The drinking-cups, some of which were ofsilver, looking strangely out of place among the rough horn implementsand platters, were bundled together, carried a short distance anddropped among some thick bushes for safety; and then the band startedfor Wortham. 

With a cordial farewell and many thanks to Cuthbert, who declined theirinvitations to accompany them, the retreat to Langholm commenced. 

Cuthbert, not knowing in which direction the bands were likely toapproach, remained for awhile motionless, intently listening. 

In a quarter of an hour he heard the distant note of a bugle. 

It was answered in three different directions, and Cuthbert, who knewevery path and glade of the forest, was able pretty accurately tosurmise those by which the various bands were commencing to enter thewood. 

Knowing that they were still a long way off, he advanced as rapidly ashe could in the direction in which they were coming. When by the soundof distant voices and the breaking of branches he knew that one, atleast, of the parties was near at hand, he rapidly climbed a thick treeand ensconced himself in the branches, and there watched, secure andhidden from the sharpest eye, the passage of a body of men-at-arms fullya hundred strong, led by Sir Walter himself, accompanied by some halfdozen of his knights. 

When they had passed Cuthbert again slipped down the tree and made atall speed for home. He reached it, so far as he knew, without havingbeen observed by a single passer-by. 

After a brief talk with his mother he started for the castle, as hisappearance there would divert any suspicion that might arise; and itwould also appear natural that seeing the movements of so large a bodyof men, he should go up to gossip with his acquaintances there. 

When distant a mile from Evesham he came upon a small party. 

On a white palfrey rode Margaret, the little daughter of the earl. Shewas accompanied by her nurse and two retainers on foot. 

Cuthbert--who was a great favorite with the earl's daughter, for whom hefrequently brought pets, such as nests of young owlets, falcons, andother creatures--was about to join the party when from a clump of treesnear burst a body of ten mounted men. 

Without a word they rode straight at the astonished group. The retainerswere cut to the ground before they had thought of drawing a sword indefense. 

The nurse was slain by a blow with a battle-ax, and Margaret, snatchedfrom her palfrey, was thrown across the saddlebow of one of the mountedmen, who then with his comrades dashed off at full speed. 

CHAPTER II. 

A RESCUE. 

The whole of the startling scene of the abduction of the Earl ofEvesham's daughter occupied but a few seconds. Cuthbert was so astoundedat the sudden calamity that he remained rooted to the ground at the spotwhere, fortunately for himself, unnoticed by the assailants, he hadstood when they first burst from their concealment. 

For a short time he hesitated as to the course he should take. 

The men-at-arms who remained in the castle were scarce strong enough torescue the child, whose captors would no doubt be reinforced by a farstronger party lurking near. 

The main body of Sir Walter's followers were deep in the recesses of theforest, and this lay altogether out of the line for Wortham, and therewould be no chance whatever of bringing them up in time to cut off themarauders on their way back. 

There remained only the outlaws, who by this time would be in LangholmForest, perhaps within a mile or two of the castle itself. 

The road by which the horsemen would travel would be far longer thanthe direct line across country, and he resolved at once to strain everynerve to reach his friends in time to get them to interpose between thecaptors of the Lady Margaret and their stronghold. 

For an instant he hesitated whether to run back to Erstwood to get ahorse; but he decided that it would be as quick to go on foot, and fareasier so to find the outlaws. 

These thoughts occupied but a few moments, and he at once started at thetop of his speed for his long run across the country. 

Had Cuthbert been running in a race of hare and hound, he wouldassuredly have borne away the prize from most boys of his age. Atheadlong pace he made across the country, every foot of which, as far asthe edge of Langholm Chase, he knew by heart. 

The distance to the woods was some twelve miles, and in an hour and ahalf from the moment of his starting Cuthbert was deep within itsshades. Where he would be likely to find the outlaws he knew not; and, putting a whistle to his lips, he shrilly blew the signal, which would, he knew, be recognized by any of the band within hearing. 

He thought that he heard an answer, but was not certain, and againdashed forward, almost as speedily as if he had but just started. 

Five minutes later a man stood in the glade up which he was running. Herecognized him at once as one of Cnut's party. 

"Where are the band?" he gasped. 

"Half a mile or so to the right, " replied the man. 

Guided by the man, Cuthbert ran at full speed, till, panting and scarceable to speak, he arrived at the spot where Cnut's band were gathered. 

In a few words he told them what had happened, and although they hadjust been chased by the father of the captured child, there was not amoment of hesitation in promising their aid to rescue her from a manwhom they regarded as a far more bitter enemy, both of themselves andtheir race. 

"I fear we shall be too late to cut them off, " Cnut said, "they have solong a start; but at least we will waste no time in gossiping. "

Winding a horn to call together some of the members of the band who hadscattered, and leaving one at the meeting-place to give instructions tothe rest, Cnut, followed by those assembled there, went off at aswinging trot through the glades toward Wortham Castle. 

After a rapid calculation of distances, and allowing for the fact thatthe baron's men--knowing that Sir Walter's retainers and friends wereall deep in the forest, and even if they heard of the outrage could notbe on their traces for hours--would take matters quietly, Cnut concludedthat they had arrived in time. 

Turning off, they made their way along the edge of the wood, to thepoint where the road from Evesham ran through the forest. 

Scarcely had the party reached this point when they heard a faintclatter of steel. 

"Here they come!" exclaimed Cuthbert. 

Cnut gave rapid directions, and the band took up their posts behind thetrees, on either side of the path. 

"Remember, " Cnut said, "above all things be careful not to hit thechild, but pierce the horse on which she is riding. The instant hefalls, rush forward. We must trust to surprise to give us the victory. "

Three minutes later the head of a band of horsemen was seen through thetrees. They were some thirty in number, and, closely grouped as theywere together, the watchers behind the trees could not see the form ofthe child carried in their midst. 

When they came abreast of the concealed outlaws Cnut gave a sharpwhistle, and fifty arrows flew from tree and bush into the closelygathered party of horsemen. More than half their number fell at once;some, drawing their swords, endeavored to rush at their concealed foes, while others dashed forward in the hope of riding through the snare intowhich they had fallen. Cuthbert had leveled his crossbow, but had notfired; he was watching with intense anxiety for a glimpse of thebright-colored dress of the child. Soon he saw a horseman separatehimself from the rest and dash forward at full speed. Several arrowsflew by him, and one or two struck the horse on which he rode. 

The animal, however, kept on its way. 

Cuthbert leveled his crossbow on the low arm of a tree, and as the ridercame abreast of him touched the trigger, and the steel-pointed quarrelflew true and strong against the temple of the passing horseman. He fellfrom his horse like a stone, and the well-trained animal at once stoodstill by the side of his rider. 

Cuthbert leaped forward, and to his delight the child at once opened herarms and cried in a joyous tone:

"Cuthbert!"

The fight was still raging fiercely, and Cuthbert, raising her from theground, ran with her into the wood, where they remained hidden until thecombat ceased, and the last survivors of the baron's band had riddenpast toward the castle. 

Then Cuthbert went forward with his charge and joined the band ofoutlaws, who, absorbed in the fight, had not witnessed the incident ofher rescue, and now received them with loud shouts of joy and triumph. 

"This is a good day's work indeed for all, " Cuthbert said; "it will makeof the earl a firm friend instead of a bitter enemy; and I doubt notthat better days are dawning for Evesham Forest. "

A litter was speedily made with boughs; on this Margaret was placed, andon the shoulders of two stout foresters started for home, Cnut andCuthbert walking beside, and a few of the band keeping at a shortdistance behind, as a sort of rearguard, should the baron attempt toregain his prey. 

There was now no cause for speed, and Cuthbert in truth could scarcedrag one foot before another, for he had already traversed over twentymiles, the greater portion of the distance at his highest rate of speed. 

Cnut offered to have a litter made for him also, but this Cuthbertindignantly refused; however, in the forest they came upon the hut of asmall cultivator, who had a rough forest pony, which was borrowed forCuthbert's use. 

It was late in the afternoon before they came in sight of EveshamCastle. From the distance could be seen bodies of armed men gallopingtoward it, and it was clear that only now the party were returning fromthe wood, and had learned the news of the disappearance of the earl'sdaughter, and of the finding of the bodies of her attendants. 

Presently they met one of the mounted retainers riding at headlongspeed. 

"Have you heard or seen anything, " he shouted, as he approached, "of theLady Margaret? She is missing, and foul play has taken place. "

"Here I am, Rudolph, " cried the child, sitting up on the rude litter. 

The horseman gave a cry of astonishment and pleasure, and without a wordwheeled his horse and galloped past back at headlong speed toward thecastle. 

As Cuthbert and the party approached the gate the earl himself, surrounded by his knights and followers, rode out hastily from the gateand halted in front of the little party. The litter was lowered, and ashe dismounted from his horse his daughter sprang out and leaped into hisarms. 

For a few minutes the confusion and babble of tongues were too great foranything to be heard, but Cuthbert, as soon as order was somewhatrestored, stated what had happened, and the earl was moved to fury atthe news of the outrage which had been perpetrated by the Baron ofWortham upon his daughter and at the very gates of his castle, and alsoat the thought that she should have been saved by the bravery anddevotion of the very men against whom he had so lately been vowingvengeance in the depths of the forest. 

"This is not a time, " he said to Cnut, "for talk or making promises, butbe assured that henceforth the deer of Evesham Chase are as free to youand your men as to me. Forest laws or no forest laws, I will no morelift a hand against men to whom I owe so much. Come when you will to thecastle, my friends, and let us talk over what can be done to raise youroutlawry and restore you to an honest career again. "

Cuthbert returned home tired, but delighted with his day's work, andDame Editha was surprised indeed with the tale of adventure he had totell. The next morning he went over to the castle, and heard that agrand council had been held the evening before, and that it had beendetermined to attack Wortham Castle and to raze it to the ground. 

Immediately on hearing of his arrival, the earl, after again expressinghis gratitude for the rescue of his daughter, asked him if he would gointo the forest and invite the outlaws to join their forces with thoseof the castle to attack the baron. 

Cuthbert willingly undertook the mission, as he felt that this alliancewould further strengthen the position of the forest men. 

When he arrived there was some considerable consultation and discussionbetween the outlaws as to the expediency of mixing themselves in thequarrels between the Norman barons. However, Cnut persuaded them that asthe Baron of Wortham was an enemy and oppressor of all Saxons, it was infact their own quarrel that they were fighting rather than that of theearl, and they therefore agreed to give their aid, and promised to be atthe rendezvous outside the castle to be attacked soon after dawn nextmorning. Cuthbert returned with the news which gave great satisfactionto the earl. 

The castle was now a scene of bustle and business; armorers were at workrepairing headpieces and breastplates, sharpening swords andbattle-axes, while the fletchers prepared sheaves of arrows. In thecourtyard a number of men were engaged oiling the catapults, ballistas, and other machines for hurling stones. All were discussing the chancesof the assault, for it was no easy matter which they had set themselvesto do. Wortham Hold was an extremely strong one, and it needed all andmore than all the machines at their disposal to undertake so formidablean operation as a siege. 

The garrison, too, were strong and desperate; and the baron, knowingwhat must follow his outrage of the day before, would have been sure tosend off messengers round the country begging his friends to come tohis assistance. Cuthbert had begged permission of his mother to ask theearl to allow him to join as a volunteer, but she would not hear of it. Neither would she suffer him to mingle with the foresters. The utmostthat he could obtain was that he might go as a spectator, with strictinjunctions to keep himself out of the fray, and as far as possiblebeyond bow-shot of the castle wall. 

It was a force of some four hundred strong that issued from the woodearly next morning to attack the stronghold at Wortham. The forceconsisted of some ten or twelve knights and barons, some one hundred andfifty or one hundred and sixty Norman men-at-arms, a miscellaneousgathering of other retainers, two hundred strong, and some eighty of theforest men. These last were not to fight under the earl's banner, butwere to act on their own account. There were among them outlaws, escapedserfs, and some men guilty of bloodshed. The earl then could not havesuffered these men to fight under his flag until purged in some way oftheir offenses. 

This arrangement suited the foresters well. 

Their strong point was shooting; and by taking up their own position, and following their own tactics, under the leadership of Cnut, theywould be able to do far more execution, and that with less risk tothemselves, than if compelled to fight according to the fashion of theNormans. 

As they approached the castle a trumpet was blown, and the heraldadvancing, demanded its surrender, stigmatized the Baron of Wortham as afalse knight and a disgrace to his class and warned all those withinthe castle to abstain from giving him aid or countenance, but to submitthemselves to the earl, Sir Walter of Evesham, the representative ofKing Richard. 

The reply to the summons was a burst of taunting laughter from thewalls; and scarcely had the herald withdrawn than a flight of arrowsshowed that the besieged were perfectly ready for the fray. 

Indeed the baron had not been idle. Already the dispute between himselfand the earl had come to such a point that it was certain that sooner orlater open hostilities would break out. 

He had therefore been for some time quietly accumulating a large storeof provisions and munitions of war, and strengthening the castle inevery way. 

The moat had been cleaned out, and filled to the brim with water. Greatquantities of heavy stones had been accumulated on the most exposedpoints of the walls, in readiness to hurl upon any who might try toclimb. Huge sheaves of arrows and piles of crossbow bolts were inreadiness, and in all, save the number of men, Wortham had for weeksbeen prepared for the siege. 

On the day when the attempt to carry off the earl's daughter had failed, the baron, seeing that his bold stroke to obtain a hostage which wouldhave enabled him to make his own terms with the earl had been thwarted, knew that the struggle was inevitable. 

Fleet messengers had been sent in all directions. To Gloucester andHereford, Stafford, and even Oxford, men had ridden, with letters to thebaron's friends, beseeching them to march to his assistance. 

"I can, " he said, "defend my hold for weeks. But it is only by aid fromwithout that I can finally hope to break the power of this baggart[Transcriber's note: sic] earl. "

Many of those to whom he addressed his call had speedily complied withhis demand, while those at a distance might be expected to reply laterto the appeal. 

There were many among the barons who considered the mildness of the Earlof Evesham toward the Saxons in his district to be a mistake, and who, although not actually approving of the tyranny and brutality of theBaron of Wortham, yet looked upon his cause to some extent as their own. 

The Castle of Wortham stood upon ground but very slightly elevated abovethe surrounding country. A deep and wide moat ran round it, and thiscould, by diverting a rivulet, be filled at will. 

From the edge of the moat the walls rose high, and with strong flankingtowers and battlements. 

There were strong works also beyond the moat opposite to the drawbridge;while in the center of the castle rose the keep, from whose summit thearchers, and the machines for casting stones and darts, could commandthe whole circuit of defense. 

As Cuthbert, accompanied by one of the hinds of the farm, took his posthigh up in a lofty tree, where at his ease he could command a view ofthe proceedings, he marveled much in what manner an attack upon so faira fortress would be commenced. 

"It will be straightforward work to attack the outwork, " he said, "butthat once won, I see not how we are to proceed against the castleitself. The machines that the earl has will scarcely hurl stones strongenough even to knock the mortar from the walls. Ladders are uselesswhere they cannot be planted; and if the garrison are as brave as thecastle is strong, methinks that the earl has embarked upon a businessthat will keep him here till next spring. "

There was little time lost in commencing the conflict. 

The foresters, skirmishing up near to the castle, and taking advantageof every inequality in the ground, of every bush and tuft of high grass, worked up close to the moat, and then opened a heavy fire with theirbows against the men-at-arms on the battlements, and prevented theirusing the machines against the main force now advancing to the attackupon the outwork. 

This was stoutly defended. But the impetuosity of the earl, backed as itwas by the gallantry of the knights serving under him, carried allobstacles. 

The narrow moat which encircled this work was speedily filled with greatbundles of brushwood, which had been prepared the previous night. Acrossthese the assailants rushed. 

Some thundered at the gate with their battle-axes, while others placedladders by which, although several times hurled backward by thedefenders, they finally succeeded in getting a footing on the wall. 

Once there, the combat was virtually over. 

The defenders were either cut down or taken prisoners, and in two hoursafter the assault began the outwork of Wortham Castle was taken. 

This, however, was but the commencement of the undertaking, and it hadcost more than twenty lives to the assailants. 

They were now, indeed, little nearer to capturing the castle than theyhad been before. 

The moat was wide and deep. The drawbridge had been lifted at theinstant that the first of the assailants gained a footing upon the wall. And now that the outwork was captured, a storm of arrows, stones, andother missiles was poured into it from the castle walls, and rendered itimpossible for any of its new masters to show themselves above it. 

Seeing that any sudden attack was impossible, the earl now directed astrong body to cut down trees, and prepare a moveable bridge to throwacross the moat. 

This would be a work of fully two days; and in the meantime Cuthbertreturned to the farm. 

CHAPTER III. 

THE CAPTURE OF WORTHAM HOLD. 

Upon his return home, after relating to his mother the events of themorning's conflict, Cuthbert took his way to the cottage inhabited by anold man who had in his youth been a mason. 

"Have I not heard, Gurth, " he said, "that you helped to build the Castleof Wortham?"

"No, no, young sir, " he said; "old as I am, I was a child when thecastle was built. My father worked at it, and it cost him, and manyothers, his life. "

"And how was that, prithee?" asked Cuthbert. 

"He was, with several others, killed by the baron, the grandfather ofthe present man, when the work was finished. "

"But why was that, Gurth?"

"We were but Saxon swine, " said Gurth bitterly, "and a few of us more orless mattered not. We were then serfs of the baron. But my mother fledwith me on the news of my father's death. For years we remained far awaywith some friends in a forest near Oxford. Then she pined for her nativeair, and came back and entered the service of the franklin. "

"But why should your mother have taken you away?" Cuthbert asked. 

"She always believed, Master Cuthbert, that my father was killed by thebaron to prevent him giving any news of the secrets of the castle. Heand some others had been kept in the walls for many months, and wereengaged in the making of secret passages. "

"That is just what I came to ask you, Gurth. I have heard something ofthis story before, and now that we are attacking Wortham Castle, and theearl has sworn to level it to the ground, it is of importance ifpossible to find out whether any of the secret passages lead beyond thecastle, and if so, where. Almost all the castles have, I have been told, an exit by which the garrison can at will make sorties or escape; and Ithought that maybe you might have heard enough to give us some clue asto the existence of such a passage at Wortham. "

The old man thought for some time in silence and then said:

"I may be mistaken, but methinks a diligent search in the copse near thestream might find the mouth of the outlet. "

"What makes you think that this is so, Gurth?"

"I had been with my mother to carry some clothes to my father on thelast occasion on which I saw him. As we neared the castle I saw myfather and three other of the workmen, together with the baron, comingdown from the castle toward the spot. As my mother did not wish toapproach while the baron was at hand, we stood within the trees at theedge of the wood and watched what was being done. The baron came withthem down to the bushes, and then they again came out, crossed theriver, and one of them cut some willows, peeled them, and erected thewhite staves in a line toward the castle. They walked for a bit on eachside, and seemed to be making calculations. Then they went back into thecastle, and I never saw my father again. "

"Why did you not go in at once according to your intention?"

"Because my mother said that she thought some important work was onhand, and that maybe the baron would not like that women should knowaught of it, for he was of suspicious and evil mind. More than this Iknow not. The castle had already been finished and most of the masonsdischarged. There were, however, a party of serfs kept at work, and alsosome masons, and rumor had it that they were engaged in making thesecret passages. Whether it was so or not I cannot say, but I know thatnone of that party ever left the castle alive. It was given out that abad fever had raged there, but none believed it; and the report wentabout, and was I doubt not true, that all had been killed, to preservethe secret of the passage. "

Cuthbert lost no time in making use of the information that he hadgained. 

Early next morning, at daybreak, he started on his pony to Wortham. 

As he did not wish the earl or his followers to know the facts that hehad learned until they were proved, he made his way round the camp ofthe besiegers, and by means of his whistle called one of the forestersto him. 

"Where is Cnut?" he asked. 

"He is with a party occupied in making ladders. "

"Go to him, " Cuthbert said, "and tell him to withdraw quietly and makehis way here. I have an important matter on which I wish to speak tohim. "

Cnut arrived in a few minutes, somewhat wondering at the message. Hebrightened greatly when Cuthbert told him what he had learned. 

"This is indeed important, " he said. "We will lose no time in searchingthe copse you speak of. You and I, together with two of my most trustymen, with axes to clear away the brush, will do. At present a thing ofthis sort had best be kept between as few as may be. "

They started at once and soon came down upon the stream. 

It ran at this point in a little valley, some twenty or thirty feetdeep. On the bank not far from the castle grew a small wood, and it wasin this that Cuthbert hoped to find the passage spoken of by Gurth. 

The trees and brushwood were so thick that it was apparent at once thatif the passage had ever existed it had been unused for some years. 

The woodmen were obliged to chop down dozens of young saplings to maketheir way up from the water toward the steeper part of the bank. 

The wood was some fifty yards in length, and as it was uncertain atwhich point the passage had come out, a very minute search had to bemade. 

"What do you think it would be like, Cnut?" Cuthbert asked. 

"Like enough to a rabbit-hole, or more likely still there would be nohole whatever. We must look for moss and greenery, for it is likely thatsuch would have been planted, so as to conceal the door from anypasser-by, while yet allowing a party from inside to cut their waythrough it without difficulty. "

After a search of two hours, Cnut decided that the only place in thecopse in which it was likely that the entrance to a passage could behidden was a spot where the ground was covered thickly with ivy andtrailing plants. 

"It looks level enough with the rest, " Cuthbert said. 

"Ay, lad, but we know not what lies behind this thick screen of ivy. Thrust in that staff. "

One of the woodmen began to probe with the end of a staff among the ivy. For some time he was met by the solid ground, but presently the butt ofthe staff went through suddenly, pitching him on his head, amid asuppressed laugh from his comrades. 

"Here it is, if anywhere, " said Cnut, and with their billhooks they atonce began to clear away the thickly grown creepers. 

Five minutes' work was sufficient to show a narrow cut, some two feetwide, in the hillside, at the end of which stood a low door. 

"Here it is, " said Cnut, with triumph, "and the castle is ours. Thanks, Cuthbert, for your thought and intelligence. It has not been usedlately, that is clear, " he went on. "These creepers have not been movedfor years. Shall we go and tell the earl of our discovery? What thinkyou, Cuthbert?"

"I think we had better not, " Cuthbert said. 

"We might not succeed in getting in, as the passage may have fallenfurther along; but I will speak to him and tell him that we havesomething on hand which may alter his dispositions for fightingto-morrow. "

Cuthbert made his way to the earl, who had taken possession of a smallcottage a short distance from the castle. 

"What can I do for you?" Sir Walter said. 

"I want to ask you, sir, not to attack the castle to-morrow until yousee a white flag waved from the keep. "

"But how on earth is a white flag to be raised from the keep?"

"It may be, " Cuthbert said, "that I have some friends inside who will beable to make a diversion in our favor. However, sir, it can do no harmif you will wait till then, and may save many lives. At what hour do youmean to attack ?"

"The bridges and all other preparations to assist us across the moatwill be ready to-night. We will advance then under cover of darkness, and as soon after dawn as may be attack in earnest. "

"Very well, sir, " Cuthbert said. "I trust that within five minutes afteryour bugle has sounded the white flag will make its appearance on thekeep, but it cannot do so until after you have commenced an attack, orat least a pretense of an attack. "

Two or three hours before daylight Cuthbert accompanied Cnut andtwenty-five picked men of the foresters to the copse. They were providedwith crowbars, and all carried heavy axes. The door was soon pried open. It opened silently and without a creak. 

"It may be, " Cnut said, "that the door has not been opened as you sayfor years, but it is certain, " and he placed his torch to the hinges, "that it has been well oiled within the last two or three days. No doubtthe baron intended to make his escape this way, should the worst arrive. Now that we have the door open we had better wait quiet until the dawncommences. The earl will blow his bugle as a signal for the advance; itwill be another ten minutes before they are fairly engaged, and thatwill be enough for us to break open any doors that there may be betweenthis and the castle, and to force our way inside. "

It seemed a long time waiting before the dawn fairly broke--still longerbefore the earl's bugle was heard to sound the attack. Then the band, headed by Cnut and two or three of the strongest of the party enteredthe passage. 

Cuthbert had had some misgivings as to his mother's injunctions to takeno part in the fray, and it cannot be said that in accompanying theforesters he obeyed the letter of her instructions. At the same time ashe felt sure that the effect of a surprise would be complete andcrushing, and that the party would gain the top of the keep without anyserious resistance, he considered the risk was so small as to justifyhim in accompanying the foresters. 

The passage was some five feet high, and little more than two feet wide. It was dry and dusty, and save the marks on the ground of a human footgoing and returning, doubtless that of the man who had oiled the lockthe day before, the passage appeared to have been unused from the timethat it left the hands of its builders. 

Passing along for some distance they came to another strong oaken door. This, like the last, yielded to the efforts of the crowbars of theforesters, and they again advanced. Presently they came to a flight ofsteps. 

"We must now be near the castle, " Cnut said. "In fact, methinks I canhear confused noises ahead. "

Mounting the steps, they came to a third door; this was thickly studdedwith iron, and appeared of very great strength. Fortunately the lock wasupon their side, and they were enabled to shoot the bolt; but upon theother side the door was firmly secured by large bolts, and it was fullyfive minutes before the foresters could succeed in opening it. It wasnot without a good deal of noise that they at last did so; and severaltimes they paused, fearing that the alarm must have been given in thecastle. As, however, the door remained closed, they supposed that theoccupants were fully engaged in defending themselves from the attacks ofthe earl's party. 

When the door gave way they found hanging across in front of them a verythick arras, and pressing this aside they entered a small room in thethickness of the wall of the keep. It contained the merest slit forlight, and was clearly unused. Another door, this time unfastened, ledinto a larger apartment, which was also at present unoccupied. Theycould hear now the shouts of the combatants without, the loud ordersgiven by the leaders on the walls, the crack, as the stones hurled bythe mangonels struck the walls, and the ring of steel as the arrowsstruck against steel cap and cuirass. 

"It is fortunate that all were so well engaged, or they would certainlyhave heard the noise of our forcing the door, which would have broughtall of them upon us. As it is, we are in the heart of the keep. We havenow but to make a rush up these winding steps, and methinks we shallfind ourselves on the battlements. They will be so surprised that noreal resistance can be offered to us. Now let us advance. "

So saying Cnut led the way upstairs, followed by the foresters, Cuthbert, as before, allowing five or six of them to intervene betweenhim and the leader. He carried his short sword and a quarterstaff, aweapon by no means to be despised in the hands of an active andexperienced player. 

Presently, after mounting some fifty or sixty steps, they issued on theplatform of the keep. Here were gathered some thirty or forty men, whowere so busied in shooting with crossbows, and in working machinescasting javelins, stones, and other missiles upon the besiegers, thatthey were unaware of the addition to their numbers until the whole ofthe foresters had gathered on the summit, and at the order of Cnutsuddenly fell upon them with a loud shout. 

Taken wholly by surprise by the foe, who seemed to have risen from thebowels of the earth by magic, the soldiers of the Baron of Worthamoffered but a feeble resistance. Some were cast over the battlement ofthe keep, some driven down staircases, others cut down, and then, Cuthbert fastening a small white flag he had prepared to hisquarterstaff, waved it above the battlements. 

Even now the combatants on the outer wall were in ignorance of what hadhappened in the keep; so great was the din that the struggle which hadthere taken place had passed unnoticed; and it was not until thefugitives, rushing out into the courtyard, shouted that the keep hadbeen captured, that the besieged became aware of the imminence of thedanger. 

[Illustration: CUTHBERT FASTENED A SMALL WHITE FLAG TO HIS QUARTER-STAFFAND WAIVED IT ABOVE THE BATTLEMENTS. ]

Hitherto the battle had been going well for the defenders of thecastle. The Baron of Wortham was indeed surprised at the feebleness ofthe assault. The arrows which had fallen in clouds upon the first day'sattack upon the castle among his soldiers were now comparatively few andineffective. The besiegers scarcely appeared to push forward theirbridges with any vigor, and it seemed to him that a coldness had fallenupon them, and that some disagreement must have arisen between theforesters and the earl, completely crippling the energy of the attack. 

When he heard the words shouted from the courtyard below he could notbelieve his ears. That the keep behind should have been carried by theenemy appeared to him impossible. With a roar he called upon the bravestof his men to follow, and rushing across the courtyard, rapidly ascendedthe staircase. The movement was observed from the keep, and Cnut and afew of his men stationed themselves with their battle-axes at the top ofvarious stairs leading below. 

The signal shown by Cuthbert had not passed unobserved. The earl, whohad given instructions to his followers to make a mere feint ofattacking, now blew the signal for the real onslaught. The bridges wererapidly run across the moat, ladders were planted, and the garrisonbeing paralyzed and confused by the attack in their rear, as well ashindered by the arrows which now flew down upon them from the keepabove, offered but a feeble resistance, and the assailants, led by SirWalter himself, poured over the walls. 

Now there was a scene of confusion and desperate strife. The baron hadjust gained the top of the stairs, and was engaged in a fierce conflictwith Cnut and his men, when the news reached him that the wall wascarried from without. With an execration he again turned and rushed downthe stairs, hoping by a vigorous effort to cast back the foe. 

It was, however, all too late; his followers, disheartened and alarmed, fought without method or order in scattered groups of threes and fours. They made their last stand in corners and passages. They knew there wasbut little hope of mercy from the Saxon foresters, and against thesethey fought to the last. To the Norman retainers, however, of the earlthey offered a less determined resistance, throwing down their arms andsurrendering at discretion. 

The baron, when fiercely fighting, was slain by an arrow from the keepabove, and with his fall the last resistance ceased. A short time wasspent in searching the castle, binding the prisoners, and carrying offthe valuables that the baron had collected in his raids. Then a lightwas set to the timbers, the granaries were fired, and in a few minutesthe smoke wreathing out of the various loopholes and openings told thecountry round that the stronghold had fallen, and that they were freefrom the oppressor at last. 

CHAPTER IV. 

THE CRUSADES. 

Warm thanks and much praise were bestowed upon Cuthbert for his share inthe capture of the castle, and the earl, calling the foresters roundhim, then and there bestowed freedom upon any of them who might havebeen serfs of his, and called upon all his knights and neighbors to dothe same, in return for the good service which they had rendered. 

This was willingly done, and a number of Cnut's party, who had beforeborne the stigma of escaped serfs, were now free men. 

We are too apt to forget, in our sympathy with the Saxons, that, fond asthey were of freedom for themselves, they were yet severe masters, andkept the mass of the people in a state of serfage. Although their lawsprovided ample justice as between Saxon man and man, there was nojustice for the unhappy serfs, who were either the original inhabitantsor captives taken in war, and who were distinguished by a collar ofbrass or iron round their neck. 

Cnut's party had indeed long got rid of these badges, the first act of aserf when he took to the woods being always to file off his collar; butthey were liable when caught to be punished, even by death, and weredelighted at having achieved their freedom. 

"And what can I do for you, Cuthbert?" Sir Walter said, as they rodehomeward. "It is to you that I am indebted: in the first place for therescue of my daughter, in the second for the capture of that castle, which I doubt me much whether we should ever have taken in fair fighthad it not been for your aid. "

"Thanks, Sir Walter, " the lad replied. "At present I need nothing, butshould the time come when you may go to the wars I would fain ride withyou as your page, in the hope of some day winning my spurs also in thefield. "

"So shall it be, " the earl said, "and right willingly. But who have wehere?"

As he spoke a horseman rode up and presented a paper to the earl. 

"This is a notice, " the earl said, after perusing it, "that King Richardhas determined to take up the cross, and that he calls upon his noblesand barons to join him in the effort to free the holy sepulcher from theinfidels. I doubt whether the minds of the people are quite prepared, but I hear that there has been much preaching by friars and monks insome parts, and that many are eager to join in the war. "

"Think you that you will go to the war, Sir Walter?" Cuthbert asked. 

"I know not as yet; it must much depend upon the king's mood. For myselfI care not so greatly as some do about this question of the Holy Land. There has been blood enough shed already to drown it, and we are nonearer than when the first swarms of pilgrims made their way thither. "

On Cuthbert's returning home and telling his mother all that had passed, she shook her head, but said that she could not oppose his wishes to gowith the earl when the time should come, and that it was only right heshould follow in the footsteps of the good knight his father. 

"I have heard much of these Crusades, " he said; "canst tell me aboutthem?"

"In truth I know not much, my son; but Father Francis, I doubt not, cantell you all the particulars anent the affair. "

The next time that Father Francis, who was the special adviser of DameEditha, rode over from the convent on his ambling nag, Cuthbert eagerlyasked him if he would tell him what he knew of the Crusades. 

"Hitherto, my son, " he said, "the Crusades have, it must be owned, brought many woes upon Europe. From the early times great swarms ofpilgrims were accustomed to go from all parts of Europe to the holyshrines. 

"When the followers of the evil prophet took possession of the land, they laid grievous burdens upon the pilgrims, heavily they fined them, persecuted them in every way, and treated them as if indeed they werebut the scum of the earth under their feet. 

"So terrible were the tales that reached Europe that men came to thinkthat it would be a good deed truly to wrest the sepulcher of the Lordfrom the hands of these heathens. Pope Urban was the first to giveauthority and strength to the movement, and at a vast meeting atClaremont of thirty thousand clergy and four thousand barons, it wasdecided that war must be made against the infidel. From all parts ofFrance men flocked to hear Pope Urban preach there; and when he hadfinished his oration the vast multitude, carried away by enthusiasm, swore to win the holy sepulcher or to die. 

"Mighty was the throng that gathered for the First Crusade. Monks threwaside their gowns and took to the sword and cuirass; even women andchildren joined in the throng. What, my son, could be expected from agreat army so formed? Without leaders, without discipline, withouttactics, without means of getting food, they soon became a scourge ofthe country through which they passed. 

"Passing through Hungary, where they greatly ravaged the fields, theycame to Bulgaria. Here the people, struck with astonishment and dismayat this great horde of hungry people who arrived among them likelocusts, fell upon them with the sword, and great numbers fell. Thefirst band that passed into that country perished miserably, and of allthat huge assembly, it may be said that, numbering at the start not lessthan two hundred and fifty thousand persons, only about one hundredthousand crossed into Asia Minor. The fate of these was no better thanthat of those who had perished in Hungary and Bulgaria. After grievoussuffering and loss they at last reached Nicaea. There they fell into anambuscade; and out of the whole of the undisciplined masses who hadfollowed Peter the Hermit, it is doubtful whether ten thousand everreturned home. 

"This first attempt to rescue the holy sepulcher was followed by othersequally wild, misguided, and unfortunate. Some of them indeed begantheir evil deeds as soon as they had left their home. The last of thesebodies fell upon the Jews, who are indeed enemies of the Christianfaith, but who have now, at least, nothing to do with the question ofthe holy sepulcher. As soon as they entered into Germany the Crusadersput them to death with horrible torture. Plunder and rapine indeedappeared to be the object of the Crusaders. On this as well as on mostother preceding bands, their misdeeds drew down the vengeance of thepeople. At an early period of their march, and as soon as they reachedHungary, the people fell upon them, and put the greater portion to thesword. 

"Thus, in these irregular expeditions no less than five hundred thousandpeople are supposed to have perished. Godfrey de Bouillon was the firstwho undertook to lead a Crusade according to the military knowledge ofthe day. With him were his brothers Eustace and Baldwin, the Counts ofAnault and St. Paul, and many other nobles and gentlemen, with theirretainers, well armed and under good order; and so firm was thediscipline of Duke Godfrey that they were allowed to pass freely by thepeople of the countries who had opposed the previous bands. 

"Through Hungary, Bulgaria, and Thrace he made his way; and though hemet with many difficulties from Alexius, the crafty and treacherousEmperor of the Greeks, he at last succeeded in crossing into Asia. Therehe was joined by many from England, as well as from France and othercountries. Duke Robert, the son of our first William, led a strong bandof Normans to the war, as did the other great princes of France andSpain. 

"The army which crossed the narrow passage of the Hellespont isestimated at no less than seven hundred thousand fighting men. Of theseone hundred thousand were knights clad in complete armor, the remainderwere men-at-arms and bowmen. 

"Nicaea, the place which had been the scene of the massacre of Peter theHermit's hosts, was taken after a desperate conflict, lasting for manyweeks, and the Crusaders afterward defeated the Turks in a great battlenear the town of Doryleum. After these successes disputes arose amongthe leaders, and Count Baldwin, brother of Duke Godfrey, left the mainbody with about fifteen hundred men, and founded a kingdom for himselfin Mesopotamia. 

"The main body, slowly and painfully, and suffering from disease, famine, and the heat, made its way south. Antioch, a city of greatstrength and importance, was besieged, but it proved so strong that itresisted for many months, and was at last only taken by treachery. 

"After the capture of this place the sufferings of the Crusaders so farfrom being diminished were redoubled. They themselves during the siegehad bought up all the food that could be brought from the surroundingcountry, while the magazines of the town were found, when an entry waseffected, to be entirely deserted. The enemy, aided by a great Persianhost, came down, and those who had been the besiegers were now besieged. However, when in the last strait the Christian army sallied out, andinspired with supernatural strength, defeated the Turks and Persians, with a slaughter of one hundred thousand men. Another slow movement tothe south brought them into the Holy Land, and pressing forward, theycame at last within sight of Jerusalem itself. 

"So fearful had been the losses of the Crusaders that of seven hundredthousand who crossed the Hellespont, not more than forty thousandreached the end of the pilgrimage. This fragment of an army, which hadappeared before a very strongly fortified town, possessed no means ofcapturing the place--none of the machines of war necessary for thepurpose, no provisions or munitions of any kind. Water was scarce also;and it appeared as if the remnant of the great army of Godfrey deBouillon had arrived before Jerusalem only to perish there. 

"Happily just at this time a further band of Crusaders from Genoa, whohad reached Jaffa, made their appearance. They were provided withstores, and had skilled workmen capable of making the machines for thesiege. On July 14, 1099, the attack was made, and after resistancegallant and desperate as the assault, the Crusaders burst into the city, massacred the whole of the defenders and inhabitants, calculated atseventy thousand in number, and so became masters of the holy sepulcher. 

"The Sultan of Egypt was meanwhile advancing to the assistance of theMohammedans of Syria; but Godfrey, with twenty thousand of his best men, advanced to meet the vast host, and scattered them as if they had beensheep. Godfrey was now chosen King of Jerusalem, and the rest of hisarmy--save three hundred knights and two hundred soldiers, who agreed toremain with him--returned to their home. The news of the victory ledother armies of Crusaders to follow the example of that of Godfrey; butas these were almost as completely without organization or leadership asthose of Peter the Hermit, they suffered miserably on their way, and fewindeed ever reached the Holy Land. Godfrey died in 1100, and his brotherBaldwin succeeded him. 

"The history of the last hundred years has been full of fresh efforts tocrush the Moslem power, but hitherto it cannot be said that fortune hasattended the efforts of the Christians. Had it not been indeed for thedevotion of the Knights of St. John and of the Templars, two greatcompanies formed of men who devoted their lives to the holding of thesepulcher against the infidel, our hold of the Holy Land would have beenlost. 

"Gradually the Saracens have wrested post after post from our hands. Edessa was taken in 1144, and the news of this event created an intenseexcitement. The holy St. Bernard stirred up all France, and Louis VII. Himself took the vow and headed a noble army. The ways of God are notour ways, and although the army of Germany joined that of France, butlittle results came of this great effort. 

"The Emperor Conrad, with the Germans, was attacked by the Turk Saladinof Iconium, and was defeated with a loss of sixty thousand men. The Kingof France, with his army, was also attacked with fury, and a largeportion of his force were slaughtered. Nothing more came of this greateffort, and while the first Crusade seemed to show that the men-at-armsof Europe were irresistible, the second on the contrary gave proof thatthe Turks were equal to the Christian knights. Gradually the Christianhold of the Holy Land was shaken. In 1187, although fighting withextraordinary bravery, the small army of Christian Knights of the Templeand of St. John were annihilated, the King of Jerusalem was madeprisoner, and the Christian power was crushed. Then Saladin, whocommanded the Turks, advanced against Jerusalem, and forced it tocapitulate. 

"Such, my boy, is the last sad news which has reached us; and no wonderthat it has stirred the hearts of the monarchs of Europe, and that everyeffort will be again made to recapture the holy sepulcher, and to avengeour brethren who have been murdered by the infidels. "

"But, Father Francis, from your story it would seem that Europe hasalready sacrificed an enormous number of lives to take the holysepulcher, and that after all the fighting, when she has taken it, it isonly to lose it again. "

"That is so, my son; but we will trust that in future things will bebetter managed. The Templars and Hospitalers now number so vast a numberof the best lances in Europe, and are grown to be such great powers, that we may believe that when we have again wrested the holy sepulcherfrom the hands of the infidels they will be able to maintain it againstall assaults. Doubtless the great misfortunes which have fallen upon theChristian armies have been a punishment from heaven, because they havenot gone to work in the right spirit. It is not enough to take up lanceand shield, and to place a red cross upon the shoulder. Those who desireto fight the battle of the Lord must cleanse their hearts, and go forthin the spirit of pilgrims rather than knights. I mean not that theyshould trust wholly to spiritual weapons--for in truth the infidel is afoe not to be despised--but I mean that they should lay aside allthoughts of worldly glory and rivalry one against another. "

"And think you, Father, that such is the spirit with which King Richardand the other kings and nobles now preparing to go to the Holy Land areanimated?"

Father Francis hesitated. 

"It is not for me, my son, to judge motives, or to speak well or ill ofthe instruments who have been chosen for this great work. It is of allworks the most praiseworthy, most holy. It is horrible to think that theholy shrines of Jerusalem should be in the hands of men who believe notin our Redeemer; and I hold it to be the duty of every man who can beararms, no matter what his rank or his station, to don his armor and to goforth to battle in the cause. Whether success will crown the effort, orwhether God wills it otherwise, it is not for man to discuss; it isenough that the work is there, and it is our duty to do it. "

"And think you, Father, that it will do good to England?"

"That do I, my son, whether we gain the Holy Land or no. Methinks thatit will do good service to the nation that Saxon and Norman should fighttogether under the holy cross. Hitherto the races have stood far toomuch apart. They have seen each other's bad qualities rather than good;but methinks that when the Saxon and the Norman stand side by side onthe soil of the Holy Land, and shout together for England, it must needsbind them together, and lead them to feel that they are no longerNormans and Saxons, but Englishmen. I intend to preach on the villagegreen at Evesham next Sunday morning on this subject, and as I know youare in communication with the forest men, I would, Cuthbert, that youwould persuade them to come in to hear me. You were wondering what couldbe found for these vagrants. They have many of them long since lost thehabits of honest labor. Many of them are still serfs, although most havebeen freed by the good earl and the knights his followers. Some of thosewho would fain leave the life in the woods still cling to it becausethey think that it would be mean to desert their comrades, who beingserfs are still bound to lurk there; but methinks that this is a greatopportunity for them. They are valiant men, and the fact that they arefond of drawing an arrow at a buck does not make them one whit the worseChristians. I will do my best to move their hearts, and if they will butagree together to take the cross, they would make a goodly band offootmen to accompany the earl. "

"Is the earl going?" Cuthbert asked eagerly. 

"I know not for certain, " said Father Francis; "but I think from what Ihear from his chaplain, Father Eustace, that his mind turns in thatdirection. "

"Then, Father, if he goes, I will go too, " Cuthbert exclaimed. "Hepromised to take me as his page the first time he went to war. "

Father Francis shook his head. 

"I fear me, Cuthbert, this is far from the spirit in which we awhile agoagreed that men should go to the holy war. "

Cuthbert hung his head a little. 

"Ay, Father Francis, men; but I am a boy, " he said, "and after all, boysare fond of adventure for adventure's sake. However, Father, " he said, with a smile, "no doubt your eloquence on the green will turn memightily to the project, for you must allow that the story you have toldme this morning is not such as to create any very strong yearning inone's mind to follow the millions of men who have perished in the HolyLand. "

"Go to, " said Father Francis, smiling, "thou art a pert varlet. I willdo my best on Sunday to turn you to a better frame of mind. "

CHAPTER V. 

PREPARATIONS. 

Next Sunday a large number of people from some miles round were gatheredon the green at Evesham, to hear Father Francis preach on the holysepulcher. The forest men in their green jerkins mingled with the crowd, and a look of attention and seriousness was on the faces of all, for thenews of the loss of the holy sepulcher had really exercised a greateffect upon the minds of the people in England as elsewhere. 

Those were the days of pilgrimage to holy places, when the belief in thesanctity of places and things was overwhelming, and when men believedthat a journey to the holy shrines was sufficient to procure for them apardon for all their misdeeds. The very word "infidel" in those days wasfull of horror, and the thought that the holy places of the Christianswere in the hands of Moslems affected all Christians throughout Europewith a feeling of shame as well as of grief. 

Among the crowd were many of the Norman retainers from the castle andfrom many of the holds around, and several knights with the ladies oftheir family stood a little apart from the edge of the gathering; forit was known that Father Francis would not be alone, but that he wouldbe accompanied by a holy friar who had returned from the East, and whocould tell of the cruelties which the Christians had suffered at thehands of the Saracens. 

Father Francis, at ordinary times a tranquil preacher, was moved beyondhimself by the theme on which he was holding forth. He did not attemptto hide from those who stood around that the task to be undertaken wasone of grievous peril and trial; that disease and heat, hunger andthirst, must be dared, as well as the sword of the infidel. But he spokeof the grand nature of the work, of the humiliation to Christians, ofthe desecration of the shrines, and of the glory which awaited those whojoined the Crusade, whether they lived or whether they died in the HolyLand. 

His words had a strong effect upon the simple people who listened tohim, but the feelings so aroused were as naught to the enthusiasm whichgreeted the address of the friar. 

Meager and pale, with a worn, anxious face as one who had suffered much, the friar, holding aloft two pieces of wood from the Mount of Olivestied together in the form of a cross, harangued the crowd. His wordspoured forth in a fiery stream, kindling the hearts, and stirring atonce the devotion and the anger of his listeners. 

He told of the holy places, he spoke of the scenes of Holy Writ, whichhad there been enacted; and then he depicted the men who had died forthem. He told of the knights and men-at-arms, each of whom provedhimself again and again a match for a score of infidels. He spoke of theholy women, who, fearlessly and bravely, as the knights themselves, hadborne their share in the horrors of the siege and in the terrible timeswhich had preceded it. 

He told them that this misfortune had befallen Christianity because ofthe lukewarmness which had come upon them. 

"What profited it, " he asked, "if a few knights who remained to defendthe holy sepulcher were heroes? A few heroes cannot withstand an army. If Christendom after making a mighty effort to capture the holysepulcher had not fallen away, the conquest which had been made with sovast an expenditure of blood would not have been lost. This is a work inwhich no mere passing fervor will avail; bravery at first, enduranceafterward, are needed. Many men must determine not only to assist towrest the holy sepulcher from the hands of the infidels, but to givetheir lives, so long as they might last, to retaining it. It is scarceto be expected that men with wives and families will take a view likethis, indeed it is not to be desired. But there are single men, men ofno ties, who can devote their whole lives, as did the Knights of theOrders of the Cross, to this great object. When their life has come toan end doubtless others will take up the banner that their hands can nolonger hold. But for life it is, indeed, that many of humble as well asof princely class must bind themselves to take and defend to death theholy sepulcher. "

So, gradually raising the tone of his speech, the friar proceeded; untilat length by his intense earnestness, his wild gesticulations, hisimpassioned words, he drew the whole of his listeners along with him;and when he ceased, a mighty shout of "To the Holy Land!" burst from hishearers. 

Falling upon their knees the crowd begged of him to give them the signof the cross, and to bestow his blessing upon their swords, and upontheir efforts. 

Father Francis had prepared, in contemplation of such a movement, alarge number of small white crosses of cloth. These he and the friar nowfastened to the shoulders of the men as they crowded up to receive it, holding their hands aloft, kissing the cross that the friar extended tothem, and swearing to give their lives, if need be, to rescue the holyshrines from the infidel. 

When all had received the holy symbol, Father Francis again ascended thebank from which they had addressed the crowd:

"Now go to your homes, my sons, " he said. "Think of the oath that youhave taken, and of the course that lies open to you when the time comes. When King Richard is prepared to start, then will you be called upon tofulfill your vows. It may be that all who have sworn may not be calledupon to go. It needs that the land here should be tilled, it needs thatthere should be protectors for the women and children, it needs thatthis England of ours should flourish, and we cannot give all her sons, however willing they might be to take the cross. But the willingnesswhich you will, I am sure, show to go if needs be, and to redeem yourvows, will be sufficient. Some must go and some must stay; these arematters to be decided hereafter; for the time let us separate; you willhear when the hour for action arrives. "

A fortnight later the Earl of Evesham, who had been on a long journey toLondon, returned with full authority to raise and organize a force ashis contingent to the holy wars. 

All was now bustle and activity in the castle. Father Francis informedhim of the willingness of such of the forest men as he deemed fit toenlist under his banner; and the earl was much gratified at finding thatthe ranks of heavily-armed retainers whom he would take with him were tobe swollen by the addition of so useful a contingent as that of onehundred skillful archers. 

Cuthbert was not long in asking for an interview with the earl. 

He had indeed great difficulty in persuading Dame Editha that he was oldenough to share in the fatigues of so great an expedition, but he hadFather Francis on his side; and between the influence of her confessor, and the importunities of her son, the opposition of the good lady fellto the ground. 

Cuthbert was already, for his age, well trained to arms. Many of the oldsoldiers at the castle who had known and loved his father had been everready to give lessons in the use of arms to Cuthbert, who wasenthusiastic in his desire to prove as good a knight as his father hadbeen. His friends, the outlaws, had taught him the use of the bow and ofthe quarterstaff; and Cuthbert, strong and well-built for his age, andhaving little to do save to wield the sword and the bow, had attained avery considerable amount of skill with each. 

He had too, which was unusual, a certain amount of book learning, although this, true to say, had not been acquired so cheerfully orwillingly as the skill at arms. Father Francis had, however, taught himto read and to write--accomplishments which were at that time rare, except in the cloister. In those days if a knight had a firm seat in hissaddle, a strong arm, a keen eye, and high courage, it was thought to beof little matter whether he could or could not do more than make hismark on the parchment. The whole life of the young was given toacquiring skill in arms; and unless intended for the convent, any ideaof education would in the great majority of cases have been consideredas preposterous. 

To do Cuthbert justice, he had protested with all his might against theproposition of Father Francis to his mother to teach him some clerklyknowledge. He had yielded most unwillingly at last to her entreaties, backed as they were by the sound arguments and good sense of FatherFrancis. 

The Earl of Evesham received Cuthbert's application very graciously. 

"Certainly, Cuthbert, " he said, "you shall accompany me; first, onaccount of my promise to you; secondly, because from the readiness youdisplayed both in the matter of my daughter and of the attack onWortham, you will be a notable aid and addition to my party; thirdly, from my friendship for your father and Dame Editha. "

This point being settled, Cuthbert at once assumed his new duties. Therewas plenty for him to do--to see that the orders of the earl wereproperly carried out; to bear messages to the knights who followed theearl's fortunes, at their various holds; to stand by and watch thearmorers at work, and the preparation of the stores of arms and missileswhich would be necessary for the expedition. 

Sometimes he would go round to summon the tenants of the various farmsand lands, who held from the earl, to come to the castle; and here SirWalter would, as far as might be without oppression, beg of them tocontribute largely to the expedition. 

In these appeals he was in no slight way assisted by Father Francis, whopointed out loudly to the people that those who stayed behind were boundto make as much sacrifice of their worldly goods as those who went tothe war might make of their lives. Life and land are alike at theservice of God. Could the land be sold, it would be a good deed to sellit; but as this could not be, they should at least sell all that theycould, and pledge their property if they could find lenders, in order tocontribute to the needs of their lord, and the fitting out of this greatenterprise. 

The preparations were at last complete, and a gallant band gathered atthe castle ready for starting. It consisted of some two hundredmen-at-arms led by six knights, and of one hundred bowmen dressed inLincoln green, with quilted jerkins to keep out the arrows of the enemy. All the country from around gathered to see the start. Dame Editha wasthere, and by her side stood the earl's little daughter. The earlhimself was in armor, and beside him rode Cuthbert in the gay attire ofa page. 

Just at that moment, however, his face did not agree with his costume, for although he strove his best to look bright and smiling, it was ahard task to prevent the tears from filling his eyes at his departurefrom his mother. The good lady cried unrestrainedly, and Margaret joinedin her tears. The people who had gathered round cheered lustily; thetrumpets blew a gay fanfaronade, and the squire threw to the wind theearl's colors. 

It was no mere pleasure trip on which they were starting, for all knewthat, of the preceding Crusades, not one in ten of those who had gone sogladly forth had ever returned. 

It must not be supposed that the whole of those present were animated byany strong religious feeling. No doubt there existed a desire, which wascarefully fanned by the preaching of the priests and monks, to rescuethe holy sepulcher from the hands of the Saracens; but a far strongerfeeling was to be found in the warlike nature of the people in thosedays. Knights, men-at-arms, and indeed men of all ranks were full of acombative spirit. Life in the castle and hut was alike dull andmonotonous, and the excitement of war and adventure was greatly lookedfor, both as a means of obtaining glory and booty, and for the changethey afforded to the dreary monotony of life. 

There is little to tell of the journey of the Earl of Evesham's bandthrough England to Southampton, at which place they took ship andcrossed to France--or rather to Normandy, for in those days Normandy wasregarded, as indeed it formed, a part of England. 

Cuthbert, as was natural to his age, was full of delight at all thevarying scenes through which they passed. The towns were to him anespecial source of wonder, for he had never visited any other than thatof Worcester, to which he had once or twice been taken on occasions ofhigh festival. Havre was in those days an important place, and being thelanding-place of a great portion of the English bands, it was full ofbustle and excitement. Every day ships brought in nobles and theirfollowings. 

The King of England was already in Normandy hastening the preparations, and each band, as it landed, marched down to the meeting-place on theplains of Vezelay. Already they began to experience a taste of thehardships which they were to endure. 

In those days there was no regular supply train for an army, but eachdivision or band supported itself by purchase or pillage, as the casemight be, from the surrounding country. 

As the English troops were marching through a friendly country, pillagewas of course strictly forbidden; but while many of the leaders paid forall they had, it must be owned that among the smaller leaders were manywho took anything that they required with or without payment. 

The country was eaten up. 

The population in those days was sparse, and the movement of so large anumber of men along a certain route completely exhausted all theresources of the inhabitants; and although willing to pay for all thathis men required, the Earl of Evesham had frequently to lie down on theturf supperless himself. 

"If this is the case now, " he said to Cuthbert, "what will it be afterwe have joined the French army? Methinks whatever we may do if we reachthe Holy Land, that we have a fair chance of being starved before wesail. "

After a long succession of marches they arrived in sight of the greatcamp at Vezelay. It was indeed rather a canvas town than a camp. Herewere gathered nearly one hundred thousand men, a vast host at any time, but in those days far greater in proportion to the strength of thecountries than at present. The tents of the leaders, nobles, and otherknights and gentlemen rose in regular lines, forming streets andsquares. 

The great mass of troops, however, were contented to sleep in the openair; indeed the difficulties of carriage were so great that it was onlythe leaders who could carry with them their canvas abodes. Before eachtent stood the lance and colors of its owner, and side by side in thecenter of the camp stood the royal pavilions of Philip of France andRichard of England, round which could be seen the gonfalons of all thenobles of Western Europe. 

Nothing could be gayer than the aspect of this camp as the party rodeinto it. They were rather late, and the great body of the host werealready assembled. 

Cuthbert gazed with delight at the varied colors, the gay dresses, themartial knights, and the air of discipline and order which reignedeverywhere. 

This was indeed war in its most picturesque form, a form which, as faras beauty is concerned, has been altogether altered, and indeeddestroyed, by modern arms. 

In those days individual prowess and bravery went for everything. Ahandful of armored knights were a match for thousands of footmen, andbattles were decided as much by the prowess and bravery of the leaderand his immediate following as by that of the great mass of the army. 

The earl had the day before sent on a messenger to state that he wascoming, and as the party entered the camp they were met by a squire ofthe camp-marshal, who conducted them to the position allotted to them. 

The earl's tent was soon erected, with four or five grouped around itfor his knights, one being set aside for his squires and pages. 

When this was done Cuthbert strolled away to look at the varied sightsof the camp. A military officer in these days would be scandalized atthe scenes which were going on, but the strict, hard military disciplineof modern times was then absolutely unknown. 

A camp was a moving town, and to it flocked the country people withtheir goods; smiths and armorers erected their forges; minstrels andtroubadours flocked in to sing of former battles, and to raise thespirits of the soldiers by merry lays of love and war; simple countrymenand women came in to bring their presents of fowls or cakes to theirfriends in camp; knights rode to and fro on their gayly caparisonedhorses through the crowd; the newly-raised levies, in many casescomposed of woodmen and peasants who had not in the course of theirlives wandered a league from their birthplaces, gaped in unaffectedwonder at the sights around them; while last, but by no means least, themaidens and good wives of the neighborhood, fond then as now of bravemen and gay dresses, thronged the streets of the camp, and joined in, and were the cause of, merry laughter and jest. 

Here and there, a little apart from the main stream of traffic, theminstrels would take up their position, and playing a gay air, thesoldier lads and lasses would fall to and foot it merrily to thestrains. Sometimes there would be a break in the gayety, and loudshouts, and perhaps fierce oaths, would rise. Then the maidens would flylike startled fawns, and men hasten to the spot; though the quarrelmight be purely a private one, yet should it happen between theretainers of two nobles, the friends of each would be sure to strike in, and serious frays would arise before the marshal of the camp with hisposse could arrive to interfere. Sometimes, indeed, these quarrelsbecame so serious and desperate that alliances were broken up and greatintentions frustrated by the quarrels of the soldiery. 

Here and there, on elevated platforms, or even on the top of a pile oftubs, were friars occupied in haranguing the soldiers, and in inspiringthem with enthusiasm for the cause upon which they were embarked. Theconduct of their listeners showed easily enough the motives which hadbrought them to war. Some stood with clasped hands and eager eyes, listening to the exhortations of the priests, and ready, as might beseen from their earnest gaze, to suffer martyrdom in the cause. More, however, stood indifferently round, or, after listening to a few words, walked on with a laugh or a scoff; indeed, preaching had already doneall that lay in its power. All those who could be moved by exhortationsof this kind were there, and upon the rest the discourses and sermonswere thrown away. 

Several times in the course of his stroll round the camp Cuthbertobserved the beginnings of quarrels, which were in each case onlychecked by the intervention of some knight or other person in authoritycoming past, and he observed that these in every instance occurredbetween men of the English and those of the French army. 

Between the Saxon contingent of King Richard's army and the Frenchsoldiers there could indeed be no quarrel, for the Saxons understood noword of their language; but with the Normans the case was different, forthe Norman-French, which was spoken by all the nobles and theirretainers in Britain, was as nearly as possible the same as that in usein France. 

It seemed, however, to Cuthbert, watching narrowly what was going on, that there existed by no means a good feeling between the men of thedifferent armies; and he thought that this divergence so early in thecampaign boded but little good for the final success of the expedition. 

When he returned to the tent the earl questioned him as to what he hadseen, and Cuthbert frankly acknowledged that it appeared to him that thefeeling between the men of the two armies was not good. 

"I have been, " the earl said, "to the royal camp, and from what I hear, Cuthbert, methinks that there is reason for what you say. King Richardis the most loyal and gallant of kings, but he is haughty and hasty inspeech. The Normans, too, have been somewhat accustomed to conquer ourneighbors, and it may well be that the chivalry of France love us not. However, it must be hoped that this feeling will die away, and that weshall emulate each other only in our deeds on the battlefield. "

CHAPTER VI. 

THE LISTS. 

The third day after the arrival of the Earl of Evesham there was a greatbanquet given by the King of France to King Richard and his principalnobles. 

Among those present was the Earl of Evesham, and Cuthbert as his pagefollowed him to the great tent where the banquet was prepared. 

Here, at the top of the tent, on a raised daïs, sat the King of France, surrounded by his courtiers. The Earl of Evesham, having been conductedby the herald to the daïs, paid his compliments to the king, and wassaluted by him with many flattering words. 

The sound of a trumpet was heard, and Richard of England, accompanied byhis principal nobles, entered. 

It was the first time that Cuthbert had seen the king. 

Richard was a man of splendid stature and of enormous strength. Hisappearance was in some respects rather Saxon than Norman, for his hairwas light and his complexion clear and bright. He wore the mustache andpointed beard at that time in fashion; and although his expression wasgenerally that of frankness and good humor, there might be observed inhis quick motions and piercing glances signs of the hasty temper andunbridled passion which went far to wreck the success of the enterpriseupon which he was embarked. 

Richard possessed most of the qualities which make a man a great kingand render him the idol of his subjects, especially in a time ofsemi-civilization, when personal prowess is placed at the summit of allhuman virtues. In all his dominions there was not one man who inpersonal conflict was a match for his king. 

Except during his fits of passion, King Richard was generous, forgiving, and royal in his moods. He was incapable of bearing malice. Althoughhaughty of his dignity, he was entirely free from any personal pride, and while he would maintain to the death every right and privilegeagainst another monarch, he could laugh and joke with the humblest ofhis subjects on terms of hearty good fellowship. He was impatient ofcontradiction, eager to carry out whatever he had determined upon; andnothing enraged him so much as hesitation or procrastination. The delayswhich were experienced in the course of the Crusade angered him morethan all the opposition offered by the Saracens, or than the hardshipsthrough which the Christian host had to pass. 

At a flourish of trumpets all took their seats at dinner, their placesbeing marked for them by a herald, whose duty it was to regulate nicelythe various ranks and dignities. 

The Earl of Evesham was placed next to a noble of Brabant. Cuthbert tookhis place behind his lord and served him with wines and meats, theBrabant being attended by a tall youth, who was indeed on the verge ofmanhood. 

As the dinner went on the buzz of conversation became fast and furious. In those days men drank deep, and quarrels often arose over the cups. From the time that the dinner began Cuthbert noticed that the manner ofSir de Jacquelin Barras, Count of Brabant, was rude and offensive. 

It might be that he was accustomed to live alone with his retainers, andthat his manners were rude and coarse to all. It might be that he had aspecial hostility to the English. At any rate, his remarks werecalculated to fire the anger of the earl. 

He began the conversation by wondering how a Norman baron could live ina country like England, inhabited by a race but little above pigs. 

The earl at once fired up at this, for the Normans were now beginning tofeel themselves English, and to resent attacks upon a people for whomtheir grandfathers had entertained contempt. 

He angrily repelled the attack upon them by the Brabant knight, andasserted at once that the Saxons were every bit as civilized, and insome respects superior to the Normans or French. 

The ill-feeling thus began at starting clearly waxed stronger as dinnerwent on. The Brabant knight drank deeply, and although his talk was notclearly directed against the English, yet he continued to throw outinnuendos and side attacks, and to talk with a vague boastfulness, whichgreatly irritated Sir Walter. 

Presently, as Cuthbert was about to serve his master with a cup of wine, the tall page pushed suddenly against him, spilling a portion of thewine over his dress. 

"What a clumsy child!" he said scoffingly. 

"You are a rough and ill-mannered loon, " Cuthbert said angrily. "Wereyou in any other presence I would chastise you as you deserve. "

The tall page burst into a mocking laugh. 

"Chastise me!" he said. "Why, I could put you in my pocket for a littlehop-of-my-thumb as you are. "

"I think, " said Sir Jacquelin--for the boys' voices both rose loud--tothe earl, "you had better send that brat home and order him to bewhipped. "

"Sir count, " said the earl, "your manners are insolent, and were we notengaged upon a Crusade, it would please me much to give you a lesson onthat score. "

Higher and higher the dispute rose, until some angry word caught the earof the king. 

Amid the general buzz of voices King Philip rose, and speaking a wordto King Richard, moved from the table, thus giving the sign for thebreaking up of the feast. 

Immediately afterward a page touched the earl and Sir Jacquelin upon theshoulder, and told them that the kings desired to speak with them in thetent of the King of France. 

The two nobles strode through the crowd, regarding each other with eyesmuch like those of two dogs eager to fly at each other's throat. 

"My lords, my lords, " said King Philip when they entered, "this isagainst all law and reason. For shame, to be brawling at my table. Iwould not say aught openly, but methinks it is early indeed for theknights and nobles engaged in a common work to fall to words. "

"Your majesty, " said the Earl of Evesham, "I regret deeply what hashappened. But it seemed from the time we sat down to the meal that thislord sought to pass a quarrel upon me, and I now beseech your majestythat you will permit us to settle our differences in the lists. "

King Richard gave a sound of assent, but the King of France shook hishead gravely. 

"Do you forget, " he said, "the mission upon which you are assembledhere? Has not every knight and noble in these armies taken a solemn oathto put aside private quarrels and feuds until the holy sepulcher istaken? Shall we at this very going off show that the oath is a mere formof words? Shall we show before the face of Christendom that the knightsof the cross are unable to avoid flying at each other's throats, evenwhile on their way to wrest the holy sepulcher from the infidel? No, sirs, you must lay aside your feuds, and must promise me and my goodbrother here that you will keep the peace between you until this war isover. Whose fault it was that the quarrel began I know not. It may bethat my Lord of Brabant was discourteous. It may be that the earl herewas too hot. But whichever it be, it matters not. "

"The quarrel, sire, " said Sir Jacquelin, "arose from a dispute betweenour pages, who were nigh coming to blows in your majesty's presence. Idesired the earl to chide the insolence of his varlet, and instead of sodoing he met my remarks with scorn. "

"Pooh, pooh, " said King Richard, "there are plenty of grounds forquarrel without two nobles interfering in the squabbles of boys. Letthem fight; it will harm no one. By the bye, your Majesty, " he said, turning to the King of France with a laugh, "if the masters may notfight, there is no reason in the world why the varlets should not. Weare sorely dull for want of amusement. Let us have a list to-morrow, andlet the pages fight it out for the honor of their masters and theirnations. "

"It were scarce worth while to have the lists set for two boys tofight, " said the King of France. 

"Oh, we need not have regular lists, " said King Richard. "Leave thatmatter in my hands. I warrant you that if the cockerels are wellplucked, they will make us sport. What say you, gentlemen?"

The Brabant noble at once assented, answering that he was sure that hispage would be glad to enter the lists; and the earl gave a similarassent, for he had not noticed how great was the discrepancy between thesize of the future combatants. 

"That is agreed, then, " said King Richard joyously. "I will have a pieceof ground marked out on the edge of the camp to-morrow morning. It shallbe kept by my men-at-arms, and there shall be a raised place for KingPhilip and myself, who will be the judges of the conflict. Will theyfight on foot or on horse?"

"On foot, on foot, " said the King of France. "It would be a pity thatknightly exercises should be brought to scorn by any failure on theirpart on horseback. On foot at least it will be a fair struggle. "

"What arms shall they use?" the Brabant knight asked. 

"Oh, swords and battle-axes, of course, " said King Richard with a laugh. 

"Before you go, " King Philip said, "you must shake hands, and swear tolet the quarrel between you drop, at least until after our return. Ifyou still wish to shed each other's blood, I shall offer no hindrancethereto. "

The earl and Count Jacquelin touched each other's hands in obedience tothe order, went out of the tent together, and strode off without a wordin different directions. 

"My dear lad, " the Earl of Evesham said on entering his tent where hispage was waiting him, "this is a serious business. The kings haveordered this little count and myself to put aside our differences tillafter the Crusade, in accordance with our oath. But as you have in nowise pledged yourself in the same fashion, and as their majesties feelsomewhat dull while waiting here, it is determined that the quarrelbetween the count and me, and between you and the count's page, shall besettled by a fight between you two in the presence of the kings. "

"Well, sir, " Cuthbert said, "I am glad that it should be, seeing thevarlet insulted me without any cause, and purposely upset the cup overme. "

"What is he like?" the earl asked. "Dost think that you are a fairmatch?"

"I doubt not that we are fair match enough, " Cuthbert said. "As youknow, sir, I have been well trained to arms of all kinds, both by myfather and by the men-at-arms at the castle, and could hold my ownagainst any of your men with light weapons, and have then no fear thatthis gawky loon, twenty years old though he seems to be, will bringdisgrace upon me or discredit upon my nation. "

"If thou thinkest so, " the earl said, "the matter can go on. But had itbeen otherwise I would have gone to the king and protested that theadvantage of age was so great that it would be murder to place you inthe lists together. "

"There is, " Cuthbert said, "at most no greater difference between usthan between a strong man and a weak one, and these, in the ordeal ofbattle, have to meet in the lists. Indeed I doubt if the difference isso great, for if he be a foot taller than I, methinks that round theshoulders I should have the advantage of him. "

"Send hither my armorer, " the earl said; "we must choose a proper suitfor you. I fear that mine would be of little use; but doubtless thereare some smaller suits among my friends. "

"The simpler and lighter the better, " Cuthbert said. "I'd rather have alight coat of mail and a steel cap than heavy armor and a helmet whichwould press me down, and a visor through which I could scarce see. Thelighter the better, for after all if my sword cannot keep my head, sooner or later the armor would fail to do so too. "

The armorer speedily arrived, and the knights and followers of the earlbeing called in and the case stated, there was soon found a coat of finelinked mail, which fitted Cuthbert well. As to the steel cap there wasno difficulty whatever. 

"You must have a plume at least, " the earl said, and took some feathersfrom his own casque and fastened them in. "Will you want a light swordand battle-ax?"

"No, " Cuthbert said, "my arms are pretty well used to those of themen-at-arms. I could wield my father's sword, and that was a heavyone. "

The lightest of the earl's weapons were chosen, and it was agreed thatall was now ready for the conflict to-morrow. 

In the morning there was a slight bustle in the camp. 

The news that a fight was to take place between an English and a Brabantpage, by the permission of the kings of England and France, that theirmajesties were to be present, and that all was to be conducted onregular rules, caused a stir of excitement and novelty in the camp. 

Nowhere is life duller than among a large body of men kept together forany time under canvas, and the thought of a combat of this novel kindexcited general interest. 

In a meadow at a short distance from the camp a body of King Richard'smen-at-arms marked off an oval space of about an acre. Upon one side ofthis a tent was pitched for the kings, and a small tent was placed ateach end for the combatants. Round the inclosure the men-at-arms formedthe ring, and behind them a dense body of spectators gathered, a placebeing set aside for nobles, and others of gentle blood. 

At the hour fixed the kings of England and France arrived together. KingRichard was evidently in a state of high good humor, for he preferredthe clash of arms and the sight of combat to any other pleasure. 

The King of France, on the other hand, looked grave. He was a far wiserand more politic king than Richard; and although he had consented tothe sudden proposal, yet he felt in his heart that the contest was afoolish one, and that it might create bad feeling among the men of thetwo nationalities whichever way it went. He had reserved to himself theright of throwing down the baton when the combat was to cease, and hedetermined to avail himself of this right to put a stop to the conflictbefore either party was likely to sustain any deadly injury. 

When the monarchs had taken their places the trumpeters sounded theirtrumpets, and the two combatants advanced on foot from their ends of thelists. A murmur of surprise and dissatisfaction broke from the crowd. "My Lord of Evesham, " the king said angrily to the earl, who with CountJacquelin was standing by the royal party, "thou shouldst have said thatthe difference between the two was too great to allow the combat to bepossible. The Frenchman appears to be big enough to take your page underhis arm and walk off with him. "

The difference was indeed very striking. The French champion was arrayedin a full suit of knightly armor--of course without the gold spurs whichwere the distinguishing mark of that rank--and with his helmet and loftyplume of feathers he appeared to tower above Cuthbert, who, in hisclose-fitting steel cap and link armor seemed a very dwarf by the sideof a giant. 

"It is not size, sire, but muscle and pluck will win in a combat likethis. Your majesty need not be afraid that my page will disgrace me. Heis of my blood, though the kinship is not close. He is of mixed Saxonand Norman strain, and will, believe me, do no discredit to either. "

The king's brow cleared, for in truth he was very proud of his Englishnationality, and would have been sorely vexed to see the discomfiture ofan English champion, even though that champion were a boy. 

"Brother Philip, " he said, turning to the king, "I will wager my goldchain against yours on yonder stripling. "

"Methinks that it were robbery to take your wager, " the King of Francesaid. "The difference between their bulk is disproportionate. However, Iwill not balk your wish. My chain against yours. "

The rule of the fight was that they were to commence with swords, butthat either could, if he chose, use his battle-ax. 

The fight need scarcely be described at length, for the advantage wasall one way. Cuthbert was fully a match in strength for his antagonist, although standing nigh a foot shorter. Constant exercise, however, hadhardened his muscles into something like steel, while the teaching thathe had received had embraced all what was then known of the use of arms. 

Science in those days there was but little of; it was a case rather ofhard, heavy hitting, than of what we now call swordsmanship. 

With the sword Cuthbert gained but slight advantage over his adversary, whose superior height enabled him to rain blows down upon the lad, whichhe was with difficulty enabled to guard; but when the first paroxysm ofhis adversary's attack had passed he took to the offensive, and drovehis opponent back step by step. With his sword, however, he was unableto cut through the armor of the Frenchman, but in the course of theencounter, guarding a severe blow aimed at him, his sword was struckfrom his hand, and he then, seizing his ax, made such play with it thathis foe dropped his own sword and took to the same weapon. 

In this the superior height and weight of his opponent gave him even agreater advantage than with the sword, and Cuthbert knowing this, usedhis utmost dexterity and speed to avoid the sweeping blows showered uponhim. He himself had been enabled to strike one or two sweeping strokes, always aiming at the same place, the juncture of the visor with thehelmet. At last the Frenchman struck him so heavy a blow that it beatdown his guard and struck his steel cap from his head, bringing him tothe knee. In an instant he was up, and before his foe could be again onguard, he whirled his ax round with all its force, and bringing it justat the point of the visor which he had already weakened with repeatedblows, the edge of the ax stove clean through the armor, and the pagewas struck senseless to the ground. 

A great shout broke from the English portion of the soldiery asCuthbert leaned over his prostrate foe, and receiving no answer to thequestion "Do you yield?" rose to his feet, and signified to the squirewho had kept near that his opponent was insensible. 

King Richard ordered the pursuivant to lead Cuthbert to the royalinclosure. 

"Thou art a brave lad and a lusty, " the king said, "and hast borne theein the fight as well as many a knight would have done. Wert thou older, I would myself dub thee knight; and I doubt not that the occasion willyet come when thou wilt do as good deeds upon the bodies of the Saracensas thou hast upon that long-shanked opponent of thine. Here is a goldchain; take it as a proof that the King of England holds that you havesustained well the honor of his country; and mark me, if at any time yourequire a boon, bring or send me that chain, and thou shalt have itfreely. Sir Walter, " he said, turning to the earl, "in this lad thouhast a worthy champion, and I trust me that thou wilt give him everychance of distinguishing himself. So soon as thou thinkest him fit forthe knightly rank I myself will administer the accolade. "

CHAPTER VII. 

REVENGE. 

After his interview with the king Cuthbert was led to his tent amid thehearty plaudits of the English troops. 

His own comrades flocked round him; the men of the greenwood, headed byCnut, were especially jubilant over his victory. 

"Who would have thought, " said the tall forester, "that the lad who buta short time ago was a child should now have sustained the honor of thecountry? We feel proud of you, Cuthbert; and trust us some day or otherto follow wherever you may lead, and to do some deed which will attainfor you honor and glory, and show that the men of Evesham are as doughtyas any under King Richard's rule. "

"You must be wary, Cuthbert, " the earl said to him that evening. "Believe me that you and I have made a foe, who, although he may nothave the power, has certainly the will to injure us to the death. Imarked the eye of Count Jacquelin during the fight, and again when youwere led up to the king. There was hatred and fury in his eye. The pagetoo, I hear, is his own nephew, and he will be the laughing-stock of theFrench camp at having been conquered by one so much younger thanhimself. It will be well to keep upon your guard, and not to go out atnight unattended. Keep Cnut near you; he is faithful as a watch-dog, andwould give his life, I am sure, for you. I will myself be also upon myguard, for it was after all my quarrel, and the fury of this fierceknight will vent itself upon both of us if the opportunity should come. I hear but a poor account of him among his confréres. They say he is oneof those disgraces to the name of knight who are but a mixture of robberand soldier; that he harries all the lands in his neighborhood; and thathe has now only joined the Crusade to avoid the vengeance which thecries of the oppressed people had invoked from his liege lord. I am toldindeed that the choice was given him to be outlawed, or to join theCrusades with all the strength he could raise. Naturally he adopted thelatter alternative; but he has the instincts of the robber still, andwill do us an evil turn, if he have the chance. "

Two days later the great army broke up its camp and marched south. Aftera week's journeying they encamped near a town, and halted there two orthree days in order to collect provisions for the next advance; for thesupplies which they could obtain in the country districts were whollyinsufficient for so great a host of men. Here the armies were toseparate, the French marching to Genoa, the English to Marseilles, thetown at which they were to take ship. 

One evening the earl sent Cuthbert with a message to another Englishlord, staying in the town at the palace of the bishop, who was a friendof his. 

Cnut accompanied Cuthbert, for he now made a point of seldom letting himout of his sight. It was light when they reached the bishop's palace, but here they were delayed for some time, and night had fallen when theysallied out. 

The town was already quiet, for the inhabitants cared not to showthemselves in the streets now that such a large army of fierce men werein the neighborhood. 

The orders indeed of the monarchs were stringent, but discipline therewas but little of, and the soldiery in those days regarded peacefulcitizens as fair game; hence, when they came from the palace the streetsof the city were already hushed and quiet, for the orders of the kinghad been peremptory that no men-at-arms, or others except those on duty, were to be away from their camp after nightfall. This order had beenabsolutely necessary, so many were the complaints brought in by countrypeasants and farmers of the doings of bands of soldiers. 

Cnut and Cuthbert proceeded along the streets unmolested for somedistance. Occasionally a solitary passer-by, with hooded cape, hurriedpast. The moon was half full, and her light was welcome indeed, for inthose days the streets were unlighted, and the pavement so bad thatpassage through the streets after dark was a matter of difficulty, andeven of danger. 

Here and there before some roadside shrine a lamp dimly burned; beforethese they paused, and, as good Catholics, Cnut and Cuthbert crossedthemselves. Just as they had passed one of these wayside shrines, asudden shout was heard, and a party of eight or ten men sprang out froma side street and fell upon them. 

Cnut and Cuthbert drew their swords and laid about them heartily, buttheir assailants were too strong. Cnut was stricken to the ground, andCuthbert, seeing that defense was hopeless, took to his heels and ranfor his life. He was already wounded, but happily not so severely as inany way to disable him. 

Seeing that it was speed, and speed alone, which now could save him, heflung aside his belt and scabbard as he ran, and with rapid steps flewalong the streets, not knowing whither he went, and striving only tokeep ahead of his pursuers. They, more incumbered by arms and armor, were unable to keep up with the flying footsteps of a lad clothed in thelight attire of a page; but Cuthbert felt that the blood running fromhis wound was weakening him fast, and that unless he could gain somerefuge his course must speedily come to an end. Happily he saw at somelittle distance ahead of him a man standing by a door. Just as hearrived the door opened, and a glow of light from within fell on theroad, showing that the person entering was a monk. 

Without a moment's hesitation Cuthbert rushed through the door, shouting"Sanctuary!" and sank almost fainting on the ground. 

The monks, accustomed to wild pursuits and scenes of outrage in thosewarlike days, hastily closed the door, barring it securely. In a momentthere was a rush of men against it from without. 

One of the monks opened a lattice above the door. 

"What mean you, " he said, "by this outrage? Know ye not that this is theMonastery of St. John, and that it is sacrilege to lay a hand ofviolence even against its postern? Begone, " he said, "or we'll lodge acomplaint before the king. "

The assailants, nothing daunted, continued to batter at the door; but atthis moment the monks, aroused from their beds, hastened to the spot, and seizing bill and sword--for in those days even monks were obliged attimes to depend upon carnal weapons--they opened the door, and flungthemselves upon the assailants with such force that the latter, surprised and discomfited, were forced to make a hasty retreat. 

The doors were then again barred, and Cuthbert was carried up to a cellin the building, where the leech of the monastery speedily examined hiswound, and pronounced that although his life was not in danger by it, hewas greatly weakened by the loss of blood, that the wound was a seriousone and that it would be some time before the patient would recover. 

[Illustration: THE DOORS WERE AGAIN BARRED, AND CUTHBERT WAS CARRIED TOA CELL. ]

It was two days before Cuthbert was sufficiently restored to be able tospeak. His first question to the monk was as to his whereabouts, and howlong he had been there. Upon being answered, he entreated that amessenger might be dispatched to the camp of the Earl of Evesham, to begthat a litter might be sent for him, and to inquire what had become ofCnut, whom he had last seen stricken down. 

The monk replied, "My son, I grieve to tell you that your request cannotbe complied with. The army moved away yesternoon, and is now sometwenty-five miles distant. There is nothing for you but patience, andwhen restored you can follow the army, and rejoin your master before heembarks at Marseilles. But how is it that a lad so young as you can haveincurred the enmity of those who sought your life? For it is clear fromthe pertinacity with which they urged their attack that their object wasnot plunder, of which indeed they would get but little from you, but totake your life. "

Cuthbert recounted the circumstances which had led to the feud of theCount of Brabant against him, for he doubted not that this truculentknight was at the bottom of the attack. 

"After what has happened, " the monk said, "you will need have cautionwhen you leave here. The place where you have taken refuge is known tothem, and should this wild noble persist in his desire for vengeanceagainst you, he will doubtless leave some of his ruffians to watch themonastery. We will keep a lookout, and note if any strangers are to beseen near the gates; if we find that it is so, we shall consider what isbest to be done. We could of course appeal to the mayor for protectionagainst them, and could even have the strangers ejected from the town orcast into prison; but it is not likely that we should succeed incapturing more than the fellow who may be placed on the lookout, and thedanger would be in no wise lessened to yourself. But there is time totalk over this matter before you leave. It will be another fortnight atleast before you will be able to pursue your journey. "

Cuthbert gained strength more rapidly than the monk had expected. He wasgenerously fed, and this and his good constitution soon enabled him torecover from the loss of blood; and at the end of five days he expressedhis hope that he could on the following day pursue his journey. The monkwho attended him shook his head. 

"Thou mightst, under ordinary circumstances, quit us to-morrow, for thouart well enough to take part in the ordinary pursuits of a page; but tojourney is a different thing. You may have all sorts of hardships toendure; you may have even to trust for your life to your speed andendurance; and it would be madness for you to go until your strength isfully established. I regret to tell you that we have ascertained beyonda doubt that the monastery is closely watched. We have sent some of theacolytes out, dressed in the garbs of monks, and attended by one of ourelder brethren; and in, each case, a monk who followed at a distance offifty yards was able to perceive that they were watched. The town isfull of rough men, the hangers-on of the army; some, indeed, arefollowers of laggard knights, but the greater portion are men who merelypursue the army with a view to gain by its necessities, to buy plunderfrom the soldiers, and to rob, and, if necessary, to murder should therebe a hope of obtaining gold. Among these men your enemies would havelittle difficulty in recruiting any number, and no appeal that we couldmake to the mayor would protect you from them when you have left thewalls. We must trust to our ingenuity in smuggling you out. After that, it is upon your own strength and shrewdness that you must rely for anescape from any snares that may be laid for you. You will see, then, that at least another three or four days are needed before you can setforth. Your countrymen are so far away that a matter of a few days willmake but little difference. They will in any case be delayed for a longtime at Marseilles before they embark; and whether you leave now or amonth hence, you would be equally in time to join them before theirembarkation--that is, supposing that you make your way through thesnares which beset you. "

Cuthbert saw the justice of the reasoning, and it was another weekbefore he announced himself as feeling absolutely restored to strengthagain, and capable of bearing as much exertion as he could have donebefore his attack. 

A long consultation was held with the prior and a monk who had acted ashis leech, as to the best plan of getting Cuthbert beyond the walls ofthe city. Many schemes were proposed and rejected. Every monk whoventured beyond the walls had been closely scrutinized, and one or twoof short stature had even been jostled in the streets, so as to throwback their hoods and expose a sight of their faces. It was clear, then, that it would be dangerous to trust to a disguise. Cuthbert proposedthat he should leave at night, trusting solely to their directions as tothe turnings he should take to bring him to the city walls, and that, taking a rope, he should there let himself down, and make the best ofhis way forward. This, however, the monks would not consent to, assuringhim that the watch was so strictly kept round the monastery that hewould inevitably be seen. 

"No, " the prior said, "the method, whatever it is, must be as open aspossible; and though I cannot at this moment hit upon a plan, I willthink it over to-night, and putting my ideas with those of Father Jeromehere, and the sacristan, who has a shrewd head, it will be hard if wecannot between us contrive some plan to evade the watch of those robbervillains who beset the convent. "

The next morning, when the prior came in to see Cuthbert, the lattersaid: "Good father, I have determined not to endeavor to make off indisguise. I doubt not that your wit could contrive some means by which Ishould get clear of the walls without observation from the scouts ofthis villain noble. But once in the country, I should have neither horsenor armor, and should have hard work indeed to make my way down throughFrance, even though none of my enemies were on my track. I willtherefore, if it please you, go down boldly to the mayor and claim aprotection and escort. If he will but grant me a few men-at-arms for oneday's ride from the town, I can choose my own route, and riding out inmail, can then take my chance of finding my way down to Marseilles. "

"I will go down with you, my son, " the prior said, "to the mayor. Two ofmy monks shall accompany us; and assuredly no insult will be offered toyou in the street thus accompanied. " Shortly afterward Cuthbert startedas arranged, and soon arrived at the house of the mayor, Sir John deCahors. 

Upon the prior making known to this knight whom he had brought with himthe mayor exclaimed:

"_Peste!_ young gentleman; you have caused us no small trouble andconcern. We have had ridings to and fro concerning you, and furiousmessages from your fiery king. When in the morning a tall, stalwartknave dressed in green was found, slashed about in various places, lyingon the pavement, the townsmen, not knowing who he was, but finding thathe still breathed, carried him to the English camp, and he was claimedas a follower of the Earl of Evesham. There was great wrath and angerover this; and an hour later the earl himself came down and stated thathis page was missing, and that there was reason to believe that he hadbeen foully murdered, as he had accompanied the man found wounded. Fortunately the bulk of the armies had marched away at early dawn, andthe earl had only remained behind in consequence of the absence of hisfollowers. I assured the angry Englishman that I would have a thoroughsearch made in the town; and although in no way satisfied, he rode offafter his king with all his force, carrying with him the long-limbed manwhom we had picked up. Two days after a message came back from KingRichard himself, saying that unless this missing page were discovered, or if, he being killed, his murderers were not brought to justice andpunished, he would assuredly on his return from the Holy Land burn thetown over our ears. Your king is not a man who minces matters. However, threatened men live long, especially when the person who threatens isstarting for a journey, from which, as like as not, he may never return. However, I have had diligent search made for you. All the houses of badrepute have been examined and their inhabitants questioned. But thereare so many camp-followers and other rabble at present in the town thata hundred men might disappear without our being able to obtain a clew. Idoubted not indeed that your body had been thrown in the river, andthat we should never hear more of you. I am right glad that you havebeen restored; not indeed from any fear of the threats of the king yourmaster, but because, from what the Earl of Evesham said, you were a ladlikely to come to great fame and honor. The earl left in my charge yourhorse, and the armor which he said you wore at a tournament lately, incase we should hear aught of you. "

Cuthbert gave an exclamation of pleasure. His purse contained but a fewpieces of silver, and being without arms except for his short dagger, ormeans of locomotion, the difficulties of the journey down to Marseilleshad sorely puzzled him. But with his good horse between his knees, andhis suit of Milan armor on his back, he thought that he might make hisway through any dangers which threatened him. 

The prior now told the knight that circumstances had occurred whichshowed that it was known to the assailants of Cuthbert that he had takenrefuge in the convent, over which a strict watch had been kept byCuthbert's enemies. 

"If I could find the varlets I would hang them over the gates of thetown, " the knight said wrathfully. "But as at the present moment thereare nearly as many rogues as honest men in the place it would be awholesale hanging indeed to insure getting hold of the right people. Moreover, it is not probable that another attempt upon his life will bemade inside our walls; and doubtless the main body of this gang aresomewhere without, intending to assault him when he continues hisjourney, and they have left but a spy or two here to inform them as tohis movements. I will give you any aid in my power, young sir. The armyis by this time nigh Marseilles, and, sooth to say, I have no body ofmen-at-arms whom I could send as your escort for so long a distance. Ihave but a small body here, and they are needed, and sorely, too, tokeep order within the walls. "

"I thought, sir, " Cuthbert said, "that if you could lend me a party ofsay four men-at-arms to ride with me for the first day I could thentrust to myself, especially if you could procure me one honest man toact as guide and companion. Doubtless they suppose that I should travelby the main road south; but by going the first day's journey either eastor west, and then striking some southward road, I should get a fairstart of them, throw all their plans out, and perchance reach Marseilleswithout interruption. "

The knight willingly agreed to furnish four men-at-arms, and atrustworthy guide who would at least take him as far south as Avignon. 

"I will, " he said, "tell the men-at-arms off to-night. They shall be atthe western gate at daybreak, with the pass permitting them to ridethrough. The guide shall be at the convent door half an hour earlier. Iwill send up to-night your armor and horse. Here is a purse which theEarl of Evesham also left for your use. Is there aught else I can do foryou?"

"Nothing, sir, " Cuthbert said; "and if I regain the army in safety Ishall have pleasure in reporting to King Richard how kindly andcourteously you have treated me. "

The arrangements were carried out. 

An hour before daybreak Cuthbert was aroused, donned his armor and steelcasque, drank a flask of wine, and ate a manchet of bread which theprior himself brought him, and then, with a cordial adieu to the kindmonks, issued forth. 

The guide had just reached the gate, and together they trotted down thenarrow streets to the west gate of the city, where four men-at-arms wereawaiting them. 

The gates were at once opened, and Cuthbert and his little troop salliedforth. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE ATTACK. 

All day they rode with their faces west, and before nightfall had made ajourney of over forty miles. Then bestowing a largess upon themen-at-arms, Cuthbert dismissed them, and took up his abode at ahostelry, his guide looking to the two horses. 

Cuthbert was pleased with the appearance of the man who had been placedat his disposal. He was a young fellow of twenty-two or twenty-three, with an honest face. He was, he told Cuthbert, the son of a small farmernear Avignon; but having a fancy for trade, he had been apprenticed to amaster smith. Having served his apprenticeship, he found that he hadmistaken his vocation, and intended to return to the paternal vineyards. 

Cuthbert calculated that he would make at least four days' journey tothe south before he could meet with any dangers. Doubtless his exit fromthe convent had been discovered, and the moment the gates of the citywere opened the spy would have proceeded south to warn his comrades, andthese would doubtless have taken a road which at a distance would againtake them on to that by which Cuthbert would be now traveling. As, however, he rode fast, and made long marches each day, he hoped that hemight succeed in distancing them. Unfortunately, upon the third day hishorse cast his shoe, and no smith could be met with until the end of theday's journey. Consequently, but a short distance could be done and thisat a slow pace. Upon the fifth day after their first start they arrivedat a small town. 

The next morning Cuthbert on rising found that his guide did not presenthimself as usual. Making inquiries he found that the young man had goneout the evening before, and had not returned. Extremely uneasy at thecircumstance, Cuthbert went to the city guard, thinking that perhaps hisguide might have got drunk, and been shut up in the cells. No news, however, was to be obtained there, and after waiting some hours, feelingsure that some harm had befallen him, he gave notice to the authoritiesof his loss, and then mounting his horse, and leaving some money withthe landlord of the hostelry to give to his guide in case the lattershould return, he started at midday by the southern road. 

He felt sure now that he was overtaken, and determined to keep his eyesand faculties thoroughly on watch. 

The roads in those days were mere tracks. Here and there a littlevillage was to be met with; but the country was sparsely cultivated, andtraveling lonely work. Cuthbert rode fast, carefully avoiding allcopses and small woods through which the road ran, by making a circuitround them and coming on to it again on the other side. 

His horse was an excellent one, the gift of the earl, and he had littlefear, with his light weight, of being overtaken if he could once leavehis enemies behind him. 

At length he approached an extensive forest, which stretched for mileson either side. 

Half a mile before he reached it the track divided. 

He had for some little time eased his horse down to a walk, as he feltthat the wood would be the spot where he would in all probability beattacked, and he needed that his steed should be possessed of its utmostvigor. 

At the spot where the track branched a man in the guise of a mendicantwas sitting. He begged for alms, and Cuthbert threw him a small coin. 

A sudden thought struck him as he heard a rustling in the bushes near. 

"Which is the nearest and best road to Avignon?" he said. 

"The right-hand road is the best and shortest, " the beggar said. "Theother makes a long circuit and leads through several marshes, which yourhonor will find it hard to pass. "

Cuthbert thanked him and moved forward, still at a walk, along theright-hand road. 

When he had gone about two hundred yards, and was hidden from the sightof the man he had left--the country being rough, and scattered withclumps of bushes--he halted, and, as he expected, heard the sound ofhorses' hoofs coming on at full gallop along the other road. 

"Your master must have thought me young indeed, " he said, "to try andcatch me with such a transparent trick as that. I do not suppose thataccursed page has more than ten men with him, and doubtless has placedfive on each road. This fellow was placed here to see which track Iwould follow, and has now gone to give the party on the left hand thenews that I have taken this way. Had it not been for him I should havehad to run the gantlet with four or five of my enemies. As it is, thepath will doubtless be clear. "

So saying, he turned his horse, galloped back to the spot where thetracks separated, and then followed the left-hand route. 

As he had hoped, he passed through the wood without incident orinterruption, and arrived safely that night at a small town, having seenno signs of his enemies. 

The next day he started again early, and rode on until midday, when hehalted at a large village, at which was the only inn between the placefrom which he started and his destination. He declined the offer of theservant of the inn to take his horse round to the stable, telling theman to hold him outside the door and give him from a sieve a fewhandfuls of grain. 

Then he entered the inn and ate a hearty meal. As he appeared at thedoor he saw several men gathered near. With a single spring he threwhimself into the saddle, just as a rush forward was made by thosestanding round. The man next to him sprang upon him, and endeavored todrag him from the saddle. Cuthbert drew the little dagger called a_miséricorde_ from his belt, and plunged it into his throat. Thenseizing the short mace which hung at the saddlebow, he hurled it withall his force full in the face of his enemy, the page of Sir Philip, whowas rushing upon him sword in hand. The heavy weapon struck him fairlybetween the eyes, and with a cry he fell back, his face completelysmashed in by the blow, the sword which he held uplifted to strikeflying far through the air. 

Cuthbert struck his spurs into his horse, and the animal dashed forwardwith a bound, Cuthbert striking with his long sword at one or two menwho made a snatch at the reins. In another minute he was cantering outof the village, convinced that he had killed the leader of his foes, andthat he was safe now to pursue the rest of his journey on to Marseilles. 

So it turned out. 

Without further incident he traveled through the south of France, andarrived at the great seaport. He speedily discovered the quarters inwhich the Earl of Evesham's contingent were encamped, and made towardthis without delay. As he entered a wild shout of joy was heard, andCnut ran forward with many gestures of delight. 

"My dear Cuthbert, my dear Cuthbert!" he exclaimed. "Can it be true thatyou have escaped? We all gave you up; and although I did my best, yethad you not survived it I should never have forgiven myself, believingthat I might have somehow done better, and have saved you from thecutthroats who attacked us. "

"Thanks, thanks, my good Cnut, " Cuthbert cried. "I have been through atime of peril, no doubt; but as you see, I am hale and well--better, methinks, than you are, for you look pale and ill; and I doubt not thatthe wound which I received was a mere scratch to that which bore youdown. It sounded indeed like the blow of a smith's hammer upon ananvil. "

"Fortunately, my steel cap saved my head somewhat, " Cnut said, "and thehead itself is none of the thinnest; but it tried it sorely, I confess. However, now that you are back I shall, doubt not, soon be as strong asever I was. I think that fretting for your absence has kept me back morethan the inflammation from the wound itself--but there is the earl atthe door of his tent. "

Through the foresters and retainers who had at Cnut's shout of joycrowded up, Cuthbert made his way, shaking hands right and left with themen, among whom he was greatly loved, for they regarded him as being ina great degree the cause of their having been freed from outlawry, andrestored to civil life again. The earl was really affected. As Cuthbertrode up he held out both arms, and as his page alighted he embraced himas a father. 

"My dear Cuthbert!" he exclaimed. "What anxiety have we not suffered. Had you been my own son, I could not have felt more your loss. We didnot doubt for an instant that you had fallen into the hands of some ofthe retainers of that villain count; and from all we could learn, andfrom the absence of any dead body by the side of that of Cnut, Iimagined that you must have been carried off. It was clear that yourchance of life, if you fell into the hands of that evil page, or hisequally vile master, was small indeed. The very day that Cnut wasbrought in I visited the French camp, and accused him of having been thecause of your disappearance and Cnut's wounds. He affected the greatestastonishment at the charge. He had not, as he said, been out of the campfor two days. My accusation was unfounded and malicious, and I shouldanswer this as well as the previous outrage, when the vow of theCrusaders to keep peace among themselves was at an end. Of course I hadno means of proving what I said, or I would have gone direct to the kingand charged him with the outrage. As it was I gained nothing by mypains. He has accompanied the French division to Genoa; but when we meetat Sicily, where the two armies are to rendezvous, I will bring thematter before the king, as the fact that his page was certainlyconcerned in it must be taken as showing that he was the instigator. "

"It would, my lord earl, be perhaps better, " Cuthbert said, "if I mightventure to advise, to leave the matter alone. No doubt the count wouldsay that he had discharged his page after the tournament, and that thelatter was only carrying out his private feud with me. We should not beable to disprove the story, and should gain no satisfaction by thematter. "

The earl admitted the justice of Cuthbert's reasoning, but reserved tohimself the task of punishing the author of the outrage upon the firstfitting opportunity. 

There was a weary delay at Marseilles before the expedition set sail. This was caused by the fact of the English fleet, which had been orderedto be there upon their arrival, failing to keep the agreement. 

The words English fleet badly describe the vessels which were to carrythe English contingent to their destination. They were ships belongingto the maritime nations of Italy--the Venetians, Genoese, Pisans, etc. ;for England at that time had but few of her own, and these scarcelyfitted for the stormy navigation of the Bay of Biscay. 

King Richard, impatient as ever of delay, at last lost his temper, andembarked on board a ship with a few of his chosen knights, and set sailby himself for Sicily, the point at which the two armies of theexpedition were to reunite. A few days after his departure thelong-looked-for fleet arrived, and a portion of the English hostembarked at once, and set sail for Sicily, where they were to belanded, and the ships were to return to fetch the remaining contingent. 

A sea voyage of this kind in those days was a serious matter. Longvoyages were rare, and troops were carried very much upon the principleof herrings; that is, were packed as close as they could be, without anyreference to their comfort. As the voyages seldom lasted more thantwenty-four hours, this did not much matter, but during long voyages thediscomforts, or as may be said sufferings, of the troops wereconsiderable. So tightly packed were the galleys in which the Englishset sail from Marseilles that there was no walking about. Every manslept where he sat, and considered himself lucky indeed if he couldobtain room sufficient to stretch himself at full length. Most sleptsitting against bulwarks or other supports. In the cabins, where theknights, their pages and squires were placed, the crowding was of courseless excessive, but even here the amount of space, which a subalterntraveling to India for the first time nowadays would grumble at, wasconsidered amply sufficient for half a dozen knights of distinction. Itwas a week after sailing, when Cnut touched Cuthbert's arm as he came ondeck one morning, and said:

"Look, look, Cuthbert! that mountain standing up in the water has caughtfire on the top. Did you ever see such a thing?"

The soldiers crowded to the side of the vessel in intense astonishmentand no little awe. From the top of a lofty and rugged hill, risingalmost straight from the sea, flames were roaring up, smoke hung overthe island, and stones were thrown into the air and rattled down theside of the hill, or fell into the sea with a splash. 

"That is a fearsome sight, " Cnut said, crossing himself. 

"It looks as if it was the mouth of purgatory, " exclaimed another, standing by. 

Cuthbert himself was amazed, for the instruction he had received fromFather Francis was of too slight a nature to include the story ofvolcanoes. A priest, however, who accompanied the ship in the characterof leech and confessor, explained the nature of the phenomenon to hisastonished listeners, and told them that over on the mainland was amountain which at times vomited forth such masses of stones and ofliquid rock that it had swallowed up and covered many great cities. There was also, he told them, another mountain of the same sort, evenmore vast, on the island of Sicily itself; but that this had seldom, asfar back as man could remember, done any great harm. 

Sailing on, in another day they arrived off the coast of Sicily itself, and sailing up the straits between it and the mainland they landed atMessina. Here a considerable portion of the French army had alreadyarrived, having been brought down from Genoa. 

There was no news of the King of England; and, as often happens, thesaying "The more haste the less speed, " had been verified here. 

It was some days later before King Richard arrived, having been drivenfrom his course by tempests, well-nigh cast ashore, and having besidesgone through many adventures. Three weeks later the whole of the army ofthe Crusaders were gathered around Messina, where it was intended toremain some little time before starting. It was a gay time; and thekings vied with each other in entertainments, joustings, andtournaments. The Italian knights also made a brave show, and it mighthave been thought that this huge army of men were gathered there simplyfor amusement and feasting. In the tournaments every effort was made toprevent any feeling of national rivalry, and although parties of knightsheld their own against all comers, these were most carefully selected torepresent several nationalities, and therefore victory, on whichsoeverside it fell, excited no feelings of bitterness. 

Alone, King Richard was undoubtedly the strongest cavalier of the twoarmies. Against his ponderous strength no knight could keep his seat;and this was so palpable that after many victories King Richard wasforced to retire from the lists from want of competitors, and to takehis place on the daïs with the more peace-loving King of France. 

The gayety of the camp was heightened by the arrival of many nobles anddames from Italy. Here, too, came the Queen of Navarre, bringing withher the beautiful Princess Berengaria. 

"Methinks, " the Earl of Evesham said to Cuthbert a fortnight after thearrival of the queen "that unless my eyes deceive me the princess islikely to be a cause of trouble. "

"In what way?" asked Cuthbert with surprise, for he had been struck withher marvelous beauty, and wondered greatly what mischief so fair a beingcould do. 

"By the way in which our good lord, the king, gazes upon her, methinksthat it were like enough that he broke off his engagement with thePrince of France for the sake of the fair eyes of this damsel. "

"That were indeed a misfortune, " Cuthbert said gravely, for he saw atonce the anger which such a course would excite in the minds of theFrench king and his knights, who would naturally be indignant in theextreme at the slight put upon their princess. As day after day passedit became evident to all that the King of England was infatuated by theprincess. Again he entered the lists himself, and as some fresh Italianknights and others had arrived, he found fresh opponents, andconspicuously laid the spoils of victory at the feet of the princess, whom he selected as the Queen of Beauty. 

All sorts of rumors now became current in camp; violent quarrels betweenthe kings, and bad feelings between the French and English knights brokeout again in consequence, and this more violently than before. 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE PRINCESS BERENGARIA. 

One night it chanced that Cuthbert was late in his return to camp, andhis road took him through a portion of the French encampment; the nightwas dark, and Cuthbert presently completely lost all idea as to hisbearings. Presently he nearly ran against a tent; he made his way to theentrance in order to crave directions as to his way--for it was a wetnight; the rain was pouring in torrents, and few were about of whom hecould demand the way--and, as he was about to draw aside the hangings, he heard words said in a passionate voice which caused him to withdrawhis hand suddenly. 

"I tell you, " said a voice, "I would rather drive a dagger myself intoher heart than allow our own princess to be insulted by this hot-headedisland dog. "

"It is sad indeed, " said another, but in a calmer smoother tone, "thatthe success of a great expedition like this, which has for its objectthe recovery of the holy sepulcher from the infidels, should be wreckedby the headstrong fancies of one man. It is even, as is told by the oldGrecian poet, as when Helen caused a great war between people of thatnation. "

"I know nothing, " another voice said, "either of Helen or the Greeks, orof their poets. They are a shifty race, and I can believe aught that isbad of them. But touching this princess of Navarre, I agree with ourfriend, it would be a righteous deed to poniard her, and so to removethe cause of dispute between the two kings, and, indeed, the twonations. This insult laid upon our princess is more than we, as Frenchknights and gentlemen, can brook; and if the king says the word there isnot a gentleman in the army but will be ready to turn his sword againstthe islanders. "

Then the smooth voice spoke again. 

"It would, my brethren, be wrong and useless to shed blood; but methinksthat if this apple of discord could be removed a good work would be donenot, as our friend the count has suggested, by a stab of the dagger;that indeed would be worse than useless. But surely there are scores ofreligious houses, where this bird might be placed in a cage without asoul knowing where she was, and where she might pass her life in prayerthat she may be pardoned for having caused grave hazards of the failureof an enterprise in which all the Christian world is concerned. "

The voices of the speakers now fell, and Cuthbert was straining his earto listen, when he heard footsteps approaching the tent, and he glidedaway into the darkness. 

With great difficulty be recovered the road to the camp, and when hereached his tent he confided to the Earl of Evesham what he had heard. 

"This is serious indeed, " the earl said, "and bodes no little troubleand danger. It is true that the passion which King Richard has conceivedfor Berengaria bids fair to wreck the Crusade, by the anger which it hasexcited in the French king and his nobles; but the disappearance of theprincess would no less fatally interfere with it, for the king would belike a raging lion deprived of his whelps, and would certainly move nofoot eastward until he had exhausted all the means in his power oftracing his lost lady love. You could not, I suppose, Cuthbert, pointout the tent where this conversation took place?"

"I could not, " Cuthbert answered; "in the darkness one tent is likeanother. I think I should recognize the voices of the speakers did Ihear them again; indeed, one voice I did recognize; it was that of theCount of Brabant, with whom we had trouble before. "

"That is good, " the earl said, "because we have at least an object towatch. It would never do to tell the king what you have heard. In thefirst place, his anger would be so great that it would burst all bounds, and would cause, likely enough, a battle at once between the two armies;nor would it have any good effect, for he of Brabant would of coursedeny the truth of your assertions, and would declare it was merely agot-up story to discredit him with the king, and so to wipe out the oldscore now standing between us. No, if we are to succeed, alike inpreventing harm happening to the princess, and an open break between thetwo monarchs, it must be done by keeping a guard over the princess, unsuspected by all, and ourselves frustrating any attempt which may bemade. "

Cuthbert expressed his willingness to carry out the instructions whichthe earl might give him; and, much disturbed by the events of the day, both earl and page retired to rest, to think over what plan had best beadopted. 

The princess was staying at the palace of the bishop of the town; thishe, having another residence a short distance outside the walls, hadplaced at the disposal of the Queen of Navarre and her suite; and thefirst step of Cuthbert in the morning was to go into the town, toreconnoiter the position and appearance of the building. It was a largeand irregular pile, and communicated with the two monasteries lyingalongside of it. It would therefore clearly be a most difficult thing tokeep up a complete watch on the exterior of so large a building. Therewere so many ways in which the princess might be captured and carriedoff by unscrupulous men that Cuthbert in vain thought over every plan bywhich it could be possible to safeguard her. She might be seized uponreturning from a tournament or entertainment; but this was improbable, as the queen would always have an escort of knights with her, and noattempt could be successful except at the cost of a public fracas andmuch loss of blood. Cuthbert regarded as out of the question that anoutrage of this kind would be attempted. 

The fact that one of the speakers in the tent had used the words "mysons, " showed that one priest or monk, at least, was connected with theplot. It was possible that this man might have power in one of themonasteries, or he might be an agent of the bishop himself; and Cuthbertsaw that it would be easy enough in the night for a party from one orother of the monasteries to enter by the door of communication with thepalace, and carry off the princess without the slightest alarm beinggiven. Once within the walls of the convent she could be either hiddenin the dungeons or secret places, which buildings of that kind were sureto possess, or could be at once carried out by some quiet entrance, andtaken into the country, or transferred to some other building in thetown. 

When Cuthbert joined the earl he told him the observations that he hadmade, and Sir Walter praised the judgment which he had shown in hisconclusions. The earl was of opinion that it would be absolutelynecessary to get some clew as to the course which the abductors purposedto take; indeed it was possible that on after-consideration they mightdrop their plan altogether, for the words which Cuthbert had overheardscarcely betokened a plan completely formed and finally decided upon. 

The great point he considered, therefore, was that the tent of his oldenemy should be carefully watched, and that an endeavor should be madeto hear something of what passed within, which might give a clew to theplan fixed upon. They did not, of course, know whether the tent in whichthe conversation had been heard by Cuthbert was that of Sir de JacquelinBarras, or of one of the other persons who had spoken; and Cuthbertsuggested that the first thing would be to find out whether the count, after nightfall, was in the habit of going to some other tent, orwhether, on the other hand, he remained within and was visited byothers. 

It was easy, of course, to discover which was his tent; and Cuthbertsoon got its position, and then took Cnut into his counsels. 

"The matter is difficult, " Cnut said, "and I see no way by which a watchcan be kept up by day; but after dark--I have several men in my band whocan track a deer, and surely could manage to follow the steps of thisbaron without being observed. There is little Jack, who is no biggerthan a boy of twelve, although he can shoot, and run, and play with thequarterstaff, or, if need be, with the bill, against the best man in thetroop. I warrant me that if you show him the tent he will keep suchsharp watch that no one shall enter or depart without his knowing wherethey go to. On a dark night he will be able to slip among the tents, andto move here and there without being seen. He can creep on his stomachwithout moving a leaf, and trust me the eyes of these Frenchmen-at-arms will look in vain for a glimpse of him. "

"You understand, Cnut, all that I want to know is whether the otherconspirators in this matter visit his tent, or whether he goes totheirs. "

"I understand, " Cnut said. "That is the first point to be arrived at. "

Three days later Cnut brought news that each night after dark a party offive men met in the tent that was watched; that one of the five alwayscame out when all had assembled, and took his station before theentrance of the tent, so as to be sure that no eavesdropper was near. 

Cuthbert smiled. 

"It is a case of locking the door after the horse has gone. "

"What is to be done now?" Cnut asked. 

"I will talk with the earl before I tell you, Cnut. This matter is tooserious for me to take a step without consulting Sir Walter. "

That night there was a long talk between the earl and his page as to thebest course to be pursued. It was clear that their old enemy was theleading person in the plot, and that the only plan to baffle it with anyfair chances of success was to keep a constant eye upon his movements, and also to have three or four of the sturdiest men of the band told offto watch, without being perceived, each time that the princess was inher palace. 

The Earl of Evesham left the arrangements entirely in the hands of hispage, of whose good sense and sagacity he had a very high opinion. 

His own first impulse had been to go before the king and denounce theCount of Brabant. But the ill-will between them was already well known;for not only was there the original dispute at the banquet, but when thetwo armies had joined at Sicily, King Richard, who had heard from theearl of the attempt at the assassination of Cuthbert, had laid acomplaint before King Philip of the conduct of his subject. 

Sir de Jacquelin Barras, however, had denied that he had any finger inthe matter. 

"He had, " he said, "discharged his page after the encounter withCuthbert, and knew nothing further whatever of his movements. "

Although it was morally certain that the page could not have purchasedthe services of the men who assisted him, from his own purse, or gainthem by any means of persuasion, but that they were either the followersof the Count of Brabant, or ruffians hired with his money, as no proofcould be obtained the matter was allowed to drop. 

The earl felt, however, that an accusation against the count by him ofan intention to commit a high crime, and this merely on the evidence ofhis page, would appear like an attempt to injure the fame of his rival. 

Feeling, therefore, that nothing could be done save to watch, he leftthe matter entirely in the hands of his page, telling him that he couldtake as many men-at-arms or archers as he might choose and use them inhis name. 

Cnut entered warmly into Cuthbert's plans; and finally it was arrangedbetween them that six of the archers should nightly keep watch oppositethe various entrances of the bishop's palace and of the two monasteriesjoining. Of course, they could not patrol up and down without attractingattention, but they were to take up posts where they could closelyobserve the entrances, and were either to lie down and feign drunkensleep, or to conceal themselves within the shadow of an arch or otherhiding-place. 

Down on the seashore Cuthbert made an arrangement with one of the ownersof small craft lying there that ten of his men should sleep on boardevery night, together with some fishermen accustomed to the use of theoar. 

Cuthbert himself determined to be always with this party. 

Night after night passed, and so long a time went by that Cuthbert beganto think the design must have been given up. 

However, he resolved to relax none of his watchfulness during theremaining time that the expedition might stop in Sicily. 

It was in January, three weeks after the first watch had been set, whenone of the men who had been placed to watch the entrance to one of themonasteries leaped on board the craft and shook Cuthbert by theshoulder. 

"A party of some five men, " he said, "have just issued out from themonastery. They are bearing a burden--what, I cannot see. They weremaking in the direction of the water. I whistled to Dion who was next tome in the lane. He is following them, and I came on to tell you toprepare. "

The night was pitch-dark, and it was difficult in the extreme to see anyone moving at a short distance off. 

There were two or three streets that led from the monastery, which stoodat the top of the town, toward the sea; and a party coming down mighttake any of these, according to the position in which the boat they wereseeking was placed. 

Cuthbert now instantly sent five or six of his men with instructions toavoid all noise, along the line of the port, with orders to bring inword should anyone come down and take boat, or should they hear anynoise in the town. He himself with the sailors loosed the ropes whichfastened the boat to shore, got out the oars, and prepared to put off ata moment's notice. 

He was of course ignorant whether the abductor would try to carry theprincess off by water, or would hide her in one of the convents of thetown; but he was inclined to think that the former would be the courseadopted; for the king in his wrath would be ready to lay the town inflames, and to search every convent from top to bottom for the princess. Besides, there would be too many aware of the secret. 

Cuthbert was not wrong in his supposition. 

Soon the man he had sent to the extreme right came running up with thenews that a boat had embarked at the further end with a party of someten men on board. As he came along he had warned the others, and in fiveminutes the whole party were collected in the craft, numbering in alltwelve of Cuthbert's men and six sailors. They instantly put out, androwed in the direction in which the boat would have gone, the boatmenexpressing their opinion that probably the party would make for a vesselwhich was lying anchored at some little distance from shore. Thebearings of the position of this ship was known to the boatmen, but thenight was so dark that they were quite unable to find it. Orders hadbeen given that no sound or whisper was to be heard on board the boat;and after rowing as far as they could the boatmen said they were in thedirection of the ship. 

The boatmen all lay on their oars, and all listened intently. Presentlythe creaking of a pulley was heard in the still night, at a distance ofa few hundred yards. This was enough. It was clear that the vessel wasgetting up sail. The boat's head was turned in that direction; the crewrowed steadily but noiselessly, and in a few minutes the tall mast of avessel could be seen faintly against the sky. Just as they perceived thesituation, a hail from on board showed that their approach was nowobserved. 

"Stretch to your oars, " Cuthbert said, "we must make a dash for it now. "

The rowers bent to their work and in a minute the boat ran alongside thecraft. 

As Cuthbert and his followers scrambled upon the deck they were attackedby those of the crew and passengers who were standing near; but it wasevident at once that the chiefs of the expedition had not heard thehail, and that there was no general plan of defense against them. 

It was not until the last of them had gained a footing and werebeginning to fight their way along the vessel that from below three orfour men-at-arms ran up, and one in a tone of authority demanded whatwas the matter. When he heard the clash of swords and the shouts of thecombatants he put himself at once at the head of the party and a fierceand obstinate fight now took place. 

The assailants had, however, the advantage. 

Cuthbert and his men were all lightly clad, and this on the deck of aship lumbered with ropes and gear, and in the dark, was a greatadvantage, for the mailed men-at-arms frequently stumbled and fell. Thefight lasted for several minutes. Cnut, who was armed with a heavy mace, did great service, for with each of his sweeping blows he broke down theguard of an opponent, and generally leveled him to the deck. 

The numbers at the beginning of the fight were not unequal, but the mento whom the vessel belonged made but a faint resistance when theyperceived that the day was going against them. The men-at-arms, however, consisting of three, who appeared to be the leaders, and of eightpikemen fought stubbornly and well. 

Cuthbert was not long in detecting in the tones of the man who wasclearly at the head of affairs the voice of Sir de Jacquelin Barras. Todo him justice he fought with extreme bravery, and when almost all hisfollowers were cut down or beaten overboard, he resisted stanchly andwell. With a heavy two-handed sword he cleaved a space at the end of theboat, and kept the whole of Cuthbert's party at bay. 

At last Cnut, who had been engaged elsewhere, came to the front, and atough fight ensued between them. 

It might have ended badly for the brave forester, for his lack of armorgave an enormous advantage to his opponent. Soon, however, the count'sfoot slipped on the boards of the deck, and before he could recoverhimself the mace of Cnut descended with tremendous force upon his head, which was unprotected, as he had taken off his casque on arriving at theship. Without a word or a cry the count fell forward on the deck, killedas a bullock by a blow of a poleax. 

While this conflict had been going on, occasionally the loud screams ofa woman had been heard below. 

Cuthbert, attended by Cnut and two of his followers, now descended. 

At the bottom of the steps they found a man-at-arms placed at the doorof a cabin. He challenged as they approached, but being speedilyconvinced that the vessel was in their hands, and that his employer andparty were all conquered, he made a virtue of necessity, and laid downhis arms. 

"You had better go in alone, " Cnut said, "Master Cuthbert. The lady isless likely to be frightened by your appearance than by us, for she mustwonder indeed what is going on. "

On entering the cabin, which had evidently been fitted up for the use ofa lady, Cuthbert saw standing at the other end the princess, whom ofcourse he knew well by sight. A lamp was burning in the cabin, and byits light he could see that her face was deadly pale. Her robes weretorn and disarranged, and she wore a look at once of grave alarm andsurprise upon seeing a handsomely dressed page enter with a deepreverence. 

"What means this outrage, young sir? Whoever you be, I warn you that theKing of England will revenge this indignity. "

"Your highness, " Cuthbert said, "you have no further reason for alarm;the knaves who carried you off from the bishop's palace and conveyed youto this ship are all either killed or in our power. I am the page of theEarl of Evesham, a devoted follower of King Richard. Some of the designsof the bold men came to the ears of my lord, and he ordered me and aband of his followers to keep good guard over the palace and buildingsadjoining. We were unable to gather our strength in time to prevent yourbeing taken on board, but we lost no time in putting forth when we foundthat your abductors had taken boat, and by good fortune arrived here intime; a few minutes later, and the knaves would have succeeded in theirobject, for the sails were already being hoisted, and the vessel makingway, when we arrived. Your abductors are all either killed or thrownoverboard, and the vessel's head is now turned toward the shore, and Ihope in a few minutes to have the honor of escorting you to the palace. "

The princess, with a sigh of much satisfaction and relief, sank on to acouch. 

"I am indeed indebted to you, young sir, " she said. "Believe me, thePrincess Berengaria is not ungrateful, and should it be ever in herpower to do aught for your lord, or for yourself, or for those who haveaccompanied you to rescue her, believe me that she will do it. "

"May I be so bold as to ask a boon?" Cuthbert said, dropping on one kneebefore her. 

"It is granted at once, whatever it be, if in my power. "

"My boon is, lady, " he said, "that you will do your best to assuage thenatural anger which the King of England will feel at this bold and mostviolent attempt. That he should be told, is of course necessary; but, lady, much depends upon the telling, and I am sure that at your requestthe king would restrain his anger. Were it not for that, I fear thatsuch quarrels and disputes might arise as would bring the two armies toblows, and destroy forever all hope of the successful termination ofour joint enterprise. "

"You are a wise and good youth, " the princess said, holding out her handto Cuthbert, which, as duty bound, he placed to his lips. "Your requestis wise and most thoughtful. I will use any poor influence which I maypossess"--and Cuthbert could see that the blood came back now to thewhite face--"to induce King Richard to allow the matter to pass over. There is no reason why he should take up the case. I am no more underhis protection than under that of the King of France, and it is to thelatter I should appeal, for as I believe the men who abducted me werehis subjects. "

"The leader of them, madam, was a certain Sir de Jacquelin Barras, aCount of Brabant, with whom my master has had an old feud, and who hasbeen just killed by the leader of our men-at-arms. The others, who havehad the most active hand in the matter, have also perished; and itwould, I think be doubtful whether any clew could be obtained of thosewho were in league with them. The only man in the party who is alive wasplaced as a sentry at your door, and as he is but a man-at-arms we maybe sure that he knows naught of the enterprise, but has merely carriedout the orders of his master. "

The vessel had by this time brought up close to the port. The princessdetermined to wait on board until the first dawn was seen in the skies, and then under the escort of her deliverers to go back to the palace, before the town was moving. This plan was carried out, and soon afterdawn the princess was safe in the palace from which she had been carrieda few hours previously. 

CHAPTER X. 

PIRATES. 

It was not possible that a matter of this sort could be entirely hushedup. Not many hours passed before rumors were current of events which hadtaken place, though none knew what those events were. 

There were reports that the tire-woman of the Princess Berengaria had inthe night discovered that her mistress' couch was unoccupied, that shehad found signs of a struggle, and had picked up a dagger on the floor, where it had evidently fallen from the sheath; also it was said that theprincess had returned at daylight escorted by an armed party, and thatshe was unable to obtain entrance to the palace until one of the ladiesof the queen had been fetched down to order the sentries at the gate toallow her to enter. 

This was the news which rumor carried through the camp. Few, however, believed it, and none who could have enlightened them opened their lipsupon the subject. 

It was known, however, that a messenger had come to King Richard early, and that he had at once mounted and ridden off to the bishop's palace. What had happened there none could say, but there were rumors that hisvoice had been heard in furious outbursts of passion. He remained thereuntil the afternoon, when he sent for a number of his principal nobles. 

When these arrived they found him standing on a daïs in the principalhall of the palace, and he there formally introduced to them thePrincess Berengaria as his affianced wife. The ceremony of the marriage, he told them, would shortly take place. 

This announcement caused a tremendous stir in both armies. The English, who had never been favorable to the alliance with the French princess, were glad to hear that this was broken off, and were well content thatthe Princess Berengaria should be their future queen, for her beauty, high spirit, and kindness had won all hearts. 

On the part of the French, on the other hand, there was greatindignation, and for some time it was feared that the armies would cometo open blows. 

King Philip, however, although much angered, was politic enough todeprecate any open outbreak. He knew that a dispute now began would notonly at once put a stop to the Crusade, but that it might lead to moreserious consequences at home. The fiery bravery of the English king, backed as it would be by the whole strength of his subjects, mightrender him a very formidable opponent; and the king felt that privategrievances must be laid aside where the good of France was concerned. 

Still the coldness between the armies increased, their camps were movedfurther apart, and during the time that they remained in Sicily therewas but little commerce between the two forces. 

As soon as the winter had broken the French monarch broke up his camp, and in March sailed for the Holy Land. 

The English had expected that the marriage ceremony of the king andPrincess Berengaria would be celebrated before they left Sicily, butthis was not the case. There were high joustings and _fêtes_ in honor ofthe princess, but the marriage was delayed. A fortnight after the Frenchhad sailed the English embarked in the two hundred ships which had beenprepared, and sailed also on their way to Acre. 

It must not be supposed that the attempted abduction of the PrincessBerengaria was unimportant in its results to Cuthbert. 

After returning from the palace the king, who had heard from her thedetails of what had taken place, and the names of her rescuers, sent forthe Earl of Evesham. The latter had of course learned from Cuthbert allthat had happened, and had expressed his high approval of his conduct, and his gratification at the result. 

"I learn, Sir Earl, " said King Richard, "that it is to you that I amindebted for the rescue of the princess. She tells me that suspectingsome plot you placed a guard around the bishop's palace, with a strongbody on the shore ready to rescue her from the hands of any who mightattempt to take her to sea. "

"It is as you say, sire, " replied the earl; "but the whole merit of theaffair rests upon my page, the lad whom you may remember as havingfought with and conquered the French page, and of whose conduct you thenapproved highly. You may also remember that he escaped by some displayof bravery and shrewdness the further attempts to assassinate him, andyour majesty was good enough to make a complaint to King Philip of theconduct of one of his nobles on that head. It seems that some two monthssince the lad in coming through the French camp at night missed his way, and accidentally overheard a few words spoken in a voice which herecognized as that of his enemy. The name of your majesty beingmentioned, he deemed it his duty to listen, and thus discovered that aplot was on foot for carrying off the princess. After consultation withme, we agreed upon the course to be adopted, namely, to place sentriesround the bishop's place and the buildings adjoining, who should followand bring word should she be taken to another place in town, while aband was placed on the shore in readiness to interfere at once toprevent her being carried away by sea. He undertook the management ofall details, having with him a trusty squire who commands my Saxonbowmen. "

"For your own part I thank you, my lord, " the king said, "and, believeme, you shall not find Richard ungrateful. As to your page, he appearsbrave and wise beyond his years. Were it not that I think that it wouldnot be good for him, and might attract some envy upon the part ofothers, I would at once make him a knight. He already has my promisethat I will do so on the first occasion when he can show his prowessupon the infidels. Bring him to me to-morrow, when the princess will behere with the Queen of Navarre at a banquet. I would fain thank himbefore her; and, although I have agreed--at the princess' earnestsolicitation--to take no further notice of the matter, and to allow itto pass as if it had not been, yet I cannot forgive the treachery whichhas been used, and without letting all know exactly what has occurredwould fain by my reception of your page let men see that something ofgreat import has happened, of the nature of which I doubt not that rumorwill give some notion. "

Upon the following day, therefore, Cuthbert to his confusion foundhimself the center of the royal circle. The king expressed himself tohim in the most gracious manner, patting him on the shoulder, and saidthat he would be one day one of the best and bravest of his knights. Theprincess and the Queen of Navarre gave him their hands to kiss, andsomewhat overwhelmed, he withdrew from the royal presence, the center ofattention, and, in some minds, of envy. 

Cnut too did not pass unrewarded. 

His majesty, finding that Cnut was of gentle Saxon blood, gave him agold chain in token of his favor, and distributed a heavy purse amongthe men who had followed him. 

When the British fleet, numbering two hundred ships, set sail fromSicily, it was a grand and martial sight. From the masts were the colorsof England and those of the nobles who commanded; while the pennons ofthe knights, the bright plumes and mantles, the flash of armor and armsmade the decks alive with light and color. 

The king's ship advanced in the van, and round him were the vesselscontaining his principal followers. The Queen of Navarre and thePrincess Berengaria were with the fleet. Strains of music rose from thewaters, and never were the circumstances of war exhibited in a morepicturesque form. 

For two days the expedition sailed on, and then a change of a sudden anddisastrous kind took place. 

"What is all this bustle about?" Cuthbert said to Cnut. "The sailors arerunning up the ladders, all seems confusion. "

"Methinks, " said Cnut, "that we are about to have a storm. A few minutesago scarce a cloud was to be seen; now that bank over there has risenhalfway up the sky. The sailors are accustomed to these treacherousseas, and the warnings which we have not noticed have no doubt beenclear enough to them. "

With great rapidity the sails of the fleet came down, and in fiveminutes its whole aspect was changed; but quickly as the sailors haddone their work, the storm was even more rapid in its progress. Some ofthe ships whose crews were slower or less skillful than the others werecaught by the gale before they could get their sails snug, and the greatsheets of white canvas were blown from the bolt-ropes as if made ofpaper, and a blackness which could almost be felt covered the sea, theonly light being that given by the frothing waters. There was no longerany thought of order. Each ship had to shift for herself; and eachcaptain to do his best to save those under his charge, without thoughtof what might befall the others. 

In the ship which carried the Earl of Evesham's contingent, order anddiscipline prevailed. The earl's voice had been heard at the first puffof wind, shouting to the men to go below, save a few who might be of useto haul at ropes. His standard was lowered, the bright flags removedfrom the sides of the ship, the shields which were hanging over thebulwarks were hurriedly taken below, and when the gale smote them theship was trim, and in readiness to receive it. A few square yards ofsail alone were all that the captain had thought it prudent to keepspread, and in a minute from the time she was struck the lofty hulk wastearing along through the waters at a tremendous speed. Four of the besthands were placed at the helm; and here the captain took his post. 

The danger was now that in the darkness they might run against one oftheir consorts. Even in the war of the elements they could hear fromtime to time crashes as of vessels striking against each other, withshouts and cries. Once or twice from the darkness ships emerged, closeon one hand or the other; but the steadiness of the captain in each casesaved the ship from collision. 

As the storm continued these glimpses of other vessels became more andmore rare, and the ship being a very fast sailer, the captain indulgedthe hope that he was now clear of the rest of the fleet. 

He now attempted to lie-to to the storm, but the wind was too strong. The ships in those days, too, were so high out of the water, and offeredin themselves such a target to the wind, that it was useless to adoptany other maneuver than to run before it. 

For two days and nights the tempest raged. 

"What think you, " the earl said to the captain, "of our position? Whereare we, and where will the course upon which we are running take us?"

"I cannot say with certainty, " the captain said, "for the wind hasshifted several times. I had hoped to gain the shelter of Rhodes, but ashift of wind bore us away from there, and I much fear that from thedirection in which we have been running we must be very nigh on thecoast of Africa. "

"_Peste!_" the earl said. "That would indeed be a speedy end to ourCrusade. These Moors are pirates and cutthroats to a man; and evenshould we avoid the risk of being dashed to pieces, we should end ourlives as slaves to one of these black infidels. "

Three hours later the captain's prophecies turned out right. Breakerswere seen in various points in front, and with the greatest difficultythe vessel was steered through an opening between them; but in anotherfew minutes she struck heavily, one of her masts went over the side, andshe lay fast and immovable. Fortunately, the outside bank of sand actedas a sort of breakwater; had she struck upon this the good ship wouldhave gone to pieces instantly; but although the waves still struck herwith considerable force, the captain had good hope that she would notbreak up. Darkness came on; the tempest seemed to lull. As there was noimmediate danger, and all were exhausted by the tossing which they hadreceived during the last forty-eight hours, the crew of the Rose sleptsoundly. 

In the morning the sun rose brilliantly, and there was no sign of thegreat storm which had scattered the fleet of England. The shore was tobe seen at a distance of some four miles. It was low and sandy, withlofty mountains in the distance. Far inland a white town with minaretand dome could be seen. 

"Know you where we are?" the earl asked. 

"As far as I can tell, " the captain said, "we have been driven up thebay called the Little Syrtis--a place full of shoals and shallows, andabounding with pirates of the worst kind. "

"Think you that the ship has suffered injury?"

"Whether she has done so or not, " the captain said, "I fear greatlythat she is fast in the sand, and even the lightening of all her cargowill scarce get her off; but we must try at least. "

"It is little time that we shall have to try, Master Captain, " Cuthbert, who was standing close, said. "Me thinks those two long ships which areputting out from that town will have something to say to that. "

"It is too true, " the captain said. "Those are the galleys of theMoorish corsairs. They are thirty or forty oars, draw but little water, and will be here like the wind. "

"What do you advise?" asked the earl. "The falconets which you have uponthe poop can make but a poor resistance to boats that can row around us, and are no doubt furnished with heavy metal. They will quickly perceivethat we are aground and defenseless, and will be able to plump theirshot into us until they have knocked the good ship to pieces. However, we will fight to the last. It shall not be said that the Earl of Eveshamwas taken by infidel dogs and sold as a slave, without striking a blowin his defense. "

Cuthbert stood watching the corsairs, which were now rowing toward themat all speed. 

"Methinks, my lord, " he said presently, "if I might venture to give anopinion, that we might yet trick the infidel. "

"As how, Cuthbert?" the earl said. "Speak out; you know that I havegreat faith in your sagacity. "

"I think, sir, " the page said, "that did we send all your men below, leaving only the crew of the vessel on deck, they would take us for amerchant ship which has been wrecked here, and exercise but little carehow they approach us. The men on deck might make a show of firing onceor twice with the falconets. The pirates, disdaining such a foe, wouldrow alongside. Once there, we might fasten one or both to our side withgrapnels, and then, methinks, that English bill and bow will render usmore than a match for Moorish pirates, and one of these craft canscarcely carry more men than we have. I should propose to take one ofthem by force, and drive the pirates overboard; take possession of, ifpossible, or beat off her consort; and then take the most valuablestores from the ship and make our way as best we can to the north. "

"Well thought of!" exclaimed the earl cordially. "You have indeedimagined a plan which promises well. What think you, captain?"

"I think, my lord, " the Genoese said, "that the plan is an excellentone, and promises every success. If your men will all go below, holdingtheir arms in readiness for the signal, mine shall prepare grapnels andropes, and the first of these craft which comes alongside they will lashso securely to the Rose that I warrant me she gets not away. "

These preparations were soon made. 

The soldiers, who at first had been filled with apprehension at thethought of slavery among the infidels, were now delighted at theprospect of a struggle ending in escape. 

The archers prepared their bows and arrows, and stood behind theportholes in readiness to pour a volley into the enemy; the men-at-armsgrasped their pikes and swords; while above, the sailors moved hitherand thither as if making preparations for defense, but in realitypreparing the grapnels and ropes. 

One of the pirates was faster than the other, and soon coming withinreach, opened fire upon the Rose with a heavy cannon, which she carriedin her bow. 

The crew of the Rose replied with their falconets and sakers from thepoop. 

The corsair at first did not keep her course direct for the ship, butrowed once or twice round her, firing as she did so. Then, apparentlysatisfied that no great precaution need be observed with a feebly-mannedship in so great a strait as the Rose, they set up a wild cry of"Allah!" and rowed toward her. 

In two minutes the corsair was alongside of the Rose, and the fiercecrew were climbing up her sides. As she came alongside the sailors castgrapnels into her rigging, and fastened her to the Rose; and then a loudshout of "Hurrah for England!" was heard; the ports opened, and a volleyof arrows was poured upon the astonished corsair; and from the deckabove the assailants were thrown back into the galley, and a swarm ofheavily armed men leaped down from the ship upon them. 

Taken by surprise, and indeed outnumbered, the resistance of thecorsairs was but slight. In a close fierce _mêlée_ like this thelight-armed Moors had but little chance with the mail-clad English, whose heavy swords and axes clove their defenses at a blow. The fightlasted but three minutes, and then the last of the corsairs wasoverboard. 

The men who rowed the galley had uttered the most piercing cries whilethis conflict had been raging. They were unable to take any part in it, had they been disposed to do so, for they were all slaves chained to theoars. 

Scarcely had the conflict ended when the other galley arrived upon thescene; but seeing what had happened, and that her consort had falleninto the hands of the English, she at once turned her head, and rowedback rapidly to the town from which she had come. 

Among the slaves who rowed the galley were many white men, and theircries of joy at their liberation greatly affected those who had thusunexpectedly rescued them. Hammers were soon brought into requisition, the shackles struck off them, and a scene of affecting joy took place. The slaves were of all nationalities, but Italians and Spaniards, Frenchand Greeks formed the principal part. There was no time, however, to belost; the arms and munitions of war were hastily removed from the Rose, together with the most valuable of the stores. 

The galley-slaves again took their places, and this time willingly, atthe oars, the places of the weakest being supplied by the English, whose want of skill was made up by the alacrity with which they threwtheir strength into the work; and in an hour from the time that thegalley had arrived alongside of the Hose, her head was turned north, andwith sixty oars she was rowing at all speed for the mouth of the bay. 

CHAPTER XI. 

IN THE HOLY LAND. 

As soon as the galley which had escaped reached the town from which ithad started, it with three others at once set out in pursuit; while froma narrow creek two other galleys made their appearance. 

There were a few words of question among the English whether to stop andgive battle to these opponents, or to make their way with all speed. Thelatter counsel prevailed; the earl pointing out that their lives werenow scarcely their own, and that they had no right on their way to theholy sepulcher to risk them unnecessarily. 

Fortunately they had it in their hands to fight or escape, as theychose; for doubly banked as the oars now were there was little chance ofthe enemy's galleys overtaking them. Gradually as they rowed to sea thepursuing vessels became smaller and smaller to view, until at last theywere seen to turn about and make again for land. 

After some consultation between the earl and the captain of the lostship it was determined to make for Rhodes. This had been settled as ahalting point for the fleet, and the earl thought it probable that thegreater portion of those scattered by the storm would rendezvous there. 

So it proved; after a voyage, which although not very long was tedious, owing to the number of men cramped up in so small a craft, they camewithin sight of the port of Rhodes, and were greatly pleased at seeing aperfect forest of masts there, showing that at least the greater portionof the fleet had survived the storm. 

This was indeed the fact, and a number of other single ships dropped induring the next day or two. 

There was great astonishment on the part of the fleet when the long, swift galley was seen approaching, and numerous conjectures were offeredas to what message the pirates could be bringing--for there was nomistaking the appearance of the long, dangerous-looking craft. 

When, upon her approach, the standard of the Earl of Evesham was seenflying on the bow, a great shout of welcome arose from the fleet; andKing Richard himself, who happened to be on the deck of the royal ship, shouted to the earl to come on board and tell him what masquerading hewas doing there. The earl of course obeyed the order, anchoring near theroyal vessel, and going on board in a small boat, taking with him hispage and squire. 

The king heard with great interest the tale of the adventures of theRose; and when the Earl of Evesham said that it was to Cuthbert that wasdue the thought of the stratagem by which the galley was captured, andits crew saved from being carried away into hopeless slavery, the kingpatted the boy on the shoulder with such hearty force as nearly to throwCuthbert off his feet. 

"By St. George!" said the monarch, "you are fated to be a very pink ofknights. You seem as thoughtful as you are brave; and whatever your agemay be, I declare that the next time your name is brought before me Iwill call a chapter of knights, and they shall agree that exceptionshall be made in your favor, and that you shall at once be admitted tothe honorable post. You will miss your page, Sir Walter; but I am sureyou will not grudge him that. "

"No, no, sire, " said the earl. "The lad, as I have told your majesty, isa connection of mine--distant it is true, but one of the nearest Ihave--and it will give me the greatest pleasure to see him rising sorapidly, and on a fair way to distinguish himself so highly. I feelalready as proud of him as if he were my own son. "

The fleet remained some two or three weeks at Rhodes, for many of thevessels were sorely buffeted and injured, masts were carried away aswell as bulwarks battered in, and the efforts of the crews and of thoseof the whole of the artificers of Rhodes were called into requisition. Light sailing craft were sent off in all directions, for the king was ina fever of anxiety. Among the vessels still missing was that which borethe Queen of Navarre and the fair Berengaria. 

One day a solitary vessel was seen approaching. "Another of our lostsheep, " the earl said, looking out over the poop. 

She proved, however, to be a merchant ship of Greece, and newly comefrom Cyprus. 

Her captain went on board the royal ship, and delivered a message to theking, to the effect that two of the vessels had been cast upon the coastof Cyprus, that they had been plundered by the people, the crewsill-treated and made prisoners by the king, and that the Queen ofNavarre and the princess were in their hands. 

This roused King Richard into one of his furies. "Before I move a steptoward the Holy Land, " he said, "I will avenge these injuries upon thisfaithless and insolent king. I swear that I will make him pay dearly forhaving laid a hand upon these ladies. "

At once the signal was hoisted for all the vessels in a condition tosail to take on board water and provisions, and to prepare to sail forCyprus; and the next morning at daybreak the fleet sailed out, and madetheir way toward that island, casting anchor off the harbor ofFamagosta. 

King Richard sent a messenger on shore to the king, ordering him at onceto release the prisoners; to make the most ample compensation to them;to place ships at their service equal to those which had been destroyed;and to pay a handsome sum of money as indemnity. 

The King of Cyprus, however, an insolent and haughty despot, sent backa message of defiance. King Richard at once ordered the anchors to beraised, and all to follow the royal ship. 

The fleet entered the harbor of Famagosta; the English archers began thefight by sending a flight of arrows into the town. This was answeredfrom the walls by a shower of stones and darts from the machines. 

There was no time wasted. The vessels were headed toward the shore, andas the water was deep, many of them were able to run close alongside therocky wharves. In an instant, regardless of the storm of weapons poureddown by the defenders, the English leaped ashore. 

The archers kept up so terrible a rain of missiles against thebattlements that the defenders could scarcely show themselves for aninstant there, and the men-at-arms, placing ladders against them, speedily mounted, and putting aside all opposition, poured into thetown. The effeminate Greek soldiers of the monarch could offer noeffectual resistance whatever, and he himself fled from the palace andgained the open country, followed by a few adherents. The English gaineda considerable booty, for in those days a town taken by assault wasalways looked upon as the property of the captors. The Queen of Navarreand the princess were rescued. 

King Richard, however, was not satisfied with the success he had gained, and was determined to punish this insolent little king. Accordingly theEnglish were set in motion into the interior, and town after townspeedily fell, or opened their gate to him. The king, deserted by histroops, and detested by his people for having brought so terrible ascourge upon them by his reckless conduct, now sued for peace; but KingRichard would give him no terms except dethronement, and this he wasforced to accept. He was deprived of his crown, and banished from theisland. 

The king now, to the surprise of his barons, announced his intention ofat once marrying the Princess Berengaria. 

Popular as he was, there was yet some quiet grumbling among his troops;as they said, with justice, they had been waiting nearly six months inthe island of Sicily, and the king might well have married there, instead of a fresh delay being caused when so near their place ofdestination. 

However, the king as usual had his own way, and the marriage wassolemnized amid great rejoicing and solemnity. 

It was a brilliant scene indeed in the cathedral of Limasol. There wereassembled all the principal barons of England, together with a greatnumber of the nobles of Cyprus. 

Certainly no better matched pair ever stood at the altar together, foras King Richard was one of the strongest and bravest men of his own orany other time, so Berengaria is admitted to have been one of theloveliest maidens. 

The air was rent with the acclamations of the assembled English hostand of the numerous inhabitants of Limasol as they emerged from thecathedral. For a fortnight the town was given up to festivity;tournaments, joustings, banquets succeeded each other day after day, andthe islanders, who were fond of pleasure, and indeed very wealthy, viedwith the English in the entertainments which they gave in honor of theoccasion. 

The festivities over, the king gave the welcome order to proceed ontheir voyage. They had now been joined by all the vessels left behind atRhodes, and it was found that only a few were missing, and that thegreat storm, terrible as it had been, had inflicted less damage upon thefleet than was at first feared. 

Two days' sail brought them within sight of the white walls of Acre, andit was on June 8, 1191, that the fleet sailed into the port of thattown. Tremendous acclamations greeted the arrival of the English army bythe host assembled on the shores. 

Acre had been besieged for two years, but in vain; and even the arrivalof the French army under Philip Augustus had failed to turn the scale. The inhabitants defended themselves with desperate bravery; everyassault upon the walls had been repulsed with immense slaughter; and atno great distance off the Sultan Saladin, with a large army, waswatching the progress of the siege. 

The fame of King Richard and the English was so great, however, that thebesiegers had little doubt that his arrival would change the position ofthings; and even the French, in spite of the bad feeling which hadexisted in Sicily, joined with the knights and army of the King ofJerusalem in acclaiming the arrival of the English. 

Philip Augustus, the French king, was of a somewhat weak and waveringdisposition. It would have been thought that after his dispute with KingRichard he would have gladly done all in his power to carry Acre beforethe arrival of his great rival. To the great disappointment of theFrench, however, he declared that he would take no step in the generalassault until the arrival of Richard; and although the French had givensome assistance to the besiegers, the army had really remained passivefor many weeks. 

Now, however, that the English had arrived, little time was lost; forthe moment the dissensions and jealousies between the monarchs werepatched up, the two hosts naturally imitated the example of theirsovereigns, and French and English worked side by side in throwing uptrenches against the walls, in building movable towers for the attack, and in preparing for the great onslaught. 

The French were the first to finish their preparations, and theydelivered a tremendous assault upon the walls. The besieged, however, did not lose heart, and with the greatest bravery repulsed everyattempt. The scaling ladders were hurled backward, the towers weredestroyed by Greek fire; boiling oil was hurled down upon the men whoadvanced under the shelter of machines to undermine the walls; andafter desperate fighting the French fell back, baffled and beaten. 

There was some quiet exultation in the English lines at the defeat ofthe French, for they believed that a better fortune would crown theirown efforts. Such, however, to their surprise and mortification, was notthe case. When their preparations were completed they attacked withsplendid bravery. They were fighting under the eyes of their king and insight of the French army, who had a few days before been baffled; and ifbravery and devotion could have carried the walls of Acre, assuredlyKing Richard's army would have accomplished the task. 

It was, however, too great for them, and with vast loss the army fellback to its camp, King Richard raging like a wounded lion. Many of hisbarons had been killed in the assault, and the pikemen and men-at-armshad suffered heavily. The Earl of Evesham had been wounded; Cuthbert hadtaken no part in the assault, for the earl, knowing his bravery, hadforbidden his doing so, as he foresaw the struggle would be of the mostdesperate character; and as it was not usual for pages to accompanytheir lords on the battlefield, Cuthbert could not complain of his beingforbidden to take part in the fight. 

The earl, however, permitted him to accompany Cnut and the bowmen, whodid great service by the accuracy of their aim, preventing by theirstorm of arrows the men on the battlements from taking steady aim andworking their machines, and so saved the Earl of Evesham's troop andthose fighting near him from suffering nearly as heavy loss as some ofthose engaged in other quarters. 

But while successful in beating off all assaults, the defenders of Acrewere now nearly at the end of their resources. The Emperor Saladin, although he had collected an army of two hundred thousand men, yetfeared to advance and give battle to the Crusaders in their ownlines--for they had thrown up round their camp strong intrenchments toprevent the progress of the siege being disturbed by forces fromwithout. 

The people of Acre seeing the time pass and no sign of a rescuing force, their provisions being utterly exhausted, and pestilence and fevermaking frightful ravages in the city, at last determined to surrender. 

For over two years they had made a resistance of the most valiantdescription, and now, despairing of success or rescue, and seeing thehosts of their besiegers increasing day by day, they hoisted a flag uponthe walls and sent a deputation to the kings, asking for terms if theysubmitted. They would have done well had they submitted upon the arrivalof the French and English reinforcements. For the monarchs, annoyed bythe defeat of their forces and by the heavy losses they had sustained, and knowing that the besieged were now at their last crust, were notdisposed to be merciful. 

However, the horrors which then attended the capture of cities in a warin which so little quarter was given on either side were avoided. Thecity was to be surrendered; the much-prized relic contained within itswalls--said to be a piece of the true cross which had been captured bythe Saracens at the battle of Tiberias, in which they had almostannihilated the Christian armies a few years before--was to besurrendered; the Christian prisoners in their hands were to be given upunharmed; and the inhabitants undertook to pay two hundred thousandpieces of gold to the kings within forty days, under the condition thatthe fighting men now taken prisoners were to be put to death should thisransom not be paid. 

The conquest of Acre was hailed throughout Christendom as a triumph ofthe highest importance. It opened again the gates of the Holy Land; andso tremendous was the strength of the fortress that it was deemed thatif this stronghold were unable to resist effectually the arms of theCrusaders, and that if Saladin with so great an army did not dare toadvance to its rescue, then the rest of the Holy Land would speedilyfall under the hands of the invading army. 

With the fall of Acre, however, the dissensions between the two kings, which had for awhile been allowed to rest while the common work was tobe done, broke out again with renewed intensity. The jealousy of PhilipAugustus was raised to the highest point by the general enthusiasm ofthe combined armies for the valiant King of England, and by theauthority which that monarch exercised in the councils. He thereforesuddenly announced his intention of returning to France. 

This decision at first occasioned the greatest consternation in theranks of the Crusaders; but this feeling was lessened when the kingannounced that he should leave a large portion of the French armybehind, under the command of the Duke of Burgundy. The wiser councilorswere satisfied with the change. Although there was a reduction of thetotal fighting force, yet the fact that it was now centered under onehead, and that King Richard would now be in supreme command, was deemedto more than counterbalance the loss of a portion of the French army. 

Before starting on the march for Jerusalem King Richard sullied hisreputation by causing all the defenders of Acre to be put to death, their ransom not having arrived at the stipulated time. 

Then the allied army set out upon their journey. The fleet cruised alongnear them, and from it they obtained all that was requisite for theirwants, and yet, notwithstanding these advantages, the toil and fatiguewere terrible. Roads scarcely existed, and the army marched across therough and broken country. There was no straggling, but each kept hisplace; and if unable to do so, fell and died. The blazing sun poureddown upon them with an appalling force; the dust which rose when theyleft the rocks and came upon flat, sandy ground almost smothered them. Water was only obtainable at the halts, and then was frequentlyaltogether insufficient for the wants of the army; while in front, onflank, and in rear hovered clouds of the cavalry of Saladin. 

At times King Richard would allow parties of his knights to detachthemselves from the force to drive off these enemies. But it was thechase of a lion after a hare. The knights in their heavy armor andpowerful steeds were left behind as if standing still, by the fleetBedouins on their desert coursers; and the pursuers, exhausted and wornout, were always glad to regain the ranks of the army. 

These clouds of cavalry belonging to the enemy did not contentthemselves with merely menacing and cutting off stragglers. At times, when they thought they saw an opening, they would dash in and attack thecolumn desperately, sometimes gaining temporary advantages, killing andwounding many, then fleeing away again into the desert. 

Finding that it was impossible to catch these wary horsemen, KingRichard ordered his bowmen to march outside his cavalry, so that whenthe enemy's horse approached within bowshot they should open upon themwith arrows; then, should the horsemen persist in charging, the archerswere at once to take refuge behind the lines of the knights. 

Day after day passed in harassing conflicts. The distance passed overeach day was very small, and the sufferings of the men from thirst, heat, and fatigue enormous. Cuthbert could well understand now what hehad heard of great armies melting away, for already men began to succumbin large numbers to the terrible heat, and the path traversed by thearmy was scattered with corpses of those who had fallen victims tosunstroke. Not even at night did the attacks of the enemy cease, and aportion of the harassed force was obliged to keep under arms to repelassaults. 

So passed the time until the army arrived at Azotus, and there, to thedelight of the Crusaders, who only longed to get at their foes, theybeheld the whole force of Saladin, two hundred thousand strong, barringtheir way. Had it not been for the stern discipline enforced by KingRichard the knights of England and France would have repeated themistake which had caused the extermination of the Christian force atTiberias, and would have leveled their lances and charged recklesslyinto the mass of their enemies. But the king, riding round the flanksand front of the force, gave his orders in the sternest way, with thethreat that any man who moved from the ranks should die by his hand. 

The army was halted, the leaders gathered round the king, and a hastyconsultation was held. Richard insisted upon the fight being conductedupon the same principles as the march--that the line of archers shouldstand outside the knights, and should gall the advancing force witharrows till the last moment, and then retire among the cavalry, only tosally out again as the Bedouins fell back from the steel wall ofhorsemen. 

Cuthbert had now for the first time donned full armor, and rode behindthe Earl of Evesham as his esquire, for the former esquire had been leftbehind, ill with fever at Acre. 

CHAPTER XII. 

THE ACCOLADE. 

It was now a year since they had left England, and Cuthbert had muchgrown and widened out in the interval, and had never neglected anopportunity of practicing with arms; and the earl was well aware that heshould obtain as efficient assistance from him in time of need as hecould desire. 

This was the first time that Cuthbert, and indeed the great proportionof those present in the Christian host, had seen the enemy in force, andthey eagerly watched the vast array. It was picturesque in the extreme, with a variety and brightness of color rivaling that of the Christianhost. In banners and pennons the latter made a braver show; but thefloating robes of the infidel showed a far brighter mass of color thanthe steel armor of the Christians. 

Here were people drawn from widely separated parts of Saladin'sdominions. Here were Nubians from the Nile, tall and powerful men, jetblack in skin, with lines of red and white paint on their faces, givinga ghastly and wild appearance to them. On their shoulders were skins oflions and other wild animals. They carried short bows, and heavy clubsstudded with iron. By them were the Bedouin cavalry, light, sinewy men, brown as berries, with white turbans and garments. Near these were thecavalry from Syria and the plains of Assyria--wild horsemen withsemi-barbarous armor and scarlet trappings. Here were the solid lines ofthe Egyptian infantry, steady troops, upon whom Saladin much relied. Here were other tribes, gathered from afar, each distinguished by itsown particular marks. In silence did this vast array view awhile thesolid mass of the Christians. Suddenly a strange din of discordant musicfrom thousands of musical instruments--conches and horns, cymbals anddrums, arose in wild confusion. Shouts of defiance in a dozen tonguesand from two hundred thousand throats rose wild and shrill upon the air, while clear above all the din were heard the strange vibratory cries ofthe warriors from the Egyptian highlands. 

"One would think, " said Cnut grimly to Cuthbert, "that the infidelsimagine we are a flock of antelopes to be frightened by an outcry. Theywould do far better to save their wind for future use. They will wantit, methinks, when we get fairly among them. Who would have thought thata number of men, heathen and infidel though they be, could have made sofoul an outcry?"

Cuthbert laughed. 

"Every one fights according to his own method, Cnut; and I am not surethat there is not some thing to be said for this outcry, for it isreally so wild and fearful that it makes my blood almost curdle in myveins; and were it not that I know the proved valor of our knights andfootmen, I should feel shaken by this terrible introduction to thefight. "

"I heed it no more, " said Cnut, "than the outcry of wild fowl, when onecomes upon them suddenly on a lake in winter. It means no more thanthat; and I reckon that they are trying to encourage themselves fully asmuch as to frighten us. However, we shall soon see. If they can fight aswell as they can scream, they certainly will get no answering shoutsfrom us. The English bulldog fights silently, and bite as hard as hewill, you will hear little beyond a low growl. Now, my men, " he said, turning to his archers, "methinks the heathen are about to begin inearnest. Keep steady; do not fire until you are sure that they arewithin range. Draw your bows well to your ears, and straightly andsteadily let fly. Never heed the outcry or the rush, keep steady to thelast moment. There is shelter behind you, and fierce as the attack maybe, you can find a sure refuge behind the line of the knights. "

Cnut with his archers formed part of the line outside the array ofEnglish knights, and the arrows of the English bowmen fell fast as bandsof the Bedouin horse circled round them in the endeavor to draw theChristians on to the attack. For some time Saladin persisted in thesetactics. With his immense superiority of force he reckoned that if theChristian chivalry would but charge him, the victory of Tiberias wouldbe repeated. Hemmed in by numbers, borne down by the weight of armor andthe effects of the blazing sun, the knights would succumb as much tofatigue as to the force of their foes. King Richard's orders, however, were well obeyed, and at last the Moslem chief, urged by the entreatiesof his leading emirs, who felt ashamed that so large a force shouldhesitate to attack one so vastly inferior in numbers, determined upontaking the initiative, and forming his troops in a semicircle round theChristian army, launched his horsemen to the attack. The instant theycame within range a cloud of arrows from the English archers fell amongthem, but the speed at which the desert horses covered the groundrendered it impossible for the archers to discharge more than one or twoshafts before the enemy were upon them. Quickly as they now slipped backand sought refuge under the lances of the knights, many of them wereunable to get back in time, and were cut down by the Saracens. The restcrept between the horses or under their bellies into the rear, and thereprepared to sally out again as soon as the enemy retired. The Christianknights sat like a wall of steel upon their horses, their lances wereleveled, and brave as the Bedouin horsemen were, they felt to break thismassive line was impossible. The front line, however, charged well up tothe points of the lances, against which they hewed with their sharpscimiters, frequently severing the steel top from the ashpole, and thenbreaking through and engaging in hand-to-hand conflict with the knights. Behind the latter sat their squires, with extra spears and arms ready tohand to their masters; and in close combat, the heavy maces with theirspike ends were weapons before which the light-clad horsemen went downlike reeds before a storm. 

Hour after hour the Arab horsemen persisted in their attack, sufferingheavily, but determined to conquer if possible. Then Saladin suddenlyordered a retreat, and at seeing their enemy fly, the impetuosity of theCrusaders at last broke out. With a shout they dashed after the foe. King Richard, knowing that his followers had already shown a patiencefar beyond what he could have expected, now headed the onslaught, performing prodigies of valor with his single arm, and riding from pointto point to see that all was well. 

The early resistance of the infidel host was comparatively slight. Theheavy mass of the Christian cavalry, with their leveled lances, sweptthrough the ranks of the light horsemen, and trampled them down likegrass beneath their feet; but every moment the resistance became morestubborn. 

Saladin, knowing the Christians would sooner or later assume theoffensive, had gathered his troops line in line behind the front ranks, and as the force of the Crusaders' charge abated, so did the number offoes in their front multiply. Not only this, but upon either side chosenbands swept down, and ere long the Christians were brought to a stand, and all were fighting hand to hand with their enemies. The lances werethrown away now, and with ax and mace each fought for himself. 

The Earl of Evesham was one of a group of knights whom King Richard hadthat day ordered to keep close to his person, and around this group thefight raged most furiously. 

Saladin, aware of the extreme personal valor and warlike qualities ofKing Richard, set the greatest value upon his death or capture, and hadordered a large number of his best troops to devote their wholeattention to attacking the King of England. 

The royal standard carried behind the king was a guide to theironslaught, and great as was the strength and valor of King Richard, hewith difficulty was able to keep at bay the hosts that swept around him. 

Now that the lance had been abandoned for battle-ax, Cuthbert was ableto take an active part in the struggle, his duties consisting mainly inguarding the rear of his master, and preventing his being overthrown byany sudden attack on the flank or from behind. 

King Richard was bent not only on defending himself from the attacks ofhis foes, but on directing the general course of the battle; and fromtime to time he burst, with his own trusty knights, through the ring offoes, and rode from point to point of the field, calling the knightstogether, exhorting them to steadiness, and restoring the fight whereits fortunes seemed doubtful. At one time the impetuosity of the kingled him into extreme danger. He had burst through the enemy surroundinghim, and these, by order of their captain, allowed him to pass throughtheir ranks, and then threw themselves together in his rear, to cut himoff from the knights who rode behind. The maneuver was successful. Therush of horsemen fairly carried away the Christian knights, and one ortwo alone were able to make their way through. 

Amid the wild confusion that raged, where each man was fighting for hisown life, and but little view of what was passing could be obtainedthrough the barred visor, the fact that the king was separated from themwas known to but few. Sir Walter himself was engaged fiercely in ahand-to-hand fight with four Bedouins who surrounded him, when Cuthbertshouted:

"The king, Sir Walter! the king! He is cut off and surrounded! Forheaven's sake ride to him. See! the royal standard is down. "

With a shout the earl turned, brained one of his foes with a sweep ofhis heavy ax, and, followed by Cuthbert, dashed to the assistance of theking. The weight of his horse and armor cleft through the crowd, and ina brief space he penetrated to the side of King Richard, who was borneupon by a host of foes. Just as they reached them a Bedouin who had beenstruck from his horse crawled beneath the noble charger of King Richard, and drove his scimiter deep into its bowels. The animal reared high inits sudden pain, and then fell on the ground, carrying the king, who wasunable to disengage himself quickly enough. 

[Illustration: WITH A SHOUT THE EARL TURNED, FOLLOWED BY CUTHBERT, ANDDASHED TO THE ASSISTANCE OF THE KING. ]

In an instant the Earl of Evesham had leaped from his horse and with hisbroad triangular shield extended, sought to cover him from the press ofenemies. Cuthbert imitated his lord, and strove to defend the latterfrom attacks from the rear. For a moment or two the sweep of the earl'sheavy ax and Cuthbert's circling sword kept back the foe, but this couldnot last. King Richard in vain strove to extricate his leg from beneathhis fallen steed. Cuthbert saw at a glance that the horse still lived, and with a sudden slash of his sword he struck it on the hind quarter. Goaded by the pain the noble animal made a last effort to rise, but onlyto fall back dead. The momentary action was, however, sufficient forKing Richard, who drew his leg from under it, and with his heavybattle-ax in hand, rose with a shout, and stood by the side of the earl. 

In vain did the Bedouins strive to cut down and overpower the twochampions; in vain did they urge their horses to ride over them. Witheach sweep of his ax the king either dismounted a foe or clove in thehead of his steed, and a wall of slain around them testified to thetremendous power of their arms. Still, even such warriors as these couldnot long sustain the conflict. The earl had already received severaldesperate wounds, and the king himself was bleeding from some severegashes with the keen-edged scimiters. Cuthbert was already down, when ashout of "St. George!" was heard, and a body of English knights clovethrough the throng of Saracens and reached the side of King Richard. Close behind these in a mass pressed the British footmen with bill andpike, the enemy giving way foot by foot before their steady discipline. 

The king was soon on horseback again, and rallying his troops on, ledthem for one more great and final charge upon the enemy. 

The effect was irresistible. Appalled by the slaughter which they hadsuffered, and by the tremendous strength and energy of the Christianknights, the Saracens broke and fled; and the last reserves of Saladingave way as the king, shouting his war-cry of "God help the holysepulcher!" fell upon them. Once, indeed, the battle still seemeddoubtful, for a fresh band of the enemy at that moment arrived andjoined in the fray. The Crusaders were now, however, inspired with suchcourage and confidence that they readily obeyed the king's war-cry, gathered in a firm body, and hurled themselves upon this new foe. Thenthe Saracens finally turned and fled, and the Christian victory wascomplete. 

It was one of the features of this war that however thorough thevictories of the Christians, the Saracens very speedily recovered fromtheir effects. A Christian defeat was crushing and entire; the knightsdied as they stood, and defeat meant annihilation. Upon the other hand, the Saracens and Bedouins, when they felt that their efforts to win thebattle were unsuccessful, felt no shame or humiliation in scatteringlike sheep. On their fleet horses and in their light attire they couldeasily distance the Christians, who never, indeed, dreamed of pursuingthem. The day after the fight the enemy would collect again under theirchiefs, and be as ready as before to renew their harassing warfare. 

On his return from the field the king assembled many of his principalknights and leaders, and summoned the Earl of Evesham, with the messagethat he was to bring his esquire with him. When they reached the tentthe king said:

"My lords, as some of you may be aware, I have this day had a narrowescape from death. Separated from you in the battle, and attended onlyby my standard-bearer, I was surrounded by the Saracens. I shoulddoubtless have cleft my way through the infidel dogs, but a foul peasantstabbed my charger from below, and the poor brute fell with me. Mystandard-bearer was killed, and in another moment my nephew Arthur wouldhave been your king, had it not been that my good lord here, attended bythis brave lad, appeared. I have seen a good deal of fighting, but neverdid I see a braver stand than they made above my body. The Earl ofEvesham, as you all know, is one of my bravest knights, and to him I cansimply say, 'Thanks; King Richard does not forget a benefit like this. 'But such aid as I might well look for from so stout a knight as the Earlof Evesham I could hardly have expected on the part of a mere boy likethis. It is not the first time that I have been under a debt ofgratitude to him; for it was his watchfulness and bravery which savedQueen Berengaria from being carried off by the French in Sicily. Ideemed him too young then for the order of knighthood--although, indeed, bravery has no age; still for a private benefit, and that performedagainst allies, in name at least, I did not wish so far to fly in theface of usage as to make him a knight. I promised him then, however, that the first time he distinguished himself against the infidel heshould win his spurs. I think that you will agree with me, my lords, that he has done so. Not only did he stand over me, and with greatbravery defend Sir Walter from attacks from behind, but his ready witsaved me when even his sword and that of Sir Walter would have failed todo so. Penned down under poor Robin I was powerless to move until ouryoung esquire, in an interval of slashing at his assailants, found timeto give a sharp blow together with a shout to Robin. The poor beasttried to rise, and the movement, short as it was, enabled me to draw myleg from under him, and then with my mace I was enabled to make a standuntil you arrived at my side. I think, my lords, that you will agreewith me that Cuthbert, the son of Sir William de Lance, is fit for thehonor of knighthood. "

A general chorus of approval arose from the assembly, and the king, bidding Cuthbert kneel before him, drew his sword and laid it across hisshoulders, dubbing him Sir Cuthbert de Lance. When he had risen thegreat barons of England pressed round to shake his hand, and Cuthbert, who was a modest young fellow, felt almost ashamed at the honors whichwere bestowed upon him. The usual ceremonies and penances which youngknights had to undergo before admission into the body--and which inthose days were extremely punctilious, and indeed severe, consisting, among other things, in fasting, in watching the armor at night, inseclusion and religious services--were omitted when the accolade wasbestowed for bravery in the field. 

The king ordered his armorer at once to make for Cuthbert a suit of thefinest armor, and authorized him to carry on his shield a sword raisinga royal crown from the ground, in token of the deed for which the honorof knighthood had been bestowed upon him. 

Upon his return to the earl's camp the news of his new dignity spread atonce among the followers of Sir Walter, and many and hearty were thecheers that went up from the throats of the Saxon foresters, led byCnut. These humble friends were indeed delighted at his success, forthey felt that to him they owed very much; and his kindness of mannerand the gayety of heart which he had shown during the hardships they hadundergone since their start had greatly endeared him to them. 

Cuthbert was now to take rank among the knights who followed the bannerof the earl. A tent was erected for him, an esquire assigned to him, andthe lad as he entered his new abode felt almost bewildered at thechange which had taken place in one short day--that he, at the age ofsixteen, should have earned the honor of knighthood, and the approval ofthe King of England, expressed before all the great barons of the realm, was indeed an honor such as he could never have hoped for; and thethought of what his mother would say should the news reach her in herquiet Saxon home brought the tears into his eyes. He had not gonethrough the usual religious ceremonies, but he knelt in his tent alone, and prayed that he might be made worthy of the honors bestowed upon him;that he might fulfill the duties of a Christian knight fearlessly andhonorably; that his sword might never be raised but for the right; thathe might devote himself to the protection of the oppressed, and thehonor of God; that his heart might be kept from evil; and that he mightcarry through life unstained his new escutcheon. 

If the English had thought that their victory would have gained themimmunity from the Saracen attacks they were speedily undeceived. Thehost, indeed, which had barred their way had broken up; but itsfragments were around them, and the harassing attacks began again with aviolence and persistency even greater than before. The Crusaders, indeed, occupied only the ground upon which they stood. It was death toventure one hundred yards from the camp unless in a strong body; and thesmallest efforts to bring in food from the country round were instantlymet and repelled. Only in very strong bodies could the knights venturefrom camp even to forage for their horses, and the fatigues andsufferings of all were in no way relieved by the great victory ofAzotus. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

IN THE HANDS OF THE SARACENS. 

The English had hoped that after one pitched battle they should be ableto advance upon Jerusalem, but they had reckoned without the climate andillness. 

Although unconquered in the fray, the Christian army was weakened by itssufferings to such an extent that it was virtually brought to astandstill. Even King Richard, with all his impetuosity, dared notventure to cut adrift from the seashore and to march direct uponJerusalem; that city was certainly not to be taken without a long siege, and this could only be undertaken by an army strong enough, not only tocarry out so great a task, but to meet and defeat the armies whichSaladin would bring up to the rescue, and to keep open the line down toJoppa, by which alone provisions and the engines necessary for the siegecould be brought up. Hence the war resolved itself into a series ofexpeditions and detached fights. 

The British camp was thoroughly fortified, and thence parties of theknights sallied out and engaged in conflicts with the Saracens, withvarying success. On several of these expeditions Cuthbert attended theearl, and behaved with a bravery which showed him well worthy of thehonors which he had received. 

Upon one occasion the news reached camp that a party of knights, who hadgone out to guard a number of footmen cutting forage and bringing itinto camp, had been surrounded and had taken refuge in a small town, whose gates they had battered in when they saw the approach of anoverwhelming host of the enemy. King Richard himself headed a strongforce and advanced to their assistance. Their approach was not seenuntil within a short distance of the enemy, upon whom the Crusaders fellwith the force of a thunderbolt, and cleft their way through theirlines. After a short pause in the little town they prepared to again cuttheir way through, joined by the party who had there been besieged. Thetask was now, however, far more difficult; for the footmen would beunable to keep up with the rapid charge of the knights, and it wasnecessary not only to clear the way, but to keep it open for their exit. King Richard himself and the greater portion of his knights were to leadthe charge; another party were to follow behind the footmen, who wereordered to advance at the greatest speed of which they were capable, while their rearguard by charges upon the enemy kept them at bay. Tothis latter party Cuthbert was attached. 

The Saracens followed their usual tactics, and this time with greatsuccess. Dividing as the king with his knights charged them, theysuffered these to pass through with but slight resistance, and thenclosed in upon their track, while another and still more numerous bodyfell upon the footmen and their guard. Again and again did the knightscharge through the ranks of the Moslems, while the billmen stoutly kepttogether and resisted the onslaughts of the enemy's cavalry. In spite oftheir bravery, however, the storm of arrows shot by the desert horsementhinned their ranks with terrible rapidity. Charging up to the verypoint of the spears, these wild horsemen fired their arrows into thefaces of their foe, and although numbers of them fell beneath the moreformidable missiles sent by the English archers, their numbers were sooverwhelming that the little band melted away. The small party ofknights, too, were rapidly thinned, although performing prodigious deedsof valor. The Saracens when dismounted or wounded still fought on foot, their object being always to stab or hough the horses, and so dismountthe riders. King Richard and his force, though making the most desperateefforts to return to the assistance of the rearguard, were baffled bythe sturdy resistance of the Saracens, and the position of those in therear was fast becoming hopeless. 

One by one the gallant little band of knights fell, and a sea of turbansclosed over the fluttering plumes. Cuthbert, after defending himselfwith extreme bravery for a long time, was at last separated from thesmall remainder of his comrades by a rush of the enemy's horse, and whenfighting desperately he received a heavy blow at the back of the headfrom the mace of a huge Nubian soldier, and fell senseless to theground. 

When he recovered his consciousness the first impression upon his mindwas the stillness which had succeeded to the din of battle; the shoutsand war-cries of the Crusaders, the wild yells of the Moslems werehushed, and in their place was a quiet chatter in many unknown tongues, and the sound of laughter and feasting. Raising his head and lookinground, Cuthbert saw that he and some ten of his comrades were lyingtogether in the midst of a Saracen camp, and that he was a prisoner tothe infidels. The sun streamed down with tremendous force upon them;there was no shelter; and though all were wounded and parched withthirst, the Saracens of whom they besought water, pointing to theirmouths and making signs of their extreme thirst, laughed in their faces, and signified by a gesture that it was scarcely worth the trouble todrink when they were likely so soon to be put to death. 

It was late in the afternoon before any change was manifest. ThenCuthbert observed a stir in the camp; the men ran to their horses, leaped on their backs, and with wild cries of "Welcome!" started off atfull speed. Evidently some personage was about to arrive, and the fateof the prisoners would be solved. A few words were from time to timeexchanged between these, each urging the other to keep up his heart anddefy the infidel. One or two had succumbed to their wounds during theafternoon, and only six were able to stand erect when summoned to do soby some of their guard, who made signs to them that a great personagewas coming. Soon the shouts of the horsemen and other sounds announcedthat the great chief was near at hand, and the captives gathered fromthe swelling shouts of the Arabs that the new arrival was SultanSuleiman--or Saladin, for he was called by both names--surrounded by abodyguard of splendidly-dressed attendants. The emir, who was himselfplainly attired, reined up his horse in front of the captives. 

"You are English, " he said, in the _lingua-franca_, which was the mediumof communication between the Eastern and Western peoples in those days. "You are brave warriors, and I hear that before you were taken youslaughtered numbers of my people. They did wrong to capture you andbring you here to be killed. Your cruel king gives no mercy to those whofall into his hands. You must not expect it here, you who without apretense of right invade my country, slaughter my people, and defeat myarmies. The murder of the prisoners of Acre has closed my heart to allmercy. There, your king put ten thousand prisoners to death in coldblood, a month after the capture of the place, because the money atwhich he had placed their ransom had not arrived. We Arabs do not carryhuge masses of gold about with us; and although I could have had itbrought from Egypt, I did not think that so brave a monarch as Richardof England could have committed so cruel an action in cold blood. Whenwe are fresh from battle, and our wounds are warm, and our hearts arefull of rage and fury, we kill our prisoners; but to do so weeks after abattle is contrary to the laws alike of your religion and of ours. However, it is King Richard who has sealed your doom, not I. You areknights, and I do not insult you with the offer of turning from yourreligion and joining me. Should one of you wish to save his life onthese conditions, I will, however, promise him a place of position andauthority among us. "

None of the knights moved to accept the offer, but each, as the eye ofthe emir ran along the line, answered with an imprecation of contemptand hatred. Saladin waved his hand, and one by one the captives were ledaside, walking as proudly to their doom as if they had been going to afeast. Each wrung the hand of the one next to him as he turned, and thenwithout a word followed his captors. There was a dull sound heard, andone by one the heads of the knights rolled in the sand. 

Cuthbert happened to be last in the line, and as the executioners laidhands upon him and removed his helmet, the eye of the sultan fell uponhim, and he almost started at perceiving the extreme youth of hiscaptive. He held his hand aloft to arrest the movements of theexecutioners, and signaled for Cuthbert to be brought before him again. 

"You are but a boy, " he said. "All the knights who have hitherto falleninto my hands have been men of strength and power; how is it that I seea mere youth among their ranks, and wearing the golden spurs ofknighthood?"

"King Richard himself made me a knight, " Cuthbert said proudly, "afterhaving stood across him when his steed had been foully stabbed at thebattle of Azotus, and the whole Moslem host were around him. "

"Ah!" said the emir, "were you one of the two who, as I have heard, defended the king for some time against all assaults? It were hardindeed to kill so brave a youth. I doubt me not that at present you areas firmly determined to die a Christian knight as those who have gonebefore you? But time may change you. At any rate for the present yourdoom is postponed. "

He turned to a gorgeously dressed noble next to him, and said:

"Your brother, Ben Abin, is Governor of Jerusalem, and the gardens ofthe palace are fair. Take this youth to him as a present, and set him towork in his gardens. His life I have spared, in all else Ben Abin willbe his master. "

Cuthbert heard without emotion the words which changed his fate fromdeath to slavery. Many, he knew, who were captured in these wars werecarried away as slaves to different parts of Asia, and it did not seemto him that the change was in any way a boon. However, life is dear, andit was but natural that a thought should leap into his heart that sooneither the Crusaders might force a way into Jerusalem and there rescuehim, or that he himself might in some way escape. 

The sultan having thus concluded the subject, turned away, and gallopedoff surrounded by his bodyguard. 

Those who had captured the Christians now stripped off the armor ofCuthbert; then he was mounted on a barebacked steed, and with fourBedouins, with their long lances, riding beside him, started forJerusalem. After a day of long and rapid riding the Arabs stoppedsuddenly on the crest of a hill, with a shout of joy, and throwingthemselves from their horses bent with their foreheads to the earth atthe sight of their holy city. 

Cuthbert, as he gazed at the stately walls of Jerusalem, and the noblebuildings within, felt bitterly that it was not thus that he had hopedto see the holy city. He had dreamed of arriving before it with hiscomrades, proud and delighted at their success so far, and confident intheir power soon to wrest the town before them from the hands of theMoslems. Instead of this he was a slave--a slave to the infidel, perhapsnever more to see a white face, save that of some other unfortunate likehimself. 

Even now in its fallen state no city is so impressive at first sight asJerusalem; the walls, magnificent in height and strength, andpicturesque in their deep embattlements, rising on the edge of a deepvalley. Every building has its name and history. Here is the churchbuilt by the first Crusaders; there the mighty mosque of Suleiman on thesite of the Temple; far away on a projecting ridge the great buildingknown as the Tomb of Moses; on the right beyond the houses rise thetowers on the Roman walls; the Pool of Bethsaida lies in the hollow; inthe center are the cupolas of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Amongall the fairest cities of the world, there are none which can compare instately beauty with Jerusalem. Doubtless it was a fairer city in thosedays, for long centuries of Turkish possession have reduced many of theformer stately palaces to ruins. Then, as now, the banner of the Prophetfloated over the high places; but whereas at present the population ispoor and squalid, the city in those days contained a far larger numberof inhabitants, irrespective of the great garrison collected for itsdefense. 

The place from which Cuthbert had his first sight of Jerusalem is thatfrom which the best view is to be obtained--the crest of the Mount ofOlives. After a minute or two spent in looking at the city the Arabswith a shout continued their way down into the valley. Crossing thisthey ascended the steep road to the walls, brandishing their lances andgiving yells of triumph; then riding two upon each side of theirprisoner, to protect him from any fanatic who might lay a hand upon him, they passed under the gate known as the Gate of Suleiman into the city. 

The populace thronged the streets; and the news brought by the horsementhat a considerable portion of the Christian host had been defeated andslain passed from mouth to mouth, and was received with yells ofexultation. Execrations were heaped upon Cuthbert, who rode along withan air as quiet and composed as if he were the center of an ovationinstead of that of an outburst of hatred. 

He would, indeed, speedily have been torn from his guards, had not theseshouted that he was placed in their hands by Saladin himself for conductto the governor. As the emir was as sharp and as ruthless with his ownpeople as with the prisoners who fell into his hands, the name acted asa talisman, and Cuthbert and his escort rode forward without molestationuntil they reached the entrance to the palace. 

Dismounting, Cuthbert was now led before the governor himself, a sternand grave-looking man, sitting cross-legged on a divan surrounded byofficers and attendants. He heard in silence the account given him bythe escort, bowed his head at the commands of Suleiman, and, withoutaddressing a word to Cuthbert, indicated to two attendants that he wasto be removed into the interior of the house. Here the young knight wasled to a small dungeon-like room; bread and dates with a cruse of water, were placed before him; the door was then closed and locked without, andhe found himself alone with his thoughts. 

No one came near him that night, and he slept as soundly as he wouldhave done in his tent in the midst of the Christian host. He wasresolved to give no cause for ill-treatment or complaint to his captors, to work as willingly, as cheerfully, as was in his power, and to seizethe first opportunity to make his escape, regardless of any risk of hislife which he might incur in doing so. 

In the morning the door opened, and a black slave led him into thegarden, which was surrounded by a very high and lofty wall. It waslarge, and full of trees and flowers, and far more beautiful than anygarden that Cuthbert had seen in his native land. There were variousother slaves at work; and an Arab, who appeared to be the head of thegardeners, at once appointed to Cuthbert the work assigned to him. Aguard of Arabs with bow and spear watched the doings of the slaves. 

With one glance round, Cuthbert was assured that escape from thisgarden, at least, was not to be thought of, and that for the presentpatience alone was possible. Dismissing all ideas of that kind from hismind, he set to work with a steady attention to his task. He was veryfond of flowers, and soon he became so absorbed in his work as almost toforget that he was a slave. It was not laborious--digging, planting, pruning and training the flowers, and giving them copious draughts ofwater from a large fountain in the center of the garden. 

The slaves were not permitted to exchange a word with each other. At theend of the day's work they were marched off to separate chambers, or, as they might be called, dungeons. Their food consisted of water, drieddates, and bread, and they had little to complain of in this respect;indeed, the slaves in the gardens of the governor's house at Jerusalemenjoyed an exceptionally favored existence. The governor himself wasabsorbed in the cares of the city. The head gardener happened to be aman of unusual humanity, and it was really in his hands that the comfortof the prisoners was placed. 

Sometimes in the course of the day veiled ladies would issue in groupsfrom the palace, attended by black slaves with drawn scimiters. Theypassed without unveiling across the point where the slaves were at work, and all were forbidden on pain of death to look up, or even to approachthe konak or pavilion, where the ladies threw aside their veils, andenjoyed the scent and sight of the flowers, the splash of murmuringwaters, and the strains of music touched by skillful hands. 

Although Cuthbert wondered in his heart what these strange wrapped-upfigures might look like when the veils were thrown back, he certainlydid not care enough about the matter to run any risk of drawing theanger of his guards upon himself by raising his eyes toward them; nordid he ever glance up at the palace, which was also interdicted to theslaves. From the lattice casements during the day the strains of musicand merry laughter often came down to the captives; but this, ifanything, only added to the bitterness of their position, by remindingthem that they were shut off for life from ever hearing the laughter ofthe loved ones they had left behind. 

For upward of a month Cuthbert remained steadily at work, and duringthat time no possible plan of escape had occurred to him, and he hadindeed resigned himself to wait, either until, as he hoped, the citywould be taken by the Christians, or until he himself might be removedfrom his present post and sent into the country, where, although his lotwould doubtless be far harder, some chance of escape might open beforehim. 

One night, long after slumber had fallen upon the city, Cuthbert wasstartled by hearing his door open. Rising to his feet, he saw a blackslave, and an old woman beside him. The latter spoke first in the_lingua-franca_:

"My mistress, the wife of the governor, has sent me to ask your story. How is it that, although but a youth, you are already a knight? How isit that you come to be a slave to our people? The sultan himself sentyou to her lord. She would fain hear through me how it has happened. Sheis the kindest of ladies, and the sight of your youth has touched herheart. "

With thanks to the unknown lady who had felt an interest in him, Cuthbert briefly related the events which had led to his captivity. Theold woman placed on the ground a basket containing some choice fruit andwhite bread, and then departed with the negro as quietly as she hadcome, leaving Cuthbert greatly pleased at what had taken place. 

"Doubtless, " he said to himself, "I shall hear again; and it may be thatthrough the pity of this lady some means of escape may open to me. "

Although for some little time no such prospect appeared, yet the visitsof the old woman, which were frequently repeated, were of interest tohim, and seemed to form a link between him and the world. 

After coming regularly every night for a week she bade the young knightfollow her, holding her finger to her lips in sign that caution must beobserved. Passing through several passages, he was at length led into aroom where a lady of some forty years of age, surrounded by severalslaves and younger women, was sitting. Cuthbert felt no scruple inmaking a deep obeisance to her; the respect shown to women in the daysof chivalry was very great, and Cuthbert, in bowing almost to the groundbefore the lady who was really his mistress, did not feel that he washumiliating himself. 

"Young slave, " she said, "your story has interested us. We havefrequently watched from the windows, and have seen how willingly andpatiently you have worked; and it seems strange indeed that one so youngshould have performed such feats of bravery as to win the honor ofknighthood from the hand of that greatest of warriors, Richard ofEngland. What is it, we would fain learn from your lips, that stirs upthe heart of the Christian world that they should launch their armiesagainst us, who wish but to be left alone, and who have no grudgeagainst them? This city is as holy to us as it is to you; and as welive around it, and all the country for thousands of miles is ours, isit likely that we should allow it to be wrested from us by strangersfrom a distance?"

This was spoken in some Eastern language of which Cuthbert understood noword, but its purport was translated to him by the old woman who hadhitherto acted as his mistress' messenger. 

Cuthbert reported the circumstances of the fight at Azotus, andendeavored to explain the feelings which had given rise to the Crusade. He then, at the orders of the lady, related the incidents of his voyageout, and something of his life at home, which was more interesting eventhan the tale of his adventures to his hearers, as to them the home-lifeof these fierce Christian warriors was entirely unknown. 

After an audience of two hours Cuthbert was conducted back to his cell, his mistress assuring him of her good-will, and promising to do all inher power to make his captivity as light as possible. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

AN EFFORT FOR FREEDOM. 

Two or three nights afterward the old woman again came to Cuthbert, andasked him, in her mistress' name, if in any way he could suggest amethod of lightening his captivity, as his extreme youth and bravery ofdemeanor had greatly pleased her. 

Cuthbert replied that nothing but freedom could satisfy his longings;that he was comfortable and not over-worked, but that he pined to beback again with his friends. 

The old woman brought him on the following night a message to the effectthat his mistress would willingly grant him his liberty, but as he wassent to her husband by the sultan, it would be impossible to free himopenly. 

"From what she said, " the old woman continued, "if you could see someplan of making your escape, she would in no way throw difficulties inyour path; but it must not be known that the harem in any way connivedat your escape, for my lord's wrath would be terrible, and he is not aman to be trifled with. "

Looking round at the high walls that surrounded the garden, Cuthbertsaid that he could think of no plan whatever for escaping from such aplace; that he had often thought it over, but that it appeared to him tobe hopeless. Even should he manage to scale these walls, he would onlyfind himself in the town beyond, and his escape from that would bealtogether hopeless. "Only, " he said, "if I were transported to somecountry palace of the governor could I ever hope to make my escape. " Thenext night the messenger brought him the news that his mistress wasdisposed to favor his escape in the way he had pointed out, and that shewould in two or three days ask the governor for permission to pay avisit to their palace beyond the walls, and that with her she would takea number of gardeners--among them Cuthbert--to beautify the place. Cuthbert returned the most lively and hearty thanks to his patroness forher kind intentions, and hope began to rise rapidly in his heart. 

It is probable, however, that the black guards of the harem heardsomething of the intentions of their mistress, and that they feared theanger of the governor should Cuthbert make his escape, and should it bediscovered that this was the result of her connivance. Either throughthis or through some other source the governor obtained an inkling thatthe white slave sent by the sultan was receiving unusual kindness fromthe ladies of the harem. 

Two nights after Cuthbert had begun to entertain bright hopes of hisliberty, the door of the cell was softly opened. He was seized by fourslaves, gagged, tied hand and foot, covered with a thick burnous, andcarried out from his cell. By the sound of their feet he heard that theywere passing into the open air, and guessed that he was being carriedthrough the garden; then a door opened and was closed after them; he wasflung across a horse like a bale of goods, a rope or two were placedaround him to keep him in that position, and then he felt the animal putin motion, and heard by the trampling of feet that a considerable numberof horsemen were around him. For some time they passed over the rough, uneven streets of the city; then there was a pause and exchange ofwatchword and countersign, a creaking of doors, and a lowering of adrawbridge, and the party issued out into the open country. Not for verylong did they continue their way; a halt was called, and Cuthbert wastaken off his horse. 

On looking round, he found that he was in the middle of a considerablegroup of men. Those who had brought him were a party of the governor'sguards; but he was now delivered over to a large band of Arabs, all ofwhom were mounted on camels. One of these creatures he was ordered tomount, the bonds being loosed from his arms and feet. An Arab driver, with lance, bows, and arrows, and other weapons, took his seat on theneck of the animal, and then with scarcely a word the caravan marchedoff with noiseless step, and with their faces turned southward. 

It seemed to Cuthbert almost as a dream. A few hours before he had beenexalted with the hope of freedom; now he was being taken away to aslavery which would probably end but with his life. Although he couldnot understand any of his captors, the repetition of a name led him tobelieve that he was being sent to Egypt as a present to some man in highauthority there; and he doubted not that the Governor of Jerusalem, fearing that he might escape, and dreading the wrath of the sultanshould he do so, had determined to transfer the troublesome captive to amore secure position and to safer hands. 

For three days the journey continued; they had now left the fertilelowlands of Palestine, and their faces were turned west. They wereentering upon that sandy waste which stretches between the southerncorner of Palestine and the land of Egypt, a distance which can betraveled by camels in three days, but which occupied the children ofIsrael forty years. 

At first the watch had been very sharply kept over the captive; but nowthat they had entered the desert the Arabs appeared to consider thatthere was no chance of an attempt to escape. Cuthbert had in every wayendeavored to ingratiate himself with his guard. He had most willinglyobeyed their smallest orders, had shown himself pleased and grateful forthe dates which formed the staple of their repasts. He had assumed soinnocent and quiet an appearance that the Arabs had marveled much amongthemselves, and had concluded that there must have been some mistake inthe assertion of the governor's guard who had handed the prisoner overto them, that he was one of the terrible knights of King Richard's army. 

Cuthbert's heart had not fallen for a moment. He knew well that if heonce reached Cairo all hope of escape was at an end; and it was beforereaching that point that he determined if possible to make an effort forfreedom. He had noticed particularly the camel which appeared to be thefleetest of the band; it was of lighter build than the rest, and it waswith difficulty that its rider had compelled it to accommodate itself tothe pace of the others. It was clear from the pains he took with it, bythe constant patting and the care bestowed upon its watering andfeeding, that its rider was extremely proud of it; and Cuthbertconcluded that if an escape was to be made, this was the animal on whichhe must accomplish it. 

Upon arriving at the end of each day's journey the camels were allowedto browse at will, a short cord being tied between one of their hind andone of their fore-feet. The Arabs then set to work to collect sticks andto make a fire--not for cooking, for their only food was dried dates andsome black bread, which they brought with them--but for warmth, as thenights were damp and somewhat chilly, as they sat round the fire, talked, and told stories. Before finally going off to rest each went outinto the bushes and brought in his camel; these were then arranged in acircle around the Arabs, one of the latter being mounted as sentry toprevent any sudden surprise--not indeed that they had the smallest fearof the Christians, who were far distant; but then, as now, the Arabs ofthe desert were a plundering race, and were ever ready to drive off eachother's camels or horses. Cuthbert determined that if flight waspossible, it must be undertaken during the interval after the arrival atthe halting-place and before the bringing in of the camels. Therefore, each day upon the halt he had pretended great fatigue from the roughmotion of the camel, and had, after hastily eating the dates handed tohim, thrown himself down, covered himself with his Arab robe, andfeigned instant sleep. Thus they had in the three days from startingcome to look upon his presence sleeping close to them as a matter ofcourse. 

The second day after entering the desert, however, Cuthbert threwhimself down by the side of an uprooted shrub of small size and abouthis own length. He covered himself as usual with his long, dark-bluerobe, and pretended to go to sleep. He kept his eyes, however, on thealert through an aperture beneath his cloth, and observed particularlythe direction in which the camel upon which he had set his mind wanderedinto the bushes. The darkness came on a very few minutes after they hadhalted, and when the Arabs had once settled round their fire Cuthbertvery quietly shifted the robe from himself to the long low bush nearhim, and then crawled stealthily off into the darkness. 

He had no fear of his footfall being heard upon the soft sand, and wassoon on his feet, looking for the camels. He was not long in findingthem, or in picking out the one which he had selected. The bushes weresucculent, and close to the camping-ground; indeed, it was for this thatthe halting-places were always chosen. It was not so easy, however, toclimb into the high wooden saddle, and Cuthbert tried several times invain. Then he repeated in a sharp tone the words which he had heard theArabs use to order their camels to kneel, striking the animal at thesame moment behind the fore-legs with a small switch. The camelimmediately obeyed the order to which he was accustomed, and knelt down, making, however, as he did so, the angry grumble which those creaturesappear to consider it indispensable to raise when ordered to doanything. Fortunately this noise is so frequently made, and the camelsare so given to quarrel among themselves that although in the still airit might have been heard by the Arabs sitting a short hundred yardsaway, it attracted no notice, and Cuthbert, climbing into the seat, shook the cord that served as a rein, and the animal, rising, set off ata smooth, steady swing in the direction in which his head wasturned--that from which they had that day arrived. 

Once fairly away from the camping-ground, Cuthbert, with blows of hisstick, increased the speed of the camel to a long shuffling trot, andthe fire in the distance soon faded out into the darkness. 

Cuthbert trusted to the stars as guides. He was not unarmed, for as hecrawled away from his resting-place he had picked up one of the Arabs'spears and bow and arrows, and a large bag of dates from the spot wherethey had been placed when their owner dismounted. He was already clad inEastern garb, and was so sunburnt and tanned that he had no fearwhatever of any one at a distance detecting that he was a white man. 

Steering his course by the stars, he rode all night without stopping. Hedoubted not that he would have at least three hours' start, for theArabs were sure to have sat that time round the fires before going outto bring in their camels. Even then they would suppose for some timethat the animal upon which he was seated had strayed, and no pursuitwould be attempted until it was discovered that he himself had made hisescape, which might not be for a long time, as the Arabs would not thinkof looking under the cloth to see if he were there. He hoped, therefore, that he would reach the cultivated land long before he was overtaken. Hehad little fear but that he should then be able to journey onwardwithout attracting attention. 

A solitary Arab when traveling rides straight, and his communications tothose whom he meets are confined to the set form of two or three words, "May Allah protect you!" the regular greeting of Moslems when they meet. 

When morning broke Cuthbert, even when ascending to the top of asomewhat lofty mound, could see no signs of pursuers in the vast stretchof desert behind him. In front the ground was already becoming dottedhere and there with vegetation, and he doubted not that after a fewhours' ride he should be fairly in the confines of cultivated country. He gave his camel a meal of dates, and having eaten some himself, againset the creature in motion. These camels, especially those of goodbreed, will go on for three or four days with scarcely a halt; and therewas no fear of that on which he rode breaking down from fatigue, for thejourneys hitherto had been comparatively short. 

By midday Cuthbert had reached the cultivated lands of Palestine. Hereand there over the plain villages were dotted, and parties of men andcamels were to be seen. Cuthbert now arranged his robes carefully inArab fashion, slung the long spear across his shoulders, and went boldlyforward at a slinging trot, having little fear that a passer-by wouldhave any suspicion whatever as to his being other than an Arab bent uponsome rapid journey. He soon found that his hopes were justified. Severaltimes he came upon parties of men whom he passed with the salute, andwho scarcely raised their eyes as he trotted by them. The plain was anopen one, and though cultivated here and there, there were large tractslying unworked. There was no occasion therefore to keep to the road; soriding across country, and avoiding the villages as far as possible, stopping only at a stream to give his camel water, Cuthbert rode withoutceasing until nightfall. Then he halted his camel near a wood, turned itin to feed on the young foliage, and wrapping himself in his burnous wassoon asleep, for he ached from head to foot with the jolting motionwhich had now been continued for so many hours without an interval. Hehad little fear of being overtaken by the party he had left behind; theywould, he was convinced, be many hours behind, and it was extremelyimprobable that they would hit upon the exact line which he hadfollowed, so that even if they succeeded in coming up to him, they wouldprobably pass him a few miles either to the right or left. 

So fatigued was he with his long journey that the next day he sleptuntil after the sun had risen. He was awakened suddenly by being seizedby a party of Arabs, who, roughly shaking him, questioned him as towhere he came from, and what he was doing there. He saw at a glance thatthey were not with the party from which he had escaped, and he pointedto his lips to make signs that he was dumb. The Arabs evidentlysuspected that something was wrong. They examined the camel, and thenthe person of their captive. The whiteness of his skin at once showedthem that he was a Frank in disguise, and without more ado orquestioning, they tied him hand and foot, flung him across the camel, and, mounting their own animals, rode rapidly away. 

From the position of the sun Cuthbert saw that they were making theircourse nearly due east, and therefore that it could not be theirintention to take him to Jerusalem, which was to the north of the linethey were following. A long day's journey, which to Cuthbert seemedinterminable, found them on the low spit of sand which runs along by theside of the Dead Sea. Behind, lofty rocks rose almost precipitously, butthrough a cleft in these the Arabs had made their way. Cuthbert saw atonce that they belonged to some desert tribe over whom the authority ofSuleiman was but nominal. When summoned for any great effort, thesechildren of the desert would rally to his armies and fight for a shorttime; but at the first disaster, or whenever they became tired of thediscipline and regularity of the army, they would mount their camels andreturn to the desert, generally managing on the way to abstract from thefarms of those on their route either a horse, cattle, or some otherobjects which would pay them for the labors they had undergone. 

They were now near the confines of their own country, and apparently hadno fear whatever of pursuit. They soon gathered some of the dead woodcast on the shores of the sea, and with these a fire was speedilylighted, and an earthenware pot was taken down from among their baggage:it was filled with water from a skin, and then grain having been placedin it, it was put among the wood ashes. Cuthbert, who was weary andaching in every limb from the position in which he had been placed onthe camel, asked them by signs for permission to bathe in the lake. Thiswas given principally apparently from curiosity, for but very few Arabswere able to swim; indeed, as a people they object so utterly to waterthat the idea of any one bathing for his amusement was to them a matterof ridicule. 

Cuthbert, who had never heard of the properties of the Dead Sea, wasperfectly astonished upon entering the water to find that instead ofwading in it up to the neck before starting to swim, as he wasaccustomed to do at home, the water soon after he got waist-deep tookhim off his feet, and a cry of astonishment burst from him as he foundhimself on rather than in the fluid. The position was so strange andunnatural that with a cry of alarm he scrambled over on to his feet, andmade the best of his way to shore, the Arabs indulging in shouts oflaughter at his astonishment and alarm. Cuthbert was utterly unable toaccount for the strange sensations he had experienced; he perceived thatthe water was horribly salt, and that which had got into his mouthalmost choked him. He was, however, unaware that saltness adds to theweight of water, and so to the buoyancy of objects cast into it. Thesaltness of the fluid he was moreover painfully conscious of by thesmarting of the places on his wrists and ankles where the cords had beenbound that fastened him to the camel. Goaded, however, by the laughterof the Arabs, he determined once more to try the experiment of enteringthis strange sheet of water, which from some unaccountable causeappeared to him to refuse to allow anybody to sink in it. This time heswam about for some time, and felt a little refreshed. When he returnedto the shore he soon re-attired himself in his Bedouin dress, and seatedhimself a little distance from his captors, who were now engaged indiscussing the materials prepared by themselves. They made signs toCuthbert that he might partake of their leavings, for which he was not alittle grateful, for he felt utterly exhausted and worn out with hiscruel ride and prolonged fasting. 

The Arabs soon wrapped themselves in their burnouses, and feelingconfident that their captive would not attempt to escape from them in aplace where subsistence would be impossible, paid no further attentionto him beyond motioning to him to lie down at their side. 

Cuthbert, however, determined to make another effort to escape; foralthough he was utterly ignorant of the place in which he found himself, or of the way back, he thought that anything would be better than to becarried into helpless slavery into the savage country beyond the Jordan. An hour, therefore, after his captors were asleep he stole to his feet, and fearing to arouse them by exciting the wrath of one of the camels byattempting to mount him, he struck up into the hills on foot. All nighthe wandered, and in the morning found himself at the edge of a strangeprecipice falling abruptly down to a river, which, some fifty feet wide, ran at its foot. Upon the opposite side the bank rose with equalrapidity, and to Cuthbert's astonishment he saw that the cliffs werehoneycombed by caves. 

Keeping along the edge for a considerable distance, he came to a spotwhere it was passable, and made his way down to the river bank. Here heindulged in a long drink of fresh water, and then began to examine thecaves which perforated the rocks. These caves Cuthbert knew had formerlybeen the abode of hermits. It was supposed to be an essentially sacredlocality, and between the third and fourth centuries of Christianitysome twenty thousand monks had lived solitary lives on the banks of thatriver. Far away he saw the ruins of a great monastery, called Mar Saba, which had for a long time been the abode of a religious community, andwhich at the present day is still tenanted by a body of monks. Cuthbertmade up his mind at once to take refuge in these caves. He speedilypicked out one some fifty feet up the face of the rock, andapproachable only with the greatest difficulty and by a sure foot. Firsthe made the ascent to discover the size of the grotto, and found thatalthough the entrance was but four feet high and two feet wide, itopened into an area of considerable dimensions. Far in the corner, whenhis eyes became accustomed to the light, he discovered a circle ofashes, and his conjectures that these caves had been the abode of menwere therefore verified. He again descended, and collected a largebundle of grass and rushes for his bed. He discovered growing among therocks many edible plants, whose seeds were probably sown there centuriesbefore, and gathering some of these he made his way back to the cavern. The grass furnished him with an excellent bed, and he was soon asleep. 

CHAPTER XV. 

A HERMIT'S TALE. 

The next day he discovered on his excursions plenty of eatable berrieson the bushes; and now that he had no longer fear of hunger he resolvedto stay for some little time, until his wounds, which had festeredbadly, had recovered, before making an attempt to rejoin the Christianarmy. 

One day when employed in gathering berries he was surprised by meeting awild-looking figure, who appeared suddenly from one of the caves. It wasthat of a very old man, with an extremely long white beard flowing tohis waist; his hair, which was utterly unkempt, fell to the same point. He was thin to an extraordinary extent, and Cuthbert wondered how a mancould have been reduced to such a state of starvation, with so plentifula supply of fruit and berries at hand. 

The old man looked at Cuthbert attentively, and then made the sign ofthe cross. Cuthbert gave a cry of joy, and repeated the sign. The oldman at once came down from his cavern, and looked at him with surpriseand astonishment, and then addressed him in the French language. 

"Are you a Christian truly; and if so, whence do you come?"

Cuthbert at once explained that he had been taken prisoner when withKing Richard's army, and had effected his escape. He also told the oldman that he had been remaining for the last four days in a cave higherup the stream. The hermit--for he was one--beckoned him to follow him, and Cuthbert found himself in a cave precisely similar to that which hehimself inhabited. There were no signs of comfort of any kind; abed-place made of great stones stood in one corner, and Cuthbert, remembering the comforts of his own grassy couch, shuddered at thethought of the intense discomfort of such a sleeping-place. In anothercorner was an altar, upon which stood a rough crucifix, before which thehermit knelt at once in prayer, Cuthbert following his example. Risingagain, the hermit motioned to him to sit down, and then began aconversation with him. 

It was so long since the hermit had spoken to any living being that hehad almost lost the use of his tongue, and his sentences were slow andill-formed. However, Cuthbert was able to understand him, and he togather the drift of what Cuthbert told him. The old man then showed himthat by touching a stone in the corner of his cave the apparently solidrock opened, and revealed an entrance into an inner cave, which was litby a ray of light which penetrated from above. 

"This, " he said, "was made centuries ago, and was intended as a refugefrom the persecutors of that day. The caves were then almost allinhabited by hermits, and although many recked not of their lives, andwere quite ready to meet death through the knife of the infidel, othersclung to existence, and preferred to pass many years of penance on earthfor the sake of atoning for their sins before called upon to appearbefore their Maker. If you are pursued it will be safer for you to takeup your abode here. I am known to all the inhabitants of this country, who look upon me as mad, and respect me accordingly. None ever interferewith me, or with the two or three other hermits, the remains of what wasonce almost an army, who now alone survive. I can offer you nohospitality beyond that of a refuge; but there is water in the riverbelow, fruits and berries in abundance on the shrubs. What would youhave more?"

Cuthbert accepted the invitation with thanks; for he thought that evenat the worst the presence of this holy man would be a protection to himfrom any Arabs who might discover him. 

For three or four days he resided with the hermit, who, although hestretched his long lean body upon the hard stones of his bed, and passedmany hours of the night kneeling on the stone floor in front of hisaltar, yet had no objection to Cuthbert making himself as comfortable ashe could under the circumstances. 

At the end of the fourth day Cuthbert asked him how long he had beenthere, and how he came to take up his abode in so desolate and fearsomea place. The hermit was silent for a time, and then said:

"It is long indeed since my thoughts have gone back to the day when Iwas of the world. I know not whether it would not be a sin to recallthem; but I will think the matter over to-night, and if it appears to methat you may derive good from my narrative, I will relate it to youto-morrow. "

The next day Cuthbert did not renew the request, leaving it to thehermit to speak should he think fit. It was not until the evening thathe alluded to the subject; and then taking his seat on a bank near theedge of the river, he motioned to Cuthbert to sit beside him, and began:

"My father was a peer of France, and I was brought up at the court. Although it may seem strange to you, looking upon this withered frame, sixty-five years back I was as bold and comely a knight as rode in thetrain of the king, for I am now past ninety, and for sixty years I haveresided here. I was a favorite of the king's, and he loaded me withwealth and honor. He, too, was young, and I joined with him in the madcarousals and feastings of the court. My father resided for the mostpart at one of his castles in the country, and I, an only son, was leftmuch to myself. I need not tell you that I was as wild and as wicked asall those around me; that I thought little of God, and feared neitherHim nor man. 

"It chanced that one of the nobles--I need not mention his name--whosecastle lay in the same province as that of my father, had a lovelydaughter, who, being an only child, would be his heiress. She wasconsidered one of the best matches in France, and reports of herexceeding beauty had reached the court. Although my allowance from myfather, and from the estates which the king had given me personally, should have been more than enough for my utmost wants, gambling andriotous living swallowed up my revenue faster than it came in, and I wasconstantly harassed by debt. 

"Talking one night at supper with a number of bold companions as to themeans we should take for restoring our wasted fortunes, some said injest that the best plan would be for one of us to marry the beauty ofDauphiny. I at once said that I would be the man to do it; the idea wasa wild one, and a roar of laughter greeted my words. Her father wasknown to be a stern and rigid man, and it was certain that he would notconsent to give his daughter to a spendthrift young noble like myself. When the laughter had subsided I repeated my intention gravely, andoffered to wager large sums with all around the table that I wouldsucceed. 

"On the morrow I packed up a few of my belongings, put in my valise thedress of a wandering troubadour, and taking with me only a trustyservant, started for Dauphiny. It would be tedious to tell you themeans I resorted to to obtain the affections of the heiress. I had beenwell instructed in music and could play on the lute, and knew by heartlarge numbers of ballads, and could myself, in case of necessity, stringverses together with tolerable ease. As a troubadour I arrived at thecastle gate, and craved permission to enter to amuse its occupants. Troubadours then, as now, were in high esteem in the south, and I was atonce made a welcome guest. 

"Days passed, and weeks; still I lingered at the castle, my heart beingnow as much interested as my pride in the wager which I had undertaken. Suffice it to say that my songs, and perhaps my appearance--for I cannotbe accused of vanity now in saying nature had been bountiful to me--wonmy way to her heart. Troubadours were licensed folk, and even in herfather's presence there was naught unseemly in my singing songs of love. While he took them as the mere compliments of a troubadour, the lady, Isaw, read them as serious effusions of my heart. 

"It was only occasionally that we met alone; but ere long she confessedthat she loved me. Without telling her my real name, I disclosed to herthat I was of her own rank and that I had entered upon the disguise Iwore in order to win her love. She was romantic, and was flattered by mydevotion. I owned to her that hitherto I had been wild and reckless; andshe told me at once that her father destined her for the son of an oldfriend of his, to whom it appeared she had been affianced while still ababy. She was positive that nothing would move her father. For the manshe was to marry she entertained no kind of affection, and indeed hadnever seen him, as she had been brought up in a convent to the age offifteen; and just before she had returned thence he had gone to finishhis education at Padua. 

"She trembled when I proposed flight; but I assured her that I wascertain of the protection of the king, and that he would, I was sure, when the marriage was once celebrated, use his influence with her fatherto obtain his forgiveness. 

"The preparations for her flight were not long in making. I purchased afleet horse in addition to my own, and ordered my servant to bring it toa point a short distance from the castle gate. I had procured a longrope with which to lower her down from her lattice to the moat below, which was at present dry, intending myself to slide after her. The nightchosen was one when I knew that the count was to have guests, and Ithought that they would probably, as is the custom, drink heavily, andthat there would be less fear of any watch being kept. 

"The guests arrived just at nightfall. I had feigned illness, and keptmy room. From time to time I heard through the windows of the banquetinghall bursts of laughter. These gradually ceased; and at last when allwas still I, after waiting some time, stole from my room with a rope inmy hand to the apartment occupied by her. A slight tap at the door, asarranged, was at once answered, and I found her ready cloaked andprepared for the enterprise. She trembled from head to foot, but Icheered her to the best of my power, and at last she was in readiness tobe lowered. The window was at a considerable height from the ground; butthe rope was a long one, and I had no fear of its reaching the bottom. Fastening it round her waist, I began to lower her from the window. 

"The night was a windy one, and she swung backward and forward as shewent down. By what chance it was I know not--for I had examined the ropeand found it secure--but methinks in swaying backward and forward itmay have caught a sharp stone, maybe it was a punishment from Heavenupon me for robbing a father of his child--but suddenly I felt there wasno longer a weight on my arms. A fearful shriek rang through the air, and, looking out, I saw far below a white figure stretched senseless inthe mud!

"For a minute I stood paralyzed. But the cry had aroused others, and, turning round, I saw a man at the door with a drawn sword. Wild withgrief and despair, and thinking, not of making my escape, or ofconcealing my part in what had happened, but rushing without aninstant's delay to the body of her I loved so well, I drew my sword, andlike a madman rushed upon him who barred the door. The combat was briefbut furious, and nerved by the madness of despair I broke down his guardand ran him through the body. As he fell back, his face came in the fulllight of the moon, which streamed through the open door of the passage, and to my utter horror and bewilderment I saw that I had slain myfather. 

"What happened after that night I know not. I believe that I made myescape from the castle and rushed round to the body of her whose life Ihad destroyed, and that there finding her dead, I ran wildly across thecountry. When I came to my senses months had passed, and I was theinmate of an asylum for men bereaved of their senses, kept by noblemonks. Here for two years I remained, the world believing that I wasdead. None knew that the troubadour whose love had cost the lady herlife, who had slain the guest of her father, and had then disappeared, was the unhappy son of that guest. My friends in Paris when they heardof the tragedy of course associated it with me, but they all keptsilent. The monks, to whom I confessed the whole story, were shockedindeed, but consoled me in my grief and despair by the assurance thathowever greatly I had sinned, the death of the lady had been accidental, and that if I were a parricide it was at least unintentionally. 

"My repentance was deep and sincere; and after awhile, under anothername, I joined the army of the Crusaders, to expiate my sin by warringfor the holy sepulcher. I fought as men fight who have no wish to live;but while all around me fell by sword and disease, death kept aloof fromme. When the Crusade had failed I determined to turn forever from theworld, and to devote my life to prayer and penance; and so casting asidemy armor I made my way here, and took up my abode in a cave in thisvalley, where at that time were many thousands of other hermits--for theSaracens, while they gained much money from fines and exactions frompilgrims who came to Jerusalem, and fought stoutly against those whosought to capture that city, were in the main tolerant, and offered nohindrance to the community of men whom they looked upon as mad. 

"Here, my son, for more than sixty years have I prayed, with muchfasting and penance. I trust now that the end is nearly at hand, andthat my long life of mortification may be deemed to have obliterated theevil deeds which I did in my youth. Let my fate be a warning to you. Walk steadily in the right way; indulge not in feasting and evilcompanionship; and above all, do not enter upon evil deeds, the end ofwhich no man can see. "

The hermit was silent, and Cuthbert, seeing that his thoughts had againreferred to the past, wandered away, and left him sitting by the riverside. Some hours later he returned and found the hermit kneeling beforethe altar; and the next morning the latter said:

"I presume, my son, you do not wish to remain here as a hermit, as Ihave done? Methinks it were well that we made our arrangements for yourreturn to the Christian host, who will, I hope, ere long be at the gatesof Jerusalem. "

"I should like nothing better, " Cuthbert said. "But ignorant as I am ofthe nature of the country, it seems to be nigh impossible to penetratethrough the hosts of the Saracens to reach the camp of King Richard. "

"The matter is difficult and not without danger, " the hermit said. "Asto the nature of the country, I myself know but little, for my dealingswith the natives have been few and simple. There are, however, severalChristian communities dwelling among the heathen. They are poor, and areforced to live in little-frequented localities. Their Christianity maybe suspected by their neighbors, but as they do no man harm, and carryon their worship in secret, they are little interfered with. There isone community among the hills between this and Jerusalem, and I can giveyou instructions for reaching this, together with a token which willsecure you hospitality there, and they will no doubt do their best toforward you to another station. When you approach the flat country wherethe armies are maneuvering you must doubtless trust to yourself; but asfar as the slopes extend, methinks that our friends will be able to passyou without great difficulty. "

Cuthbert's heart rose greatly at the prospect of once again enteringupon an active life, and the next evening, with many thanks for hiskindness, he knelt before the aged hermit to receive his blessing. 

With the instructions given him he had no difficulty in making his waythrough the mountains, until after some five hours' walk he foundhimself at a little village situated in a narrow valley. 

Going to the door of the principal hut he knocked, and upon enteringshowed the owner--who opened the door--a rosette of peculiar beads andrepeated the name of Father Anselm. The peasant at once recognized itand bade Cuthbert welcome. He knew but a few words of French, althoughdoubtless his ancestors had been of European extraction. In the morninghe furnished Cuthbert with the sheepskin and short tunic which formedthe dress of a shepherd, and dyeing his limbs and face a deep brown hehimself started with Cuthbert on his journey to the next Christiancommunity. 

This was a small one consisting of two huts only, built almost on thesummit of a mountain, the inhabitants living partly on the milk andcheese of their goats and partly upon the scanty vegetables which grewaround the huts. 

His welcome was as cordial as that of the night before; and the nextmorning, his former guide taking leave of him, the peasant in whosehouse he had slept again conducted him forward to another community. This was the last station and stood in a narrow gorge on the face of thehills looking down over the plain, beyond which in the far distance afaint line of blue sea was visible. 

This community was far more prosperous and well-to-do than those atwhich the previous nights had been passed. The head of the villageappeared to be a personage of some importance; and although clinging insecret to his Christian faith, he and his belongings had so far adoptedthe usages of the Mussulmen that apparently no thought of theirChristianity entered into the minds of the authorities. He was the ownerof two or three horses and of some extensive vineyards and olivegrounds. He was also able to speak French with some degree of fluency. 

At considerable length he explained to Cuthbert the exact position ofthe Christian army, which had moved some distance along the coast sinceCuthbert had left it. It was, he said, exposed to constant attacks bythe Saracens, who harassed it in every way, and permitted it no repose. He said that the high hopes which had been raised by the defeat of theSaracens at Azotus had now fallen, and that it was feared the Christianswould not be able to force their way forward to Jerusalem. The greatportion of their animals had died, and the country was so eaten up bythe Saracen hosts that an advance upon Jerusalem without a large baggagetrain was next to impossible; and indeed if the Christians were toarrive before that city, they could effect nothing without the aid ofthe heavy machines necessary for battering the walls or effecting anescalade. 

Cuthbert was vastly grieved when he heard of the probable failure of theexpedition, and he burned with eagerness to take his part again in thedangers and difficulties which beset the Christian army. His hostpointed out to him the extreme difficulty and danger of his crossing theenemy's lines, but at the same time offered to do all in his power toassist him. After two days' stay at the village, and discussing the prosand cons of all possible plans, it was decided that the best chance layin a bold effort. The host placed at his disposal one of his horses, together with such clothes as would enable him to ride as an Arab chiefof rank and station; a long lance was furnished him, a short and heavymace, and scimitar; a bag of dates was hung at the saddlebow; and withthe sincerest thanks to his protector, and with a promise that shouldthe Christian host win their way to Jerusalem the steed should bereturned with ample payment, Cuthbert started on his journey. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A FIGHT OF HEROES. 

The horse was a good and spirited one, and when he had once descended tothe plains, Cuthbert rode gayly along, exulting in his freedom, and inonce again possessing arms to defend himself should it be needed. Hisappearance was so exactly that of the horsemen who were continuallypassing and repassing that no observation whatever was attracted by it. Through villages, and even through camps, Cuthbert rode fearlessly, andarrived, without having once been accosted, near the main camp of theSaracens, which extended for miles parallel to the sea. But at adistance of some three leagues beyond could be seen the white tents ofthe Christian host, and Cuthbert felt that the time of trial was now athand. 

He dismounted for an hour to allow his steed to rest itself, fed it withdates from his wallet, and gave it a drink of water at the stream. Then, when he felt that it had thoroughly recovered its strength andfreshness, he remounted, and rode briskly on as before. He passedunchallenged, attracting no more notice than a person nowadays would doin walking along a crowded street. Without hesitation he passed throughthe tents and started across the open country. Bands of horsemen wereseen here and there, some going, and some coming from the direction ofthe Christian camp. As it was doubtless supposed that he was on his wayto join some band that had gone on in advance, the passage of thesolitary horseman excited no comment until he approached within abouttwo miles of the Christian camp. There were now, so far as he could see, no enemies between him and the point he so longed to gain. But at thisminute a group of Arab horsemen, gathered, apparently on the lookoutagainst any movement of the Christians, shouted to him "Halt!" demandingwhither he was going. 

Up to this point Cuthbert had ridden at a gentle canter; but at thechallenge he put spurs into his steed and made across the plain at fullspeed. With a wild yell the Arabs started in pursuit. They lay at firstsome two hundred yards on his right, and he had therefore a considerablestart of them. His horse was fairly fresh, for the journey that he hadmade had only been about fifteen miles--an inconsiderable distance to anArab steed. For half a mile he did not think that his pursuers gainedmuch upon him, riding as they had done sideways. They had now gatheredin his rear, and the nearest was some one hundred and fifty yards behindhim. A quarter of a mile further he again looked around, and found thattwo of the Arabs, far better mounted than the others, had come withinhalf the distance which separated them from him when he last glancedback. His horse was straining to the utmost, and he felt that it coulddo no more; he therefore prepared himself for a desperate fight shouldhis pursuers overtake him. In another quarter of a mile they were but ashort distance behind, and an arrow whizzing by Cuthbert's ear told himthey had betaken themselves to their bows. 

Half a mile ahead he saw riding toward him a group of Christian knights;but he felt that it was too late for him to hope to reach them, and thathis only chance now was to boldly encounter his pursuers. The main bodyof the Arabs was fully two hundred yards behind--a short distance whengoing at a gallop--which left him but little time to shake off thepursuit of the two immediately behind him. 

A sharp stinging pain in his leg told him that it was time to make hiseffort; and checking his horse, he wheeled suddenly round. The two Arabswith a yell rode at him with pointed lance. With his right hand Cuthbertgrasped the short heavy mace which hung at his saddlebow, and being wellpracticed in the hurling of this weapon--which formed part of theeducation of a good knight--he cast it with all his force at the chestof the Arab approaching on that side. The point of the spear was withina few yards of his breast as he flung the mace; but his aim was true, for it smote the Saracen full on the chest, and hurled him from hishorse as if struck with a thunderbolt. At the same instant Cuthbertthrew himself flat on the neck of his steed and the lance of the Arabwho came up on the other side passed harmlessly between his shoulders, tearing his clothes as it went. In an instant Cuthbert had wheeled hishorse, and before the Arab could turn his steed Cuthbert, coming up frombehind, had run him through the body. 

Short as the delay had been, the main body of the pursuers were scarcelyfifty yards away; but Cuthbert now continued his flight toward theknights, who were galloping forward at full speed; and a momentafterward glancing back, he saw that his pursuers had turned and were infull flight. 

With a shout of joy he rode forward to the party who had viewed withastonishment this conflict between what appeared to be three of theinfidels. Even louder than his first shout of exultation was the cry ofjoy which he raised at seeing among the party to whom he rode up theEarl of Evesham, who reined in his horse in astonishment, and drew hissword as the supposed enemy galloped toward him. 

"My lord, my lord!" Cuthbert said. "Thank Heaven I am safe with youagain. "

The earl lowered his sword in astonishment. 

"Am I mad, " he said, "or dreaming, or is this really Sir Cuthbert?"

"It is I, sure enough, " Cuthbert exclaimed, "although truly I look morelike a Bedouin soldier than a Christian knight. "

"My dear boy!" exclaimed the earl, galloping forward and throwing hisarms around Cuthbert's neck, "we thought you were dead. But by whatwonderful fortune have you succeeded in escaping?"

In a few words Cuthbert related the principal incidents of hisadventures, and he was heartily congratulated by the assembled knights. 

There was, however, no time for long explanations. Large bodies of theSaracen horse were already sweeping down to capture, if possible, thissmall band of knights who had ventured so far from the camp; and as KingRichard's orders were that none should venture upon conflicts except byhis orders, the party reluctantly turned their horses and galloped backto the camp. 

Great as had been the earl's joy, it was, if possible, exceeded by thatof Cnut on discovering in the Arab chief who rode up alongside the earlthe lad he loved so well. Loud and hearty were the cheers which rang outfrom the earl's camp as the news spread, and Cuthbert was compelled toshake hands with the whole party before entering the earl's tent, torefresh himself and give the narrative of what had happened. 

Cuthbert, retiring to his tent with the Earl of Evesham, inquired of himwhat had taken place during his absence. 

"For, " he said, "although but a short three days' march from here, Ihave been as one of the dead, and have heard nothing whatever of whathas taken place. "

"Nothing could have gone worse, " the earl said. "We have had nothing butdissensions and quarrels. First, the king fell out with the Archduke ofAustria. "

"On what ground did this happen?" Cuthbert asked. 

"For once, " the earl said, "the king our master was wholly in the wrong, which is not generally the case. We had just taken Ascalon, and werehard at work fortifying the place. King Richard with his usual zeal, inorder to encourage the army, seized heavy stones and himself bore theminto their place. The archduke stood near with some of his knights: andit may be that the haughty Austrian looked somewhat superciliously atour king thus laboring. 

"'Why do you not make a show of helping?' King Richard said, going up tohim. 'It would encourage the men, and show that the labor upon which weare engaged can be undertaken by all without derogation. '

"To this the archduke replied:

"'I am not the son of a mason!'

"Whereupon Richard, whose blood no doubt had been excited by the air ofthe Austrian, struck him with his hand a fierce blow across the face. Wenearly betook ourselves to our swords on both sides; but King Richardhimself could have scattered half the Austrians, and these, knowing thatagainst his impetuous valor they could do nothing, simply withdrew fromour camp, and sailed the next day for home. Then the king, in order toconciliate some at least of his allies, conferred the crown of Jerusalemupon Conrad of Montferat. No sooner had he done this than Conrad wasmysteriously wounded. By whom it was done none knew. Some say that itwas by emissaries of the Old Man of the Mountain. Others affirm that itwas the jealousy of some of the knights of the holy orders. But be thatas it may, he died. Some of the French, ever jealous of the valor of ourking, ascribed it to his orders. This monstrous accusation coming to theears of King Richard, he had hot words with the Duke of Burgundy. Inthis I blame him not, for it is beyond all reason that a man like theking, whose faults, such as they are, arise from too much openness, andfrom the want of concealment of such dislikes as he may have, shouldresort to poison to free himself of a man whom he himself had but a dayor two before appointed King of Jerusalem. However it be, theconsequences were most unfortunate, for the result of the quarrel wasthat the Duke of Burgundy and his Frenchmen followed the example of theAustrians, and we were left alone. Before this we had marched uponJerusalem. But the weather had been so bad, and our train was soinsufficient to carry the engines of war, that we had been forced tofall back again. King Richard again advanced, and with much toil we wentas far as the village of Bethany. "

"Why, " Cuthbert exclaimed, "I passed through that village, and it is butthree miles from the holy city. "

"That is so, " the earl said; "and many of us, ascending the hill infront, saw Jerusalem. But even then it was certain that we must againretrace our steps; and when we asked King Richard to come to the crestof the hill to see the holy city, he refused to do so, saying, 'No;those who are not worthy of conquering Jerusalem should not look at it!'This was but a short time since, and we are now retracing our steps toAcre, and are treating with Saladin for a peace. "

"Then, " Cuthbert said sadly, "all our hopes and efforts are thrown away;all this blood has been shed for nothing; and after the three greatpowers of Europe have engaged themselves solemnly in the war, we arebaffled, and have to fall back before the hordes of the infidels. "

"Partly before them, " the earl said, "partly as the result of our ownjealousies and passions. Had King Richard been a lesser man than he is, we might have conquered Jerusalem. But he is so extraordinary a warriorthat his glory throws all others into the shade. He is a good general, perhaps the best in Europe; and had he done nothing but lead, assuredlywe should have carried out our purpose. See how ably he maneuvered thearmy at the fight of Azotus. Never was a more complete defeat than thatwhich he inflicted there upon the Saracens; and although the fact thathis generalship achieved this, might have caused some jealousy to theother commanders, this might have died away could he between the battleshave been a general, and nothing more. But, alas! he is in addition aknight-errant--and such a knight-errant as Europe has never seen before. Wherever there is danger, Richard will plunge into the midst. There arebrave men in all the three armies; but the strongest and bravest are aschildren to King Richard. Alone he can dart into ranks of the infidels, and cut a lane for himself by the strength of his right arm. More thanthis, when danger has threatened he has snatched up his battle-ax anddashed into the fray without helm or cuirass, performing such prodigiesof valor and strength that it has been to his prowess alone that victorywas to be ascribed. Hence he is the idol of all the soldiers, whatevertheir nationality; for he is as ready to rush to the rescue of a Frenchor Austrian knight when pressed as to that of his own men. But thedevotion which the whole army felt for him was as gall and wormwood tothe haughty Austrian and the indolent Frenchman; and the retirement ofthe King of France, which left Richard in supreme command, was in everyway unfortunate. "

Upon the following day the army again marched, and Cuthbert could notbut notice the difference, not only in number but in demeanor, from thesplendid array which had left Acre a few months before. There was littlenow of the glory of pennon and banner; the bright helms and cuirasseswere rusted and dinted, and none seemed to care aught for bravery ofshow. The knights and men-at-arms were sunburnt and thin, and seemed buthalf the weight that they had been when they landed. Fatigue, hardship, and the heat had done their work; disease had swept off vast numbers. But the remains of the army were so formidable in their fighting powersthat the Saracens, although following them at a distance in vastnumbers, did not venture an attack upon them. 

A few days after their arrival at Acre, the king gave orders for theembarkation of the troops. Just as they were preparing to enter theships a small vessel was seen entering the harbor. It drew up to theshore, and a knight leaped from it, and, inquiring where King Richardwas to be found, made his way to the king, who was standingsuperintending the embarkation of some of the horses. 

"The Saracens, sire!" he exclaimed. "The Saracens are besieging Jaffa, and the place must be lost unless assistance arrives in a day or two. "

The king leaped on board the nearest ship, shouted to his leadingofficers to follow him, and gave orders to others to bring down thetroops with all possible speed, to waste not a moment, and to see thatall was done, and then, in five minutes after the receipt of the news hestarted for Jaffa. The Earl of Evesham and Cuthbert had been standingnear the king when the order was given, and followed him at once onboard the bark which he had chosen. 

"Ah, my gallant young knight, " the king exclaimed, "I am right glad tosee you with me. We shall have more fighting before we have done, and Iknow that that suits your mood as well as my own. "

The king's vessel was far in advance of any of the others, when earlythe following morning it arrived at Jaffa. 

"Your eyes are better than mine, " the king said to Cuthbert. "Tell mewhat is that flag flying on the top of the town. "

Cuthbert looked at it earnestly. 

"I fear, sire, that it is the crescent. We have arrived too late. "

"By the holy cross, " said King Richard, "that shall not be so; for ifthe place be taken, we will retake it. "

As the vessel neared the shore a monk ran out into the water up to hisshoulders, and said to the king that the citadel still held out, andthat even now the Saracens might be driven back. Without delay the kingleaped into the water, followed by the knights and men-at-arms, andentering the gate, threw himself upon the infidels within, who, busyplundering, had not noticed the arrival of the ship. 

The war cry of "St. George! St. George!" which the king always shoutedin battle, struck panic among the infidels; and although the king wasfollowed but by five knights and a few men-at-arms, the Saracens, to thenumber of three thousand, fled before him, and all who tarried weresmitten down. The king followed them out upon the plain, driving thembefore him as a lion would drive a flock of sheep, and then returnedtriumphant into the city. 

The next day, some more ships having arrived, King Richard found that inall, including the garrison, he could muster two thousand combatants. The enemy renewed the attack in great numbers, and the assaults uponthe walls were continuous and desperate. King Richard, who lovedfighting in the plain rather than behind walls, was impatient at this, and at one time so fierce was the attack that he resolved to sally out. Only ten horses remained in the town, and King Richard, mounting one, called upon nine of the knights to mount and sally out with him. Thelittle band of ten warriors charged down upon the host of the Saracensand swept them before them. It was a marvelous sight indeed to see sosmall a group of horsemen dashing through a crowd of Saracen warriors. These, although at first beaten back, yet rallied, and the ten knightshad great difficulty in fighting their way back to the town. When nearthe walls the Christians again made a stand, and a few knights salliedout from the town on foot and joined them. Among these was Cuthbert, theEarl of Evesham having accompanied King Richard in his charge. In all, seventeen knights were now rallied round the king. So fierce was thecharge of the Saracens that the king ordered those on horseback todismount, and with their horses in the center, the little body kneltwith their lances opposed to the Saracens. Again and again the wildcavalry swept down upon this little force, but in vain did they attemptto break their ranks. The scene was indeed an extraordinary one. At lastthe king, seeing that the enemy were losing heart, again ordered theknights to mount, and these dashing among the enemy, completed theirdefeat. 

While this had been going on news came to the king that the Saracensfrom another side had made their way into Jaffa, and were massacring theChristians. Without, an instant's delay he flew to their succor, followed only by two knights and a few archers, the rest being so wornby their exertions as to be unable to move. The Mamelukes, the chosenguard of Saladin, had headed the attack; but even these were driven outfrom the town, and Richard dashed out from the city in their pursuit. One Saracen emir, distinguished for his stature and strength, venturedto match himself against the king, and rode boldly at him. But with oneblow Richard severed his head, and his right shoulder and arm, from hisbody. Then having, by his single arm, put to rout the Saracens at thispoint, he dashed through them to the aid of the little band of knightswho had remained on the defensive when he left them at the alarm of thecity being entered. These were almost sinking with fatigue and wounds;but King Richard opened a way around them by slaying numbers of theenemy, and then charged again alone into the midst of the Mussulmanhost, and was lost to the sight of his companions. All thought that theywould never see him again. But he soon reappeared, his horse coveredwith blood, but himself unwounded; and the attack of the enemy ceased. 

From the hour of daybreak, it is said, Richard had not ceased for amoment to deal out his blows, and the skin of his hand adhered to thehandle of his battle-ax. This narration would appear almost fabulous, were it not that it is attested in the chronicles of severaleye-witnesses, and for centuries afterward the Saracen women hushedtheir babes when fractious by threatening them with Malek-Rik, the namewhich they gave to King Richard. 

Glorious as was the success, it was a sad one, for several of the mostdevoted of the followers of King Richard were wounded badly, some few todeath. Among these last, to the terrible grief of Cuthbert, was hisfriend and patron, the Earl of Evesham. The king, on taking off hisarmor, hurried to his tent. 

"The glory of this day is marred indeed, " he said to the wounded knight, "if I am to lose you, Sir Walter. "

"I fear that it must even be so, my lord, " the dying earl said. "I amglad that I have seen this day, for never did I think to witness suchfeats as those which your majesty has performed; and though the Crusadehas failed, and the holy city remains in the hands of the infidel, yetassuredly no shadow of disgrace has fallen upon the English arms, and, indeed, great glory has accrued to us. Whatever may be said of the GreatCrusade, it will at least be allowed by all men, and for all time, thathad the princes and soldiers of other nations done as your majesty andyour followers have done, the holy city would have fallen into our handswithin a month of our putting foot upon the soil. Your majesty, I have aboon to ask. "

"You have but to name it, Sir Walter, and it is yours. "

"Sir Cuthbert, here, " he said, pointing to the young knight, who wassorrowfully kneeling by his bedside, "is as a son to me. Therelationship by blood is but slight, but by affection it is as close asthough he were mine own. I have, as your majesty knows, no male heirs, and my daughter is but young, and will now be a royal ward. I beseechyour majesty to bestow her in marriage, when the time comes, upon SirCuthbert. They have known each other as children, and the union willbring happiness, methinks, to both, as well as strength and protectionto her; and further, if it might be, I would fain that you should bestowupon him my title and dignity. "

"It shall be so, " the king said. "When your eyes are closed, Sir Walter, Sir Cuthbert shall be Earl of Evesham, and, when the time comes, thehusband of your daughter. "

Cuthbert was too overwhelmed with grief to feel a shadow of exaltationat the gracious intimation of the king; although, even then, a thoughtof future happiness in the care of the fair young lady Marguerite passedbefore his mind. For the last time the king gave his hand to hisfaithful servant, who pressed it to his lips, and a few minutesafterward breathed his last. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

AN ALPINE STORM. 

The tremendous exertions which King Richard had made told upon him, andattacks of fever succeeded each other at short intervals. This, however, mattered the less, since negotiations were now proceeding between himand Saladin. It was impossible, with the slight means at his disposal, for Richard further to carry on the Crusade alone. Moreover, pressingnews had arrived from his mother in England, urging him to return, ashis brother John was intriguing against him, and had already assumed allbut the kingly title. Saladin was equally desirous of peace. His wildtroops were, for the most part, eager to return to their homes, and thedefeats which they had suffered, and the, to them, miraculous power ofKing Richard's arm, had lowered their spirit and made them eager to beaway. Therefore he consented without difficulty to the terms proposed. By these, the Christians were to surrender Ascalon, but were to keepJaffa, Tyre, and the fortresses along the coast. All hostilities were tobe suspended on both sides for the space of three years, three months, three weeks, three days, and three hours, when Richard hoped to returnagain and to recommence the struggle. 

Between the sultan and King Richard a feeling approaching that offriendship had sprung up during the campaign. Saladin was himself bravein the extreme, and exposed his life as fearlessly as did his Christianrival, and the two valiant leaders recognized the great qualities ofeach other. Several times during the campaign when Richard had been ill, the emir had sent him presents of fruit and other matters, to whichRichard had responded in the same spirit. An interview had taken placebetween them which further cemented their friendship; and when Richardpromised to return again at the end of the truce with a far larger army, and to accomplish the rescue of the holy city, the sultan smiled, andsaid that it appeared that valor alone was not sufficient to conquer inthe Holy Land, but that if Jerusalem were to fall into the hands of theChristians, it could fall into no worthier hands than those ofMalek-Rik. 

So, with many mutual courtesies, the great rivals separated, and soonafter King Richard and the little remnant of his army embarked on boardship, and set sail for England. 

It was on October 11, 1192, that Richard Coeur de Lion left Palestine. Soon after they started a storm suddenly burst upon them, and dispersedthem in various directions. The ship in which Queen Berengaria wascarried arrived safely in Sicily; but that in which King Richard wasborne was missing, and none of his fellow-voyagers knew what had becomeof him. Sir Cuthbert was in the same vessel as the king, and the barkwas driven upon the Island of Corfu. All reached shore in safety, andKing Richard then hired three small vessels, in which he sailed to theport of Zara, whence he hoped to reach the domains of his nephew, Othoof Saxony, the son of his sister Matilda. The king had with him now buttwo of his knights, Baldwin of Béthune, and Cuthbert of Evesham. Cnutwas with his feudal chief--for such Cuthbert had now, by his accessionto the rank of Earl of Evesham, become--and three or four Englisharchers. 

"I fear, my lords, " the king said to his knights as he sat in a littleroom in an inn at Zara, "that my plight is a bad one. I am surrounded byenemies, and, alas! I can no longer mount my steed and ride out as atJaffa to do battle with them. My brother, John Lackland, is scheming totake my place upon the throne of England. Philip of France, whose mindis far better at such matters than at setting armies in the field, is inleague with him. The Emperor Henry has laid claim to the throne ofSicily. Leopold of Austria has not forgiven me the blow I struck him inthe face at Ascalon, and the friends of Conrad of Montferat arespreading far and wide the lie that I was the instigator of his murder. Sure never had a poor king so many enemies, and few have ever had sosmall a following as I have now. What think you, my lords? What coursewould you advise that I should adopt? If I can reach Saxony doubtlessOtho will aid me. But hence to Dresden is a long journey indeed. I haveneither credit nor funds to hire a ship to take us by sea. Nor wouldsuch a voyage be a safe one, when so many of my enemies' ships are onthe main. I must needs, I think, go in disguise, for my way lies whollythrough the country of my enemies. "

"Surely, " Cuthbert said, "no potentate could for very shame venture todetain your majesty on your way from the Holy Land, where you havewrought such great deeds. Were I in your place, I would at once proclaimmyself, mount my horse, have my banner carried before me, and rideopenly on. You have, too, another claim, namely, that of beingshipwrecked, and even in war-time nations respect those whom the forceof God has thrown upon their shores. "

"I fear me, Sir Cuthbert, " Sir Baldwin said, "that you overrate thechivalry of our master's enemies. Had we been thrown on the shores ofFrance, Philip perhaps would hesitate to lay hands upon the king; butthese petty German princelings have no idea of the observances of truechivalry. They are coarse and brutal in their ways; and though inoutward form following the usage of knighthood, they have never beenpenetrated with its spirit. If the friends of Conrad of Montferat layhands upon King Richard I fear that no scruples will prevent them fromusing their advantage to the utmost. Even their emperor I would nottrust. The course which you advise would no doubt be in accordance withthe spirit of King Richard; but it would be madness for him to judgeother people's spirit by his own, and it would be rushing into thelion's den to proclaim himself here. I should recommend, if I mightventure to do so, that his majesty should assume a false name, and thatwe should travel in small parties so as to attract no attention, eachmaking his way to Saxony as best he may. "

There was silence for a minute or two, and then the king with a sighsaid:

"I fear that you are right, Sir Baldwin, and that there is no chivalryamong these swinish German lords. You shall accompany me. Not, SirCuthbert, " he observed kindly, noticing a look of disappointment uponthe face of the young knight, "that I estimate your fidelity one whitlower than that of my brave friend; but he is the elder and the moreversed in European travel, and may manage to bring matters throughbetter than you would do. You will have dangers enough to encounteryourself, more even than I shall, for your brave follower, Cnut, canspeak no language but his own, and your archers will be hard to pass asany other than what they are. You must be my messenger to England, should you arrive there without me. Tell my mother and wife where youleft me, and that, if I do not come home I have fallen into the handsof one or other of my bitter foes. Bid them bestir themselves to holdEngland for me against my brother John, and, if needs be, to move thesovereigns of Europe to free me from the hands of my enemies. Should aransom be needed, I think that my people of England will not grudgetheir goods for their king. "

The following day the king bade farewell to his faithful followers, giving his hand to kiss, not only to Sir Cuthbert, but to Cnut and hisarchers. 

"You have done me brave service, " he said, "and I trust may yet haveoccasion to do it again. These are bad times when Richard of England hasnaught wherewith to reward his friends. But, " he said, taking a goldchain from his neck and breaking it with his strong fingers into fivefragments, "that is for you, Cnut, and for your four archers, inremembrance of King Richard. "

The men, albeit hardened by many scenes of warfare, yet shed tearsplenteously at parting with the king. 

"We had better, " Cuthbert said to them when they were alone, "delay herefor a few days. If we are taken, the news that some Englishmen have beencaptured making their way north from Zara will spread rapidly, and maycause the enemies of Richard to be on the lookout for him, suspectingthat the ship which bore us may also have carried him; for the news thathe is missing will spread rapidly through Europe, and will set all hisenemies on the alert. "

In accordance with this plan they delayed for another ten days at Zara, and then, hiring a small boat, were landed some thirty miles furtheralong the coast. Cuthbert had obtained for Cnut the dress of a palmer, as in this he would pass almost unquestioned, and his silence might beaccounted for on the ground that he had taken a vow of silence. Hehimself had placed on his coat armor a red cross, instead of the whitecross borne by the English knights, and would now pass as a Frenchknight. Similar changes were made in the dress of his followers, and hedetermined to pass as a French noble who had been wrecked on his wayhome, and who was returning through Germany to France. The difficultiesin his own case would not be serious, as his French would pass musteranywhere in Germany. The greatest difficulty would be with hisattendants; but he saw no way of avoiding this. 

Cuthbert's object, when with his little party he separated from KingRichard, was to make his way to Verona, thence cross by Trent intoBavaria, and so to journey to Saxony. Fortunately he had at the stormingof Acre become possessed of a valuable jewel, and this he now sold, andpurchased a charger for himself. He had little fear of any trouble inpassing through the north of Italy, for this was neutral ground, whereknights of all nations met, and where, neither as an English nor aFrench Crusader, would he attract either comment or attention. 

It was a slow journey across the northern plains, as of course he had toaccommodate his pace to that of his men. Cnut and the archers hadgrumbled much at the change of the color of the cross upon theirjerkins; and, as Cnut said, would have been willing to run greaterperils under their true colors than to affect to belong to any othernationality. On their way they passed through Padua, and there stopped afew days. Cuthbert could but feel, in looking at the splendor of thisItalian city, the courteous manner of its people, and the university, which was even then famous, how far in advance were those stately citiesof Italy to Western Europe. His followers were as much surprised ashimself at the splendors of the city. Here they experienced no troubleor annoyance whatever, for to the cities of Italy knights of allnations resorted, learned men came to study, philosophers to dispute, and as these brought their attendants with them, you might in thestreets of Padua and its sister cities hear every language in Europespoken. 

From Padua they journeyed to Verona, marveling greatly at the richnessof the country. The footmen, however, grumbled at the flatness of theplain, and said that it was as bad as marching in the Holy Land. Ontheir right, however, the slopes of the Alps, thickly clad with forests, reached down nearly to the road, and Cuthbert assured them that theywould have plenty of climbing before they had done. At Verona theytarried again, and wondered much at the great amphitheater, then almostperfect. Cuthbert related to Cnut and the archers how men had there beenset to fight while the great stone benches round were thronged with menand women looking on at their death struggles, and said that notunfrequently British captives were brought hither and made to contend inthe arena. The honest fellows were full of indignation and horror at thethought of men killing themselves to give sport to others. They wereused to hard knocks, and thought but little of their life, and wouldhave betaken themselves to their bows and bills without hesitation incase of a quarrel. But to fight in cold blood for amusement seemed tothem very terrible. 

Cuthbert would then have traveled on to Milan, at that time next to Romethe richest city in Europe, but he longed to be back in England, and wasthe more anxious as he knew that King Richard would be passing throughgreat dangers, and he hoped to meet him at the court of Saxony. Hismoney, too, was fast running out, and he found that it would be beyondhis slender means to extend his journey so far. At Verona, then, theyturned their back on the broad plains of Lombardy, and entered thevalley of the Trent. 

So far no observation whatever had been excited by the passage of theEnglish knight. So many Crusaders were upon their way home, many ingrievous plight, that the somewhat shabby retinue passed unnoticed. Butthey were now leaving Italy, and entering a country where German wasspoken. Trent, in those days an important city, was then, and is still, the meeting place of Italy and Germany. Both tongues are here spoken;but while the Italian perhaps preponderates, the customs, manners, andmode of thought of the people belong to those of the mountaineers of theTyrol rather than of the dwellers on the plains. 

"You are choosing a stormy time, " the landlord of the hostelry wherethey put up said to Cuthbert. "The winter is now at hand, and stormssweep across the passes with terrible violence. You had better, at thelast village you come to in the valley, obtain the services of a guide, for should a snowstorm come on when you are crossing, the path will belost, and nothing will remain but a miserable death. By daylight theroad is good. It has been cut with much trouble, and loaded mules canpass over without difficulty. Poles have been erected at short distancesto mark the way when the snow covers it. But when the snowstorms sweepacross the mountains it is impossible to see ten paces before you, andif the traveler leaves the path he is lost. "

"But I suppose, " Cuthbert said, "that even in winter travelers passover?"

"They do, " the host said. "The road is as open in winter as in summer, although, of course, the dangers are greater. Still, there is nothing toprevent vigorous men from crossing over when the storms come on. Now, too, with the snow already lying in the upper forests, the wolves areabroad, and should you be attacked by one of those herds, you will findit hard work to defend your lives. Much has been done to render theroad safe. At the distance of every league stone houses have beenerected, where travelers can find shelter either from the storm or fromthe attacks of wolves or bears, for these, too, abound in the forests, and in summer there is fine hunting among them. You are, as I see, returning from the Holy Land, an are therefore used to heat rather thancold, so I should advise you before you leave this city to buy somerough cloaks to shield you from the cold. You can obtain them for yourfollowers very cheaply, made of the mountain goat or of sheepskins, andeven those of bearskin well dressed are by no means dear. "

Obtaining the address of a merchant who kept these things, Cuthbertproceeded thither; and purchased five cloaks of goatskin with hoods topull over their heads for his followers while for himself he obtainedone of rather finer material. 

Another two days' journey brought them to the foot of the steep ascent, and here they hired the services of a guide. The ascent was long anddifficult, and in spite of the praises which the host had bestowed uponthe road, it was so steep that Cuthbert was, for the most part, obligedto walk, leading his steed, whose feet slipped on the smooth rock, andas in many places a false step would have thrown them down many hundredsof feet into the valley below, Cuthbert judged it safer to trust himselfto his own feet. He disincumbered himself of his helmet and gorget, andplaced these upon the horse's back. At nightfall they had attained avery considerable height, and stopped at one of the small refuges ofwhich the landlord had spoken. 

"I like not the look of the weather, " the guide said in the morning--atleast that was what Cuthbert judged him to say, for he could speak noword of the man's language. His actions, however, as he looked towardthe sky, and shook his head, spoke for themselves, and Cuthbert, feelinghis own powerlessness in a situation so novel to him, felt seriousmisgivings at the prospect. 

The scenery was now very wild. On all sides crags and mountain topscovered with snow glistened in the sun. The woods near the path werefree of snow; but higher up they rose black above the white ground. Thewind blew keenly, and all rejoiced in the warm cloaks which they hadobtained; for even with the protection of these they had found the coldbitter during the night. 

"I like not this country, " Cnut said. "We grumbled at the heat ofPalestine, but I had rather march across the sand there than in thisinhospitable frozen region. The woods look as if they might containspecters. There is a silence which seems to be unnatural, and mycourage, like the warmth of my body, is methinks oozing out from myfingers. "

Cuthbert laughed. 

"I have no doubt that your courage would come again much quicker thanthe warmth, Cnut, if there were any occasion for it. A brisk walk willset you all right again, and banish these uneasy fancies. To-night weshall be at the highest point, and to-morrow begin to descend towardGermany. "

All day the men kept steadily on. The guide from time to time lookedapprehensively at the sky; and although in the earlier part of the dayCuthbert's inexperienced eye saw nothing to cause the slightestuneasiness, toward the afternoon the scene changed. Light clouds beganto gather on the top of all the hills and to shut the mountain peaksentirely from view. The wind moaned between the gorges and occasionallyswept along in such sudden gusts that they could with difficulty retaintheir feet. The sky became gradually overcast, and frequently lightspecks of snow, so small as to be scarcely perceptible, were drivenalong on the blast, making their faces smart by the force with whichthey struck them. 

"It scarcely needs our guide's face, " Cuthbert said, "to tell us that astorm is at hand, and that our position is a dangerous one. As for me, Iown that I feel better pleased now that the wind is blowing, and thesilence is broken, than at the dead stillness which prevailed thismorning. After all, methinks that a snowstorm cannot be more dreadedthan a sandstorm, and we have faced those before now. "

Faster and faster the snow came down, until at last the whole air seemedfull of it, and it was with difficulty that they could stagger forward. Where the path led across open places the wind swept away the snow asfast as it fell, but in the hollows the track was already covered; andfeeling the difficulty of facing the blinding gale, Cuthbert nowunderstood the urgency with which his host had insisted upon the dangerof losing the track. Not a word was spoken among the party as theyplodded along. The guide kept ahead, using the greatest caution whereverthe path was obliterated by the snow, sometimes even sounding with hisiron-shod staff to be sure that they were upon the level rock. In spiteof his warm cloak Cuthbert felt that he was becoming chilled to thebone. His horse could with difficulty keep his feet; and Cnut and thearchers lagged behind. 

"You must keep together, lads, " he shouted. "I have heard that in thesemountains when sleepiness overpowers the traveler, death is at hand. Therefore, come what may, we must struggle on. "

Many times the gale was so violent that they were obliged to pause andtake shelter under the side of a rock or precipice until the fury of theblast had passed; and Cuthbert eagerly looked out for the next refuge. At last they reached it, and the guide at once entered. It was not thatin which he had intended to pass the night, for this lay still higher;but it would have been madness to attempt to go further in the face ofsuch a gale. He signed to Cuthbert that it was necessary at once tocollect firewood, and he himself proceeded to light some brands whichhad been left by previous travelers. Cuthbert gave directions to Cnutand the archers; and these, feeling that life depended upon a good firebeing kept up, set to with a will, cutting down shrubs and branchesgrowing in the vicinity of the hut. In half an hour a huge fire blazedin the refuge; and as the warmth thawed their limbs, their tongues wereunloosened, and a feeling of comfort again prevailed. 

"If this be mountaineering, my lord, " Cnut said, "I trust that neveragain may it be my fortune to venture among the hills. How long, Iwonder, do the storms last here? I was grumbling all the way up the hillat the load of provisions which the guide insisted that each of usshould bring with him. As it was to be but a three days' journey beforewe reached a village on the other side, I wondered why he insisted uponour taking food enough to last us at least for a week. But I understandnow, and thank him for his foresight; for if this storm goes on we areassuredly prisoners here for so long as it may continue. "

The horse had to be brought into the hut, for it would have been deathfor it to have remained outside. 

"What is that?" Cnut said presently, as a distant howl was heard betweenthe lulls of the storm. The guide muttered some word which Cuthbert didnot understand. But he said to Cnut, "I doubt not that it is wolves. Thank God that we are safe within this refuge, for here not even themost ravenous beasts could make their way. "

"Pooh!" Cnut said contemptuously. "Wolves are no bigger than dogs. Ihave heard my grandfather say that he shot one in the forest, and thatit was no bigger than a hound. We should make short work of them. "

"I know not, " Cuthbert said. "I have heard tales of these animals whichshow that they must be formidable opponents. They hunt in great packs, and are so furious that they will attack parties of travelers; many ofthese have perished miserably, horses and men, and nothing but theirswords and portions of their saddles have remained to tell where thebattle was fought. "

CHAPTER XVIII. 

SENTENCED TO DEATH. 

Just before arriving at the refuge they had passed along a very steepand dangerous path. On one side the rock rose precipitously, ten feetabove their heads. On the other was a fall into the valley below. Theroad at this point was far wider than usual. 

Presently the howl of a wolf was heard near, and soon the solitary callwas succeeded by the howling of great numbers of animals. These speedilysurrounded the hut, and so fierce were their cries that Cnut changed hisopinion as to the ease with which they could be defeated, and allowedthat he would rather face an army of Saracens than a troop of theseill-conditioned animals. The horse trembled in every limb at the soundof the howling of the wolves; and cold as was the night, in spite of thegreat fire that blazed on the hearth, his coat became covered with thelather of fear. Even upon the roof above the trampling of the animalscould be heard; and through the open slits of the windows which sometravelers before them had stuffed with straw, they could hear the fiercebreathing and snorting of the savage beasts, who scratched and tore tomake an entrance. 

"Methinks, " Cuthbert said, "that we might launch a few arrows throughthese loopholes. The roof appears not to be over strong; and should someof them force an entrance, the whole pack might follow. "

Dark as was the night, the black bodies were visible against the whitesnow, and the archers shot several arrows forth, each stretching a wolfdead on the ground. Those killed were at once pounced upon by theircomrades and torn to pieces; and this mark of savageness added to thehorror which those within felt of the ferocious animals. Suddenly therewas a pause in the howling around the hut, and then Cnut, looking forthfrom the loophole, declared that the whole body had gone off at fullspeed along the path by which they had reached the refuge. Almostimmediately afterward a loud shout for help was heard, followed by therenewed howling and yelping of the wolves. 

"Good heavens!" Cuthbert exclaimed. "Some traveler coming after us isattacked by these horrible beasts. Let us sally out, Cnut. We cannothear a Christian torn to pieces by these beasts, without lending him ahand. "

In spite of the angry shouts and entreaties of the guide, the door wasthrust open, and the party, armed with their axes and bows, at oncerushed out into the night. The storm had for the moment abated and theyhad no difficulty in making their way along the track. In fifty yardsthey came to a bend of the path, and saw, a little distance before them, a black mass of animals covering the road, and congregated round afigure who stood with his back to the rock. With a shout ofencouragement they sprang forward, and in a few moments were in themidst of the savage animals, who turned their rage against them at once. They had fired two or three arrows apiece, as they approached, intothem; and now throwing down their bows, the archers betook themselves totheir swords, while Cuthbert with his heavy battle-axe hewed and cut atthe wolves as they sprang toward him. In a minute they had cleared theirway to the figure, which was that of a knight in complete armor. Heleaned against the rock completely exhausted, could only mutter a wordof thanks through his closed visor. At a short distance off a number ofthe wolves were gathered, rending and tearing the horse of the knight;but the rest, soon recovering from their surprise, attacked with furythe little party. The thick cloaks of the archers stood them in goodstead against the animal's teeth, and standing in a group with theirbacks to the rock, they hewed and cut vigorously at their assailants. The numbers of these, however, appeared almost innumerable, and freshstragglers continued to come along the road, and swell their body. Asfast as those in front fell, their heads cleft with the axes of theparty, fresh ones sprang forward; and Cuthbert saw that in spite of thevalor and strength of his men, the situation was well-nigh desperate. Hehimself had been saved from injury by his harness, for he still had onhis greaves and leg pieces. 

"Keep together, " he shouted to his men, "and each lend aid to the otherif he sees him pulled down. Strike lustily for life, and hurry not yourblows, but let each toll. " This latter order he gave perceiving thatsome of the archers, terrified by this furious army of assailants withgaping mouths and glistening teeth, were striking wildly, and losingtheir presence of mind. 

The combat, although it might have been prolonged, could yet have hadbut one termination, and the whole party would have fallen. At thismoment, however, a gust of wind, more furious than any which they hadbefore experienced, swept along the gorge, and the very wolves had tocrouch on their stomachs to prevent themselves being hurled by its furyinto the ravine below. Then even above the storm a deep roar was heard. It grew louder and louder. The wolves, as if struck with terror, leapedto their feet, and scattered on either way along the path at fullspeed. 

"What sound can this be?" Cnut exclaimed in an awe-struck voice. "Itsounds like thunder; but it is regular and unbroken; and, my lord, surely the earth quakes under our feet!"

Louder and louder grew the roar. 

"Throw yourselves down against the wall of rock, " Cuthbert shouted, himself setting the example. 

A moment afterward, from above a mighty mass of rock and snow pouredover like a cascade, with a roar and sound which nigh stunned them. Forminutes--it seemed for hours to them--the deluge of snow and rockcontinued. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, it ceased, and a silenceas of death reigned over the place. 

"Arise, " Cuthbert said; "the danger, methinks, is past. It was what mencall an avalanche--a torrent of snow slipping down from the higherpeaks. We have had a narrow escape indeed. "

By this time the knight whom they had rescued was able to speak, andraising his visor, he returned his deepest thanks to those who had comeso opportunely to his aid. 

"I was well-nigh exhausted, " he said, "and it was only my armor whichsaved me from being torn to pieces. A score of them had hold of me; butfortunately my mail was of Milan proof, and even the jaws and teeth ofthese enormous beasts were unable to pierce it. "

"The refuge is near at hand, " Cuthbert said. "It is but a few yardsround yonder point. It is well that we heard your voice. I fear thatyour horse has fallen a victim. "

Assisting the knight, who in spite of his armor was sorely bruised andexhausted, they made their way back to the refuge. Cnut and the archerswere all bleeding freely from various wounds inflicted upon them in thestruggle, breathless and exhausted from their exertions, and thoroughlyawe-struck by the tremendous phenomenon of which they had beenwitnesses, and which they had only escaped from their good fortune inhappening to be in a place so formed that the force of the avalanche hadswept over their heads. The whole of the road, with the exception of anarrow piece four feet in width, had been carried away. Looking upward, they saw that the forest had been swept clear, not a tree remaining in awide track as far as they could see up the hill. The great bowlderswhich had strewn the hillside, and many of which were as large ashouses, had been swept away like straws before the rush of snow, and fora moment they feared that the refuge had also been carried away. Turningthe corner, however, they saw to their delight that the limits of theavalanche had not extended so far, the refuges, as they afterwardlearned, being so placed as to be sheltered by overhanging cliffs fromany catastrophe of this kind. 

They found the guide upon his knees, muttering his prayers before across, which he had formed of two sticks laid crosswise on the groundbefore him; and he could scarce believe his eyes when they entered, socertain had he considered it that they were lost. There were no longerany signs of the wolves. The greater portion, indeed, of the pack hadbeen overwhelmed by the avalanche, and the rest, frightened and scared, had fled to their fastnesses in the woods. 

The knight now removed his helmet, and discovered a handsome young manof some twenty-four or twenty-five years old. 

"I am, " he said, "Baron Ernest of Kornstein. To whom do I owe my life?"

"In spite of my red cross, " Cuthbert said, "I am English. My name is SirCuthbert, and I am Earl of Evesham. I am on my return from the Holy Landwith my followers; and as we are passing through countries where manyof the people are hostile to England, we have thought it as well for atime to drop our nationality. But to you I do not hesitate to tell thetruth. "

"You do well, " the young knight said, "for, truth to say, the people ofthese parts bear but little love to your countrymen. You have saved mylife when I was in the sorest danger. I had given myself up for lost, for even my armor could not have saved me long from these wretches; andmy sword and life are at your disposal. You are young indeed, " he said, looking with surprise at Cuthbert, who had now thrown back the hood ofhis cloak, "to have gained the honor of knighthood. You scarce lookeighteen years of age, although, doubtless, you are older. "

"I am scarce seventeen, " Cuthbert said; "but I have had the good fortuneto attract the notice of King Richard, and to have received theknighthood from his sword. "

"None more worthy, " said the young knight, "for although King Richardmay be fierce and proud, he is the worthiest knight in Christendom, andresembles the heroes of romance rather than a Christian king. "

"He is my lord and master, " Cuthbert said, "and I love him beyond allmen, and would give my life for his. He is the kindest and best ofmasters; and although it be true that he brooks no opposition, yet is itonly because his own bravery and eagerness render hateful to him theindolence and cowardice of others. "

They now took their seats round the fire. The archers, by the advice ofthe guide, rubbed their wounds with snow, and then applied bandages tothem. The wallets were opened, and a hearty supper eaten; and all, wrapping themselves in their fur cloaks, were soon asleep. 

For four days the gale continued, keeping the party prisoners in thehut. On the fifth the force of the wind abated, and the snow ceased tofall. They were forced to take the door off its hinges to open it, forthe snow had piled up so high that the chimney alone of the hut remainedabove its surface. With great difficulty and labor they cleared a wayout, and then the guide again placing himself at their head, theyproceeded on their way. The air was still and cold, and the sky of adeep, dark blue, which seemed even darker in contrast with the whitenessof the snow. At times they had great difficulty in struggling throughthe deep drifts; but for the most part the wind had swept the pathclear. Where it was deepest, the tops of the posts still showed abovethe snow, and enabled the guide to direct their footsteps. They were, however, obliged to travel slowly, and it was three days before theygained the village on the northern slope of the mountains, having sleptat refuges by the road. 

"What are your plans?" the knight asked Sir Cuthbert that night, as theysat by the fire of the hostelry. "I would warn you that the town whichyou will first arrive at is specially hostile to your people, for thebaron, its master, is a relation of Conrad of Montferat, who is said tohave been killed by order of your king. "

"It is false, " Cuthbert said. "King Richard had appointed him King ofJerusalem; and, though he liked him not, thought him the fittest ofthose there to exercise sovereignty. He was the last man who would havehad an enemy assassinated; for so open is he of disposition that hewould have fought hand to hand with the meanest soldier of his army hadhe desired to kill him. "

"I doubt not that it is so, since you tell me, " the knight saidcourteously. "But the people here have taken that idea into their minds, and it will be hard to disabuse them. You must therefore keep up yourdisguise as a French knight while passing through this neighborhood. Another week's journeying, and you will reach the confines of Saxony, and there you will, as you anticipate, be safe. But I would not answerfor your life were you discovered here to be of English birth. And nowtell me if there is aught that I can do for you. I will myself accompanyyou into the town, and will introduce you as a French knight, so that nosuspicion is likely to lie upon you, and will, further, ride with you tothe borders of Saxony. I am well known, and trust that my company willavert all suspicion from you. You have told me that your purse isill-supplied; you must suffer me to replenish it. One knight need notfear to borrow of another; and I know that when you have returned toyour home you will bestow the sum which I now give you upon some holyshrine in my name, and thus settle matters between us. "

Cuthbert without hesitation accepted the offer, and was well pleased atfinding his purse replenished, for its emptiness had caused him serioustrouble. Cuthbert's steed was led by one of the archers, and he himselfwalked gayly alongside of Sir Ernest, followed by his retainers. Anotherlong day's march brought them down to Innsbruck, where they remainedquietly for a week. Then they journeyed on until they emerged from themountains, crossed the Bavarian frontier, and arrived at Fussen, astrong city, with well-built walls and defenses. 

They at once proceeded to the principal hostelry, where the young baronwas well known, and where great interest was excited by the news of thenarrow escape which he had had from the attack of the wolves. A journeyacross the Alps was in those days regarded as a very perilous enterprisein the winter season, and the fact that he should have been rescued fromsuch a strait appeared almost miraculous. They stayed for two daysquietly in the city, Cuthbert declining the invitation of the youngnoble to accompany him to the houses of his friends, as he did not wishthat any suspicion should be excited as to his nationality, andpreferred remaining quiet to having forced upon him the necessity ofmaking false statements. As to his followers, there was no fear of thepeople among whom they mixed detecting that they were English. To theBavarian inhabitants, all languages, save their native German, werealike unintelligible; and even had French been commonly spoken, thedialects of that tongue, such as would naturally be spoken by archersand men-at-arms, would have been a Greek to those accustomed only toNorman French. 

Upon the third day, however, an incident occurred which upset Cuthbert'scalculations, and nearly involved the whole party in ruin. The town was, as the young baron had said, governed by a noble who was a near relationof Conrad of Montferat, and who was the bitter enemy of the English. Agreat _fête_ had been given in honor of the marriage of his daughter, and upon this day the young pair were to ride in triumph through thecity. Great preparations had been made; masks and pageants of variouskinds manufactured; and the whole townspeople, dressed in their holidayattire, were gathered in the streets. Cuthbert had gone out, followed byhis little band of retainers, and taken their station to see the passingshow. First came a large body of knights and men-at-arms, with gaybanners and trappings. Then rode the bridegroom, with the bride carriedin a litter by his side. After this came several allegoricalrepresentations. Among these was the figure of a knight bearing the armsof Austria. Underneath his feet, on the car, lay a figure clad in aroyal robe, across whom was thrown a banner with the leopards ofEngland. The knight stood with his foot on this figure. 

This representation of the dishonor of England at the hands of Austriaelicited great acclamations from the crowd. Cuthbert clinched his teethand grasped his sword angrily, but had the sense to see the folly oftaking any notice of the insult. Not so with Cnut. Furious it the insultoffered to the standard of his royal master, Cnut, with a bound, burstthrough the ranks of the crowd, leaped on to the car, and with a buffetsmote the figure representing Austria into the road, and lifted the flagof England from the ground. A yell of indignation and rage was heard. The infuriated crowd rushed forward. Cnut, with a bound, sprang from thecar, and, joining his comrades, burst through those who attempted toimpede them, and darted down a by-street. 

Cuthbert, for the moment amazed at the action of his follower, had onthe instant drawn his sword and joined the archers. In the crowd, however, he was for a second separated from them; and before he couldtear himself from the hands of the citizens who had seized him, themen-at-arms accompanying the procession surrounded him, and he was ledaway by them to the castle, the guards with difficulty protecting himfrom the enraged populace. Even at this moment Cuthbert experienced adeep sense of satisfaction at the thought that his followers hadescaped. But he feared that alone, and unacquainted with the language ofthe country, they would find it difficult indeed to escape the searchwhich would be made for them, and to manage to find their way back totheir country. For himself, he had little hopes of liberty, and scarcelymore of life. The hatred of the baron toward the English would now beheightened by the daring act of insult to the arms of Austria, and thiswould give a pretext for any deed of violence which might be wrought. 

Cuthbert was, after a short confinement, brought before the lord baronof the place, in the great hall of the castle. 

"Who art thou, sir, " the noble exclaimed, "who darest to disturb themarriage procession of my daughter, and to insult the standard of theemperor my master?"

"I am Sir Cuthbert, Earl of Evesham, a baron of England, " Cuthbert saidfearlessly, "and am traveling homeward from the Holy Land. My garb as aCrusader should protect me from all interruption; and the heedlessconduct of my retainer was amply justified by the insult offered to thearms of England. There is not one of the knights assembled round you whowould not in like manner have avenged an insult offered to those ofAustria; and I am ready to do battle in the lists with any who choose tosay that the deed was a foul or improper one. In the Holy Land Austriansand English fought side by side; and it is strange indeed to me that onmy return, journeying through the country of the emperor, I should findmyself treated as an enemy, and see the arms of King Richard exposed toinsult and derision by the burghers of this city. "

As Cuthbert had spoken he threw down his mailed glove, and several ofthe knights present stepped forward to pick it up. The baron, however, waved them back. 

"It is no question, " he said, "of honorable fight. This is a follower ofthe murderer of my good cousin of Montferat, who died under the hands ofassassins set upon him by Richard of England. "

"It is false!" Cuthbert shouted. "I denounce it as a foul lie, and willmaintain it with my life. "

"Your life is already forfeited, " the baron said, "both by your pastconnection with Richard of England and as the insulter of the arms ofAustria. You die, and to-morrow at noon your head shall be struck off inthe great square before my castle. "

Without another word Cuthbert was hurried off to his cell, and thereremained, thinking moodily over the events of the day, until nightfall. He had no doubt that his sentence would be carried out, and his anxietywas rather for his followers than for himself. He feared that they wouldmake some effort on his behalf, and would sacrifice their own lives indoing so, without the possibility of assisting him. 

The next morning he was led out to the square before the castle. It wasa large flagged courtyard. Upon one side was the entrance to the castle, one of whose wings also formed a second side to the square. The sidefacing this was formed by the wall of the city, and the fourth openedupon a street of the town. This side of the square was densely filledwith citizens, while the men-at-arms of the baron and a large number ofknights were gathered behind a scaffold erected in the center. Upon thiswas a block, and by the side stood a headsman. As Cuthbert was ledforward a thrill of pleasure ran through him at perceiving no signs ofhis followers, who he greatly feared might have been captured in thenight, and brought there to share his fate. 

As he was led forward the young noble whose life he had saved advancedto the baron, and dropping on one knee before him, craved the life ofCuthbert, relating the event by which he had saved his life in thepassage of the mountains. The baron frowned heavily. 

"Though he had saved the life of every noble in Bavaria, " he said, "heshould die. I have sworn an oath that every Englishman who fell into myhands should expiate the murder of my kinsman; and this fellow is, moreover, guilty of an outrage to the arms of Austria. "

The young Sir Ernest drew himself up haughtily. 

"My lord baron, " he said, "henceforth I renounce all allegiance to you, and I will lay the case before the emperor, our common master, and willcry before him at the outrage which has thus been passed upon a noblegentleman. He has thrown down the glove, and challenged any of yourknights, and I myself am equally ready to do battle in his cause. "

The baron grew red with passion, and he would have ordered the instantarrest of the young man, but as Sir Ernest was connected by blood withmany present, and was indeed one of the most popular among the nobles ofthe province, the baron simply waved him aside, and ordered Cuthbert tobe led to the block. The young Englishman was by the executionerdivested of his armor and helmet, and stood in the simple attire worn bymen of rank at that time. He looked around, and holding up his hand, conveying alike a farewell and a command to his followers to remain inconcealment, he gazed round the crowd, thinking that he might see amongthem in some disguise or other the features of Cnut, whose tall figurewould have rendered him conspicuous in a crowd. He failed, however, tosee any signs of him, and turning to the executioner, signified by agesture that he was ready. 

At this instant an arrow from the wall above pierced the brain of theman, and he fell dead in his tracks. A roar of astonishment burst fromthe crowd. Upon the city wall at this point was a small turret, and onthis were five figures. The wall around was deserted, and for the momentthese men were masters of the position. 

"Seize those insolent varlets!" the baron shouted, shaking his swordwith a gesture of fury at them. 

His words, however, were arrested, for at the moment another arrowstruck him in the throat, and he fell back into the arms of those aroundhim. 

Quickly now the arrows of the English archers flew into the courtyard. The confusion which reigned there was indescribable. The citizens withshouts of alarm took to their heels. The men-at-arms were powerlessagainst this rain of missiles, and the knights, hastily closing theirvisors, shouted contradictory orders, which no one obeyed. 

In the confusion no one noticed the prisoner. Seizing a moment when theattention of all was fixed upon the wall, he leaped from the platform, and making his way unnoticed through the excited crowd of men-at-arms, darted down a narrow lane that divided the castle from the wall. He ranalong until, one hundred yards further, he came to a staircase by whichaccess to the battlements was obtained. Running lightly up this, he keptalong the wall until he reached the turret. 

"Thanks, my noble Cnut!" he exclaimed, "and you, my brave fellows. But Ifear you have forfeited your lives. There is no escape. In a minute thewhole force of the place will recover from their confusion, and be downupon us from both sides. "

"We have prepared for that, " Cnut said. "Here is a rope hanging downinto the moat. "

Glancing over, Cuthbert saw that the moat was dry; and after a finaldischarge of arrows into the crowd, the six men slid one after anotherdown the rope and made their way at full speed across the country. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

DRESDEN. 

It was some ten minutes before the men-at-arms rallied sufficiently fromtheir surprise to obey orders. Two bodies were then drawn up, andproceeded at a rapid pace toward the staircases leading to the wall, oneon each side of the turret in which they believed that the little bodyof audacious assailants were still lying. Having reached the wall, thesoldiers advanced, covering themselves with their shields, for they hadlearned the force with which an English clothyard shaft drawn by astrong hand flies. Many had been killed by these missiles passingthrough and through the cuirass and backpiece. No reply being obtainedto the summons to surrender, they proceeded to break in with theirbattle-axes the door of the little turret. Rushing in with ax and pike, they were astonished to find the place empty. A glance over the wallshowed the rope still hanging, and the manner of the escape becamemanifest. The fugitives were already out of sight, and the knights, furious at the escape of the men who had bearded them in the heart ofthe city with such audacity, and had slain the lord baron and several ofhis knights, gave orders that an instant pursuit should be organized. Itwas, however, a full half hour before the city gates were thrown open, and a strong troop of knights and mounted men issued out. 

Cuthbert had been certain that an instant pursuit would be set on foot, and the moment that he was out of sight of the battlements he changedthe direction in which he had started, and turning at right angles, swept round the city, still keeping at a distance, until he reached theside next the mountains, and then plunged into the woods on the lowerslopes of the hills. 

"They will, " he said, as they halted breathless from their run, "followthe road toward the south, and scour the country for awhile before itoccurs to their thick German skulls that we have doubled back on ourtracks. Why, what is it, Cnut?"

This exclamation was provoked by the forester throwing himself on hisknees before Sir Cuthbert, and imploring his pardon for the dire straitinto which his imprudence had drawn him. 

"It was a dire strait, certainly, Cnut. But if you got me into it, atleast you have extricated me; and never say more about it, for I myselfwas near committing the imprudence to which you gave way, and I can wellunderstand that your English blood boiled at the sight of the outrage tothe flag of England. Now, let us waste no time in talk, but, keeping tothe foot of this mountain, make along as far as we can to the west. Wemust cling to the hills for many days' march before we venture again totry to cross the plains. If possible, we will keep on this way until wereach the confines of the country of the Swiss, who will assuredly giveus hospitality, and who will care little for any threats of these Germanbarons, should they hear that we have reached their asylum. "

By nightfall they had already traveled many leagues, and making a firein the wood, Cuthbert asked Cnut for an account of what had taken placeon the previous day. 

"We ran for life, Sir Cuthbert, and had not noticed that you had beendrawn into the fray. Had we done so, we would have remained, and soldour lives with yours; but hoping that you had passed unnoticed in thecrowd, and that you would find some means to rejoin us we kept upon ourway. After running down three streets we passed a place where acourtyard with stables ranged round it was open. There were none about, and we entered, and taking refuge in a loft hid ourselves beneath someprovender. There we remained all night, and then borrowing some apparelwhich some of the stablemen had hung upon the walls, we issued into thetown. As we neared the great square we saw some men employed in erectinga platform in the midst, and a suspicion that all might not be right, and that you might have fallen into the hands of these German dogs, beset our minds. After much consultation we determined to see what theaffair meant, and making our way on to the walls which, indeed, wereentirely deserted, we took refuge in that turret where you saw us. Seeing the crowd gather, and being still more convinced that somemisfortune was about to occur, I again went back to the stables, where Ihad noticed a long rope used by the carters for fastening their loads tothe wagons. With this I returned, for it was clear that if we had tomingle in this business it would be necessary to have a mode of escape. Of the rest you are aware. We saw the knights coming out of the castle, with that portly baron, their lord, at their head. We saw the block andthe headsman upon the platform, and were scarcely surprised when youwere led out, a prisoner, from the gates. We judged that what did happenwould ensue. Seeing that the confusion wrought by a sudden attack frommen perched up aloft as we were, commanding the courtyard, and beingeach of us able to hit a silver mark at the distance of one hundredyards, would be great indeed, we judged that you might be able to slipaway unobserved, and were sure that your quick wit would seize anyopportunity which might offer. Had you not been able to join us, weshould have remained in the turret and sold our lives to the last, as, putting aside the question that we could never return to our homes, having let our dear lord die here, we should not, in our ignorance ofthe language and customs of the country, have ever been able to make ourway across it. We knew, however, that before this turret was carried wecould show these Germans how five Englishmen, when brought to bay, cansell their lives. "

They had not much difficulty in obtaining food in the forest, for gameabounded, and they could kill as many deer as seemed fit to them. AsCnut said, it was difficult to believe that they were not back again inthe forest near Evesham, so similar was their life to that which theyhad led three years before. To Cnut and the archers, indeed, it was apleasanter time than any which they had passed since they had left theshores of England, and they blithely marched along, fearing little anypursuit which might be set on foot, and, indeed, hearing nothing oftheir enemies. After six days' travel they came upon a rude village, andhere Cuthbert learned from the people--with much difficulty, however, and pantomime, for neither could understand a word spoken by theother--that they were now in one of the Swiss cantons, and thereforesecure from all pursuit by the Germans. Without much difficulty Cuthbertengaged one of the young men of the village to act as their guide toBasle, and here, after four days' traveling, they arrived safely. Askingfor the residence of the burgomaster, Cuthbert at once proceededthither, and stated that he was an English knight on the return from theCrusades; that he had been foully entreated by the Lord of Fussen, whohad been killed in a fray by his followers; and that he besoughthospitality and refuge from the authorities of Basle. 

"We care little, " the burgomaster said, "what quarrel you may have hadwith your neighbors. All who come hither are free to come and go as theylist, and you, as a knight on the return from the Holy Land, have aclaim beyond that of an ordinary traveler. "

The burgomaster was himself able to speak French, and summoning severalof the councilors of the town, he requested Cuthbert to give a narrativeof his adventures; which he did. The councilors agreed with theburgomaster that Cuthbert must be received hospitably; but the lattersaw that there was among many of them considerable doubt as to theexpediency of quarreling with a powerful neighbor. He therefore said tothe burgomaster:

"I have no intention, honorable sir, of taking up any prolongedresidence here. I only ask to be furnished with a charger and arms, andin payment of these I will leave this gold chain, the gift of KingRichard himself, as a gage, and will on my return to my country forwardto you the value of the arms and horse, trusting that you will returnthe chain to me. "

The burgomaster, however, said that the city of Basle was not so poorthat it need take the gage of an honorable knight, but that the arms andcharger he required should be given him in a few hours, and that hemight pay the value in London to a Jew merchant there who had relationswith one at Basle. Full instructions were given to him, and he resolvedto travel down upon the left bank of the Rhine, until he reachedLorraine, and thence to cross into Saxony. The same afternoon thepromised horse and arms were provided, and Cuthbert, delighted again tobe in harness, and thanking courteously the burgomaster and council fortheir kindness, started with his followers on his journey north. Theselatter had been provided with doublets and other garments suitable tothe retinue of a knight, and made a better show than they had done sincethey first left England. 

Leaving Basle, they traveled along the left side of the Rhine by easystages. The country was much disturbed, owing to the return anddisbandment of so many of the troops employed in the Crusades. These, their occupation being gone, scattered over the country, and France andGermany alike were harassed by bands of military robbers. The wildcountry between the borders of Switzerland and Lorraine was speciallyvexed, as the mountains of the Vosges afforded shelter, into which thefreebooters could not be followed by the troops of the duke. 

Upon the evening of the third day they reached a small inn standing in alonely position near the foot of the mountains. 

"I like not the look of this place, " Cuthbert said; "but as we hear thatthere is no other within a distance of another ten miles, we must e'enmake the best of it. "

The host received them with extreme and even fawning civility, which byno means raised him in the estimation of Cuthbert or Cnut. A rough mealwas taken, and they then ascended to the rude accommodation which hadbeen provided. It was one large room barely furnished. Upon one sidestraw was thickly littered down--for in those days beds among the commonpeople were unknown. In a sort of alcove at the end was a couch with arough mattress and coverlet. This Cuthbert took possession of, while hisfollowers stretched themselves upon the straw. 

"Methinks, " Cnut said, "that it were well that one should keep watch atthe door. I like not the look of our host, and we are near the spotwhere the bands of the robbers are said to be busy. "

Toward morning the archer on guard reported that he could hear the soundof many approaching footsteps. All at once sprang to their feet, andbetook themselves to their arms. Looking from the window they saw alarge party of rough men, whose appearance at once betokened that theywere disbanded soldiers--a title almost synonymous in those days withthat of robber. With the united strength of the party the truckle bedwas carried from the alcove and placed against the door. Cuthbert thenthrew open the window, and asked in French what they wanted. One of theparty, who appeared to be the leader, said that the party had bettersurrender immediately. He promised them good treatment, and said thatthe knight would be put to ransom, should it be found that the valuablesupon his person were not sufficient to pay the worshipful companypresent for the trouble which they had taken in waiting upon him. Thissally was received with shouts of laughter. Cuthbert replied quietlythat he had no valuables upon his person; that if they took him therewere none would pay as much as a silver mark for the ransom of them all;and that the only things that they had to give were sharp arrows andheavy blows. 

"You talk bravely, young sir, " the man said. "But you have to do withmen versed in fight, and caring but little either for knocks or forarrows. We have gone through the Crusades, and are therefore held to beabsolved from all sin, even that so great as would be incurred in thecutting of your knightly throat. "

"But we have gone through the Crusades also, " Cuthbert said, "and ourpersons are sacred. The sin of slitting our weazands, which you speakof, would therefore be so great that even the absolution on which yourely would barely extend to it. "

"We know most of those who have served in the Holy Land, " the man saidmore respectfully than he had yet spoken, "and would fain know with whomwe speak. "

"I am an Englishman, and a follower of King Richard, " Cuthbert said, "and am known as Sir Cuthbert of Evesham. As I was the youngest amongthe knights who fought for the holy sepulcher, it may be that myappearance is known to you?"

"Ah, " the other said, "you are he whom they called the Boy Knight, andwho was often in the thick of the fray, near to Richard himself. Howcomes it, Sir Cuthbert, that you are here?"

"The fleet was scattered on its return, " Cuthbert replied, "and I landedwith my followers, well-nigh penniless, at Zara, and have since made myway across the Tyrol. I have, then, as you may well suppose, neithersilver nor gold about my person; and assuredly neither Philip of Francenor John of Austria would give a noble for my ransom; and it would belong, methinks, to wait ere John of England would care to ransom one ofKing Richard's followers. "

The brigands spoke for awhile among themselves, and then the leadersaid:

"You speak frankly and fairly, Sir Knight, and as you have provedyourself indeed a doughty giver of hard blows, and as I doubt not thatthe archers with you can shoot as straight and as fast as the rest ofthe Saxon breed, we will e'en let you go on your way, for your positionis but little better than ours, and dog should not rob dog. "

"Thanks, good fellow, " Cuthbert said. "We trust that in any case wemight have made a strong defense against you; but it would be hard ifthose who have fought together in the Holy Land should slay each otherin this lonely corner of Lorraine. "

"Are you seeking adventures or employment, Sir Knight? For if so, myself and comrades here would gladly take service with you; and it maybe that with a clump of spears you might obtain engagement, either underthe Duke of Lorraine or he of Cleves. "

"Thanks for your offer, " Cuthbert replied; "but at present my face isturned toward England. King Richard needs all his friends; and there isso little chance of sack or spoil, even should we have--which Godforfend--civil war, that I fear I could ill reward the services whichyou offer me. "

The leader and his men shouted an adieu to Cuthbert and departed for themountains, leaving the latter well pleased with his escape from a fightof which the result was doubtful. 

Journeying on without further adventure, they came to Nancy, and werethere kindly received by the duke, who was not at that time upon goodterms with Philip of France, and was therefore well disposed toward theEnglish. Cuthbert inquired from him whether any news had been heard ofKing Richard? but received as a reply that the duke had heard nothing ofhim since he sailed from Palestine. 

"This is strange, " Cuthbert said, "for I myself have journeyed butslowly, and have met with many delays. King Richard should long ere thishave reached Saxony; and I fear much that some foul treatment hasbefallen him. On our way we found how bitter was the feeling among thoserelated to Conrad of Montferat against him; and the Archduke John isstill smarting from the blow which King Richard struck him at Ascalon. But surely they would not be so unknightly as to hinder so great achampion of Christendom as King Richard on his homeward way?"

"The Archduke John is crafty and treacherous, " the duke said; "and theemperor himself would, I think, be not sorry to lay hand upon the Kingof England, were it only to do pleasure to Philip of France. Assuredly, however the anger and indignation of all Christendom will be arousedshould the king's passage be interrupted, for it were indeed a grossbreach of hospitality to seize upon a man who has the double claim ofbeing a champion of Christendom and a shipwrecked man. However, it isearly yet to be uneasy, and it may be that in a few days we may havenews of the arrival of the king in Saxony. He may have encountereddifficulties similar to those which you yourself have met with. Thecountry is everywhere disturbed, and it is not only in my forests thatbands of outlawed men are to be met with. At present there is peace inEurope. It may last indeed but a short time. But so long as itcontinues, so long must the mountains and woods be full of desperatemen. Were war declared between any two princes these would flock to thebanners of him who would pay them highest, and a war which could end inthe entire destruction of the armies of both combatants would be ablessing to Europe. "

After entertaining Cuthbert courteously for three days, the Duke ofLorraine bade him adieu, and gave him an escort of men-at-arms to theborders of the Rhine, where he would find the way open to the domains ofthe Duke of Saxony. Without adventure Cuthbert and his followers arrivedat Dresden, and he immediately presented himself at the castle of theduke. The instant that he sent in his name as Sir Cuthbert of Evesham, aknight of King Richard, he was conducted to the presence of the duke andof his wife, the sister of King Richard. 

"Are you bearer of news of my brother Richard?" the duke said, advancinga step to meet the young knight as he entered the hall. 

"Alas! my lord duke, I am not, " Cuthbert said; "but had hoped to gaintidings from you. "

"From me?" the duke said in surprise. "What should lead you to believethat I have any news of King Richard later than that which others havereceived? The last I heard of him was upon the day of his departure fromthe Holy Land, before the storm arose which scattered his fleet, and Iam ignorant whether he has foundered at sea, or whether, as somesuppose, his vessel may have been taken captive by the Moors. "

"I bear you later tidings, " Cuthbert said, "than those you havereceived. I was on board the ship with King Richard. We were wreckedupon the Island of Corfu and there hiring a small ship, we proceeded toZara. King Richard determined to make his way across the Tyrol to thisplace; but he thought that it would attract attention to him were heaccompanied by so large a party. Therefore he, with Sir Baldwin ofBéthune, and a few followers, started north, while I with my men keptwest through the north of Italy, and then crossed by the pass overTrent. "

"How long is it since you left my brother?" the duchess asked anxiously. 

"It is now over a month since I bade him adieu, " Cuthbert answered. 

"Then he should have been heard of long since, " the duchess said. "Whatfate can have befallen him?"

"Judging from my own experience, " Cuthbert said, "I fear that he mayhave come to harm at the hands of the friends of Conrad of Montferat, who falsely allege that the death of their kinsman was caused by KingRichard. The Archduke John, too, owes him no good-will; and even theemperor is evilly disposed toward him. The king traveled under anassumed name; but it might well be that he would be recognized upon theway. His face was known to all who fought in the East; and his lordlymanner and majestic stature could ill be concealed beneath a merchant'sgarb. Still, lady, as I have been so long in making my way across, itmay be that King Richard has been similarly delayed without dangerbefalling him, and it could hardly be that so important a man as theKing of England would be detained, or come to any misfortune, withoutthe news being bruited abroad. "

In spite of Cuthbert's reassuring words, the duke and duchess weregreatly alarmed at the news of King Richard's disappearance, althoughindeed consoled to find that their previous fears, that he had beendrowned in the storm or captured by the Moorish corsairs, wereunfounded. 

They now requested from Cuthbert the story of what had befallen himsince he left the king; and this he related at some length. The duke wasgreatly interested, and begged Cuthbert at least to remain at his courtuntil some news might arrive of King Richard. 

For a month Cuthbert tarried at the castle of the Duke of Saxony, wherehe was nobly entertained, and treated as a guest of much honor. Cnut andthe archers were delighted at the treatment they received, for never intheir lives had they been so royally entertained. Their Saxon tongue wasnigh enough akin to the language spoken here to be understood; and theirtales of adventure in the Holy Land rendered them as popular among theretainers of the duke as their master became with the duke and duchess. 

CHAPTER XX. 

UNDER THE GREENWOOD. 

At the end of a month, news came from England that Sir Baldwin ofBéthune had returned there, bearing the news that the king had beenarrested at Gortz, only two days' journey north of the Adriatic--that hehad been recognized, and at once captured. He had offered no resistance, finding indeed that it would be hopeless so to do. Sir Baldwin had beenpermitted to depart without molestation. He believed that the folk intowhose hands he had fallen were retainers of the Archduke John. Thisnews, although sad in itself, was yet in some degree reassuring to theduke and his wife; for they felt that while the followers of Conrad ofMontferat would not hesitate to put King Richard to death should he fallinto their hands, the Archduke John would not dare to bring upon himselfthe indignation of Europe by such treatment of his royal captive. Cuthbert at once determined to return to England to see Sir Baldwin, andto ascertain what steps were being taken for the discovery of the prisonin which King Richard was confined, and for his release therefrom; andalso to establish himself in his new dignity as Earl of Evesham. Therefore, bidding adieu to the duke and duchess, he started north. Theduke furnished him with letters of introduction to the princes throughwhose countries he would travel; and again crossing the Rhine, hejourneyed through the territories of the Dukes of Cleves and Brabant, and reached the mouth of Scheldt without interruption. There takingship, he sailed for London. 

It was a long and stormy passage between the mouth of the Scheldt andLondon. The vessel in which Cuthbert had shipped was old and somewhatunseaworthy, and several times in the force of the gale all on boardgave up hope for their lives. At last, however, they reached the mouthof the Thames, and dropping up with the tide, reached London eight daysafter their embarkation. The noble charger which the King of Saxony hadpresented to Cuthbert had suffered greatly, and he feared at one timethat the poor animal would succumb to the effects of the tempest. However, after entering into smooth water it recovered itself, and onlanding near the Tower he found that it was able to support his weight. Cnut and the archers were, like Cuthbert, delighted to have their feetagain upon English soil; and although London did not now strike themwith the same wonder which it would have done had they first visited itbefore starting on their journey--for in many respects it was greatlybehind some of the continental cities--yet the feeling of home, and thepleasure of being able to understand the conversation of those aroundthem, made the poor fellows almost beside themselves with joy. Beyondthe main political incidents Cuthbert had heard little of what hadpassed in England since his departure; and putting up at a hostelry, heinquired of the host whether Sir Baldwin of Béthune was in London, orwhether he was away on his estates. The landlord did not know. Therewere, he said, but few nobles at court, and London was never so dull asat present. As Cuthbert did not wish his coming home to be known to Johnuntil he had learned something of the position of affairs, he dispatchedCnut to the Tower to inquire privately of some of the officials aboutthe place whether Sir Baldwin was there. Cnut soon returned with thenews that he had not been at the court since his return from the HolyLand, and that he was living at his castle down in Dorsetshire. Aftersome hesitation Cuthbert resolved to set out to see his friend, andafter six days' travel he arrived at the castle of the knight. 

Sir Baldwin received him with immense joy. He had not heard of him sincethey parted at Zara, and he feared that a fate similar to that which hadbefallen King Richard had overtaken Cuthbert, even if he were stillalive. 

"Have you seen aught of the king, our master?" the good knight inquired. 

"Nothing, " Cuthbert said. "I know no more than yourself. Indeed, I hopedto have learned something from you as to the king. "

"I was separated from him at Gortz, and while he was taken a prisoner tothe archduke, I was allowed to pursue my way. I had many difficultiesand dangers, and was some weeks in finding my way back. Nothing wasknown of the king when I returned. Indeed, I was the first bearer of anydefinite news concerning him since the day when he sailed from Acre. Three weeks ago, as you may have learned, the news came that he is nowdetained in captivity by the emperor, who demanded his delivery by theArchduke John, into whose hands he first fell. But where he is no oneexactly knows. The news has created an immense excitement in thekingdom, and all are resolved to sacrifice any of their treasures whichmay be demanded in order to satisfy the ransom which the recreantemperor has placed upon the king. Shame is it indeed that a Christiansovereign should hold another in captivity. Still more, when that otherwas returning through his dominions as a Crusader coming from the HolyLand, when his person should be safe, even to his deadliest enemy. Ithas long been suspected that he was in the hands either of the emperoror of the archduke, and throughout Europe the feeling of indignation hasbeen strong; and I doubt not, now that the truth is known, this feelingwill be stronger than ever. "

"But now that it is known, " Cuthbert said, "I suppose there will be nodelay in ransoming the king. "

"There will be no delay in raising the ransom, " Sir Baldwin said. "Butthe kingdom is very impoverished by war, by the exactions of PrinceJohn, and by those of Langley, who held it for King Richard. He was aloyal servant of the king, but an exacting and rapacious prelate. However, I doubt not that the rents of the English nobles will soon becharged with sums sufficient for the ransom; and if this avail not, notone of them will grudge their silver flagons and vessels to melt down tomake the total required. But we must not flatter ourselves that he willobtain his liberty so soon as the money is raised. Prince John has longbeen yearning for sovereignty. He has long exercised the real, if notthe nominal, power, and he has been intriguing with the pope and Philipof France for their support for his seizing the crown. He will throwevery obstacle in the way, as, we may be sure, will Philip of France, Richard's deadly enemy. And now about yourself, Sir Cuthbert; tell mewhat has befallen you since we last met. "

Cuthbert related the adventures which had befallen him, and heard thoseof Sir Baldwin. 

"You have not, I suppose, " the latter remarked, "as yet seen PrinceJohn?"

"No, " Cuthbert replied, "I thought it better to come down to ask you toadvise me on the position of affairs before I attempted to see him. "

"You did well, " Sir Baldwin said. "When I arrived, I found that theproper officials had, according to King Richard's instructions, draw upthe patent conferring upon you the lands and title of Earl of Evesham, before leaving Acre, and had received the king's signature to it. Thiswas attested by several of the nobles who were with us and who returnedsafely to England. Prince John, however, declared that he should notgive any heed to the document; that King Richard's power over this realmhad ceased before he made it; and that he should bestow the earldom uponwhomsoever he chose. As a matter of fact, it has been given to SirRudolph Fleming, a Norman knight and a creature of the prince. The kinghas also, I hear, promised to him the hand of the young Lady Margaret, when she shall become of marriageable age. At present she is placed in aconvent in Worcester. The abbess is, I believe, a friend of the lateearl, and the girl had been with her for some time previously. Indeedshe went there, I think, when her father left England. This lady wasordered to give up her charge to the guardianship of Sir Rudolph; butshe refused to do so, saying that it would not be convenable for a younglady to be under the guardianship of a bachelor knight having no lady atthe head of his establishment, and that therefore she should retain her, in spite of the orders of the prince. Prince John, I hear, flew into afury at this; but he did not dare to provoke the anger of the whole ofthe clergy by ordering the convent to be violated. And indeed, not onlywould the clergy have been indignant, but many of the great nobles wouldalso have taken their part, for there can be no doubt that thecontention of the abbess was reasonable; and there is among all thefriends of King Richard a very strong feeling of anger at your havingbeen deprived of the earldom. This, however, has so far not found muchvent in words, for as it was uncertain whether you would ever return toclaim your rights, it was worth no one's while to embroil himselfunnecessarily with the prince on such a subject. God knows that thereare subjects enough of dispute between John Lackland and the Englishbarons without any fresh ones arising. The kingdom is in a state ofdisturbance. There have been several risings against Prince John'sauthority; but those have been, so far, suppressed. Now that we knowwhere King Richard is, and hope for his return ere very long, it isprobable that peace will be maintained; but should treachery prevail, and King Richard's return be prevented, you may be sure that John willnot be permitted to mount the throne without the determined resistanceof a large number of the nobles. "

"But, " Cuthbert said, "John is not the successor to the throne. PrinceArthur of Brittany was named by King Richard from the first as hissuccessor. He is so by blood and by right, and John can have no pretenseto the throne so long as he lives. "

"That is so, " Sir Baldwin said. "But unhappily in England at presentmight makes right, and you may be sure that at King Richard's death, beit when it may, Prince John will make a bold throw for the throne, and, aided as he will be by the pope and by Philip of France, methinks thathis chances are better than those of the young prince. A man's power, inwarlike times, is more than a boy's. He can intrigue and promise andthreaten, while a boy must be in the hands of partisans. I fear thatPrince Arthur will have troubled times indeed before he mounts thethrone of England. Should Richard survive until he becomes of age totake the field himself and head armies, he may succeed, for all speakwell of him as a boy of singular sweetness of disposition, while PrinceJohn is detested by all save those who flatter and live by him. Butenough for the present of politics, Cuthbert; let us now to table. It islong since we two feasted together; and, indeed, such meals as we tookin the Holy Land could scarcely have been called feasts. A boar's headand a good roasted capon are worthy all the strange dishes that we hadthere. I always misdoubted the meat, which seemed to me to smack inflavor of the Saracens, and I never could bring myself to inquire whencethat strange food was obtained. A stoup of English ale, too, is worthall the Cyprus wines, especially when the Cyprus wines are half-full ofthe sand of the desert. Pah! it makes my throat dry to think of thosehorrible meals. So you have brought Cnut and your four archers safelyback with you?"

"Yes, " Cuthbert said, smiling. "But they were, I can assure you, a heavyweight on me, in spite of their faithfulness and fidelity. Theirignorance of the language brought most of my troubles upon me, and Cnuthad something of the nature of a bull in him. There are certain thingswhich he cannot stomach, and when he seeth them he rageth like a wildbeast, regardless altogether of safety or convenience. "

In the evening the two knights again talked over the course whichCuthbert should adopt. The elder knight's opinion was that his youngfriend had best formally claim the title by writing to the king-at-arms, and should also announce his return to Prince John, signing himself "SirCuthbert, Earl of Evesham;" but that, in the present state of things, itwould be unwise for him to attempt to regain his position, should, aswas certain to be the case, Prince John refuse to recognize him. 

"You are very young yet, " Sir Baldwin said, "not eighteen, I think, andcan afford to wait, at any rate, to see whether King Richard returns. Should he come back, he will see all these wrongs are righted; and oneof his first cares would assuredly be to cast this usurper out of hisstolen dignities. How old is the Lady Margaret?"

"She is fifteen, " Cuthbert said. "She was three years younger than I. "

"I wish she had been younger, " Sir Baldwin said. "At fifteen she is notby custom fairly marriageable; but men can strain these points when theychoose; and I fear that the news of your coming will hasten both theprince and Sir Rudolph in their determination to strengthen the claim ofthis usurper by marriage with the heiress of Evesham. The Lady Margaretand her friends can of course claim that she is a royal ward, and thatas such the king alone can dispose of her person and estates. Butunfortunately force overrides argument. "

"But surely, " Cuthbert said, "they will never venture to take her byforce from the convent?"

"They venture a great many strange things in England now, " Sir Baldwinsaid; "and Worcester is perilously near to Evesham. With a clump oftwenty spears, Sir Rudolph might break into the convent and carry offthe young lady, and marry her by force; and although the Church mightcry out, crying would be of little avail when the deed was done; and ahandsome present on the part of Sir Rudolph might go far to shut themouths of many of the complainants, especially as he will be able to saythat he has the king's sanction for what he did. "

"Methinks, " Cuthbert said, "that if such be the case it would beperilous indeed to wait for King Richard's return. Assuredly Sir Rudolphwould not tarry until she attained the age of seventeen, and it may wellbe that two years may yet pass before King Richard comes back. It seemsto me the wiser part will be that I should give Prince John no noticethat I am in England. As you say, such notice would be of no avail inrecovering my lands and title, but it would put the prince upon hisguard; and assuredly he and his minions would press forward theirmeasures to obtain possession of the person of the Lady Margaret;while, on the other hand, no harm can come of my maintaining silence. "

"I think that you are right, Sir Cuthbert. It were indeed best that yourenemies should suppose you either dead or in some dungeon in the Tyrol. What would you then do?"

"I would return to my old home, " Cuthbert said. "My lady mother is, Itrust, still alive. But I will not appear at her house, but will takerefuge in the forest there. Cnut, and the archers with him, were all atone time outlaws living there, and I doubt not that there are many goodmen and true still to be found in the woods. Others will assuredly joinwhen they learn that Cnut is there, and that they are wanted to strike ablow for my rights. I shall then bide my time. I will keep a strictwatch over the castle and over the convent. As the abbess is a friendand relative of Lady Margaret's, I may obtain an interview with her, andwarn her of the dangers that await her, and ask if she be willing tofulfill the promise of her father and King Richard's will, in acceptingme as her husband when due time shall arrive, and whether she will bewilling that I should take such steps as I may to deliver her from thepersecution of Sir Rudolph. If, as I trust, she assents to this, I willkeep a watch over the convent as well as the castle, and can then eitherattack the latter or carry her off from the former, as the occasion mayappear to warrant. There are plenty of snug cottages round the forest, where she can remain in concealment in the care of some good farmer'swife for months, and we shall be close at hand to watch over her. Withthe aid of the forest men, Sir Walter took the castle of Sir John ofWortham; and although Evesham is a far grander pile than that, yetmethinks it could be carried by a sudden assault; and we know more ofwar now than we did then. Prince John may deny me the right of beingthe Earl of Evesham; but methinks before many months I can, if I choose, become its master. "

"Be not too hasty in that matter, " Sir Baldwin said. "You might capturethe castle with the aid of your outlaws; but you could scarcely hold it. The prince has, ere now, with the aid of those faithful to him and hisforeign mercenaries, captured stronger holds than that of Evesham; andif you turn his favorite out, you would have a swarm of hornets aroundyou such as the walls of Evesham could not keep out. It would thereforebe worse than useless for you to attempt what would be something like anact of rebellion against Prince John's authority, and would give himwhat now he has no excuse for, a ground for putting a price upon yourhead--and cutting it off if he got the opportunity. You might nowpresent yourself boldly at court, and although he might refuse torecognize your title of earl, yet, as a knight and a Crusader who hasdistinguished himself greatly in the Holy Land, he dare not interferewith your person, for this would be resented by the whole of thechivalry of England. Still, I agree with you that your best course is tokeep your return a secret. You will then be unwatched and unnoticed, andyour enemies will take their time in carrying their designs intoeffect. "

Two days later Cuthbert, attended by his faithful retainers, left SirBaldwin's castle, and traveled by easy stages through Wiltshire and theconfines of Gloucestershire up to Worcester. He had been supplied by SirBaldwin with suitable attire for himself and his followers, and now rodeas a simple knight, without arms or cognizance, journeying from one partto another. All the crosses and other crusading signs were laid aside, and there was nothing to attract any attention to him upon his passage. Cuthbert had at first thought of going direct to the convent ofWorcester, and asking for an interview with Lady Margaret; but hereflected that it might be possible that some of the myrmidons of SirRudolph might be keeping a watch over that building to see that LadyMargaret was not secretly removed to some other place of refuge, andthat the appearance of a knight before its doors would excite commentand suspicion. He therefore avoided the town, and journeyed straight tothe forest, where he had so often roamed with Cnut and the outlaws. 

Here he found that matters had but little changed since he was lastthere. Many of those who had fought with him in the Holy Land, and whohad returned by sea, had again taken to the forest, joined by many newmen whom the exactions of Sir Rudolph had already goaded into revolt. Cnut was received with enthusiasm, and when he presented Cuthbert tothem as the rightful heir of Evesham and the well-known friend of theforesters, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. They at once accepted him astheir lord and master, and promised to obey his orders, and to lay downtheir lives, if necessary, in his cause, as they knew that it was he whohad formerly obtained the pardon of the forest band, and who had foughtwith them in their attack on Wortham Castle. 

To Cuthbert's great delight he heard that his mother was in good health, although she had for some months been grievously fretting over hisdisappearance and supposed death. Cuthbert hesitated whether he shouldproceed at once to see her; but he feared that the shock of hisappearance might be too much for her, and that her expressions of joymight make the retainers and others aware of his arrival, and the newsmight in some way reach the ears of those at the castle. He thereforedispatched Cnut to see her, and break the news to her cautiously, and torequest her to arrange for a time when she would either see Cuthbert atsome place at a distance from the house, or would so arrange that thedomestics should be absent and that he would have an interview with herthere unobserved. 

Cnut was absent some hours, and on his return told Cuthbert that he hadseen Dame Editha, and that her joy on hearing of her son's safe arrivalhad caused her no harm, but rather the reverse. The news that KingRichard had bestowed upon him the title and lands of Evesham was new toher, and she was astonished indeed to hear of his elevation. Havingheard much of the character of the pretending earl, she had great fearsfor the safety of Cuthbert, should his residence in the neighborhood getto his ears; and although sure of the fidelity of all her retainers, shefeared that in their joy at their young master's return they might letslip some incautious word which would come to the ears of some of thoseat the castle. She therefore determined to meet him at a distance. Shehad arranged that upon the following day she would give out that sheintended to make a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Dunstan, which lay atthe edge of the forest, to thank him for her recovery from illness, andto pray for the safety of her son. She would be carried thither in alitter, and her journey would excite no comment whatever. She would takewith her four of her most trusted retainers, and would on her arrival atthe shrine send them to a distance, in order to pay her devotionsundisturbed. Cuthbert was to be near, and the moment he saw them depart, to enter. 

This arrangement was carried out, and the joy of Dame Editha at againmeeting her son was deep indeed. He had left her a lad of fifteen. Henow returned a youth of nearly eighteen, stout and strong beyond hisage, and looking far older than he was, from the effect of the hot sunof Syria and of the hardships through which he had gone. That he shouldwin his spurs upon the first opportunity the earl had promised her, andshe doubted not that he would soon attain the rank which his father hadheld. But that he should return to her a belted earl was beyond herwildest thoughts. This, however, was but little in her mind then. It washer son, and not the Earl of Evesham, whom she clasped in her arms. 

As the interview must necessarily be a short one, Cuthbert gave her buta slight outline of what had happened since they parted, and theconversation then turned upon the present position, and upon the stepswhich had best be taken. 

"Your peril is, I fear, as great here as when you were fighting theinfidels in the Holy Land, " she said. "Sir Rudolph has not been herelong; but he has proved himself a cruel and ruthless master. He hasdriven forth many of the old tenants and bestowed their lands upon hisown servants and retainers. The forest laws he carries out to thefullest severity, and has hung several men who were caught infringingthem. He has laid such heavy burdens on all the tenants that remain thatthey are fairly ruined, and if he stay here long he will rule over adesert. Did he dream of your presence here, he would carry fire andsword through the forest. It is sad indeed to think that so worthless aknave as this should be a favorite of the ruler of England. But all mensay that he is so. Thus were you to attack him, even did you conquer andkill him, you would have the enmity of Prince John to contend with; andhe spareth none, man or woman, who stand in his way. It will be a badday indeed for England should our good King Richard not return. I will, as you wish me, write to my good cousin, the Lady Abbess of St. Anne's, and will ask that you may have an interview with the Lady Margaret, tohear her wishes and opinions concerning the future, and will pray her todo all that she can to aid your suit with the fair young lady, and tokeep her at all events safe from the clutches of the tyrant of Evesham. "

Three days later a boy employed as a messenger by Dame Editha brought anote to Cuthbert, saying that she had heard from the Abbess of St. Anne's, who would be glad to receive a visit from Cuthbert. The abbesshad asked his mother to accompany him; but this she left for him todecide. Cuthbert sent back a message in reply that he thought it wouldbe dangerous for her to accompany him, as any spy watching would reporther appearance, and inquiries were sure to be set on foot as to hercompanion. He said that he himself would call at the convent on thefollowing evening after nightfall, and begged her to send word to theabbess to that effect, in order that he might, when he presentedhimself, be admitted at once. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE ATTEMPT ON THE CONVENT. 

Upon the following evening Cuthbert proceeded to Worcester. He left hishorse some little distance outside the town, and entered on foot. Havingno apprehension of an attack, he had left all his pieces of armorbehind, and was in the quiet garb of a citizen. Cnut attended him--forthat worthy follower considered himself as responsible that no harm ofany sort should befall his young master. The consequences of his ownimprudence in the Tyrol were ever before his mind, and he determinedthat from henceforth there should be no want of care on his part. Heaccompanied Cuthbert to within a short distance of the convent, and tookup his position in the shade of a house, whence he could watch shouldany one appear to be observing Cuthbert's entrance. 

Upon ringing the bell Cuthbert told the porteress, as had been arranged, that he had called on a message from Dame Editha, and he was immediatelyushered into the parlor of the convent, where, a minute or two later, hewas joined by the lady abbess. He had when young been frequently to theconvent, and had always been kindly received. 

"I am indeed glad to see you, Sir Cuthbert, " she said, "though Icertainly should not have recognized the lad who used to come here withmy cousin in the stalwart young knight I see before me. You are indeedchanged and improved. Who would think that my gossip Editha's son wouldcome to be the Earl of Evesham! The Lady Margaret is eager to see you;but I think that you exaggerate the dangers of her residence here. Icannot think that even a minion of Prince John would dare to violate thesanctity of a convent. "

"I fear, good mother, " Cuthbert said, "that when ambition and greed arein one scale, reverence for the holy church will not weigh much in theother. Had King Richard been killed upon his way home, or so long asnothing was heard of him, Sir Rudolph might have been content to allowmatters to remain as they were, until at least Lady Margaret attained anage which would justify him in demanding that the espousal should becarried out. But the news which has now positively been ascertained, that the king is in the hands of the emperor, and the knowledge thatsooner or later his freedom will be obtained, will hasten the friends ofthe usurper to make the most of their advantage. He knows that the kingwould at once upon his return annul the nomination of Sir Rudolph to theearldom which had previously been bestowed upon me. But he may wellthink that if before that time he can secure in marriage the person ofthe late earl's daughter, no small share of the domains may be allottedto him as her dowry, even if he be obliged to lay by his borrowedhonors. You will, unless I am greatly mistaken, hear from him beforelong. "

The abbess looked grave. 

"There is much in what you say, Sir Cuthbert; and indeed a certainconfirmation is given to it by the fact that only yesterday I received aletter from Sir Rudolph, urging that now the Lady Margaret is past theage of fifteen, and may therefore be considered marriageable, the willof the prince should be carried into effect, and that she should for thepresent be committed to the charge of the Lady Clara Boulger, who isthe wife of a friend and associate of Sir Rudolph. He says that heshould not wish to press the marriage until she attains the age ofsixteen, but that it were well that his future wife should becomeaccustomed to the outside world, so as to take her place as Castellan ofEvesham with a dignity befitting the position. I wrote at once to himsaying that in another year it would, in my poor judgment, be quite timeto think about such worldly matters; that at the present the LadyMargaret was receiving an education suitable to her rank; that she washappy here; and that unless constrained by force--of which, I said, Icould not suppose that any possibility existed--I should not surrenderthe Lady Margaret into any hands whatsoever, unless, indeed, I receivedthe commands of her lawful guardian, King Richard. "

"You said well, holy mother, " Sir Cuthbert said. "But you see the hawksscent the danger from afar, and are moving uneasily already. Whetherthey consider it so pressing that they will dare to profane the convent, I know not. But I am sure that should they do so, they will not hesitatea moment at the thought of the anger of the church. Prince John hasalready shown that he is ready, if need be, to oppose the authority ofthe holy father, and he may well, therefore, despise any local wraththat might be excited by an action which he can himself disavow, and forwhich, even at the worst, he need only inflict some nominal punishmentupon his vassal. Bethink thee, lady, whether it would not be safer tosend the Lady Margaret to the care of some person, where she may beconcealed from the search of Sir Rudolph. "

"I would gladly do so, " the abbess said, "did I know of such a person orsuch a place. But it is difficult indeed, for a young lady of rank to beconcealed from such sharp searchers as Sir Rudolph would be certain toplace upon her track. Your proposal that she should take refuge in thehouse of some small franklin near the forest, I cannot agree to. In thefirst place, it would demean her to be so placed; and in the second, wecould never be sure that the report of her residence there might notreach the ears of Sir Rudolph. As a last resource, of course, such astep would be justifiable, but not until at least overt outrages havebeen attempted. Now I will call Lady Margaret in. "

The young girl entered with an air of frank gladness, but was startledat the alteration which had taken place in her former playfellow, andpaused and looked at the abbess, as if inquiring whether this could bereally the Cuthbert she had known. Lady Margaret was fifteen in years;but she looked much younger. The quiet seclusion in which she had livedin the convent had kept her from approaching that maturity which as anearl's daughter, brought up in the stir and bustle of a castle, shewould doubtless have attained. 

"This is indeed Sir Cuthbert, " the abbess said, "your old playfellow, and the husband destined for you by your father and by the will of theking. "

Struck with a new timidity, the girl advanced, and, according to thecustom of the times, held up her cheek to be kissed. Cuthbert was almostas timid as herself. 

"I feel, Lady Margaret, " he said, "a deep sense of my own unworthinessof the kindness and honor which the dear lord your father bestowed uponme; and were it not that many dangers threaten, and that it weredifficult under the circumstances to find one more worthy of you, Iwould gladly resign you into the hands of such a one were it for yourhappiness. But believe me that the recollection of your face hasanimated me in many of the scenes of danger in which I have been placed;and although even in fancy my thoughts scarcely ventured to rise sohigh, yet I felt as a true knight might feel for the lady of his love. "

"I always liked you, Sir Cuthbert, " the girl said frankly, "better thanany one else next to my father, and gladly submit myself to his will. Myown inclinations indeed, so far as is maidenly, go with his. These aretroubled times, " she said anxiously, "and our holy mother tells me thatyou fear some danger is overhanging me. "

"I trust that the danger may not be imminent, " Cuthbert answered. "Butknowing the unscrupulous nature of the false Earl of Evesham, I fearthat the news that King Richard is found will bestir him to earlyaction. But you can rely, dear lady, on a careful watch being kept overyou night and day; and should any attempt be made to carry you away, orto put force upon you, be assured that assistance will be at hand. Evenshould any attempt succeed, do not lose heart, for rescue will certainlybe attempted; and I must be dead, and my faithful followers crushed, before you can become the bride of Sir Rudolph. "

Then turning to other subjects, he talked to her of the life he had ledsince he last saw her. He told her of the last moments of her father, and of the gallant deeds he had done in the Holy Land. 

After waiting for two hours, the abbess judged that the time forseparation had arrived; and Cuthbert, taking a respectful adieu of hisyoung mistress, and receiving the benediction of the abbess, departed. 

He found Cnut on guard at the point where he had left him. 

"Have you seen aught to give rise to suspicion?" Cuthbert asked. 

"Yes, " Cnut said, "the place is undoubtedly watched. Just after you hadentered a man came from that house yonder and went up to the gate, as ifhe would fain learn by staring at its iron adornments the nature of himwho had passed in. Then he re-entered his house, and if I mistake not isstill on the watch at that casement. If we stand here for a minute ortwo, perchance he may come out to see what delays you in this darkcorner, in which case I may well give him a clout with my ax which willsettle his prying. "

"Better not, " Cuthbert said. "We can retire round this corner and soavoid his observation; and were his body found slain here, suspicionwould be at once excited in the mind of his employer. At present he canhave no ground for any report which may make the knight uneasy, for hecan but know that a gentleman has entered, and remained for two hours atthe convent, and he will in no way connect my visit with the LadyMargaret. "

They had just turned the corner which Cuthbert indicated, when a mancame up rapidly behind them and almost brushed them as he passed, half-turning round and trying to gaze into their faces. Cnut at onceassumed the aspect of an intoxicated person, and stretching forth hisfoot, with a dexterous shove pushed the stranger into the gutter. Thelatter rose with a fierce cry of anger; but Cnut with a blow of hisheavy fist again stretched him on the ground, this time to remain quietuntil they had walked on and passed out of sight. 

"A meddling fool, " Cnut grumbled. "He will not, methinks, have much toreport to Sir Rudolph this time. Had I thought that he had seen yourface, I would have cleft his skull with no more hesitation than I sendan arrow into the brain of a stag in the forest. "

As they journeyed along Cuthbert informed Cnut of what the abbess hadtold him; and the latter agreed that a watch must be placed on theconvent, and that a force must be kept as near as possible at hand soas to defeat any attempt which might be made. 

The next day one of the forest men who had been a peaceable citizen, butwho had been charged with using false weights and had been condemned tolose his ears, repaired to Worcester. His person was unknown there, ashe had before lived at Gloucester. He hired a house in the square inwhich the convent was situated, giving out that he desired to open ahouse of business for the sale of silks, and for articles from the LowCountries. As he paid down earnest-money for the rent no suspicionwhatever was excited. He at once took up his abode there, having withhim two stout serving-men, and a 'prentice boy; and from that time twosets of watchers observed without ceasing what passed at the Convent ofSt. Anne. 

At a distance of half a mile from the road leading between Worcester andEvesham stood a grange, which had for some time been disused, the groundbelonging to it having been sequestrated and given to the lord of anadjoining estate, who did not care to have the grange occupied. In thisten men, headed by Cnut, took up their residence, blocking up the windowof the hall with hangings, so that the light of the fire kindled withinwould not be observed. 

Two months passed on without any incident of importance. The feelingbetween the outlaws in the forest and the retainers of the false Earl ofEvesham was becoming much imbittered. Several times the foresters of thelatter, attempting pursuit of men charged with breaking the game laws, were roughly handled. These on making their report were sent back again, supported by a force of footmen; but these, too, were driven back, andthe authority of Sir Rudolph was openly defied. 

Gradually it came to his ears that the outlaws were commanded by a manwho had been their leader in times gone by, but who had been pardoned, and had, with a large number of his band, taken service in the army ofthe Crusaders; also, that there was present a stranger, whose manner andthe deference paid to him by Cnut proclaimed him to be of gentle blood. This news awakened grave uneasiness on the part of Sir Rudolph. Theknight caused inquiries to be made, and ascertained that Cnut had beenespecially attached to the young Cuthbert, and that he had fought underthe Earl of Evesham's banner. It seemed possible then that with him hadreturned the claimant for the earldom; and in that case Sir Rudolph feltthat danger menaced him, for the bravery of the Earl of Evesham'sadopted son had been widely spoken of by those who had returned from theHoly Land. 

Sir Rudolph was a man of forty, tall and dark, with Norman features. Heheld the Saxons in utter contempt, and treated them as beings solelycreated to till the land for the benefit of their Norman lords. He wasbrave and fearless, and altogether free from the superstition of thetimes. Even the threats of the pope, which although Prince John defiedthem yet terrified him at heart, were derided by his follower, whofeared no one thing in the world, save, perhaps, the return of KingRichard from captivity. 

No sooner had the suspicion that his rival was in the neighborhoodpossessed him than he determined that one of two things must be carriedout: either Sir Cuthbert must be killed, or the Lady Margaret must becarried off and forced to accept him as her husband. First he endeavoredto force Sir Cuthbert to declare himself and to trust to his own arm toput an end to his rival. To that end he caused a proclamation to bewritten, and to be affixed to the door of the village church at the fairof Evesham. 

Cnut and several of his followers were there, all quietly dressed asyeomen. Seeing a crowd round the door of the church, he pressed forward. Being himself unable to read writing, he asked one of the burgesses whatwas written upon the paper which caused such excitement. 

"It is, " the burgess said, "in the nature of a cartel or challenge fromour present lord, Sir Rudolph. He says that it having come to his earsthat a Saxon serf, calling himself Sir Cuthbert, Earl of Evesham, islurking in the woods and consorting with outlaws and robbers, hechallenges him to appear, saying that he will himself, grievouslyalthough he would demean himself by so doing, yet condescend to meet himin the lists with sword and battle-ax, and to prove upon his body thefalseness of his averments. Men marvel much, " the burgess continued, "atthis condescension on the earl's part. We have heard indeed that KingRichard, before he sailed for England, did, at the death of the lategood earl, bestow his rank and the domains of Evesham upon Sir Cuthbert, the son of the Dame Editha. Whether it be true or not, we cannot say;but it seems strange that such honor should have been bestowed upon oneso young. In birth indeed he might aspire to the rank, since his father, Sir Walter, was a brave knight, and the mother, Dame Editha, was of goodSaxon blood, and descended from those who held Evesham before thearrival of the Normans. "

Cnut's first impulse was to stride forward and to tear down theproclamation. But the remembrance of his solemn determination not infuture to act rashly came across him, and he decided to take no stepsuntil he had reported the facts to his master, and taken his counselthereon. 

Cuthbert received the news with much indignation. 

"There is naught that I should like better, " he said, "than to try mystrength against that of this false traitor. But although I have provedmy arm against the Saracens, I think not that it is yet strong enough tocope against a man who, whatsoever be his faults, is said to be avaliant knight. But that would not deter me from attempting the task. Itis craftily done on the part of Sir Rudolph. He reckons that if I appearhe will kill me; that if I do not appear, I shall be branded as acoward, and my claims brought into disrepute. It may be, too, that it isa mere ruse to discover if I be in the neighborhood. Some rumors thereofmay have reached him, and he has taken this course to determine upontheir truth. He has gone too far, and honest men will see in the cartelitself a sign that he misdoubts him that my claims are just; for were I, as he says, a Saxon serf, be sure that he would not condescend to meetme in the lists as he proposes. I trust that the time will come when Imay do so. But at present I will submit to his insult rather thanimperil the success of our plans, and, what is of far greaterimportance, the safety and happiness of the Lady Margaret, who, didaught befall me, would assuredly fall into his hands. "

After some thought, however, Cuthbert drew up an answer to the knight'sproclamation. He did not in this speak in his own name, but wrote as ifthe document were the work of Cnut. It was worded as follows: "I, Cnut, a free Saxon and a leader of bowmen under King Richard in the Holy Land, do hereby pronounce and declare the statements of Sir Rudolph, miscalledthe Earl of Evesham, to be false and calumnious. The earldom was, asRudolph well knows, and as can be proved by many nobles and gentlemen ofrepute who were present with King Richard, granted to Sir Cuthbert, KingRichard's true and faithful follower. When the time shall come SirCuthbert will doubtless be ready to prove his rights. But at presentright has no force in England, and until the coming of our good KingRichard must remain in abeyance. Until then, I support the title of SirCuthbert, and do hereby declare Sir Rudolph a false and perjured knight;and warn him that if he falls into my hands it will fare but badly withhim, as I know it will fare but badly with me should I come into his. "

At nightfall the cartel of Sir Rudolph was torn down from the church andthat of Cnut affixed in its place. The reading thereof caused greatastonishment in Evesham, and the rage of Sir Rudolph, when the news cameto his ears, was very great. Cuthbert was sure that this affair wouldquicken the intentions of Sir Rudolph with regard to the Lady Margaret, and he received confirmation of this in a letter which the abbess senthim, saying that she had received another missive from Sir Rudolph, authoritatively demanding in the king's name the instant surrender ofLady Margaret to him. That night forty archers stole, one by one, quietly into Worcester, entering the town before the gates were shut, and so mingling with the citizens that they were unobserved. When it wasquite dark they quietly took their way, one by one, to the square inwhich stood the convent, and were admitted into the shop of MasterNicholas, the silk mercer. 

The house was a large one, with its floors overhanging each the onebeneath it, as was the custom of the time, and with large casementsrunning the whole width of the house. 

The mercer had laid by a goodly store of provisions, and for three daysthe troop, large as it was, was accommodated there. Cuthbert himself waswith them, Cnut remaining at the grange with the ten men originally sentthere. 

On the third day Sir Rudolph, with a number of knights and men-at-arms, arrived in the town, giving out that he was passing northward, but hewould abide that night at the hostelry. A great many of his men-at-armsdid, as those on the watch observed, enter one by one into the town. Thepeople of Worcester were somewhat surprised at this large accompanimentof the earl, but thought no harm. The Abbess of St. Anne's, however, wasgreatly terrified, as she feared that some evil design might be intendedagainst her. She was, however, reassured in the evening by a messagebrought by a boy, to the effect that succor would be near, whatsoeverhappened. 

At midnight a sudden uproar was heard in the streets of Worcester. 

A party of men fell upon the burgesses guarding the gate of the town, disarmed them, and took possession of it. At the same time those who hadput up at the hostelry with Sir Rudolph suddenly mounted their horses, and with a great clatter rode down the streets to the convent of St. Anne. Numbers of men on foot also joined, and some sixty in all suddenlyappeared before the great gate of the convent. With a thundering noisethey knocked at the door, and upon the grating being opened Sir Rudolphhimself told the porteress who looked through it that she was to go atonce to the abbess and order her to surrender the body of the LadyMargaret to him, in accordance with the order of Prince John; adding, that if within the space of five minutes the order was not compliedwith, he would burst in the gates of the convent and take her forhimself. In another minute a casement opened above, and the abbessherself appeared. 

"Rash man, " she said to Sir Rudolph, "I warn you against committing thesin of sacrilege. Neither the orders of Prince John nor of any otherpotentate can override the rights of the holy church; and should youventure to lay the hand of force upon this convent you will be placedunder the anathema of the church, and its spiritual terrors will bedirected against you. "

"I am prepared to risk that, holy mother, " Sir Rudolph said, with alaugh. "So long as I am obeying the orders of my prince, I care naughtfor those of any foreign potentate, be he pope or be he emperor. Threeminutes of the time I gave you have elapsed, and unless within two morethe Lady Margaret appears at the gate I will batter it down; and you maythink yourself lucky if I do not order my men to set light to it and tosmoke you out of your hole. "

The abbess closed the window, and as she did so the long row ofcasements in the house of Master Nicholas were opened from top tobottom, and a volley of sixty clothyard arrows was poured into the groupclosely standing round the gate. Many fell, killed outright, and shoutsof rage and pain were heard arising. 

Furious at this unexpected attack, Sir Rudolph turned and commandedthose with him to attack the house whence this volley of missiles hadcome. But even while he spoke another flight of arrows, even more deadlythan the last, was poured forth. One of the knights standing by the sideof Sir Rudolph fell, shot through the brain. Very many of the commonmen, undefended by harness, fell shot through and through; and an arrowpiercing the joint of the armor of Sir Rudolph wounded him in theshoulder. In vain the knight stormed and raged and ordered his men toadvance. The suddenness of the attack seemed to his superstitiousfollowers a direct answer from heaven to the words of the abbess. Theirnumber was already seriously lessened, and those who were in case to doso at once took flight and scattered through the city, making for thegate, which had already been seized by Sir Rudolph's men. 

Finding himself alone with only a few of his knights and principalmen-at-arms remaining, while the storm of arrows continued unabated, SirRudolph was forced to order his men to retreat with many fierce threatsof the vengeance which he would hereafter take. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

A DASTARDLY STRATAGEM. 

The return of Sir Rudolph's party to Evesham was not unmarked byincident, for as they passed along the road, from an ambush in a woodother archers, whose numbers they could not discover, shot hard uponthem, and many fell there who had escaped from the square at Worcester. When the list was called upon the arrival at the castle, it was foundthat no less than thirty of those who had set out were missing, whilemany others were grievously wounded. 

The noise of the tumult in the square of the convent aroused the wholetown of Worcester. Alarm bells were rung; and the burgesses, hastilyarming themselves, poured into the streets. Directed by the sound, theymade their way to the square, and were astonished at finding it entirelydeserted, save for some twenty men, lying dead or dying in front of thegate of the convent, pierced with long arrows. They speedily found thatSir Rudolph and his troop had departed; and further inquiry revealed thefact that the burgher guard at one of the gates had been overpowered andwere prisoners in the watchroom. These could only say that they weresuddenly seized, all being asleep save the one absolutely on guard. Theyknew nothing more than that a few minutes later there was a greatclatter of horsemen and men on foot leaving the city. Unable to find anysolution to this singular circumstance, but satisfied that Sir Rudolphhad departed, and that no more disturbance was likely to arise thatnight, the burgesses again betook themselves to their beds, havingclosed the gates and placed a strong guard over them, determining nextmorning to sift the affair to the bottom. 

In the morning the leading burgesses met in council, and finding nonewho could give them any information, the mayor and two of the councilorsrepaired to the convent, where they asked for an interview with the ladyabbess. Mightily indignant were they at hearing that Sir Rudolph hadattempted to break into the convent, and to carry off a boarder residingthere. But the abbess herself could give them no further news. She saidthat after she retired from the window she heard great shouts and cries, and that almost immediately afterward the whole of the party in fronthastily retired. 

That Sir Rudolph had been attacked by a party of archers was evident;but whence they had shot, or how they had come upon the spot at thetime, or whither they had gone, were mysteries that could not be solved. In the search which the authorities made, however, it was discoveredthat the house of the draper, Master Nicholas, was closed. Finding thatsummonses to open were unanswered, the door was broken in, and thepremises were found in confusion. No goods of any kind were discoveredthere, but many bales filled with dried leaves, bark of trees, and otherworthless matters. Such goods as had been displayed in the window hadclearly been carried away. Searching the house, they found signs that aconsiderable number of men had been concealed there, and although notknowing whence the body of archers could have come, they concluded thatthose who defeated the attempt of Sir Rudolph must have been hidden inthe draper's house. The singularity of this incident gave rise to greatexcitement; but the indignation against Sir Rudolph was in no waylessened by the fact that his attempt had been defeated, not by thetownsmen themselves, but by some unknown force. 

After much consultation on the part of the council, it was resolved thata deputation, consisting of the mayor and the five senior councilors, should resort to London, and there demand from the prince redress forthe injury put upon their town by Sir Rudolph. These worthy merchantsbetook themselves to London by easy stages, and upon their arrival therewere kept for some days before they could obtain an interview with KingJohn. When they appeared before him and commenced telling their storythe prince fell into sudden rage. 

"I have heard of this matter before, " he said, "and am mightily angrywith the people of Worcester, inasmuch as they have dared to interfereto prevent the carrying out of my commands. The Earl of Evesham haswritten to me, that thinking to scare the abbess of St. Anne's into acompliance with the commands which I had laid upon her, and to securethe delivery of a contumacious ward of the crown, he had pretended touse force, having, however, no idea of carrying his threats into effect. When, as he doubted not, the abbess was on the point of yielding up theward, the good knight was suddenly set upon by the rascals of the town, who slew some of his companions and followers, and did grievouslyill-treat the remainder. This, " said the prince, "you now pretend wasdone by a party of men of whose presence in the town you had nocognizance. Your good sense must be small, if you think that I shouldbelieve such a tale as this. It is your rascaldom at Worcester whichinterfered to prevent my will being carried out, and I have a goodlymind to order the troop of Sir Charles Everest, which is now marchingtoward Evesham, to sack the town, as a punishment for its rebellion. As, however, I am willing to believe that you and the better class ofburgesses were in ignorance of the doings of the rougher kind, I willextend mercy toward the city, and will merely inflict a fine of threethousand golden marks upon it. "

The mayor attempted humbly to explain and to entreat; but the prince wasseized with a sudden passion, and threatened if he said more he would atonce cast him and his fellows into durance. Therefore, sadly crestfallenat the result of their mission, the mayor and councilors returned toWorcester, where their report caused great consternation. This washeightened by the fact that upon the following day Sir Charles Everest, with five hundred mercenaries of the prince, together with Sir Rudolphand his following, and several other barons favorable to the cause ofthe prince, were heard to be approaching the town. 

Worcester was capable of making a stout defense, but seeing that no helpwas likely to be forthcoming, and fearing the utter ruin of the townshould it be taken by storm, the council, after sitting many hours indeliberation, determined to raise the money required to pay the fineinflicted by the prince. The bolder sort were greatly averse to thisdecision, especially as a letter had been received, signed "Cuthbert, Earl of Evesham, " offering, should the townspeople decide to resist theunjust demands of Prince John, to enter the town with one hundred andfifty archers to take part in its defense. With this force, as the moreardent spirits urged, the defeat of any attempt to carry it by stormwould be assured. But the graver men argued that even if defeated forthe first time further attempts would be made, and as it was likely thatKing Richard would not return for a long time, and that Prince Johnmight become sovereign of England, sooner or later the town must betaken, and, in any case, its trade would for a long time be destroyed, and great suffering inflicted upon all; therefore, that it was better topay the fine now than to risk all these evils, and perhaps theinfliction of a heavier impost upon them. 

The abbess was kept informed by friends in the council of the course ofthe proceedings. She had in the meantime had another interview with SirCuthbert and had determined, seeing that Prince John openly supportedthe doings of his minion, it would be better to remove the Lady Margaretto some other place, as no one could say how the affair might terminate;and with five hundred mercenaries at his back, Sir Rudolph would be socompletely master of the city that he would be able in broad daylight, did he choose, to force the gates of the convent and carry off theking's ward. 

Accordingly, two days before the arrival of the force before the wallsof Worcester, Lady Margaret left the convent by a postern gate in therear, late in the evening. She was attended by two of the sisters, bothof whom, as well as herself, were dressed as country women. Mules werein readiness outside the city gates, and here Sir Cuthbert, with anescort of archers, was ready to attend them. They traveled all night, and arrived in the morning at a small convent situated five miles fromthe city of Hereford. The abbess here was a cousin of the Superior ofSt. Anne's, and had already consented to receive Lady Margaret. Leavingher at the door, and promising that, as far as possible, he would keepwatch over her, and that even in the worst she need never despair, SirCuthbert left her and returned to the forest. 

The band there assembled varied considerably in numbers, for provisionscould not be found continually for a large body of men. The forest wasindeed very extensive, and the number of deer therein large. Still, forthe feeding of one hundred and fifty men many animals are required, andother food. The franklins in the neighborhood were all hostile to SirRudolph, whom they regarded as a cruel tyrant, and did their utmost inthe way of supplies for those in the forest. Their resources, however, were limited, and it was found necessary to scatter the force, and for anumber of them to take up their residence in places a short distanceaway, forty only remaining permanently on guard. 

Sir Rudolph and his friends entered Worcester, and there received withgreat hauteur the apologies of the mayor and council, and the assurancethat the townspeople were in nowise concerned in the attack made uponhim. To this he pretended disbelief. The fine demanded was paid, theprincipal portion in gold, the rest in bills signed by the leadingmerchants of the place; for after every effort it had been foundimpossible to collect such a sum within the city. 

The day after he arrived he again renewed his demand to the abbess forthe surrender of the Lady Margaret; this time, however, coming to herattended only by two squires, and by a pursuivant bearing the king'sorder for the delivery of the damsel. The abbess met him at the gate, and informed him that the Lady Margaret was no longer in her charge. 

"Finding, " she said in a fearless tone, "that the holy walls of thisconvent were insufficient to restrain lawless men, and fearing thatthese might be tempted to acts of sacrilege, which might bring down uponthem the wrath of the church and the destruction of their souls, I havesent her away. "

"Whither has she gone?" Sir Rudolph demanded, half-mad with passion. 

"That I decline to say, " the lady abbess replied. "She is in good hands;and when King Richard returns his ward shall be delivered to him atonce. "

"Will you take oath upon the Bible that she is not within these walls?"Sir Rudolph exclaimed. 

"My word is sufficient, " the lady abbess replied calmly. "But should itbe necessary, I should be ready to swear upon the relics that she is nothere. "

A few hours later Sir Rudolph, attended by his own party and by onehundred of Sir Charles Everest's mercenaries, returned to his castle. 

Three days afterward, as Cuthbert was sitting at a rude but hearty mealin the forest, surrounded by Cnut and his followers, a hind enteredbreathless. Cuthbert at once recognized him as one of the servitors ofhis mother. 

"What is it?" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet. 

"Terrible news, Master Cuthbert, terrible news!" exclaimed the man. "Thewicked earl came down this morning, with fifty of his men, set fire tothe house, and all its buildings and stacks, and has carried off thelady, your mother, a prisoner to the castle, on a charge, as he said, ofharboring traitors. "

A cry of fury broke from Cnut and his men. 

"The false traitor shall bitterly regret this outrage, " Cuthbertexclaimed. 

He had in the first excitement seized his arms, and his followerssnatched up their bows, as if for instant warfare. A few moments'reflection, however, showed to Cuthbert the impossibility of hisattacking a fortress like Evesham, garrisoned by a strong body ofwell-armed men, with only the archers of the forest, without implementsnecessary for such an assault. 

"Send at once, Cnut, " he said, "and call in all the band. We cannot takethe castle; but we will carry fire and sword round its walls. We willcut off all communication from within or from without. If attacked bylarge forces, we will retire upon the wood, returning to our postswithout the walls as soon as the force is withdrawn. These heavily armedmen can move but slowly, while we can run at full speed. There cannot bemore than some twenty horsemen in the castle; and methinks with ourarrows and pikes we can drive these back if they attempt to fall uponus. "

Cnut at once sent off swift-footed messengers to carry out Cuthbert'sorders, and on the following day the whole of the band were againassembled in the woods. Just as Cuthbert was setting them in motion adistant blast of a horn was heard. 

"It is, " Cuthbert exclaimed, "the note calling for a parley. Do you, Cnut, go forward, and see what is demanded. It is probably a messengerfrom Sir Rudolph. "

After half an hour's absence Cnut returned, bringing with him apursuivant or herald. The latter advanced at once toward Cuthbert, who, now in his full knightly armor, was evidently the leader of the party. 

"I bear to you, Sir Cuthbert, falsely calling yourself Earl of Evesham, a message from Sir Rudolph. He bids me tell you that the traitress, DameEditha, your mother, is in his hands, and that she has been found guiltyof aiding and abetting you in your war against Prince John, the regentof this kingdom. For that offense she has been condemned to die. "

Here he was interrupted by a cry of rage which broke from the assembledforesters. Continuing unmoved, he said:

"Sir Rudolph, being unwilling to take the life of a woman, howeverjustly forfeited by the law, commands me to say that if you will deliveryourself up to him by to-morrow at twelve the Dame Editha shall beallowed to go free. But that if by the time the dial points to noon youhave not delivered yourself up, he will hang her over the battlements ofthe castle. "

Cuthbert was very pale, and he waved his hand to restrain the fury whichanimated the outlaws. 

"This man, " he said to them, "is a herald, and, as such, is protected byall the laws of chivalry. Whatsoever his message, it is none of his. Heis merely the mouthpiece of him who sent him. " Then, turning to theherald, he said, "Tell the false knight, your master, on my part, thathe is a foul ruffian, perjured to all the vows of knighthood; that thisact of visiting upon a woman the enmity he bears her son will bring uponhim the execration of all men; and that the offer which he makes me isas foul and villainous as himself. Nevertheless, knowing his character, and believing that he is capable of keeping his word, tell him that byto-morrow at noon I will be there; that the lady, my mother, is to leavethe castle gates as I enter them; and that though by his foul device hemay encompass my death, yet that the curse of every good man will lightupon him, that he will be shunned as the dog he is, and that assuredlyHeaven will not suffer that deeds so foul should bring with them theprize he seeks to gain. "

The herald bowed, and, escorted by two archers to the edge of theforest, returned to Evesham Castle. 

After his departure an animated council took place. Cnut and theoutlaws, burning with indignation, were ready to attempt anything. Theywould, had Cuthbert given the word, have attacked the castle that verynight. But Cuthbert pointed out the absolute impossibility of theircarrying so strong a place by such an assault, unprovided with enginesfor battering down the gates. He said that surprise would be impossible, as the knight would be sure to take every precaution against it; andthat in the event of such an attack being attempted, he would possiblycarry his threat into execution, and murder Dame Editha before theireyes. Cnut was like a madman, so transported with fury was he; and thearchers were also beside themselves. Cuthbert alone retained hiscalmness. Retiring apart from the others, he paced slowly backward andforward among the trees, deliberating upon the best course to bepursued. The archers gathered round the fire and passed the night inlong and angry talk, each man agreeing that in the event of theirbeloved leader being sacrificed by Sir Rudolph, they would one and allgive their lives to avenge him by slaying the oppressor whensoever heventured beyond the castle gates. 

After a time, Cuthbert called Cnut to him, and the two talked long andearnestly. Cnut returned to his comrades with a face less despairingthan that he had before worn, and sent off at once a messenger with allspeed to a franklin near the forest to borrow a stout rope some fiftyfeet in length, and without telling his comrades what the plans of SirCuthbert were, bade them cheer up, for that desperate as the positionwas, all hope was not yet lost. 

"Sir Cuthbert, " he said, "has been in grievous straits before now, andhas gone through them. Sir Rudolph does not know the nature of the manwith whom he has to deal, and we may trick him yet. "

At eleven o'clock the next day from the walls of Evesham Castle a bodyof archers one hundred and fifty strong were seen advancing in solidarray. 

"Think you, Sir Rudolph, " one of his friends, Sir Hubert of Gloucester, said to him, "that these varlets think of attacking the castle?"

"They might as well think of scaling heaven, " Sir Rudolph said. "Eveshamcould resist a month's siege by a force well equipped for the purpose;and were it not that good men are wanted for the king's service, andthat these villains shoot straight and hard, I would open the gates ofthe castle and launch our force against them. We are two to one asstrong as they, and our knights and mounted men-at-arms could alonescatter that rabble. "

Conspicuous upon the battlements a gallows had been erected. 

The archers stopped at a distance of a few hundred yards from thecastle, and Sir Cuthbert advanced alone to the edge of the moat. 

"Sir Rudolph of Eresby, false knight and perjured gentleman, " he shoutedin a loud voice, "I, Sir Cuthbert of Evesham, do denounce you asforesworn and dishonored, and do challenge you to meet me here beforethe castle in sight of your men and mine, and decide our quarrel asHeaven may judge with sword and battle-ax. "

Sir Rudolph leaned over the battlements, and said: "It is too late, varlet. I condescended to challenge you before, and you refused. Youcannot now claim what you then feared to accept. The sun on the dialapproaches noon, and unless you surrender yourself before it reaches themark, I will keep my word, and the traitress, your mother, shall swingfrom that beam. "

Making a sign to two men-at-arms, these brought forward Dame Editha andso placed her on the battlements that she could be seen from below. DameEditha was still a very fair woman, although nigh forty years had rolledover her head. No sign of fear appeared upon her face, and in a firmvoice she cried to her son:

"Cuthbert, I beg--nay, I order you to retire. If this unknightly lordventure to carry out his foul threats against me, let him do so. Englandwill ring with the dastardly deed, and he will never dare show his faceagain where Englishmen congregate. Let him do his worst. I am preparedto die. "

A murmur rose from the knights and men-at-arms standing round SirRudolph. Several of his companions had from the first, wild andreckless as they were, protested against Sir Rudolph's course, and itwas only upon his solemn assurance that he intended but to frighten SirCuthbert into surrender, and had no intention of carrying his threatsagainst the lady into effect, that they had consented to take part inthe transaction. Even now, at the fearless words of the Saxon ladyseveral of them hesitated, and Sir Hubert of Gloucester stepped forwardto Sir Rudolph. 

"Sir knight, " he said, "you know that I am your true comrade and thefaithful servant of Prince John. Yet in faith would I not that my nameshould be mixed up in so foul a deed. I repent me that I have for amoment consented to it. But the shame shall not hang upon the escutcheonof Hubert of Gloucester that he stood still when such foul means weretried. I pray you, by our long friendship, and for the sake of your ownhonor as a knight, to desist from this endeavor. If this lady be guilty, as she well may be of aiding her son in his assaults upon the soldiersof Prince John, then let her be tried, and doubtless the court willconfiscate her estates. But let her son be told that her life is in nodanger, and that he is free to go, being assured that harm will not cometo her. "

"And if I refuse to consent to allow my enemy, who is now almost withinmy hand, to escape, " Sir Rudolph said, "what then?"

"Then, " said the knight, "I and my following will at once leave yourwalls, and will clear ourselves to the brave young knight yonder of allhand in this foul business. "

A murmur of agreement from several of those standing round showed thattheir sentiments were in accordance with those of Sir Hubert. 

"I refuse, " said Rudolph passionately. "Go, if you will. I am master ofmy actions, and of this castle. "

Without a word, Sir Hubert and two others of the knights present turned, and briefly ordering their men-at-arms to follow them, descended thestaircase to the courtyard below. Their horses were brought out, the menfell into rank, and the gates of the castle were thrown open. 

"Stand to arms!" Sir Cuthbert shouted to the archers. "They are going toattempt a sortie. " And hastily he retired to the main body of his men. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE FALSE AND PERJURED KNIGHT. 

As the band of knights and their retainers issued from the gate atrumpeter blew a parley, and the three knights advanced alone toward thegroup of archers. 

"Sir Cuthbert de Lance, " Sir Hubert said, "in the name of myself and mytwo friends here we ask your pardon for having so far taken part in thisfoul action. We did so believing only that Sir Rudolph intended thecapture of your lady mother as a threat. Now that we see he was inearnest, we wash our hands of the business; and could we in any wayatone for our conduct in having joined him, we would gladly do soconsistently only with our allegiance to the prince regent. "

Cuthbert bowed courteously. 

"Thanks for your words, Sir Hubert. I had always heard yourself and theknights here spoken of as brave and gallant gentlemen, whose sole faultwas that they chose to take part with a rebel prince rather than withthe King of England. I rejoice that you have cleared your name of sofoul a blot as this would have placed upon it, and I acknowledge thatyour conduct now is knightly and courteous. But I can no more parley. The sun is within a few minutes of twelve, and I must surrender, to meetsuch fate as may befall me. "

So saying, with a bow he left them, and again advanced to the castlegate. 

"Sir Rudolph, " he shouted, "the hour is at hand. I call upon you todeliver, outside the gate, the lady, my mother. Whether she wills it ornot, I call upon you to place her beyond the gate, and I give you myknightly word that as she leaves it I enter it. "

Dame Editha would then have attempted resistance; but she saw that itwould be useless. With a pale face she descended the steps, accompaniedby the men-at-arms. She knew that any entreaty to Sir Rudolph would bevain, and with the courage of her race she mentally vowed to devote therest of her life to vengeance for her son. 

As the gate opened and she was thrust forth, for a moment she foundherself in the arms of her son. 

"Courage, mother!" he whispered; "all may yet be well. "

Cnut was waiting a few paces behind, and offering his hand to DameEditha, he led her to the group of archers, while Cuthbert, alone, crossed the drawbridge and entered the portal, the heavy portcullisfalling after him. 

Cnut, immediately ordering four of his men to escort Dame Editha to thewood with all speed, advanced with his men toward the walls. All hadstrung their bows and placed their arrows on the ground in front of themin readiness for instant use. Cnut himself, with two others carrying therope, advanced to the edge of the moat. None observed their doings, forall within the castle were intent upon the proceedings there. 

In the courtyard Sir Rudolph had taken his post, with the captain of themercenaries beside him, and the men-at-arms drawn up in order. He smiledsardonically as Cuthbert entered. 

"So, at last, " he said, "this farce is drawing to an end. You are in mypower, and for the means which I have taken to capture you, I willaccount to the prince. You are a traitor to him; you have attacked andslaughtered many of my friends; you are an outlaw defying the law; andfor each of these offenses your head is forfeited. "

"I deny, " Cuthbert said, standing before him, "your right to be myjudge. By my peers only can I be tried. As a knight of England and asrightful lord of this castle, I demand to be brought before a jury of myequals. "

"I care nothing for rights or for juries, " said Sir Rudolph. "I have theroyal order for your execution, and that order I shall put into effect, although all the knights and barons in England objected. "

Cuthbert looked round to observe the exact position in which he wasstanding. He knew, of course, every foot of the castle, and saw that buta short distance behind a single row of armed men was the staircaseleading to the battlements. 

"False and perjured knight, " he said, taking a step forward, "I may die;but I would rather a thousand deaths than such a life as yours will bewhen this deed is known in England. But I am not yet dead. For myself, Icould pardon you; but for the outrage to my mother--" and with a suddenmovement he struck Sir Rudolph in the face with all his strength withhis mailed hand. 

With the blood gushing from his nostrils, the knight fell backward, andSir Cuthbert, with a bound, before the assembly could recover from theirastonishment at the deed, burst through the line of men-at-arms, andsprang up the narrow staircase. A score of men-at-arms started inpursuit; but Sir Cuthbert gained the battlements first, and without amoment's hesitation sprang upon them and plunged forward, falling intothe moat fifty feet below. Here he would have perished miserably, for inhis heavy armor he was of course unable to swim a stroke, and hisweight took him at once into the mud of the moat. At its margin, however, Cnut stood awaiting him, with one end of the rope in his hand. In an instant he plunged in, and diving to the bottom grasped Cuthbertby the body, and twisted the rope round him. The two archers on the bankat once hauled upon it, and in a minute Sir Cuthbert was dragged to thebank. 

By this time a crowd of men-at-arms appeared upon the battlements. Butas they did so the archers opened a storm of arrows upon them, andquickly compelled them to find shelter. Carried by Cnut and the men withhim--for he was insensible--Sir Cuthbert was quickly conveyed to thecenter of the outlaws, and these at once in a compact body began theirretreat to the wood. Cuthbert quickly recovered consciousness, and wassoon able to walk. As he did so the gates of the castle were thrownopen, and a crowd of men-at-arms, consisting of the retainers of thecastle and the mercenaries of Prince John, sallied forth. So soon asCuthbert was able to move the archers started at a brisk run, several ofthem carrying Cuthbert's casque and sword, and others assisting him tohurry along. The rear ranks turned as they ran and discharged flights ofarrows at the enemy, who, more heavily armed and weighted, gained butslowly upon them. 

Had not Sir Rudolph been stunned by the blow dealt him by Cuthbert hewould himself have headed the pursuit, and in that case the foresterswould have had to fight hard to make their retreat to their fastness. The officer in command of the mercenaries, however, had no great stomachfor the matter. Men were hard to get, and Prince John would not havebeen pleased to hear that a number of the men whom he had brought withsuch expense from foreign parts had been killed in a petty fray. Therefore after following for a short time he called them off, and thearchers fell back into the forest. 

Here they found Dame Editha, and for three days she abode among them, living in a small hut in the center of the forest. Then she left, totake up her abode until the troubles were past with some kin who livedin the south of Gloucestershire. 

Although the lady abbess had assured Cuthbert that the retreat of LadyMargaret was not likely to be found out, he himself, knowing how great astake Sir Rudolph had in the matter, was still far from being easy. Itwould not be difficult for the latter to learn through his agents thatthe lady superior of the little convent near Hereford was of kin to herof St. Anne's, and, close as a convent is, yet the gossiping of theservants who go to market was certain to let out an affair so importantas the arrival of a young lady to reside under the charge of thesuperior. Cuthbert was not mistaken as to the acuteness of his enemy. The relationship between the two lady superiors was no secret, and afterhaving searched all the farmhouses and granges near the forest, andbeing convinced that the lady abbess would have sent her charge ratherto a religious house than to that of a franklin, Sir Rudolph soughtwhich of those within the circuit of a few miles would be likely to bethe one selected. It was not long before he was enabled to fix upon thatnear Hereford, and spies going to the spot soon found out from thecountry people that it was a matter of talk that a young lady of rankhad been admitted by the superior. Sir Rudolph hesitated whether to gohimself at the head of a strong body of men and openly to take her, orto employ some sort of device. It was not that he himself feared theanathema of the church; but he knew Prince John to be weak andvacillating, at one time ready to defy the thunder of the pope, the nextcringing before the spiritual authority. He therefore determined toemploy some of his men to burst into the convent and carry off theheiress, arranging that he himself, with some of his men-at-arms, shouldcome upon them in the road, and make a feigned rescue of her, so that, if the lady superior laid her complaint before the pope's legate hecould deny that he had any hand in the matter, and could even takecredit for having rescued her from the men who had profaned the convent. That his story would be believed mattered but little. It would beimpossible to prove its falsity, and this was all that he cared for. 

This course was followed out. Late one evening the lady superior wasalarmed by a violent knocking at the door. In reply to questions askedthrough the grill, the answer was given, "We are men of the forest, andwe are come to carry the Lady Margaret of Evesham off to a securehiding-place. The Lord of Evesham has discovered her whereabouts, andwill be here shortly, and we would fain remove her before he arrives. "

"From whom have you warrant?" the lady superior said. "I surrender herto no one, save to the lady abbess of St. Anne's. But if you have awritten warrant from Sir Cuthbert, the rightful Lord of Evesham, I willlay the matter before the Lady Margaret, and will act as it may seem fitto her. "

"We have no time for parleying, " a rough voice said. "Throw open thegate at once, or we will break it down. "

"Ye be no outlaws, " the lady superior said, "for the outlaws are men whofear God and respect the church. Were ye what ye say, ye would beprovided with the warrants that I mention. I warn you, therefore, thatif you use force, you will be excommunicated, and placed under the banof the church. "

The only answer was a thundering assault upon the gate, which soonyielded to the blows. The sisters and novices ran shrieking through thecorridors at this rude uproar. The lady superior, however, stood calmlyawaiting the giving way of the gate. 

"Where is the Lady Margaret?" the leader of the party, who were dressedin rough garb, and had the seeming of a band of outlaws, demanded. 

"I will say nothing, " she said, "nor do I own that she is here. "

"We will soon take means to find out, " the man exclaimed. "Unless infive minutes she is delivered to us, we will burn your place to theground. "

The lady abbess was insensible to the threat; but the men rushing in, seized some sisters, who, terrified out of their wits by this irruption, at once gave the information demanded, and the men made their way to thecell where the Lady Margaret slept. 

The girl had at once risen when the tumult commenced, doubting not inher mind that this was another attempt upon the part of her enemy tocarry her off. When, therefore, she heard heavy footsteps approachingalong the gallery--having already hastily attired herself--she openedthe door and presented herself. 

"If you seek the Lady Margaret of Evesham, " she said calmly, "I am she. Do not harm any of the sisters here. I am in your power, and will gowith you at once. But I beseech you add not to your other sins that ofviolence against holy women. "

The men, abashed by the calm dignity of this young girl, abstained fromlaying hands upon her, but merely motioned to her to accompany them. Upon their way they met the man who appeared to be their leader, and he, well pleased that the affair was over, led the way to the courtyard. 

"Farewell, my child, " the abbess exclaimed. "God will deliver you fromthe power of these wicked men. Trust in Him, and keep up your courage. Wickedness will not be permitted to triumph upon the earth; and beassured that the matter shall be brought to the ears of the pope'slegate, and of Prince John himself. "

She could say no more, for the men, closing round the weeping girl, hurried her out from the convent. A litter awaited them without, and inthis the young lady was placed, and, borne upon the shoulders of fourstout men, she started at a fast pace, surrounded closely by the rest ofthe band. 

It was a dark night, and the girl could not see the direction in whichshe was being taken; but she judged from the turn taken upon leaving theconvent that it was toward Evesham. They had proceeded some miles, whena trampling of horses was heard, and a body of armed men rode up. For amoment Lady Margaret's heart gave a leap, for she thought that she hadbeen rescued by her friends. There was a loud and angry altercation, aclashing of swords, and a sound of shouting and cries outside thelitter. Then it was placed roughly on the ground, and she heard thesound of the footsteps of her first captors hurrying away. Then thehorsemen closed round the litter, and the leader dismounted. 

"I am happy indeed, Lady Margaret, " he said, approaching the litter, "tohave been able to save you from the power of these villains. Fortunately, word came to me that the outlaws in the forest were aboutto carry you off, and that they would not hesitate even to desecrate thewalls of the convent. Assembling my men-at-arms, I at once rode to yourrescue, and am doubly happy to have saved you, first, as a gentleman, secondly, as being the man to whom our gracious prince has assigned youas a wife. I am Sir Rudolph, Earl of Evesham. "

As from the first the girl had been convinced that she had fallen intothe power of her lawless suitor, this came upon her as no surprise. 

"Whether your story is true, Sir Rudolph, " she said, "or not, God knows, and I, a poor weak girl, will not pretend to venture to say. It isbetween you and your conscience. If, as you say, you have saved me fromthe power of the outlaws, I demand that, as a knight and a gentleman, you return with me at once to the convent from which I was taken byforce. "

"I cannot do that, " Sir Rudolph said. "Fortune has placed you in myhands, and has enabled me to carry out the commands of the prince. Therefore, though I would fain yield to your wishes and so earn yourgood-will, which above all things I wish to obtain, yet my duty towardthe prince commands me to utilize the advantage which fate has thrown inmy hands. "

"You must do as you will, Sir Rudolph, " the girl said with dignity. "Ibelieve not your tale. You sought before, in person, to carry me off, but failed, and you have now employed other means to do so. The tale ofyour conduct to Dame Editha has reached my ears, and I hold you aforesworn knight and a dishonored man, and as such I would rather diethan become your wife, although as yet I am but a child, and have noneed to talk of weddings for years to come. "

"We need not parley here, " the knight said coldly. "We shall have plentyof time when at my castle. "

The litter was now lifted, placed between two horses, and proceededrapidly on its journey. Although the hope was but faint, yet until thegates of the castle closed upon them the Lady Margaret still hoped thatrescue might reach her. But the secret had been too well kept, and itwas not until the following day that the man who had been placed in acottage near the convent arrived in all haste in the forest, to say thatit was only in the morning that he had learned that the convent had beenbroken open by men disguised as archers, and the Lady Margaret carriedoff. 

Four days elapsed before Sir Rudolph presented himself before the girlhe had captured. So fearfully was his face bruised and disfigured by theblow from the mailed hand of Cuthbert three weeks before, that he didnot wish to appear before her under such unfavorable circumstances, andthe captive passed the day gazing from her casement in one of the roomsin the upper part of the keep, toward the forest whence she hoped rescuewould come. 

Within the forest hot discussions were going on as to the best course topursue. An open attack was out of the question, especially as upon theday following the arrival there of Lady Margaret three hundred moremercenaries had marched in from Worcester, so that the garrison was nowraised to five hundred men. 

"Is there no way, " Cnut exclaimed furiously, "by which we might creepinto this den, since we cannot burst into it openly?"

"There is a way from the castle, " Cuthbert said, "for my dear lord toldme of it one day when we were riding together in the Holy Land. He saidthen that it might be that he should never return, and that it were wellthat I should know of the existence of this passage, which few besidesthe earl himself knew of. It is approached by a very heavy slab of stonein the great hall. This is bolted down, and as it stands under the greattable passes unnoticed, and appears part of the ordinary floor. He toldme the method in which, by touching a spring, the bolts were withdrawnand the stone could be raised. Thence a passage a quarter of a milelong leads to the little chapel standing in the hollow, and which, beinghidden among the trees, would be unobserved by any party besieging thecastle. This of course was contrived in order that the garrison, or anymessenger thereof, might make an exit in case of siege. "

"But if we could escape, " Cnut asked, "why not enter by this way?"

"The stone is of immense weight and strength, " Cuthbert replied, "andcould not be loosed from below save with great labor and noise. Thereare, moreover, several massive doors in the passage, all of which aresecured by heavy bolts within. It is therefore out of the question thatwe could enter the castle by that way. But were we once in, we couldeasily carry off the lady through this passage. "

The large force which Sir Rudolph had collected was not intended merelyfor the defense of the castle, for the knight considered that with hisown garrison he could hold it against a force tenfold that which hisrival could collect. But he was determined if possible to crush out theoutlaws of the forest, for he felt that so long as this formidable bodyremained under an enterprising leader like Sir Cuthbert, he would neverbe safe for a moment, and would be a prisoner in his own castle. 

Cuthbert had foreseen that the attack was likely to be made, and hadstrengthened his band to the utmost. He felt, however, that against solarge a force of regularly armed men, although he might oppose a stoutresistance and kill many, yet that in the end he must be conquered. Cnut, however, suggested to him a happy idea, which he eagerly grasped. 

"It would be a rare sport, " Cnut said, "when this armed force comes outto attack us, if we could turn the tables by slipping in, and takingtheir castle. "

"The very thing, " Cuthbert exclaimed. "It is likely that he will use thegreater portion of his forces, and that he will not keep above fifty orsixty men, at the outside, in the castle. When they sally out we will atfirst oppose a stout resistance to them in the wood, gradually fallingback. Then, at a given signal, all save twenty men shall retire hastily, and sweeping round make for the castle. Their absence will not benoticed, for in this thick wood it is difficult to tell whether twentymen or two hundred are opposing you among the bushes; and the twenty whoremain must shoot thick and fast to make believe that their numbers aregreat, retiring sometimes, and leading the enemy on into the heart ofthe wood. "

"But supposing, Sir Cuthbert, that they should have closed the gates andlifted the drawbridge? We could not gain entrance by storming, even ifonly twenty men held the walls, until long after the main body wouldhave returned. "

Cuthbert thought for some time, and then said, "Cnut, you shallundertake this enterprise. You shall fill a cart high with faggots, andin it shall conceal a dozen of your best men. You, dressed as a serf, shall drive the oxen, and when you reach the castle shall say, in answerto the hail of the sentry, that you are bringing in the tribute of woodof your master the franklin of Hopeburn. They will then lower thedrawbridge and open the gates; and when you have crossed the bridge andare under the portcullis, spring out suddenly, cut loose the oxen sothat they will not draw the cart further in, cut the chains of thedrawbridge so that it cannot be drawn off, and hold the gate for aminute or two until we arrive. "

"The plan is capital, " Cnut exclaimed. "We will do the proud Norman yet. How he will storm when he finds us masters of his castle! What thenwill you do, Sir Cuthbert?"

"We can hold the castle for weeks, " Cuthbert said, "and every day is inour favor. If we find ourselves forced to yield to superior numbers, wecan at last retire through the passage I have spoken of, and must thenscatter and each shift for himself until these bad days be past. "

CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE SIEGE OF EVESHAM CASTLE. 

Upon the day before starting out to head the expedition against theoutlaws, Sir Rudolph sent word to the Lady Margaret that she mustprepare to become his wife at the end of the week. He had provided twotiring maids for her by ordering two of the franklins to send in theirdaughters for that purpose, and these mingled their tears withMargaret's at the situation in which they were placed. She repliedfirmly to the messenger of the knight that no power on earth couldoblige her to marry him. He might drive her to the altar; but though hekilled her there, her lips should refuse to say the words which wouldunite them. 

The following morning, early, the castle rang with the din ofpreparation. The great portion of the mercenaries were encamped in tentsoutside the walls, for, spacious as it was, Evesham could hardly containfour hundred men in addition to its usual garrison. The men-at-arms wereprovided with heavy axes to cut their way through the bushes. Somecarried bundles of straw, to fire the wood should it be foundpracticable to do so; and as it was now summer and the wind was blowinghigh, Sir Rudolph hoped that the dry grass and bushes would catch, andwould do more even than his men-at-arms in clearing the forest of thosewhom he designated the villains infesting it. They had, too, with themseveral fierce dogs trained to hunting the deer, and these, the knighthoped, would do good service in tracking the outlaws. He and the knightsand the men-at-arms with him were all dismounted, for he felt thathorses would in the forest be an incumbrance, and he was determinedhimself to lead the way to the men-at-arms. 

When they reached the forest they were saluted by a shower of arrows;but as all were clad in mail, these at a distance effected but littleharm. As they came closer, however, the clothyard arrows began to piercethe coarse and ill-made armor of the foot soldiers, although the finerarmor of the knights kept out the shafts which struck against it. SirRudolph and his knights leading the way, they entered the forest andgradually pressed their invisible foe backward through the trees. Thedogs did good service, going on ahead and attacking the archers; but, one by one, they were soon shot, and the assailants left to their owndevices. Several attempts were made to fire the wood. But these failed, the fire burning but a short time and then dying out of itself. Inaddition to the fighting men, Sir Rudolph had impressed into the serviceall the serfs of his domain, and these, armed with axes, were directedto cut down the trees as the force proceeded, Sir Rudolph declaring thathe would not cease until he had leveled the whole forest, though itmight take him months to do so. 

The assailants gained ground steadily, the resistance being less severethan Sir Rudolph had anticipated. Several small huts and clearings inthe forest which had been used by the outlaws, and round which smallcrops had been planted, were destroyed, and all seemed to promise wellfor the success of the enterprise. 

It was about two hours after they had left the castle, when a heavy cartfilled with fagots was seen approaching its gates. The garrison, who hadnot the least fear of any attack, paid no attention to it until itreached the edge of the moat. Then the warder, seeing that it containedfagots, lowered the drawbridge without question, raised the portcullis, and opened the gates. 

"From whom do you bring this wood?" he asked as the man driving the oxenbegan to cross the bridge. 

"From the franklin of Hopeburn. "

"It is well, " said the warder, "for he is in arrear now, and should havesent in the firewood two months since. Take it to the woodhouse at theother end of the court. "

The heavy wagon crossed the drawbridge, but as it was entering the gateit came suddenly to a stop. With a blow of his ox goad Cnut leveled thewarder to the ground, and cutting the cords of the bullocks, drove theminto the yard ahead. As he did so the pile of fagots fell asunder, andtwelve men armed with bow and pike leaped out. The men-at-arms standingnear, lounging in the courtyard, gave a shout of alarm, and thegarrison, surprised at this sudden cry, ran to their arms. At first theywere completely panic-stricken. But seeing after a time how small wasthe number of their assailants, they took heart and advanced againstthem. The passage was narrow, and the twelve men formed a wall acrossit. Six of them with their pikes advanced, the other six with bent bowsstanding behind them and delivering their arrows between their heads. The garrison fought stoutly, and although losing many, were pressing thelittle band backward. In vain the assistant-warder tried to lower theportcullis, or to close the gates. The former fell on to the top of thewagon, and was there retained. The gates also were barred by theobstacle. The chains of the drawbridge had at once been cut. Cnutencouraged his followers by his shouts, and armed with a heavy ax, didgood service upon the assailants. But four of his party had fallen, andthe rest were giving way, when a shout was heard, and over thedrawbridge poured Cuthbert and one hundred and fifty of the outlaws ofthe forest. Struck with terror at this attack, the garrison drew back, and the foresters poured into the yard. For a few minutes there was afierce fight; but the defenders of the castle, disheartened and taken bysurprise, were either cut down or, throwing down their arms, cried forquarter. 

Ten minutes after the wagon had crossed the drawbridge the castle wassafely in possession of Sir Cuthbert. The bridge was raised, the wagonremoved, the portcullis lowered, and to the external eye all remained asbefore. 

Cuthbert at once made his way to the chamber where the Lady Margaret wasconfined, and her joy at her deliverance was great indeed. So unlimitedwas her faith in Sir Cuthbert that she had never lost confidence; andalthough it did not seem possible that in the face of such disparity ofnumbers he could rescue her from the power of Sir Rudolph, yet she hadnot given up hope. The joy of the farmers' daughters who had beencarried off to act as her attendants was little inferior to her own; foronce in the power of this reckless baron, the girls had small hopes ofever being allowed to return again to their parents. 

The flag of Sir Rudolph was thrown down from the keep, and that of thelate earl hoisted in its stead; for Cuthbert himself, although he hadassumed the cognizance which King Richard had granted him, had not yetany flag or pennon emblazoned with it. 

No words can portray the stupefaction and rage of Sir Rudolph when a manwho had managed to slip unobserved from the castle at the time of itscapture bore the news to him in the forest. All opposition there hadceased, and the whole of the troops were engaged in aiding the peasantsin cutting wide roads through the trees across the forest, so as to makeit penetrable by horsemen in every direction. It was supposed that theoutlaws had gradually stolen away through the thickets and taken to theopen country, intending to scatter to their homes, or other distanthiding-places; and the news that they had by a ruse captured the castlecame as a thunder-clap. 

Sir Rudolph's first impulse was to call his men together and to marchtoward the castle. The drawbridge was up and the walls bristled witharmed men. It was useless to attempt a parley; still more useless tothink of attacking the stronghold without the proper machines andappliances. Foaming with rage, Sir Rudolph took possession of a cottagenear, camped his men around and prepared for a siege. 

There were among the mercenaries many men accustomed to the use ofengines of war. Many, too, had aided in making them; and these were atonce set to work to construct the various machines in use at that time. Before the invention of gunpowder, castles such as those of the Englishbarons were able to defy any attack by an armed force for a long period. Their walls were so thick that even the balistas, casting huge stones, were unable to breach them except after a very long time. The moatswhich surrounded them were wide and deep, and any attempt at storming byladders was therefore extremely difficult; and these buildings wereconsequently more often captured by famine than by other means. Ofprovisions, as Sir Rudolph knew, there was a considerable supply atpresent in the castle, for he had collected a large number of bullocksin order to feed the strong body who had been added to the garrison. Thegranaries, too, were well stored; and with a groan Sir Rudolph thoughtof the rich stores of French wines which he had collected in hiscellars. 

After much deliberation with the knights with him and the captain of themercenaries, it was agreed in the first instance to attempt to attackthe place by filling up a portion of the moat and ascending by scalingladders. Huge screens of wood were made, and these were placed onwagons; the wagons themselves were filled with bags of earth, and alarge number of men getting beneath them shoved the ponderous machinesforward to the edge of the moat. The bags of stones and earth were thenthrown in, and the wagons pushed backward to obtain a fresh supply. Thisoperation was of course an exceedingly slow one, a whole day beingoccupied with each trip of the wagons. They were not unmolested in theiradvance, for, from the walls, mangonels and other machines hurled greatstones down upon the wooden screens, succeeding sometimes, in spite oftheir thickness, in crashing through them, killing many of the menbeneath. The experiment was also tried of throwing balls of Greek firedown upon the wood; but as this was green and freshly felled it wouldnot take fire, but the flames dropping through, with much boiling pitchand other materials, did grievously burn and scald the soldiers workingbelow it. Upon both sides every device was tried. The crossbowmen amongthe mercenaries kept up a fire upon the walls to hinder the defendersfrom interfering with the operations, while the archers above shotsteadily, and killed many of those who ventured within range of theirbows. 

After ten days' labor a portion of the moat some twenty yards in lengthwas filled with bags of earth, and all was ready for the assault. Thebesiegers had prepared great numbers of strong ladders, and these werebrought up under shelter of the screens. Then, all being ready, thetrumpets sounded for the assault, and the troops moved forward in aclose body, covering themselves with their shields so that no man's heador body was visible, each protecting the one before him with his shieldheld over him. Thus the body presented the appearance of a greatscale-covered animal. In many respects, indeed, the warfare of thosedays was changed in no way from that of the time of the Romans. In thetwelve hundred years which had elapsed between the siege of Jerusalemand the days of the Crusades there had been but little change in arms orarmor, and the operations which Titus undertook for the reduction of theJewish stronghold differed but little from those which a Norman baronemployed in besieging his neighbor's castle. 

Within Evesham Castle all was contentment and merriment during thesedays. The garrison had no fear whatever of being unable to repel theassault when it should be delivered. Huge stones had been collected innumbers on the walls, caldrons of pitch, beneath which fires keptsimmering, stood there in readiness. Long poles with hooks with which toseize the ladders and cut them down were laid there; and all thatprecaution and science could do was prepared. 

Cuthbert passed much of the day, when not required upon the walls, chatting with the Lady Margaret, who, attended by her maidens, satworking in her bower. She had learned to read from the good nuns of theconvent--an accomplishment which was by no means general, even among thedaughters of nobles; but books were rare, and Evesham boasted but fewmanuscripts. Here Margaret learned in full all the details of Cuthbert'sadventures since leaving England, and the fondness with which as a childshe had regarded the lad grew gradually into the affection of a woman. 

The courage of the garrison was high, for although they believed thatsooner or later the castle might be carried by the besiegers, they hadalready been told by Cnut that there was a means of egress unknown tothe besiegers, and that when the time came they would be able to escapeunharmed. This, while it in no way detracted from their determination todefend the castle to the last, yet rendered their task a far lighter andmore agreeable one than it would have been had they seen the gallowsstanding before them as the end of the siege. 

As the testudo, as it was called in those days, advanced toward thecastle, the machines upon the walls--catapults, mangonels andarbalasts--poured forth showers of stones and darts upon it, breaking upthe array of shields and killing many; and as these openings were made, the archers, seizing their time, poured in volleys of arrows. Themercenaries, however, accustomed to war, advanced steadily, and madegood their footing beneath the castle wall, and proceeded to rear theirladders. Here, although free from the action of the machines, they wereexposed to the hand missiles, which were scarcely less destructive. Ingood order, and with firmness, however, they reared the ladders, andmounted to the assault, covering themselves as well as they could withtheir shields. In vain, however, did they mount. The defenders poureddown showers of boiling pitch and oil, which penetrated the crevices oftheir armor and caused intolerable torment. Great stones were toppledover from the battlements upon them; and sometimes the ladders, seizedby the poles with hooks, were cast backward, with all upon them, on thethrong below. For half an hour, encouraged by the shouts of Sir Rudolphand their leaders, the soldiers strove gallantly; but were at lastcompelled to draw off, having lost nigh one hundred men, without onegaining a footing upon the walls. 

That evening another council of war was held without. Already some largemachines for which Sir Rudolph had sent had arrived. In anticipation ofthe possibility of failure, two castles upon wheels had been prepared, and between these a huge beam with an iron head was hung. This was uponthe following day pushed forward on the newly-formed ground across themoat. Upon the upper part of each tower were armed men who workedmachines casting sheaves of arrows and other missiles. Below were thosewho worked the ram. To each side of the beam were attached numerouscords, and with these it was swung backward and forward, giving heavyblows each stroke upon the wall. The machines for casting stones, whichhad arrived, were also brought in play, and day and night thesethundered against the walls; while the ram repeated its ceaseless blowsupon the same spot, until the stone crumbled before it. 

Very valiantly did the garrison oppose themselves to these efforts. Buteach day showed the progress made by the besiegers. Their forces hadbeen increased, Prince John having ordered his captain at Gloucester tosend another one hundred men to the assistance of Sir Rudolph. Othertowers had now been prepared. These were larger than the first, andovertopped the castle walls. From the upper story were drawbridges, soformed as to drop from the structures upon the walls, and thus enablethe besiegers to rush upon them. The process was facilitated by the factthat the battlements had been shot away by the great stones, and therewas a clear space on which the drawbridges could fall. The attack wasmade with great vigor; but for a long time the besieged maintained theirpost, and drove back the assailants as they poured out across thedrawbridges on to the wall. At last Cuthbert saw that the forces opposedto him were too numerous to be resisted, and gave orders to his men tofall back upon the inner keep. 

Making one rush, and clearing the wall of those who had gained afooting, the garrison fell back hastily, and were safely within themassive keep before the enemy had mustered in sufficient numbers uponthe wall to interfere with them. The drawbridge was now lowered, and thewhole of the assailants gained footing within the castle. They werestill far from having achieved a victory. The walls of the keep weremassive and strong, and its top far higher than the walls, so that fromabove a storm of arrows poured down upon all who ventured to showthemselves. The keep had no windows low enough down for access to begained; and those on the floors above were so narrow, and protected bybars, that it seemed by scaling the walls alone could an entry beeffected. This was far too desperate an enterprise to be attempted, forthe keep rose eighty feet above the courtyard. It was upon the door, solid and studded with iron, that the attempt had to be made. 

Several efforts were made by Sir Rudolph, who fought with a braveryworthy of a better cause, to assault and batter down the door. Protectedby wooden shields from the rain of missiles from above, he and hisknights hacked at the door with their battle-axes. But in vain. It hadbeen strengthened by beams behind, and by stones piled up against it. Then fire was tried. Fagots were collected in the forest, and brought;and a huge pile having been heaped against the door, it was lighted. "Wecould doubtless prolong the siege for some days, Lady Margaret, " saidCuthbert, "but the castle is ours; and we wish not, when the time comesthat we shall again be masters of it, that it should be a mere heap ofruins. Methinks we have done enough. With but small losses on our side, we have killed great numbers of the enemy, and have held them at bay fora month. Therefore, I think that to-night it will be well for us toleave the place. "

Lady Margaret was rejoiced at the news that the time for escape hadcome, for the perpetual clash of war, the rattling of arrows, theponderous thud of heavy stones caused a din very alarming to a younggirl; and although the room in which she sat, looking into the innercourt of the castle, was not exposed to missiles, she trembled at thethought that brave men were being killed, and that at any moment a shotmight strike Cuthbert, and so leave her without a friend or protector. 

Content with having destroyed the door, the assailants made no furthereffort that evening, but prepared in the morning to attack it, pull downthe stones filled behind it, and force their way into the keep. Therewas, with the exception of the main entrance, but one means of exit, asmall postern door behind the castle, and throughout the siege a strongbody of troops had been posted here, to prevent the garrison making asortie. Feeling secure therefore that upon the following day his enemieswould fall into his power, Sir Rudolph retired to rest. 

An hour before midnight the garrison assembled in the hall. The tablewas removed, and Cuthbert having pressed the spring, which was at adistance from the stone and could not be discovered without a knowledgeof its existence, the stone turned aside by means of a counterpoise, anda flight of steps was seen. Torches had been prepared. Cnut and a chosenband went first; Cuthbert followed, with Lady Margaret and herattendants; and the rest of the archers brought up the rear, a trustyman being left in charge at last with orders to swing back the stoneinto its place, having first hauled the table over the spot, so thattheir means of escape should be unknown. 

The passage was long and dreary, the walls were damp with wet, and themassive doors so swollen by moisture that it was with the greatestdifficulty they could be opened. At last, however, they emerged intothe little friary in the wood. It was deserted, the priest who usuallydwelt there having fled when the siege began. The stone which there, asin the castle, concealed the exit, was carefully closed, and the partythen emerged into the open air. Here Cuthbert bade adieu to hiscomrades. Cnut had very anxiously begged to be allowed to accompany himand share his fortunes, and Cuthbert had promised him that if at anytime he should again take up arms in England, he would summon him to hisside, but that at present as he knew not whither his steps would beturned, it would be better that he should be unattended. The archers hadall agreed to scatter far and wide through the country, many of themproceeding to Nottingham and joining the bands in the forest ofSherwood. 

Cuthbert himself had determined to make his way to the castle of hisfriend, Sir Baldwin, and to leave the Lady Margaret in his charge. Cnuthurried on at full speed to the house of a franklin, some three milesdistant. Here horses were obtained and saddled, and dresses prepared;and when Cuthbert with Lady Margaret arrived there, no time was lost. Dressed as a yeoman, with the Lady Margaret as his sister, he mounted ahorse, with her behind him on a pillion. The other damsels also mounted, as it would not have been safe for them to remain near Evesham. Theytherefore purposed taking refuge in a convent near Gloucester for thepresent. Bidding a hearty adieu to Cnut, and with thanks to the franklinwho had aided them, they set forward on their journey. By morning theyhad reached the convent, and here the two girls were left, and Cuthbertcontinued his journey. He left his charge at a convent a day's ridedistant from the castle of Sir Baldwin, as he wished to consult theknight first as to the best way of her entering the castle withoutexciting talk or suspicion. 

Sir Baldwin received him with joy. He had heard something of his doings, and the news of the siege of Evesham had been noised abroad. He told himthat he was in communication with many other barons, and that ere longthey hoped to rise against the tyranny of Prince John, but that atpresent they were powerless, as many, hoping that King Richard wouldreturn ere long, shrank from involving the country in a civil war. WhenCuthbert told him that the daughter of his old friend was at a conventbut a day's ride distant, and that he sought protection for her, SirBaldwin instantly offered her hospitality. 

"I will, " he said, "send my good wife to fetch her. Some here know yourpresence, and it would be better therefore that she did not arrive forsome days, as her coming will then seem to be unconnected with yourself. My wife and I will, a week hence, give out that we are going to fetch acousin of my wife's to stay here with her; and when we return nosuspicion will be excited that she is other than she seems. Should it beotherwise, I need not say that Sir Baldwin of Béthune will defend hiscastle against any of the minions of Prince John. But I have no fearthat her presence here will be discovered. What think you of doing inthe meantime?"

"I am thinking, " Cuthbert said, "of going east. No news has beenobtained of our lord the king save that he is a prisoner in the hands ofthe emperor; but where confined, or how, we know not. It is my intent totravel to the Tyrol, and to trace his steps from the time that he wascaptured. Then, when I obtain knowledge of the place where he is kept, Iwill return, and consult upon the best steps to be taken. My presence inEngland is now useless. Did the barons raise the standard of KingRichard against the prince, I should at once return and join them. Butwithout land or vassals, I can do nothing here, and shall be indeed likea hunted hare, for I know that the false earl will move heaven and earthto capture me. "

Sir Baldwin approved of the resolution; but recommended Cuthbert to takeevery precaution not to fall himself into the hands of the emperor;"for, " he said, "if we cannot discover the prison of King Richard, Ifear that it would be hopeless indeed ever to attempt to find that inwhich a simple knight is confined. "

CHAPTER XXV. 

IN SEARCH OF THE KING. 

The following day, with many thanks, Cuthbert started from the castle, and in the first place visited the convent, and told Lady Margaret thatshe would be fetched in a few days by Sir Baldwin and his wife. He tooka tender adieu of her, not without many forebodings and tears upon herpart; but promising blithely that he would return and lead her back intriumph to her castle, he bade adieu and rode for London. 

He had attired himself as a merchant, and took up his abode at ahostelry near Cheapside. Here he remained quietly for some days, and, mixing among the people, learned that in London as elsewhere therapacity of Prince John had rendered him hateful to the people, and thatthey would gladly embrace any opportunity of freeing themselves from hisyoke. He was preparing to leave for France, when the news came to himthat Prince John had summoned all the barons faithful to him to meet himnear London, and had recalled all his mercenaries from different partsof the country, and was gathering a large army; also, that the baronsfaithful to King Richard, alarmed by the prospect, had raised the royalstandard, and that true men were hurrying to their support. Thisentirely destroyed the plans that he had formed. Taking horse again, andavoiding the main road, by which he might meet the hostile barons ontheir way to London, he journeyed down to Nottingham. Thence ridingboldly into the forest, he sought the outlaws, and was not long ere hefound them. At his request he was at once taken before their leader, aman of great renown both for courage and bowmanship, one Robin Hood. This bold outlaw had long held at defiance the sheriff of Nottingham, and had routed him and all bodies of troops who had been sent againsthim. With him Cuthbert found many of his own men; and upon hearing thatthe royal standard had been raised, Robin Hood at once agreed to marchwith all his men to join the royal force. Messengers were dispatched tosummon the rest of the forest band from their hiding-places, and a weeklater Cuthbert, accompanied by Robin Hood and three hundred archers, setout for the rendezvous. When they arrived there they found that SirBaldwin had already joined with his retainers, and was by him mostwarmly received, and introduced to the other barons in the camp, by whomCuthbert was welcomed as a brother. The news that Prince John's army wasapproaching was brought in a fortnight after Cuthbert had joined thecamp, and the army in good order moved out to meet the enemy. 

The forces were about equal. The battle began by a discharge of arrows;but Robin Hood and his men shot so true and fast that they greatlydiscomfited the enemy; and King John's mercenaries having but littlestomach for the fight, and knowing how unpopular they were in England, and that if defeated small mercy was likely to be shown to them, refusedto advance against the ranks of the loyal barons, and falling backdeclined to join in the fray. Seeing their numbers so weakened by thisdefection, the barons on the prince's side hesitated, and surroundingthe prince advised him to make terms with the barons while there was yettime. Prince John saw that the present was not a favorable time for him, and concealing his fury under a mask of courtesy, he at once acceded tothe advice of his followers, and dispatched a messenger to the baronswith an inquiry as to what they wanted of him. A council was held, andit was determined to demand the dismissal of the mercenaries and theirdispatch back to their own country; also that John would govern only ashis brother's representative; that the laws of the country should berespected; that no taxes should be raised without the assent of thebarons; that all men who had taken up arms against his authority shouldbe held free; and that the barons on Prince John's side should returnpeaceably home and disband their forces. Seeing, under thecircumstances, that there was no way before him but to yield to thesedemands, Prince John accepted the terms. The mercenaries were ordered tomarch direct to London, and orders were given that ships should be atonce prepared to take them across to Normandy, and the barons marchedfor their homes. 

Satisfied, now that the mercenaries were gone, that they couldhenceforth hold their ground against Prince John, the royal barons alsobroke up their forces. Robin Hood with his foresters returned toSherwood; and Cuthbert, bidding adieu to Sir Baldwin, rode back toLondon, determined to carry out the plan which he had formed. He was themore strengthened in this resolution, inasmuch as in the royal camp hehad met a friend from whom he parted last in the Holy Land. This wasBlondel, the minstrel of King Richard, whose songs and joyous music hadoften lightened the evening after days of fighting and toil inPalestine. To him Cuthbert confided his intention, and the minstrelinstantly offered to accompany him. 

"I shall, " he said, "be of assistance to you. Minstrels are likeheralds. They are of no nationality, and can pass free where aman-at-arms would be closely watched and hindered. Moreover, it may bethat I might aid you greatly in discovering the prison of the king. Sogreat is the secrecy with which this has been surrounded that I questionif any inquiries you could make would enable you to trace him. My voice, however, can penetrate into places where we cannot enter. I will takewith me my lute, and as we journey I will sing outside the walls of eachprison we come to one of the songs which I sang in Palestine. KingRichard is himself a singer and knows my songs as well as myself. If Ising a verse of some song which I wrote there and which, therefore, would be known only to him, if he hears it he may follow with the nextverse, and so enable us to know of his hiding-place. "

Cuthbert at once saw the advantages which such companionship would bringhim, and joyfully accepted the minstrel's offer, agreeing himself to goas serving man to Blondel. The latter accompanied him to London. Heretheir preparations were soon made, and taking ship in a merchantmanbound for the Netherlands, they started without delay upon theiradventure. 

The minstrels and troubadours were at that time a privileged race inEurope, belonging generally to the south of France, although produced inall lands. They traveled over Europe singing the lays which theythemselves had composed, and were treated with all honor at the castleswhere they chose to alight. It would have been considered as foul a deedto use discourtesy to a minstrel as to insult a herald. Their personswere, indeed, regarded as sacred, and the knights and barons strove togain their good-will by hospitality and presents, as a large proportionof their ballads related to deeds of war; and while they would writelays in honor of those who courteously entertained them, they did nothesitate to heap obloquy upon those who received them discourteously, holding them up to the gibes and scoffs of their fellows. In no way, therefore, would success be so likely to attend the mission of those whoset out to discover the hiding-place of King Richard as under the guiseof a minstrel and his attendant. No questions would be asked them; theycould halt where they would, in castle or town, secure of hospitalityand welcome. Blondel was himself a native of the south of France, singing his songs in the soft language of Languedoc. Cuthbert's NormanFrench would pass muster anywhere as being that of a native of France;and although when dressed as a servitor attention might be attracted byhis bearing, his youth might render it probable that he was of noblefamily, but that he had entered the service of the minstrel in order toqualify himself some day for following that career. He carried a longstaff, a short sword, and at his back the lute or small harp played uponby the troubadour. Blondel's attire was rich, and suitable to a personof high rank. 

They crossed to the Scheldt, and thence traveled by the right bank ofthe Rhine as far as Mannheim, sometimes journeying by boat, sometimes onfoot. They were also hospitably entertained, and were considered to morethan repay their hosts by the songs which Blondel sang. 

At Mannheim they purchased two horses, and then struck east for Vienna. 

The journey was not without danger, for a large portion of this part ofEurope was under no settled government, each petty baron living in hisown castle, and holding but slight allegiance to any feudal lord, makingwar upon his neighbor on his own account, levying blackmail fromtravelers, and perpetually at variance with the burghers of the towns. 

The hills were covered with immense forests, which stretched for manyleagues in all directions, and these were infested by wolves, bears, androbbers. 

The latter, however, although men without pity or religion, yet held thetroubadours in high esteem, and the travelers without fear entered thegloomy shades of the forest. 

They had not gone far when their way was barred by a number of armedmen. 

"I am a minstrel, " Blondel said; "and as such doubt not that yourcourtesy will be extended to me. "

"Of a surety, " the leader said; "the gay science is as much loved andrespected in the greenwood as in the castle; and moreover, the purses ofthose who follow it are too light to offer any temptation to us. Wewould pray you, however, to accompany us to our leader, who willmightily rejoice to see you, for he loves music, and will gladly be yourhost so long as you will stay with him. "

Blondel, without objection, turned his horse's head and accompanied themen, followed by Cuthbert. After half an hour's traveling they came to abuilding which had formerly been a shrine, but which was now convertedto the robbers' headquarters. The robber chief, on hearing from hisfollowers the news that a minstrel had arrived, came forward to meethim, and courteously bade him welcome. 

"I am Sir Adelbert, of Rotherheim, " he said, "although you see me in sopoor a plight. My castle and lands have been taken by my neighbor, withwhom for generations my family have been at feud. I was in the Holy Landwith the emperor, and on my return found that the baron had taken theopportunity of my absence, storming my castle and seizing my lands. Invain I petitioned the emperor to dispossess this traitorous baron of mylands, which by all the laws of Christendom should have been respectedduring my absence. The emperor did indeed send a letter to the baron todeliver them up to me; but his power here is but nominal, and the baroncontemptuously threw the royal proclamation into the fire and told themessenger that what he had taken by the sword he would hold by thesword; and the emperor having weightier matters on hand than to settroops in motion to redress the grievances of a simple knight, gave thematter no further thought. I have therefore been driven to the forest, where I live as best I may with my followers, most of whom wereretainers upon my estate, and some my comrades in the Holy Land. I makewar upon the rich and powerful, and beyond that do harm to no man. But, methinks, " he continued, "I know your face, gentle sir. "

"It may well be so, Sir Adelbert, " the minstrel said, "for I too was inthe Holy Land. I followed the train of King Richard, and mayhap at someof the entertainments given by him you have seen my face. My name isBlondel. "

"I remember now, " the knight said. "It was at Acre that I first saw you, and if I remember rightly you can wield the sword as well as the lute. "

"One cannot always be playing and singing, " Blondel said, "and in lackof amusement I was forced to do my best against the infidel, who indeedwould have but little respected my art had I fallen into his hands. Thefollowers of the prophet hold minstrels but in slight reverence. "

"What is the news of King Richard?" the knight said. "I have heard thathe was lost on the voyage homeward. "

"It is not so, " Blondel said. "He landed safely on the coast, and wasjourneying north with a view of joining his sister at the court ofSaxony, when he was foully seized and imprisoned by the Archduke John. "

"That were gross shame indeed, " the knight said, "and black treachery onthe part of Duke John. And where is the noble king imprisoned?"

"That, " said Blondel, "no man knows. On my journey hither I havegathered that the emperor claimed him from the hand of the archduke, andthat he is imprisoned in one of the royal fortresses, but which I knownot. And indeed, sir knight, since you are well disposed toward him, Imay tell you that the purport of my journey is to discover if I can theplace of his confinement. He was a kind and noble master, and howeverlong my search may be, I will yet obtain news of him. "

The knight warmly applauded the troubadour's resolution, and was turningto lead him into his abode, when his eye fell upon Cuthbert. 

"Methinks I know the face of your attendant as well as your own; thoughwhere I can have seen him I know not. Was he with you in the Holy Land?"

"Yes, " Blondel said, "the youth was also there; and doubtless you mayhave noticed him, for he is indeed of distinguished and of good family. "

"Then let him share our repast, " the knight said, "if it seems good toyou. In these woods there is no rank, and I myself have long dropped myknightly title, and shall not reassume it until I can pay off my scoreto the Baron of Rotherheim, and take my place again in my castle. "

The minstrel and Cuthbert were soon seated at the table with the knightand one or two of his principal companions. A huge venison pasty formedthe staple of the repast, but hares and other small game were also uponthe table. Nor was the generous wine of the country wanting. 

The knight had several times glanced at Cuthbert, and at last exclaimed, "I have it now. This is no attendant, sir minstrel, but that valiantyoung knight who so often rode near King Richard in battle. He is, as Iguess, your companion in this quest; is it not so?"

"It is, " Cuthbert replied frankly. "I am, like yourself, a disinheritedknight, and my history resembles yours. Upon my return to England Ifound another in possession of the land and titles that belonged to thenoble I followed, and which King Richard bestowed upon me. The Earl ofEvesham was doubtless known to you, and before his death King Richard, at his request, bestowed upon me as his adopted son--although but adistant connection--his title and lands and the hand of his daughter. Prince John, who now rules in England, had however granted these thingsto one of his favorites, and he having taken possession of the land andtitle, though not, happily, of the lady, closed his door somewhatroughly in my face. I found means, however, to make my mark upon him;but as our quarrel could not be fought out to the end, and as the falseknight had the aid of Prince John, I am forced for awhile to postponeour settlement, and meeting my good friend the minstrel, agreed to joinhim in his enterprise to discover our lord the king. "

The knight warmly grasped Cuthbert's hand. 

"I am glad, " he said, "to meet so true and valiant a knight. I haveoften wondered at the valor with which you, although so young, boreyourself; and there were tales afloat of strange adventures which youhad undergone in captivity for a time among the infidels. "

At Sir Adelbert's request Cuthbert related the story of his adventuresamong the Saracens; and then Blondel, tuning his lute, sang severalcanzonets which he had composed in the Holy Land, of feats of arms andadventure. 

"How far are you, " Cuthbert asked presently, when Blondel laid his luteaside, "from the estates which were wrongfully wrested from you?"

"But twenty leagues, " the knight said. "My castle was on the Rhine, between Coblentz and Mannheim. "

"Does the baron know that you are so near?" Cuthbert asked. 

"Methinks that he does not, " the knight replied, "but that he deems meto have gone to the court of the emperor to seek for redress--which, heguesses, I shall certainly fail to obtain. "

"How many men have you with you?" Cuthbert asked. 

"Fifty men, all good and true, " the knight said. 

"Has it never entered your thoughts to attempt a surprise upon hiscastle?" Cuthbert said. 

The knight was silent for a minute. 

"At times, " he said at length, "thoughts of so doing have occurred tome; but the castle is strong, and a surprise would be difficult indeed. "

"If the baron is lulled in security at present, " Cuthbert said, "anddeems you afar off, the watch is likely to be relaxed, and with a suddenonslaught you might surely obtain possession. Blondel and myself are notpressed for time, and the delay of a few days can make but littledifference. If, therefore, you think we could be of assistance to you insuch an attempt, my sword, and I am sure that of my friend, would be atyour disposal. "

The knight sat for some time in silence. 

"Thanks, generous knight, " he said at last, "I am sorely tempted toavail myself of your offer; but I fear that the enterprise is hopeless. The aid, however, of your arm and knowledge of war would greatly add tomy chances, and if it pleases you we will ride to-morrow to a pointwhere we can obtain a sight of the baron's castle. When you see it youshall judge yourself how far such an enterprise as you propose ispossible. "

"Is your own castle intact?" Cuthbert asked. 

"The walls are standing, " he said; "but a breach has been made in them, and at present it is wholly deserted. "

"Do you think, " Cuthbert asked, "that if you succeeded in surprising anddefeating the garrison of the castle that you could then regain yourown, and hold it against your enemy?"

"I think that I could, " Sir Adelbert said. "The baron's domains are butlittle larger than my own. Many of my retainers still live upon theestate, and would, I am sure, gladly join me, if I were to raise myflag. The baron, too, is hated by his neighbors, and could I inflict acrushing blow upon him, methinks it would be so long a time before hecould assemble a force, that I might regain my castle and put it in anattitude of defense before he could take the field against me. "

"If, " Cuthbert said, "we could surprise the castle, it might well bethat the baron would fall into your hands, and in that case you might beable to make your own terms with him. How strong a force is he likely tohave in his castle?"

"Some fifty or sixty men, " the knight replied; "for with such a force hecould hold the castle against an attack of ten times their number, andhe could in twelve hours call in his retainers, and raise the garrisonto three hundred or four hundred men. "

Blondel warmly assented to Cuthbert's scheme, and it was settled that atdaybreak they should start to view the Castle of Rotherheim. At earlydawn they were in the saddle, and the three rode all day, until towardsunset they stood on the crest of a hill looking down into the valley ofthe Rhine. 

The present aspect of that valley affords but a slight idea of itsbeauty in those days. The slopes are now clad with vineyards, which, although picturesque in idea, are really, to look at from a distance, nobetter than so many turnip fields. The vines are planted in rows andtrained to short sticks, and as these rows follow the declivities of thehillside, they are run in all directions, and the whole mountain side, from the river far up, is cut up into little patches of green lines. Inthose days the mountains were clad with forests, which descended nearlyto the riverside. Here and there, upon craggy points, were situate thefortalices of the barons. Little villages nestled in the woods, or stoodby the river bank, and a fairer scene could not be witnessed in Europe. 

"That is Rotherheim, " the knight said, pointing to a fortress standingon a crag, which rose high above the woods around it; "and that, " hesaid, pointing to another some four miles away, similarly placed, "is myown. "

Cuthbert examined closely the fortress of Rotherheim. It was a largebuilding, with towers at the angles, and seemed to rise almost abruptlyfrom the edge of the rock. Inside rose the gables and round turrets ofthe dwelling-place of the baron, and the only access was by a steepwinding path on the riverside. 

"It is indeed a strong place, " Cuthbert said, "and difficult to take bysurprise. A watch no doubt is always kept over the entrance, and therewe can hope for no success. The only plan will be to scale the wall bymeans of a ladder; but how the ladder is to be got to so great a height, I own at present passes my comprehension. " After much thought, Cuthbertwent on, "It might, methinks, be practicable for an archer to approachthe walls, and to shoot an arrow over the angle of the castle so that itwould pass inside the turret there, and fall in the forest beyond. If tothis arrow were attached a light cord, it could be gained by one on theother side, and a stronger cord hauled over. To this could be attached arope ladder, and so this could be raised to the top of the wall. If asentinel were anywhere near he might hear the rope pulled across thebattlements; but if, as we may hope, a watch is kept only over theentrance, the operation might be performed without attracting notice. "

The knight was delighted with the project, which seemed perfectlyfeasible, and it was agreed that the attempt should be made. 

"It will need, " Sir Adelbert said, "an archer with a strong arm indeedto shoot an arrow with a cord attached to it, however light, over thecorner of the castle. "

"Methinks, " Cuthbert said, "that I can do that, for as a lad I was usedto the strong bows of my country. The first thing, however, will be toobtain such a bow; but doubtless one can be purchased in one of thetowns, which, if not so strong as those to which I was accustomed, willat any rate suffice for us. "

The party bivouacked in the woods for the night, for the horses hadalready done a very long journey, and needed rest before starting backfor the Black Forest. At daybreak, however, they started, and atnightfall rejoined their band. These were delighted when they heard thescheme that had been set on foot, and all avowed their eagerness to joinin the attempt to restore their lord to his rights. 

Two days later they set out, having already procured from the nearesttown a strong bow, some arrows, a very light rope, and a stronger onefrom a portion of which they manufactured a rope ladder capable ofreaching from the top of the wall to the rock below. The journey thistime occupied two days, as the men on foot were unable to march at thepace at which the mounted party had traversed the ground. The eveningof the second day, however, saw them in sight of the castle. ByCuthbert's advice, Sir Adelbert determined to give them twenty-fourhours of rest, in order that they might have their full strength forundertaking the task before them. During the day Cuthbert, guided by theknight, made his way through the woods to the foot of the rocks on whichthe castle stood. They were extremely steep, but could be mounted byactive men if unopposed from above. Cuthbert measured the height withhis eye from the top of the castle wall to the place which he selectedas most fitting from which to shoot the arrow, and announced to theknight that he thought there would be no difficulty in discharging anarrow over the angle. 

At nightfall the whole party made their way silently through the woods. Three men were sent round to the side of the castle opposite that fromwhich Cuthbert was to shoot. The length of light string was carefullycoiled on the ground, so as to unwind with the greatest facility, and sooffer as little resistance to the flight of the arrow as might be. Then, all being in readiness, Cuthbert attached the end to an arrow, anddrawing the bow to its full compass, let fly the arrow. All held theirbreath; but no sound followed the discharge. They were sure, therefore, that the arrow had not struck the wall, but that it must have passedclear over it. Half an hour elapsed before they felt that the cord waspulled, and knew that the men upon the other side had succeeded infinding the arrow and string attached. The stronger cord was nowfastened to that which the arrow had carried, and this graduallydisappeared in the darkness. A party now stole up the rock, and postedthemselves at the foot of the castle wall. They took with them the coilof rope-ladder and the end of the rope. At length the rope tightened, and to the end they attached the ladder. This again ascended until theend only remained upon the ground, and they knew that it must havereached the top of the wall. They now held fast, and knew that those onthe other side, following the instructions given them, would havefastened the rope to a tree upon the opposite side. They were now joinedby the rest of the party, and Sir Adelbert leading the way, and followedby Cuthbert and Blondel, began cautiously to ascend the rope ladder. 

All this time no sound from the castle proclaimed that their intentionwas suspected, or that any alarm had been given, and in silence theygained the top of the wall. Here they remained quiet until the wholeband were gathered there, and then made their way along until theyreached the stairs leading to the courtyard. These they descended, andthen, raising his war-cry, Sir Adelbert sprang upon the men who, round afire, were sitting by the gate. These were cut down before they couldleap to their feet, and the party then rushed at the entrance to thedwelling-house. The retainers of the castle, aroused by the sudden din, rushed from their sleeping places, but taken completely by surprise, were unable to offer any resistance whatever to the strong force whichhad, as if by magic, taken possession of the castle. The surprise wascomplete, and with scarce a blow struck they found themselves inpossession. The baron himself was seized as he rose from his bed, andhis rage at finding himself in the power of his enemy was so great asfor some time to render him speechless. Sir Adelbert briefly dictated tohim the conditions upon which only he should desist from using his powerto hang him over his own gate. The baron was instantly to issue ordersto all his own retainers and tenantry to lend their aid to those of SirAdelbert in putting the castle of the latter into a state of defense andmending the breach which existed. A sum of money, equal to the revenuesof which he had possessed himself, was to be paid at once, and theknight was to retain possession of Rotherheim and of the baron's personuntil these conditions were all faithfully carried out. The baron had noresource but to assent to these terms, and upon the following dayCuthbert and Blondel departed upon their way, overwhelmed with thanks bySir Adelbert, and confident that he would now be able to regain and holdthe possession of his estate. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

KING RICHARD'S RETURN TO ENGLAND. 

Journeying onward, Blondel and his companion stopped at many castles, and were everywhere hospitably entertained. Arriving at Vienna theylingered for some time, hoping there to be able to obtain someinformation of the whereabouts of King Richard. Blondel in his songsartfully introduced allusions to the captive monarch and to the mourningof all Christendom at the imprisonment of its champion. These allusionswere always well received, and he found that the great bulk of thenobles of the empire were indignant and ashamed at the conduct of theemperor in imprisoning his illustrious rival. The secret of his prisonplace, however, appeared to have been so well kept that no informationwhatever was obtainable. 

"We must carry out our original plan, " he said at length, "and journeyinto the Tyrol. In one of the fortresses there he is most likely to beconfined. "

Leaving the capital they wandered up into the mountains for weeks, visiting one castle after another. It was no easy matter in all cases toget so near to these prisons as to give a hope that their voice might beheard within, or an answer received without. More than once crossbowbolts were shot at them from the walls when they did not obey thesentinel's challenge and move further away. Generally, however, it wasin the daytime that they sang. Wandering carelessly up, they would sitdown within earshot of the castle, open their wallets, and take outprovisions from their store, and then, having eaten and drunk, Blondelwould produce his lute and sing, as if for his own pleasure. It needed, however, four visits to each castle before they could be sure that thecaptive was not there; for the song had to be sung on each side. Sometimes they would cheat themselves with the thought that they heardan answering voice; but it was not until the end of the fourth week, when singing outside the castle of Diernstein, that a full rich voice, when Blondel ceased, sang out the second stanza of the poem. Withdifficulty Blondel and Cuthbert restrained themselves from anextravagant exhibition of joy. They knew, however, that men on theprison wall were watching them as they sat singing, and Blondel, with afinal strain taken from a ballad of a knight who, having discovered thehiding-place of his lady love, prepared to free her from her oppressors, shouldered his lute, and they started on their homeward journey. 

There was no delay now. At times they sang indeed at castles; but onlywhen their store was exhausted, for upon these occasions Blondel wouldbe presented with a handsome goblet or other solid token of the owner'sapproval, and the sale of this at the next city would take them far ontheir way. They thought it better not to pass through France, as Philip, they knew, was on the watch to prevent any news of King Richard reachingEngland. They therefore again passed through Brabant, and so by ship toEngland. 

Hearing that Longchamp, Bishop of Ely, one of Richard's vicegerents, wasover in Normandy, and rightly deeming him the most earnest of hisadherents, they at once recrossed the sea, and found the warlike prelateat Rouen. Greatly delighted was he at hearing that Richard'shiding-place had been discovered. He at once sent across the news toEngland, and ordered it to be published far and wide, and himselfannounced it to the barons of Normandy. Then with a gorgeous retinue, including Cuthbert and Blondel, he started for Vienna, and arrivingthere demanded an interview with the emperor. 

The news that it was now certain that Richard was imprisoned in a castleof the emperor had already spread through Europe, and the bishop hadbeen received everywhere with tokens of sympathy; and so great was thefeeling shown by the counts and barons of the empire that the EmperorHenry felt that he could no longer refuse to treat for the surrender ofhis captive. Therefore he granted the interview which Longchampdemanded. The English envoy was received by the emperor surrounded byhis nobles. The prelate advanced with great dignity. 

"I come, " he said, "in the name of the people of England to demand therestoration of King Richard, most unjustly and unknightly detained aprisoner in his passage through your dominions. "

"King Richard was my foe, " the emperor said, "open and secret, and I wasjustified in detaining one who is alike my enemy and a scourge to Europeas a prisoner, when fortune threw him in my hands. I am, however, willing to put him to a ransom, and will upon the payment of one hundredand fifty thousand marks allow him to go free. "

"I deny your right to detain him or to put him to ransom, " the bishopsaid. "But as you have the power, so my denial is useless. England ispoor, impoverished with war and by the efforts which she made in theservice of our holy religion. Nevertheless, poor as she is, she willraise the sum you demand. There is not an Englishman who will notfurnish all he can afford for the rescue of our king. But once again, inthe presence of your nobles, I denounce your conduct as base andunkingly. "

The emperor could with difficulty restrain his passion; but the sight ofthe somber visages of his nobles showed that they shared in no slightdegree the feelings which the English envoy had so boldly announced. 

"Before, however, " the emperor said, "I surrender King Richard, he mustbe tried by my peers of many and various crimes of which he is accused. Should he be found guilty of these, no gold can purchase his release. Should he, however, be acquitted, then as my word is given so shall itbe. "

"Although, " the prelate said, "I deny your right to try our king, andbelieve that he himself will refuse to accept your jurisdiction, yet Ifear not the result if our lord be left in the hands of the nobles ofthe empire and not in yours. I can trust their honor and courtesy. "

And turning upon his heel, without another word he quitted theapartment. 

An hour later the bishop and his following took horse and rode with allspeed to the north coast, and thence sailed for England. The news of theamount of ransom filled the people with consternation; but preparationswere at once made for collecting the sum demanded. Queen Eleanor wasunceasing in her efforts to raise the money for the release of herfavorite son. The nobles contributed their jewels and silver; the peoplegave contributions of goods, for money was so scarce in England that fewhad the wherewithal to pay in coin. Prince John placed every obstacle inthe way of the collection; but the barons had since their successfulstand obtained the upper hand, and it was by intrigue only that he couldhinder the collection. 

In the meantime, popular opinion throughout Europe was strong upon theside of King Richard. The pope himself wrote to the emperor on hisbehalf. The barons of the empire were indignant at the shame placed upontheir country; and the emperor, although he would fain have thrownfurther delays in the way, was obliged at last to order the first stepto be taken. 

A solemn diet was ordered to assemble at Worms. Here were collected allthe nobles of the empire, and before them King Richard was brought. Itwas a grand assembly. Upon a raised throne on the daïs sat the emperorhimself, and beside him and near him were the great feudatories of theempire, and along the sides of the walls were ranged in long rows thelesser barons. When the doors were opened and King Richard entered, thewhole assembly, save the emperor, rose in respect to the captivemonarch. Although pale from his long confinement, the proud air ofRichard was in no way abated, and the eyes that had flashed sofearlessly upon the Saracens looked as sternly down the long lines ofthe barons of Germany. Of splendid stature and physique, King Richardwas unquestionably the finest man of his time. He was handsome, with afrank face, but with a fierce and passionate eye. He wore his mustachewith a short beard and closely-cut whisker. His short curly hair wascropped closely to his head, upon which he wore a velvet cap with goldcoronet, while a scarlet robe lined with fur fell over his coat of mail, for the emperor had deemed it imprudent to excite the feeling of theassembly in favor of the prisoner by depriving him of the symbols of hisrank. 

King Richard strode to the place prepared for him, and then turning tothe assembly he said, in a voice which rang through the hall:

"Counts and lords of the Empire of Germany, I, Richard, King ofEngland, do deny your right to try me. I am a king, and can only betried by my peers and by the pope, who is the head of Christendom. Imight refuse to plead, refuse to take any part in this assembly, andappeal to the pope, who alone has power to punish kings. But I willwaive my rights. I rely upon the honor and probity of the barons ofGermany. I have done no man wrong, and would appear as fearlessly beforean assembly of peasants as before a gathering of barons. Such faults asI may have, and none are without them, are not such as those with whichI am charged. I have slain many men in anger, but none by treachery. When Richard of England strikes he strikes in the light of day. Heleaves poison and treachery to his enemies, and I hurl back withindignation and scorn in the teeth of him who makes them the chargesbrought against me. "

So saying King Richard took his seat amid a murmur of applause from thecrowded hall. 

The trial then commenced. The accusations against Richard were of manykinds. Chief among them was the murder of Conrad of Montferat; but therewere charges of having brought the Crusade to naught by thwarting thegeneral plans, by his arrogance in refusing to be bound by the decisionof the other leaders, and by having made a peace contrary to theinterests of the Crusaders. The list was a long one; but the evidenceproduced was pitiably weak. Beyond the breath of suspicion, no word ofreal evidence connecting him with the murder of Conrad of Montferat wasadduced, and the other charges were supported by no better evidence. Many of the German barons who had been at the Crusades themselves cameforward to testify to the falsity of these charges, and the fact thatRichard had himself placed Conrad of Montferat upon the throne, and hadno possible interest in his death, was alone more than sufficient tonullify the vague rumors brought against him. Richard himself in a few ascornful words disposed of this accusation. The accusation that he, Richard of England, would stoop to poison a man whom he could havecrushed in an instant was too absurd to be seriously treated. 

"I am sure, " the king said, "that not one person here believes this idletale. That I did not always agree with the other leaders is true; but Icall upon every one here to say whether, had they listened to me andfollowed my advice, the Crusade would not have had another ending. Evenafter Philip of France had withdrawn; even after I had been deserted byJohn of Austria, I led the troops of the Crusaders from every danger andevery difficulty to within sight of the walls of Jerusalem. Had I beensupported with zeal, the holy city would have been ours; but the apathy, the folly, and the weakness of the leaders brought ruin upon the army. They thought not of conquering Jerusalem, but of thwarting me; and Iretort upon them the charge of having sacrificed the success of theCrusade. As to the terms of peace, how were they made? I, with somefifty knights and one thousand followers, alone remained in the HolyLand. Who else, I ask, so circumstanced, could have obtained any termswhatever from Saladin? It was the weight of my arm alone which savedJaffa and Acre, and the line of seacoast, to the Cross. And had Ifollowed the example set me by him of Austria and the Frenchman, not onefoot of the Holy Land would now remain in Christian hands. "

The trial was soon over, and without a single dissentient the King ofEngland was acquitted of all the charges brought against him. But themoney was not yet raised, and King Richard was taken back into theheart of Germany. At length, by prodigious exertions, half the amountclaimed was collected, and upon the solicitations of the pope and of thecounts of his own empire, the emperor consented to release Richard uponreceipt of this sum, and his royal promise that the remainder should bemade up. 

Not as yet, however, were the intrigues at an end. Prince John and KingPhilip alike implored the emperor to retain his captive, and offered tohim a larger sum than the ransom if he would still hold him in hishands. Popular opinion, was, however, too strong. When the news of thesenegotiations became bruited abroad the counts of the empire, filled withindignation, protested against this shame and dishonor being broughtupon the country. The pope threatened him with excommunication; and atlast the emperor, feeling that he would risk his throne did he furtherinsist, was forced to open the prison gates and let the king free. Cuthbert, Blondel, and a few other trusty friends were at hand, andtheir joy at receiving their long-lost sovereign was indeed intense. Horses had been provided in readiness, and without a moment's delay theking started, for even at the last moment it was feared that the emperormight change his mind. This indeed was the case. The king had notstarted many hours, when the arrival of fresh messengers from Philip andJohn induced the emperor once more to change his intentions, and a bodyof men were sent in pursuit of the king. The latter fortunately made nostay on the way, but changing horses frequently--for everywhere he wasreceived with honor and attention--he pushed forward for the coast ofthe North Sea, and arrived there two or three hours only before hisoppressors. Fortunately it was night, and taking a boat he embarkedwithout a moment's delay; and when the emissaries of the emperor arrivedthe boat was already out of sight, and in the darkness pursuit washopeless. 

On landing at Dover, the first to present himself before him was PrinceJohn, who, in the most abject terms besought pardon for the injuries hehad inflicted. King Richard waved him contemptuously aside. 

"Go, " he said, "and may I forget your injuries as speedily as you willforget my pardon. "

Then taking horse, he rode on to London, where he was received with themost lively acclamation by his subjects. 

The first step of King Richard was to dispossess all the minions of Johnfrom the castles and lands which had been taken from his faithfuladherents. Some of these resisted; but their fortresses were speedilystormed. Sir Rudolph was not one of these. Immediately the news of KingRichard's arrival in England reached him, feeling that all was now lost, he rode to the seacoast, took ship, and passed into France, andCuthbert, on his arrival at Evesham, found himself undisputed lord ofthe place. He found that the hiding-place of his mother had not beendiscovered, and, after a short delay to put matters in train, he, attended by a gallant retinue, rode into Wiltshire to the castle of SirBaldwin of Béthune. Here he found the Lady Margaret safe and sound, andmightily pleased to see him. She was now seventeen, and offered noobjections whatever to the commands of King Richard that she should atonce bestow her hand upon the Earl of Evesham. By the king's order, thewedding took place at London, the king himself bestowing the bride uponhis faithful follower, whom we may now leave to the enjoyment of thefortune and wife he had so valiantly won. 

THE END.