and，settingspurstohishorse，hecausedhimmakeademivolteacrossthepath，raisingatthesametimetheridingrodwhichheheldinhishand，withapurposeofchastisingwhatheconsideredastheinsolenceofthepeasant。
　　Gurthdartedathimasavageandrevengefulscowl，andwithafierce，yethesitatingmotion，laidhishandonthehaftofhisknife；buttheinterferenceofPriorAymer，whopushedhismulebetwixthiscompanionandtheswineherd，preventedthemeditatedviolence。
　　``Nay，byStMary，brotherBrian，youmustnotthinkyouarenowinPalestine，predominatingoverheathenTurksandinfidelSaracens；weislanderslovenotblows，savethoseofholyChurch，whochastenethwhomsheloveth——Tellme，goodfellow，’’
　　saidhetoWamba，andsecondedhisspeechbyasmallpieceofsilvercoin，``thewaytoCedrictheSaxon’s；youcannotbeignorantofit，anditisyourdutytodirectthewandererevenwhenhischaracterislesssanctifiedthanours。’’
　　``Intruth，venerablefather，’’answeredtheJester，``theSaracenheadofyourrightreverendcompanionhasfrightenedoutofminethewayhome——I
　　amnotsureIshallgetthereto-nightmyself。’’
　　``Tush，’’saidtheAbbot，``thoucansttellusifthouwilt。ThisreverendbrotherhasbeenallhislifeengagedinfightingamongtheSaracensfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre；heisoftheorderofKnightsTemplars，whomyoumayhaveheardof；heishalfamonk，halfasoldier。’’
　　``Ifheisbuthalfamonk，’’saidtheJester，``heshouldnotbewhollyunreasonablewiththosewhomhemeetsupontheroad，eveniftheyshouldbeinnohurrytoanswerquestionsthatnowayconcernthem。’’
　　``Iforgivethywit，’’repliedtheAbbot，``onconditionthouwiltshowmethewaytoCedric’smansion。’’
　　``Well，then，’’answeredWamba，``yourreverencesmustholdonthispathtillyoucometoasunkencross，ofwhichscarceacubit’slengthremainsaboveground；thentakethepathtotheleft，fortherearefourwhichmeetatSunkenCross，andItrustyourreverenceswillobtainshelterbeforethestormcomeson。’’
　　TheAbbotthankedhissageadviser；andthecavalcade，settingspurstotheirhorses，rodeonasmendowhowishtoreachtheirinnbeforetheburstingofanight-storm。Astheirhorses’hoofsdiedaway，Gurthsaidtohiscompanion，``Iftheyfollowthywisedirection，thereverendfatherswillhardlyreachRotherwoodthisnight。’’
　　``No，’’saidtheJester，grinning，``buttheymayreachSheffieldiftheyhavegoodluck，andthatisasfitaplaceforthem。Iamnotsobadawoodsmanastoshowthedogwherethedeerlies，ifI
　　havenomindheshouldchasehim。’’
　　``Thouartright，’’saidGurth；``itwereillthatAymersawtheLadyRowena；anditwereworse，itmaybe，forCedrictoquarrel，asismostlikelyhewould，withthismilitarymonk。But，likegoodservantsletushearandsee，andsaynothing。’’
　　Wereturntotheriders，whohadsoonleftthebondsmenfarbehindthem，andwhomaintainedthefollowingconversationintheNorman-Frenchlanguage，usuallyemployedbythesuperiorclasses，withtheexceptionofthefewwhowerestillinclinedtoboasttheirSaxondescent。
　　``Whatmeanthesefellowsbytheircapriciousinsolence?’’saidtheTemplartotheBenedictine，``andwhydidyoupreventmefromchastisingit?’’
　　``Marry，brotherBrian，’’repliedthePrior，``touchingtheoneofthem，itwerehardformetorenderareasonforafoolspeakingaccordingtohisfolly；andtheotherchurlisofthatsavage，fierce，intractablerace，someofwhom，asIhaveoftentoldyou，arestilltobefoundamongthedescendantsoftheconqueredSaxons，andwhosesupremepleasureitistotestify，byallmeansintheirpower，theiraversiontotheirconquerors。’’
　　``Iwouldsoonhavebeathimintocourtesy，’’
　　observedBrian；``Iamaccustomedtodealwithsuchspirits：OurTurkishyoushallsoonbejudge；andifthepurityofhercomplexion，andthemajestic，yetsoftexpressionofamildblueeye，donotchasefromyourmemorytheblack-tressedgirlsofPalestine，ay，orthehourisofoldMahound’sparadise，Iamaninfidel，andnotruesonofthechurch。’’
　　``Shouldyourboastedbeauty，’’saidtheTemplar，``beweighedinthebalanceandfoundwanting，youknowourwager?’’
　　``Mygoldcollar，’’answeredthePrior，``againsttenbutsofChianwine；——theyaremineassecurelyasiftheywerealreadyintheconventvaults，underthekeyofoldDennisthecellarer。’’
　　``AndIammyselftobejudge，’’saidtheTemplar，``andamonlytobeconvictedonmyownadmission，thatIhaveseennomaidensobeautifulsincePentecostwasatwelvemonth。Ranitnotso?——Prior，yourcollarisindanger；IwillwearitovermygorgetinthelistsofAshby-de-la-Zouche。’’
　　``Winitfairly，’’saidthePrior，``andwearitasyewill；Iwilltrustyourgivingtrueresponse，onyourwordasaknightandasachurchman。
　　Yet，brother，takemyadvice，andfileyourtonguetoalittlemorecourtesythanyourhabitsofpredominatingoverinfidelcaptivesandEasternbondsmenhaveaccustomedyou。CedrictheSaxon，ifoffended，——andheisnowayslackintakingoffence，——isamanwho，withoutrespecttoyourknighthood，myhighoffice，orthesanctityofeither，wouldclearhishouseofus，andsendustolodgewiththelarks，thoughthehourweremidnight。
　　AndbecarefulhowyoulookonRowena，whomhecherisheswiththemostjealouscare；anhetaketheleastalarminthatquarterwearebutlostmen。
　　Itissaidhebanishedhisonlysonfromhisfamilyforliftinghiseyesinthewayofaffectiontowardsthisbeauty，whomaybeworshipped，itseems，atadistance，butisnottobeapproachedwithotherthoughtsthansuchaswebringtotheshrineoftheBlessedVirgin。’’
　　``Well，youhavesaidenough，’’answeredtheTemplar；``Iwillforanightputontheneedfulrestraint，anddeportmeasmeeklyasamaiden；
　　butasforthefearofhisexpellingusbyviolence，myselfandsquires，withHametandAbdalla，willwarrantyouagainstthatdisgrace。Doubtnotthatweshallbestrongenoughtomakegoodourquarters。’’
　　``Wemustnotletitcomesofar，’’answeredthePrior；``buthereistheclown’ssunkencross，andthenightissodarkthatwecanhardlyseewhichoftheroadswearetofollow。Hebidusturn，I
　　thinktotheleft。’’
　　``Totheright，’’saidBrian，``tothebestofmyremembrance。’’
　　``Totheleft，certainly，theleft；Irememberhispointingwithhiswoodensword。’’
　　``Ay，butheheldhisswordinhislefthand，andsopointedacrosshisbodywithit，’’saidtheTemplar。
　　Eachmaintainedhisopinionwithsufficientobstinacy，asisusualinallsuchcases；theattendantswereappealedto，buttheyhadnotbeennearenoughtohearWamba’sdirections。AtlengthBrianremarked，whathadatfirstescapedhiminthetwilight；``Hereissomeoneeitherasleep，orlyingdeadatthefootofthiscross——Hugo，stirhimwiththebut-endofthylance。’’
　　Thiswasnosoonerdonethanthefigurearose，exclaimingingoodFrench，``Whosoeverthouart，itisdiscourteousinyoutodisturbmythoughts。’’
　　``Wedidbutwishtoaskyou，’’saidthePrior，``theroadtoRotherwood，theabodeofCedrictheSaxon。’’
　　``Imyselfamboundthither，’’repliedthestranger；
　　``andifIhadahorse，Iwouldbeyourguide，forthewayissomewhatintricate，thoughperfectlywellknowntome。’’
　　``Thoushalthaveboththanksandreward，myfriend，’’saidthePrior，``ifthouwiltbringustoCedric’sinsafety。’’
　　Andhecausedoneofhisattendantstomounthisownledhorse，andgivethatuponwhichhehadhithertoriddentothestranger，whowastoserveforaguide。
　　TheirconductorpursuedanoppositeroadfromthatwhichWambahadrecommended，forthepurposeofmisleadingthem。Thepathsoonleddeeperintothewoodland，andcrossedmorethanonebrook，theapproachtowhichwasrenderedperilousbythemarshesthroughwhichitflowed；butthestrangerseemedtoknow，asifbyinstinct，thesoundestgroundandthesafestpointsofpassage；andbydintofcautionandattention，broughtthepartysafelyintoawilderavenuethananytheyhadyetseen；and，pointingtoalargelowirregularbuildingattheupperextremity，hesaidtothePrior，``YonderisRotherwood，thedwellingofCedrictheSaxon。’’
　　ThiswasajoyfulintimationtoAymer，whosenerveswerenoneofthestrongest，andwhohadsufferedsuchagitationandalarminthecourseofpassingthroughthedangerousbogs，thathehadnotyethadthecuriositytoaskhisguideasinglequestion。Findinghimselfnowathiseaseandnearshelter，hiscuriositybegantoawake，andhedemandedoftheguidewhoandwhathewas。
　　``APalmer，justreturnedfromtheHolyLand，’’
　　wastheanswer。
　　``YouhadbetterhavetarriedtheretofightfortherecoveryoftheHolySepulchre，’’saidtheTemplar。
　　``True，ReverendSirKnight，’’answeredthePalmer，towhomtheappearanceoftheTemplarseemedperfectlyfamiliar；``butwhenthosewhoareunderoathtorecovertheholycity，arefoundtravellingatsuchadistancefromthesceneoftheirduties，canyouwonderthatapeacefulpeasantlikemeshoulddeclinethetaskwhichtheyhaveabandoned?’’
　　TheTemplarwouldhavemadeanangryreply，butwasinterruptedbythePrior，whoagainexpressedhisastonishment，thattheirguide，aftersuchlongabsence，shouldbesoperfectlyacquaintedwiththepassesoftheforest。
　　``Iwasbornanativeoftheseparts，’’answeredtheirguide，andashemadethereplytheystoodbeforethemansionofCedric；——alowirregularbuilding，containingseveralcourt-yardsorenclosures，extendingoveraconsiderablespaceofground，andwhich，thoughitssizearguedtheinhabitanttobeapersonofwealth，differedentirelyfromthetall，turretted，andcastellatedbuildingsinwhichtheNormannobilityresided，andwhichhadbecometheuniversalstyleofarchitecturethroughoutEngland。
　　Rotherwoodwasnot，however，withoutdefences；
　　nohabitation，inthatdisturbedperiod，couldhavebeenso，withouttheriskofbeingplunderedandburntbeforethenextmorning。Adeepfosse，orditch，wasdrawnroundthewholebuilding，andfilledwithwaterfromaneighbouringstream。A
　　doublestockade，orpalisade，composedofpointedbeams，whichtheadjacentforestsupplied，defendedtheouterandinnerbankofthetrench。Therewasanentrancefromthewestthroughtheouterstockade，whichcommunicatedbyadrawbridge，withasimilaropeningintheinteriordefences。
　　Someprecautionshadbeentakentoplacethoseentrancesundertheprotectionofprojectingangles，bywhichtheymightbeflankedincaseofneedbyarchersorslingers。
　　BeforethisentrancetheTemplarwoundhishornloudly；fortherain，whichhadlongthreatened，begannowtodescendwithgreatviolence。
　　CHAPTERIII