ammyowndiocesan，andcareaslittlefortheBishopofYorkasIdofortheAbbotofJorvaulx，thePrior，andalltheconvent。’’
　　``Thouartutterlyirregular，’’saidthePrior；
　　``oneofthosedisorderlymen，who，takingonthemthesacredcharacterwithoutduecause，profanetheholyrites，andendangerthesoulsofthosewhotakecounselattheirhands；_lapidespropanecondonantesiis_，givingthemstonesinsteadofbreadastheVulgatehathit。’’
　　``Nay，’’saidtheFriar，``anmybrain-pancouldhavebeenbrokenbyLatin，ithadnotheldsolongtogether——Isay，thateasingaworldofsuchmisproudpriestsasthouartoftheirjewelsandtheirgimcracks，isalawfulspoilingoftheEgyptians。’’
　　``Thoube’stahedge-priest，’’*saidthePrior，in*NoteH。Hedge-Priests。
　　greatwrath，``_excommuicabovos_。’’
　　``Thoubestthyselfmorelikeathiefandaheretic，’’
　　saidtheFriar，equallyindignant；``Iwillpouchupnosuchaffrontbeforemyparishioners，asthouthinkestitnotshametoputuponme，althoughIbeareverendbrothertothee。_Ossaenisperfringam_，Iwillbreakyourbones，astheVulgatehathit。’’
　　``Hola！’’criedtheCaptain，``comethereverendbrethrentosuchterms?——Keepthineassuranceofpeace，Friar——Prior，anthouhastnotmadethypeaceperfectwithGod，provoketheFriarnofurther——
　　Hermit，letthereverendfatherdepartinpeace，asaransomedman。’’
　　Theyeomenseparatedtheincensedpriests，whocontinuedtoraisetheirvoices，vituperatingeachotherinbadLatin，whichthePriordeliveredthemorefluently，andtheHermitwiththegreatervehemence。ThePrioratlengthrecollectedhimselfsufficientlytobeawarethathewascompromisinghisdignity，bysquabblingwithsuchahedge-priestastheOutlaw’schaplain，andbeingjoinedbyhisattendants，rodeoffwithconsiderablylesspomp，andinamuchmoreapostolicalcondition，sofarasworldlymatterswereconcerned，thanhehadexhibitedbeforethisrencounter。
　　ItremainedthattheJewshouldproducesomesecurityfortheransomwhichhewastopayonthePrior’saccount，aswellasuponhisown。Hegave，accordingly，anordersealedwithhissignet，toabrotherofhistribeatYork，requiringhimtopaytothebearerthesumofathousandcrowns，andtodelivercertainmerchandisesspecifiedinthenote。
　　``MybrotherSheva，’’hesaid，groaningdeeply，``haththekeyofmywarehouses。’’
　　``Andofthevaultedchamber，’’whisperedLocksley。
　　``No，no——mayHeavenforefend！’’saidIsaac；
　　``evilisthehourthatletanyonewhomsoeverintothatsecret！’’
　　``Itissafewithme，’’saidtheOutlaw，``sobethatthisthyscrollproducethesumthereinnominatedandsetdown——Butwhatnow，Isaac?
　　artdead?artstupefied?haththepaymentofathousandcrownsputthydaughter’speriloutofthymind?’’
　　TheJewstartedtohisfeet——``No，Diccon，no——Iwillpresentlysetforth——Farewell，thouwhomImaynotcallgood，anddarenotandwillnotcallevil。’’
　　YetereIsaacdeparted，theOutlawChiefbestowedonhimthispartingadvice：——``Beliberalofthineoffers，Isaac，andsparenotthypurseforthydaughter’ssafety。Creditme，thatthegoldthoushaltspareinhercause，willhereaftergivetheeasmuchagonyasifitwerepouredmoltendownthythroat。’’
　　Isaacacquiescedwithadeepgroan，andsetforthonhisjourney，accompaniedbytwotallforesters，whoweretobehisguides，andatthesametimehisguards，throughthewood。
　　TheBlackKnight，whohadseenwithnosmallinterestthesevariousproceedings，nowtookhisleaveoftheOutlawinturn；norcouldheavoidexpressinghissurpriseathavingwitnessedsomuchofcivilpolicyamongstpersonscastoutfromalltheordinaryprotectionandinfluenceofthelaws。
　　``Goodfruit，SirKnight，’’saidtheyeoman，``willsometimesgrowonasorrytree；andeviltimesarenotalwaysproductiveofevilaloneandunmixed。Amongstthosewhoaredrawnintothislawlessstate，thereare，doubtless，numberswhowishtoexerciseitslicensewithsomemoderation，andsomewhoregret，itmaybe，thattheyareobligedtofollowsuchatradeatall。’’
　　``Andtooneofthose，’’saidtheKnight，``Iamnow，Ipresume，speaking?’’
　　``SirKnight，’’saidtheOutlaw，``wehaveeachoursecret。Youarewelcometoformyourjudgmentofme，andImayusemyconjecturestouchingyou，thoughneitherofourshaftsmayhitthemarktheyareshotat。ButasIdonotpraytobeadmittedintoyourmystery，benotoffendedthatI
　　preservemyown。’’
　　``Icravepardon，braveOutlaw，’’saidtheKnight，``yourreproofisjust。Butitmaybeweshallmeethereafterwithlessofconcealmentoneitherside——
　　Meanwhilewepartfriends，dowenot?’’
　　``Thereismyhanduponit，’’saidLocksley；
　　``andIwillcallitthehandofatrueEnglishman，thoughanoutlawforthepresent。’’
　　``Andthereismineinreturn，’’saidtheKnight，``andIholdithonouredbybeingclaspedwithyours。Forhethatdoesgood，havingtheunlimitedpowertodoevil，deservespraisenotonlyforthegoodwhichheperforms，butfortheevilwhichheforbears。Faretheewell，gallantOutlaw！’’
　　Thuspartedthatfairfellowship；andHeoftheFetterlock，mountinguponhisstrongwar-horse，rodeoffthroughtheforest。
　　CHAPTERXXXIV
　　_KingJohn_。I’lltelltheewhat，myfriend，Heisaveryserpentinmyway；
　　Andwheresoe’erthisfootofminedothtread，Heliesbeforeme——Dostthouunderstandme?
　　_KingJohn。_
　　TherewasbravefeastingintheCastleofYork，towhichPrinceJohnhadinvitedthosenobles，prelates，andleaders，bywhoseassistancehehopedtocarrythroughhisambitiousprojectsuponhisbrother’sthrone。
　　WaldemarFitzurse，hisableandpoliticagent，wasatsecretworkamongthem，temperingalltothatpitchofcouragewhichwasnecessaryinmakinganopendeclarationoftheirpurpose。
　　Buttheirenterprisewasdelayedbytheabsenceofmorethanonemainlimboftheconfederacy。
　　Thestubbornanddaring，thoughbrutalcourageofFront-de-Buf；thebuoyantspiritsandboldbearingofDeBracy；thesagacity，martialexperience，andrenownedvalourofBriandeBois-Guilbert，wereimportanttothesuccessoftheirconspiracy；and，whilecursinginsecrettheirunnecessaryandunmeaningabsence，neitherJohnnorhisadviserdaredtoproceedwithoutthem。
　　IsaactheJewalsoseemedtohavevanished，andwithhimthehopeofcertainsumsofmoney，makingupthesubsidyforwhichPrinceJohnhadcontractedwiththatIsraeliteandhisbrethren。Thisdeficiencywaslikelytoproveperilousinanemergencysocritical。
　　ItwasonthemorningafterthefallofTorquilstone，thataconfusedreportbegantospreadabroadinthecityofYork，thatDeBracyandBois-Guilbert，withtheirconfederateFront-de-Buf，hadbeentakenorslain。WaldemarbroughttherumourtoPrinceJohn，announcing，thathefeareditstruththemorethattheyhadsetoutwithasmallattendance，forthepurposeofcommittinganassaultontheSaxonCedricandhisattendants。
　　AtanothertimethePrincewouldhavetreatedthisdeedofviolenceasagoodjest；butnow，thatitinterferedwithandimpededhisownplans，heexclaimedagainsttheperpetrators，andspokeofthebrokenlaws，andtheinfringementofpublicorderandofprivateproperty，inatonewhichmighthavebecomeKingAlfred。
　　``Theunprincipledmarauders，’’hesaid——``wereIevertobecomemonarchofEngland，Iwouldhangsuchtransgressorsoverthedrawbridgesoftheirowncastles。’’
　　``ButtobecomemonarchofEngland，’’saidhisAhithophelcoolly，``itisnecessarynotonlythatyourGraceshouldendurethetransgressionsoftheseunprincipledmarauders，butthatyoushouldaffordthemyourprotection，notwithstandingyourlaudablezealforthelawstheyareinthehabitofinfringing。
　　Weshallbefinelyhelped，ifthechurlSaxonsshouldhaverealizedyourGrace’svision，ofconvertingfeudaldrawbridgesintogibbets；andyonderbold-spiritedCedricseemethonetowhomsuchanimaginationmightoccur。YourGraceiswellaware，itwillbedangeroustostirwithoutFront-de-Buf，DeBracy，andtheTemplar；andyetwehavegonetoofartorecedewithsafety。’’
　　PrinceJohnstruckhisforeheadwithimpatience，andthenbegantostrideupanddowntheapartment。
　　``Thevillains，’’hesaid，``thebasetreacherousvillains，todesertmeatthispinch！’’
　　``Nay，sayratherthefeather-patedgiddymadmen，’’
　　saidWaldemar，``whomustbetoyingwithfollieswhensuchbusinesswasinhand。’’
　　``Whatistobedone?’’saidthePrince，stoppingshortbeforeWaldemar。
　　``Iknownothingwhichcanbedone，’’answeredhiscounsellor，``savethatwhichIhavealreadytakenorderfor——IcamenottobewailthisevilchancewithyourGrace，untilIhaddonemybesttoremedyit。’’
　　``Thouartevermybetterangel，Waldemar，’’