Let not thy foolishness hold thee up to the derision of others, and expose thee to mine own scorn!" "I may not understand thee, mother," answered the dwarf, with a look, in which confusion was depicted. "Assuredly I cannot have done wrong in taking part with a defenceless woman, and that too when she was hard bestead. Shall it be said that in England there were strong arms which hung listless, and refused to strike when a lady needed their assistance, and she too the friend of the oppressed Saxons! Beautiful she is," added the dwarf, with a sigh; "but were she as unsightly as myself I would strike a blow in her behalf-her lovely looks are as holy to Druth, as the benignant smile which hangs upon the face of the Blessed Virgin." "May they be no more!" replied Elwerwolf; "but I pardon thee, for even the cold glance of the haughty Cardinal Langton brightened, as he passed her in the court-yard of the priory." "Let us begone," said Elfrida, "for I would not that the lady should appeal to the daughter of a Saxon for succour, and find her request slighted. Thou, Druth, wilt accompany me to the haunts of the outlaws? No English maiden ever yet craved help from their hands, and was refused;" saying which, she left the apartment, followed by Royston Gower and the dwarf. Where may she wander now, whither betake her, Or 'gainst the rugged bark of some broad elm Or while we speak, within the direful grasp MILTON. OUR story again carries us back a few pages, to where the palfrey on which Edith was mounted, took flight beside the forest brook, and bore the lady with a fearful and almost breathless speed, into the depths of the thicket. It will be readily supposed, that the screams which reached De Lacy's ears, in the early part of his pursuit, came not from his fair kinswoman, but were raised by those, whose object it was to allure him far from the path which her steed had taken. It appeared to Edith that her palfrey had started of its own accord, as there was no sudden sound or motion to raise an alarm; but she saw not an horseman dismount in the distance, and approaching as stealthily as a serpent, plunge the point of a sharp instrument into the side of the noble animal, then again throw himself down among the mingled fern and bracken. Fast and furious was the beautiful maiden borne along, under the gloomy canopy of overhanging branches; and the speed of her horse was greatly accelerated by the shouts of those who were attempting to overtake her, and who had hovered all day in the rear of the chase to accomplish her capture. With fiery eye, dilated nostrils, and limbs stretched as if upon a rack, his tail and mane streaming out like unfolded banners on the blast, away sped the spirited yet half-affrighted courser, with a rapidity which seemed to increase as he went ; while the silken ringlets, and floating drapery of Edith, formed a beautiful contrast beside the long lines of green foliage by which she so swiftly shot. One horseman only, out of at least a score who followed at full speed, was enabled to gain ground on her fleet-footed courser. From the appearance of the rider there was no doubt of his being the leader of the party, as his splendid hunting-dress bespoke him a noble; he wore a vizard, which completely covered his face. Scarcely had the horseman succeeded in overtaking the lady, and by a sudden and cautious manœuvre grasped the reins of her palfrey, which put so abrupt a check upon its speed, as would have thrown the fair Edith from her saddle, had he not caught her with one arm-when all at once he was aroused by a loud shout from the thicket, from which a band of archers issued. Those who followed were not, however, to be deterred by a flight of arrows, but were speedily by the side of their leader, whose skill in guiding the lady's steed with one hand, and keeping at bay three or four of the foremost outlaws with the point of his sword, might have called forth praise, had it |