Ivanhoe

Prince John had proceeded thus far, and was about to give the signal for

retiring from the lists, when a small billet was put into his hand.

"From whence?" said Prince John, looking at the person by whom it was

delivered.

"From foreign parts, my lord, but from whence I know not" replied his

attendant. "A Frenchman brought it hither, who said, he had ridden night

and day to put it into the hands of your highness."

The Prince looked narrowly at the superscription, and then at the

seal, placed so as to secure the flex-silk with which the billet was

surrounded, and which bore the impression of three fleurs-de-lis.

John then opened the billet with apparent agitation, which visibly and

greatly increased when he had perused the contents, which were expressed

in these words: "Take heed to yourself for the Devil is unchained!"

The Prince turned as pale as death, looked first on the earth, and

then up to heaven, like a man who has received news that sentence of

execution has been passed upon him. Recovering from the first effects of

his surprise, he took Waldemar Fitzurse and De Bracy aside, and put

the billet into their hands successively. "It means," he added, in a

faltering voice, "that my brother Richard has obtained his freedom."

"This may be a false alarm, or a forged letter," said De Bracy.

"It is France's own hand and seal," replied Prince John.

"It is time, then," said Fitzurse, "to draw our party to a head, either

at York, or some other centrical place. A few days later, and it will be

indeed too late. Your highness must break short this present mummery."

"The yeomen and commons," said De Bracy, "must not be dismissed

discontented, for lack of their share in the sports."

"The day," said Waldemar, "is not yet very far spent--let the archers

shoot a few rounds at the target, and the prize be adjudged. This will

be an abundant fulfilment of the Prince's promises, so far as this herd

of Saxon serfs is concerned."

"I thank thee, Waldemar," said the Prince; "thou remindest me, too, that

I have a debt to pay to that insolent peasant who yesterday insulted our

person. Our banquet also shall go forward to-night as we proposed. Were

this my last hour of power, it should be an hour sacred to revenge and

to pleasure--let new cares come with to-morrow's new day."

The sound of the trumpets soon recalled those spectators who had already

begun to leave the field; and proclamation was made that Prince John,

suddenly called by high and peremptory public duties, held himself

obliged to discontinue the entertainments of to-morrow's festival:

Nevertheless, that, unwilling so many good yeoman should depart without

a trial of skill, he was pleased to appoint them, before leaving the

ground, presently to execute the competition of archery intended for

the morrow. To the best archer a prize was to be awarded, being a

bugle-horn, mounted with silver, and a silken baldric richly ornamented

with a medallion of St Hubert, the patron of silvan sport.