Ivanhoe

But the singular appearance of his companion and his attendants,

arrested their attention and excited their wonder, and they could

scarcely attend to the Prior of Jorvaulx' question, when he demanded if

they knew of any place of harbourage in the vicinity; so much were they

surprised at the half monastic, half military appearance of the swarthy

stranger, and at the uncouth dress and arms of his Eastern attendants.

It is probable, too, that the language in which the benediction was

conferred, and the information asked, sounded ungracious, though not

probably unintelligible, in the ears of the Saxon peasants.

"I asked you, my children," said the Prior, raising his voice, and using

the lingua Franca, or mixed language, in which the Norman and Saxon

races conversed with each other, "if there be in this neighbourhood any

good man, who, for the love of God, and devotion to Mother Church,

will give two of her humblest servants, with their train, a night's

hospitality and refreshment?"

This he spoke with a tone of conscious importance, which formed a strong

contrast to the modest terms which he thought it proper to employ.

"Two of the humblest servants of Mother Church!" repeated Wamba to

himself,--but, fool as he was, taking care not to make his observation

audible; "I should like to see her seneschals, her chief butlers, and

other principal domestics!"

After this internal commentary on the Prior's speech, he raised his

eyes, and replied to the question which had been put.

"If the reverend fathers," he said, "loved good cheer and soft lodging,

few miles of riding would carry them to the Priory of Brinxworth, where

their quality could not but secure them the most honourable reception;

or if they preferred spending a penitential evening, they might turn

down yonder wild glade, which would bring them to the hermitage of

Copmanhurst, where a pious anchoret would make them sharers for the

night of the shelter of his roof and the benefit of his prayers."

The Prior shook his head at both proposals.

"Mine honest friend," said he, "if the jangling of thy bells had not

dizzied thine understanding, thou mightst know "Clericus clericum non

decimat"; that is to say, we churchmen do not exhaust each other's

hospitality, but rather require that of the laity, giving them thus

an opportunity to serve God in honouring and relieving his appointed

servants."

"It is true," replied Wamba, "that I, being but an ass, am,

nevertheless, honoured to hear the bells as well as your reverence's

mule; notwithstanding, I did conceive that the charity of Mother Church

and her servants might be said, with other charity, to begin at home."