Nevertheless, Cedric, whose opinions of women's constancy was far from

strong, persisted in using every means in his power to bring about the

proposed match, in which he conceived he was rendering an important

service to the Saxon cause. The sudden and romantic appearance of his

son in the lists at Ashby, he had justly regarded as almost a death's

blow to his hopes. His paternal affection, it is true, had for an

instant gained the victory over pride and patriotism; but both had

returned in full force, and under their joint operation, he was now bent

upon making a determined effort for the union of Athelstane and Rowena,

together with expediting those other measures which seemed necessary to

forward the restoration of Saxon independence.

On this last subject, he was now labouring with Athelstane, not without

having reason, every now and then, to lament, like Hotspur, that he

should have moved such a dish of skimmed milk to so honourable an

action. Athelstane, it is true, was vain enough, and loved to have

his ears tickled with tales of his high descent, and of his right

by inheritance to homage and sovereignty. But his petty vanity was

sufficiently gratified by receiving this homage at the hands of his

immediate attendants, and of the Saxons who approached him. If he had

the courage to encounter danger, he at least hated the trouble of going

to seek it; and while he agreed in the general principles laid down by

Cedric concerning the claim of the Saxons to independence, and was still

more easily convinced of his own title to reign over them when that

independence should be attained, yet when the means of asserting these

rights came to be discussed, he was still "Athelstane the Unready,"

slow, irresolute, procrastinating, and unenterprising. The warm and

impassioned exhortations of Cedric had as little effect upon his

impassive temper, as red-hot balls alighting in the water, which produce

a little sound and smoke, and are instantly extinguished.

If, leaving this task, which might be compared to spurring a tired jade,

or to hammering upon cold iron, Cedric fell back to his ward Rowena, he

received little more satisfaction from conferring with her. For, as his

presence interrupted the discourse between the lady and her favourite

attendant upon the gallantry and fate of Wilfred, Elgitha failed not to

revenge both her mistress and herself, by recurring to the overthrow of

Athelstane in the lists, the most disagreeable subject which could greet

the ears of Cedric. To this sturdy Saxon, therefore, the day's journey

was fraught with all manner of displeasure and discomfort; so that

he more than once internally cursed the tournament, and him who had

proclaimed it, together with his own folly in ever thinking of going

thither.




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