It was in vain that Cedric expostulated with his guards, who had too

many good reasons for their silence to be induced to break it either

by his wrath or his expostulations. They continued to hurry him along,

travelling at a very rapid rate, until, at the end of an avenue of huge

trees, arose Torquilstone, now the hoary and ancient castle of Reginald

Front-de-Boeuf. It was a fortress of no great size, consisting of a

donjon, or large and high square tower, surrounded by buildings of

inferior height, which were encircled by an inner court-yard. Around the

exterior wall was a deep moat, supplied with water from a neighbouring

rivulet. Front-de-Boeuf, whose character placed him often at feud with

his enemies, had made considerable additions to the strength of his

castle, by building towers upon the outward wall, so as to flank it at

every angle. The access, as usual in castles of the period, lay through

an arched barbican, or outwork, which was terminated and defended by a

small turret at each corner.

Cedric no sooner saw the turrets of Front-de-Boeuf's castle raise their

grey and moss-grown battlements, glimmering in the morning sun above the

wood by which they were surrounded, than he instantly augured more truly

concerning the cause of his misfortune.

"I did injustice," he said, "to the thieves and outlaws of these woods,

when I supposed such banditti to belong to their bands; I might as

justly have confounded the foxes of these brakes with the ravening

wolves of France. Tell me, dogs--is it my life or my wealth that your

master aims at? Is it too much that two Saxons, myself and the noble

Athelstane, should hold land in the country which was once the patrimony

of our race?--Put us then to death, and complete your tyranny by taking

our lives, as you began with our liberties. If the Saxon Cedric cannot

rescue England, he is willing to die for her. Tell your tyrannical

master, I do only beseech him to dismiss the Lady Rowena in honour and

safety. She is a woman, and he need not dread her; and with us will die

all who dare fight in her cause."

The attendants remained as mute to this address as to the former, and

they now stood before the gate of the castle. De Bracy winded his horn

three times, and the archers and cross-bow men, who had manned the wall

upon seeing their approach, hastened to lower the drawbridge, and admit

them. The prisoners were compelled by their guards to alight, and were

conducted to an apartment where a hasty repast was offered them, of

which none but Athelstane felt any inclination to partake. Neither had

the descendant of the Confessor much time to do justice to the good

cheer placed before them, for their guards gave him and Cedric to

understand that they were to be imprisoned in a chamber apart from

Rowena. Resistance was vain; and they were compelled to follow to a

large room, which, rising on clumsy Saxon pillars, resembled those

refectories and chapter-houses which may be still seen in the most

ancient parts of our most ancient monasteries.




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