"To the left, certainly, the left; I remember his pointing with his

wooden sword."

"Ay, but he held his sword in his left hand, and so pointed across his

body with it," said the Templar.

Each maintained his opinion with sufficient obstinacy, as is usual in

all such cases; the attendants were appealed to, but they had not been

near enough to hear Wamba's directions. At length Brian remarked, what

had at first escaped him in the twilight; "Here is some one either

asleep, or lying dead at the foot of this cross--Hugo, stir him with the

butt-end of thy lance."

This was no sooner done than the figure arose, exclaiming in good

French, "Whosoever thou art, it is discourteous in you to disturb my

thoughts."

"We did but wish to ask you," said the Prior, "the road to Rotherwood,

the abode of Cedric the Saxon."

"I myself am bound thither," replied the stranger; "and if I had a

horse, I would be your guide, for the way is somewhat intricate, though

perfectly well known to me."

"Thou shalt have both thanks and reward, my friend," said the Prior, "if

thou wilt bring us to Cedric's in safety."

And he caused one of his attendants to mount his own led horse, and give

that upon which he had hitherto ridden to the stranger, who was to serve

for a guide.

Their conductor pursued an opposite road from that which Wamba had

recommended, for the purpose of misleading them. The path soon led

deeper into the woodland, and crossed more than one brook, the approach

to which was rendered perilous by the marshes through which it flowed;

but the stranger seemed to know, as if by instinct, the soundest ground

and the safest points of passage; and by dint of caution and attention,

brought the party safely into a wilder avenue than any they had yet

seen; and, pointing to a large low irregular building at the upper

extremity, he said to the Prior, "Yonder is Rotherwood, the dwelling of

Cedric the Saxon."

This was a joyful intimation to Aymer, whose nerves were none of the

strongest, and who had suffered such agitation and alarm in the course

of passing through the dangerous bogs, that he had not yet had the

curiosity to ask his guide a single question. Finding himself now at his

ease and near shelter, his curiosity began to awake, and he demanded of

the guide who and what he was.

"A Palmer, just returned from the Holy Land," was the answer.




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