Ivanhoe

"She is but changing her head-gear," replied a female attendant, with as

much confidence as the favourite lady's-maid usually answers the master

of a modern family; "you would not wish her to sit down to the banquet

in her hood and kirtle? and no lady within the shire can be quicker in

arraying herself than my mistress."

This undeniable argument produced a sort of acquiescent umph! on the

part of the Saxon, with the addition, "I wish her devotion may choose

fair weather for the next visit to St John's Kirk;--but what, in the

name of ten devils," continued he, turning to the cupbearer, and raising

his voice as if happy to have found a channel into which he might divert

his indignation without fear or control--"what, in the name of ten

devils, keeps Gurth so long afield? I suppose we shall have an evil

account of the herd; he was wont to be a faithful and cautious drudge,

and I had destined him for something better; perchance I might even have

made him one of my warders." [11] Oswald the cupbearer modestly suggested, "that it was scarce an hour

since the tolling of the curfew;" an ill-chosen apology, since it turned

upon a topic so harsh to Saxon ears.

"The foul fiend," exclaimed Cedric, "take the curfew-bell, and the

tyrannical bastard by whom it was devised, and the heartless slave who

names it with a Saxon tongue to a Saxon ear! The curfew!" he added,

pausing, "ay, the curfew; which compels true men to extinguish their

lights, that thieves and robbers may work their deeds in darkness!--Ay,

the curfew;--Reginald Front-de-Boeuf and Philip de Malvoisin know the

use of the curfew as well as William the Bastard himself, or e'er a

Norman adventurer that fought at Hastings. I shall hear, I guess,

that my property has been swept off to save from starving the hungry

banditti, whom they cannot support but by theft and robbery. My faithful

slave is murdered, and my goods are taken for a prey--and Wamba--where

is Wamba? Said not some one he had gone forth with Gurth?"

Oswald replied in the affirmative.

"Ay? why this is better and better! he is carried off too, the Saxon

fool, to serve the Norman lord. Fools are we all indeed that serve them,

and fitter subjects for their scorn and laughter, than if we were born

with but half our wits. But I will be avenged," he added, starting from

his chair in impatience at the supposed injury, and catching hold of his

boar-spear; "I will go with my complaint to the great council; I have

friends, I have followers--man to man will I appeal the Norman to the

lists; let him come in his plate and his mail, and all that can render

cowardice bold; I have sent such a javelin as this through a stronger

fence than three of their war shields!--Haply they think me old; but

they shall find, alone and childless as I am, the blood of Hereward is

in the veins of Cedric.--Ah, Wilfred, Wilfred!" he exclaimed in a lower

tone, "couldst thou have ruled thine unreasonable passion, thy father

had not been left in his age like the solitary oak that throws out

its shattered and unprotected branches against the full sweep of the

tempest!" The reflection seemed to conjure into sadness his irritated

feelings. Replacing his javelin, he resumed his seat, bent his looks

downward, and appeared to be absorbed in melancholy reflection.