"That will I do blithely," replied the Pilgrim, "and without guerdon; my

oath, for a time, prohibits me from touching gold."

"I will wear the bracelet for you, if you will, friend Palmer," said

Wamba.

"The first in honour as in arms, in renown as in place," said the

Pilgrim, "was the brave Richard, King of England."

"I forgive him," said Cedric; "I forgive him his descent from the tyrant

Duke William."

"The Earl of Leicester was the second," continued the Pilgrim; "Sir

Thomas Multon of Gilsland was the third."

"Of Saxon descent, he at least," said Cedric, with exultation.

"Sir Foulk Doilly the fourth," proceeded the Pilgrim.

"Saxon also, at least by the mother's side," continued Cedric, who

listened with the utmost eagerness, and forgot, in part at least, his

hatred to the Normans, in the common triumph of the King of England and

his islanders. "And who was the fifth?" he demanded.

"The fifth was Sir Edwin Turneham."

"Genuine Saxon, by the soul of Hengist!" shouted Cedric--"And the

sixth?" he continued with eagerness--"how name you the sixth?"

"The sixth," said the Palmer, after a pause, in which he seemed to

recollect himself, "was a young knight of lesser renown and lower rank,

assumed into that honourable company, less to aid their enterprise than

to make up their number--his name dwells not in my memory."

"Sir Palmer," said Sir Brian de Bois-Guilbert scornfully, "this assumed

forgetfulness, after so much has been remembered, comes too late to

serve your purpose. I will myself tell the name of the knight before

whose lance fortune and my horse's fault occasioned my falling--it was

the Knight of Ivanhoe; nor was there one of the six that, for his years,

had more renown in arms.--Yet this will I say, and loudly--that were he

in England, and durst repeat, in this week's tournament, the challenge

of St John-de-Acre, I, mounted and armed as I now am, would give him

every advantage of weapons, and abide the result."

"Your challenge would soon be answered," replied the Palmer, "were your

antagonist near you. As the matter is, disturb not the peaceful hall

with vaunts of the issue of the conflict, which you well know cannot

take place. If Ivanhoe ever returns from Palestine, I will be his surety

that he meets you."

"A goodly security!" said the Knight Templar; "and what do you proffer

as a pledge?"




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