"Gurth," said the Jester, "I know thou thinkest me a fool, or thou

wouldst not be so rash in putting thy head into my mouth. One word to

Reginald Front-de-Boeuf, or Philip de Malvoisin, that thou hast

spoken treason against the Norman,--and thou art but a cast-away

swineherd,--thou wouldst waver on one of these trees as a terror to all

evil speakers against dignities."

"Dog, thou wouldst not betray me," said Gurth, "after having led me on

to speak so much at disadvantage?"

"Betray thee!" answered the Jester; "no, that were the trick of a wise

man; a fool cannot half so well help himself--but soft, whom have we

here?" he said, listening to the trampling of several horses which

became then audible.

"Never mind whom," answered Gurth, who had now got his herd before him,

and, with the aid of Fangs, was driving them down one of the long dim

vistas which we have endeavoured to describe.

"Nay, but I must see the riders," answered Wamba; "perhaps they are come

from Fairy-land with a message from King Oberon."

"A murrain take thee," rejoined the swine-herd; "wilt thou talk of such

things, while a terrible storm of thunder and lightning is raging within

a few miles of us? Hark, how the thunder rumbles! and for summer rain,

I never saw such broad downright flat drops fall out of the clouds; the

oaks, too, notwithstanding the calm weather, sob and creak with their

great boughs as if announcing a tempest. Thou canst play the rational if

thou wilt; credit me for once, and let us home ere the storm begins to

rage, for the night will be fearful."

Wamba seemed to feel the force of this appeal, and accompanied his

companion, who began his journey after catching up a long quarter-staff

which lay upon the grass beside him. This second Eumaeus strode hastily

down the forest glade, driving before him, with the assistance of Fangs,

the whole herd of his inharmonious charge.




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