Ivanhoe - Penn State University

Ivanhoe
Cedric darted at the forward damsel a glance of hasty resentment;
but Rowena, and whatever belonged to her, were privi-
CHAPTER IV
leged and secure from his anger. He only replied, “Silence, maiden; With sheep and shaggy goats the porkers bled,
thy tongue outruns thy discretion. Say my message to thy mis- And the proud steer was on the marble spread;
tress, and let her do her pleasure. Here, at least, the descendant of With fire prepared, they deal the morsels round,
Alfred still reigns a princess.” Elgitha left the apartment.
Wine rosy bright the brimming goblets crown’d.
“Palestine!” repeated the Saxon; “Palestine! how many ears
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are turned to the tales which dissolute crusaders, or hypocriti- Disposed apart, Ulysses shares the treat;
cal pilgrims, bring from that fatal land! I too might ask—I A trivet table and ignobler seat,
too might enquire—I too might listen with a beating heart
to fables which the wily strollers devise to cheat us into hos-
The Prince assigns—
pitality—but no—The son who has disobeyed me is no longer
mine; nor will I concern myself more for his fate than for
Odyssey, Book 21.
that of the most worthless among the millions that ever shaped THE PRIOR AYMER had taken the opportunity afforded him,
the cross on their shoulder, rushed into excess and blood-guilti- of changing his riding robe for one of yet more costly materiness,
and called it an accomplishment of the will of God.” als, over which he wore a cope curiously embroidered. Be-
He knit his brows, and fixed his eyes for an instant on the sides the massive golden signet ring, which marked his eccle-
ground; as he raised them, the folding doors at the bottom of siastical dignity, his fingers, though contrary to the canon,
the hall were cast wide, and, preceded by the major-domo were loaded with precious gems; his sandals were of the finest
with his wand, and four domestics bearing blazing torches, leather which was imported from Spain; his beard trimmed
the guests of the evening entered the apartment.
to as small dimensions as his order would possibly permit,
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