CHAPTER IX. HOW STRANGE THINGS BEFELL IN MINSTEAD WOOD.

eddress,whichsentatingleandthrillthroughhisnervessuchasnodreamofradiantandstainlessspirithadeveryetbeenabletoconjureup.Good,quiet,uncomplainingmotherNature,longslightedandmiscalled,stillbideshertimeanddrawstoherbosomthemosterrantofherchildren. Thetwowalkedswiftlyacrossthemeadowtothenarrowbridge,heinfrontandsheapaceortwobehind.Theretheypaused,andstoodforafewminutesfacetofacetalkingearnestly.Alleynehadreadandhadheardofloveandoflovers.Suchwerethese,doubtless—thisgolden-beardedmanandthefairdamselwiththecold,proudface.Whyelseshouldtheywandertogetherinthewoods,orbesolostintalkbyrusticstreams?Andyetashewatched,uncertainwhethertoadvancefromthecoverortochoosesomeotherpathtothehouse,hesooncametodoubtthetruthofthisfirstconjecture.Themanstood,tallandsquare,blockingtheentrancetothebridge,andthrowingouthishandsashespokeinawildeagerfashion,whilethedeeptonesofhisstormyvoiceroseattimesintoaccentsofmenaceandofanger.Shestoodfearlesslyinfrontofhim,stillstrokingherbirdbuttwiceshethrewaswiftquestioningglanceoverhershoulder,asonewhoisinsearchofaid.Somovedwastheyoungclerkbythesemuteappeals,thathecameforthfromthetreesandcrossedthemeadow,uncertainwhattodo,andyetlothtoholdbackfromonewhomightneedhisaid.Sointentweretheyuponeachotherthatneithertooknoteofhisapproachuntil,whenhewascloseuponthem,themanthrewhisarmroughlyroundthedamsel'swaistanddrewhertowardshim,shestrainingherlithe,supplefigureawayandstrikingfiercelyathim,whilethehoodedhawkscreamedwithruffledwingsandpeckedblindlyinitsmistress'sdefence.Birdandmaid,however,hadbutlittlechanceagainsttheirassailantwho,laughingloudly,caughtherwristinonehandwhilehedrewhertowardshimwiththeother. “Thebestrosehaseverthelongestthorns,”saidhe.“Quiet,littleone,oryoumaydoyourselfahurt.MustpaySaxontollonSaxonland,myproudMaude,forallyourairsandgraces.” “Youboor!”shehissed.“Youbaseunderbredclod!Isthisyourcareandyourhospitality?Iwouldratherwedabrandedserffrommyfather'sfields.Leavego,Isay——Ah!goodyouth,Heavenhassentyou.Makehimlooseme!Bythehonorofyourmother,Iprayyoutostandbymeandtomakethisknavelooseme.” “StandbyyouIwill,andthatblithely,”saidAlleyne.“Surely,sir,youshouldtakeshametoholdthedamselagainstherwill.” Themanturnedafaceuponhimwhichwaslion-likeinitsstrengthandinitswrath.Withhistangleofgoldenhair,hisfierceblueeyes,andhislarge,well-markedfeatures,hewasthemostcomelymanwhomAlleynehadeverseen,andyettherewassomethingsosinisterandsofellinhisexpressionthatchildorbeastmightwellhaveshrunkfromhim.Hisbrowsweredrawn,hischeekflushed,andtherewasamadsparkleinhiseyeswhichspokeofawild,untamablenature. “Youngfool!”hecried,holdingthewomanstilltohisside,thougheverylineofhershrinkingfigurespokeherabhorrence.“Doyoukeepyourspooninyourownbroth.Iredeyoutogoonyourway,lestworsebefallyou.Thislittlewenchhascomewithmeandwithmesheshallbide.” “Liar!”criedthewomanand,stoopingherhead,shesuddenlybitfiercelyintothebroadbrownhandwhichheldher.Hewhippeditbackwithanoath,whileshetoreherselffreeandslippedbehindAlleyne,coweringupagainsthimlikethetremblingleveretwhoseesthefalconpoisingfortheswoopabovehim. “Standoffmyland!”themansaidfiercely,heedlessofthebloodwhichtrickledfreelyfromhisfingers.“Whathaveyoutodohere?Byyourdressyoushouldbeoneofthosecursedclerkswhooverrunthelandlikevilerats,pokingandpryingintoothermen'sconcerns,toocaitifftofightandtoolazytowork.Bytherood!ifIhadmywilluponye,Ishouldnailyouupontheabbeydoors,astheyhangverminbeforetheirholes.Artneithermannorwoman,youngshaveling.GettheebacktothyfellowsereIlayhandsuponyou:foryourfootisonmyland,andImayslayyouasacommondraw-latch.” “Isthisyourland,then?”gaspedAlleyne. “Wouldyoudisputeit,dog?Wouldyouwishbytrickorquibbletojugglemeoutoftheselastacres?Know,base-bornknave,thatyouhavedaredthisdaytostandinthepathofonewhoseracehavebeentheadvisersofkingsandtheleadersofhosts,ereeverthisvilecrewofNormanrobberscameintotheland,orsuchhalf-bloodhoundsasyouwereletloosetopreachthatthethiefshouldhavehisbootyandthehonestmanshouldsinifhestrovetowinbackhisown.” “YouaretheSocmanofMinstead?” “ThatamIandthesonofEdrictheSocman,ofthepurebloodofGodfreythethane,bytheonlydaughterofthehouseofAluric,whoseforefathersheldthewhite-horsebanneratthefatalfightwhereourshieldwasbrokenandourswordshivered.Itellyou,clerk,thatmyfolkheldthislandfromBramshawWoodtotheRingwoodroadand,bythesoulofmyfather!itwillbeastrangethingifIamtobebeardeduponthelittlethatisleftofit.Begone,Isay,andmeddlenotwithmyaffair.” “Ifyouleavemenow,”whisperedthewoman,“thenshameforeveruponyourmanhood.” “Surely,sir,”saidAlleyne,speakinginaspersuasiveandsoothingawayashecould,“ifyourbirthisgentle,thereisthemorereasonthatyourmannersshouldbegentletoo.Iamwellpersuadedthatyoudidbutjestwiththislady,andthatyouwillnowpermithertoleaveyourlandeitheraloneorwithmeasaguide,ifsheshouldneedone,throughthewood.Astobirth,itdoesnotbecomemetoboast,andthereissoothinwhatyousayastotheunworthinessofclerks,butitisnonethelesstruethatIamaswellbornasyou.” “Dog!”criedthefuriousSocman,“thereisnomaninthesouthwhocansayasmuch.” “YetcanI,”saidAlleynesmiling“forindeedIalsoamthesonofEdrictheSocman,ofthepurebloodofGodfreythethane,bytheonlydaughterofAluricofBrockenhurst.Surely,dearbrother,”hecontinued,holdingouthishand,“youhaveawarmergreetingthanthisforme.Therearebuttwoboughsleftuponthisold,oldSaxontrunk.” Hiselderbrotherdashedhishandasidewithanoath,whileanexpressionofmalignanthatredpassedoverhispassion-drawnfeatures.“YouaretheyoungcubofBeaulieu,then,”saidhe.“Imighthaveknownitbythesleekfaceandtheslavishmannertoomonk-riddenandcraveninspirittoanswerbackaroughword.Thyfather,shaveling,withallhisfaults,hadaman'sheartandtherewerefewwhocouldlookhimintheeyesonthedayofhisanger.Butyou!Lookthere,rat,onyonderfieldwherethecowsgraze,andonthatotherbeyond,andontheorchardhardbythechurch.Doyouknowthatalltheseweresqueezedoutofyourdyingfatherbygreedypriests,topayforyourupbringinginthecloisters?I,theSocman,amshornofmylandsthatyoumaysnivelLatinandeatbreadforwhichyouneverdidhand'sturn.Yourobmefirst,andnowyouwouldcomepreachingandwhining,insearchmayhapofanotherfieldortwoforyourpriestlyfriends.Knave!mydogsshallbesetuponyoubut,meanwhile,standoutofmypath,andstopmeatyourperil!”Ashespokeherushedforward,and,throwingtheladt