CHAPTER XI. HOW A YOUNG SHEPHERD HAD A PERILOUS FLOCK.

nt,stillfollowinghisboyishguide,untilatthefoldingoakdoorsthelatterpaused,andusheredhimintothemainhallofthecastle. Onenteringtheroomtheclerklookedroundbut,seeingnoone,hecontinuedtostand,hiscapinhishand,examiningwiththegreatestinterestachamberwhichwassodifferenttoanytowhichhewasaccustomed.Thedayshadgonebywhenanobleman'shallwasbutabarn-like,rush-strewnenclosure,thecommonloungeandeating-roomofeveryinmateofthecastle.TheCrusadershadbroughtbackwiththemexperiencesofdomesticluxuries,ofDamascuscarpetsandrugsofAleppo,whichmadethemimpatientofthehideousbarenessandwantofprivacywhichtheyfoundintheirancestralstrongholds.Stillstronger,however,hadbeentheinfluenceofthegreatFrenchwarfor,howeverwellmatchedthenationsmightbeinmartialexercises,therecouldbenoquestionbutthatourneighborswereinfinitelysuperiortousintheartsofpeace.Astreamofreturningknights,ofwoundedsoldiers,andofunransomedFrenchnoblemen,hadbeenforaquarterofacenturycontinuallypouringintoEngland,everyoneofwhomexertedaninfluenceinthedirectionofgreaterdomesticrefinement,whileshiploadsofFrenchfurniturefromCalais,Rouen,andotherplunderedtowns,hadsuppliedourownartisanswithmodelsonwhichtoshapetheirwork.Hence,inmostEnglishcastles,andinCastleTwynhamamongtherest,chambersweretobefoundwhichwouldseemtobenotwantingeitherinbeautyorincomfort. Inthegreatstonefireplacealogfirewasspurtingandcrackling,throwingoutaruddyglarewhich,withthefourbracket-lampswhichstoodateachcorneroftheroom,gaveabrightandlightsomeairtothewholeapartment.Abovewasawreath-workofblazonry,extendinguptothecarvedandcornicedoakenroofwhileoneithersidestoodthehighcanopiedchairsplacedforthemasterofthehouseandforhismosthonoredguest.Thewallswerehungallroundwithmostelaborateandbrightlycoloredtapestry,representingtheachievementsofSirBevisofHampton,andbehindthisconvenientscreenwerestoredthetablesdormantandbencheswhichwouldbeneededforbanquetorhighfestivity.Thefloorwasofpolishedtiles,withasquareofredandblackdiaperedFlemishcarpetinthecentreandmanysettees,cushions,foldingchairs,andcarvedbancalslitteredalloverit.Atthefurtherendwasalongblackbuffetordresser,thicklycoveredwithgoldcups,silversalvers,andothersuchvaluables.AllthisAlleyneexaminedwithcuriouseyesbutmostinterestingofalltohimwasasmallebonytableathisveryside,onwhich,bythesideofachess-boardandthescatteredchessmen,therelayanopenmanuscriptwritteninarightclerklyhand,andsetforthwithbraveflourishesanddevicesalongthemargins.InvainAlleynebethoughthimofwherehewas,andofthoselawsofgoodbreedinganddecorumwhichshouldrestrainhim:thosecoloredcapitalsandblackevenlinesdrewhishanddowntothem,astheloadstonedrawstheneedle,until,almostbeforeheknewit,hewasstandingwiththeromanceofGarindeMontglanebeforehiseyes,soabsorbedinitscontentsastobecompletelyobliviousbothofwherehewasandwhyhehadcomethere. Hewasbroughtbacktohimself,however,byasuddenlittlerippleofquickfemininelaughter.Aghast,hedroppedthemanuscriptamongthechessmenandstaredinbewildermentroundtheroom.Itwasasemptyandasstillasever.Againhestretchedhishandouttotheromance,andagaincamethatroguishburstofmerriment.Helookedupattheceiling,backatthecloseddoor,androundatthestifffoldsofmotionlesstapestry.Ofasudden,however,hecaughtaquickshimmerfromthecornerofahigh-backedbancalinfrontofhim,and,shiftingapaceortwototheside,sawawhiteslenderhand,whichheldamirrorofpolishedsilverinsuchawaythattheconcealedobservercouldseewithoutbeingseen.Hestoodirresolute,uncertainwhethertoadvanceortotakenonoticebut,evenashehesitated,themirrorwaswhippedin,andatallandstatelyyoungladysweptoutfrombehindtheoakenscreen,withadancinglightofmischiefinhereyes.Alleynestartedwithastonishmentasherecognizedtheverymaidenwhohadsufferedfromhisbrother'sviolenceintheforest.Shenolongerworehergayriding-dress,however,butwasattiredinalongsweepingrobeofblackvelvetofBruges,withdelicatetraceryofwhitelaceatneckandatwrist,scarcetobeseenagainstherivoryskin.Beautifulasshehadseemedtohimbefore,thelithecharmofherfigureandtheproud,freegraceofherbearingwereenhancednowbytherichsimplicityofherattire. “Ah,youstart,”saidshe,withthesamesidelonglookofmischief,“andIcannotmarvelatit.Didstnotlooktoseethedistresseddamoselagain.OhthatIwereaminstrel,thatImightputitintorhyme,withthewholeromance—thelucklessmaid,thewickedsocman,andthevirtuousclerk!Somightourfamehavegonedowntogetherforalltime,andyoubenumberedwithSirPercivalorSirGalahad,oralltheotherrescuersofoppressedladies.” “WhatIdid,”saidAlleyne,“wastoosmallathingforthanksandyet,ifImaysayitwithoutoffence,itwastoograveandnearamatterformirthandraillery.Ihadcountedonmybrother'slove,butGodhaswilledthatitshouldbeotherwise.Itisajoytometoseeyouagain,lady,andtoknowthatyouhavereachedhomeinsafety,ifthisbeindeedyour