The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-01

More she behold Tramopr the child
Than all other men.-S< TtlqDaouT-
tong before the dawn had begun to grow
oray in the east, Kenric had taken his way to
tho castle, by the direct way across the hills to
point on tho lake shore, where there always
Law small ferry boat, for the use of the chate.
lain. his household, and vassals. Edith, to
whom he had told all that he had extorted from
Eadwulf and who like himself clearly foresaw
difficulty and danger at hand, arising from the
conduct and flight of the ill-conditioned and
ilstarred brother, went about her household
work. most unusual for her, with melancholy
and respondent heart.
She. who while serf had been constantly,
almost rccklessly, gay, as orc who had no sor-
row for which to care, wore grave brow, and
carried a heavy heart. For liberty, if it give
Independence to the body and its true expan-
sion 10 the SOUL brings responsibility also, and
care. She carolled this morning no blythe old
Saxon ballads, as she kneaded her barley cakes,
or worked her OVERLOOKING ohurn; she had
this morning no merry word with which to
greet the verdurer's boys, as they came and
went from her ample kitchen with messes for
the hounds to the kennels, or raw meat for the
egasses in the news; and they marvelled not a
little for the kindness and merry humor of their
Young mistress had won their hearts, and they
we're grieved to see her downcast. She was
restless and unable, as it seemed, to settle her
self to anything, coming and going from one
place TO another, without much apparent object,
snd, every half hour or so, opening the door
and gazing wistfully down the valley, toward
the sea, not across the hills over which her hus-
hand had bent his way.
Ii must have been nearly ten o'clock, in
those unsophisticated days approaching nearly
TO the dinner hour, when something caught her
eve at distance, which instantly brought a
bright light into it, and clear rich color to her
cheek; and she clapped her hands joyously,
CRYING, 4" | am so glad! so glad!" Then, hurry.
ing into the house, she called to the boys giving
them quick, eager orders, and set herself to work
ordering the house, strewing the floor with fresh
green rushes, and decking the walls with holly
branches. the bright-red berries of the mountain
ash. wild asters and such late wood howers as
vet survived, with spirit very different from
the lstless mood which had possessed her.
What was the vision that had so changed the
tenor Of her mind?
Winding through one of those green lanes
which form so exquisite feature in the scene.
ry Of the lake country, with their sinuous gray
boundary stone walls, berdered with ashes,
hazels, wild roses, and beds of tall fern at their
base, while the walls themselves are overspread
I'm, and rich lichens-there came fair com
pany the persons of which were easily distin-
guished by Edith in that clear atmosphere,
when at miles distance from the cottage
mile which was augmented into nearly three
by the meanderings of the lane, corresponding
with those of the brook.
In the front rode lady, the Lady Guendo-
len, on beautiful chestnut-colored Andalusian
enuet, with snow-white name and tail, herself
sYlendidly attired in dark murrey- colored
skirt, passamented with black embroidery, and
above It q surcoat or tunic, fitting the body
closely little way below the hips, of blue
satin, embroidered in silver with the armo-
rial bearings of her house, custom as usual
IN those DAYS with the ladies as with the
knights of the great houses. Her head was
covered by small cap of blue velvet, with one
white feather and on her left hand, covered by
doeSkin hawking glove, was set superb
gosshawk, unhooded, so familiar was he with his
bright mistress and held only by pair of
silver Jesses, corresponding with the silver bells
which decked his yellow legs, and jingled at his
every motion. BY her side, attending far more
10 ms fair companion than to the fiery horse
winch he bestrode, was young cavalier bend
ing over her with an air of the deepest tender
ness, hanging on her words as if they were
gazing on her with affection so obvious as
showed him permitted lover. He was pow
erIGl, hnely-tormed young man, of six or eight
ana twenty years, with frank, open counte-
nance, full of intellect nobleness and spirit,
WIN an occasional shadow Of deep thought
but hardly to be called handsome, unless it
were for the expression, since the features,
'hlIgh well cut, were not regular, and the COM
exon was too much sun-burnt and weather
Ia'iened even for manly beauty
Altogether he was, however, a remarkably
"rariivelooking person. He sat his horse
'lperoly, as king might sit his throne his
very motion was perfect majesty of grace !;
:, ana "hep ne smiled, so radiant was the glance
ISnuRg up the dark face, that he was, for the
moment actually handsome. He was dressed
III Pialn dark hunting suit, with bonnet
ana feather of the same hue, and untanned
'eef buskins, the only ornament he wore being
long blue scarf, of the same color as the sur
coat of his mistress, and embroidered, proba-
by by her hand, with the same bearings. The
SPURS IN his buskns, however, were not gilded
AID the light estoe, or sharp-pointed hunting.
sTord, which hung at his left side, showed By
rs form that he had not yet attained the honors
o. kmghthood.
Aradas de Radcliffe was the heir male oil
a line, one of the first and noblest which
nag settled in the lake country, in the beautiful
vale Of Rydal, but little way distant to the
l'F'hward from the lands of Sir Yvo de Taille
g'ls His father, baron of great renown
.4G taken the cross when far advanced in life
a-o Proceeding to the Holy Land with that dis
@''ous second crusade, led by Conrad III the
o7man Emperor and Louis VII of France
: ne summoning of Pope Eugene III, had
@lsh Ia the first encounter with the In6dels
Iaa dying under shield, knight-like, had left
= infant son with no other guardian than
81 Norman ''' -
II one had discharged her trust as became the
lacter OF her race; and so soon as the boy
81 s'' OF sufficient years, he was entered in the
II jil'ehod of Sir Yvo de Taillebois as the finest
-ooi IN the whole realm for the aspirant to
Aonor in arms
,.ag ERE as page and esquire, he had served
Is twenty years of his life, first following
y, "ras stirrup, until he was perfect in the
H. u ms arms, and old enough to WELD
,,or Then, fighting in his train, until he had
H. himself of such stern fidelity and valor
,-'.. ne became his favorite attendant, and most
"Is'ed man-atarms.
Z ~ ieudal days, it must be remembered thai
- no disgrace to a scion of the highest
4, III! 70 serve his pagehood under nobl,
n.rr 'Hht OF lineage and renown; on the con
d. II was both condition that must be un
ts. eone' and one held as an honor to both par
b,r % much so, that barons of the creates
off, ana vastest demesnes in the realm woulc
kavo s and esteem it as a high favor, t.
soms , .V sons ride pages in the train 0
nsry almost almost landless knight, whose extraordi
u binary name. D'N nave won MN an eA''ao'