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"Were many of Front-de-Boeuf's men taken?" demanded the Black Knight. "None of note enough to be put to ransom," answered the Captain; "a set of hilding fellows there were, whom we dismissed to find them a new master enough had been done for revenge and profit; the bunch of them were not worth a cardecu.
"Go to thou art a fool," said the Templar; "thy superstition is upon a level with Front-de-Boeuf's want of faith; neither of you can render a reason for your belief or unbelief." "Benedicite, Sir Templar," replied De Bracy, "pray you to keep better rule with your tongue when I am the theme of it.
'He must have been his grandfather, said Elizabeth; 'Cedric lived a hundred years after. 'But Cedric remembered Torquilstone before the Normans came, said Anne. 'No, no, he could not, though he had been told what it had been before Front-de-Boeuf altered it, said Elizabeth. 'And old Ulrica was there when Front-de-Boeuf's father took it, said Anne.
Presently after I will appear in mine own shape, play the courteous knight, rescue the unfortunate and afflicted fair one from the hands of the rude ravishers, conduct her to Front-de-Boeuf's Castle, or to Normandy, if it should be necessary, and produce her not again to her kindred until she be the bride and dame of Maurice de Bracy."
"Wish for whom thou wilt," said the Templar, "but let us make what defence we can with the soldiers who remain They are chiefly Front-de-Boeuf's followers, hated by the English for a thousand acts of insolence and oppression." "The better," said De Bracy; "the rugged slaves will defend themselves to the last drop of their blood, ere they encounter the revenge of the peasants without.
"I have thought better of it," said De Bracy; "I will not leave thee till the prize is fairly deposited in Front-de-Boeuf's castle. There will I appear before the Lady Rowena in mine own shape, and trust that she will set down to the vehemence of my passion the violence of which I have been guilty." "And what has made thee change thy plan, De Bracy?" replied the Knight Templar.
Touching our present condition, dear Brother, we are a captive in the hands of certain lawless and godless men, who have not feared to detain our person, and put us to ransom; whereby we have also learned of Front-de-Boeuf's misfortune, and that thou hast escaped with that fair Jewish sorceress, whose black eyes have bewitched thee.
I cannot look on so fair a face while it is disturbed with agony, or on those eyes when they are drowned in tears. I would she had retained her original haughtiness of disposition, or that I had a larger share of Front-de-Boeuf's thrice-tempered hardness of heart!"
Cedric no sooner saw the turrets of Front-de-Boeuf's castle raise their grey and moss-grown battlements, glimmering in the morning sun above the wood by which they were surrounded, than he instantly augured more truly concerning the cause of his misfortune.
Cedric, Rowena, and Athelstane, returning home with their retinue from Ashby, were waylaid by Bois-Guilbert and his followers, and boldly carried off as prisoners to Torquilstone, Front-de-Boeuf's castle. In those lawless times these Norman nobles trusted thus to obtain a good ransom for Cedric and Athelstane, and to win Rowena for a bride.
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