Chapter 41

The newcomers were Wilfred of Ivanhoe, on the Prior of Botolph’s palfrey, and Gurth, who attended him, on the Knight’s own war-horse. The astonishment of Ivanhoe was beyond bounds, when he saw his master besprinkled with blood, and six or seven dead bodies lying around in the little glade in which the battle had taken place. Nor was he less surprised to see Richard surrounded by so many silvan attendants, the outlaws, as they seemed to be, of the forest, and a perilous retinue therefore for a prince. He hesitated whether to address the King as the Black Knight-errant, or in what other manner to demean himself towards him. Richard saw his embarrassment.

“Fear not, Wilfred,” he said, “to address Richard Plantagenet as himself, since thou seest him in the company of true English hearts, although it may be they have been urged a few steps aside by warm English blood.”

“Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe,” said the gallant Outlaw, stepping forward, “my assurances can add nothing to those of our sovereign; yet, let me say somewhat proudly, that of men who have suffered much, he hath not truer subjects than those who now stand around him.”

“I cannot doubt it, brave man,” said Wilfred, “since thou art of the number.—But what mean these marks of death and danger? these slain men, and the bloody armour of my Prince?”

“Treason hath been with us, Ivanhoe,” said the King; “but, thanks to these brave men, treason hath met its meed.—But, now I bethink me, thou too art a traitor,” said Richard, smiling; “a most disobedient traitor; for were not our orders positive, that thou shouldst repose thyself at St. Botolph’s until thy wound was healed?”

“It is healed,” said Ivanhoe; “it is not of more consequence than the scratch of a bodkin. But why, oh why, noble Prince, will you thus vex the hearts of your faithful servants, and expose your life by lonely journeys and rash adventures, as if it were of no more value than that of a mere knight-errant, who has no interest on earth but what lance and sword may procure him?”

“And Richard Plantagenet,” said the King, “desires no more fame than his good lance and sword may acquire him—and Richard Plantagenet is prouder of achieving an adventure, with only his good sword, and his good arm to speed, than if he led to battle an host of an hundred thousand armed men.”

“But your kingdom, my Liege,” said Ivanhoe, “your kingdom is threatened with dissolution and civil war—your subjects menaced with every species of evil, if deprived of their sovereign in some of those dangers which it is your daily pleasure to incur, and from which you have but this moment narrowly escaped.”

“Ho! ho! my kingdom and my subjects?” answered Richard impatiently; “I tell thee, Sir Wilfred, the best of them are most willing to repay my follies in kind.—For example, my very faithful servant, Wilfred of Ivanhoe, will not obey my positive commands, and yet reads his king a homily, because he does not walk exactly by his advice. Which of us has most reason to upbraid the other?—Yet forgive me, my faithful Wilfred. The time I have spent, and am yet to spend in concealment, is, as I explained to thee at St. Botolph’s, necessary to give my friends and faithful nobles time to assemble their forces, that when Richard’s return is announced, he should be at the head of such a force as enemies shall tremble to face, and thus subdue the meditated treason, without even unsheathing a sword. Estoteville and Bohun will not be strong enough to move forward to York for twenty-four hours. I must have news of Salisbury from the south, and of Beauchamp, in Warwickshire; and of Multon and Percy in the north. The Chancellor must make sure of London. Too sudden an appearance would subject me to dangers, other than my lance and sword, though backed by the bow of bold Robin, or the quarter-staff of Friar Tuck, and the horn of the sage Wamba, may be able to rescue me from.”

Wilfred bowed in submission, well knowing how vain it was to contend with the wild spirit of chivalry which so often impelled his master upon dangers which he might easily have avoided, or rather, which it