Chapter 13 - Page 2

to return for the protection of the castle, and the restoration of
order in the district around, the Constable awaited her at the
fatal bridge, at the head of the gallant band of selected horsemen
whom he had ordered to attend upon him. The parties halted, as if
to salute each other; but the Constable, observing that Eveline
drew her veil more closely around her, and recollecting the loss
she had so lately sustained on that luckless spot, had the
judgment to confine his greeting to a mute reverence, so low that
the lofty plume which he wore, (for he was now in complete
armour,) mingled with the flowing mane of his gallant horse.
Wilkin Flammock next halted, to ask the lady if she had any
farther commands.

"None, good Wilkin," said Eveline; "but to be, as ever, true and
watchful."

"The properties of a good mastiff," said Flammock. "Some rude
sagacity, and a stout hand instead of a sharp case of teeth, are
all that I can claim to be added to them--I will do my best.--Fare
thee well, Roschen! Thou art going among strangers--forget not the
qualities which made thee loved at home. The saints bless thee--
farewell!"

The steward next approached to take his leave, but in doing so,
had nearly met with a fatal accident. It had been the pleasure of
Raoul, who was in his own disposition cross-grained, and in person
rheumatic, to accommodate himself with an old Arab horse, which
had been kept for the sake of the breed, as lean, and almost as
lame as himself, and with a temper as vicious as that of a fiend.
Betwixt the rider and the horse was a constant misunderstanding,
testified on Raoul's part by oaths, rough checks with the curb,
and severe digging with the spurs, which Mahound (so paganishly
was the horse named) answered by plunging, bounding, and
endeavouring by all expedients to unseat his rider, as well as
striking and lashing out furiously at whatever else approached
him. It was thought by many of the household, that Raoul preferred
this vicious cross-tempered animal upon all occasions when he
travelled in company with his wife, in order to take advantage by
the chance, that amongst the various kicks, plunges, gambades,
lashings out, and other eccentricities of Mahound, his heels might
come in contact with Dame Gillian's ribs. And now, when as the
important steward spurred up his palfrey to kiss his young lady's
hand, and to take his leave, it seemed to the bystanders as if
Raoul so managed his bridle and spur, that Mahound jerked out his
hoofs at the same moment, one of which coming in contact with the
steward's thigh, would have splintered it like a rotten reed, had
the parties been a couple of inches nearer to each other. As it
was,