Chapter 25 - Page 2

mountain-pass betwixt
Wales and the Marches of the English country, in the neighbourhood
of the Garde Doloureuse.

This was an occupation so ordinary for him, that it excited no
particular notice. These manoeuvres were frequently undertaken by
the warlike marchers, for the purpose of intimidating the Welsh,
in general, more especially the bands of outlaws, who, independent
of any regular government, infested these wild frontiers. Yet it
escaped not comment, that, in undertaking such service at this
moment, Damian seemed to abandon that of dispersing the
insurgents, which had been considered as the chief object of the
day.

It was about noon, when, falling in, as good fortune would have
it, with one of the fugitive grooms, Damian and his immediate
attendants received information of the violence committed on the
Lady Eveline, and, by their perfect knowledge of the country, wore
able to intercept the ruffians at the Pass of Edris, as it was
called, by which the Welsh rovers ordinarily returned to their
strongholds in the interior. It is probable that the banditti were
not aware of the small force which Damian headed in person, and at
the same time knew that there would be an immediate and hot
pursuit in their rear; and these circumstances led their leader to
adopt the singular expedient of hiding Eveline in the tomb, while
one of their own number, dressed in her clothes, might serve as a
decoy to deceive their assailants, and lead them, from the spot
where she was really concealed, to which it was no doubt the
purpose of the banditti to return, when they had eluded their
pursuers.

Accordingly, the robbers had already drawn up before the tomb for
the purpose of regularly retreating, until they should find some
suitable place either for making a stand, or where, if
overmatched, they might, by abandoning their horses, and
dispersing among the rocks, evade the attack of the Norman
cavalry. Their plan had been defeated by the precipitation of
Damian, who, beholding as he thought the plumes and mantle of the
Lady Eveline in the rear of the party, charged them without
considering either the odds of numbers, or the lightness of his
own armour, which, consisting only of a headpiece and a buff
surcoat, offered but imperfect resistance to the Welsh knives and
glaives. He was accordingly wounded severely at the onset, and
would have been slain, but for the exertions of his few followers,
and the fears of the Welsh, that, while thus continuing the battle
in front, they might be assaulted in the rear by the followers of
Eveline, whom they must now suppose were all in arms and motion.
They retreated, therefore, or rather fled, and the attendants of
Damian were despatched after them by their