and takes

Norman name when he becomes matter

of enjoyment."

"By St. Dunstan," answered Gurth, "thou speaketh but sad truths. Little is left to us but the air we breathe; and that appears to have been reserved with much hesitation, solely for the purpose of enabling us to endure the tasks they lay upon our shoulders. The finest and the fattest is for their board; the best and bravest supply their foreign masters with soldiers, and whiten distant lands with their bones,1 leaving few here who have either will or the power to protect the unfortunate Saxon. God's blessing on our master Cedric he hath done the work of a man in standing in the gap. But Reginald Front-de-Bœuf is coming down to this country in person, and we shall soon see how little Cedric's trouble will avail him. Here, here!" he exclaimed again, raising his voice. "So ho! so ho! Well done, Fangs! thou hast them all before thee now, and bring'st them on bravely, lad."

Gurth," said the jester, "I know thou thinkest me a fool, or thou wouldst not be so rash in putting thy head into my mouth. One word to Reginald Frontde-Bœuf or Philip de Malvoisin, that thou hast3 spoken treason against the Norman, and thou art but a castaway swineherd, -thou wouldst waver on one of these trees, as a terror to all evil-speakers against dignities." "Dog! thou wouldst not betray me," said Gurth, "after having led me on to speak so much at disadvantage?"

1 whiten

with the bones.

What is the figure of speech?

2 thy head... mouth. Explain. 3 hast. Why second person?

"Betray thee!" answered the jester. "No; that were the trick of a wise man: a fool can not half so well

help himself. But soft! whom have we here?" he said, listening to the trampling of several horses, which became then audible.1

"Never mind whom," answered Gurth, who had now got his herd before him, and, with the aid of Fangs, was driving them down one of the long dim vistas. which we have endeavored to describe.

'Nay, but I must see the riders," answered Wamba. "Perhaps they are come from fairy-land with a message from King Oberon."2

"A murrain take thee!" rejoined the swineherd. “Wilt thou talk of such things while a terrible storm of thunder and lightning is raging within a few miles of us? Hark, how the thunder rumbles! and for summer rain, I never saw such broad downright flat drops fall out of the clouds. The oaks, too, notwithstanding the calm weather, sob and creak with their great boughs, as if announcing a tempest. Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt: credit me for once, and let us home, ere the storm begins to rage, for the night will be fearful."

4

Wamba seemed to feel the force of this appeal, and accompanied his companion, who began his journey after catching up a long quarter-staff5 which lay upon

1 audible. See Glossary.

2 Oberon, the king of the elves or fairies, and husband of Titania. He figures in Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

3 A murrain take thee: that is, a plague on you. See "murrain in Glossary.

4 sob. Note the personification. 5 quarter-staff. See Webster.

the grass beside him. This second Eumæus1 strode hastily down the forest glade, driving before him, with the assistance of Fangs, the whole herd of his inhar monious charge.

2. THE LADY OF THE LAKE.

[The following extracts are from the fourth and fifth cantos of the Lady of the Lake. See Introduction for an account of the poem.]

FIRST READING.

THE shades of eve come2 slowly down,
The woods are wrapped in deeper brown,
The owl awakens from her dell,
The fox is heard upon the fell;3
Enough remains of glimmering light
To guide the wanderer's steps aright,
Yet not enough from far to show
His figure to the watchful foe.
With cautious step, and ear awake,

He climbs the crag and threads the brake;
And not the summer solstice1 there
Tempered the midnight mountain air,
But every breeze that swept the wold
Benumbed his drenchéd limbs with cold.
In dread, in danger, and alone,

Famished and chilled, through ways unknown,

1 second Eumæus. The first was a swineherd who figures in Homer. 2 come. Note the use of the historical present in this and subsequent examples.

3 fell, a stony hill.

4

summer solstice, the time at which the sun is at its greatest distance north of the equator, -the 21st of June.

Tangled1 and steep, he journeyed on,
Till, as a rock's huge point he turned,
A watch-fire close before him burned.

Besides its embers, red and clear,
Basked, in his plaid, a mountaineer;
And up he sprang with sword in hand:
"Thy name and purpose! Saxon, stand!
"A stranger."-"What dost thou require?"
"Rest and a guide, and food and fire.
My life's beset, my path is lost,

The gale has chilled my limbs with frost."
"Art thou a friend to Roderick?"-"No."
"Thou darest not call thyself a foe?

"I dare! to him and all the band

He brings to aid his murderous hand."
"Bold words! but, though the beast of game3
The privilege of chase may claim,

Though space and law the stag we lend
Ere hound we slip or bow we bend,
Who ever recked, where, how, or when
The prowling fox was trapped or slain?
Thus treacherous scouts-yet sure they lie,
Who say thou cam'st a secret spy!"

"They do, by Heaven! Come Roderick Dhu,6
And of his clan' the boldest two,

1 Tangled, interwoven as with briers, brambles, etc., in a confused

manner.

2 beset: that is, beset with danger. 3 beast of game. Such as deer, hares, etc.

4 recked, cared.

5 Thus . . . scouts. Supply the ellipsis.

6 Come Roderick Dhu: that is, let him come.

7 clan. See Glossary.

And let me but till morning rest, I write the falsehood on their crest."1 "If by the blaze 2 I mark aright, Thou bear'st the belt and spur of knight." "Then by these tokens mayst thou know Each proud oppressor's mortal foe." "Enough, enough; sit down and share A soldier's couch, a soldier's fare."

He gave him of his Highland cheer,
The hardened flesh of mountain deer;
Dry fuel on the fire he laid,

And bade the Saxon share his plaid.
He tended him like welcome guest,
Then thus his further speech addressed:
Stranger, I am to Roderick Dhu

A clansman born, a kinsman true;
Each word against his honor spoke
Demands of me avenging stroke;
Yet more upon thy fate, 'tis said,
A mighty augury is laid.

3

It rests with me to wind my horn-
Thou art with numbers overborne;
It rests with me, here, brand to brand,
Worn as thou art, to bid thee stand.
But not for clan, nor kindred's 5 cause,
Will I depart from honor's laws.

1 crest. See Webster.

4 brand, sword. Substitute a

2 blaze=blazon, the representa-synonymous expression for the

tion on coats of arms.

3 augury, prophecy.

phrase "brand to brand."

5 kindred. Give a synonym.