Away! our journey lies through dell and dingle, Where the blithe fawn trips by its timid mother, Where the broad oak, with intercepting boughs, Chequers the sunbeam in the green-sward alley--- Up and away!---for lovely paths are these To tread, when the glad Sun is on his throne Less pleasant, and less safe, when Cynthia's lamp With doubtful glimmer lights the dreary forest. Ettrick Forest
When Cedric the Saxon saw his son drop down senseless in the lists at Ashby, his first impulse was to order him into the custody and care of his own attendants, but the words choked in his throat. He could not bring himself to acknowledge, in presence of such an assembly, the son whom he had renounced and disinherited. He ordered, however, Oswald to keep an eye upon him; and directed that officer, with two of his serfs, to convey Ivanhoe to Ashby as soon as the crowd had dispersed. Oswald, however, was anticipated in this good office. The crowd dispersed, indeed, but the knight was nowhere to be seen.
It was in vain that Cedric's cupbearer looked around for his young master---he saw the bloody spot on which he had lately sunk down, but himself he saw no longer; it seemed as if the fairies had conveyed him from the spot. Perhaps Oswald (for the Saxons were very superstitious) might have adopted some such hypothesis, to account for Ivanhoe's disappearance, had he not suddenly cast his eye upon a person attired like a squire, in whom he recognised the features of his fellow-servant Gurth. Anxious concerning his master's fate, and in despair at his sudden disappearance, the translated swineherd was searching for him everywhere, and had neglected, in doing so, the concealment on which his own safety depended. Oswald deemed it his duty to secure Gurth, as a fugitive of whose fate his master was to judge.
Renewing his enquiries concerning the fate of Ivanhoe, the only information which the cupbearer could collect from the bystanders was, that the knight had been raised with care by certain well-attired grooms, and placed in a litter belonging to a lady among the spectators, which had immediately transported him out of the press. Oswald, on receiving this intelligence, resolved to return to his master for farther instructions, carrying along with him Gurth, whom he considered in some sort as a deserter from the service of Cedric.
The Saxon had been under very intense and agonizing apprehensions concerning his son; for Nature had asserted her rights, in spite of the patriotic stoicism which laboured to disown her. But no sooner was he informed that Ivanhoe was in careful, and probably in friendly hands, than the paternal anxiety which had been excited by the dubiety of his fate, gave way anew to the feeling of injured pride and resentment, at what he termed Wilfred's filial disobedience.
"Let him wander his way," said he---"let those leech his wounds for whose sake he encountered them. He is fitter to do the juggling tricks of the Norman chivalry than to maintain the fame and honour of his English ancestry with the glaive and brown-bill, the good old weapons of his country."
"If to maintain the honour of ancestry," said Rowena, who was present, "it is sufficient to be wise in council and brave in execution---to be boldest among the bold, and gentlest among the gentle, I know no voice, save his father's------"
"Be silent, Lady Rowena!---on this subject only I hear you not. Prepare yourself for the Prince's festival: we have been summoned thither with unwonted circumstance of honour and of courtesy, such as the haughty Normans have rarely used to our race since the fatal day of Hastings. Thither will I go, were it only to show these proud Normans how little the fate of a son, who could defeat their bravest, can affect a Saxon."
"Thither," said Rowena, "do I NOT go; and I pray you to beware, lest what you mean for courage and constancy, shall be accounted hardness of heart."
"Remain at home, then, ungrateful lady," answered Cedric; "thine is the hard heart, which can sacrifice the weal of an oppressed people to an idle and unauthorized attachment. I seek the noble Athelstane, and with him attend the banquet of John of Anjou."
He went accordingly to the banquet, of which we have already mentioned the principal events. Immediately upon retiring from the castle, the Saxon thanes, with their attendants, took horse; and it was during the bustle which attended their doing so, that Cedric, for the first time, cast his eyes upon the deserter Gurth. The noble Saxon had returned from the banquet, as we have seen, in no very placid humour, and wanted but a pretext for wreaking his anger upon some one.
"The gyves!" he said, "the gyves!---Oswald---Hundibert!---Dogs and villains!---why leave ye the knave unfettered?"
Without daring to remonstrate, the companions of Gurth bound him with a halter, as the readiest cord which occurred. He submitted to the operation without remonstrance, except that, darting a reproachful look at his master, he said, "This comes of loving your flesh and blood better than mine own."
"To horse, and forward!" said Cedric.
"It is indeed full time," said the noble Athelstane; "for, if we ride not the faster, the worthy Abbot Waltheoff's preparations for a rere-supper*
* A rere-supper was a night-meal, and sometimes signified a * collation, which was given at a late hour, after the * regular supper had made its appearance. L. T.
will be altogether spoiled."
The travellers, however, used such speed as to reach the convent of St Withold's before the apprehended evil took place. The Abbot, himself of ancient Saxon descent, received the noble Saxons with the profuse and exuberant hospitality of their nation, wherein they indulged to a late, or rather an early hour; nor did they take leave of their reverend host the next morning until they had shared with him a sumptuous refection.
As the cavalcade left the court of the monastery, an incident happened somewhat alarming to the Saxons, who, of all people of Europe, were most addicted to a superstitious observance of omens, and to whose opinions can be traced most of those notions upon such subjects, still to be found among our popular antiquities. For the Normans being a mixed race, and better informed according to the information of the times, had lost most of the superstitious prejudices which their ancestors had brought from Scandinavia, and piqued themselves upon thinking freely on such topics.
In the present instance, the apprehension of impending evil was inspired by no less respectable a prophet than a large lean black dog, which, sitting upright, howled most piteously as the foremost riders left the gate, and presently afterwards, barking wildly, and jumping to and fro, seemed bent upon attaching itself to the party.
"I like not that music, father Cedric," said Athelstane; for by this title of respect he was accustomed to address him.
"Nor I either, uncle," said Wamba; "I greatly fear we shall have to pay the piper."
"In my mind," said Athelstane, upon whose memory the Abbot's good ale (for Burton was already famous for that genial liquor) had made a favourable impression,---"in my mind we had better turn back, and abide with the Abbot until the afternoon. It is unlucky to travel where your path is crossed by a monk, a hare, or a howling dog, until you have eaten your next meal."
"Away!" said Cedric, impatiently; "the day is already too short for our journey. For the dog, I know it to be the cur of the runaway slave Gurth, a useless fugitive like its master."
So saying, and rising at the same time in his stirrups, impatient at the interruption of his journey, he launched his javelin at poor Fangs---for Fangs it was, who, having traced his master thus far upon his stolen expedition, had here lost him, and was now, in his uncouth way, rejoicing at his reappearance. The javelin inflicted a wound upon the animal's shoulder, and narrowly missed pinning him to the earth; and Fangs fled howling from the presence of the enraged thane. Gurth's heart swelled within him; for he felt this meditated slaughter of his faithful adherent in a degree much deeper than the harsh treatment he had himself received. Having in vain attempted to raise his hand to his eyes, he said to Wamba, who, seeing his master's ill humour had prudently retreated to the rear, "I pray thee, do me the kindness to wipe my eyes with the skirt of thy mantle; the dust offends me, and these bonds will not let me help myself one way or another."
Wamba did him the service he required, and they rode side by side for some time, during which Gurth maintained a moody silence. At length he could repress his feelings no longer.
"Friend Wamba," said he, "of all those who are fools enough to serve Cedric, thou alone hast dexterity enough to make thy folly acceptable to him. Go to him, therefore, and tell him that neither for love nor fear will Gurth serve him longer. He may strike the head from me---he may scourge me---he may load me with irons---but henceforth he shall never compel me either to love or to obey him. Go to him, then, and tell him that Gurth the son of Beowulph renounces his service."
"Assuredly," said Wamba, "fool as I am, I shall not do your fool's errand. Cedric hath another javelin stuck into his girdle, and thou knowest he does not always miss his mark."
"I care not," replied Gurth, "how soon he makes a mark of me. Yesterday he left Wilfred, my young master, in his blood. To-day he has striven to kill before my face the only other living creature that ever showed me kindness. By St Edmund, St Dunstan, St Withold, St Edward the Confessor, and every other Saxon saint in the calendar," (for Cedric never swore by any that was not of Saxon lineage, and all his household had the same limited devotion,) "I will never forgive him!"
"To my thinking now," said the Jester, who was frequently wont to act as peace-maker in the family, "our master did not propose to hurt Fangs, but only to affright him. For, if you observed, he rose in his stirrups, as thereby meaning to overcast the mark; and so he would have done, but Fangs happening to bound up at the very moment, received a scratch, which I will be bound to heal with a penny's breadth of tar."
"If I thought so," said Gurth---"if I could but think so---but no---I saw the javelin was well aimed---I heard it whizz through the air with all the wrathful malevolence of him who cast it, and it quivered after it had pitched in the ground, as if with regret for having missed its mark. By the hog dear to St Anthony, I renounce him!"
And the indignant swineherd resumed his sullen silence, which no efforts of the Jester could again induce him to break.
Meanwhile Cedric and Athelstane, the leaders of the troop, conversed together on the state of the land, on the dissensions of the royal family, on the feuds and quarrels among the Norman nobles, and on the chance which there was that the oppressed Saxons might be able to free themselves from the yoke of the Normans, or at least to elevate themselves into national consequence and independence, during the civil convulsions which were likely to ensue. On this subject Cedric was all animation. The restoration of the independence of his race was the idol of his heart, to which he had willingly sacrificed domestic happiness and the interests of his own son. But, in order to achieve this great revolution in favour of the native English, it was necessary that they should be united among themselves, and act under an acknowledged head. The necessity of choosing their chief from the Saxon blood-royal was not only evident in itself, but had been made a solemn condition by those whom Cedric had intrusted with his secret plans and hopes. Athelstane had this quality at least; and though he had few mental accomplishments or talents to recommend him as a leader, he had still a goodly person, was no coward, had been accustomed to martial exercises, and seemed willing to defer to the advice of counsellors more wise than himself. Above all, he was known to be liberal and hospitable, and believed to be good-natured. But whatever pretensions Athelstane had to be considered as head of the Saxon confederacy, many of that nation were disposed to prefer to the title of the Lady Rowena, who drew her descent from Alfred, and whose father having been a chief renowned for wisdom, courage, and generosity, his memory was highly honoured by his oppressed countrymen.
It would have been no difficult thing for Cedric, had he been so disposed, to have placed himself at the head of a third party, as formidable at least as any of the others. To counterbalance their royal descent, he had courage, activity, energy, and, above all, that devoted attachment to the cause which had procured him the epithet of The Saxon, and his birth was inferior to none, excepting only that of Athelstane and his ward. These qualities, however, were unalloyed by the slightest shade of selfishness; and, instead of dividing yet farther his weakened nation by forming a faction of his own, it was a leading part of Cedric's plan to extinguish that which already existed, by promoting a marriage betwixt Rowena and Athelstane. An obstacle occurred to this his favourite project, in the mutual attachment of his ward and his son and hence the original cause of the banishment of Wilfred from the house of his father.
This stern measure Cedric had adopted, in hopes that, during Wilfred's absence, Rowena might relinquish her preference, but in this hope he was disappointed; a disappointment which might be attributed in part to the mode in which his ward had been educated. Cedric, to whom the name of Alfred was as that of a deity, had treated the sole remaining scion of that great monarch with a degree of observance, such as, perhaps, was in those days scarce paid to an acknowledged princess. Rowena's will had been in almost all cases a law to his household; and Cedric himself, as if determined that her sovereignty should be fully acknowledged within that little circle at least, seemed to take a pride in acting as the first of her subjects. Thus trained in the exercise not only of free will, but despotic authority, Rowena was, by her previous education, disposed both to resist and to resent any attempt to control her affections, or dispose of her hand contrary to her inclinations, and to assert her independence in a case in which even those females who have been trained up to obedience and subjection, are not infrequently apt to dispute the authority of guardians and parents. The opinions which she felt strongly, she avowed boldly; and Cedric, who could not free himself from his habitual deference to her opinions, felt totally at a loss how to enforce his authority of guardian.
It was in vain that he attempted to dazzle her with the prospect of a visionary throne. Rowena, who possessed strong sense, neither considered his plan as practicable, nor as desirable, so far as she was concerned, could it have been achieved. Without attempting to conceal her avowed preference of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, she declared that, were that favoured knight out of question, she would rather take refuge in a convent, than share a throne with Athelstane, whom, having always despised, she now began, on account of the trouble she received on his account, thoroughly to detest.
Nevertheless, Cedric, whose opinions of women's constancy was far from strong, persisted in using every means in his power to bring about the proposed match, in which he conceived he was rendering an important service to the Saxon cause. The sudden and romantic appearance of his son in the lists at Ashby, he had justly regarded as almost a death's blow to his hopes. His paternal affection, it is true, had for an instant gained the victory over pride and patriotism; but both had returned in full force, and under their joint operation, he was now bent upon making a determined effort for the union of Athelstane and Rowena, together with expediting those other measures which seemed necessary to forward the restoration of Saxon independence.
On this last subject, he was now labouring with Athelstane, not without having reason, every now and then, to lament, like Hotspur, that he should have moved such a dish of skimmed milk to so honourable an action. Athelstane, it is true, was vain enough, and loved to have his ears tickled with tales of his high descent, and of his right by inheritance to homage and sovereignty. But his petty vanity was sufficiently gratified by receiving this homage at the hands of his immediate attendants, and of the Saxons who approached him. If he had the courage to encounter danger, he at least hated the trouble of going to seek it; and while he agreed in the general principles laid down by Cedric concerning the claim of the Saxons to independence, and was still more easily convinced of his own title to reign over them when that independence should be attained, yet when the means of asserting these rights came to be discussed, he was still "Athelstane the Unready," slow, irresolute, procrastinating, and unenterprising. The warm and impassioned exhortations of Cedric had as little effect upon his impassive temper, as red-hot balls alighting in the water, which produce a little sound and smoke, and are instantly extinguished.
If, leaving this task, which might be compared to spurring a tired jade, or to hammering upon cold iron, Cedric fell back to his ward Rowena, he received little more satisfaction from conferring with her. For, as his presence interrupted the discourse between the lady and her favourite attendant upon the gallantry and fate of Wilfred, Elgitha failed not to revenge both her mistress and herself, by recurring to the overthrow of Athelstane in the lists, the most disagreeable subject which could greet the ears of Cedric. To this sturdy Saxon, therefore, the day's journey was fraught with all manner of displeasure and discomfort; so that he more than once internally cursed the tournament, and him who had proclaimed it, together with his own folly in ever thinking of going thither.
At noon, upon the motion of Athelstane, the travellers paused in a woodland shade by a fountain, to repose their horses and partake of some provisions, with which the hospitable Abbot had loaded a sumpter mule. Their repast was a pretty long one; and these several interruptions rendered it impossible for them to hope to reach Rotherwood without travelling all night, a conviction which induced them to proceed on their way at a more hasty pace than they had hitherto used.
走吧！我们的旅行经过的是幽静的山谷，
幸福的小鹿随着胆怯的母亲在那里漫步，
绿荫覆盖的烁树伸开粗大的枝柯，
阳光穿过它们在草地上纵横交叉；
快动身吧！因为我们要走的是可爱的旅途，
欢乐明亮的太阳已高高升起在天空。
别等辛西娅用朦胧的灯光照亮寂寞的森林，
到那时便不太安全，不太愉快了。
《厄特里克森林》(注)
--------
(注)苏格兰诗人詹姆斯·合格（1770—1835）的诗。霍格曾得到司各特的揄对，口而闻名，被称为“厄特里克牧人”。辛西娅即月神狄安娜。
在阿什贝比武场上，撒克逊人塞德里克看见他的儿子倒在地上昏迷不醒时，他的第一个冲动是要命令他的仆人保护和照料他，但是话到嘴边又缩了回去。在这么多的人面前，他不能让自己承认，这就是被他赶走和剥夺继承权的儿子。然而他吩咐奥斯瓦尔德对他留点儿心，要那个家人和两个奴隶等观众一散，马上把艾文荷送往阿什贝。谁知这个好差使给别人抢了先，观众确实散了，可是骑士已不知去向。
塞德里克的斟酒人到处找他的少爷，却遍寻无着，他刚才昏倒的地上只留下了一摊血迹，人已不见踪影，仿佛给仙人抬走了。撒克逊人都是非常迷信的，奥斯瓦尔德便可能用这样的假设，向主人报告艾文荷失踪的秘密，可这时他的眼睛突然发现了一个人，他穿得像扈从，面貌却明明是老爷的仆人葛四。原来乔装改扮的放猪人为了主人的突然消失，正为他的命运万分焦急，到处寻找，以致疏忽了与自己的安全直接有关的伪装。奥斯瓦尔德认为葛四是潜逃的奴隶，抓住他是他的责任，至于如何发落，那是主人的事。
斟酒人重又开始打听艾文荷的下落，但从旁观者收集到的全部情况，只是这位骑士给一些衣着华丽的仆役小心抬起，在一位小姐的指挥下，放到一只担架上，随即给抬出了拥挤的人群。奥斯瓦尔德得到这个消息，决定立即回禀主人，听取进一步的指示；他把葛四当作塞德里克家的逃犯，带在身边。
撒克逊人忧心忡忡，一心惦记着他的儿子，这是天性发挥了作用，尽管大义灭亲的坚定意志要否定它，也无法办到。但是他一旦获悉，艾文荷已得到了妥善的，也许还是友好的照料，由于担心他的命运而引起的父爱，又重新被自尊心受到伤害而产生的愤怒所取代了，认为这是他所说的威尔弗莱德的件逆不孝罪有应得的结果。 “他无家可归是自作自受，”他说，“他为什么人卖命，就让什么人给他医伤吧。他只配跟着诺曼骑士跑江湖，玩把戏，不配拿起我们的大刀和战钺为祖国杀敌雪耻，为英国祖先的威名和荣誉战斗。”
“要保持祖先的荣誉，”罗文娜说道，她正好在场，“只要头脑聪明，行为果敢，比所有的人都英勇，比所有的人都高尚便够了，可是除了他的父亲，我还没听人说过……”
“别多嘴，罗文娜小姐！只有在这件事上，我不能听你的。穿好衣服，准备参加亲王的宴会吧；我们得到了邀请。这是不同寻常的荣誉和体面，自从黑斯廷斯战役败绩以来，傲慢的诺曼人还很少这么对待我们。我得去参加，我至少要让那些目中无人的诺曼人看到，一个儿子哪怕打败了他们最勇敢的人，他的命运也不能影响我这个撒克逊人。”
“可是我不想参加，”罗文娜说，“我还得提醒您，别让您的所谓勇敢和坚定，在别人眼中变成了冷酷无情。”
“那你就待在家里，忘恩负义的小姐，”塞德里克答道，“你才是铁石心肠，宁可牺牲一个被压迫民族的利益，却不愿放弃痴心妄想、自作主张的爱情。我去找高贵的阿特尔斯坦，与他一起出席安茹家的约翰的宴会。”。
他就这样参加了宴会，关于这次宴会上的一些重要事件，我们已经叙述过了。两位撒克逊庄主离开城堡后，立刻带着他们的随从骑马走了。就是在他们出发的忙乱时刻，塞德里克才第一次发现了逃奴葛四。我们知道，这位撒克逊贵人离开筵席时，心里很不平静，只要找到一个借口，便会把怒火发泄在任何一个人身上。“手铐！”他说，“手铐！奥斯瓦尔德，亨德伯特！你们这些畜生，这些混蛋！为什么不给这个无赖戴上手铐？”
葛四的那些伙伴不敢反对，只得用缰绳把他捆了，这是当时最现成的绳索。他没有反抗，听任他们捆绑，只是向主人发出了谴责的目光，说道：“这是为了爱您的亲骨肉，超过了爱我自己。”
“上马，快走！”塞德里克说。
“确实得快走了，”高贵的阿特尔斯坦说，“要不赶紧一些，沃尔西奥夫长老为我们准备的盲夜，就得全部报废了。”
不过这些旅人快马加鞭，终于在他们担心的事发生以前，赶到了圣维索尔特修道院。长老也是撒克逊的世家望族出身，按照本民族的习惯，给两位撒克逊贵人准备了丰富精美的菜肴，让他们大吃了一顿，一直吃到深夜，或者不如说清早；而且在第二天早上他们向长老告辞以前，又吃了一顿丰盛的早点。
这一行人走出修道院的院子时，碰到了一件事，撒克逊人认为这是不祥之兆，因为欧洲各民族中，撒克逊人是最迷信预兆的，关于这类观念，在我们的民间传说里大多还能找到。诺曼人是一支混杂的民族，按照当时的水平看，可算得见多识广，他们的祖先从斯堪的纳维亚带来的许多迷信观念，早已被他们抛弃，因此在这类问题上，他们的思想比较开通。
在目前这场合，面临灾祸的感觉是由一位不太体面的先知引起的，那就是一只又大又瘦的黑狗，它直挺挺坐在地上，看到前面的骑士走出大门，便嗥叫起来，叫得那么凄惨，等他们走过以后，更是使劲狂吠，跳来跳去，怎么也不肯离开这伙人。
“我不喜欢这种音乐，塞德里克伯父，”阿特尔斯坦说，他习惯对他用这样的尊称。
“我也不喜欢，老爷子，”汪八说。“我怕得很，恐怕我们得出些买路钱了。”
”照我看，”阿特尔斯坦说，他还在惦记长老的美酒——那时伯顿(注)已以这种鲜美的麦酒著称——它留给了他难忘的印象，“照我看，我们还是回去，在长老那里待到下午再走。在路上遇到一个修士，一只兔子，或者一只朝你嚎叫的狗，都是不宜旅行的，不如吃过一顿饭再动身。”
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(注)即特伦特河畔伯顿，从古代起即以酿酒业著称。
“快走！”塞德里克不耐烦地说，“白天太短，我们已经来不及了。至于这狗，我认得它，那是逃奴葛四的狗，服它的主人一样，也是逃走的孬种。”
他一边这么说。一边踩住脚镫，挺直身子，怒不可遏地向于扰他旅程的狗，投出了标枪——原来那确实是可怜的方斯，它一直跟踪着那位偷偷外出的主人，他到哪里，它也跟到哪里，后来跑到这里，却失去了他的踪迹，现在重又发现了他，便不禁用这种不文明的方式表示它的欢乐。梭镖在牲畜的肩头擦过，伤了点皮肉，幸好并没把它钉在地上：方斯在愤怒的庄主面前，一边大叫一边逃走。葛四气得肚子都涨破了，认为这是对他忠实的追随者的蓄意谋害，论罪行比他自己受到的粗暴待遇严重得多。他想用手擦擦眼睛，可是举不起来，这时汪八正好为了躲避主人的火气，退到了后边，于是葛四对他说：“我求你帮个忙，用你的衣襟给我擦一下眼睛；我的眼睛吹进了沙子，可这些绳索把我捆得紧紧的，一动也动不了。”
汪八满足了他的要求，他们便暂时骑着马并排行走；这时葛四一直闷闷不乐，一声不吭。最后他再也忍不住了。
“汪八老弟，”他说。“给塞德里克于活的都是傻瓜，只有你一个人还算乖巧，可以使他接受你的傻话。所以请你去找他，告诉他，我葛四既不爱他，也不怕他，不会老给他干活的。他可以杀我的头，用鞭子打我，给我锁上脚镣手铐，但是他今后休想要我爱他或者服从他。你去告诉他，贝奥武尔夫的儿子葛四再也不给他当奴隶了。”
“告诉你，”汪八说，“我尽管是个傻瓜，不会给你传这种傻话。塞德里克的腰带上还插着一支梭缥呢，你知道，他不是每回都投不准目标的。”
“我不在乎他什么时候把我当他的靶子，”葛回答道，“昨天他丢下我的少爷，让他躺在血泊中。今天他又当着我的面，想杀死我的另一个伙伴。那个唯一待我亲热的朋友。我凭圣埃德蒙，圣邓斯坦，圣维索尔特，忏悔者圣爱德华，以及历书上的每一个撒克逊圣徒起誓（因为塞德里克从来不对不是撒克逊血统的圣徒起誓，以致他的家人起誓时也有这种局限），我绝对不会宽恕他！”
“不过按照我的想法，”滑稽人说，他在家中一向喜欢充当和事佬，“我们的主人不是真的要伤害方斯，只是想吓唬吓唬它。如果你留意一下，你便会发现，他从脚镫上挺直身子，便是故意要把梭镖投得超过目标，这本来可能做到，但是方斯这时正好向前一跳，以致反而给擦破了皮，我保证，这点伤涂一下焦油便没事。”
“只要能够，我也愿意这么想，”葛四说，“但我不能，我看见梭镖是瞄准了投出的。我听得它咝咝地飞过空中，他是带着仇恨，恶狠狠地投出它的；它着地之后还在颤动，仿佛因为没有打中，很不甘心呢。凭圣安东尼所爱护的猪起誓，我再也不给他干活了！”
愤怒的放猪人又闷闷不乐，保持着沉默，不论小丑用什么办法，都不能使他再开口。
这时，塞德里克和阿特尔斯坦带着这队人一边走，一边谈论国家大事，王室内部的分崩离析，诺曼贵族之间的明争暗斗；他们认为，被压迫的撒克逊人正可利用这时机，摆脱诺曼人的桎梏，至少在眼看即将到来的动乱中，提高他们的民族地位和民主权利。这是使塞德里克精神振奋的一件事，因为恢复撒克逊民族的独立是他一心向往的目标，正是为了它，他甘愿牺牲家庭的幸福，放弃儿子的利益。但是要完成这一伟大的变革，保护英国本族人民的权利，他们就必须联合起来，在一个公认的首领下统一行动。这个首领必须从撒克逊王室成员中遴选，这不仅十分明显，而且也是与塞德里克怀有同样希望，共同商讨这个秘密计划的人，一致赞同的庄严条件。阿特尔斯坦至少具备这个条件，尽管他缺乏远大的抱负，能力上也不足以担当领导人，然而他还是一个合适的人选，他不是懦夫，经历过战斗的锤炼，看来还从善如流，愿意接受志士仁人的指导。最重要的是大家知道他慷慨豪爽，热情好客，而且相信他是一个温和忠厚的人。但是不论阿特尔斯坦作为撒克逊联盟的首领，具有多少可取之处，他们中的许多人还是认为，罗文娜小姐比他更为合适，她的血统可以上溯到阿尔弗烈德大王，她的父亲又是一个以智慧、勇敢和慷慨闻名的大臣，在他被压迫的国人中享有崇高的声望。
如果塞德里克愿意，他也可以成为第三种势力的领导人，这并不困难，它至少可以与其他势力一样强大。尽管他不是王族出身，他的勇敢、活动能力和充沛的精力，尤其是对这件复国大计始终不渝的忠诚——正是这点使他获得了“撒克逊人”的诨名——都是别人比不上的，何况除了阿特尔斯坦和他的义女，他的身分也不比任何人低。然而那些品质中不包含丝毫自私观念，组成第三种势力，使本来业已削弱的民族进一步削弱，这不符合塞德里克的要求，相反，他的计划的首要部分，是要促进罗文娜和阿特尔斯坦的结合，消除已经存在的分歧。这样，他的义女和儿子的相互依恋，成了他这个心爱的计划的障碍，这便是他要把威尔弗莱德赶出家门的根本原因。
塞德里克采取这个严厉的措施，是指望在威尔弗莱德外出期间，罗文娜可能忘记他，把他抛在脑后，但这个希望并未实现，原因也许与他的义女从小接受的培养方式有关。对于塞德里克，阿尔弗烈德无异是神的化身，那位伟大君主留下的唯一后人，在他眼里是至高无上的，他对她几乎比对一位正式的公主更恭敬。罗文娜的意愿差不多在一切场合对他的家庭都是法律；他仿佛决定，至少在他的小圈子里，她要具有公认的女王身分，他自己只是她的首席大臣，他也以此为荣。在这样的培养下，罗文娜不仅可以充分行使她的自由意志，而且握有独断独行的权力；现在，控制她的感情，或者违反她的意愿，支配她的婚姻的任何企图，便由于她早年的养育方式，遭到了抵制或反抗。何况这种事，哪怕从小接受三从四德教育的妇女，也往往会违抗父母或保护人的命令，罗文娜自然要坚持自主的权利了。只要她认为她的看法是对的，她便会公开承认，无所畏惧。塞德里克一向尊重她的意志，至今仍不能摆脱这种习惯，因此有些束手无策，不知如何贯彻监护人的权力。
他企图用展望中的王位打动她的心，但这只是徒劳而已。罗文娜具有清醒的头脑，认为他的计划不切实际，也没必要，在她看来，这是不可能成功的。她对艾文荷的威尔弗莱德的倾心相爱，她也不想隐瞒，公然声称，如果她不能与心爱的骑士结合，她宁可进修道院，也不会与阿特尔斯坦一起登上王位；她一向瞧不起他，现在由于他给她造成了这种麻烦，更是觉得他十分讨厌。
然而在塞德里克看来，妇女的观点根本不可能保持不变，因此他坚持要用尽他掌握的一切办法，使他所向往的婚姻成为事实；他认为，这是他为撒克逊民族的事业作出的一大贡献。他的儿子在阿什贝比武场上，出其不意地突然露面，在他看来，无异是对他的希望的致命打击，这是难怪的。确实，他作为父亲的感情一度曾占据上风，克服了他的自尊心和爱国精神；但两者随即以不可抗拒的力量重新崛起，在它们的共同作用下，他痛下决心，务必促成阿特尔斯坦和罗文娜的结合；他认为，只要这样，随着其他一些必要措施的付诸实行，恢复撒克逊民族的独立便指日可待了。
现在他便为后面这件事，在竭力说服阿特尔斯坦，关于这个人，他是时常怀有隐忧的，他似乎觉得自己有些像霍茨波(注)，是在动员一个窝囊废参加一次光辉的壮举。不错，阿特尔斯坦自命不凡，喜欢听人奉承，谁谈到他的高贵出身，他对至高无上的君主地位的继承权，他便沾沾自喜；但这不过是一种无聊的虚荣心，只要他身边的仆人和接近他的一些撒克逊人恭维他几句，他就满足了。如果说他有勇气面对危险，那么他至少不想自找麻烦，惹火烧身。他对塞德里克就撒克逊人的独立提出的一些主张，固然表示赞同，对独立以后，他应该享有的统治权更是深信不疑，然而当讨论涉及实现这些权利的途径时，他仍然是“优柔寡断的阿特尔斯坦”—— 没精打采，迟疑不决，顾虑重重，胸无大志。塞德里克那些激昂慷慨的规劝，对他意志消沉的心情几乎毫无作用，就像烧红的铁球落进水中，发出了一阵烟和一些咝咝声之后，随即熄灭了。
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(注)霍茨波是莎士比亚的历史剧《亨利四世上篇》中的人物。在该剧第。幕第三场中，霍茨波说：“我瞎了眼睛，居然会劝诱这么一个窝囊废参加我们的壮举。”
塞德里克的苦口婆心，只是好比在用踢马刺踢一匹疲乏不堪的马，或者用榔头锤打一块冰冷的铁，于是他只得退回义女身边，与罗文娜计议，但结果也只是自讨没趣。原来这位小姐正与她的心腹使女，谈论威尔弗莱德的武艺和命运，塞德里克的打岔使她不快，艾尔吉莎为了替她的小姐和她本人出气，故意把谈话扯到阿特尔斯坦在比武场上给打落马背的丑态，这正是塞德里克的耳朵最不愿听到的话。就因为这样，对这位撒克逊硬汉子说来，这天的旅程一点也不顺利。到处都是烦恼；于是他在心中一再咒骂这次比武大会和它的主持人，也骂他自己怎么会心血来潮跑到那儿去。
到了中午，根据阿特尔斯坦的提议，这伙旅人在林子里泉水旁边的树荫下休息，让他们的马歇一会力，也让他们自己吃些东酉，因为出手大方的长老给他们的食物装满了一只驮骡呢。这顿点心吃了不少时候；经过几次停顿之后，眼看不连夜赶路已别想到得了罗瑟伍德，这使他们不得不加快速度，再也不能像刚才那么磨蹭了。