Maid Marian

h in glowing

in possession of a party of the king's men, who had been detached by Sir Ralph Montfaucon to seize on it during the earl's absence. The baron inferred from this that the earl's case was desperate; and those who have had the opportunity of seeing a rich friend fall suddenly into poverty, may easily judge by their own feelings how quickly and completely the whole moral being of the earl was changed in the baron's estimation. The baron immediately proceeded to require in his daughter's mind the same summary revolution that had taken place in his own, and considered himself exceedingly ill-used by her non-compliance. The lady had retired to her chamber, and the baron had passed a supperless and sleepless night, stalking about his apartments till an advanced hour of the morning, when hunger compelled him to summon into his presence the spoils of the buttery, which, being the intended array of an uneaten wedding feast, were more than usually abundant, and on which, when the knight and the friar entered, he was falling with desperate valour. He looked up at them fiercely, with his mouth full of beef and his eyes full of flame, and rising, as ceremony required, made an awful bow to the knight, inclining himself forward over the table and presenting his carving-knife en militaire, in a manner that seemed to leave it doubtful whether he meant to show respect to his visitor, or to defend his provision: but t

ment of frustrating the intended nuptials of your fair daughter; yet will you, I trust, owe me no displeasure fo

s truly paternal, and for a young man and a stranger very singular and exemplary: and it is very kind withal to co

t his reason in the shape of a preconceived intent, but in that of a su

? that has not wit enough to eat venison without picking a quarrel with monarchy? that flings away his own lands into the clutches of rascally friars, for the sake of hunting in

e friar, "great

man to drive my daughter's bridegroom out of the chapel in the middle of the marriage ceremony, and turn all

ar: "he has done nei

"he has done both, and I wil

d Sir Ralph; "I will con

cede nothing in honour: I will con

e the earl's castle in his absence, and laid my measures for intercepting him on the way to his intended nuptials; but he seems to have had intimation of this part of my plan, for he brought with him a large armed retinue, and took a circuitous route, which made him, I believe, somewhat later than

ch thing? But truly, sir, if I had a mind to the devil for a son-i

r; "for I have undertaken to

e very ready with your undertakings. Will you undertake to make her renounce

stward, or to make flame burn downward, or to make a tree

ure and the elements, and it is easier to make her renounce the devil

orld. I am militant not against man, but the de

k for him so often in my buttery. Will you cast out the devil whose

e made in heaven. Love is God's

hurch. Could men have put them asunder, if God had joined them together? And th

king may mollify. The earl is a worthy

led the king's men; and if the baron should ai

nary: he shall drain me dry as hay. Am I not disparaged? Am I not outraged? Is not my daughter vilified, and made a mockery? A girl half-married? There was

d," said

aid the baron, "for I ca

the young lady must be much

in a most provoking imperturbability, and contradict

ght have seen her, to make my excuse in p

en the door opened, and th