Part 11 (1/2)
”The foul fiend on thy grandsire and all his generation!” interrupted John; ”shoot, knave, and shoot thy best, or it shall be the worse for thee!”
Thus exhorted, Hubert resu the necessary allowance for a very light air of wind, which had just arisen, shot so successfully that his arrow alighted in the very centre of the target
”Thou canst notsmile
”I will notch his shaft for hi fly his arroith a little ht upon that of his competitor, which it split to shi+vers
”And now,” said Locksley, ”I will crave your Grace's permission to plant such a mark as is used in the North Country, and welcome every brave yeoman who shall try a shot at it”
He then turned to leave the lists ”Let your guards attend o but to cut a rod from the next -bush”
Locksley returned alth, perfectly straight, and rather thicker than a ood woodet so broad as had hitherto been used, was to put shame upon his skill ”For my own part,” he said, ”and in the land where I was bred,Arthur's round table, which held sixty knights around it A child of seven years old,” he said, ”et with a headless shaft; but,” added he, walking deliberately to the other end of the lists, and sticking the and upright in the ground, ”he that hits that rod at five-score yards, I call hi”
”My grandsire,” said Hubert, ”drew a good bow at the battle of Hastings, and never shot at such a mark in his life--and neither will I If this yeoive him the bucklers--or rather, I yield to the devil that is in his jerkin, and not to any human skill; a man can but do his best, and I will not shoot where I aht as well shoot at a sunbea white streak which I can hardly see”
”Cowardly dog!” said Prince John--”Sirrah Locksley, do thou shoot; but, if thou hittest such a mark, I will say thou art the first man ever did so Howe'er it be, thou shalt not crow over us with a mere show of superior skill”
”I will do my best, as Hubert says,” answered Locksley; ”no ain bent his bow, but on the present occasion looked with attention to his weapon, and changed the string, which he thought was no longer truly round, having been a little frayed by the two former shots He then took his aim with some deliberation, and the multitude awaited the event in breathless silence The archer vindicated their opinion of his skill: his arrow split therod against which it was aimed A jubilee of acclamations followed; and even Prince John, in admiration of Locksley's skill, lost for an instant his dislike to his person ”These twenty nobles,” he said, ”which, with the bugle, thou hast fairly won, are thine oill make them fifty, if thou wilt take livery and service with us as a yeouard, and be near to our person For never did so strong a hand bend a bow, or so true an eye direct a shaft”
”Pardon me, noble Prince,” said Locksley; ”but I have vowed, that, if ever I take service, it should be with your royal brother, King Richard
These twenty nobles I leave to Hubert, who has this day drawn as brave a bow as his grandsire did at Hastings Had his modesty not refused the trial, he would have hit the wand as well as I”
Hubert shook his head as he received with reluctance the bounty of the stranger; and Locksley, anxious to escape further observation, mixed with the crowd, and was seen no more
Scott: ”Ivanhoe”
IN NOVEMBER
The hills and leafless forests slowly yield To the thick-driving snow A little while And night shall darken down In shouting file The wood stubbles, half-concealed, Now golden-gray, sowed softly through with snow, Where the last ploughh the whitening field
Archibald Laale, The suone, The woods of Autulory on
The mountains that infold, In their wide sweep, the coloured landscape round, Seeuard the enchanted ground