"
"O mother, must you play the chatelaine?" asked Ebbo. "Who can the
fellow be? Why did none ever so come when they would have been more
welcome?"
"Welcomed must he be," said Christina, rising, "and thy state shall
be my excuse for not tarrying longer with him than may be needful."
Yet, though shrinking from a stranger's face, she was not without
hope that the variety might wholesomely rouse her son from his
depression, and in effect Ebbo, when left with Hatto, minutely
questioned him on the appearance of the stranger, and watched, with
much curiosity, for his mother's return.
"Ebbo mine," she said, entering, after a long interval, "the knight
asks to see thee either after supper, or to-morrow morn."
"Then a knight he is?"
"Yea, truly, a knight truly in every look and gesture, bearing his
head like the leading stag of the herd, and yet right gracious."
"Gracious to you, mother, in your own hall?" cried Ebbo, almost
fiercely.
"Ah! jealous champion, thou couldst not take offence! It was the
manner of one free and courteous to every one, and yet with an
inherent loftiness that pervades all.
Pages:
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430