The female who sat behind this spectre exhibited also some symptoms of extenuation; but being a brave jolly dame naturally, famine had not been able to render her a spectacle so rueful as the anatomy behind which she rode. Dame Gillian’s cheek (for it was the reader’s old acquaintance) had indeed lost the rosy hue of good cheer, and the smoothness of complexion which art and easy living had formerly substituted for the more delicate bloom of youth; her eyes were sunken, and had lost much of their bold and roguish lustre; but she was still in some measure herself, and the remnants of former finery, together with the tight-drawn scarlet hose, though sorely faded, showed still a remnant of coquettish pretension.
So soon as she came within sight of the pilgrims, she began to punch Raoul with the end of her riding-rod. “Try thy new trade, man, since thou art unfit for any other — to the good man — to them — crave their charity.”
“Beg from beggars?” muttered Raoul; “that were hawking at sparrows, dame.”
“It will bring our hand in use though,” said Gillian; and commenced, in a whining tone, “God love you, holy men, who have had the grace to go to the Holy Land, and, what is more, have had the grace to come back again; I pray, bestow some of your alms upon my poor old husband, who is a miserable object, as you see, and upon one who has the bad luck to be his wife — Heaven help me!”
“Peace, woman, and hear what I have to say,” said the Constable, laying his hand upon the bridle of the horse —“I have present occasion for that horse, and ——”
“By the hunting-horn of St. Hubert, but thou gettest him not without blows!” answered the old huntsman “A fine world it is, when palmers turn horse-stealers.”
“Peace, fellow” said the Constable, sternly,—“I say I have occasion presently for the service of thy horse. Here be two gold bezants for a day’s use of the brute; it is well worth the fee-simple of him, were he never returned.”
“But the palfrey is an old acquaintance, master,” said Raoul; “and if perchance —”
“Out upon if and perchance both,” said the dame, giving her husband so determined a thrust as well-nigh pushed him out of the saddle. “Off the horse! and thank God and this worthy man for the help he hath sent us in this extremity. What signifies the palfrey, when we have not enough to get food either for the brute or ourselves? not though we would eat grass and corn with him, like King Somebody, whom the good father used to read us to sleep about.”
“A truce with your prating, dame,” said Raoul, offering his assistance to help her from the croupe; but she preferred that of Guarine, who, though advanced in years, retained the advantage of his stout soldierly figure. “I humbly thank your goodness,” said she, as, (having first kissed her,) the squire set her on the ground. “And, pray, sir, are ye come from the Holy Land?— Heard ye any tidings there of him that was Constable of Chester?”
De Lacy, who was engaged in removing the pillion from behind the saddle, stopped short in his task, and said, “Ha, dame! what would you with him?”
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