aw his sword.

The attendants, embarrassed with baggage and surprised and terrified at
the fate of their master, fell an easy prey to the assailants; while the
Lady Rowena and the Jew and his daughter experienced the same
misfortune.

Of all the train none escaped but Wamba, who showed upon the occasion
much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense. He
possessed himself of a sword belonging to one of the domestics, who was
just drawing it, laid it about him like a lion, drove back several who
approached him, and made a brave though ineffectual effort to succor his
master. Finding himself overpowered, the jester threw himself from his
horse, plunged into a thicket, and, favored by the general confusion,
escaped from the scene of action.

Suddenly a voice very near him called out in a low and cautious tone,
"Wamba!" and, at the same time, a dog which he recognized as Fangs
jumped up and fawned upon him. "Gurth!" answered Wamba with the same
caution, and the swineherd immediately stood before him.

"What is the matter?" he asked. "What mean these cries and that clashing
of swords?"

"Only a trick of the times," answered Wamba. "They are all prisoners."

"Who are prisoners?"

"My lord, and my lady, and Athelstane, and the others."

"In the name of God," demanded Gurth, "how came they prisoners? and to
whom?"

"They are prisoners to green [v]cassocks and black [v]vizors," answered
Wamba. "They all lie tumbled about on the green, like the crab-apples
that you shake down to your swine. And I would laugh at it," added the
honest jester, "if I could for weeping."

He shed tears of unfeigned sorrow.

Gurth's countenance kindled. "Wamba," he said, "thou hast a weapon and
thy heart was ever stronger than thy brain. We are only two, but a
sudden attack from men of resolution might do much. Follow me!"

"Whither, and for what purpose?" asked the jester.

"To rescue Cedric."

"But you renounced his service just now."

"That," said Gurth, "was while he was fortunate. Follow me."

As the jester was about to obey, a third person suddenly made his
appearance and commanded them both to halt. From his dress and arms
Wamba would have conjectured him to be one of the outlaws who had just
assailed his master; but, besides that he wore no mask, the glittering
baldric across his shoulders, with the rich bugle horn which it
supported, as well as the calm and commanding expression of his voice
and manner, made th