rtain prejudices and
hasty opinions."

"Sir Knight of the Fetterlock," said Cedric, colouring, and interrupting
the King in his turn, "I trust your boon regards yourself and no other;
for in that which concerns the honour of my house, it is scarce fitting
that a stranger should mingle."

"Nor do I wish to mingle," said the King, mildly, "unless in so far as
you will admit me to have an interest. As yet you have known me but as
the Black Knight of the Fetterlock--Know me now as Richard Plantagenet."

"Richard of Anjou!" exclaimed Cedric, stepping backward with the utmost
astonishment.

"No, noble Cedric--Richard of England!--whose deepest interest--whose
deepest wish, is to see her sons united with each other.--And, how now,
worthy Thane! hast thou no knee for thy prince?"

"To Norman blood," said Cedric, "it hath never bended."

"Reserve thine homage then," said the Monarch, "until I shall prove my
right to it by my equal protection of Normans and English."

"Prince," answered Cedric, "I have ever done justice to thy bravery
and thy worth--Nor am I ignorant of thy claim to the crown through thy
descent from Matilda, niece to Edgar Atheling, and daughter to Malcolm
of Scotland. But Matilda, though of the royal Saxon blood, was not the
heir to the monarchy."

"I will not dispute my title with thee, noble Thane," said Richard,
calmly; "but I will bid thee look around thee, and see where thou wilt
find another to be put into the scale against it."

"And hast thou wandered hither, Prince, to tell me so?" said Cedric--"To
upbraid me with the ruin of my race, ere the grave has closed o'er
the last scion of Saxon royalty?"--His countenance darkened as he
spoke.--"It was boldly--it was rashly done!"

"Not so, by the holy rood!" replied the King; "it was done in the frank
confidence which one brave man may repose in another, without a shadow
of danger."

"Thou sayest well, Sir King--for King I own thou art, and wilt be,
despite of my feeble opposition.--I dare not take the only mode to
prevent it, though thou hast placed the strong temptation within my
reach!"

"And now to my boon," said the King, "which I ask not with one jot
the less confidence, that thou hast refused to acknowledge my lawful
sovereignty. I require of thee, as a man of thy word, on pain of being
held faithless, man-sworn, and 'nidering', [581] to forgive and receive
to thy paternal affection the good knight, Wilfred of Ivanhoe. In this
reconcili