d, lay
incapable either of flight or resistance.

"Come, valiant sir," said Wamba, "I must be your armourer as well as
your equerry--I have dismounted you, and now I will unhelm you."

So saying, with no very gentle hand he undid the helmet of the Blue
Knight, which, rolling to a distance on the grass, displayed to the
Knight of the Fetterlock grizzled locks, and a countenance he did not
expect to have seen under such circumstances.

"Waldemar Fitzurse!" he said in astonishment; "what could urge one of
thy rank and seeming worth to so foul an undertaking?"

"Richard," said the captive Knight, looking up to him, "thou knowest
little of mankind, if thou knowest not to what ambition and revenge can
lead every child of Adam."

"Revenge?" answered the Black Knight; "I never wronged thee--On me thou
hast nought to revenge."

"My daughter, Richard, whose alliance thou didst scorn--was that no
injury to a Norman, whose blood is noble as thine own?"

"Thy daughter?" replied the Black Knight; "a proper cause of enmity, and
followed up to a bloody issue!--Stand back, my masters, I would speak
to him alone.--And now, Waldemar Fitzurse, say me the truth--confess who
set thee on this traitorous deed."

"Thy father's son," answered Waldemar, "who, in so doing, did but avenge
on thee thy disobedience to thy father."

Richard's eyes sparkled with indignation, but his better nature overcame
it. He pressed his hand against his brow, and remained an instant gazing
on the face of the humbled baron, in whose features pride was contending
with shame.

"Thou dost not ask thy life, Waldemar," said the King.

"He that is in the lion's clutch," answered Fitzurse, "knows it were
needless."

"Take it, then, unasked," said Richard; "the lion preys not on prostrate
carcasses.--Take thy life, but with this condition, that in three days
thou shalt leave England, and go to hide thine infamy in thy Norman
castle, and that thou wilt never mention the name of John of Anjou as
connected with thy felony. If thou art found on English ground after the
space I have allotted thee, thou diest--or if thou breathest aught
that can attaint the honour of my house, by Saint George! not the altar
itself shall be a sanctuary. I will hang thee out to feed the ravens,
from the very pinnacle of thine own castle.--Let this knight have a
steed, Locksley, for I see your yeomen have caught those which were
running loose, and let him depart unharmed."

"But tha