there had been three days of grim and gloomy weather, but little cared rose and ruth what colour the sky might be, nor how iron-bound the world without. this because it was close to christmas, and they had been extremely busy finishing christmas presents. you kept running upon them bent mysteriously over some task, and what a shriek of agony either of them gave when thus surprised!
but now the presents were really finished, two whole days before the day. and so when the fourth morning broke just as grey and cold as ever, with a moany kind of wind dragging about outside the house, and leaping inside with a whoop whenever the door was opened, the two girls were, as rose remarked, “plum disgusted.”
“no one with a spark of life in him could sit down quietly with nothing to do and christmas hanging over his head,” she grumbled. “i’m too excited inside. if we could tear about outdoors with any comfort at all—but i’m sure my nose would break off if i hit it with a pencil this minute, and we’ve only been out twenty minutes.”
ruth shivered in an agreeing way. suddenly a smile broke over her face:
“rose, we’ve forgotten all about the fairy!”
“good crickey! what’s the matter with us? i’m sure she’ll come and take us somewhere if only we go into the living room and feel thoroughly lonely. oh, ruth, where could we go this time?”
“i’ve an idea, a peachy one. but just you wait till she comes, and then i’ll ask her if i can choose this time.”
so the girls ran joyously into the big, comfortable room, piled logs on the fire, heaped a lot of cushions on the rug before it, and snuggled down deliciously to wait, and feel lonely.
“i wonder if we’ll ever be able to see her,” ruth murmured. “wouldn’t it be funny to meet her somewhere and not know her unless she spoke first?”
“huh! i guess if we saw a fairy anywhere we could be mighty certain——”
“it was your fairy, eh?”
both girls started, as they always did when the honey-sweet tinkle of that voice made itself heard. and then they giggled delightedly.
“oh, fairy, here you are. and we do want one of your magic gate adventures so much. we’re so lonely and tired of its being such horrid weather that we can’t stay out a second without feeling friz, as jake says.”
“which means you wouldn’t be sitting here and 85wishing for me if you had an earthly thing to do?” and the fairy’s voice sounded a bit mocking.
“fairy, dear, it isn’t our fault. somehow you never get into our minds when anything else is going on, or when any one else is there. don’t you fix it that way yourself? we’re sure you do. i guess we wouldn’t think of anything but you if you didn’t.”
the fairy laughed. “so you’ve found me out,” she gurgled. “clever young ones. yes, i suppose i am at the bottom of it. i couldn’t have you calling for me all the time, or i’d like to know how i’d get through my work. well, what shall we do now i am here?”
ruth leaped up excitedly:
“may i wish, this time, fairy? oh, please let me!”
“of course you can, dear child. but don’t plunge about like a bewitched windmill. i can’t keep my wings still in such a commotion.”
“i’m so sorry,” ruth said, hastily sinking down on the rug. “how i wish we could see your wings.”
“they are rather nice, if i say it as shouldn’t. but come now, what is it you were going to propose?”
rose listened eagerly, wondering where ruth meant to go. she had a plan of her own, and was hoping ruth wouldn’t choose that, so that she could get her turn next time.
“please take us to visit rowena—you know, 86in ‘ivanhoe,’” ruth almost whispered, so thrilled was she at the idea of seeing her favourite heroine.
rose sighed with relief and with pleasure, too. it wasn’t her plan, and yet it was so splendid.
“fine idea,” said the fairy, briskly. “give me your hands, and—poof!!”
when the two children opened their eyes the fairy, as usual, had gone and they stood hand in hand, staring about them.
they were standing in a sort of avenue through a forest. on either side sturdy oaks crowded close, with holly and other shrubs and bushes. underfoot the grass grew thick and short, scarcely trampled by the light traffic that passed over it.
the dew lay heavy, and it was evidently very early in the morning. the two girls looked about, wondering whether any one were in sight. but the wood seemed deserted, except for hundreds of birds fairly singing their little heads off. then rose gave ruth an excited glance.
“look at our clothes this time, ruthsie! aren’t they simply scrumptious?”
they were all of that. rose wore a pale blue, straight cut skirt of shining silk, and over it a tunic of purple wool, very fine and soft. this tunic reached almost to her knees and was embroidered round the bottom and the sleeves, which were wide and elbow length, in a rich design of yellows and blues. her hair hung in two braids, twined with silken threads and turquoises, and a small, light hoop of silver held a floating pale blue veil on her head, a veil that almost reached the ground behind. several bracelets and a chain round her neck gave the finishing touch to her glory. ruth’s dress resembled her sister’s, except that it was in various shades of yellow. both had soft shoes that terminated in upward-curling points at the toes.
“aren’t we wonderful!” gasped ruth, lost in admiration of their grandeur.
at this moment a sound of barking and a confused shouting became audible, and grew louder. then down the green reach of the avenue came riding a picturesque cavalcade.
in front were a group of men dressed in short green doublets and scarlet tights. small, close-fitting caps trimmed with grey fur were on their heads and bugles were slung from their shoulders, which, as they drew near the two staring girls, they set to their lips with a flourish. a clear, sweet call rang on the air.
behind these young men rode a man somewhat older in years, of a fine and free bearing. he wore a cloak of scarlet cloth trimmed with fur, sweeping back from doublet and hose of green. a hoop of silver studded with blue stones bound his long, golden hair, that fell straight down upon his shoulders. a short straight sword hung at his side, and in his hand he held a spear.
beside him on a small white horse rode a lovely girl. she, too, wore green, a flowing gown, embroidered 88with gold, and from her head floated a snowy veil, which could not hide the yellow glory of her hair. her blue eyes laughed, and in her cheeks the healthy colour glowed, but for the rest her skin was milky white. rose and ruth had never seen a skin so fair.
behind these two came a dozen men in brown and scarlet, with shields on their arms. two of them led a pair of horses like that ridden by the young girl. these were saddled and bridled, the broad reins, like those on the rest of the horses, being richly decorated. the saddles were queer side affairs, bulky and soft, and also very splendid in appearance.
down upon the girls swept this gay train of riders, huge dogs circling about them; and as they advanced, the young girl waved her hand joyously.
“look, noble thane,” she cried, “there they are awaiting us, even as i said.” she rode up with the words, jumped lightly from her horse, and clasped first rose and then ruth in her arms. they responded with delight, for never had they seen so sweet a maid.
“dear rose and ruth, i grieve you should have had to wait for us, but the hour sped too fast; the noble cedric would by no means hurry over breaking his fast, and so detained us at the start,” and she smiled mischievously toward her companion. “but will ye mount, and come with us? a tourney has been called not far from here, and we go to see the knights joust. bring the palfreys,” 89she added, motioning to the two men with the led horses.
these rode forward, and at the same time the leader, cedric, saluted gravely.
“welcome, maids,” he said. “cedric the saxon and the lady rowena are overjoyed to meet with you.”
inspired by the solemnity of his manner, rose courtesied, and ruth quickly followed her example. then the two girls were lifted into their saddles, which felt like a couple of rocking-chairs to the hardy westerners, accustomed to their indian ponies and mexican saddles, especially when the palfreys started off on an easy amble. but certainly these present trappings better suited the rich clothes they wore.
rowena put herself between her two new friends as they set merrily off under the trees. cedric the saxon rode ahead, looking back now and then with a smile. he seemed a pleasant man, and was hardly less fair of skin than rowena herself.
“the lists are set not far away,” rowena told them. “never till now have i seen knights jousting, and brave will be the sight. they say that king richard will be there before leaving for the holy land to conquer the infidel. will that not be a wondrous thing? never was there a norman i could abide but this same richard cœur de lion, who is truly a gallant knight.”
“think of seeing king richard! oh, let’s hurry,” exclaimed rose.
rowena laughed. “we will arrive in good season,” she said soothingly, “and the thane will not go at a harder pace when he takes maidens with him. ’tis but a scant three miles farther. see, yonder rides a train bent the same way.”
sure enough, through the scattering trees, that grew more openly here, with the grass green under them, another group of horsemen rode through the sun-flecked shade. the light flashed on steel, and rioted in the blues, scarlets and yellows of their doublets and cloaks. there was a prodigious clanking as they raced along, and a sound of hearty laughter. only for a moment they showed, and then the forest hid them once more.
ruth and rose had a thousand questions to ask, and rowena apparently liked nothing better than to reply. ruth was particularly interested in finding out who was going to do the fighting, and whether any one could get killed.
“they grow pretty fierce sometimes, don’t they?” she asked.
rowena nodded. “many a young knight is injured in these mock battles. but a man must abide the chance of the day.”
“like foot-ball games. i never saw one of those yet, but lots of boys are hurt in them, and some are killed every year,” she told the saxon girl.
“men are made that way, i trow,” rowena answered. 91“with all this jousting and the real wars, i marvel there is a man left alive.”
just here the woods broke away, and the little company came out on the brow of a hill, that sloped down by easy degrees to a fair plain. two little american girls gave a gasp of admiration as they gazed at the scene spread before them.
in the centre of the plain was an oblong square, surrounded by a stout palisade. up from this the ground sloped in every direction crowded with gay tents and pavilions, with grand-stands decorated with streamers, and hung with rich tapestries. throngs of brilliantly clad people were climbing to the various seats, glittering as they moved like fireflies over a field of june clover. darting about between the tents and across the meadow were numerous horsemen, evidently messengers and heralds. at either end of the enclosed space were huge wooden gates, guarded by a splendid group of mounted men-at-arms. at both sides of each entrance a herald gorgeously apparelled sate his horse, pennant in hand. before the different pavilions flashed great shields, bearing the arms of the knights who were to carry them. hawkers of cakes and other things to eat and drink moved here and there, or displayed their wares under awnings on the outskirts of the throng. an immense buzz and rattle, mellowed by distance, rang in the air.
“in the elevated seat under the purple and scarlet canopy, there in the centre,” explained rowena, 92“the king and prince john will sit. see, those are the royal arms. at the further end are the knights challengers, and nearer us the defenders. over opposite the king’s seat you see another throne—that is for the queen of love and beauty, who will give the prizes. how wonderful it would be to occupy that seat. i would rather sit there than on the throne of the real queen.”
“perhaps you will some day,” rose whispered back, for the glory of it all had taken her voice away. “isn’t it corking! ruth, don’t you wish we lived here instead of at home? you must be awfully happy, rowena.”
rowena nodded. her cheeks were glowing and her eyes shining. as they set off once more toward the lists, the two american girls thought that the earth could never hold a sight more beautiful and stirring than their own gay cavalcade sweeping down the slope to that magnificent gathering below under the tender blue sky with the ring of huge trees, dark in summer greenery, fencing in the whole.
they dismounted near one end of the eastern gallery, as rowena called the rows of seats, and preceded by two of their escort, who kept shouting “room for the lady rowena, the lady rose, the lady ruth, and the noble thane cedric” and shoving aside the populace, who sometimes laughed and sometimes grumbled, they gradually attained the seats that had been assigned them. these were not very far from the royal box, and 93gave a fine view of the lists. cedric was soon in conversation with a couple of acquaintances, but the three young girls settled themselves comfortably and began to take in all the details of the scene before them.
rose and ruth were amused to see how the rougher elements of the crowd, who were clustered thickly in the open space of ground between the stands and the palisade, knocked each other about in taking their places. shouts, hoarse guffaws, blows, filled the air and lit everywhere. in spite of the confusion, people seemed to keep their tempers wonderfully, and to think no more of a buffet on the head or a thump in the midriff than we should of a polite request to move aside.
suddenly an out-burst of cheers shook the crowd. rowena rose to her feet, as did her friends, and all turned instinctively to the royal box.
“there he is ... king richard! and that is prince john beside him. they say there is little love between the brothers,” whispered rowena.
among a group of attendants two figures stood out conspicuously. one was that of a tall and finely proportioned man, who carried himself magnificently. a jewelled circlet rested on his thick, curling hair, that fell to his shoulders. his crimson cloak was trimmed with broad bands of ermine, his doublet was of gold brocade, and the jewelled hilt of his sword glittered in the sunlight. round his neck was a heavy chain of gold 94in which precious stones were set. he laughed and nodded to the cheering multitude, looking to the right and left, evidently in the gayest of spirits. beside him stood a younger, slenderer man, shrewd and handsome, with an arrogant lift to his head, who was marvellously dressed in scarlet and gold raiment.
presently the spectators settled back into their seats, and richard gave the signal for the commencement of the tourney.
there was a blare of trumpets, and then the heralds rode into the lists, announcing something in loud ringing voices. but neither rose nor ruth could understand what they were saying. rowena said they were calling the rules of the engagement. they were accompanied by their pages, and made a brave show as they moved slowly around the inclosure. as they passed, money was thrown to them by the knights and lords and princes, amid wild shouts from the yeoman crowd that was now packed tight between seats and fence.
presently the circuit was completed, and the heralds left the lists by either gate. there remained two men, clad all in armour, with helmets on their heads and drawn swords in their hands. these sat like statues at either end of the lists.
the gates were left open, and through them rode ten or twelve knights in chain armour, with different coloured plumes waving from their helmets, and long shields, pointed at the lower end 95and decorated in colour with various designs. each knight carried a lance in his right hand, the butt-end resting on the mailed toe of his boot, the shining head, from which a gay pennant fluttered, high in air. the horses, wild with excitement, plunged and caracoled, their gorgeous trappings swinging about them, the gold and jewels on their bridles and on the curious high, boxlike saddles flashing many-coloured rays. slowly this gallant company rode round the lists, while every one shouted and hurrayed. then they gathered in two opposing clumps, waited a moment, and then with short, sharp cries, hurled themselves at full gallop each at each.
they met near the middle of the lists with a crash that must have been heard a long way off. ruth and rose grasped each other’s hands in a grip that hurt as they stared. a cloud of dust swept up into the air. through it rolling shapes of men and horses showed dimly. as the light breeze cleared the view, the two girls saw that six of the knights lay on the ground. the rest had whirled about and were riding back to the starting point. the horses whose masters had been thrown were galloping wildly around, or struggling to their feet with snorts of terror. the fallen knights also began to get to their feet, and once up, to walk slowly toward the exits. half way across, one of these staggered and fell.
“he is hurt,” said rowena calmly. “was it not a marvellous fine set-to? but see, the queen 96of beauty has taken her place.” evidently the knight’s injuries might be either severe or slight for all she cared.
but the two sisters could not feel so little disturbed, and watched with anxious eyes as the knight was lugged off the field between two men-at-arms. he was carried into one of the pavilions, looking very much done up.
“do you s’pose he’s killed?” whispered rose. but rowena was far too much interested in the scene opposite to answer.
in fact, the new arrivals surpassed the rest of the spectators in splendour. they looked like a bank of brilliant sunset clouds, so many-hued were the floating garments of the ladies and the embroidered doublets of the youths who filled the reserved space. in their midst, wonderful in silver and rose and pale blue, stood a straight, slender, graceful girl, with a hoop of sapphires confining her rich chestnut hair under its blue veil. she looked like something dreamed of rather than a reality, so lovely she was.
the king rose and bowed to her, and she returned the salutation with a deep courtesy. renewed cheers burst out, there was a waving of furred caps and silken streamers. then the girl and her companions took their seats.
“she is a norman lady,” rowena told the girls. “when will a saxon sit in that throne?” and her voice had a bitter note.
but now the tourney began once more. it 97seemed to the two girls like a vast medley of colour and motion, sharp sounds, falling men and horses, flashing spears and swords. here two combatants battered each other with inconceivable fury, their blades resounding on shields and head-pieces; here one stood over his fallen foe, shouting like a madman, and shaking his weapon in the air. there the crash of chargers meeting shook the ground. intervals of rest occurred, while the strained lookers-on sat back more easily, exchanging laughing comment, or pointing out some friend in the crowd. several of the knights had been wounded, blood had flowed, a horse had broken a leg ... the crowd leaned forward, yelling, while rose saw the king lift a great silver cup to his lips, after raising it to the queen of beauty opposite....
suddenly the lists were cleared and every one began to stream off toward the refreshments.
cedric turned to the three little maids with a smile.
“the saxons have held their own nobly,” he said, and his eyes flashed with pride. “how like ye this great sport of knights?”
“it’s—it’s strenuous,” declared rose, “but it’s certainly the most exciting thing any one ever did. i’ve been clenching my hands so hard i’ve almost dug my nails through the skin.”
“so have i,” ruth murmured. “i feel dazed with it all—such noise and dash and colour and—oh, such fierceness!”
98cedric laughed. “and thou, rowena?”
rowena’s blue eyes were aflame.
“marked thou the knight in silver?” she asked. “he is young, but how he rode, and with what ease he overthrew yonder huge fellow in black, with the norman arms on his shield. think ye he is ivanhoe, the saxon knight we have heard of? would i were queen of the tourney, and might crown him with the bay!”
“so, so,” and her guardian smiled at the eager maid. “some day perhaps thou wilt be queen; none will merit it more. as for the youth, i know him not. but let us away to the tents there, and get refreshments ere the jousts begin once more.”
so down they went, and preceded by two of their escort, made their way through the gay throngs, where every one wore silks and satins and fine woollens and furs and leather jerkins or else jinkling armour, or perhaps the robes of a priest or a monk, till it seemed like a gigantic masquerade.
at the tent where they stopped were cakes and goblets of wine, pasties of game, a roast sucking pig and other delicacies, which the girls, hungry after the ride and the excitement of the morning, made gallant inroads upon, drinking milk instead of the wine which cedric quaffed, a milk that tasted odd, and which rowena told them was goat’s milk.
finishing their luncheon, they looked about them. the scene was bewitching, and catching 99rowena by the hand, they persuaded her to leave cedric to his meal, the while they sauntered through the crowd, enjoying the various sights.
rowena looked doubtful, but yielded. evidently it was a new experience for her to venture away from the protection of a servant or a kinsman.
they wandered slowly about, stopping to watch a game between a group of shouting boys dressed in tights and brilliant jackets, evidently pages belonging to great houses, and then drawn on to see several stout country yokels pitching quoits or rolling a ball on the smooth grass. as they passed, curious glances were thrown at them, but no one bothered them.
suddenly a sound of frightened weeping mixed with shouts of laughter broke on their ears. the crying was evidently from some little child or young girl. ahead of them a circle of boys and youths jostled each other about something of interest which the girls could not see.
“some one’s getting hurt inside that ring of boys,” rose exclaimed. “a little girl, i’ll bet. let’s see what we can do,” and with the words she began to push forward, closely followed by ruth.
rowena called to them, however. “come back, it is none of our affair, and there is danger....” but they paid no attention, and not wanting to be left behind, she also crowded to the front. a 100sharp scream from the still unseen child gave rose additional energy.
“room, you varlets,” she cried boldly, adopting the language she had heard used by their escort. “room for the lady rose and the lady rowena and the lady ruth. room, i say.”
somewhat astonished, the crowd gave way slightly, and peering through the break rose saw a lovely girl a little younger than ruth cowering to the ground, while a crowd of young bullies evoked shrieks of laughter from the onlookers by pelting her with crusts of bread, apple cores, clods of turf and anything else that came handy.
“daughter of an unbelieving jew,” they yelled. “who are you, to wear all those fine garments when honest christians starve....”
rose didn’t wait one moment. with an actual roar of rage she burst through the circle and catching the nearest boy by the arm she hurled him to one side—luckily, as she explained to ruth later, he wasn’t half her size.
“you pack of cowards,” she cried, facing the amazed crowd of tormentors with her eyes on fire with scorn and wrath. “you make me sick. go and find some one of your own size; why, if i had a few of our cowboys here with me, you’d get the worst licking any of you ever heard of. if there’s an ounce of manhood in the lot of you, you ought to die of shame.”
ruth and rowena closed in on either side, and now the three girls turned to the terrified child at 101their feet. the crowd growled, but several mumbling something to the effect that they must be highborn ladies or princesses, broke up in some confusion and drew away.
“you’re all right now,” ruth murmured soothingly, smoothing the tumbled hair of the rescued maiden, who rose to her feet, panting a little through fright and surprise, the tears still standing in her immense black eyes. “come, we’ll take you to your people. who are you, and where is your father or your mother?”
“i am rebecca, daughter of isaac of york,” whispered the child. “oh, do not leave me to be killed! yonder, beyond that furthest tent on the slope, my father has a pavilion. take me back there, and we will escape from this frightful place.”
the poor little thing trembled from head to foot, and rose threw a protecting arm about her.
“you’re all right now, dear,” she said. “come along with us, and we’ll see you safe with your father. how lovely you are,” she added, almost involuntarily.
it wasn’t surprising, however. the young jewess had an exotic beauty, like some tropic flower which her somewhat fantastic dress, with a strong hint of the orient in its flowing lines and changing hues, suited to admiration. her skin was a clear olive, her hair glossy black, her eyes deep and wonderfully dark.
102rowena withdrew from her with a gesture of haughtiness.
“will you touch the jew’s daughter?” she said to rose, a note of scorn in her voice.
“don’t be silly,” replied rose, somewhat roughly. “what’s the matter with all you people anyhow? you make me tired. come along, rebecca.”
the little thing gave rose a grateful glance, but seemed too astonished to reply. the party immediately set off toward the indicated pavilion, and reached it without adventure, though every one they passed stared at them in amazement. rowena evidently would have preferred to stay behind, except that she did not want to be left alone. in her eyes the little jewess was a nuisance at the least, and it was clear that she could not understand what possessed her two friends in acting toward her with such kindness.
within sight of the place where her father had pitched his shelter, rebecca looked up at her two rescuers.
“thank you, highborn damsels, most gracious ladies,” she stammered, her voice tremulous. “now i am safe—ye will not want to come farther.” pressing her hands to her forehead, to her lips and to her breast, she made a deep salaam. “farewell, and a thousand, thousand thanks.”
and then she darted toward the pavilion like a young antelope, disappearing within its shelter with one backward, smiling look.
103“isn’t she a little wonder,” exclaimed ruth. and at that moment a loud blare of trumpets shivered the air.
“the tournament is to begin again,” cried rowena. “let us hasten back....”
they turned, but everything blurred before their eyes. the brightly dressed people, the decorated lists, the gay tents, the great horses in their splendid trappings. a second’s dizziness....
“wasn’t it gorgeous!”
they both said it at the same instant, opening their eyes on their own familiar room.
“but i don’t think i would care to live with rowena after all,” rose added. “those times looked all right—but——”
“yes, that’s how i feel,” ruth agreed.
