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〃But I will shred the tapestry；〃 said Matilda； 〃and let myself down。〃
〃But I will lock you in a turret；〃 said the baron； 〃where you shall only
see light through a loophole。〃
〃But through that loophole；〃 said Matilda； 〃will I take my flight； like a
young eagle from its eerie； and； father； while I go out freely； I will return
willingly： but if once I slip out through a loop…hole〃 She paused a
moment； and then added； singing；
The love that follows fain Will never its faith betray： But the
faith that is held in a chain Will never be found again； If a single
link give way。
The melody acted irresistibly on the harmonious propensities of the
friar； who accordingly sang in his turn；
For hark！ hark！ hark！ The dog doth bark； That watches the
wild deer's lair。 The hunter awakes at the peep of the dawn； But the lair
it is empty； the deer it is gone； And the hunter knows not where。
Matilda and the friar then sang together；
Then follow； oh follow！ the hounds do cry： The red sun flames in
the eastern sky： The stag bounds over the hollow。 He that lingers
in spirit； or loiters in hall； Shall see us no more till the evening fall；
And no voice but the echo shall answer his call： Then follow； oh
follow； follow： Follow； oh follow； follow！
During the process of this harmony； the baron's eyes wandered from
his daughter to the friar； and from the friar to his daughter again； with an
alternate expression of anger differently modified： when he looked on the
friar； it was anger without qualification； when he looked on his daughter it
was still anger； but tempered by an expression of involuntary admiration
and pleasure。 These rapid fluctuations of the baron's physiognomythe
habitual； reckless； resolute merriment in the jovial face of the friar； and
the cheerful； elastic spirits that played on the lips and sparkled in the eyes
of Matilda；would have presented a very amusing combination to Sir
Ralph； if one of the three images in the group had not absorbed his total
attention with feelings of intense delight very nearly allied to pain。 The
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baron's wrath was somewhat counteracted by the reflection that his
daughter's good spirits seemed to show that they would naturally rise
triumphant over all disappointments； and he had had sufficient experience
of her humour to know that she might sometimes be led； but never could
be driven。 Then； too； he was always delighted to hear her sing； though he
was not at all pleased in this instance with the subject of her song。 Still he
would have endured the subject for the sake of the melody of the treble；
but his mind was not sufficiently attuned to unison to relish the harmony
of the bass。 The friar's accompaniment put him out of all patience； and
〃So；〃 he exclaimed； 〃this is the way； you teach my daughter to renounce
the devil； is it？ A hunting friar； truly！ Who ever heard before of a hunting
friar？ A profane； roaring； bawling； bumper…bibbing； neck…breaking； catch…
singing friar？〃
〃Under favour； bold baron；〃 said the friar； but the friar was warm with
canary； and in his singing vein； and he could not go on in plain unmusical
prose。 He therefore sang in a new tune；
Though I be now a grey； grey friar； Yet I was once a hale
young knight： The cry of my dogs was the only choir In which
my spirit did take delight。 Little I recked of matin bell； But
drowned its toll with my clanging horn： And the only beads I loved to
tell Were the beads of dew on the spangled thorn。
The baron was going to storm； but the friar paused； and Matilda sang
in repetition；
Little I reck of matin bell； But drown its toll with my clanging
horn： And the only beads I love to tell Are the beads of dew on
the spangled thorn。
And then she and the friar sang the four lines together； and rang the
changes upon them alternately。
Little I reck of matin bell；
sang the friar。
〃A precious friar；〃 said the baron。
But drown its toll with my clanging horn； sang Matilda。
〃More shame for you；〃 said the baron。
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And the only beads I love to tell Are the beads of dew on the
spangled thorn；
sang Matilda and the friar together。
〃Penitent and confessor；〃 said the baron： 〃a hopeful pair truly。〃
The friar went on；
An archer keen I was withal； As ever did lean on greenwood
tree； And could make the fleetest roebuck fall； A good three
hundred yards from me。 Though changeful time； with hand severe；
Has made me now these joys forego； Yet my heart bounds whene'er I
hear Yoicks！ hark away！ and tally ho！
Matilda chimed in as before。
〃Are you mad？〃 said the baron。 〃Are you insane？ Are you
possessed？ What do you mean？ What in the devil's name do you both
mean？〃
Yoicks！ hark away！ and tally ho！
roared the friar。
The baron's pent…up wrath had accumulated like the waters above the
dam of an overshot mill。 The pond…head of his passion being now filled
to the utmost limit of its capacity； and beginning to overflow in the
quivering of his lips and the flashing of his eyes； he pulled up all the flash…
boards at once； and gave loose to the full torrent of his indignation； by
seizing； like furious Ajax； not a messy stone more than two modern men
could raise； but a vast dish of beef more than fifty ancient yeomen could
eat； and whirled it like a coit； in terrorem； over the head of the friar； to the
extremity of the apartment；
Where it on oaken floor did settle； With mighty din of ponderous
metal。
〃Nay father；〃 said Matilda； taking the baron's hand； 〃do not harm the
friar： he means not to offend you。 My gaiety never before displeased you。
Least of all should it do so now； when I have need of all my spirits to
outweigh the severity of my fortune。〃
As she spoke the last words； tears started into her eyes； which； as if
ashamed of the involuntary betraying of her feelings； she turned away to
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conceal。 The baron was subdued at once。 He kissed his daughter； held
out his hand to the friar； and said； 〃Sing on； in God's name； and crack
away the flasks till your voice swims in canary。〃 Then turning to Sir Ralph；
he said； 〃You see how it is； sir knight。 Matilda is my daughter； but she has
me in leading…strings； that is the truth of it。〃
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CHAPTER V
'T is true； no lover has that power To enforce a desperate amour
As he that has two strings to his bow And burns for love and money
too。BUTLER。
The friar had often had experience of the baron's testy humour； but it
had always before confined itself to words； in which the habit of testiness
often mingled more expression of displeasure than the internal feeling
prompted。 He knew the baron to be hot and choleric； but at the same time
hospitable and generous； passionately fond of his daughter； often
thwarting her in seeming； but always yielding to her in fact。 The early
attachment between Matilda and the Earl of Huntingdon had given the
baron no serious reason to interfere with her habits and pursuits； which
were so congenial to those of her lover； and not being over…burdened with
orthodoxy； that is to say； not being seasoned with more of the salt of the
spirit than was necessary to preserve him from excommunication；
confiscation； and philotheoparoptesism；＇1＇