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overturned and their chessmen scattered among the rushes。 Nigel's
hand had sought his crossbow； but the Lady Ermyntrude grasped his
arm。
〃Nay； fair son！ Have you not heard that it is in the King's
name？〃 said she。 〃Down； Talbot！ Down； Bayard！ ！ Open the door
and let his messenger in！〃
Nigel undid the bolt； and the heavy wooden door swung outward upon
its hinges。 The light from the flaring cressets beat upon steel
caps and fierce bearded faces； with the glimmer of drawn swords
and the yellow gleam of bowstaves。 A dozen armed archers forced
their way into the room。 At their head were the gaunt sacrist of
Waverley and a stout elderly man clad in a red velvet doublet and
breeches much stained and mottled with mud and clay。 He bore a
great sheet of parchment with a fringe of dangling seals； which he
held aloft as he entered。
〃I call on Nigel Loring！〃 he cried。 〃I； the officer of the King's
law and the lay summoner of Waverley； call upon the man named
Nigel Loring！〃
〃I am he。〃
〃Yes； it is he！〃 cried the sacrist。 〃Archers； do as you were
ordered！〃
In an instant the band threw themselves upon him like the hounds
on a stag。 Desperately Nigel strove to gain his sword which lay
upon the iron coffer。 With the convulsive strength which comes
from the spirit rather than from the body； he bore them all in
that direction； but the sacrist snatched the weapon from its
place； and the rest dragged the writhing Squire to the ground and
swathed him in a cord。
〃Hold him fast； good archers！ Keep a stout grip on him！〃 cried
the summoner。 〃I pray you； one of you； prick off these great dogs
which snarl at my heels。 Stand off； I say； in the name of the
King！ Watkin； come betwixt me and these creatures who have as
little regard for the law as their master。〃
One of the archers kicked off the faithful dogs。 But there were
others of the household who were equally ready to show their teeth
in defense of the old house of Loring。 From the door which led to
their quarters there emerged the pitiful muster of Nigel's
threadbare retainers。 There was a time when ten knights； forty
men…at…arms and two hundred archers would march behind the scarlet
roses。 Now at this last rally when the young head of the house
lay bound in his own hall； there mustered at his call the page
Charles with a cudgel； John the cook with his longest spit； Red
Swire the aged man…at…arms with a formidable ax swung over his
snowy head； and Weathercote the minstrel with a boar…spear。 Yet
this motley array was fired with the spirit of the house； and
under the lead of the fierce old soldier they would certainly have
flung themselves upon the ready swords of the archers； had the
Lady Ermyntrude not swept between them：
〃Stand back； Swire！〃 she cried。 〃Back； Weathercote Charles； put a
leash on Talbot； and hold Bayard back！〃 Her black eyes blazed
upon the invaders until they shrank from that baleful gaze。 〃Who
are you； you rascal robbers； who dare to misuse the King's name
and to lay hands upon one whose smallest drop of blood has more
worth than all your thrall and caitiff bodies？〃
〃Nay； not so fast； dame； not so fast； I pray you！〃 cried the stout
summoner； whose face had resumed its natural color； now that he
had a woman to deal with。 〃There is a law of England； mark you；
and there are those who serve and uphold it； who are the true men
and the King's own lieges。 Such a one am I。 Then again； there
are those who take such as me and transfer； carry or convey us
into a bog or morass。 Such a one is this graceless old man with
the ax； whom I have seen already this day。 There are also those
who tear； destroy or scatter the papers of the law； of which this
young man is the chief。 Therefore； I would rede you； dame； not to
rail against us； but to understand that we are the King's men on
the King's own service。〃
〃What then is your errand in this house at this hour of the
night？〃
The summoner cleared his throat pompously； and turning his
parchment to the light of the cressets he read out a long document
in Norman…French； couched in such a style and such a language that
the most involved and foolish of our forms were simplicity itself
compared to those by which the men of the long gown made a mystery
of that which of all things on earth should be the plainest and
the most simple。 Despair fell cold upon Nigel's heart and
blanched the face of the old dame as they listened to the dread
catalogue of claims and suits and issues； questions of peccary and
turbary； of house…bote and fire…bote； which ended by a demand for
all the lands； hereditaments； tenements； messuages and curtilages；
which made up their worldly all。
Nigel； still bound； had been placed with his back against the iron
coffer； whence he heard with dry lips and moist brow this doom of
his house。 Now he broke in on the recital with a vehemence which
made the summoner jump：
〃You shall rue what you have done this night！〃 he cried。 〃Poor as
we are； we have our friends who will not see us wronged； and I
will plead my cause before the King's own majesty at Windsor； that
he； who saw the father die； may know what things are done in his
royal name against the son。 But these matters are to be settled
in course of law in the King's courts； and how will you excuse
yourself for this assault upon my house and person？〃
〃Nay； that is another matter；〃 said the sacrist。 〃The question of
debt may indeed be an affair of a civil court。 But it is a crime
against the law and an act of the Devil； which comes within the
jurisdiction of the Abbey Court of Waverley when you dare to lay
hands upon the summoner or his papers。〃
〃Indeed； he speaks truth；〃 cried the official。 〃I know no blacker
sin。〃
〃Therefore；〃 said the stern monk； 〃it is the order of the holy
father Abbot that you sleep this night in the Abbey cell； and that
to…morrow you be brought before him at the court held in the
chapter…house so that you receive the fit punishment for this and
the many other violent and froward deeds which you have wrought
upon the servants of Holy Church。 Enough is now said； worthy
master summoner。 Archers； remove your prisoner！〃
As Nigel was lifted up by four stout archers； the Dame Ermyntrude
would have rushed to his aid； but the sacrist thrust her back。
〃Stand off； proud woman！ Let the law take its course； and learn
to humble your heart before the power of Holy Church。 Has your
life not taught its lesson； you； whose horn was exalted among the
highest and will soon not have a roof above your gray hairs？
Stand back； I say； lest I lay a curse upon you！〃
The old dame flamed suddenly into white wrath as she stood before
the angry monk： 〃Listen to me while I lay a curse upon you and
yours！〃 she cried as she raised her shriveled arms and blighted
him with her flashing eyes
〃As you have done to the house of Loring； so may God do to you；
until your power is swept from the land of England； and of your
great Abbey of Waverley there is nothing left but a pile of gray
stones in a green meadow！ I see it！ I see it！ With my old eyes
I see it！ From scullion to Abbot and from cellar to tower； may
Waverley a