'
'The frock does not make the friar,' said Rupert, 'and this may have
been a bad palmer. Think of the Knights Templars.'
'Besides,' said Helen, 'how could the squires see either palmer or
jester when it was pitch dark ?'
'I suppose there were lamps in the court,' said Rupert; 'but
"I cannot tell how the truth may be,
I tell the tale as 'twas told to me."'
'But who told you, Rupert?' said Helen.
'Why, the story of Red Mantle, Helen, cannot you see?' said
Elizabeth; 'it was on the table all the morning.'
'O Lizzie, was there ever anything so cruel?' cried Rupert; 'Edie
Ochiltree was nothing to you. Everyone was swallowing it so quietly,
and you will not even let me enjoy the credit of originality.'
'I am sure I give you credit due,' said Elizabeth; 'it is really an
ingenious compound of Red Mantle, the Sleeping Beauty, Robert of
Paris, and Triermain, and the cockle-shell shield and star-fish spurs
form an agreeable variation.'
'I never will tell another story in your presence, Lizzie,' said
Rupert, evidently vexed, but carrying it off with great good humour;
'you are worse than Quarterly, Edinburgh, and Blackwood put
together.
Pages:
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263