Then, as mine enemy turned his head, Michael, who was now standing behind me, exclaimed, in a voice low but heavy, like the roll of distant thunder:—"The damned villain's head is cracked; fer look at the clout that shows beneath his cap. Sure its bad luck that the blow that did it stopped ere it rached the varmint's chin."
That evening, as we journeyed slowly and wearily back from the field that had been during the last two days the scene of so many noble feats of arms, and of which nothing now remained but the long and narrow strip of sandy ground where the sod had been removed to leave a level and firm place for the list, and the black spots to point out the places where had glowed the fires, Harleston remarked in his low and musing voice:—
"Verily, yon place doth represent the lives of men."
"How so?" I asked.
"Records of our deeds are imprinted in the sand. If a storm doth arise to-night, all the little mounds that indicate some noble courses run shall be levelled, and a traveller passing there to-morrow will notice nothing but a barren strip, with nowhere on its face a mark to tell of glorious deeds performed."
The thought of this was sad, and yet 'twas true; as are the most of gloomy thoughts. It is for this same reason that I ever try to turn my mind's eye to the pleasures and the joys of life, the which are far from few. I therefore, on this occasion, turned from the contemplation of this dreary sight to the scene that should await me when, that evening, I would go unto the Sanctuary; for such was mine intent. I could picture, in my mind's eye, my fair Hazel waiting and watching with the agony of expectation for me; wondering if I ever should return from that sport which she so much disliked on account of its "inhumanity," as she had said.
I wondered if Harleston's mind were not drawing the same picture. Had he yet asked Mary to be his wife? I believed he had; for the day before we rode forth to the tournament, when we had visited the girls, Hazel had let drop a remark that did arouse my suspicions; and when I questioned her upon the point she laughingly informed me of the fact that I was "too inquisitive," the which I doubt not. And try as I would I could get nothing more from her. I had not liked to ask Harleston; for there seems to be a something, the name of which I know not, that ever doth keep us from mentioning this subject to one which we believe to be in love, unless they first do bring it up.
By this time we had almost reached the Palace of King Richard.
Loud cheered the people as the King rode along the crowd-lined streets and scattered gold among them with a lavish hand.