The Prince and the Page | Page 5

evening--six centuries ago--shed a bright parting light over
Alton Wood, illuminating the gray lichens that clung to the rugged
trunks of the old oak trees, and shining on the smoother bark of the

graceful beech, with that sidelong light that, towards evening, gives an
especial charm to woodland scenery. The long shadows lay across an
open green glade, narrowing towards one end, where a path, nearly lost
amid dwarf furze, crested heather, and soft bent-grass, led towards a
hut, rudely constructed of sods of turf and branches of trees, whose
gray crackling foliage contrasted with the fresh verdure around. There
was no endeavour at a window, nor chimney; but the door of wattled
boughs was carefully secured by a long twisted withe.
A halbert, a broken arrow, a deer-skin pegged out on the ground to dry,
a bundle of faggots, a bare and blackened patch of grass, strewn with
wood ashes, were tokens of recent habitation, though the reiterations of
the nightingale, the deep tones of the blackbird and the hum of insects,
were the only sounds that broke the stillness.
Suddenly the silence was interrupted by a clear, loud, ringing whistle,
repeated at brief intervals and now and then exchanged for the
call--"Leonillo! Leon!" A footstep approached, rapidly overtaken and
passed by the rushing gallop of a large animal; and there broke on the
scene a large tawny hound, prancing, bounding, and turning round
joyfully, pawing the air, and wagging his tail, in welcome to the figure
who followed him.
This was a youth thirteen years old, wearing such a dress as was usual
with foresters--namely, a garment of home-spun undyed wool, reaching
to the knee, and there met by buskins of deer-skin, with the dappled
hair outside; but the belt which crossed one shoulder was clasped with
gold, and sustained a dagger, whose hilt and sheath were of exquisite
workmanship. The cap on his head was of gray rabbit- skin, but a
heron's plume waved in it; the dark curling locks beneath were
carefully arranged; and the port of his head and shoulders, the mould of
his limbs, the cast of his features, and the fairness of his complexion,
made his appearance ill accord with the homeliness of his garb. In one
hand he carried a bow over his shoulder; in the other he held by the ears
a couple of dead rabbits, with which he playfully tantalized the dog,
holding them to his nose, and then lifting them high aloft, while the
hound, perfectly entering into the sport, leapt high after them with open
mouth, and pretended to seize them, then bounded and careered round
his young master with gay short barks, till both were out of breath; and
the boy, flinging the rabbits on the turf, threw himself down on it, with

one arm upon the neck of the panting dog, whose great gasps, like a
sobbing of laughter, heaved his whole frame.
"Ay, good Leonillo, take your rest!" said the boy: "we have done
yeoman's service to-day, and shown ourselves fit to earn our own
livelihood! We are outlaws now, my lion of the Pyrenees; and you at
least lead a merrier life than in the castle halls, when we hunted for
sport, and not for sustenance! Well-a-day, my Leon!"--as the creature
closed his mouth, and looked wistfully up at him with almost human
sympathy and intelligence--"would that we knew where are all that
were once wont to go with us to the chase! But for them, I would be
well content to be a bold forester all my days! Better so, than to be ever
vexed and crossed in every design for the country's weal--distrusted
above--betrayed beneath! Alack! alack! my noble father, why wert thou
wrecked in every hope--in every aim!"
These murmurings were broken off as Leonillo suddenly crested his
head, and changed his expression of repose for one of intense listening.
"Already!" exclaimed the boy, springing to his feet, as Leonillo
bounded forward to meet a stout hardy forester, who was advancing
from the opposite end of the glade. This was a man of the largest and
most sinewy mould, his face tanned by sun and wind to a uniform hard
ruddy brown, and his shaggy black hair untrimmed, as well as his dark
bristly beard. His jerkin was of rough leather, crossed by a belt,
sustaining sword and dagger; a bow and arrows were at his back; a
huge quarter-staff in his hand; and his whole aspect was that of a
ferocious outlaw, whose hand was against every man.
But the youth started towards him gleefully, as if the very sight of him
had dispelled all melancholy musings, and shouted merrily,
"Welcome--welcome, Adam! Why so early home? Have the Alton
boors turned surly? or are the King's prickers abroad, and the
neighbourhood unwholesome