Naught was said until hunger and thirst were appeased--until basins
were brought round with scented water, in which our lords washed
their fingers, and after waving them gracefully in the air, dried
them with the delicate napkins with which they were girded: and
rich wines were poured into goblets of gold and silver; then Hugo
asked, from his seat upon the dais:
"What success has gladdened our arms today? Doubtless some of our
knights have news for us."
"I have seen no foe, save the wild boar and a stray wolf, although
I have tramped the forest from the rising to the setting sun," said
Sir Bernard.
"Nor I," "nor I," said one after the other around the table.
The old man, Eustace de Senville, was silent till all had spoken;
then, like Nestor of old, wise, and qualified by age to act as
counsellor, he let fall his weighty words, which fell from his lips
like the flakes of thick falling snow without.
"My lot hath been different," he said; "it fell to me to explore
the quarter of the forest next to that assigned to the son of our
host. We had already completed our task, and were on the point of
returning homewards, for the sun was already low, when we heard the
blast of a horn appealing to us for aid."
"From what quarter?" said the baron.
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