Monday, May 16, 2011

"Disinherited Knight," said Prince John,"since by that tittle only you will consent to be know to us, we a second time award you the honors of this tournament, and announce to you your right to claim and receive from the hands of the Queen of Love and Beauty(Rowena)the chaplet of honor which your valor has justly deserved."
The knight bowed low and gracefully, but returned no answer........Rowena, descending from her station with a graceful and dignified step, was about to place the chaplet which she held in her hand upon the helmet of the champion, when the marshals exclaimed with one voice, "It must not be thus; his head must be bare."
......When the helmet was removed, the well-formed yet sun-burned features of a young man of twenty-five were seen, amid a profusion of short fair hair. His countenance was as pale as death, and marked in one or two places with streaks of blood.
       Rowena had no sooner beheld him than she uttered a faint shriek; but at once summoning up the energy of her disposition, and compelling herself, as it were, to proceed, while her frame yet trembled with the violence of sudden emotion, she placed upon the drooping head of the victor the splendid chaplet which was the destined reward of the day, and pronounced in a clear and distinct tone these words: "I bestow on thee this chaplet, Sir Knight, as the meed of valor assigned to this day's victor."  ......The knight stooped his head and kissed the hand of the lovely Sovereign by whom his valor had been rewarded; and then, sinking yet further forward, lay prostrate at her feet.
    Cedric, who had been struck mute by the sudden appearance of his banished son, now rushed forward.........But this had already been accomplished by the marshals of the field, who guessing the cause of Ivanhoe's swoon, had hastened to undo his armor, and found that the head of a lance had penetrated his breastplate and inflicted a wound in his side.

                                                    ~~Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott (pages: 209 and 210)

5 comments:

  1. Oh, I have wanted to read this book for years! I just haven't picked it up yet. Thanks for the preview. :)

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  2. Oh, yes thanks! How funny, I have that written in my list of books to read! You will have to tell us how it is. ;)

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  3. It is really good so far. I love the way that Sir Walter Scott wrote this book. His discriptions of things are sometimes a little boring, but he has the amazing way of keeping you into the book. Most authers can't do that. He keeps you guessing up to the last minute on caracters names and stuff, and as soon as you find out, he gives two more things for you to guess about.
    Sorry...(I feel as though I am writing a book) I end up getting way to into these things. :}

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  4. Oh no! I like reading about it! :) I just started Don Quixote. Yeeeahh....that should be a little while...

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  5. Oh, I have always wanted to read that book!! I am always having caracters in books quoting it, but I was not sure if it was an actual book! :}
    You will have to tell me about it.... :)

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