"At last, however, the king returned to the castle, and accounts of the
strange doings in the forest were instantly brought to him. Astonished
at what he heard, and determined to ascertain the truth of the
statement, he ordered the keepers to attend him that night in an
expedition to the forest, when he hoped to encounter the demon
huntsman and his hand. Much alarmed, Osmond Crooke, who acted as
spokesman, endeavoured, by representing the risk he would incur, to
dissuade the king from the enterprise; but he would not be deterred,
and they now gave themselves up for lost.
"As the castle clock tolled forth the hour of midnight, Richard,
accompanied by a numerous guard, and attended by the keepers,
issued from the gates, and rode towards the scathed oak. As they drew
near the tree, the figure of Herne, mounted on his black steed, was
discerned beneath it. Deep fear fell upon all the beholders, but chiefly
upon the guilty keepers, at the sight. The king, however, pressed
forward, and cried, 'Why does thou disturb the quietude of night,
accursed spirit?'
"Because I desire vengeance!' replied Herne, in a hollow voice. 'I was
brought to my present woeful condition by Osmond Crooke and his
comrades.
Pages:
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367