42
IVANHOE.
the Prior; "but here is the clown's sunken cross,
and the night is so dark that we can hardly see which of the roads we are to follow. He bid us turn, I think, to the left."
"To the right," said Brian, "to the best of my remembrance."
"The left, certainly, the left; I remember his pointing with his wooden sword."
"Ay, but he held his sword in his left hand, and so pointed across his body with it," said the Templar.
Each maintained his opinion with sufficient obstinacy, as is usual in all such cases; the attendants were appealed to, but they had not been near enough to hear Wamba's directions. At length Brian remarked, what had at first escaped him in the twilight; "Here is some one either asleep, or lying dead at the foot of this cross—Hugo, stir him with the butt-end of thy lance."
This was no sooner done than the figure arose, exclaiming in good French, "Whosoever thou art, it is discourteous in you to disturb my thoughts."