The Fairy Spinner; And "Out of Date or Not?"

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1875 edition. Excerpt: ... 'HEN the knight and the Earl had left the noisy streets of the town, and had entered once more the cool green shady lanes that led towards Highhurst, Sir Godfrey said--Will you pardon me, my son, if in telling you of a difficulty which I have in understanding what I have seen, I seem discourteous? Speak freely, gentle knight,replied the other, I shall not be offended at anything you say. Had you not told me, resumed Sir Godfrey, that the three men whom we have seen were warriors, nothing could have made me believe it. The first, whom you called Heiler, had more the air of a leech than a knight; Troster I should have taken for a priest, but I saw not his tonsure; and as to the third, he rather resembled a pedagogue than a warrior (more shame to me for comparing a noble knight to such a thing! but I tell you frankly what I thought). And now, since I cannot doubt your word, tell me what sort of knights they are, and how they fight, and who are these invisible foes whom they oppose, and tell me in whose cause they bear arms. A smile had passed over the Earl's face when the knight first spoke, but his expression was that of earnest reverence as he answered--My friends fight in the service of the King their master. He has gone to dwell in a far country, and there are foolish and wicked men who think that he has forgotten this land, and that he no longer rules it. He has left his children here, and his enemies are trying to injure them, to destroy as many of them as possible. The enemy against whom Heiler fights is he who wishes to kill the King's children; but there are two other adversaries, who, even worse, perhaps, than the first one, seek to deprave and brutify the King's sons, and to render them unworthy of their high destiny by...