IT was on the morning of Friday, the eight-and twentieth day ofNovember, two days before the feast of St. Andrew, that the cogand her two prisoners, after a weary tacking up the Girondo andthe Garonne, dropped anchor at last in front of the noble city ofBordeaux. With wonder and admiration, Alleyne, leaning over thebulwarks, gazed at the forest of masts, the swarm of boatsdarting hither and thither on the bosom of the broad curvingstream, and the gray crescent-shaped city which stretched withmany a tower and minaret along the western shore. Never had hein his quiet life seen so great a town, nor was there in thewhole of England, save London alone, one which might match it insize or in wealth. Here came the merchandise of all the faircountries which are watered by the Garonne and the Dordogne--thecloths of the south, the skins of Guienne, the wines of theMedoc--to be borne away to Hull, Exeter, Dartmouth, Bristol orChester, in exchange for the wools and woolfels of England. Heretoo dwelt those famous smelters and welders who had made theBordeaux steel the most trusty upon earth, and could give atemper to lance or to sword which might mean dear life to itsowner. Alleyne could see the smoke of their forges reeking upin the clear morning air. The storm had died down now to agentle breeze, which wafted to his ears the long-drawn stirringbugle-calls which sounded from the ancient ramparts.

"Hola, mon petit!" said Aylward, coming up to where he stood."Thou art a squire now, and like enough to win the golden spurs,while I am still the master-bowman, and master-bowman I shallbide. I dare scarce wag my tongue so freely with you as when wetramped together past Wilverley Chase, else I might be your guidenow, for indeed I know every house in Bordeaux as a friar knowsthe beads on his rosary."

"Nay, Aylward," said Alleyne, laying his hand upon the sleeve ofhis companion's frayed jerkin, "you cannot think me so thrall asto throw aside an old friend because I have had some small shareof good fortune. I take it unkind that you should have thoughtsuch evil of me."

"Nay, mon gar. 'Twas but a flight shot to see if the wind blewsteady, though I were a rogue to doubt it."

"Why, had I not met you, Aylward, at the Lynhurst inn, who cansay where I had now been! Certes, I had not gone to TwynhamCastle, nor become squire to Sir Nigel, nor met----" He pausedabruptly and flushed to his hair, but the bowman was too busywith his own thoughts to notice his young companion'sembarrassment.

"It was a good hostel, that of the 'Pied Merlin,' " he remarked."By my ten finger bones! when I hang bow on nail and change mybrigandine for a tunic, I might do worse than take over the dameand her business."

"I thought," said Alleyne, "that you were betrothed to some oneat Christchurch."

"To three," Aylward answered moodily, "to three. I fear I maynot go back to Christchurch. I might chance to see hotterservice in Hampshire than I have ever done in Gascony. But markyou now yonder lofty turret in the centre, which stands back fromthe river and hath a broad banner upon the summit. See therising sun flashes full upon it and sparkles on the goldenlions. 'Tis the royal banner of England, crossed by the prince'slabel. There he dwells in the Abbey of St. Andrew, where he hathkept his court these years back. Beside it is the minster of thesame saint, who hath the town under his very special care."

"And how of yon gray turret on the left?"

" 'Tis the fane of St. Michael, as that upon the right is of St.Remi. There, too, above the poop of yonder nief, you see thetowers of Saint Croix and of Pey Berland. Mark also the mightyramparts which are pierced by the three water-gates, and sixteenothers to the landward side."

"And how is it, good Aylward, that there comes so much music fromthe town? I seem to hear a hundred trumpets, all calling inchorus."

"It would be strange else, seeing that all the great lords ofEngland and of Gascony are within the walls, and each would havehis trumpeter blow as loud as his neighbor, lest it might bethought that his dignity had been abated. Ma foi! they make asmuch louster as a Scotch army, where every man fills himself withgirdle-cakes, and sits up all night to blow upon the toodle-pipe.See all along the banks how the pages water the horses, and therebeyond the town how they gallop them over the plain! For everyhorse you see a belted knight hath herbergage in the town, for,as I learn, the men-at-arms and archers have already gone forwardto Dax."

"I trust, Aylward," said Sir Nigel, coming upon deck, "that themen are ready for the land. Go tell them that the boats will befor them within the hour."

The archer raised his hand in salute, and hastened forward. Inthe meantime Sir Oliver had followed his brother knight, and thetwo paced the poop together, Sir Nigel in his plum-colored velvetsuit with flat cap of the same, adorned in front with the LadyLoring's glove and girt round with a curling ostrich feather.The lusty knight, on the other hand, was clad in the very latestmode, with cote-hardie, doublet, pourpoint, courtpie, and paltockof olive-green, picked out with pink and jagged at the edges. Ared chaperon or cap, with long hanging cornette, sat daintily onthe back of his black-curled head, while his gold-hued shoes weretwisted up a la poulaine, as though the toes were shooting fortha tendril which might hope in time to entwine itself around hismassive leg.

"Once more, Sir Oliver," said Sir Nigel, looking shorewards withsparkling eyes, "do we find ourselves at the gate of honor, thedoor which hath so often led us to all that is knightly andworthy. There flies the prince's banner, and it would be wellthat we haste ashore and pay our obeisance to him. The boatsalready swarm from the bank."

"There is a goodly hostel near the west gate, which is famed forthe stewing of spiced pullets," remarked Sir Oliver. "We mighttake the edge of our hunger off ere we seek the prince, forthough his tables are gay with damask and silver he is notrencherman himself, and hath no sympathy for those who are hisbetters."

"His betters!"

"His betters before the tranchoir, lad. Sniff not treason wherenone is meant. I have seen him smile in his quiet way because Ihad looked for the fourth time towards the carving squire. Andindeed to watch him dallying with a little gobbet of bread, orsipping his cup of thrice-watered wine, is enough to make a manfeel shame at his own hunger. Yet war and glory, my good friend,though well enough in their way, will not serve to tighten such abelt as clasps my waist."

"How read you that coat which hangs over yonder galley, Alleyne?"asked Sir Nigel.

"Argent, a bend vert between cotises dancette gules."

"It is a northern coat. I have seen it in the train of thePercies. From the shields, there is not one of these vesselswhich hath not knight or baron aboard. I would mine eyes werebetter. How read you this upon the left?"

"Argent and azure, a barry wavy of six."

"Ha, it is the sign of the Wiltshire Stourtons! And there beyondI see the red and silver of the Worsleys of Apuldercombe, wholike myself are of Hampshire lineage, Close behind us is themoline cross of the gallant William Molyneux, and beside it thebloody chevrons of the Norfork Woodhouses, with the amulets ofthe Musgraves of Westmoreland. By St. Paul! it would be a verystrange thing if so noble a company were to gather without somenotable deed of arms arising from it. And here is our boat, SirOliver, so it seems best to me that we should go to the abbeywith our squires, leaving Master Hawtayne to have his own way inthe unloading."

The horses both of knights and squires were speedily lowered intoa broad lighter, and reached the shore almost as soon as theirmasters. Sir Nigel bent his knee devoutly as he put foot onland, and taking a small black patch from his bosom he bound ittightly over his left eye.

"May the blessed George and the memory of my sweet lady-loveraise high my heart!" quoth he. "And as a token I vow that Iwill not take this patch from my eye until I have seen somethingof this country of Spain, and done such a small deed as it liesin me to do. And this I swear upon the cross of my sword andupon the glove of my lady."

"In truth, you take me back twenty years, Nigel," quoth SirOliver, as they mounted and rode slowly through the water-gate."After Cadsand, I deem that the French thought that we were anarmy of the blind, for there was scarce a man who had not closedan eye for the greater love and honor of his lady. Yet it goeshard with you that you should darken one side, when with bothopen you can scarce tell a horse from a mule. In truth, friend,I think that you step over the line of reason in this matter."

"Sir Oliver Buttesthorn," said the little knight shortly, "Iwould have you to understand that, blind as I am, I can yet seethe path of honor very clearly, and that that is the road uponwhich I do not crave another man's guidance."

"By my soul," said Sir Oliver, "you are as tart as verjuice thismorning! If you are bent upon a quarrel with me I must leave youto your humor and drop into the 'Tete d'Or' here, for I marked avarlet pass the door who bare a smoking dish, which had,methought, a most excellent smell."

"Nenny, nenny," cried his comrade, laying his hand upon his knee;"we have known each other over long to fall out, Oliver, like tworaw pages at their first epreuves. You must come with me firstto the prince, and then back to the hostel; though sure I am thatit would grieve his heart that any gentle cavalier should turnfrom his board to a common tavern. But is not that my LordDelewar who waves to us? Ha! my fair lord, God and Our Lady bewith you! And there is Sir Robert Cheney. Good-morrow, Robert!I am right glad to see you."

The two knights walked their horses abreast, while Alleyne andFord, with John Northbury, who was squire to Sir Oliver, keptsome paces behind them, a spear's-length in front of Black Simonand of the Winchester guidon-bearer. Northbury, a lean, silentman, had been to those parts before, and sat his hosse with arigid neck; but the two young squires gazed eagerly to right orleft, and plucked each other's sleeves to call attention to themany strange things on every side of them.

"See to the brave stalls!" cried Alleyne. "See to the noblearmor set forth, and the costly taffeta--and oh, Ford, see towhere the scrivener sits with the pigments and the ink-horns, andthe rolls of sheepskin as white as the Beaulieu napery! Saw manever the like before?"

"Nay, man, there are finer stalls in Cheapside," answered Ford,whose father had taken him to London on occasion of one of theSmithfield joustings. "I have seen a silversmith's booth therewhich would serve to buy either side of this street. But markthese houses, Alleyne, how they thrust forth upon the top. Andsee to the coats-of-arms at every window, and banner or pensel onthe roof."

"And the churches!" cried Alleyne. "The Priory at Christ churchwas a noble pile, but it was cold and bare, methinks, by one ofthese, with their frettings, and their carvings, and theirtraceries, as though some great ivy-plant of stone had curled andwantoned over the walls."

"And hark to the speech of the folk!" said Ford. "Was ever sucha hissing and clacking? I wonder that they have not wit to learnEnglish now that they have come under the English crown. ByRichard of Hampole! there are fair faces amongst them. See thewench with the brown whimple! Out on you, Alleyne, that youwould rather gaze upon dead stone than on living flesh!"

It was little wonder that the richness and ornament, not only ofchurch and of stall, but of every private house as well, shouldhave impressed itself upon the young squires. The town was nowat the height of its fortunes. Besides its trade and itsarmorers, other causes had combined to pour wealth into it. War,which had wrought evil upon so many fair cities around, hadbrought nought but good to this one. As her French sistersdecayed she increased, for here, from north, and from east, andfrom south, came the plunder to be sold and the ransom money tobe spent. Through all her sixteen landward gates there had setfor many years a double tide of empty-handed soldiers hurryingFrancewards, and of enriched and laden bands who brought theirspoils home. The prince's court, too, with its swarm of noblebarons and wealthy knights, many of whom, in imitation of theirmaster, had brought their ladies and their children from England,all helped to swell the coffers of the burghers. Now, with thisfresh influx of noblemen and cavaliers, food and lodging werescarce to be had, and the prince was hurrying forward his forcesto Dax in Gascony to relieve the overcrowding of his capital.

In front of the minster and abbey of St. Andrews was a largesquare crowded with priests, soldiers, women, friars, andburghers, who made it their common centre for sight-seeing andgossip. Amid the knot of noisy and gesticulating townsfolk, manysmall parties of mounted knights and squires threaded their waytowards the prince's quarters, where the huge iron-clamped doorswere thrown back to show that he held audience within. Two-scorearchers stood about the gateway, and beat back from time to timewith their bow-staves the inquisitive and chattering crowd whoswarmed round the portal. Two knights in full armor, with lancesraised and closed visors, sat their horses on either side, whilein the centre, with two pages to tend upon him, there stood anoble-faced man in flowing purple gown, who pricked off upon asheet of parchment the style and title of each applicant,marshalling them in their due order, and giving to each the placeand facility which his rank demanded. His long white beard andsearching eyes imparted to him an air of masterful dignity, whichwas increased by his tabard-like vesture and the heraldic barretcap with triple plume which bespoke his office.

"It is Sir William de Pakington, the prince's own herald andscrivener," whispered Sir Nigel, as they pulled up amid the lineof knights who waited admission. "Ill fares it with the man whowould venture to deceive him. He hath by rote the name of everyknight of France or of England; and all the tree of his family,with his kinships, coat-armor, marriages, augmentations,abatements, and I know not what beside. We may leave our horseshere with the varlets, and push forward with our squires."

Following Sir Nigel's counsel, they pressed on upon foot untilthey were close to the prince's secretary, who was in high debatewith a young and foppish knight, who was bent upon making his waypast him.

"Mackworth!" said the king-at-arms. "It is in my mind, youngsir, that you have not been presented before."

"Nay, it is but a day since I set foot in Bordeaux, but I fearedlest the prince should think it strange that I had not waitedupon him."

"The prince hath other things to think upon," quoth Sir Williamde Pakington; "but if you be a Mackworth you must be a Mackworthof Normanton, and indeed I see now that your coat is sable andermine."

"I am a Mackworth of Normanton," the other answered, with someuneasiness of manner.

"Then you must be Sir Stephen Mackworth, for I learn that whenold Sir Guy died he came in for the arms and the name, the war-cry and the profit."

"Sir Stephen is my elder brother, and I am Arthur, the secondson," said the youth.

"In sooth and in sooth!" cried the king-at-arms with scornfuleyes. "And pray, sir second son, where is the cadency mark whichshould mark your rank. Dare you to wear your brother's coatwithout the crescent which should stamp you as his cadet. Awayto your lodgings, and come not nigh the prince until the armorerhath placed the true charge upon your shield." As the youthwithdrew in confusion, Sir William's keen eye singled out thefive red roses from amid the overlapping shields and cloud ofpennons which faced him.

"Ha!" he cried, "there are charges here which are abovecounterfeit. "The roses of Loring and the boar's head ofButtesthorn may stand back in peace, but by my faith! they arenot to be held back in war. Welcome, Sir Oliver, Sir Nigel!Chandos will be glad to his very heart-roots when he sees you.This way, my fair sirs. Your squires are doubtless worthy thefame of their masters. Down this passage, Sir Oliver! Edricson!Ha! one of the old strain of Hampshire Edricsons, I doubt not.And Ford, they are of a south Saxon stock, and of good repute.There are Norburys in Cheshire and in Wiltshire, and also, as Ihave heard, upon the borders. So, my fair sirs, and I shall seethat you are shortly admitted."

He had finished his professional commentary by flinging open afolding door, and ushering the party into a broad hall, which wasfilled with a great number of people who were waiting, likethemselves, for an audience. The room was very spacious, lightedon one side by three arched and mullioned windows, while oppositewas a huge fireplace in which a pile of faggots was blazingmerrily. Many of the company had crowded round the flames, forthe weather was bitterly cold; but the two knights seatedthemselves upon a bancal, with their squires standing behindthem. Looking down the room, Alleyne marked that both floor andceiling were of the richest oak, the latter spanned by twelvearching beams, which were adorned at either end by the lilies andthe lions of the royal arms. On the further side was a smalldoor, on each side of which stood men-at-arms. From time to timean elderly man in black with rounded shoulders and a long whitewand in his hand came softly forth from this inner room, andbeckoned to one or other of the company, who doffed cap andfollowed him.

The two knights were deep in talk, when Alleyne became aware of aremarkable individual who was walking round the room in theirdirection. As he passed each knot of cavaliers every head turnedto look after him, and it was evident, from the bows andrespectful salutations on all sides, that the interest which heexcited was not due merely to his strange personal appearance.He was tall and straight as a lance, though of a great age, forhis hair, which curled from under his velvet cap of maintenance,was as white as the new-fallen snow. Yet, from the swing of hisstride and the spring of his step, it was clear that he had notyet lost the fire and activity of his youth. His fierce hawk-like face was clean shaven like that of a priest, save for a longthin wisp of white moustache which drooped down half way to hisshoulder. That he had been handsome might be easily judged fromhis high aquiline nose and clear-cut chin; but his features hadbeen so distorted by the seams and scars of old wounds, and bythe loss of one eye which had been torn from the socket, thatthere was little left to remind one of the dashing young knightwho had been fifty years ago the fairest as well as the boldestof the English chivalry. Yet what knight was there in that hallof St. Andrews who would not have gladly laid down youth, beauty,and all that he possessed to win the fame of this man? For whocould be named with Chandos, the stainless knight, the wisecouncillor, the valiant warrior, the hero of Crecy, ofWinchelsea, of Poictiers, of Auray, and of as many other battlesas there were years to his life?

"Ha, my little heart of gold!" he cried, darting forward suddenlyand throwing his arms round Sir Nigel. "I heard that you werehere and have been seeking you."

"My fair and dear lord," said the knight, returning the warrior'sembrace, "I have indeed come back to you, for where else shall Igo that I may learn to be a gentle and a hardy knight?"

"By my troth!" said Chandos with a smile, "it is very fittingthat we should be companions, Nigel, for since you have tied upone of your eyes, and I have had the mischance to lose one ofmine, we have but a pair between us. Ah, Sir Oliver! you were onthe blind side of me and I saw you not. A wise woman hath madeprophecy that this blind side will one day be the death of me.We shall go in to the prince anon; but in truth he hath much uponhis hands, for what with Pedro, and the King of Majorca, and theKing of Navarre, who is no two days of the same mind, and theGascon barons who are all chaffering for terms like so manyhucksters, he hath an uneasy part to play. But how left you theLady Loring?"

"She was well, my fair lord, and sent her service and greetingsto you."

"I am ever her knight and slave. And your journey, I trust thatit was pleasant?"

"As heart could wish. We had sight of two rover galleys, andeven came to have some slight bickering with them."

"Ever in luck's way, Nigel!" quoth Sir John. "We must hear thetale anon. But I deem it best that ye should leave your squiresand come with me, for, howsoe'er pressed the prince may be, I amvery sure that he would be loth to keep two old comrades-in-armsupon the further side of the door. Follow close behind me, and Iwill forestall old Sir William, though I can scarce promise toroll forth your style and rank as is his wont." So saying, he ledthe way to the inner chamber, the two companions treading closeat his heels, and nodding to right and left as they caught sightof familiar faces among the crowd.