Part 15 (2/2)
”You double traitor! You would sell Calais to de Chargny, and then in turn you would sell de Chargny to me. How dare you suppose that I or any n.o.ble knight had such a huckster's soul as to think only of ransoms where honor is to be won? Could I or any true man be so caitiff and so thrall? You have sealed your own doom. Lead him out!”
”One instant, I pray you, my fair and most sweet lord,” cried the Prince. ”a.s.suage your wrath yet a little while, for this man's rede deserves perhaps more thought than we have given it. He has turned your n.o.ble soul sick with his talk of ransoms; but look at it, I pray you, from the side of honor, and where could we find such hope of wors.h.i.+pfully winning wors.h.i.+p? I pray you to let me put my body in this adventure, for it is one from which, if rightly handled, much advancement is to be gained.”
Edward looked with sparkling eyes at the n.o.ble youth at his side. ”Never was hound more keen on the track of a stricken hart than you on the hope of honor, fair son,” said he. ”How do you conceive the matter in your mind?”
”De Chargny and his men will be such as are worth going far to meet, for he will have the pick of France under his banner that night. If we did as this man says and awaited him with the same number of lances, then I cannot think that there is any spot in Christendom where one would rather be than in Calais that night.”
”By the rood, fair son, you are right!” cried the King, his face s.h.i.+ning with the thought. ”Now which of you, John Chandos or Walter Manny, will take the thing in charge?” He looked mischievously from one to the other like a master who dangles a bone betwixt two fierce old hounds. All they had to say was in their burning, longing eyes. ”Nay, John, you must not take it amiss; but it is Walter's turn, and he shall have it.”
”Shall we not all go under your banner, sire, or that of the Prince?”
”Nay, it is not fitting that the royal banners of England should be advanced in so small an adventure. And yet, if you have s.p.a.ce in your ranks for two more cavaliers, both the Prince and I would ride with you that night.”
The young man stooped and kissed his father's hand.
”Take this man in your charge, Walter, and do with him as you will.
Guard well lest he betray us once again. Take him from my sight, for his breath poisons the room. And now, Nigel, if that worthy graybeard of thine would fain tw.a.n.g his harp or sing to us--but what in G.o.d's name would you have?”
He had turned, to find his young host upon his knee and his flaxen head bent in entreaty.
”What is it, man? What do you crave?”
”A boon, fair liege!”
”Well, well, am I to have no peace to-night, with a traitor kneeling to me in front, and a true man on his knees behind? Out with it, Nigel.
What would you have?”
”To come with you to Calais.”
”By the rood! your request is fair enough, seeing that our plot is hatched beneath your very roof. How say you, Walter? Will you take him, armor and all?” asked King Edward.
”Say rather will you take me?” said Chandos. ”We two are rivals in honor, Walter, but I am very sure that you would not hold me back.”
”Nay, John, I will be proud to have the best lance in Christendom beneath my banner.”
”And I to follow so knightly a leader. But Nigel Loring is my Squire, and so he comes with us also.”
”Then that is settled,” said the King, ”and now there is no need for hurry, since there can be no move until the moon has changed. So I pray you to pa.s.s the flagon once again, and to drink with me to the good knights of France. May they be of great heart and high of enterprise when we all meet once more within the castle wall of Calais!”
XI. IN THE HALL OF THE KNIGHT OF DUPLIN
The King had come and had gone. Tilford Manor house stood once more dark and silent, but joy and contentment reigned within its walls. In one night every trouble had fallen away like some dark curtain which had shut out the sun. A princely sum of money had come from the King's treasurer, given in such fas.h.i.+on that there could be no refusal. With a bag of gold pieces at his saddle-bow Nigel rode once more into Guildford, and not a beggar on the way who had not cause to bless his name.
There he had gone first to the goldsmith and had bought back cup and salver and bracelet, mourning with the merchant over the evil chance that gold and gold-work had for certain reasons which only those in the trade could fully understand gone up in value during the last week, so that already fifty gold pieces had to be paid more than the price which Nigel had received. In vain the faithful Aylward fretted and fumed and muttered a prayer that the day would come when he might feather a shaft in the merchant's portly paunch. The money had to be paid.
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