CHAPTER VI. HOW SAMKIN AYLWARD WAGERED HIS FEATHER-BED.

ceofhonortotherightofthegleemantothefree-handednew-comer.Hehadthrownoffhissteelcapandhisbrigandine,andhadplacedthemwithhissword,hisquiverandhispaintedlong-bow,onthetopofhisvariedheapofplunderinthecorner.Now,withhisthickandsomewhatbowedlegsstretchedinfrontoftheblaze,hisgreenjerkinthrownopen,andagreatquartpotheldinhiscordedfist,helookedthepictureofcomfortandofgood-fellowship.Hishard-setfacehadsoftened,andthethickcropofcrispbrowncurlswhichhadbeenhiddenbyhishelmetgrewlowuponhismassiveneck.Hemighthavebeenfortyyearsofage,thoughhardtoilandharderpleasurehadlefttheirgrimmarksuponhisfeatures.Alleynehadceasedpaintinghispiedmerlin,andsat,brushinhand,staringwithopeneyesatatypeofmansostrangeandsounlikeanywhomhehadmet.Menhadbeengoodorhadbeenbadinhiscatalogue,butherewasamanwhowasfierceoneinstantandgentlethenext,withacurseonhislipsandasmileinhiseye.Whatwastobemadeofsuchamanasthat? Itchancedthatthesoldierlookedupandsawthequestioningglancewhichtheyoungclerkthrewuponhim.Heraisedhisflagonanddranktohim,withamerryflashofhiswhiteteeth. “Atoi,mongarcon,”hecried.“Hastsurelyneverseenaman-at-arms,thatthoushouldststareso?” “Ineverhave,”saidAlleynefrankly,“thoughIhaveoftheardtalkoftheirdeeds.” “Bymyhilt!”criedtheother,“ifyouweretocrossthenarrowseayouwouldfindthemasthickasbeesatatee-hole.CouldstnotshootaboltdownanystreetofBordeaux,Iwarrant,butyouwouldpinkarcher,squire,orknight.Therearemorebreastplatesthangaberdinestobeseen,Ipromiseyou.” “Andwheregotyoualltheseprettythings?”askedHordleJohn,pointingattheheapinthecorner. “Wherethereisasmuchmorewaitingforanybraveladtopickitup.Whereagoodmancanalwaysearnagoodwage,andwhereheneedlookuponnomanashispaymaster,butjustreachhishandoutandhelphimself.Aye,itisagoodlyandaproperlife.AndhereIdrinktomineoldcomrades,andthesaintsbewiththem!Arousealltogether,mesenfants,underpainofmydispleasure.ToSirClaudeLatourandtheWhiteCompany!” “SirClaudeLatourandtheWhiteCompany!”shoutedthetravellers,drainingofftheirgoblets. “Wellquaffed,mesbraves!Itisformetofillyourcupsagain,sinceyouhavedrainedthemtomydearladsofthewhitejerkin.Hola!monange,bringwineandale.Howrunstheoldstave?— We'lldrinkalltogether Tothegraygoosefeather Andthelandwherethegraygooseflew.” Heroaredoutthecatchinaharsh,unmusicalvoice,andendedwithashoutoflaughter.“ItrustthatIamabetterbowmanthanaminstrel,”saidhe. “MethinksIhavesomeremembranceofthelilt,”remarkedthegleeman,runninghisfingersoverthestrings.“Hopingthatitwillgivetheenooffence,mostholysir”—withavicioussnapatAlleyne—“andwiththekindpermitofthecompany,Iwillevenventureuponit.” ManyatimeintheafterdaysAlleyneEdricsonseemedtoseethatscene,forallthatsomanywhichwerestrangerandmorestirringweresoontocrowduponhim.Thefat,red-facedgleeman,thelisteninggroup,thearcherwithupraisedfingerbeatingintimetothemusic,andthehugesprawlingfigureofHordleJohn,allthrownintoredlightandblackshadowbytheflickeringfireinthecentre—memorywastocomeoftenlovinglybacktoit.Atthetimehewaslostinadmirationatthedeftwayinwhichthejongleurdisguisedthelossofhistwomissingstrings,andthelusty,heartyfashioninwhichhetrolledouthislittleballadoftheoutlandbowmen,whichraninsomesuchfashionasthis: Whatofthebow? ThebowwasmadeinEngland: Oftruewood,ofyewwood, ThewoodofEnglishbows Somenwhoarefree Lovetheoldyewtree Andthelandwheretheyewtreegrows. Whatofthecord? ThecordwasmadeinEngland: Aroughcord,atoughcord, Acordthatbowmenlove Sowe'lldrainourjacks TotheEnglishflax Andthelandwherethehempwaswove. Whatoftheshaft? TheshaftwascutinEngland: Alongshaft,astrongshaft, Barbedandtrimandtrue Sowe'lldrinkalltogether Tothegraygoosefeather Andthelandwherethegraygooseflew. Whatofthemen? ThemenwerebredinEngland: Thebowman—theyeoman— Theladsofdaleandfell Here'stoyou—andtoyou Totheheartsthataretrue Andthelandwherethetrueheartsdwell. “Wellsung,bymyhilt!”shoutedthearcherinhighdelight.“ManyanighthaveIheardthatsong,bot