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

hintheoldwar-timeandafterinthedaysoftheWhiteCompany,whenBlackSimonofNorwichwouldleadthestave,andfourhundredofthebestbowmenthateverdrewstringwouldcomeroaringinuponthechorus.IhaveseenoldJohnHawkwood,thesamewhohasledhalftheCompanyintoItaly,standlaughinginhisbeardasheheardit,untilhisplatesrattledagain.ButtogetthefullsmackofityemustyourselvesbeEnglishbowmen,andbefaroffuponanoutlandsoil.” WhilstthesonghadbeensingingDameElizaandthemaidhadplacedaboardacrosstwotrestles,andhadlaiduponittheknife,thespoon,thesalt,thetranchoirofbread,andfinallythesmokingdishwhichheldthesavorysupper.Thearchersettledhimselftoitlikeonewhohadknownwhatitwastofindgoodfoodscarcebuthistonguestillwentasmerrilyashisteeth. “Itpassesme,”hecried,“howallyoulustyfellowscanbidescratchingyourbacksathomewhentherearesuchdoingsovertheseas.Lookatme—whathaveItodo?Itisbuttheeyetothecord,thecordtotheshaft,andtheshafttothemark.Thereisthewholesongofit.ItisbutwhatyoudoyourselvesforpleasureuponaSundayeveningattheparishvillagebutts.” “Andthewage?”askedalaborer. “Youseewhatthewagebrings,”heanswered.“Ieatofthebest,andIdrinkdeep.Itreatmyfriend,andIasknofriendtotreatme.Iclapasilkgownonmygirl'sback.Neveraknight'sladyshallbebetterbetrimmedandbetrinketed.Howofallthat,mongarcon?Andhowoftheheapoftriflesthatyoucanseeforyourselvesinyondercorner?TheyarefromtheSouthFrench,everyone,uponwhomIhavebeenmakingwar.Bymyhilt!camarades,IthinkthatImayletmyplunderspeakforitself.” “Itseemsindeedtobeagoodlyservice,”saidthetooth-drawer. “Tetebleu!yes,indeed.Thenthereisthechanceofaransom.Why,lookyou,intheaffairatBrignaissomefouryearsback,whenthecompaniesslewJamesofBourbon,andputhisarmytothesword,therewasscarceamanofourswhohadnotcount,baron,orknight.PeterKarsdale,whowasbutacommoncountryloutnewlybroughtover,withtheEnglishfleasstillhoppingunderhisdoublet,laidhisgreathandsupontheSieurAmaurydeChatonville,whoownshalfPicardy,andhadfivethousandcrownsoutofhim,withhishorseandharness.'TistruethataFrenchwenchtookitalloffPeterasquickastheFrenchmanpaiditbutwhatthen?Bythetwangofstring!itwouldbeabadthingifmoneywasnotmadetobespentandhowbetterthanonwoman—eh,mabelle?” “Itwouldindeedbeabadthingifwehadnotourbravearcherstobringwealthandkindlycustomsintothecountry,”quothDameEliza,onwhomthesoldier'sfreeandopenwayshadmadeadeepimpression. “Atoi,macherie!”saidhe,withhishandoverhisheart.“Hola!thereislapetitepeepingfrombehindthedoor.Atoi,aussi,mapetite!MonDieu!butthelasshasagoodcolor!” “Thereisonething,fairsir,”saidtheCambridgestudentinhispipingvoice,“whichIwouldfainthatyouwouldmakemoreclear.AsIunderstandit,therewaspeacemadeatthetownofBretignysomesixyearsbackbetweenourmostgraciousmonarchandtheKingoftheFrench.Thisbeingso,itseemsmostpassingstrangethatyoushouldtalksoloudlyofwarandofcompanieswhenthereisnoquarrelbetweentheFrenchandus.” “MeaningthatIlie,”saidthearcher,layingdownhisknife. “Mayheavenforfend!”criedthestudenthastily.“Magnaestveritassedrara,whichmeansintheLatintonguethatarchersareallhonorablemen.Icometoyouseekingknowledge,foritismytradetolearn.” “Ifearthatyouareyeta'prenticetothattrade,”quoththesoldier“forthereisnochildoverthewaterbutcouldanswerwhatyouask.KnowthenthatthoughtheremaybepeacebetweenourownprovincesandtheFrench,yetwithinthemarchesofFrancethereisalwayswar,forthecountryismuchdividedagainstitself,andisfurthermoreharriedbybandsofflayers,skinners,Brabacons,tardvenus,andtherestofthem.Wheneveryman'sgripisonhisneighbor'sthroat,andeveryfive-sous-pieceofabaronismarchingwithtuckofdrumtofightwhomhewill,itwouldbeastrangethingiffivehundredbraveEnglishboyscouldnotpickupaliving.NowthatSirJohnHawkwoodhathgonewiththeEastAnglianladsandtheNottinghamwoodmenintotheserviceoftheMarquisofMontferrattofightagainsttheLordofMilan,therearebuttenscoreofusleft,yetItrustthatImaybeabletobringsomebackwithmetofilltheranksoftheWhiteCompany.BythetoothofPeter!itwouldbeabadthingifIcouldnotmustermanyaHamptonshiremanwhowouldbereadytostrikeinundertheredflagofSt.G