CHAPTER XI. HOW A YOUNG SHEPHERD HAD A PERILOUS FLOCK.

erebutash-heapsinthesmokingruinsoftheirhouse.IwillnotsaythatwehavenotwroughtgreatscathuponFrance,butwomenandchildrenhavebeensafefromus.Andso,oldfriend,myheartishotwithinme,andIlongtoheartheoldbattle-cryagain,and,byGod'struth!ifSirNigelunfurlshispennon,hereisonewhowillberightgladtofeelthesaddle-flapsunderhisknees.” “Wehaveseengoodworktogether,oldwar-dog,”quothAylward“and,bymyhilt!wemayhopetoseemoreerewedie.ButwearemoreliketohawkattheSpanishwoodcockthanattheFrenchheron,thoughcertesitisrumoredthatDuGuesclinwithallthebestlancesofFrancehavetakenserviceunderthelionsandtowersofCastile.But,comrade,itisinmymindthatthereissomesmallmatterofdisputestillopenbetweenus.” “'ForeGod,itissooth!”criedtheother“Ihadforgotit.Theprovost-marshalandhismentoreusapartwhenlastwemet.” “Onwhich,friend,wevowedthatweshouldsettlethepointwhennextwecametogether.Hastthysword,Isee,andthemoonthrowsglimmerenoughforsucholdnight-birdsaswe.Onguard,mongar.!Ihavenotheardclinkofsteelthismonthormore.” “Outfromtheshadowthen,”saidtheother,drawinghissword.“Avowisavow,andnotlightlytobebroken.” “Avowtothesaints,”criedAlleyne,“isindeednottobesetasidebutthisisadevil'svow,and,simpleclerkasIam,IamyetthemouthpieceofthetruechurchwhenIsaythatitweremortalsintofightonsuchaquarrel.What!shalltwogrownmencarrymaliceforyears,andflylikesnarlingcursateachother'sthroats?” “Nomalice,myyoungclerk,nomalice,”quothBlackSimon.“Ihavenotabitterdropinmyheartformineoldcomradebutthequarrel,ashehathtoldyou,isstillopenandunsettled.Fallon,Aylward!” “NotwhilstIcanstandbetweenyou,”criedAlleyne,springingbeforethebowman.“ItisshameandsintoseetwoChristianEnglishmenturnswordsagainsteachotherlikethefrenziedbloodthirstypaynim.” “And,whatismore,”saidHordleJohn,suddenlyappearingoutofthebutterywiththehugeboarduponwhichthepastrywasrolled,“ifeitherraiseswordIshallflattenhimlikeaShrovetidepancake.Bytheblackrood!Ishalldrivehimintotheearth,likeanailintoadoor,ratherthanseeyoudoscathtoeachother.” “'ForeGod,thisisastrangewayofpreachingpeace,”criedBlackSimon.“Youmayfindthescathyourself,mylustyfriend,ifyouraiseyourgreatcudgeltome.Ihadasliefhavethecastledrawbridgedropuponmypate.” “Tellme,Aylward,”saidAlleyneearnestly,withhishandsoutstretchedtokeepthepairasunder,“whatisthecauseofquarrel,thatwemayseewhetherhonorablesettlementmaynotbearrivedat?” Thebowmanlookeddownathisfeetandthenupatthemoon,“Parbleu!”hecried,“thecauseofquarrel?Why,monpetit,itwasyearsagoinLimousin,andhowcanIbearinmindwhatwasthecauseofit?Simontherehathitattheendofhistongue.” “NotI,introth,”repliedtheother“Ihavehadotherthingstothinkof.Therewassomesortofbickeringoverdice,orwine,orwasitawoman,coz?” “PasquesDieu!butyouhavenickedit,”criedAylward.“Itwasindeedaboutawomanandthequarrelmustgoforward,forIamstillofthesamemindasbefore.” “Whatofthewoman,then?”askedSimon.“MaythemurrainstrikemeifIcancalltomindaughtabouther.” “ItwasLaBlancheRose,maidatthesignofthe'TroisCorbeaux'atLimoges.Blessherprettyheart!Why,mongar.,Ilovedher.” “Sodidamany,”quothSimon.“Icallhertomindnow.Ontheverydaythatwefoughtoverthelittlehussy,shewentoffwithEvanapPrice,along-leggedWelshdagsman.Theyhaveahosteloftheirownnow,somewhereonthebanksoftheGaronne,wherethelandlorddrinkssomuchoftheliquorthatthereislittleleftforthecustomers.” “Soendsourquarrel,then,”saidAylward,sheathinghissword.“AWelshdagsman,i'faith!C'etaitmauvaisgout,camarade,andthemoresowhenshehadajollyarcherandalustyman-at-armstochoosefrom.” “True,oldlad.Anditisaswellthatwecancomposeourdifferenceshonorably,forSirNigelhadbeenoutatthefirstclashofsteelandhehathswornthatiftherebequarrellinginthegarrisonhewouldsmitetherighthandfromthebroilers.Youknowhimofold,andthatheisliketobeasgoodashisword.” “Mort-Dieu!yes.Butthereareale,mead,andwineinthebuttery,andthestewardamerryrogue,whowillnothaggleoveraquartortwo.Buvons,mongar.,foritisnoteverydaythattwooldfriendscometogether.” TheoldsoldiersandHordleJohnstrodeofftogetherinallgoodfellowship.Alleynehadturnedtofollowthem,whenhefeltatouchuponhisshoulder,andfoundayoungpagebyhisside. “TheLordLoringcommands,”saidtheboy,“thatyouwillfollowmetothegreatchamber,andawaithimthere.” “Butmycomrades?” “Hiscommandswereforyoualone.” Alleynefollowedthemessengertotheeastendofthecourtyard,whereabroadflightofstepsleduptothedoorwayofthemainhall,theouterwallofwhichiswashedbythewatersoftheAvon.Asdesignedatfirst,nodwellinghadbeenallottedtothelordofthecastleandhisfamilybutthedarkanddismalbasementstoryofthekeep.Amorecivilizedormoreeffeminategeneration,however,hadrefusedtobepentupinsuchacellar,andthehallwithitsneighboringchambershadbeenaddedfortheiraccommodation.UpthebroadstepsAlleynewe