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

fairmother,”hecontinued,whenhisdaughterhadgone,“sityouherebythefire,foryourbloodrunscolderthanitdid.AlleyneEdricson,Iwouldhaveawordwithyou,forIwouldfainthatyoushouldtakeserviceunderme.Andhereingoodtimecomesmylady,withoutwhosecounselitisnotmywonttodecideaughtofimportbut,indeed,itwasherownthoughtthatyoushouldcome.” “ForIhaveformedagoodopinionofyou,andcanseethatyouareonewhomaybetrusted,”saidtheLadyLoring.“Andingoodsoothmydearlordhathneedofsuchaonebyhisside,forhereckssolittleofhimselfthatthereshouldbeonetheretolooktohisneedsandmeethiswants.Youhaveseenthecloistersitwerewellthatyoushouldseetheworldtoo,ereyoumakechoiceforlifebetweenthem.” “ItwasforthatveryreasonthatmyfatherwilledthatIshouldcomeforthintotheworldatmytwentiethyear,”saidAlleyne. “Thenyourfatherwasamanofgoodcounsel,”saidshe,“andyoucannotcarryouthiswillbetterthanbygoingonthispath,whereallthatisnobleandgallantinEnglandwillbeyourcompanions.” “Youcanride?”askedSirNigel,lookingattheyouthwithpuckeredeyes. “Yes,Ihaveriddenmuchattheabbey.” “Yetthereisadifferencebetwixtafriar'shackandawarrior'sdestrier.Youcansingandplay?” “Oncitole,fluteandrebeck.” “Good!Youcanreadblazonry?” “Indifferentwell.” “Thenreadthis,”quothSirNigel,pointingupwardstooneofthemanyquarteringswhichadornedthewalloverthefireplace. “Argent,”Alleyneanswered,“afessazurechargedwiththreelozengesdividingthreemulletssable.Overall,onanescutcheonofthefirst,ajambegules.” “Ajambeguleserased,”saidSirNigel,shakinghisheadsolemnly.“Yetitisnotamissforamonk-bredman.Itrustthatyouarelowlyandserviceable?” “Ihaveservedallmylife,mylord.” “Canstcarvetoo?” “Ihavecarvedtwodaysaweekforthebrethren.” “Amodeltruly!Wiltmakeasquireofsquires.Buttellme,Ipray,canstcurlhair?” “No,mylord,butIcouldlearn.” “Itisofimport,”saidhe,“forIlovetokeepmyhairwellordered,seeingthattheweightofmyhelmetforthirtyyearshathinsomedegreefrayedituponthetop.”Hepulledoffhisvelvetcapofmaintenanceashespoke,anddisplayedapatewhichwasasbaldasanegg,andshonebravelyinthefirelight.“Yousee,”saidhe,whiskinground,andshowingonelittlestripwherealineofscatteredhairs,likethelastsurvivorsinsomefatalfield,stillbarelyheldtheirownagainstthefatewhichhadfallenupontheircomrades“theselocksneedsomelittleoilingandcurling,forIdoubtnotthatifyoulookslantwiseatmyhead,whenthelightisgood,youwillyourselfperceivethatthereareplaceswherethehairissparse.” “Itisforyoualsotobearthepurse,”saidthelady“formysweetlordisofsofreeandgraciousatemperthathewouldgiveitgaylytothefirstwhoaskedalmsofhim.Allthesethings,withsomeknowledgeofvenerie,andofthemanagementofhorse,hawkandhound,withthegraceandhardihoodandcourtesywhicharepropertoyourage,willmakeyouafitsquireforSirNigelLoring.” “Alas!lady,”Alleyneanswered,“Iknowwellthegreathonorthatyouhavedonemeindeemingmeworthytowaituponsorenownedaknight,yetIamsoconsciousofmyownweaknessthatIscarcedareincurdutieswhichImightbesoill-fittedtofulfil.” “Modestyandahumblemind,”saidshe,“aretheveryfirstandrarestgiftsinpageorsquire.Yourwordsprovethatyouhavethese,andalltherestisbuttheworkofuseandtime.Butthereisnocallforhaste.Restuponitforthenight,andletyourorisonsaskforguidanceinthematter.Weknewyourfatherwell,andwouldfainhelphisson,thoughwehavesmallcausetoloveyourbrothertheSocman,whoisforeverstirringupstrifeinthecounty.” “Wecanscarcehope,”saidNigel,“tohaveallreadyforourstartbeforethefeastofSt.Luke,forthereismuchtobedoneinthetime.Youwillhaveleisure,therefore,ifitpleaseyoutotakeserviceunderme,inwhichtolearnyourdevoir.Bertrand,mydaughter'spage,ishottogobutinsoothheisoveryoungforsuchroughworkasmaybebeforeus.” “AndIhaveonefavortocravefromyou,”addedtheladyofthecastle,asAlleyneturnedtoleavetheirpresence.“Youhave,asIunderstand,muchlearningwhichyouhaveacquiredatBeaulieu.” “Littleenough,lady,comparedwiththosewhoweremyteachers.” “Yetenoughformypurpose,Idoubtnot.ForIwouldhaveyougiveanhourortwoadaywhilstyouarewithusindiscoursingwithmydaughter,theLadyMaudeforsheissomewhatbackward,Ifear,andhathnoloveforletters,saveforthesepoorfondromances,whichdobutfillheremptyheadwithdreamsofenchantedmaidensandoferrantcavaliers.FatherChristophercomesoverafternonesfromthepriory,butheisstrickenwithyearsandslowofspeech,sothatshegetssmallprofitfromhisteaching.Iwouldhaveyoudowhatyoucanwithher,andwithAgathamyyoungtire-woman,andwithDorothyPierpont.” AndsoAlleynefoundhimselfnotonlychosenassquiretoaknightbutalsoassquiretothreedamosels,whichwasevenfurtherfromthepartwhichhehadthoughttoplayintheworld.Yethecouldbutagreetodowhathemight,andsowentforthfromthecastlehallwithhisfaceflushedandhisheadinawhirlatthethoughtofthestrangeandperilouspathswhichhisfeetweredestinedtotread.