CHAPTER XVIII. HOW SIR NIGEL LORING PUT A PATCH UPON HIS EYE.

leoppositewasahugefireplaceinwhichapileoffaggotswasblazingmerrily.Manyofthecompanyhadcrowdedroundtheflames,fortheweatherwasbitterlycoldbutthetwoknightsseatedthemselvesuponabancal,withtheirsquiresstandingbehindthem.Lookingdowntheroom,Alleynemarkedthatbothfloorandceilingwereoftherichestoak,thelatterspannedbytwelvearchingbeams,whichwereadornedateitherendbytheliliesandthelionsoftheroyalarms.Onthefurthersidewasasmalldoor,oneachsideofwhichstoodmen-at-arms.Fromtimetotimeanelderlymaninblackwithroundedshouldersandalongwhitewandinhishandcamesoftlyforthfromthisinnerroom,andbeckonedtooneorotherofthecompany,whodoffedcapandfollowedhim. Thetwoknightsweredeepintalk,whenAlleynebecameawareofaremarkableindividualwhowaswalkingroundtheroomintheirdirection.Ashepassedeachknotofcavalierseveryheadturnedtolookafterhim,anditwasevident,fromthebowsandrespectfulsalutationsonallsides,thattheinterestwhichheexcitedwasnotduemerelytohisstrangepersonalappearance.Hewastallandstraightasalance,thoughofagreatage,forhishair,whichcurledfromunderhisvelvetcapofmaintenance,wasaswhiteasthenew-fallensnow.Yet,fromtheswingofhisstrideandthespringofhisstep,itwasclearthathehadnotyetlostthefireandactivityofhisyouth.Hisfiercehawk-likefacewascleanshavenlikethatofapriest,saveforalongthinwispofwhitemoustachewhichdroopeddownhalfwaytohisshoulder.Thathehadbeenhandsomemightbeeasilyjudgedfromhishighaquilinenoseandclear-cutchinbuthisfeatureshadbeensodistortedbytheseamsandscarsofoldwounds,andbythelossofoneeyewhichhadbeentornfromthesocket,thattherewaslittlelefttoremindoneofthedashingyoungknightwhohadbeenfiftyyearsagothefairestaswellastheboldestoftheEnglishchivalry.YetwhatknightwasthereinthathallofSt.Andrew'swhowouldnothavegladlylaiddownyouth,beauty,andallthathepossessedtowinthefameofthisman?ForwhocouldbenamedwithChandos,thestainlessknight,thewisecouncillor,thevaliantwarrior,theheroofCrecy,ofWinchelsea,ofPoictiers,ofAuray,andofasmanyotherbattlesastherewereyearstohislife? “Ha,mylittleheartofgold!”hecried,dartingforwardsuddenlyandthrowinghisarmsroundSirNigel.“Iheardthatyouwerehereandhavebeenseekingyou.” “Myfairanddearlord,”saidtheknight,returningthewarrior'sembrace,“Ihaveindeedcomebacktoyou,forwhereelseshallIgothatImaylearntobeagentleandahardyknight?” “Bymytroth!”saidChandoswithasmile,“itisveryfittingthatweshouldbecompanions,Nigel,forsinceyouhavetieduponeofyoureyes,andIhavehadthemischancetoloseoneofmine,wehavebutapairbetweenus.Ah,SirOliver!youwereontheblindsideofmeandIsawyounot.Awisewomanhathmadeprophecythatthisblindsidewillonedaybethedeathofme.Weshallgointotheprinceanonbutintruthhehathmuchuponhishands,forwhatwithPedro,andtheKingofMajorca,andtheKingofNavarre,whoisnotwodaysofthesamemind,andtheGasconbaronswhoareallchafferingfortermslikesomanyhucksters,hehathanuneasyparttoplay.ButhowleftyoutheLadyLoring?” “Shewaswell,myfairlord,andsentherserviceandgreetingstoyou.” “Iameverherknightandslave.Andyourjourney,Itrustthatitwaspleasant?” “Asheartcouldwish.Wehadsightoftworovergalleys,andevencametohavesomeslightbickeringwiththem.” “Everinluck'sway,Nigel!”quothSirJohn.“Wemusthearthetaleanon.ButIdeemitbestthatyeshouldleaveyoursquiresandcomewithme,for,howsoe'erpressedtheprincemaybe,Iamverysurethathewouldbelothtokeeptwooldcomrades-in-armsuponthefurthersideofthedoor.Followclosebehindme,andIwillforestalloldSirWilliam,thoughIcanscarcepromisetorollforthyourstyleandrankasishiswont.”Sosaying,heledthewaytotheinnerchamber,thetwocompanionstreadingcloseathisheels,andnoddingtorightandleftastheycaughtsightoffamiliarfacesamongthecrowd.