CHAPTER XXII. HOW THE BOWMEN HELD WASSAIL AT THE “ROSE DE GUIENNE.”

ilwecameintoRomorantin,whereIchanceduponagoldchainandtwobraceletsofjasper,whichwerestolenfrommethesamedaybyablack-eyedwenchfromtheArdennes.MonDieu!therearesomefolkwhohavenofearofDomesdayinthem,andnosignofgraceintheirsouls,foreverclutchingandclawingatanotherman'schattels.” “Butthebattle,Aylward,thebattle!”criedseveral,amidaburstoflaughter. “Icometoit,myyoungwar-pups.Well,then,theKingofFrancehadfolloweduswithfiftythousandmen,andhemadegreathastetocatchus,butwhenhehadushescarceknewwhattodowithus,forweweresodrawnupamonghedgesandvineyardsthattheycouldnotcomenighus,savebyonelane.Onbothsideswerearchers,men-at-armsandknightsbehind,andinthecentrethebaggage,withmyfeather-beduponasutler'smule.Threehundredchosenknightscamestraightforit,and,indeed,theywereverybravemen,butsuchadriftofarrowsmetthemthatfewcameback.ThencametheGermans,andtheyalsofoughtverybravely,sothatoneortwobrokethroughthearchersandcameasfarasthefeather-bed,butalltonopurpose.Thenoutridesourownlittlehotheadwiththepatchoverhiseye,andmyLordAudleywithhisfourCheshiresquires,andafewothersoflikekidney,andafterthemwenttheprinceandChandos,andthenthewholethrongofus,withaxeandsword,forwehadshotawayourarrows.Mafoi!itwasafoolishthing,forwecameforthfromthehedges,andtherewasnaughttoguardthebaggagehadtheyriddenroundbehindus.Butallwentwellwithus,andthekingwastaken,andlittleRobbyWithstaffandIfellinwithawainwithtwelvefirkinsofwinefortheking'sowntable,and,bymyhilt!ifyouaskmewhathappenedafterthat,Icannotansweryou,norcanlittleRobbyWithstaffeither.” “Andnextday?” “Bymyfaith!wedidnottarrylong,butwehiedbacktoBordeaux,wherewecameinsafetywiththeKingofFranceandalsothefeather-bed.Isoldmyspoil,mesgarcons,forasmanygold-piecesasIcouldholdinmyhufken,andforsevendaysIlittwelvewaxcandlesuponthealtarofSt.Andrewforifyouforgettheblessedwhenthingsarewellwithyou,theyareverylikelytoforgetyouwhenyouhaveneedofthem.IhaveascoreofonehundredandnineteenpoundsofwaxagainsttheholyAndrew,and,ashewasaveryjustman,IdoubtnotthatIshallhavefullweighandmeasurewhenIhavemostneedofit.” “Tellme,masterAylward,”criedayoungfresh-facedarcheratthefurtherendoftheroom,“whatwasthisgreatbattleabout?” “Why,youjack-fool,whatwoulditbeaboutsavewhoshouldwearthecrownofFrance?” “Ithoughtthatmayhapitmightbeastowhoshouldhavethisfeather-bedofthine.” “IfIcomedowntoyou,Silas,Imaylaymybeltacrossyourshoulders,”Aylwardanswere