CHAPTER XXVIII. HOW THE COMRADES CAME OVER THE MARCHES OF FRANCE

hplayedoverthelittlegroupofwayfarers,andshowedupeverylineandshadowupontheirfaces.SirNigelsatwithelbowsuponknees,andchinuponhands,hispatchstillcoveringoneeye,buthisothershininglikeastar,whiletheruddylightgleameduponhissmoothwhitehead.Fordwasseatedathisleft,hislipsparted,hiseyesstaring,andafleckofdeepcoloroneithercheek,hislimbsallrigidasonewhofearstomove.OntheothersidethefamousFrenchcaptainleanedbackinhischair,alitterofnut-shellsuponhislap,hishugeheadhalfburiedinacushion,whilehiseyeswanderedwithanamusedgleamfromhisdametothestaring,enrapturedEnglishmen.Then,lastofall,thatpaleclear-cutface,thatsweetclearvoice,withitshighthrillingtalkofthedeathlessnessofglory,oftheworthlessnessoflife,ofthepainofignoblejoys,andofthejoywhichliesinallpainswhichleadtoanobleend.Still,astheshadowsdeepened,shespokeofvalorandvirtue,ofloyalty,honor,andfame,andstilltheysatdrinkinginherwordswhilethefireburneddownandtheredashturnedtogray. “BythesaintedIves!”criedDuGuesclinatlast,“itistimethatwespokeofwhatwearetodothisnight,forIcannotthinkthatinthiswaysideaubergetherearefitquartersforanhonorablecompany.” SirNigelgavealongsighashecamebackfromthedreamsofchivalryandhardihoodintowhichthisstrangewoman'swordshadwaftedhim.“IcarenotwhereIsleep,”saidhe“buttheseareindeedsomewhatrudelodgingsforthisfairlady.” “Whatcontentsmylordcontentsme,”quothshe.“Iperceive,SirNigel,thatyouareundervow,”sheadded,glancingathiscoveredeye. “Itismypurposetoattemptsomesmalldeed,”heanswered. “Andtheglove—isityourlady's?” “Itisindeedmysweetwife's.” “Whoisdoubtlessproudofyou.” “SayratherIofher,”quothhequickly.“GodHeknowsthatIamnotworthytobeherhumbleservant.Itiseasy,lady,foramantorideforthinthelightofday,anddohisdevoirwhenallmenhaveeyesforhim.Butinawoman'sheartthereisastrengthandtruthwhichasksnopraise,andcanbutbeknowntohimwhosetreasureitis.” TheLadyTiphainesmiledacrossatherhusband.“Youhaveoftentoldme,Bertrand,thattherewereverygentleknightsamongsttheEnglish,”quothshe. “Aye,aye,”saidhemoodily.“Buttohorse,SirNigel,youandyoursandweshallseekthechateauofSirTristramdeRochefort,whichistwomilesonthissideofVillefranche.HeisSeneschalofAuvergne,andmineoldwarcompanion.” “Certes,hewouldhaveawelcomeforyou,”quothSirNigel“butindeedhemightlookaskanceatonewhocomeswithoutpermitoverthemarches.” “BytheVirgin!whenhelearnsthatyouhavecometodrawawaytheserascalshewillbeveryblithetolookuponyourface.Inn-keeper,herearetengoldpieces.Whatisoverandaboveyourreckoningyoumaytakeofffromyourchargestothenextneedyknightwhocomesthisway.Comethen,foritgrowslateandthehorsesarestampingintheroadway.” TheLadyTiphaineandherspousesprangupontheirsteedswithoutsettingfeettostirrup,andawaytheyjingleddownthewhitemoonlithighway,withSirNigelatthelady'sbridle-arm,andFordaspear'slengthbehindthem.Alleynehadlingeredforaninstantinthepassage,andashedidsotherecameawildoutcryfromachamberupontheleft,andoutthereranAylwardandJohn,laughingtogetherliketwoschoolboyswhoarebentuponaprank.AtsightofAlleynetheyslunkpasthimwithsomewhatofashame-facedair,andspringingupontheirhorsesgallopedaftertheirparty.Thehubbubwithinthechamberdidnotcease,however,butratherincreased,withyellsof:“Amoi,mesamis!Amoi,camarades!Amoi,l'honorablechampiondel'EvequedeMontaubon!Alarecoussedel'eglisesainte!”Soshrillwastheoutcrythatboththeinn-keeperandAlleyne,witheveryvarletwithinhearing,rushedwildlytothesceneoftheuproar. Itwasindeedasingularscenewhichmettheireyes.Theroomwasalongandloftyone,stoneflooredandbare,withafireatthefurtherenduponwhichagreatpotwasboiling.Adealtablerandownthecentre,withawoodenwine-pitcheruponitandtwohorncups.Somewayfromitwasasmallertablewithasinglebeakerandabrokenwine-bottle.Fromtheheavywoodenrafterswhichformedtherooftherehungrowsofhookswhichheldupsidesofbacon,jointsofsmokedbeef,andstringsofonionsforwinteruse.Intheverycentreofallthese,uponthelargesthookofall,therehungafatlittlered-facedmanwithenormouswhiskers,kickingmadlyintheairandclawingatrafters,hams,andallelsethatwaswithinhand-grasp.Thehugesteelhookhadbeenpassedthroughthecollarofhisleatherjerkin,andtherehehunglikeafishonaline,writhing,twisting,andscreaming,bututterlyunabletofreehimselffromhisextraordinaryposition.Itwasnotunt