CHAPTER XXIX. HOW THE BLESSED HOUR OF SIGHT CAME TO THE LADY TIPHAINE.

fortheyareanexceedingmultitudeandfullofcourage.Seehowtheystormandrageagainstthegate,whilesomerearladders,andothers,lineafterline,sweepthewallswiththeirarrows.Therearemanyleaderswhoshoutandbeckon,andone,atallmanwithagoldenbeard,whostandsbeforethegatestampinghisfootandhallooingthemon,asaprickerdoththehounds.Butthoseinthecastlefightbravely.Thereisawoman,twowomen,whostanduponthewalls,andgivehearttothemen-at-arms.Theyshowerdownarrows,dartsandgreatstones.Ah!theyhavestruckdownthetallleader,andtheothersgiveback.ThemistthickensandIcanseenomore.” “BySaintPaul!”saidSirNigel,“IdonotthinkthattherecanbeanysuchdoingsatChristchurch,andIamveryeasyofthefortalicesolongasmysweetwifehangsthekeyoftheouterbaileyattheheadofherbed.YetIwillnotdenythatyouhavepicturedthecastleaswellasIcouldhavedonemyself,andIamfullofwondermentatallthatIhaveheardandseen.” “Iwould,LadyTiphaine,”criedtheLadyRochefort,“thatyouwoulduseyourpowertotellmewhathathbefallenmygoldenbraceletwhichIworewhenhawkinguponthesecondSundayofAdvent,andhaveneverseteyesuponsince.” “Nay,lady,”saidduGuesclin,“itdoesnotbefitsogreatandwondrousapowertopryandsearchandplaythevarleteventothebeautifulchatelaineofVillefranche.Askaworthyquestion,and,withtheblessingofGod,youshallhaveaworthyanswer.” “ThenIwouldfainask,”criedoneoftheFrenchsquires,“astowhichmayhopetoconquerinthesewarsbetwixttheEnglishandourselves.” “Bothwillconquerandeachwillholditsown,”answeredtheLadyTiphaine. “ThenweshallstillholdGasconyandGuienne?”criedSirNigel. Theladyshookherhead.“Frenchland,Frenchblood,Frenchspeech,”sheanswered.“TheyareFrench,andFranceshallhavethem.” “ButnotBordeaux?”criedSirNigelexcitedly. “BordeauxalsoisforFrance.” “ButCalais?” “Calaistoo.” “Woeworthmethen,andillhailtotheseevilwords!IfBordeauxandCalaisbegone,thenwhatisleftforEngland?” “Itseemsindeedthatthereareeviltimescominguponyourcountry,”saidDuGuesclin.“InourfondesthopesweneverthoughttoholdBordeaux.BySaintIves!thisnewshathwarmedtheheartwithinme.Ourdearcountrywillthenbeverygreatinthefuture,Tiphaine?” “Great,andrich,andbeautiful,”shecried.“FardownthecourseoftimeIcanseeherstillleadingthenations,awaywardqueenamongthepeoples,greatinwar,butgreaterinpeace,quickinthought,deftinaction,withherpeople'swillforhersolemonarch,fromthesandsofCalaistotheblueseasofthesouth.” “Ha!”criedDuGuesclin,withhiseyesflashingintriumph,“youhearher,SirNigel?—andsheneveryetsaidwordwhichwasnotsooth.” TheEnglishknightshookhisheadmoodily.“Whatofmyownpoorcountry?”saidhe.“Ifear,lady,thatwhatyouhavesaidbodesbutsmallgoodforher.” Theladysatwithpartedlips,andherbreathcamequickandfast.“MyGod!”shecried,“whatisthisthatisshownme?Whencecomethey,thesepeoples,theselordlynations,thesemightycountrieswhichriseupbeforeme?Ilookbeyond,andothersrise,andyetothers,farandfarthertotheshoresoftheuttermostwaters.Theycrowd!Theyswarm!Theworldisgiventothem,anditresoundswiththeclangoftheirhammersandtheringingoftheirchurchbells.Theycallthemmanynames,andtheyrulethemthiswayorthatbuttheyareallEnglish,forIcanhearthevoicesofthepeople.OnIgo,andonwardsoverseaswheremanhathneveryetsailed,andIseeagreatlandundernewstarsandastrangersky,andstillthelandisEngland.Wherehaveherchildrennotgone?Whathavetheynotdone?Herbannerisplantedonice.Herbannerisscorchedinthesun.Sheliesathwartthelands,andhershadowisovertheseas.Bertrand,Bertrand!weareundoneforthebudsofherbudareevenasourchoicestflower!”Hervoiceroseintoawildcry,andthrowingupherarmsshesankbackwhiteandnervelessintothedeepoakenchair. “Itisover,”saidDuGuesclinmoodily,asheraisedherdroopingheadwithhisstrongbrownhand.“Wineforthelady,squire!Theblessedhourofsighthathpassed.”