CHAPTER XXXIII. HOW THE ARMY MADE THE PASSAGE OF RONCESVALLES.

itisgoodtolook,andamanmightgofarerehewouldseesomanybravemenandfinehorses.Bymyhilt!ourlittlelordiswrothbecausewehavecomepeacefullythroughthepasses,butIwillwarranthimthatwehavefightingenowereweturnourfacesnorthwardagain.Itissaidthattherearefour-scorethousandmenbehindtheKingofSpain,withDuGuesclinandallthebestlancesofFrance,whohavesworntoshedtheirheart'sblooderethisPedrocomeagaintothethrone.” “Yetourownarmyisagreatone,”saidAlleyne. “Nay,therearebutseven-and-twentythousandmen.Chandoshathpersuadedtheprincetoleavemanybehind,andindeedIthinkthatheisright,forthereislittlefoodandlesswaterinthesepartsforwhichwearebound.Amanwithouthismeatorahorsewithouthisfodderislikeawetbow-string,fitforlittle.Butvoila,monpetit,herecomesChandosandhiscompany,andthereismanyapensilandbanderoleamongyondersquadronswhichshowthatthebestbloodofEnglandisridingunderhisbanners.” WhilstAylwardhadbeenspeaking,astrongcolumnofarchershaddefiledthroughthepassbeneaththem.Theywerefollowedbyabanner-bearerwhoheldhighthescarletwedgeuponasilverfieldwhichproclaimedthepresenceofthefamouswarrior.Herodehimselfwithinaspear's-lengthofhisstandard,cladfromnecktofootinsteel,butdrapedinthelonglinengownorparementwhichwasdestinedtobethecauseofhisdeath.Hisplumedhelmetwascarriedbehindhimbyhisbody-squire,andhisheadwascoveredbyasmallpurplecap,fromunderwhichhissnow-whitehaircurleddownwardstohisshoulders.Withhislongbeak-likenoseandhissinglegleamingeye,whichshonebrightlyfromunderathicktuftofgrizzledbrow,heseemedtoAlleynetohavesomethingofthelookofsomefierceoldbirdofprey.Foramomenthesmiled,ashiseyelituponthebannerofthefiveroseswavingfromthehamletbuthiscourselayforPampeluna,andherodeonafterthearchers. Closeathisheelscamesixteensquires,allchosenfromthehighestfamilies,andbehindthemrodetwelvehundredEnglishknights,withgleamofsteelandtossingofplumes,theirharnessjingling,theirlongstraightswordsclankingagainsttheirstirrup-irons,andthebeatoftheirchargers'hoofslikethelowdeeproaroftheseaupontheshore.BehindthemmarchedsixhundredCheshireandLancashirearchers,bearingthebadgeoftheAudleys,followedbythefamousLordAudleyhimself,withthefourvaliantsquires,DuttonofDutton,DelvesofDoddington,FowlehurstofCrewe,andHawkestoneofWainehill,whohadallwonsuchgloryatPoictiers.Twohundredheavily-armedcavalryrodebehindtheAudleystandard,whilecloseattheirheelscametheDukeofLancasterwithaglitteringtrain,heraldstabardedwiththeroyalarmsridingthreedeepuponcream-coloredchargersinfrontofhim.OneithersideoftheyoungprincerodethetwoseneschalsofAquitaine,SirGuiscardd'AngleandSirStephenCossington,theonebearingthebanneroftheprovinceandtheotherthatofSaintGeorge.Awaybehindhimasfaraseyecouldreachrolledthefar-stretching,unbrokenriverofsteel—rankafterrankandcolumnaftercolumn,withwavingofplumes,glitterofarms,tossing