hilt! i have seen him ere now, with monk's
gown trussed to his knees, over his sandals in blood in the fore-
front of the battle. yet, ere the last string had twanged, he
would be down on his four bones among the stricken, and have them
all houseled and shriven, as quick as shelling peas. ma foi!
there were those who wished that he would have less care for
their souls and a little more for their bodies!"
"it is well to have a learned clerk in every troop," said sir
nigel. "by st. paul, there are men so caitiff that they think
more of a scrivener's pen than of their lady's smile, and do
their devoir in hopes that they may fill a line in a chronicle or
make a tag to a jongleur's romance. i remember well that, at the
siege of retters, there was a little, sleek, fat clerk of the
name of chaucer, who was so apt at rondel, sirvente, or tonson,
that no man dare give back a foot from the walls, lest he find it
all set down in his rhymes and sung by every underling and varlet
in the camp. but, my soul's bird, you hear me prate as though
all were decided, when i have not yet taken counsel either with
you or with my lady mother. let us to the chamber, while these
strangers find such fare as pantry and cellar may furnish."
"the night air strikes chill," said the lady, and turned down the
road with her hand upon her lord's arm. the three comrades
dropped behind and followed: aylward much the lighter for having
accomplished his mission, alleyne full of wonderment at the
humble bearing of so renowned a captain, and john loud with
snorts and sneers, which spoke his disappointment and contempt.
"what ails the man?" asked aylward in surprise.
"i have been cozened and bejaped," quoth he gruffly.
"by whom, sir samson the strong?"
"by thee, sir balaam the false prophet."
"by my hilt!" cried the archer, i though i be not balaam, yet i
hold converse with the very creature that spake to him. what is
amiss, then, and how have i played you false?"
"why, marry, did you not say, and alleyne here will be my
witness, that, if i would hie to the wars with you, you would
place me under a leader who was second to none in all england for
valor? yet here you bring me to a shred of a man, peaky and ill-
nourished, with eyes like a moulting owl, who must needs,
forsooth, take counsel with his mother ere he buckle sword to
girdle."
"is that where the shoe galls?" cried the bowman, and laughed
aloud. "i will ask you what you think of him three months hence,
if we be all alive; for sure i am that----"
aylward's words were interrupted by an extraordinary hubbub which
broke out that instant some little way down the street in the
direction of the priory. there was deep-mouthed shouting of men,
frightened shrieks of women, howling and barking of curs, and
over all a sullen, thunderous rumble, indescribably menacing and
terrible. round the corner of the narrow street there came
rushing a brace of whining dogs with tails tucked under their
legs, and after them a white-faced burgher, with outstretched
hands and wide-spread fingers, his hair all abristle and his eyes
glinting back from one shoulder to the other, as though some
great terror were at his very heels. "fly, my lady, fly!" he
screeched, and whizzed past them like bolt from bow; while close
behind came lumbering a huge black bear, with red tongue lolling
from his mouth, and a broken chain jangling behind him. to right
and left the folk flew for arch and doorway. hordle john caught
up the lady loring as though she had been a feather, and sprang
with her into an open porch; while aylward, with a whirl of
french oaths, plucked at his quiver and tried to unsling his bow.
alleyne, all unnerved at so strange and unwonted a sight, shrunk
up against the wall with his eyes fixed upon the frenzied
creature, which came bounding along with ungainly speed, looking
the larger in the uncertain light, its huge jaws agape, with
blood and slaver trickling to the ground. sir nigel alone,
unconscious to all appearance of the universal panic, walked
with unfaltering step up the centre of the road, a silken
handkerchief in one hand and his gold comfit-box in the other.
it sent the blood cold through alleyne's veins to see that as
they came together--the man and the beast--the creature reared
up, with eyes ablaze with fear and hate, and whirled its great
paws above the knight to smite him to the earth. he, however,
blinking with puckered eyes, reached up his kerchief, and flicked
the beast twice across the snout with it. "ah, saucy! saucy,"
quoth he, with gentle chiding; on which the bear, uncertain and
puzzled, dropped its four legs to earth again, and, waddling
back, was soon swathed in ropes by the bear-ward and a crowd of
peasants who had been in close pursuit.
a scared man was the keeper; for, having chaine
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