ught that you should
come."
"for i have formed a good opinion of you, and can see that you
are one who may be trusted," said the lady loring. "and in good
sooth my dear lord hath need of such a one by his side, for he
recks so little of himself that there should be one there to look
to his needs and meet his wants. you have seen the cloisters; it
were well that you should see the world too, ere you make choice
for life between them."
"it was for that very reason that my father willed that i should
come forth into the world at my twentieth year," said alleyne.
"then your father was a man of good counsel," said she, "and you
cannot carry out his will better than by going on this path,
where all that is noble and gallant in england will be your
companions."
"you can ride?" asked sir nigel, looking at the youth with
puckered eyes.
"yes, i have ridden much at the abbey."
"yet there is a difference betwixt a friar's hack and a warrior's
destrier. you can sing and play?"
"on citole, flute and rebeck."
"good! you can read blazonry?"
"indifferent well."
"then read this," quoth sir nigel, pointing upwards to one of the
many quarterings which adorned the wall over the fireplace.
"argent," alleyne answered, "a fess azure charged with three
lozenges dividing three mullets sable. over all, on an
escutcheon of the first, a jambe gules."
"a jambe gules erased," said sir nigel, shaking his head
solemnly. "yet it is not amiss for a monk-bred man. i trust
that you are lowly and serviceable?"
"i have served all my life, my lord."
"canst carve too?"
"i have carved two days a week for the brethren."
"a model truly! wilt make a squire of squires. but tell me, i
pray, canst curl hair?"
"no, my lord, but i could learn."
"it is of import," said he, "for i love to keep my hair well
ordered, seeing that the weight of my helmet for thirty years
hath in some degree frayed it upon the top." he pulled off his
velvet cap of maintenance as he spoke, and displayed a pate which
was as bald as an egg, and shone bravely in the firelight. "you
see," said he, whisking round, and showing one little strip where
a line of scattered hairs, like the last survivors in some fatal
field, still barely held their own against the fate which had
fallen upon their comrades; "these locks need some little oiling
and curling, for i doubt not that if you look slantwise at my
head, when the light is good, you will yourself perceive that
there are places where the hair is sparse."
"it is for you also to bear the purse," said the lady; "for my
sweet lord is of so free and gracious a temper that he would give
it gayly to the first who asked alms of him. all these things,
with some knowledge of venerie, and of the management of horse,
hawk and hound, with the grace and hardihood and courtesy which
are proper to your age, will make you a fit squire for sir nigel
loring."
"alas! lady," alleyne answered, "i know well the great honor that
you have done me in deeming me worthy to wait upon so renowned a
knight, yet i am so conscious of my own weakness that i scarce
dare incur duties which i might be so ill-fitted to fulfil."
"modesty and a humble mind," said she, "are the very first and
rarest gifts in page or squire. your words prove that you have
these, and all the rest is but the work of use and time. but
there is no call for haste. rest upon it for the night, and let
your orisons ask for guidance in the matter. we knew your father
well, and would fain help his son, though we have small cause to
love your brother the socman, who is forever stirring up strife
in the county."
"we can scare hope," said nigel, "to have all ready for our start
before the feast of st. luke, for there is much to be done in the
time. you will have leisure, therefore, if it please you to take
service under me, in which to learn your devoir. bertrand, my
daughter's page, is hot to go; but in sooth he is over young for
such rough work as may be before us."
"and i have one favor to crave from you," added the lady of the
castle, as alleyne turned to leave their presence. "you have, as
i understand, much learning which you have acquired at beaulieu."
"little enough, lady, compared with those who were my teachers."
"yet enough for my purpose, i doubt not. for i would have you
give an hour or two a day whilst you are with us in discoursing
with my daughter, the lady maude; for she is somewhat backward, i
fear, and hath no love for letters, save for these poor fond
romances, which do but fill her empty head with dreams of
enchanted maidens and of errant cavaliers. father christopher
comes over after nones from the priory, but he is stricken with
years and slow of speech, so that she gets small profit from his
teaching. i would have you do
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