hundred strokes
he did not seem to gain an inch. then at last, amid a shout of
joy and praise from the bank, they slowly drew clear into more
stagnant water, at the instant that a rope, made of a dozen
sword-belts linked together by the buckles, was thrown by ford
into their very hands. three pulls from eager arms, and the two
combatants, dripping and pale, were dragged up the bank, and lay
panting upon the grass.
john tranter was the first to come to himself, for although he
had been longer in the water, he had done nothing during that
fierce battle with the current. he staggered to his feet and
looked down upon his rescuer, who had raised himself upon his
elbow, and was smiling faintly at the buzz of congratulation and
of praise which broke from the squires around him.
"i am much beholden to you, sir," said tranter, though in no very
friendly voice. "certes, i should have been in the river now but
for you, for i was born in warwickshire, which is but a dry
county, and there are few who swim in those parts."
"i ask no thanks," alleyne answered shortly. "give me your hand
to rise, ford."
"the river has been my enemy," said tranter, "but it hath been a
good friend to you, for it has saved your life this day."
"that is as it may be," returned alleyne.
"but all is now well over," quoth harcomb, "and no scath come of
it, which is more than i had at one time hoped for. our young
friend here hath very fairly and honestly earned his right to be
craftsman of the honorable guild of the squires of bordeaux.
here is your doublet, tranter."
"alas for my poor sword which lies at the bottom of the garonne!"
said the squire.
"here is your pourpoint, edricson," cried norbury. "throw it
over your shoulders, that you may have at least one dry garment."
"and now away back to the abbey!" said several.
"one moment, sirs," cried alleyne, who was leaning on ford's
shoulder, with the broken sword, which he had picked up, still
clutched in his right hand. "my ears may be somewhat dulled by
the water, and perchance what has been said has escaped me, but i
have not yet heard this gentleman crave pardon for the insults
which he put upon me in the hall."
"what! do you still pursue the quarrel?" asked trenter.
"and why not, sir? i am slow to take up such things, but once
afoot i shall follow it while i have life or breath."
"ma foi! you have not too much of either, for you are as white as
marble," said harcomb bluntly. "take my rede, sir, and let it
drop, for you have come very well out from it."
"nay," said alleyne, "this quarrel is none of my making; but, now
that i am here, i swear to you that i shall never leave this spot
until i have that which i have come for: so ask my pardon, sir,
or choose another glaive and to it again."
the young squire was deadly white from his exertions, both on the
land and in the water. soaking and stained, with a smear of
blood on his white shoulder and another on his brow, there was
still in his whole pose and set of face the trace of an
inflexible resolution. his opponent's duller and more material
mind quailed before the fire and intensity of a higher spiritual
nature.
"i had not thought that you had taken it so amiss," said he
awkwardly. "it was but such a jest as we play upon each other,
and, if you must have it so, i am sorry for it."
"then i am sorry too," quoth alleyne warmly, "and here is my hand
upon it."
"and the none-meat horn has blown three times," quoth harcomb, as
they all streamed in chattering groups from the ground. "i know
not what the prince's maitre-de-cuisine will say or think. by my
troth! master ford, your friend here is in need of a cup of wine,
for he hath drunk deeply of garonne water. i had not thought
from his fair face that he had stood to this matter so shrewdly."
"faith," said ford, "this air of bordeaux hath turned our turtle-
dove into a game-cock. a milder or more courteous youth never
came out of hampshire."
"his master also, as i understand, is a very mild and courteous
gentleman," remarked harcomb; "yet i do not think that they are
either of them men with whom it is very safe to trifle."
chapter xxi.
how agostino pisano risked his head.
even the squires' table at the abbey of st. andrew's at bordeaux
was on a very sumptuous scale while the prince held his court
there. here first, after the meagre fare of beaulieu and the
stinted board of the lady loring, alleyne learned the lengths to
which luxury and refinement might be pushed. roasted peacocks,
with the feathers all carefully replaced, so that the bird lay
upon the dish even as it had strutted in life, boars' heads with
the tusks gilded and the mouth lined with silver foil, jellies in
the shape of the twelve apostles, and a great pasty which formed
an exact
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