nce and wisdom of war.
"by my faith! sir john," said the prince as he rode through the
winding streets on his way to the list, "i should have been glad
to have splintered a lance to-day. you have seen me hold a spear
since i had strength to lift one, and should know best whether i
do not merit a place among this honorable company."
"there is no better seat and no truer lance, sire," said chandos;
"but, if i may say so without fear of offence, it were not
fitting that you should join in this debate."
"and why, sir john?"
"because, sire, it is not for you to take part with gascons
against english, or with english against gascons, seeing that you
are lord of both. we are not too well loved by the gascons now,
and it is but the golden link of your princely coronet which
holds us together. if that be snapped i know not what would
follow."
"snapped, sir john!" cried the prince, with an angry sparkle in
his dark eyes. "what manner of talk is this? you speak as
though the allegiance of our people were a thing which might be
thrown off or on like a falcon's jessel."
"with a sorry hack one uses whip and spur, sire," said chandos;
"but with a horse of blood and spirit a good cavalier is gentle
and soothing, coaxing rather than forcing. these folk are
strange people, and you must hold their love, even as you have it
now, for you will get from their kindness what all the pennons in
your army could not wring from them."
"you are over-grave to-day, john," the prince answered. "we may
keep such questions for our council-chamber. but how now, my
brothers of spain, and of majorca. what think you of this
challenge?"
"i look to see some handsome joisting," said don pedro, who rode
with the king of majorca upon the right of the prince, while
chandos was on the left. "by st. james of compostella! but these
burghers would bear some taxing. see to the broadcloth and
velvet that the rogues bear upon their backs! by my troth! if
they were my subjects they would be glad enough to wear falding
and leather ere i had done with them. but mayhap it is best to
let the wool grow long ere you clip it."
"it is our pride," the prince answered coldly, "that we rule over
freemen and not slaves."
"every man to his own humor," said pedro carelessly. "carajo!
there is a sweet face at yonder window! don fernando, i pray you
to mark the house, and to have the maid brought to us at the
abbey."
"nay, brother, nay!" cried the prince impatiently. "i have had
occasion to tell you more than once that things are not ordered
in this way in aquitaine."
"a thousand pardons, dear friend," the spaniard answered quickly,
for a flush of anger had sprung to the dark cheek of the english
prince. "you make my exile so like a home that i forget at times
that i am not in very truth back in castile. every land hath
indeed its ways and manners; but i promise you, edward, that when
you are my guest in toledo or madrid you shall not yearn in vain
for any commoner's daughter on whom you may deign to cast your
eye."
"your talk, sire," said the prince still more coldly, "is not
such as i love to hear from your lips. i have no taste for such
amours as you speak of, and i have sworn that my name shall be
coupled with that of no woman save my ever dear wife."
"ever the mirror of true chivalry!" exclaimed pedro, while james
of majorca, frightened at the stern countenance of their all-
powerful protector, plucked hard at the mantle of his brother
exile.
"have a care, cousin," he whispered; "for the sake of the virgin
have a care, for you have angered him."
"pshaw! fear not," the other answered in the same low tone. "if
i miss one stoop i will strike him on the next. mark me else.
fair cousin," he continued, turning to the prince, "these be rare
men-at-arms and lusty bowmen. it would be hard indeed to match
them."
"they have journeyed far, sire, but they have never yet found
their match."
"nor ever will, i doubt not. i feel myself to be back upon my
throne when i look at them. but tell me, dear coz, what shall we
do next, when we have driven this bastard henry from the kingdom
which he hath filched?"
"we shall then compel the king of aragon to place our good friend
and brother james of majorca upon the throne."
"noble and generous prince!" cried the little monarch.
"that done," said king pedro, glancing out of the corners of his
eyes at the young conqueror, "we shall unite the forces of
england, of aquitaine, of spain and of majorca. it would be
shame to us if we did not do some great deed with such forces
ready to our hand."
"you say truly, brother," cried the prince, his eyes kindling at
the thought. "methinks that we could not do anything more
pleasing to our lady than to drive the heathen moors out of the
country."
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