of the world,"
cried alleyne, "but i would fain ask your rede upon the matter.
you have known my father and my kin: is not my family one of good
standing and repute?"
"beyond all question."
"and yet you warn me that i must not place my love too high."
"were minstead yours, alleyne, then, by st. paul! i cannot think
that any family in the land would not be proud to take you among
them, seeing that you come of so old a strain. but while the
socman lives----ha, by my soul!" if this is not sir oliver's step
i am the more mistaken."
as he spoke, a heavy footfall was heard without, and the portly
knight flung open the door and strode into the room.
"why, my little coz," said he, "i have come across to tell you
that i live above the barber's in the rue de la tour, and that
there is a venison pasty in the oven and two flasks of the right
vintage on the table. by st. james! a blind man might find the
place, for one has but to get in the wind from it, and follow the
savory smell. put on your cloak, then, and come, for sir walter
hewett and sir robert briquet, with one or two others, are
awaiting us."
"nay, oliver, i cannot be with you, for i must to montaubon this
day."
"to montaubon? but i have heard that your company is to come
with my forty winchester rascals to dax."
"if you will take charge of them, oliver. for i will go to
montaubon with none save my two squires and two archers. then,
when i have found the rest of my company i shall lead them to
dax. we set forth this morning."
"then i must back to my pasty," said sir oliver. "you will find
us at dax, i doubt not, unless the prince throw me into prison,
for he is very wroth against me."
"and why, oliver?"
"pardieu! because i have sent my cartel, gauntlet, and defiance
to sir john chandos and to sir william felton."
"to chandos? in god's name, oliver, why have you done this?"
"because he and the other have used me despitefully."
"and how?"
"because they have passed me over in choosing those who should
joust for england. yourself and audley i could pass, coz, for
you are mature men; but who are wake, and percy, and beauchamp?
by my soul! i was prodding for my food into a camp-kettle when
they were howling for their pap. is a man of my weight and
substance to be thrown aside for the first three half-grown lads
who have learned the trick of the tilt-yard? but hark ye, coz, i
think of sending my cartel also to the prince."
"oliver! oliver! you are mad!"
"not i, i' faith! i care not a denier whether he be prince or
no. by saint james! i see that your squire's eyes are starting
from his head like a trussed crab. well, friend, we are all
three men of hampshire, and not lightly to be jeered at."
"has he jeered at you than?"
"pardieu! yes, 'old sir oliver's heart is still stout,' said one
of his court. 'else had it been out of keeping with the rest of
him,' quoth the prince. 'and his arm is strong,' said another.
'so is the backbone of his horse,' quoth the prince. this very
day i will send him my cartel and defiance."
"nay, nay, my dear oliver," said sir nigel, laying his hand upon
his angry friend's arm. "there is naught in this, for it was but
saying that you were a strong and robust man, who had need of a
good destrier. and as to chandos and felton, bethink you that if
when you yourself were young the older lances had ever been
preferred, how would you then have had the chance to earn the
good name and fame which you now bear? you do not ride as light
as you did, oliver, and i ride lighter by the weight of my hair,
but it would be an ill thing if in the evening of our lives we
showed that our hearts were less true and loyal than of old. if
such a knight as sir oliver buttesthorn may turn against his own
prince for the sake of a light word, then where are we to look
for steadfast faith and constancy?"
"ah! my dear little coz, it is easy to sit in the sunshine and
preach to the man in the shadow. yet you could ever win me over
to your side with that soft voice of yours. let us think no more
of it then. but, holy mother! i had forgot the pasty, and it
will be as scorched as judas iscariot! come, nigel, lest the
foul fiend get the better of me again."
"for one hour, then; for we march at mid-day. tell aylward,
alleyne, that he is to come with me to montaubon, and to choose
one archer for his comrade. the rest will to dax when the prince
starts, which will be before the feast of the epiphany. have
pommers ready at mid-day with my sycamore lance, and place my
harness on the sumpter mule."
with these brief directions, the two old soldiers strode off
together, while alleyne hastened to get all in order for their
journey.
chapter xxvi.
how the three comrades gained a mighty treasure
it was
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