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