jupon."

"aye, by st. paul!" observed sir nigel, "they both bear the print

of their armor upon their cotes-hardies. methinks they are men

who breathe freer in a camp than a court."

"there are many of us who do that, nigel," said chandos, "and the

head of the court is, i dare warrant, among them. but of these

two men the one is sir hugh calverley, and the other is sir

robert knolles."

sir nigel and sir oliver craned their necks to have the clearer

view of these famous warriors, the one a chosen leader of free

companies, the other a man who by his fierce valor and energy had

raised himself from the lowest ranks until he was second only to

chandos himself in the esteem of the army.

"he hath no light hand in war, hath sir robert," said chandos.

"if he passes through a country you may tell it for some years to

come. i have heard that in the north it is still the use to call

a house which hath but the two gable ends left, without walls or

roof, a knolles' mitre."

"i have often heard of him," said nigel, "and i have hoped to be

so far honored as to run a course with him. but hark, sir john,

what is amiss with the prince?"

whilst chandos had been conversing with the two knights a

continuous stream of suitors had been ushered in, adventurers

seeking to sell their swords and merchants clamoring over some

grievance, a ship detained for the carriage of troops, or a tun

of sweet wine which had the bottom knocked out by a troop of

thirsty archers. a few words from the prince disposed of each

case, and, if the applicant liked not the judgment, a quick

glance from the prince's dark eyes sent him to the door with the

grievance all gone out of him. the younger ruler had sat

listlessly upon his stool with the two puppet monarchs enthroned

behind him, but of a sudden a dark shadow passed over his face,

and he sprang to his feet in one of those gusts of passion which

were the single blot upon his noble and generous character.

"how now, don martin de la carra?" he cried. "how now, sirrah?

what message do you bring to us from our brother of navarre?"

the new-comer to whom this abrupt query had been addressed was a

tall and exceedingly handsome cavalier who had just been ushered

into the apartment. his swarthy cheek and raven black hair spoke

of the fiery south, and he wore his long black cloak swathed

across his chest and over his shoulders in a graceful sweeping

fashion, which was neither english nor french. with stately

steps and many profound bows, he advanced to the foot of the dais

before replying to the prince's question.

"my powerful and illustrious master," he began, "charles, king of

navarre, earl of evreux, count of champagne, who also writeth

himself overlord of bearn, hereby sends his love and greetings to

his dear cousin edward, the prince of wales, governor of

aquitaine, grand commander of----"

"tush! tush! don martin!" interrupted the prince, who had been

beating the ground with his foot impatiently during this stately

preamble. "we already know our cousin's titles and style, and,

certes, we know our own. to the point, man, and at once, are the

passes open to us, or does your master go back from his word

pledged to me at libourne no later than last michaelmas?"

"it would ill become my gracious master, sire, to go back from

promise given. he does but ask some delay and certain conditions

and hostages----"

"conditions! hostages! is he speaking to the prince of england,

or is it to the bourgeois provost of some half-captured town!

conditions, quotha? he may find much to mend in his own

condition ere long. the passes are, then, closed to us?"

"nay, sire----"

"they are open, then?"

"nay, sire, if you would but----"

"enough, enough, don martin," cried the prince. "it is a sorry

sight to see so true a knight pleading in so false a cause. we

know the doings of our cousin charles. we know that while with

the right hand he takes our fifty thousand crowns for the holding

of the passes open, he hath his left outstretched to henry of

trastamare, or to the king of france, all ready to take as many

more for the keeping them closed. i know our good charles, and,

by my blessed name-saint the confessor, he shall learn that i

know him. he sets his kingdom up to the best bidder, like some

scullion farrier selling a glandered horse. he is----"

"my lord," cried don martin, "i cannot stand there to hear such

words of my master. did they come from other lips, i should know

better how to answer them."

don pedro frowned and curled his lip, but the prince smiled and

nodded his approbation.

"your bearing and your words, don martin, are such i should have

looked for in you," he remarked. "you will tell the king, your

master, that he hath been paid his price and that if he holds to

his promise he hath m