t elbow and at shoulder

than any of bordeaux or of england. italian he might be were his

bassinet more sloped, but i will swear that those plates were

welded betwixt this and rhine. here comes his squire, however,

and we shall hear what strange fortune hath brought him over the

marches."

as he spoke the attendant cantered up the grassy enclosure, and

pulling up his steed in front of the royal stand, blew a second

fanfare upon his bugle. he was a raw-boned, swarthy-cheeked man,

with black bristling beard and a swaggering bearing.

having sounded his call, he thrust the bugle into his belt, and,

pushing his way betwixt the groups of english and of gascon

knights, he reined up within a spear's length of the royal party.

"i come," he shouted in a hoarse, thick voice, with a strong

breton accent, "as squire and herald from my master, who is a

very valiant pursuivant-of-arms, and a liegeman to the great and

powerful monarch, charles, king of the french. my master has

heard that there is jousting here, and prospect of honorable

advancement, so he has come to ask that some english cavalier

will vouchsafe for the love of his lady to run a course with

sharpened lances with him, or to meet him with sword, mace,

battle-axe, or dagger. he bade me say, however, that he would

fight only with a true englishman, and not with any mongrel who

is neither english nor french, but speaks with the tongue of the

one, and fights under the banner of the other."

"sir!" cried de clisson, with a voice of thunder, while his

countrymen clapped their hands to their swords. the squire,

however, took no notice of their angry faces, but continued with

his master's message.

"he is now ready, sire," he said, "albeit his destrier has

travelled many miles this day, and fast, for we were in fear lest

we come too late for the jousting."

"ye have indeed come too late," said the prince, "seeing that the

prize is about to be awarded; yet i doubt not that one of these

gentlemen will run a course for the sake of honor with this

cavalier of france."

"and as to the prize, sire," quoth sir nigel, "i am sure that i

speak for all when i say this french knight hath our leave to

bear it away with him if he can fairly win it."

"bear word of this to your master," said the prince, "and ask him

which of these five englishmen he would desire to meet. but

stay; your master bears no coat-armor, and we have not yet heard

his name."

"my master, sire, is under vow to the virgin neither to reveal

his name nor to open his vizor until he is back upon french

ground once more."

"yet what assurance have we," said the prince, "that this is not

some varlet masquerading in his master's harness, or some caitiff

knight, the very touch of whose lance might bring infamy upon an

honorable gentleman?"

"it is not so, sire," cried the squire earnestly. "there is no

man upon earth who would demean himself by breaking a lance with

my master."

"you speak out boldly, squire," the prince answered; "but unless

i have some further assurance of your master's noble birth and

gentle name i cannot match the choicest lances of my court

against him."

"you refuse, sire?"

"i do refuse."

"then, sire, i was bidden to ask you from my master whether you

would consent if sir john chandos, upon hearing my master's name,

should assure you that he was indeed a man with whom you might

yourself cross swords without indignity."

"i ask no better," said the prince.

"then i must ask, lord chandos, that you will step forth. i have

your pledge that the name shall remain ever a secret, and that

you will neither say nor write one word which might betray it.

the name is ----" he stooped down from his horse and whispered

something into the old knight's ear which made him start with

surprise, and stare with much curiosity at the distant knight,

who was sitting his charger at the further end of the arena.

"is this indeed sooth?" he exclaimed.

"it is, my lord, and i swear it by st. ives of brittany."

"i might have known it," said chandos, twisting his mousetache,

and still looking thoughtfully at the cavalier.

"what then, sir john?" asked the prince.

"sire, this is a knight whom it is indeed great honor to meet,

and i would that your grace would grant me leave to send my

squire for my harness, for i would dearly love to run a course

with him.

"nay, nay, sir john, you have gained as much honor as one man can

bear, and it were hard if you could not rest now. but i pray

you, squire, to tell your master that he is very welcome to our

court, and that wines and spices will be served him, if he would

refresh himself before jousting."

"my master will not drink," said the squire.

"let him then name the gentleman with whom he would break a

spear."

"he would contend with these