le, with a

black velvet cap with curling white feather cocked upon the side

of his head. a flask of red wine stood at his elbow, and he

seemed to be very much at his ease, for his feet were stuck up on

a stool, and between his thighs he held a dish full of nuts.

these he cracked between his strong white teeth and chewed in a

leisurely way, casting the shells into the blaze. as alleyne

gazed in at him he turned his face half round and cocked an eye

at him over his shoulder. it seemed to the young englishman that

he had never seen so hideous a face, for the eyes were of the

lightest green, the nose was broken and driven inwards, while the

whole countenance was seared and puckered with wounds. the

voice, too, when he spoke, was as deep and as fierce as the growl

of a beast of prey.

"young man," said he, "i know not who you may be, and i am not

much inclined to bestir myself, but if it were not that i am bent

upon taking my ease, i swear, by the sword of joshua! that i

would lay my dog-whip across your shoulders for daring to fill

the air with these discordant bellowings."

taken aback at this ungentle speech, and scarce knowing how to

answer it fitly in the presence of the lady, alleyne stood with

his hand upon the handle of the door, while sir nigel and his

companions dismounted. at the sound of these fresh voices, and

of the tongue in which they spoke, the stranger crashed his dish

of nuts down upon the floor, and began himself to call for the

landlord until the whole house re-echoed with his roarings. with

an ashen face the white-aproned host came running at his call,

his hands shaking and his very hair bristling with apprehension.

"for the sake of god, sirs," he whispered as he passed, "speak

him fair and do not rouse him! for the love of the virgin, be

mild with him!"

"who is this, then?" asked sir nigel.

alleyne was about to explain, when a fresh roar from the stranger

interrupted him.

"thou villain inn-keeper," he shouted, "did i not ask you when i

brought my lady here whether your inn was clean?"

"you did, sire."

"did i not very particularly ask you whether there were any

vermin in it?"

"you did, sire."

"and you answered me?"

"that there were not, sire."

"and yet ere i have been here an hour i find englishmen crawling

about within it. where are we to be free from this pestilent

race? can a frenchman upon french land not sit down in a french

auberge without having his ears pained by the clack of their

hideous talk? send them packing, inn-keeper, or it may be the

worse for them and for you."

"i will, sire, i will!" cried the frightened host, and bustled

from the room, while the soft, soothing voice of the woman was

heard remonstrating with her furious companion.

"indeed, gentlemen, you had best go," said mine host. "it is but

six miles to villefranche, where there are very good quarters at

the sign of the 'lion rouge.' "

"nay," answered sir nigel, "i cannot go until i have seen more of

this person, for he appears to be a man from whom much is to be

hoped. what is his name and title?"

"it is not for my lips to name it unless by his desire. but i

beg and pray you, gentlemen, that you will go from my house, for

i know not what may come of it if his rage should gain the

mastery of him."

"by saint paul!" lisped sir nigel, "this is certainly a man whom

it is worth journeying far to know. go tell him that a humble

knight of england would make his further honorable acquaintance,

not from any presumption, pride, or ill-will, but for the

advancement of chivalry and the glory of our ladies. give him

greeting from sir nigel loring, and say that the glove which i

bear in my cap belongs to the most peerless and lovely of her

sex, whom i am now ready to uphold against any lady whose claim

he might be desirous of advancing."

the landlord was hesitating whether to carry this message or no,

when the door of the inner room was flung open, and the stranger

bounded out like a panther from its den, his hair bristling and

his deformed face convulsed with anger.

"still here!" he snarled. "dogs of england, must ye be lashed

hence? tiphaine, my sword!" he turned to seize his weapon, but

as he did so his gaze fell upon the blazonry of sir nigel's

shield, and he stood staring, while the fire in his strange green

eyes softened into a sly and humorous twinkle.

"mort dieu!" cried he, "it is my little swordsman of bordeaux. i

should remember that coat-armor, seeing that it is but three days

since i looked upon it in the lists by garonne. ah! sir nigel,

sir nigel! you owe me a return for this," and he touched his

right arm, which was girt round just under the shoulder with a

silken kerchief.

but the surprise of the stranger at the sight of sir nigel was as

nothing compared with the astonishme